As of January 1, 2019, we have closed our forums. This is a decision we did not come to lightly, but it is necessary. The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk. The server software itself must be updated, and it cannot be without removing the forums.
So it is with a heavy heart that we say goodbye to our long-running forums. They came online in 2000 and brought together so many wonderful Disney fans. We had friendships form, careers launch, couples marry, children born ... all because of this amazing community.
Thank you to each of you who were a part of this community. You made it possible.
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We want to personally thank Sara Varney, who coordinated our community for many years (among so many other things she did for us), and Cheryl Pendry, our Message Board Manager who helped train our Guides, and Ginger Jabour, who helped us with the PassPorter-specific forums and Live! Guides. Thank you for your time, energy, and enthusiasm. You made it all happen.
There are other changes as well.
Why? Well, the world has changed. And change with it, we must. The lyrics to "We Go On" for IllumiNations say it best:
We go on to the joy and through the tears
We go on to discover new frontiers
Moving on with the current of the years.
We go on
Moving forward now as one
Moving on with a spirit born to run
Ever on with each rising sun.
To a new day, we go on.
It's time to move on and move forward.
PassPorter is a small business, and for many years it supported our family. But the world changed, print books took a backseat to the Internet, and for a long time now it has been unable to make ends meet. We've had to find new ways to support our family, which means new careers and less and less time available to devote to our first baby, PassPorter.
But eventually, we must move on and move forward. It is the right thing to do.
So we are retiring this newsletter, as we simply cannot keep up with it. Many thanks to Mouse Fan Travel who supported it all these years, to All Ears and MousePlanet who helped us with news, to our many article contributors, and -- most importantly -- to Sara Varney who edited our newsletter so wonderfully for years and years.
And we are no longer charging for the Live Guides. If you have a subscription, it's yours to keep for the lifetime of the Live Guides at no additional cost. The Live Guides will stay online, barring server issues and technical problems, for all of 2019.
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Thank you, thank you, thank you for your amazing support over the years. Without you, there's no way us little guys could have made something like this happen and given the "big guys" a run for their money. PassPorter was consistently the #3 guidebook after the Unofficial and Official guides, which was really unheard of for such a small company to do. We ROCKED it thanks to you and your support and love!
If you miss us, you can still find some of us online. Sara started a new blog at DisneyParkPrincess.com -- I strongly urge you to visit and get on her mailing list. She IS the Disney park princess and knows Disney backward and forward. And I am blogging as well at JenniferMaker.com, which is a little craft blog I started a couple of years ago to make ends meet. You can see and hear me in my craft show at https://www.youtube.com/c/jennifermaker . Many PassPorter readers and fans are on Facebook, in groups they formed like the PassPorter Trip Reports and PassPorter Crafting Challenge (if you join, just let them know you read about it in the newsletter). And some of our most devoted community members started a forum of their own at Pixie Dust Lane and all are invited over.
So we encourage you to stay in touch with us and your fellow community members wherever works best for you!
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A vote for Epcot! The IFGF is on now and it's wonderful. There's Flower Power concerts at night for you. Also there's Soarin, Spaceship Earth, The Living Seas (you've got to visit Turtle Talk with Crush), Test Track,..... And be sure to get the kids Passports to have signed when they go around World Showcase. They can also have fun at the Kidcot stops throughout the park. Have a great trip!!
I'm going to have to go the other way and say your time is best spent at ak. The themeing is the best of all the parks and the rides are fantastic. We love Everest, Kali, the Safari, Dinosaur, and Primeval. On top of that the shows at AK are amazing. Its worth going to AK just to see Festival of the Lion King. On top of that you can add the Nemo show and the fact that the character wait lines and Camp Minnie Mickey are usually short!
For me, my least favourite park by far is Hollywood Studios so have you considered scrapping the Studios and doing both Epcot and Animal Kingdom instead? If you have park hoppers, you could always zip over to HS on the evening of your AK day just to catch Fantasmic. There is so much more to do for children at both Epcot and Animal Kingdom than there is at Hollywood Studios. Both the first two parks have special stops where kids can do fun activities plus there are far more opportunities for character interaction at Epcot and AK than at Hollywood Studios.
Joy
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EPCOT! hands down...more for them to experience there...and its not only educational (though who can discount how much kids learn when they are having fun doing it). The Innoventions pavilions are fantastic, Imagination! is cute (I love Figment...so does DD...her goal this trip in July is to get the Skunk Figment...weird child o' mine) and The Land pavilion has a lot that they may enjoy as does The Seas with Nemo and Friends (pay particular attention to the sea gulls out front). World Showcase has the Kidcot funstops in each country...loads of fun!
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If your kids aren't into animals - I would go with Epcot.
My favorite park is AK - so I would be going there.
But there is much to do at Epcot - Soarin, Test Track, Spaceship Earth, Mission Space, the countries.
Thanks for the responses everyone! We are not doing the park hopper (I know, I know) b/c we are only going to be there for 3 actual days not including the P&PP on Sun night. If I were going to be there longer I would add on the ph. Also, this trip is my mom's treat so who am I to complain that she doesn't want to spend the extra $$. We picked HS b/c I was told that they have the Pixar stuff and Power Rangers there. I was told that the boys might enjoy that. I am open to "real" suggestions though.
My mom really is not into going to Epcot. She has not been to WDW since she took me OPENING DAY in 1971!! She thinks that there is nothing to do in Epcot and that it is just educational. I keep trying to tell her diffferently but she just doesn't believe me. I am bringing my guide book for her to read on the way down! I am really trying to make this a fun trip for both her and the boys. She thinks I am NUTS with the amount of planning and stuff I have bought for this trip. Last night she asked me why we have to take all of this stuff with us (snacks, drinks, aspirin, etc) she said "why can't we just go to the park, get a muffin for b-fast, ride the rides, get some icecream for snack and then just go to a restaurant for dinner?" I don't think she has any clue as to what it is like going to the park with 3 boys and large crowds. She is in for an eyeopener and hopefully will thank me afterwards for all of the ADR's that I made!!
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We just added an extra day to our trip and I am trying to figure out which park to see. I have 3 boys (9, 6 and 4) and am trying to figure out which park to do. Here are out plans so far:
Sun - check in day P&PP @ MK
Mon - MGM ( or whatever it is called now )
Tues - Back to MK to finish up whatever we didn't hit on Sun night
Wed - ?
Which park? I only have one child that is a big coaster rider, but no real animal lovers either. What do you think? The days I picked for each park are based on the UG book's least busy park days.
TIA
Our DS12, as well as DH & I, LOVED AK!!! We stayed all day & didn't get to do & see all we wanted to do. The Lion King show was out of this world, the character meet & greet place was very nice, the safari, the rides, and of course, the seeing all animals were wonderful!! It is a fav of ours! We did enjoy EPCOT too, but DS really liked AK.
Another thing I wanted to suggest was maybe going to either AK or Epcot on Tues. & saving MK for your last day. That's what we did. We went there our first evening in FL. & saved it for our last night, closing the park with WISHES!!!! What a wonderful end(if it has to end) to your WDW vacation!!!!
I would have to recommend AK for boys that age. First of all, if you're staying on property, Wednesday is AK evening EMH. Secondly, there is really a lot to see - don't believe anyone who says it's a half-day park. Here's why we love AK (aside from animals):
Nemo & Friends - the Musical
A Bug's Life (in the Tree of Life, in 3D, with stink bugs, etc. - boys will love it!)
Festival of the Lion King
Kilimanjaro Safari
Mickey's Jammin' Jungle Parade (4pm every day)
Characters!: Pooh, et al; Minnie, Mickey, Donald, Goofy; Lilo & Stitch
Dinoland USA (do your boys like dinsosaurs? - this area would be great)
Train ride to Rafiki's Planet Watch and Conservation Station (very educational)
If you're not animal lovers, you could skip the Jungle Trek and Pocahontas show (or give them a try if you have time....).
Just remember that AK closes @ 5pm (unless you go to EMH). Epcot won't close until 9pm. No matter what, it's all Disney magic! I'm sure you'll have a great time regardless!
I would recommend EPCOT. We enjoyed AK too, but it is only 1/2 day park. Hollywood Studios was our least favorite of the 4 parks, but that is just us. MK & EPCOT take an entire day and then some.
Something you may want to consider. AK & Hollywood Studios didn't take very long for us. My DD wasn't thrilled with then called MGM and we went through in just a few hours. Like someone else said AK is a half day park. You could do a day at MK, a day at EPCOT, and split AK & HS. Keep in mind though the hours are shorter at AK & HS, Utilize Extra Magic Hours if possible. EPCOT & MK both really require a full day if possible.
Hey I'm crazy I like to fit in as much as I can. It is possible to see each park in 3 1/2 days. We did it in 3 days. We didn't allow enough time for EPCOT because we didn't think my 5 year old DD would enjoy it and it ended up being her favorite park (even over MK ) So this time around EPCOT our 1st day and she can't wait.
Enjoy your trip and expect to need a vacation after your vacation
scmiller
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with the amount of planning and stuff I have bought for this trip. Last night she asked me why we have to take all of this stuff with us (snacks, drinks, aspirin, etc) she said "why can't we just go to the park, get a muffin for b-fast, ride the rides, get some icecream for snack and then just go to a restaurant for dinner?" I don't think she has any clue as to what it is like going to the park with 3 boys and large crowds. She is in for an eyeopener 
and hopefully will thank me afterwards for all of the ADR's that I made!!
)
) to your WDW vacation!!!! 
Susan
) So this time around EPCOT our 1st day and she can't wait.
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