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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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.
And a very special thank you to our Guides (moderators), past and present, who kept our forums a happy place to be. You are the glue that held everything together, and we are forever grateful to you. Thank you aliceinwdw, Caldercup, MrsM, WillCAD, Fortissimo, GingerJ, HiddenMickey, CRCrazy, Eeyoresmom, disneyknut, disneydani, Cam22, chezp, WDWfan, Luvsun, KMB733, rescuesk, OhToodles!, Colexis Mom, lfredsbo, HiddenMickey, DrDolphin, DopeyGirl, duck addict, Disneybine, PixieMichele, Sandra Bostwick, Eeyore Tattoo, DyanKJ130, Suzy Q'Disney, LilMarcieMouse, AllisonG, Belle*, Chrissi, Brant, DawnDenise, Crystalloubear, Disneymom9092, FanOfMickey, Goofy4Goofy, GoofyMom, Home4us123, iamgrumpy, ilovedisney247, Jennifer2003, Jenny Pooh, KrisLuvsDisney, Ladyt, Laughaholic88, LauraBelle Hime, Lilianna, LizardCop, Loobyoxlip, lukeandbrooksmom, marisag, michnash, MickeyMAC, OffKilter_Lynn, PamelaK, Poor_Eeyore, ripkensnana, RobDVC, SHEANA1226, Shell of the South, snoozin, Statelady01, Tara O'Hara, tigger22, Tink and Co., Tinkerbelz, WDWJAMBA, wdwlovers, Wendyismyname, whoSEZ, WildforWD, and WvuGrrrl. You made the magic.
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.
That said, PassPorter is not going away. Most of the resources will remain online for as long as we can support them, and after that we will find ways to make whatever we can available. PassPorter means a great deal to us, and to many of you, and we will do our best to keep it alive in whatever way we can. Our server costs are high, and they'll need to come out of our pockets, so in the future you can expect some changes so we can bring those costs down.
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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Did not know PTN was ending! I hope all goes well with Evan and he will need your support!
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October 6, 2017-Enjoying an amazing dinner at Victoria & Albert's with PP's Dot and Drew
My TR from my most recent trip is now underway. Includes: Universal Studios Florida, Disney World and Sea World Orlando Trifecta TR -Updated December 10th! TR is now COMPLETED!
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Best of luck to Evan with his new diagnosis and the coming school year! Sorry about Paint the Night ending before you get there. It is an incredible parade and just so sad to see it end.
Just found this. Sorry your 2015 was so rough. Having done the same thing with my father's house, I know how hard that was/is but congrats on getting it sold quickly!
your plans sound wonderful, and I can't wait to hear his reaction! Sorry about PTN....
I only just found this report too, and wanted to also send my condolences for your sad loss and the rough time you have been having.
But now you have something wonderful to look forward to! We stayed in the Fairfield Inn on our first trip to Disneyland in 2014, and loved the hotel - it is literally just over the road from the walkway into Disneyland, and the longest part of the walk there is down the driveway into the magic! Its a really nice hotel, clean and airy, and the staff are very 'Disney'. There is a small shop in the foyer that sells drinks, snacks etc., and is cheaper than the nearby, tiny convenience store (called Harbor Boulevard or something like that).
I hope you have a wonderful time, you deserve it!
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Silvercat
(Enjoy reading trip reports? Why not try my books, "Tiggerific Travels Parts 1, 2, 3 & the new volume 4" - available now as e-books)
Registered Message Board Members save 30% off PassPorter guidebooks! When you register you'll have access to a discount coupon good for 30% off the list price of PassPorter books in our online store.
Well as you can tell, I haven't been on the boards that much. I do miss reading up on what everyone is doing. I used to not have too much to do at work and that is when I could catch up on things around here. Now that I am much busier I just don't have the time like I used to. I generally just work through lunch and when I get home the last thing I want to do is get back on the computer.
But I am happy to report that our Disneyland trip is still on and only 2 weeks away. Plus I put a deposit down for our summer 2017 trip. We are going June 24 to July 9.
Life is actually going pretty good for me and Evan right now. School is good, he has completed his sessions at Brain Balance and I'm very happy with the results. I'm going to post something about it under the Family topic.
I do still hope to do a quick TR when we come back but since we will be into the Holidays by then, I'm not too sure. Evan usually gets a few weeks off between sports around Thanksgiving time so maybe I can post then.
Miss all my Passporter friends. Super excited as we just have 14 days to go! Evan still has no clue and I've almost spilled the beans a few times.
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To answer your suitcase question, I think they are more concerned with weight, not size so as long as your suitcase is 50 lbs. or less I think you should be fine.
Also, just FYI - keep in mind that not everywhere at Downtown Disney takes Disney Gift cards. I know at WDW just about everywhere does, even the places at Disney Springs. When I was in DL this summer, a few of the places we visited in Downtown Disney didn't take them. Just letting you know to plan ahead in case you are stocking up on Disney Gift Cards.
I stayed at the DL Hotel (not on my dime, was there for a conference with my husband!) but I could see the off-property hotels from the monorail ride and you are correct, probably only a 5-10 minute walk to the parks, and another few minutes to Downtown Disney. The proximity of everything is such a plus of DL!