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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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Dave - Exactly! Sometimes, it does make sense to go non-refundable, but with hotels, the prices change so much, I usually go with refundable then switch to non when I get very close to my travel date if I can get it cheaper that way.
Donna - glad you joined in! It's hard to fit in The Parks on a trip, since DH is not a fan. That said, if I can in any way figure out how to get there cheap, he's pretty understanding. He loves going out alone into nature, so this is his opportunity. My last WDW trip in 2014, he did a solo canoe trip in the Okefenokee.
Cam - My customer service experience was great. I got off the phone thinking "I'm going to love Bolivia!"
Ella - Glad you joined in! I stink at finishing TRs if I try to do them afterwards, but live ones seem to enhance the trip for me. I'm pretty sure I'll be posting updates when I have down time.
WDW update: Still trying for an August 18 lunch ADR at Beaches and Cream. I could do lunch or dinner on August 20th as well. Everything is booked, but I'll keep trying. Gives me something fun to do.
My nephew spent a few months in Bolivia last year and absolutely loved it. He said he's never met such truly friendly and warm people. Everyone he met invited him home for dinner.
I'm with you about having something fun to do when you keep trying for ADRs. We had a couple from our recent trip that I kept trying and trying to get for so long that when eventually I found what I wanted, I thought the website was playing a joke on me!
Penny, that's what I keep hearing about Bolivia, too. Hospitable, friendly, laid back people in amazing surroundings.
Cam, thanks! The pixies did their work, after 2 weeks, I got an ADR! See below....
Cheryl, Now that I have the ADR, I don't know what do to with myself!
WDW update: The only update is that I got an ADR for our entire group (well, 4 of us, it looks like DNeph won't be joing us.) for our last full day at 5pm. I'm thinking we might end up canceling, but I like having the ADR in my pocket! The only other update is that I was able to switch my one night at a fleabag hotel I've never been to, to a fleabag I know and love. Rodeway Inn Maingate, here we come!
Bolivia update: DS's passport arrived. We have our yellow fever shot and other travel medicine consult scheduled for April 19th, then we will be able to send away for our visa's. I can't tell you how much I hate mailing my passport to an embassy. WHAT IF THEY DONT SEND THEM BACK!!!!! Seems like such a crazy system.
I am currently taking Lamasil for a toenail fungus infection. I was really worried that I would have to stop taking it early because of needing antimalarials. Lamasil stays in the system a long time, and although I plan to stop the Lamasil when we leave, I want to take it for as long as possible up to that time. My toenails are healing SLOWLY. BUT today, I see that doxycycline is a recommended for Bolivia, not chloroquine as I thought. So I think we are good. Doxy doesn't seem to be liver toxic and isn't processed by the enzymes that are affected by Lamasil. Yay!!!
For a sneak peak, the area I am most excited about visiting is the Yungas region, a narrow, long strip of jungle that is in the foothills east of the Andes. We will be visiting the village of Caroico. Here's an image of their town center area.
And here's one of nearby hiking.
I'm an adventureland nut, whether it's in the park or out in the real world. This is going to be awesome!!!
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I am so with you about the idea of sending your passport away. I hated when I had to send my old one away to get a new one.
In the U.S. when we send our old passports in the mail, in return we get the new one plus the old one. The old one does have a hole punched in it as it's no longer valid for use. At least we get to keep the old one!
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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!
In the U.S. when we send our old passports in the mail, in return we get the new one plus the old one. The old one does have a hole punched in it as it's no longer valid for use. At least we get to keep the old one!
Exactly the same here - except we have the corner removed, but yes I like the fact that we get to keep the old one. I always think it's a shame though to give up an old passport and all those nice stamps you've acquired in it over the years.
Exactly the same here - except we have the corner removed, but yes I like the fact that we get to keep the old one. I always think it's a shame though to give up an old passport and all those nice stamps you've acquired in it over the years.
I couldn't agree more.
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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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Cheryl and Dave, yup, hate to give up the old passport, but fun to collect new stamps. August's first passport picture was taken at 9 days old, his 2nd at 4 1/2. It would be terrible if they didn't return them!
Cam, thanks! My Disney foot is awfully itchy though, without an ADR to aim for. Not much left to do now for WDW, until FP+ time. We'll be in Bolivia then, so I'm hoping my DSis is willing to get on it. She might be getting her tickets through a hotel, so hopefully she'll get them in time for the 30 day window and will be able to link them.
Pam, safety is a concern for us too. Happily, Bolivia has the lowest violent crime rate in South America by far. It will be much safer than many large US cities, though it might not feel like it because we will stand out more. It's much safer for tourists than Peru. I do think car accident deaths are near the highest rates in the world, though, due to a combination of cultural driving practices, poor roads, and mountainous terrain. That's what I'm most worried about.
We are getting closer! Travel medicine appointment is next week.
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