Thought it was all ready but now questioning a decision - Page 3 - PassPorter - A Community of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel Forums
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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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I agree with Mom2JPL it depends on the ages of your children and whether or not they can handle staying up that late for the party, if they can then I would do the MVMCP since it is only during holiday time and do the HDDR on your next trip
I am in the minority here, but I would pick the Hoop Dee Doo. First of all, it's my favorite show on all Disney property and the food is so good. Also, with the MVMCP - I liked it but last year when I went it was raining so hard and it was cold. Most of the festivities are outside and it was a miserable night, unfortunately. A lot of the shows were cancelled and there were no refunds. But it is a good time if the weather is right.
We must have been at the MVMCP the same night!!!! We went last year, and it was MISERABLE weather wise. We're from ALASKA and even we were cold. I can see where the party could be a blast if you have decent (even marginal) weather.
We also went to HDD and had a BLAST!!! Even DS was engrossed by it. We were seated on the balcony, but it was a great view and we were able to see everything!!!
DH and I are discussing whether we are going to try the MVMCP again on our next trip. And the only reason we are going to pass on HDD is that we are going to go to the Luau instead. Gotta try it all!!!!!
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Jennifer / Eeyore is my favorite!!
OMG - He's sooooo grown up!!!! And an EAGLE SCOUT!! I can still remember my cute little Tiger Cub! 2016 Reading Goal - 75 books
Another vote for MVMCP, we did the party & Hoop last year. My DD (8yrs.) also gives her vote for MVMCP, we're looking forward to the party again this year, we've opted to pass on the Hoop this year. Have FUN!
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"Not all treasure is silver and gold, mate."
Captain Jack Sparrow
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The Christmas Party was amazing. The highlight of our trip last year in December. I would recommend it. The fireworks were awesome, the free cookies and hot chocolate and the parade was awesome. We had never been to Disney around Christmas and I am so glad I got the tickets to the Party. Have fun whatever you choose to do.
Another vote for MVMCP. We've done both and we DO love HoopDeeDoo, but, as others have daid, you can do HDD any time. You might not be back during the Christmas party. It is great. We'll be there November 30! Can't wait!!!
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We've done them both and would definately vote for the Party. Its a chance to see the MK in a different way (snow on Main street, characters in Xmas clothing). Plus the fireworks show is one of Disney's best! Its almost worth it just to go for that!
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Margaret and I got to see the Cubs play in October. They won!
If I had to pick ONE, it would be the party. Just the parade is worth the price of admission! Then there is the special fireworks!
One suggestion, one of the most important things to do, especially for first timers, is to remember you can't do everything. You have limitations. Be flexible, take some time to rest and "smell the roses", and try not to "hit the wall".