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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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We've done the Carthay Circle Lounge a few times now - the last time was in 2015. Honestly, I can't remember how much it cost now. I've just found the menu on All Ears Net.
Thanks for the link, Cheryl. Looks a little rich for my blood, but at the same time, I could see enjoying it in the right setting.
N is even further in the hole financially. She's not keen on borrowing $ for the trip, but I think she might still rally. She has a job she thinks she has a good chance of getting and that would make the trip possible.
Mom's BF's husband just started chemo again, and so it will depend on his schedule and reaction whether she can leave him for 4 nights. I sure hope she can go, but it's up in the air.
So, that leaves Dmom, DS, and I, which is fine. In that case, I wish my dear Dad could join us, but he's not into coming for a short trip like this. He's the other true DL nut in the family, but he is more into a longer, more planned, and more expensive trip with quality AirBnB lodging.
Next up: lodging options
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Themed environment junkie
Last edited by KimmyAnn1147; 10-18-2017 at 11:04 PM..
Travelodge Convention Center - 1.1 mi walk to Esplanade $367 total. Suitable for 3 adults and kid. Breakfast looks good, rooms look fine. Nothing special, but nothing terrible. This price includes a parking fee, which is annoying, but it's still a great price.
Ramada Convention Center - 1.2 mi walk to Esplanade $346 total. Suitable for 4 adults and a kid.This is the cheapest reservation I'm holding. The pool is tiny, but the hot tub looks fine. Reviews are terrible. Dirty, things don't work, lots of roaches. Then others have reported a fine experience. Recently reviews report the pool is out of order. I called yesterday and the pool is fine, but the hot tub is under maintenance. We do not want to stay somewhere that does not have a hot tub, as my mom has chronic pain that the hot tub helps with. I'll keep calling, but I'm leaning away from this site. If it were DS and I, we would stay there, but I think I want something nicer for DMom.
Anaheim Disneyland Drive - 1.0 mi walk to Esplanade. $522 Suitable for 4 adults and a kid. This is my preferred location. The walk is a little shorter, but better than that, most of the walk is on property. Much nicer than walking Harbor, though it does lack cheaper food options nearby. The pool and hot tub area looks decent, the reviews are pretty good. As you can see, the difference in price compared to the Ramada is significant.
All of the above are reserved with free cancelation till Nov 29th, the day before the trip. If doesn't come, we'll go to the Travelodge Convention Cntr, but if she does come, it's between the high price of DL drive and the low quality of the Ramada. I think we'll go with the higher price, but I like having both options reserved just in case.
I've been enjoying looking at rates every day or two, and it's been fun to knock the price down a bit here and there.
Some good options available. Obviously the closer you are to DL the more expensive it gets. How many nights are these rates of $347- $522 for? I'm guessing two nights?
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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!
Those are amazing rates for 4 nights! You've certainly done your homework!
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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!
Well, Dave and Cheryl, I doubt very much that any of these hotels would meat the standards of most Passporters. But, I really don't mind.
My husband is not a Disney person, so I barely get away with any trip at all...but if I can keep it pretty cheap, he doesn't say too much.
I actually dropped the Ramada price to $322. Trouble is, I really don't think I want to take my mom to this Ramada. Reviews are really poor in the cleanliness dept, and it's one thing to go cheap, but its another thing to go gross.
Hotel decision is finalized. I ended up going with the Kings Inn Anaheim.
This place gets really excellent reviews, considering the cost. 4/5 on Travelocity, with excellent cleanliness and well-maintained pool area. It's closer than any of the other hotels I was considering, I think, and is close to CVS, Subway, and a number of other less expensive options for food.
It's $388 for the 4 nights. Defintely not the cheapest option, but I'll feel much better about mom.
This is the first time I've ever paid for a trip for her. My parents have been very generous and supportive of us over the years, and while we don't have the kind of money they do, it feels good to be able to ask her to come (to enjoy with us, but also to help babysit) and be able to make her comfortable as well. Neat!
DH has agreed to try to take over N's ticket, since she doesn't have the $ for the trip. He isn't a park guy, so he'll use the time to go to Mexico to have some dental work done.
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Themed environment junkie
Last edited by KimmyAnn1147; 10-28-2017 at 02:09 PM..
Sounds like you chose the right hotel. At under $100 per night plus the reviews it has received it may be a winner.
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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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You've certainly done your homework! 
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