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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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Well, we just cancelled our AAA Disney reservation!!
And booked with Disney directly. I tried something different and it backfired! I know several people who deal with AAA all the time but my experience was unsettling. I knew more than the TA did! I called him Monday first thing about the new discounts. He hadn't heard anything about it so, I sent him the emails I had received. I also told him I had gone on wdw online and come up with $2693 - he calls me back to say he could only get $3300. Hmmmm..... He went back and tried again and came up with the same amount I had. So we booked.
When I called back yesterday to apply a payment, he told me I wasn't able. Full payment was due at check in. I would prefer to be paid in full a few months PRIOR to check in. Also, with AAA, I am unable to access my ressie online like I can with disney.
So, needless to say, I felt really uneasy and dissappointed with AAA. I can't be uneasy with so many people going and it being such a huge vakay. Online I went, to book me a vakay with Disney. First attempt, total came to $2000 more!! Did I miss the boat!? Waited an hour and tried again. Viola! $2693. Booked!
Had to call AAA and give the reason for the cancellation but, maybe it will result in our TA brushing up on his Disney knowledge.
At least all discounts, dates, requests, etc. are still the same AND we are back with Disney. Ressie is already up online to see! Yippee!!!
Congrats on the trip. I agree with you - for that big of a vacation you don't want to be worrying or wondering if everything is going to work out okay.
DEFINITELY made the right choice to drop AAA. We called today to request an email confirming the reimbursement of our deposits. First, our TA didn't know anything about it since he was out yesterday (guess no one told him). Second, he couldn't remember the first deposit of $200. AND THEN, he called us RUDE for cancelling!!!!
I promptly called AAA Customer Relations and filed a complaint. Besides being called rude, I explained our prior experiences that left us feeling uneasy with our TA since his knowledge of discounts, payment options and basically everything else was sub par.
A TA called us rude!! I could see saying that AFTER he hung up with us, but not telling us directly! I'm floored!
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Cool beans on your upcoming October trip, Jennie. Too darn bad about AAA; I cannot believe the TA called you rude for cancelling. Yay, Disney all the way, girl. Can't wait to read more PTR.
Sharon
Back on track, feeling great about my Disney vacation again.
Rec'd an apology package from the AAA Branch Mgr. It included a lovely letter from her (handwritten not off the computer), a Birnbaum Guide and 2 $25 GCs to the Travel Store. I had expressed my feelings of uneasiness, using that particular office since I thought the TA we had the problems with would probably give us the "stink eye" (actually visited that store on a regular basis). I didn't expect anything as compensation for our troubles, but this was such a nice gesture, I will continue to visit that branch - just not their travel agency.
I also went vacation "stuff" shopping last Saturday. Someone, please stop me!!!!!
I dragged my poor DBF to the new Dollar General near home and went HOG WILD!!! Picked up so much stuff for the trip!! Who spends $149 (after a ton of coupons!) at a Dollar Store?!?!?!? This girl! Found window paint in several colors to decorate our car, sewing kit, eyeglass repair kit, first aid items, Tums, tums and more tums, travel size items, pin the tail on the donkey & jenga (yes, we ARE adults!), over the door shoe holders (to organize toiletries), and an insulated Thermos diaper bag for $9. Yes, diaper bag. Perfect for a day bag for the parks, small, lots of pockets, can hold wet items and protect cameras & phones from getting wet. Oh! And a toothpaste/4 brush holder that has suction cups to keep them off the counter!
I then went to Big Lots for more items.
THEN, went to Party City to stock up on plastic martini glasses, serving plates, cuzzis, silly decorations (this is a party after all!), and anything else that fell under the 50% off summer items category.
THEN, a wee trip to Bath & body Works to stock up on hand sanitizers, shower gels & lotions that were on sale.
Whew! And we still have 5 months to go!!! Our spare bedroom is starting to look like Disney Central again!!
Anyone else goes this off the wall? Please, don't let me be the only one!
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Pixie Dust
PassPorter Guide Author
Disney Magic - Oct 2015
Too darn bad about AAA; I cannot believe the TA called you rude for cancelling. 
Can't wait to read more PTR.
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