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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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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.
Aw I hate to see this TR come to an end (though mine will get to this part before long, so we can relive it all over again, lol)! We had such fun touring Paris with you guys! I can tell you that Mark was the one with the pigeon comment... he had a few others about some other statues as I recall, lol.
Aw I hate to see this TR come to an end (though mine will get to this part before long, so we can relive it all over again, lol)!
Looking forward to that!
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We had such fun touring Paris with you guys! I can tell you that Mark was the one with the pigeon comment... he had a few others about some other statues as I recall, lol.
This was really a vacation that wasn’t originally supposed to be a vacation, in so much as it wasn’t on the cards about three or four months beforehand. I have wanted to meet Melanie for ages, as I just knew from all the comments on each other’s trip reports that we’d get on like a house on fire. All of you reading this know exactly what I mean, I’m sure. There are certain people on the boards that, even if you haven’t met them, you can tell from everything they write, that you’d get on great with them.
It’s also been a bit of a tale of missed opportunities, as I would’ve loved to have seen them on their Germany trip, but that didn’t work out, and I was gutted, when at first I didn’t think it was going to work out for this trip either, due to high prices to fly to Barcelona. I was so delighted when they decided to tag Paris on to the end of their trip, and the fact that Hazel and her family could spend time with us was just icing on the cake.
We always say whenever we go to Disneyland Paris that it’s not as bad as we remember it, and that was true this time. I guess visiting with good friends helps too. I really enjoyed being able to drive over there for the first time ever. I liked the entrance to the parking lot. It’s certainly a lot more magical arriving that way than by train.
We also discovered the wonderful Dream Castle Hotel, and I wouldn’t hesitate to stay there in a heartbeat, as our room was really spacious, and the grounds are beautiful. Sure, the scrum at breakfast is something I’d rather not repeat in a hurry, but at least now we know there’s potentially an issue for any future stays…
I loved being able to show everyone some of our favourites at this park, and see it through their eyes as first timers. The funniest thing was Hazel and Graham, as the “locals” not having been on some of the things we took them on. It certainly gives a whole new perspective to a park visit, having first timers with you.
We did exceptionally well with the food on our day there, and I wouldn’t hesitate to return to both Walt’s An American Restaurant and Annette’s Diner again on future visits.
We also lucked out with the weather during our park day. Mel said something about she couldn’t imagine Disneyland Paris on a dull and drab day. Well, as we said to her on the Sunday, now you know what a miserable day in Paris looks like…
I was so pleased that we finally got to see the fountains perform at Versailles, as somehow every time we visit and they’re not on, it just doesn’t feel like the full package. It was lovely to just be able to sit there and enjoy them in such good company.
I can’t thank Hazel and Graham enough for a superb lunch that day, both in terms of choosing the venue and paying for all of us. I wasn’t sure whether the crème brulee would live up to the hype, but my goodness, it did. I’d happily return again for a second serving one day…
Our final day may not have been as good weather wise, but it was certainly still hugely enjoyable, and it was a real treat to actually get into the centre of Paris, something I hadn’t planned on for this trip. There is something very magical about seeing icons such as the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, the Arc de Triomphe and the Louvre, no matter how times you’ve been to Paris, and we’ve been a few times over the years.
All in all, it was a much needed getaway, and so much fun, thanks to the wonderful company we had.
It was lovely to see you again as well and to see things with you through different eyes. We also loved meeting Melanie and Nadine and meri is adorable. Rory still talks about Meri and that is wonderful since he is major in a I'm a boy and boys don't play with girls phase.
I agree the food was wonderful. We have our 20th wedding anniversary this year and I was wondering what to plan. It is hard to top the dinner on a boat on the Seine I booked last year before I realised it was only 19 years but Graeme suggested going back to Walts. Sounds good to me.
I know we will meet up with you and Mark again heck I think we see you next month but I would love to meet Melanie, Nadine and Meri again. Since Nashville has long been on my list of places to visit hopefully someday.
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Scottish Hogmanay (with a stolen Picture)
Last edited by Thomhazel; 07-09-2013 at 04:03 AM..
Great wrap-up! I just love the serendipity of this PP meet. First, Mel found the amazing deal for the Magic crossing, then the trip just grew to include Paris, Hazel just "happens" to be living in Paris right now, and you and Mark find a few great hotel deals and drive over, too. I know just what you mean about that feeling you get about certain posters after following them for a while!
Great wrap up! I've really enjoyed your TR, as you know. What a fun time, not only seeing the sights, but getting to be better friends too. You are right about the people on these boards. You get true friendships out of it.
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. What a great weekend you had! 
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Pixie Dust
PassPorter Guide Author
please! A large quantity of what we bought back was consumed during Wimbledon and in particular during Andy's triumph yesterday! 
Melanie
- I did sleep very well. I think part of that was down to the stress of watching the match! 
I wasn’t sure whether the crème brulee would live up to the hype, but my goodness, it did. I’d happily return again for a second serving one day… 
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