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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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 will now forever think of Universal Studios as home to the locker dance ok that would have driven me crazy as well, enough that I probably would skip rides just not to do it. The overzelous sales people would also probably annoy me to the point of no return. Glad that Isaiah got to enjoy Jaws a few times to make up for the rides he was not tall enough for.
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Oh, dear.... Isaiah's sad little face. Not surprising at all that he usually cons your mom into another toy. I've never been to Universal, and the story about the survey/sales force convinces me I don't need to try it. Oooooh, that would have made me mad!
All I can think of is that "locker dance". It sounds like so much lost time to me. How annoying and who wants to go on vacation and be constantly annoyed?
What a sad little face. I can see how he gets his way .
Thanks for the heads up about the locker dance. UGH!!! We are heading to IOA/WWOHP for the first time on our December trip and I'm already trying to prepare myself for an outrageously large crowd. But the locker thing makes it doubly annoying. However, the children will not be dissuaded from visiting Harry Potter, so I'll have to grin and bear it.
Poor Isaiah! But I'm giggling at your suggested thought bubble. It fits perfectly I'm glad he eventually cheered up and got to enjoy some of the rides at Universal.
The lockers sound completely annoying! And what were the annoying people trying to sell? Were they timeshare people? That would have put me over the top!
Poor Isaiah! Love the thought bubble!
PassPorter's Free-Book to Walt Disney World It’s hard to believe anything is free at Walt Disney World; but there are actually a number of things you can get or do for little to no cost. This e-book documents over 200 free or cheap tips to do before you go and after you arrive. You could save a considerable amount of money following these tips. Perhaps more importantly; you can discover overlooked attractions and little-known details most people whiz by on their way to spend money. Click here to see free sample pages from the e-book! Get this popular e-book free of extra charges when you join the PassPorter's Club for as little as $4.95. A club pass includes access to all our other e-books; e-worksheets; super-size photos; and more! This e-book is also available for separate purchase in the PassPorter Online Store for just $5.95.
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Oh that little 5yo sad face would get me every time (my own youngest DS6 is the only one who always gets mom to buy things she shouldn't, but don't tell DH!). Did you end up getting the last spider man toy on earth for him?!?
It's been almost 15 years since I've been to US and I don't think I will returning there anytime soon. It sounds like it's more of a hassle than what it's worth, and for the price to get in...forget it. I hope it's not like that at IoA, since we're doing that when we go in November. I know it wasn't like that when we went there in 2004, but that's definitely enough time for them to change everything around.
As for those pushy sales people...I HATE THAT! I would write the letter even if it doesn't do anything, at least they'll have someone's opinion, and that's better than nothing. I would have told them where they could go the first time they wouldn't take no for an answer.
Whoa... I haven't been to the Universal Studios part in over 20 years, and I'm surprised that a) they have pushy salespeople (oh my, pushy salespeople are the worst by far), and b) the "locker dance" (which, if it's anything like the Safety Dance, is a dance I don't want to do in public lest I get embarrassed. ).
I cannot wait for the rest of your day at USR (hope it got better... guess it didn't...), and can't wait to see what all you did at IoA (which is actually my favorite of the two)!!
Your description of the locker dance is hysterical. (Most likely becaue I wasn't dancing it)
But, the pushy salespeople!! Shocking to me. For what you pay to get in there, you shouldn't be harassed like that. I can't stand when I go to the mall and every kiosk you pass has some guy trying to get you to stop and try something. I actually had one of those lotion guys grab my hand and not let go until I had to get all Jersey on him!!
Isaiah’s still sad – he needs a thought bubble over his head, “Someone’s in the gift shop right now buying that last Spider-Man toy”
Bwwwaaaahhhhhaaaahhhhhaaa! Love that!
And I'm really bummed about Universal. I think I'd enjoy the Harry Potter stuff, but I just can't get past my personal distaste for Universal when compared to Disney.
All caught back up! Sorry you had so many issues at Universal. I haven't ever been there....I get in the Disney bubble and can't break myself out of it!
I am honestly afraid of the next update with the word "rodents and lunch" in the title!
I do remember that annoying locker dance at US/IoA. I was so happy when I was told I could keep my back since we were doing the parent swap on Forbidden Journey. Unfortunately, so much of these two parks is not about the comfort or happiness of the guests.
PassPorter's Free-Book to Walt Disney World It’s hard to believe anything is free at Walt Disney World; but there are actually a number of things you can get or do for little to no cost. This e-book documents over 200 free or cheap tips to do before you go and after you arrive. You could save a considerable amount of money following these tips. Perhaps more importantly; you can discover overlooked attractions and little-known details most people whiz by on their way to spend money. Click here to see free sample pages from the e-book! Get this popular e-book free of extra charges when you join the PassPorter's Club for as little as $4.95. A club pass includes access to all our other e-books; e-worksheets; super-size photos; and more! This e-book is also available for separate purchase in the PassPorter Online Store for just $5.95.
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ok that would have driven me crazy as well, enough that I probably would skip rides just not to do it. The overzelous sales people would also probably annoy me to the point of no return. Glad that Isaiah got to enjoy Jaws a few times to make up for the rides he was not tall enough for.
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I'm glad he eventually cheered up and got to enjoy some of the rides at Universal.
PassPorter Guide Author
I can see why you're skipping it next year! 
ANGIE
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