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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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Sea World really does sound so nice. I haven't been since the early 90's Just like you I never want to leave the bubble. Next trip to the world we will visit Legoland but after that is HAS to be Sea World.
Just found your TR. I am so happy you decided to write it! A little Disney therapy will help, hopefully.
AKL just looks amazing! One day I will stay there! I love Em's dress that she wore to Boma!
Sea World looked fun! I have promised my oldest DD to go to IOA to see Harry Potter when we go in Oct, but I just hate the thought of leaving the Disney bubble.
Can't wait for more and more pictures! You can never have enough pictures!
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I haven't been to Sea World since I was a little girl, so you can post all the pictures you want!! Great pictures from the Shamu show, and I loved the one with the polar bear. I just want to cuddle up with him! Can't wait for more!
Just getting caught up Lisa! What a great start to your trip! Love all the pictures! Looks like a great time so far!
Thanks! It had been a good time!! More coming....
Quote:
Originally Posted by MayraLR
Those were some great seats you had at the show! I also avoid the soak zone, wouldn't want to walk around the park, in the Florida heat, all drenched.
Thanks!! They were fantastic seats!! Highly recommend trying to get that area if you go!
Quote:
Originally Posted by chezp
All caught up again. What a lovely room with an amazing view - and what a fun time at SeaWorld as well. It's bringing back great memories for me.
Thanks! you helped partly with the room requests!
Quote:
Originally Posted by mommapants
So happy to see you posting again.
Sea World really does sound so nice. I haven't been since the early 90's Just like you I never want to leave the bubble. Next trip to the world we will visit Legoland but after that is HAS to be Sea World.
More Please
Thanks! It is a nice park, more coming up.....
Quote:
Originally Posted by disneydreamer33
Just found your TR. I am so happy you decided to write it! A little Disney therapy will help, hopefully.
AKL just looks amazing! One day I will stay there! I love Em's dress that she wore to Boma!
Sea World looked fun! I have promised my oldest DD to go to IOA to see Harry Potter when we go in Oct, but I just hate the thought of leaving the Disney bubble.
Can't wait for more and more pictures! You can never have enough pictures!
Thanks! It is helping, although I am sure some parts will be hard, but writing is good therapy! It is hard to leave the bubble - but we proved that it can be done! More coming.....
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Lisa Co-Guide to Sharing the Adventure: Disney World Trip Reports
I haven't been to Sea World since I was a little girl, so you can post all the pictures you want!! Great pictures from the Shamu show, and I loved the one with the polar bear. I just want to cuddle up with him! Can't wait for more!
Oh there will be plenty more!!! Isn't that polar bear the cutest? I still feel bad that he wasn't outside though
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Lisa Co-Guide to Sharing the Adventure: Disney World Trip Reports
After our visit with the turtles we headed over to Antarctica, and of course it was raining again….just a steady drizzle though……so we got in line
The weather really made it look like we were headed for the Antartic!
– a 45 minute wait time line – and we waited with everyone else, standing under our umbrellas ……….playing in the rain……….being extremely silly with the waterproof camera trying to make the time go.
Some of our silliness:
Some more sights along the way.......
We noticed that Em's pink streak was in a perfect line in her bun
All the while we were standing there – the line would move, then stop, then move, then stop – come to find out the ride kept going down . We debated getting out of line, BUT this was the newest attraction and was supposed to be amazing, so we stuck it out.
As we get closer to the entrance you can see the signs telling you how they bring you into different areas to slowly bring you into colder temps……we are going to Antarctica after all….
Well I started thinking………..hmmm………….we are standing outside in tanks and shorts, soaking wet from standing in the rain for the last hour………..we are going to FREEZE!!! But hey – I had heard this attraction was worth it. So we finally get let into the entrance…….they bring you into a room where there are video type images showing, and it’s getting darker and colder……….and guess what? The ride went down again!!! And after standing in this cold room for about 20 minutes, they determined that they had no idea how long it would be before the ride came back up! So they let us pass through the exhibit part of the attraction……….and HOLY BRRRRRRR………….it was SO COLD in there!!!! Keep in mind the crew are all dressed in parkas and such!!!
We got to see one of the car type things for the ride as we passed through.
And we saw some of the penguins…………..
But seriously it was BEYOND COLD in there – I snapped a few pics and got out of there!
They did give us fast pass type tickets to return later when/if it came back up .
Well the other rides were back up and running, so we wandered over there to try to get them in.
First up was Journey to Atlantis ~ again, I am NOT a fan of these types of rides, but in Rome………do I did. And again, came off – WET!!! And still not so thrilled about this ride! It’s scary in some parts!!!
And yes – have to love having a waterproof camera! Can take pics anywhere!!! No stopping me!
Next up was Kraken. Okay remember I said I do not normally do roller coasters??? I don’t know what the heck got into me……….except for Scott reminding me that we paid for each person for these Quick Que thingy’s and it would be a waste if I didn’t use it! Deep breath ~ and I did it! I was proud of myself! I survived!
Yes - I look scared!!!
Then they wanted to go on Manta………..again, I got the guilt trip about the Quick Que………and I had been so brave on Journey and Kraken – I could handle this, right???
UH……………….OMG!!!!!!!!!! As cool as it probably was to some………….I didn’t see much as my eyes were SLAMMED shut so tight I could see less than a blind person!!!! I think they heard me yelling for my mommy up here in Connecticut!!!! I was sooooooooooo scared. Yes, I am a BIG BABY!!! But at the same time, I was so proud of myself because I did it! I am always telling everyone you have to try it at least once…………..well I tried it.
And this shows JUST how SCARED I was...........But I did it, so I get credit, right?
I was a bit bummed because we did not have much time to really take in the aquariums near the Manta ride that are supposed to be spectacular but we had to get to our dinner reservation.
Up Next: Did he really just do that????…………
__________________
Lisa Co-Guide to Sharing the Adventure: Disney World Trip Reports
I would love the penguin section, maybe not the cold, but the penguins are cute. You are much braver than me as I WON'T ride rollercoasters regardless of what we pay extra.
No one could talk me into doing any of those rides! If the ride were not down would you have to do the ride in order to see the penguins, or is the animal exhibit a separate attraction?
Sorry you didn't get to do the penguin thingy - that sounds cool. I'm with you on coasters - I don't think any amount of guilt would've gotten me on those! You deserve A LOT of credit! And a margarita! And a parade! And a party! And a gold star! etc. etc.
I am so impressed that you rose those rides! No way, no how! Your face tells such a story! You're a better wife/mom than I!
They don't provide something warm to visitors for the cold area?
Popping in to say I am thoroughly enjoying your TR. I am sorry to hear about your FIL, although he left you some great advice about living for the now.
Your photos are awesome, loving Em's idea with The phone cases.
Thanks for sharing Sea World with us. It looks incredible and worth a visit. You have a lovely aquarium in your area. I have been a chaperone on several field trips with my kids.
I am looking forward to your time back in the bubble.
Isn't Journey to Atlantis scary? That drop is very long and steep! I wasn't brave enough to try Kraken or Manta. Upside down, looping rollercoasters are not for me. Kudos to you for trying them. Love those ride photos!
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What a lovely room with an amazing view - and what a fun time at SeaWorld as well. It's bringing back great memories for me. 
Holly: 
Liz 
……….playing in the rain……….being extremely silly 
with the waterproof camera trying to make the time go. 
. We debated getting out of line, BUT this was the newest attraction and was supposed to be amazing, so we stuck it out. 
.
No stopping me!
…….except for Scott reminding me that we paid for each person for these Quick Que thingy’s and it would be a waste if I didn’t use it! Deep breath ~ and I did it! I was proud of myself! I survived! 
But at the same time, I was so proud of myself because I did it! I am always telling everyone you have to try it at least once…………..well I tried it.
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