Saving the Magic (with Cam and Luke plus Morgan) COMPLETED - Page 6 - PassPorter - A Community of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel Forums
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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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 can only imagine how you must have been feeling at the beginning of this trip. So many emotions, so many questions of what's to come, so many memories around every turn. I was tearing up just reading about it, because as a mother, I could never imagine not having my child with me. It sounds like Morgan is getting the star treatment already, and for her very first flight, I'd say she did pretty good.
Great start, Cam. I love the title - it's perfect! Like so many others have said, it feels bittersweet to be able to read another Cam report, but I am anxiously awaiting all of Morgan's first experiences.
I do have to ask one thing about Morgan though... is she a shopper?? I love hearing about all of your discoveries while Disney shopping! Looking forward to reading more!
I am so glad that you started your TR. I just have to remember not to read it before I leave for work so I don't have red eyes. This must have been such a difficult trip for you, but I am glad that Morgan had a good time. I look forward to your updates.
I just wanted to comment on the goodie bags again. My Mom has adopted the policy as well now. She's leaving on July 4 for San Diego and has picked up several red, white & blue items for the SW crew - headbands, sunglasses, etc. So Stefanie is spreading her pixie dust even father!
I'm happy to jump onboard for this TR, too. After reading your PTR and shedding tears, I look forward to sharing in your healing process at Disney. Thanks for taking us along.
Cam - just started reading your TR. I know this will be hard for me to read, but much harder for you to write. Remember we love you and Luke, and send lots of and virtual your way.
Location: A little over 1000 miles from my happy place!
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So glad you started your TR! As another pp'er posted, not sure if "enjoy" is the right word to describe how I feel about following along on another one of your journeys, but I am sure I will learn something along the way as usual. I hope you experienced lots of Disney magic and that it was able to help somewhat with the healing process.
Glad to see that you have started your TR. I hope that writing it will help in the healing process. I can't even imagine how different the trip must have been.
I haven't been a member on these boards for very long, but I wanted to tell you Cam that my thoughts & prayers are with you & Luke. Your PTR (June 2012) was the first one I read & I looked forward to all your updates--especially all the quotes from Stefanie! It's amazing how someone you've never met can make you care so much for them. Your special way of writing brought Stefanie's personality to life!
Shortly after I decided to become a member, your sorrow began and I have been amazed at yours & Luke's strength. With all you were going through you took the time to welcome me to the boards--unbelievable! Even though Stephanie is in Heaven now, her memory is with so many of us here. She will always be remembered with a smile. I look forward to reading this TR in honor of your precious daughter Stefanie. - Linda