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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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Glad you finally got your Disney Mail. I don't think I would use that TA ever again. We have some great ones here on the boards. I would use one of them.
Hope you get the rest of it soon.
I was going to say the same thing as Cam! I don't see how that TA gets any return customers. I hope it all gets worked out!
Well you know the funny thing is (well, not so funny when you really look at it) The TA made a commission - and I got really crappy service ... Whereas I received superior service - above and beyond service, and peace of mind from the Disney concierge CM who doesn't make one....
Surprise, Surprise, Surprise (said in my best Gomer Pyle impression – for those of you old enough to remember him )
Well, as I have mentioned this vacation is a pretty big deal as my in-laws have decided to join us (first time joining us on any trip) and we will be celebrating 4 birthdays .:hap pybirthday: Everyone just thinks that we will be celebrating Gabriel’s 5th B-day, but Noooooo!!!! We will celebrate Oma’s, Opa’s, Gabriel’s and Mark’s….. and there will be a little something-something for Donovan for: 1- Donating about 16 inches of hair to Locks of Love , for awesome report cards last school year (honor roll –all year) and participating on a team called Earth Trek (where kids compete on teams in different categories and come up with a problem and solution – his team created a vehicle that changes based on its environments (4) and was earth friendly and his team got 2nd place overall )
First surprise – I stole, err borrowed from Cam’s TR the gift bag idea for the pilots and flight attendants – (I hope that I have enough…hmmmmmm) I have some pink breast cancer tic-tacs, some Werther’s Originals hard candies, 5 different types of gum, assorted chocolates (like the kind you give out on Halloween), sunflower seeds, with an unlined index card, adorned with some Disney characters stickers…. saying thank you for getting us to the Magic safely ….. I also have some metal /enamel bookmarks to give out to special CMs that we may meet...
After we arrive at AKL and check-in, there will be some gifts waiting in the room for Mark and Gabriel (hopefully) like stuffed animals and I gave “J” & Jack (at AKL concierge) carte blanche to pick up something for Mark…. (I’m sure it’ll be nice) … Then, I have an ADR at Jiko’s to celebrate both Gabriel’s and Mark’s birthdays …..
The next day, I have arranged the Sunrise Safari for them, Mark knows – but it’ll be a total surprise for the boys…
I arranged for my in-laws to fly in the day before our cruise and we will take them to Cirque du Soleil – La Nouba, then dinner at Morton’s (my DH laughs EVERYTIME we go there as the first time Donovan went there – his eyes were bigger than his tummy and he had a protein spill ….) … I rented a Hummer for the day for my DH, he has always wanted to try one, me not so much as they remind me of the HUMMVs/CUCVs I HAD to drive through the mud (German mud is NO joke!!) when I was in the Army .
The next surprise will be onboard the Disney Magic as my in-laws booked a cat. 7 and we upgraded them to a cat.6 so that they could have an open-air verandah…. While they are being “re-directed” by DH, I will go to both rooms and decorate them inside and out with the magnets and signage that I am making, birthday banners and balloons ….
There will be some gifts as well; I ordered well-being massages and rainforest passes for both of them, and a fruit basket… They will join us at Palo for tea, brunch and dinner…
For DH: a well-being massage, jet skiing with Donovan on Castaway Cay, a Romantic encounter with wine, and a mud wrestling spa package…. ( AKA exotic Rasul)
For the boys: A Disney $$ hunt before leaving ---- so they can add to what they already have (and what they’ll get from my parents)… an arcade card for Donovan, lanyards, water bottles, a birthday package for Gabriel…. as well as a few other things, that I have up my sleeves….
I have also ordered some special catering in our suite to celebrate all 4 birthday people…. Of which I will gets pics of for you all….
2 Weeks to go…. (I wish I had some more smileys....)
__________________
Enjoy a Disney Lifestyle......Everyday!
Last edited by orionchika; 08-16-2009 at 08:28 PM..
Awww, you have so many sweet surprises planned for your family and others around you That's VERY nice of you, and I'm sure it'll make your vacation even more special and memorable
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I got so excited reading this installment as all the surprises are awesome! I'd love to come along as I can tell this trip is going to be so magical. I can't wait for the report to see how everything turns out. And 2 weeks is hardly any time at all!
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Pixie Dust
Liz 
Enjoy a Disney Lifestyle......Everyday!
Disney Magic - Oct 2015
Heather B
... Whereas I received superior service 
- above and beyond service, and peace of mind from the Disney concierge CM who doesn't make one.... 
(first time joining us on any trip) and we will be celebrating 4 birthdays 
, for awesome report cards last school year 
(honor roll –all year) and participating on a team called Earth Trek (where kids compete on teams in different categories and come up with a problem and solution – his team created a vehicle that changes based on its environments (4) and was earth friendly and his team got 2nd place overall 
….. I also have some metal /enamel bookmarks to give out to special CMs that we may meet...
…..
….) … I rented a Hummer for the day for my DH, he has always wanted to try one, me not so much as they remind me of the HUMMVs/CUCVs I HAD to drive through the mud (German mud is NO joke!!
.
….
---- so they can add to what they already have (and what they’ll get from my parents)… an arcade card for Donovan, lanyards, water bottles, a birthday package for Gabriel…. as well as a few other things, that I have up my sleeves….
)
That's VERY nice of you, and I'm sure it'll make your vacation even more special and memorable 
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