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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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 have the Verizon Wireless Chaperon Parent/child on my phone and on DS11's phone. I love it, especially now that he is starting to want more freedom from mom. For DD5, she loved my passporter pouch so much that I got her one. When we go to Stone Mountain, she wears it with her annual pass it it, which is required for every ride. Behind the pass, there is a note the says "Hi! My name is ______. Please help me find my mommy. Her name is ______ and her cell phone # is ________. My brother's cell phone # is _________." I also listed a few things she likes like Dora the Explorer, Disney Princesses, and stuff so that who does have her can talk to her and calm her down. She knows that if we are somewhere and she gets lost (like at Stone Mountain, she goes to a police officer and gives them her note. (they are everywhere there) The crew member thing does not work at stone mtn because each area dresses different. I actually took Dani up to a police officer and let her talk to him, because she was scared they wouldnt help. He was really great and reassured her that he would help her find me.
Hi we were at WDW in April with soon to be 5 yo twins. I purchased dog tags for them prior to leaving. They come in two's ....the first had their name, home address and phone number so they could be used for field trips and other events around home and the second had both my husband and my cell phone numbers. Initially I had thought to use the second to put where we were staying but thought the cell phones a much better idea.
Next, we took a picture of them everyday so we wouldn't forget what they had on that morning in case we somehow lost them!
They were instructed to go to a mom with kids or a CM in each park. We showed them the CM;s uniform for the day. They knew to show them their tags although as above they knew their full name. Also we made sure they knew where we were staying just in case.
Finally, if you have small kids...a stroller is a God send getting thru the crowds. You know they are in front of you all though my son made a habit of leaping out of it to see something. He is a little fearful of big crowds though so that kept him in check when burrowing thru the crowds on main st. or at the most crowded times of the day. I know they are expensive but it is money well spent in the end.
My BFF's mom just ordered SafetyTats. They are temoporary tattoos with all the necessary info if her DD gets lost. Her DD likes them becaus ethey are tattoos.
Here's the link:
Hope that helps. BTW, try not to worry TOO much. In about 14 trips with our children ranging anywhere from 5 months to 13 years old, we haven't lost one yet.
I ordered the silicone bracelets & I let my boys pick out 2 colors when I ordered them. I had "If lost call" and then both DH & my cell phone #s. The bracelets came a couple of days ago & the boys are very excited.
I am worried about my younger son at WDW he will turn 3 yrs old 3 wks before our trip & if a bit of a "runner". I think I will have to put it on his ankle so it is harder to get off.
Thank you all so much for all the wonderful ideas.
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.
I am worried about my younger son at WDW he will turn 3 yrs old 3 wks before our trip & if a bit of a "runner".
Leash.
No, seriously - they have "kid safety leashes" out there. Get one - it'll put a limit on how far away he can wander from whichever adult he's paired with.
I ordered the silicone bracelets & I let my boys pick out 2 colors when I ordered them. I had "If lost call" and then both DH & my cell phone #s. The bracelets came a couple of days ago & the boys are very excited.
I am worried about my younger son at WDW he will turn 3 yrs old 3 wks before our trip & if a bit of a "runner". I think I will have to put it on his ankle so it is harder to get off.
Thank you all so much for all the wonderful ideas.
For those that ordered the bracelets, did you just put first name on the outside? What info on the inside? Also, how long did it take to receive them? We leave in 12 days!
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.
when i was planning our trip last year, i had the same concerns and after looking through some posts on this board, i found those silicone wrist bands to be great. for my little one, it was kind of big on her wrist so i put it on her ankle and that way she wasnt pulling it off. i put our resort name on it, kids name on it, my husbands and my cell number. i highly recommend it.
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.
Thank you as this is something I had overlooked. I have time to do the necklace with dd and tomorrow I will start teaching full names and cell numbers.
I was planning to just use a sharpie on some silicone bracelets we already have...thanks for doing the experiment so I know it won't work! Now, I'm planning to order the custom bracelets, I think I'll order the adult sizes and plan on the kids wearing them on their ankles...less chance that they'll take them off and loose them! Thanks for all the GREAT ideas!!!
FYI
I ordered the silicone wrists bands in the child size. They look great but are too big for my 3-1/2 year olds wrist. She is average size and even wears 4T in most clothes but the bands are loose enough on her that they will fall off. I am planning on trying to have her wear them as anklets, unless anyone has any other ideas?
I guess I will be bringing her harness-buddy also. She enjoys wearing that and pretending to be our second dog ;-)
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.