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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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Sounds like other than the cold, the camping wasn't too bad.
No, it wasn't too bad. The hardest part for me was after driving all day to have to set up camp.
Quote:
Originally Posted by lauriep
What a relief that Patches was okay! I love that photo of her.
I was so relived to have found her, she's pretty entertaining for a cat.
Quote:
Originally Posted by B.M.
I don't generally mind camping- but camping in the cold can really put a damper on a good nights sleep!
True, the extra blankets I brought came in handy.
Glad you found the cat!
Me too!
Quote:
Originally Posted by chezp
Thank goodness you found Patches!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Pris
So glad that Patches was safe and sound. Sorry you had the stress of thinking she was lost. I am definitely not a camper and would not have enjoyed the cool air at all. If I get cold, I can't sleep.
I know many people who need to be snuggly warm to sleep, I actually like to sleep in cooler temps. I can't sleep if it's too hot.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Colexis Mom
Thank goodness you found Patches!
I agree!
Quote:
Originally Posted by pamcarey
Great report so far! It must have been so difficult to make this move, but I'm sure that being close to your grandchildren is wonderful! So much beautiful scenery along the way! I'm impressed with how well your cats are doing. Mine hate being in the car. I'm so glad that Patches wasn't lost.
The move was one of the toughest things I've ever done. You are right, I'm am loving time with my grandkids I was surprised with how well the cats did too.
I know I dropped the ball on this report, with spring cleaning, M-I-L came to visit, DD is in Drama after school until 6pm 4 days a week and learning to drive (I'm her teacher ) plus I started a part time job so I would have enough to start my first class for my masters in history. I'm hoping things settle down and I can get back to finish this report even if it's just 1 installment once a week .
Bonnie,
I admire your courage in moving to Washington.
I, too, am a practically life long Alaskan. We moved up here when I was 14 months old. Other than a short period in the early 70s when I was in 2nd grade, we have always been here. I don't know anything else.
I have also been a passenger over the Al-Can five times. The last time was when I was in high school so I imagine the road has changed considerably since then, but I admire your courage in driving all that way.
My mom actually drove back up here from Minnesota with three teenage girls, one pre-pre-teen, a dog (luckily small) and a cat in a 1962 GMC Suburban. I'm surprised she didn't lose her mind!!
Actually now that I think of it, three of the five trips over the Al-Can were in that '62 GMC...the other two were in a motorhome. In fact, if I remember correctly (remember - I was young) I think my mom actually drove the Highway twice on her own with young kids. The first time was the whole family when we first came up. The last two time (in the motorhome) were also with the whole family...it was my parent's idea of a vacation.
__________________
Jennifer / Eeyore is my favorite!! OMG - He's sooooo grown up!!!! And an EAGLE SCOUT!! I can still remember my cute little Tiger Cub! 2016 Reading Goal - 75 books
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It does definitely sound like you have been busy. Looking forward to more.
Thanks, I did start Master's classes plus working and currently my internet is not working at home so cannot upload pictures...
Quote:
Originally Posted by jenifermg0
Bonnie,
I admire your courage in moving to Washington.
I, too, am a practically life long Alaskan. We moved up here when I was 14 months old. Other than a short period in the early 70s when I was in 2nd grade, we have always been here. I don't know anything else.
I have also been a passenger over the Al-Can five times. The last time was when I was in high school so I imagine the road has changed considerably since then, but I admire your courage in driving all that way.
My mom actually drove back up here from Minnesota with three teenage girls, one pre-pre-teen, a dog (luckily small) and a cat in a 1962 GMC Suburban. I'm surprised she didn't lose her mind!!
Actually now that I think of it, three of the five trips over the Al-Can were in that '62 GMC...the other two were in a motorhome. In fact, if I remember correctly (remember - I was young) I think my mom actually drove the Highway twice on her own with young kids. The first time was the whole family when we first came up. The last two time (in the motorhome) were also with the whole family...it was my parent's idea of a vacation.
Thanks, I discovered I'm braver than I thought. Wow! your mom sounds amazing!
Quote:
Originally Posted by DrDolphin
What an adventure!! I am glad that Patches was safe in the tent.
'
Me too, I was afraid she was lost and gone forever...
Quote:
Originally Posted by chezp
Glad to hear that things are going well for you and you're keeping busy. We're here whenever you're ready.
Thanks, even if it's almost a year later?
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Originally Posted by Colexis Mom
We're here when you are ready!
Thanks!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cam22
Whenever you have time to write, I'll be ready to read.
I have a week off (9 days total) so if I can get my internet working at home this week, I'd like to finish this.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Principessa_di_Fata
Wow, what a neat TR! I'm aboard and ready whenever you have time to update! What an adventure, and I'm so glad you didn't lose the cat!!
Glad you could join, we were very happy to have found her.
I know you are busy, but if you have any extra time, I would love to hear more about your trip. I am very impressed with you and your DD traveling by yourselves. It shows us what we can really do when we have to.
__________________
Debbie
Many trips to WDW, too many to list. Going back in June 2017!
I know you are busy, but if you have any extra time, I would love to hear more about your trip. I am very impressed with you and your DD traveling by yourselves. It shows us what we can really do when we have to.
Being stubborn helps.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Disneyismylife
I'm rather late jumping on board but what I have read so far is amazing. I would never be able to do this. Thanks for sharing!
I've found we can do more than we think we can.
As you can tell my internet is now workingand I am working on an update for tomorrow.
After the relief of finding Patches we were happy to get loaded up and move out. I wanted to get as early start as possible because I was behind my planned schedule due to roads being so bad but after having to look for the cat we were starting later than I planned. Then I had a minor challenge pulling out of the campground. The site we were leaving and turning onto the road leading out of the campgrounds was a tight 90 degree turn with trees very close to each road. My brother had explained how to do a square turn but being my first time I forgot and had the truck partially in the road but could not pull out further or I would have driven into the ditch! So I had to try to back up without jack knifing the trailer and try to reset everything. I had DD get out of truck and stand on right side of road to monitor how close I was to edge of road and I made it!
It was overcast, we left the campgrounds looking for a gas station and found one very close however, there was a $100 cap so could not fill up all the way. As we pulled out it was 8:48AM and not the early start I wanted, as we headed for Whitehorse this was the sky.
It looked like a storm was coming. We did get some rain but started to clear up.
It was still pretty dim out side for a while.
I felt like a tire was low, I hoped not because the truck had duels on both sides in the back and changing a tire with it being so loaded would have been difficult. I found a pull out and checked all tires visually but couldn't tell if one was low or not and did not have a tire gauge. We continued on, I figured I could get one in Whitehorse.
Then.... this is what we saw.
Signs advertising places, DD was excited to see an ad for a McD's
I was glad the road had improved over yesterday. The first order of business was a gas station and a tire gauge which were easily found. You can tell by the picture that the sky had lightened up quite a bit and the sun was even peeking out in places. I was getting gas but station ran out after only 22 liters which is how Canada measures gas which meant just under 6 gallons, yikes that would not get me very far! I asked the attendant where another gas station was, picked up cold drinks, and a tire gauge. All the tires were fine, but I figured better safe than sorry. We pulled out looking for the next gas station and was able to fill up the truck the rest of the way. Pulled out of Whitehorse at 11:50AM. View after leaving Whitehorse.
DD was sad to see the town behind us, she is a city girl.
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Alaskan Mom aka Bonnie
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Pixie Dust
PassPorter Guide Author
Dreams, Wishes, Hopes... these are the parts of childhood we should never lose.
Being stubborn helps.
I've found we can do more than we think we can.
and I am working on an update for tomorrow.
The site we were leaving and turning onto the road leading out of the campgrounds was a tight 90 degree turn with trees very close to each road. My brother had explained how to do a square turn but being my first time I forgot and had the truck partially in the road but could not pull out further or I would have driven into the ditch!
So I had to try to back up without jack knifing the trailer and try to reset everything. I had DD get out of truck and stand on right side of road to monitor how close I was to edge of road
We did get some rain but started to clear up.
We continued on, I figured I could get one in Whitehorse.
I asked the attendant where another gas station was, picked up cold drinks, and a tire gauge. All the tires were fine, but I figured better safe than sorry.
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