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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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Oh boy do I hear you about those early starts! I go through the same process as well, always booking something early, then really regretting it on the day.
I love all your shots of the mountains as you flew over Colorado and Nevada.
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I did a super early flight to Chicago once and let me tell you it was horrible. I couldn't fall asleep on the plane so, for me, it was the longest day ever. Almost 24 hrs straight without sleep. Not fun at all.
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 with you about the early starts, but I want to maximize my Disney time! But then I just crash at the end of the first day and have a really hard time getting up the next day! But sacrifices have to be made!
Flights sound easy peasy! Cool pic of the CO mountains.
Glad you found the rental car!
Thank you everyone for the wonderful comments! We are snowed in here with 10 inches of snow and now below freezing temps. Lexi and I had a snow day yesterday and today, so I have had time to work on my next update. I am also typing up the rest of my report, so the updates should be more regular after this. Sorry for such a long delay. Next update coming soon!
The GPS on Justin's phone was showing a 30 minute drive to Hollywood, more specifically the Hollywood and Highland parking garage. Soon after we found our way to the main road I looked at Lexi in the back seat and she was snoozing away.
I was very happy to see that as with our early morning start she needed a nap. We spotted the Hollywood sign as we drove along, so I entertained myself trying to get a non-blurry photo. That is hard to do in a moving car!
The GPS was correct and 30 minutes later we were pulling up to the parking garage. We had to go down 4 stories to find open parking and soon after we pulled into a spot Brian drove by and parked a few spots down from us. There were signs everywhere pointing to the escalators to get to the Hollywood and Highland Center, so we followed those and made our way up. We came out near the Dolby Theatre where the Oscars are held.
The first thing I noticed across the street was the El Capitan theater where we would be watching Frozen in a couple of hours.
Next door to the El Capitan.
We started by checking out some of the shops in the H&H Center and then we decided it was time for lunch. I directed everyone across the street to the Ghirardelli Soda Fountain, but once we were there no one wanted ice cream for lunch except me....not even Lexi.
I took a few photos inside before we moved on.
We found Tinkerbell!
We set off to find another place with “real” food, when we happened upon a McDonald's not far down the street. Brian and Whitney wanted to eat here, so in we all went. I tried one of the new chicken wraps which wasn't too bad.
Once our bellies were full we headed out to check out the Walk of Fame. It was very crowded and almost impossible to get pictures without photo-bombing feet.
We made our way down to the Chinese Theater and holy cow that place was a mess! I got one photo of Shirley Temple's hand prints and that was it. If I were alone I could have taken the time to really look around, the dates of some of these hand prints were amazing. Everyone else in my group seemed a bit bored so we headed back to the H&H center to check out the Hollywood sign.
Looking back across the street at the Dolby Theatre.
I took this while we were waiting to cross the street.
Notice how crowded it is!
Oh I forgot to mention that while we were in McDonald's, Tinkerbell showed up to have lunch too. Lexi was excited to see Tinkerbell, so I took this opportunity to explain to her that we would see other characters and we would not be taking pictures with them like we do at Disney. While we were at the Chinese Theater there was Chewbacca, Minnie Mouse, Spiderman and a few others out and about and we just gave them a polite no thank you and kept walking. There were also a lot of guys out there trying to sell tours or pass out their CDs, but we didn't feel harassed once we told them no. It was just very annoying saying no every few steps to someone trying to sell us something.
Anyways, we found some really cool stairs at the H&H Center that were painted like piano keys and played music as you walk up. Those were a lot of fun.
Stopping for a photo on our way to the Hollywood Sign.
Christmas tree at the H&H Center.
We made it to the area where you have an awesome view of the Hollywood sign, but they had Christmas trees set up all around the area which made it near impossible to get a picture of us with the sign.
I read online that you can get photos on this lounger with the sign in the background, but again the Christmas trees were in the way. Lexi enjoyed climbing around on it though.
Lexi in front of the Christmas trees that were blocking our picture taking experience.
I tried to get one of Justin and Lexi and this is where I really wish I had my big camera with me, but I left that in the car and just brought along my little point and shoot.The sign barely shows up in the background.
By now it was almost time for us to head to the El Capitan to see Frozen and I was determined to get ice cream so we headed to the Soda Fountain.
Some photos of the theater from a few stories up across the street.
Now that I think about it, we really zig-zagged back and forth across the street, but it was very easy to get around with crosswalks all over the place.
At the soda fountain you place your order at the store counter and then find your own seat. We made good timing as it was empty before we ordered and once we found a seat the place started filling up. I am sure it was because the 10:00 showing of Frozen had just let out and there is an exit from the theater right into the shop. Justin and I shared the Strike it Rich butterscotch hot fudge sundae (butter pecan and vanilla ice cream with butterscotch, hot fudge and almonds) while Lexi got a scoop of chocolate ice cream on a sugar cone. I can't remember what Brian and Whitney ordered. Our sundae was very good, but it was so rich we couldn't finish it.
Lexi stole the camera for a bit and took some photos.
I helped her with this one.
As you can see in this picture most of the store was Frozen merchandise. There was also a section of the usual Disney items (mugs, stuffed animals, t-shirts, etc.) as well as a large section of Ghirardelli chocolate. We didn't make any purchases in the store. We did get some free samples of chocolate though.
When Lexi had enough of her ice cream I noticed her mouth was bleeding. She had lost a front tooth just before Christmas and I think the cone cut her gums where her tooth was missing. Lexi and I set out to find a bathroom to get that taken care of and then it was time to head into the theater.
Ah, Hollywood. My girls were totally shocked at how gross it was. They were not expecting it to be that way at all. They were really shocked at all the characters and how awful their costumes were. I told them that they wanted money too, to take pictures with them. They said WDW and DL were so much better!
Sounded like a good time though. I am just a tad bit jealous that you got to watch Frozen at the El Capitan. Can't wait for the review of that!
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I go through the same process as well, always booking something early, then really regretting it on the day. 
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Pixie Dust
Liz 
Holly: 
Disney Magic - Oct 2015
so we headed back to the H&H center to check out the Hollywood sign.
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