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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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What a great start to Mary Devall's birthday!!! I love how there is such a variety of characters at the character meals. Way to go Maddie!!! I am hoping the side by side seating might be the trick in finally getting Jasmine to ride Space Mountain
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What a wonderful morning! Yes, those few rides in Fantasyland are a bit of a "downer" but overall, the theming throughout the area is just amazing, isn't it? I like to think that makes up for it. Awesome breakfast and birthday celebration!
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First up, two Photopass pictures from our morning that I forgot to post in the last installment.
After our breakfast at the Plaza, we took the train from Tomorrowland to Toon Town which allowed us to see the Grand Canyon and Primeval World scenes. When Mary Devall first heard that we would be seeing Primeval World, she exclaimed “There’s a Primeval Whirl here too!” Karen informed her that although both involved Dinosaurs, this one was not a ride.
In Toon Town, we rode Roger Rabbit which was as cute as could be. The standby line itself had all of these cool features that Zack and Karen shared with us.
The adults then propped ourselves in the center and let Zack escort the girls first to Gadget’s Go Coaster and then to Chip ‘n Dales Tree house. While we waited, Eileen decided to head back to hotel to rest her knee since Karen had a big surprise planned for all of us that evening.
Zack pointing out the puppy in the window to Maddie.
Chip 'n Dales' Treehouse
When Zack returned with the girls, we all headed over to Mickey’s house first to tour it and then to wait in a short line to meet the big guy himself. Zack was thrilled that Mickey even played along with his Dragon Ball Z move.
From there, we moved on to Goofy’s Playhouse where Thom and Zack enjoyed showing off their planking skills. We then moved inside to rest for a bit before continuing on with the rest of our day.
After everyone (well, maybe not Sharon ) took a restroom break, we stopped for slushies and then headed back to Tomorrowland.
We rode Star Tours and then Space Mountain again before we took the horse drawn carriage back down Main Street.
A band was just finishing up a set, so we gathered to watch. Lucky for us they weren’t quite finished yet and were soon joined by none other than Mickey and Minnie. I had no idea that those two were such good dancers. I simply loved how these shows were just dotted around both parks. You never knew what you might walk up on.
Click below for the video.
Sharon and Karen had decided to see Voices of Liberty while Thom and I took the girls shopping and Zack went off on his own. They didn’t see anything that they wanted on Main Street, so we continued on to DTD.
Thom and Mary Devall stopped at a store before we reached World of Disney, but Maddie was holding out for the big store. I followed her as she went from room to room and finally settled in the room of fluffies.
After much consideration, she picked out Koda. Mary Devall showed up empty handed, but she soon rectified that by buying one vinylmation.
We had just left the store when Karen called and gave me one of the biggest surprises of the trip. Zack had actually gone back to the arcade beside Space Mountain and had tried to win a Nintendo 3DS for Mary Devall in one of the machines . . . and he had done it! I have never ever known anyone to win anything of value out of one of those machines, much less this! He wanted to make sure that Thom and I were okay with her receiving such a big gift before he actually gave it to her. Well, of course, we were!
When I got off the phone, I asked the girls to walk up ahead of us a bit and shared the news with Thom. He was as blown away as I was that Zack had won and truly touched that he had wanted to do this for our girl. As much as our girls probably drive him batty, I do believe that he has a special place in his heart for them (as do they for him).
As soon as we got back to our room, we headed through the connecting door to find Zack. Mary Devall sat on their couch and eagerly awaited his presentation. When Zack handed his gift to her, I thought she was going to pass out. She quickly regained her composure though when she saw that this was real and let out the biggest squeal. I was pretty sure at that point that this was going to go down as one of the best days every in Mary Devall’s life. She immediately started opening up everything and, with Zack’s help, got it all figured out.
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Last edited by Jillybean; 10-24-2012 at 10:18 AM..
I can't believe all the stuff you got done before breakfast! And this is turning out to be the greatest birthday ever for Mary Devall! How nice of Zack to do that for her. And I'm impressed that he called to make sure it was ok with you & Thom first too!
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More great birthday fun!!! I can't believe that Zack not only won something out of one of those machines, but won a Nintendo DS!!! What an awesome birthday surprise for Mary Devall!
Even without Zack's special gift for Mary Deval it was a great day, but WOW, I guess that really put it over the top. I didn't think it was possible to get the big prizes from those games! , Zack!
I',m a little teary reading this last update. That was soooooo sweet of Zack, and I agree that was super kind of him to ask you and Thom about it first too, what a truly thoughtful young man!
Loved when I first heard about Zack's gift to MD in Sharon's report (I think that was who did the report?). Touched me just as much hearing about it again! Too sweet!!!
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Awesome breakfast and birthday celebration!
Karen informed her that although both involved Dinosaurs, this one was not a ride. 
We then moved inside to rest for a bit before continuing on with the rest of our day.
) took a restroom break, we stopped for slushies and then headed back to Tomorrowland. 
I simply loved how these shows were just dotted around both parks. You never knew what you might walk up on. 
I have never ever known anyone to win anything of value out of one of those machines, much less this! He wanted to make sure that Thom and I were okay with her receiving such a big gift before he actually gave it to her. Well, of course, we were! 
As much as our girls probably drive him batty, I do believe that he has a special place in his heart for them (as do they for him). 
She quickly regained her composure though when she saw that this was real and let out the biggest squeal. I was pretty sure at that point that this was going to go down as one of the best days every in Mary Devall’s life. 
Disney Magic - Oct 2015
Dreams, Wishes, Hopes... these are the parts of childhood we should never lose.
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