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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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We are looking at buying a friend's DVC points. They would be $1200 for a week in a 1 bedroom at the AKL. We would be 2 adults, 2 pre-teens, and a child. I know we would be squished, but I don't think we would ever be able to stay at this resort as a family at regular prices. Is this a fair deal?
Thanks so much!
Most places charge almost double that depending on the week to rent points for a 1 bedroom at AKL. Reputable rental agencies charge about $14 per point and a 1 BR run between 139(no view, very limited selection) at the lowest and 422 (concierge at Christmas) points depending on the view and week selected. That is a great deal because even at the lowest point week it is less than $9! There will be a full kitchen so you can save money having breakfast in the room.
We are looking at buying a friend's DVC points. They would be $1200 for a week in a 1 bedroom at the AKL. We would be 2 adults, 2 pre-teens, and a child. I know we would be squished, but I don't think we would ever be able to stay at this resort as a family at regular prices. Is this a fair deal?
Thanks so much!
A small sticking point with me. You are not "buying" the DVC points. You are only "renting" them. The DVC owner still has full control over every aspect of the resort reservation. You will not be allowed to talk with Member Services - the owner cannot even allow you to do this - only an owner is supposed to talk with them. If you wish to add a dining plan (bad choice - but up to you), then your friend will have to add it and pay for it - though of course you would reimburse them. Any changes will have to be made by the owner as well. Most people seem to forget this when asking about renting an owner's points.
You don't mention what time of year or whether it is Jambo House or Kidani, but it looks like a good deal. I would go for it!
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A small sticking point with me. You are not "buying" the DVC points. You are only "renting" them. The DVC owner still has full control over every aspect of the resort reservation. You will not be allowed to talk with Member Services - the owner cannot even allow you to do this - only an owner is supposed to talk with them. If you wish to add a dining plan (bad choice - but up to you), then your friend will have to add it and pay for it - though of course you would reimburse them. Any changes will have to be made by the owner as well. Most people seem to forget this when asking about renting an owner's points.
You don't mention what time of year or whether it is Jambo House or Kidani, but it looks like a good deal. I would go for it!
Great points about renting vs. " buying". I think that, often, people misunderstand how it works.
That's a great deal, OP. I also don't think you'll be "squished". The 1 BR villas are quite roomy. I would also suggest you consider Kidani for the benefit of the 2nd bathroom. The master bath will have a stand alone shower and a jacuzzi tub The second bath will have a regular tub/shower combo.
You will have plenty of space especially if you are at Kidani because you get the extra bathroom. You aren't in your room that much but to have that kind of deal and have a full kitchen living area, washer dryer and two bathrooms, it is a steal. $1200 for 7 nights comes out to roughly $171 night! Depending on what time of year you are going, most 1 bedroom villas, cash value go for $400+ night.
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Teresa
Sammy 5 years and Peyton 15 months - September 2013
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