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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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Ok, I am wanting some information and wanted to know who on here has rented a DVC rental. In beginning stages of planning a trip and trying to find out some info.
Our plans so far as follows:
Feb. 17 Flying in and going to Daytona (My mom, dad, nephew, my hubby, and me)
Feb. 18-21 My dad, nephew and hubby are staying in Daytona, my mom and I are headed to Disney (had thought about staying at POR, maybe Beach Club DVC).
Feb 21-23 My mom and I are driving back to Daytona to spend a few days with the boys after the races are over.
Feb 23 My husband and nephew are flying home. My mom, dad and I are headed to Disney (I wanted to stay over my birthday
OK, so I am wanting to make this special and memorable for my parents. They have always wanted to stay at Polynesian and I know I can not afford it outright so thought about DVC rental to make a little cheaper. Has anyone every had problems? How does dining and tickets work? Can we purchase tickets through AAA and still get dining? Can I buy my mom and I's tickets through DVC for the whole stay and use them when we come back for the second trip?
Is it possible to do 2 rentals (one for the first rental (Beach), one for the second rental (Polynesian)? Does each person do different deposits? Pay off dates? What about other fees?
Thanks so much for helping me make this magical for my parents (They have taken me to Disney 4 times
Melissa
I think since your questions have to mainly do with DVC, specifically, I'm going to move this to the Owning the Magic forum. In wanting to get all those questions answered for you, I know the folks over there will be much more familiar with the ins and outs of renting, like getting tickets and dining when renting; doing multiple rentals, etc. since that forum specializes in all things DVC.
Also, there's a sticky post over there that may be helpful in answering some of your questions/getting you a little more familiar with the rental process: Considering Renting from a DVC Member? And, seeing that you're a PassPorter Club member, you have access to the PassPorter's Disney Vacation Club Guide E-book, which should definitely be able to help you out too.
Let's see what I can answer for you. I'll tell you that I have never rented as we own DVC. You will need 2 reservations. You won't be able to buy tickets through DVC as you are not a member. Buy from AAA, Disney online or go through a recommended ticket broker (I've used Undercover Tourist several times). A dining plan can be added to a DVC reservation. The member you are renting from will have to add it to your reservation. You do not have to purchase tickets from Disney to get a dining plan added to a DVC reservation.
Keep in mind that the Poly DVC will be fairly difficult to get (being so new). Members can book their home resort 11 months out, all other DVC properties 7 months out. If you can find a Poly DVC owner who wants to rent points and get a ressie before the 7 month window, that's your best chance but know it could be pretty unlikely. Your best chance at any DVC resort is to book between 11 and 7 months out.