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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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Finally going back to my happy place! So it’s been 4 years and I know a lot has changed at the world, so can anyone tell me what is different as far as planning, the parks and transportation?
These are things I've noticed in the last few years.
More security checks and metal detectors at the parks, the poly (from the TTC) and getting on the resort monorail from the resorts. They redid the security at the MK so it's at the TTC before you get on a monorail or ferry.
At the parks, Happily Ever After fireworks can't be missed along with Pandora, Animal Kingdom at night, the new Soarin', Toy Story land if your trip is after June 30.
Crowds seem to be more steady. Be prepared for lines. Everytime I go, I hardly find walk on anything anymore.
They now have mobile ordering at select quick service through the My Disney Experience app. No waiting in line and the text you when your food is ready. It's really neat.
Disney Springs has LOTS of new fabulous dining and shopping. Loads of entertainment/performers at night.
If you have anything specific you'd want to ask, I'll be happy to help.
__________________
Michele
I'm living the dream 20 minutes from Disney! Next trip...tomorrow. Follow me on instagram at ShirtsByShell
If you like the dining at Disney World, then you'll be spoilt for choice with so many new restaurants.
I'd echo the comment about the crowds, but I'd go further than that and say that we've twice been at traditionally quiet times of the year this year and last year and on both occasions, we found the parks to be busier than we expected. Be prepared for that, as it came as a shock to us.
As far as planning goes, try and get a Fastpass for Flight of Passage if you want to do it (it's not for everyone - we both got very motion sick on it), as the lines are always horrendous for it even first thing in the morning - and it's not easy to get Fastpasses for it either, so be prepared to take what you can get.
Downtown Disney has become Disney Springs so the Pleasure Island section has been completely redone and it's all shopping and dining (not all Disney).
There are now "Minnie Vans" you can hire that are strictly Disney with Disney CMs driving them. They use the Lyft app but they are more expensive at $25 per ride.
Depending upon when you go and who you go with, this summer is being advertised as an "Incredible Summer." Disney is bring back the Incredibles Dance party in Tomorrowland (June through September), there will be a dance party in Animal Kingdom with Donald (not a lot of details out other than opening the end of May), there will be a Guardians of the Galaxy "concert series" in Epcot from June to August.
If you go August 17th or after, that's when the Halloween parties start
Caribbean Beach Resort is under construction to add a tower building. They are also getting a gondola system (also going to a few other resorts) that will take guests to Epcot and the Studios. I don't know when either will open though.
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