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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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Looks like amtrak may go on strike at the end of the month of they don't get a contract agreement. That may throw a wrench in my plans to go see the Lion King on Broadway.
I was planning on taking Amtrak into NYC. Hate to say it, but just the thought of driving in NYC intimidates me I did check Greyhound, but if Amtrak is on strike, I can only imagine how packed Greyhound will be and I may not get there in time as busses will probably fill fast.
I did check Jet blue and it would be around $150 round trip.
Please send pixies that Amtrak comes to a contract agreement. I am already nervous enough about how I am going to get from the train station to the show or hotel if I stay overnight.
If I do take Greyhound, I would arrive at 11:30 am. Would this give me enough time to get a taxi and get to the theather. I am thinking no time to get to hotel and see if I could check in if I do stay overnight.
Oh, the show starts at 2pm.
I am kinda wishing I was going with a friend instead of solo lol.
Can you drive to New Haven and take Metro North? This is what I usually do! If you get in at 11:30 you should have plenty of time to get to theater. Port Authority is on the West Side, maybe a 10 minute cab ride from Times Square/Broadway where the Lion King is. I'm not sure where your hotel is but if it's in mid-town you should have time to stop there before the show and drop off your bags.
I was going to suggest the same thing as Sara, Janine If they go on strike, drive to CT and take Metro North. There's lots of stations along I-95, and it's not that bad of a ride
Janine,
Penn Station, where Amtrak comes in is at 31st St. and 8th Ave. The Minskoff Theater where TLK is at 45th and B'way. Depending on where your hotel is, you'd probably want to take a cab, but it's maybe 14 short blocks north and 1 long block east. Port Autority Bus Terminal is at 42nd St. and 8th Ave which is 3 short blocks north and 1 long block east to the theater. Metro North comes into Grand Central Station, on 5th Ave. You'd probably either take a cab from there or the express shuttle subway from there to Times Square (42nd St. and B'Way) and walk. It depends on where you're coming in, how much luggage you have with you and what the weather is.
One thing to keep in mind, from my own personal experience. Amtrak trains are notoriously late. Maybe you'll have better luck coming from a big city like Boston, but from personal experience, I always try to book the earliest train as possible so that if (more like when!) I'm late, I don't miss my theater time. If you're really worried about it, I'd seriously consider the Metro North train from New Haven. It may even be cheaper than Amtrak!
Also, the show starts at 2, but you either already have your tickets or will pick them up at the box office. Contrary to what they tell you, you don't need to be there 30 minutes early, just to stand in line to get in. They NEVER open the doors right at 1:30, but don't worry, it's not like they're going to give your seats away. You paid for them; they're YOUR seats! I've walked up to the theter at 1:55, even picked up my tickets at Will Call, and still not had a problem getting in "on time".
Hope I've helped a little and not freaked you out more. You'll be fine! If I as a legally blind person can do navigate the Big Apple, you'll be absolutely fine. I have every confidence in you! If you have any questions, don't hesitate to p.m. me.
Oh yeah, one more thing; HAVE A GREAT TIME!!!
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-Lisa
The World is a book. Those who do not travel read only a page." - Augustine