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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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More than I thought, once I started the list . . .
VIP Ultimate Day of Thrills
Behind the Seeds
Backstage Magic
Caring for Giants
Behind the Steam Trains
Star Wars Guided Tour
Highway in the Sky Dining Tour
Amphicar Boat Tour @ Disney Springs
H2O Glow at Typhoon Lagoon
Early Morning Magic at the Magic Kingdom
Pirate Adventure Cruise--when our son was younger
And, if we're counting dessert party/fireworks, well then. . .
Ferrytale Fireworks Cruise
Pirates and Pals--twice
Jingle Bell/Jingle Bam Dessert Party
Star Wars Dessert Party--twice
MK Dessert Party--a few times
Each trip, we try to do something different! Thanks for asking!
We haven’t done too many tours:
Keys to the Kingdom
Epcot WS Segway tour
Behind the Seeds
Wagon Ride/tour of FW
And we are taking the DestiNations Discovered tour this September.
Parties:
Star Wars dessert party
Happily Ever After dessert party
We've done a few - I had to go through the Disney website to find them and even then, I know there will be others I've missed:
Behind the Seeds
Caring for Giants
Gardens of the World
Keys to the Kingdom
Magic Behind our Steam Trains (Mark only)
UnDISCOVERED Future World
Wilderness Back Trail Adventure
World Showcase: DestiNations Discovered
Yuletide Fantasy
We've also done some that are no longer offered:
Epcot Segway tour (two different ones)
I know there was another tour at Epcot we did a couple of years ago that we loved and they stopped it a few weeks later, but I can't for the life of me remember what it was called
PassPorter's Free-Book to Walt Disney World It’s hard to believe anything is free at Walt Disney World; but there are actually a number of things you can get or do for little to no cost. This e-book documents over 200 free or cheap tips to do before you go and after you arrive. You could save a considerable amount of money following these tips. Perhaps more importantly; you can discover overlooked attractions and little-known details most people whiz by on their way to spend money. Click here to see free sample pages from the e-book! Get this popular e-book free of extra charges when you join the PassPorter's Club for as little as $4.95. A club pass includes access to all our other e-books; e-worksheets; super-size photos; and more! This e-book is also available for separate purchase in the PassPorter Online Store for just $5.95.
Oh my gosh!! We have done lots and still have a bucket list!
We have done:
1. Party for The Senses!! ROCKS!!! Love it!!!! Do it if you can!!!
2. Senses of Africa!! See number 1.
3. Savor the Savanna. Very nice. We liked this tour a lot. Do we need to do it again? :
4. Fireworks Dessert Party at MK!! Loved it!! I don't need to do it every year but would certainly do it again!!
5. KTTK. Loved this tour with Donna, Paige and Katie!! We are doing it again this year and it is Muffin's first time!!
6. Epcot Segway tour!! Such a bummer that this is no longer offered!!! It was fabulous!!
7. Amphicar tour!!! OMG!! Totally amazing and a neat way to see Disney Springs!!
8. Wild Africa Trek!! You guys know that anything to do with AK is a turn on for me!!
That is all I can think of right now!!
I am thinking about doing the Savor the Savanna tour in November. You say you wouldn't do it again, does this mean you don't think it's worth it? What is your opinion on it? Would it be better to just book dinner at Sanaa or Jiko and see the animals that way? Is Wild Africa Trek or Caring for the Giants better?
PassPorter's Free-Book to Walt Disney World It’s hard to believe anything is free at Walt Disney World; but there are actually a number of things you can get or do for little to no cost. This e-book documents over 200 free or cheap tips to do before you go and after you arrive. You could save a considerable amount of money following these tips. Perhaps more importantly; you can discover overlooked attractions and little-known details most people whiz by on their way to spend money. Click here to see free sample pages from the e-book! Get this popular e-book free of extra charges when you join the PassPorter's Club for as little as $4.95. A club pass includes access to all our other e-books; e-worksheets; super-size photos; and more! This e-book is also available for separate purchase in the PassPorter Online Store for just $5.95.
I am thinking about doing the Savor the Savanna tour in November. You say you wouldn't do it again, does this mean you don't think it's worth it? What is your opinion on it? Would it be better to just book dinner at Sanaa or Jiko and see the animals that way? Is Wild Africa Trek or Caring for the Giants better?
Oh my goodness!! We thought this tour was terrific!! I highly recommend it!! It is totally unique and you really do get to go out on the Savanna!! I am so grateful that we got to do it. I only meant that it was a one time deal for us.
I don't want to spoil it for you but if you would like some details, feel free to PM me!!
Seriously do it!! The parting gift alone is worth the price!!
At Walt Disney World, my family has done Behind the Seeds several times and Family Magic once (when both kids were around the target age). My husband and I did a World Showcase tour around 2000 (probably similar to the current DestiNations Discovered), and my husband did the Epcot Segway tour many years ago. My daughter and I did Lunch with an Imagineer in 2012.
At Disneyland, I have done A Walk in Walt’s Footsteps twice (once with each kid).
My daughter will turn 16 next year, and has already announced we need to go back to WDW shortly thereafter so she (and the rest of us) can do Keys to the Kingdom.
1. Undiscovered Future World
2. Horse Riding in Tri Circle D Ranch
3 Keys To The Kingdom
4. Caring For Giants
5. Italian Regional Wine Lunch for F&W Festival
6. Epcot Segway Tour
7. Fantasmic Dessert Party during PPs Decade of Dreams
8. Star Wars Fireworks Dessert Party
9. Illuminations Dessert Party for Decade of Dreams
I think that's it!
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October 6, 2017-Enjoying an amazing dinner at Victoria & Albert's with PP's Dot and Drew
My TR from my most recent trip is now underway. Includes: Universal Studios Florida, Disney World and Sea World Orlando Trifecta TR -Updated December 10th! TR is now COMPLETED!