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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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!
Welcome! We're happy you've found the PassPorter Community -- the friendliest place to plan your vacation to Walt Disney World, Disney Cruise Line, Disneyland, and the world in general! You are now viewing the PassPorter Message Board Community as a guest, which gives you limited access. As our guest, feel free to browse our messages by selecting the forum you want to visit from the list below.
To post messages and ask questions, join our FREE community today and you'll get access to tools and resources not available to guests, such as our vacation countown timers, "living" avatars, private messaging system, database searches, downloads, and a special PassPorter discount code. Registration is fast, simple, and completely free. Just click the Join Our Community link.
If you think you've already joined, log in below now. If you don't remember your member name or password, please visit our Member Name and Password Recovery page. You are also welcome to contact us.
We're in the preliminary planning period for a two family "mega" vacation with ourselves and another family (it's their first visit). I considered the campground for rooming since 10 adults can stay at one site (there will be 9 people and the baby/toddler) we;re looking right now at base tickets, dining plan, room, and memory maker running just shy of OMG!!!!!!! dollars. I can probably do better offsite since they are members of a campground club, but is anyone aware of any on site hotels or maybe deals I'm not thinking of, or aware of?
__________________
~~~ If you do what you love for a living, you never work a day in your life~~~
~~~ I'm from the school of thought that if Lights Motor action ever got boring a Monster truck show would be stellar~~~
~~~ I guess it's Da5Blueys now ~~~
When are you looking at going? Could have offers (for resort or even free meal plan) for that time period. And if you stay off property you will need a car and the cost to park at the parks unless you are driving down..but you will still have to pay for parking at the parks (if staying off property).
Maybe there are others that have done this and will be able to give you more guidance.
I would look at All Star Vacation Home rentals. Most have their very own pool. They are within a few miles of the parks. I know you would miss out on being much closer but, I bet you would be much more comfortable. Another option would be side by side value suites at AOA or All Star Music or side by side Cabins at the Wilderness Campground at Disney.
I have never done it but have been intrigued by the advertisements for the all star vacation homes. You may be able to get something more comfortable than a campground especially with the Florida rain depending on when you plan to travel. You could also look into renting DVC points. That would keep you on property and make transportation much easier.
~~~ If you do what you love for a living, you never work a day in your life~~~
~~~ I'm from the school of thought that if Lights Motor action ever got boring a Monster truck show would be stellar~~~
~~~ I guess it's Da5Blueys now ~~~
My first though is that you would probably save the most money by reconsidering the dining plan. Dining plans can save some people money ifthey would eat in the way the plan prescribes anyways, but be aware that many don't save any money at all, even if they do utilize all their credits. Remember, even if you maximize the credit value of the plan, you are also increasing the amount of your gratuity, which is automatically added to the bill for large parties. It would be pretty easy to cut costs by passing on the dining plan, especially if you have a car (buy groceries off site for snacks, drinks, some easy meals, maybe eat at some off site restaurants for example). Look at the menus on Allears.net to help you choose on site restaurants that are more budget friendly. Many restaurants offer less expensive menus at lunch vs. dinner.
Do you have a budget? I agree with Holly. Rethink the dining lan, especially if you have cooking facilities. The dining plan is a lot more food than most people need and we never spend a fraction of the plan's cost on food.
What happens if you cut your trip by a couple of days> or even a couple of park days. We tend to do shorter trips and find that after a few days in the parks, we need down time.
I have done several off site trips and my boys preferred them when they got older. Mostly because you can get a lot of space for not much money and they loved having a fridge available for when they wanted a snack. Much less expensive and healthier.
About This Page: 
~~~
Like
Thank
Pixie Dust
Dancing in the ABC filming of the Disney parade!
Linear Mode
