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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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We are talking about a trip to DLP for oct 2010, and I figured since I was going all that way, I need to spend a week in London.
Can anyone suggest a good guide book? I am a history buff, so all the historical sites are for me; hopefully a couple of day trips, like to Hever Castle for example.
Frommer's is very good. Give Hampton Court Palace a try. While you're in Paris, do NOT miss Versailles. It's an east day trip and you'll never forget it
I agree about Versailles - that's full of history.
As far as history in London goes, well, my goodness, where on earth do you start? There's just so much - it's probably just as well you're planning a weeek.
Hever Castle is stunning, as is Leeds Castle, which is not too far away. In London itself, don't miss the Tower of London, Westminster Abbey and the Houses of Parliament, as they're all full of history. Other great places to visit include St. Paul's Cathedral, Hampton Court Palace and the Globe theatre is very interesting, as it's a recreation of Shakespeare's original theatre. We've done the tour there and seen a play there and both were a lot of fun. There's Buckingham Palace of course and don't miss the Changing of the Guard ceremony.
Gosh, so much - and I'm sure there's lots I'm forgetting too. As for guidebooks, I personally love the Dorling Kindersley books, so that would be my recommendation.
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.
How exciting! I find the Lonely Planet guidebooks very helpful for everything "non-Disney" If you're interested in history, I'd consider going to Oxford. I loved that! Of course there's a ton of things to see in London, too
We took a day trip to Stratford-upon-Avon and Liverpool. Those were really neat. On our way back from Stratford-upon-Avon we stopped to visit Warwick Castle too.
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.
RCI has a place in Hampstead and one in Kensington. Which would be better to see the sights of London? I will not have a car, but have no problem with buses or subway/tube, as I come from the big city....
RCI has a place in Hampstead and one in Kensington. Which would be better to see the sights of London? I will not have a car, but have no problem with buses or subway/tube, as I come from the big city....
I personally like Kensington - which Tube stations are they near to? You want to be near to a Tube station and, if you can find out which stations, I can tell you which lines run to those stations and whether they'd be good choices. If you're near somewhere like South Kensington or Gloucester Road, those have a couple of lines running to it, which make it easy to get into the centre of London.
Having had a look at the RCI website to see where the Kensington and Hampstead resorts are I'd definitely go for the Kensington one. It's just off High Street Kensington which is a really good location - I lived less than a mile away during my first year at uni.
The place listed in Hampstead is called "Old Frognal Court" and doesn't have an address or website listed.
After a lot of research, I managed to pull up where Old Frognal Court is from its postcode and I think Allen House will be far the better bet for you. It's literally just further down the road from the Royal Garden Hotel, where we stayed last May on our DVC points. It's about two or three minutes walk from High Street Kensington tube station, so very convenient, although it's worth knowing that station is only served by the Circle Line and we did find that to be a bit of a pain, as it literally (as the name suggests) circles the edge of London, so you often have to change to get to the places you want to. But of the two, it's definitely the one to go for.
IF you happen to visit Cambridge do not overlook the American Cemetary there. As a history buff I found it very moving. It would depend on what era of history you are most interested in.
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Pixie Dust
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If you're interested in history, I'd consider going to Oxford. I loved that! Of course there's a ton of things to see in London, too 
Previous trips: POFQ 2005 & 2007, Boardwalk 2008, BCV & AKLV 2009 (our honeymoon) & 2012, BCV & BLT 2011, BCV 2013, AKLV 2014
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