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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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Hi!
I will be traveling to Disney this winter while dealing with plantar fasciitis. I am wondering what others do to cope with the pain and discomfort. I plan to make an appt with my podiatrist to get a cortisone shot the day before we leave and I am also going to have him wrap my foot. I'm just really concerned with keeping up with the rest of my family. They are very understanding to my issue and we've dealt with it now for almost 2 years. I've taken day trips to the fair, zoo and amusement parks. I had my husband wrap my foot and I took nsaids to help with the pain and it wasn't too bad. A lot of times though, it's the day after that kills me. Well, with 7 day tix and constant walking and touring, I'm not sure how I'm going to do. I'm anxious about the trip and all the walking.
Any tips, help, advice, thoughts, etc are welcome. I don't want this to "ruin" the trip. It's been 8 years since we have been to Disney! We aren't commando style tourists, but we do stay in the parks for the whole day. Our kids are 16 and 11 and I am fine with them touring a bit on their own in the same park while I rest my foot on a bench. Is there something I can do to prepare - besides the obvious of taking walks to build my stamina and stretching the heck out of my feet?
Thanks!
If you don't already have one, get a cane. DGF did when she had a problem with plantar fascitis (it's since faded; don't know if a temporary injury healed itself,or she just hasn't stressed it enough for a flare-up of symptoms).
Make sure you have fairly new, just-old-enough-to-be-broken-in shoes, that provide good arch support. Maybe add some of those gel liners, to help cushion your feet.
I have the same problem with my right foot. If you can fit it in your budget, an ECV is a wonderful thing on the really painful days. They are a bit pricey, but if it helps to keep my foot from ruining our trip, it is priceless to me! All of your other ideas of good arch support shoes, a steady dose of nsaids, wrapping, and some pre-trip walking/ "training" all sound excellent to me! Good luck!
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Things that help me...
Stretching the foot before bedtime, before you get out of bed, and anytime you are seated for more than 10 minutes before moving again.
Ice packs
Rub the ball of you heel with a tennis ball
I have the same thing and while it took awhile, my doctor recommended several stretches for my foot that I did 2 or 3 times a day and he had me get some of those Spenco Orthotics from the store (not regular inserts - this is actually a plastic arch support - 3/4 length - with a cushion on it. Not once did I need a cortisone shot but I did live on Nsaids for a few months (which have since messed up my stomach) while I was doing the stretches and to this day I still use the inserts and I haven't had huge problems in years. Once in a while it will hurt some but I'll just rub it and do the stretches and it will go away. BTW - I've done 5 trips to Disney and I was okay walking all day every day. So after having said all of that, my advice is to make the appointment much sooner rather than later because my only concern is if the cortisone shot doesn't help you'll want to know that BEFORE you go on vacation and if you can start the exercises - and continue them on vacation - you'll probably be much better for it. Good luck
I had a number of foot issues (falling arches, plantar fascitis, and pain shooting into my leg whenever I walked) months before my last trip. I suggest finding very supportive walking shoes. Not tennis shoes, not running shoes, not cross trainers. I found a pair of reeboks that helped, they no longer help so I don't have them anymore but they were all white or you could get them in all black. I now have reebok tonerz and LOVE them. Great support and great cushion. Go shoe shopping in the morning, in the afternoon, and again at night before you decide which are the most comfortable.
Rest when you can. Work your way up to walking for an hour or longer at a time. Stand as much as you can too. Correct your posture, you'd be amazed at how differently your weight is distributed if you slouch, i know i was.
Not sure if any of this will help you but it (hopefully) won't hurt to try. you get better
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Hi Aspen! I see some good advice here, but the best advice would be from your podiatrist, who knows the specifics about your condition.
I would add, though, that pacing yourself, knowing your limits, and rest is important for any foot injury. (And, if worse comes to worse, I have known a few people who preferred wheels to a cane or crutches for minor foot situations at Disney.)
Don't forget to tell us how it went, and I hope you have a magical trip.
Thanks everyone for your suggestions! I'm going to check on some different shoes and get some soon to break in. I have some inserts that my podiatrist recommended - my insurance won't pay for prescription ones unless I am diabetic. They work pretty well and offer some great support. I do need to stretch more though. I think I've just become so frustrated by the whole thing that I feel ready to give up. I'll work on the stretching, new shoes to break in and walk as much as I can. I'm going to try icing it more too. Standing for long periods of time is painful too, yes.
I can say that I have already been to the podiatrist, so he knows my issues, yep! I've gone through physical therapy. The doc has ruled out surgery because it is the outside tendon in my foot that needs stretched out and not the inside one (which is the one he would surgically cut if needed). I've had 2 shots in my foot before and even though it is very unpleasant, I'm thinking it'd be worth it for some relief on my trip.
I'm thinking if it gets too bad I'll just rent a wheelchair at the parks!! My kids or husband can wheel me around.
Right now I am trying aspirin for the inflammation and it is helping. Not sure I like the way it makes me feel - side effects - but my foot is happy.
Thanks again! It is nice to know there are others out there that understand my issue.
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Having been to Disneyland with undiagnosed PF, I can say that I feel your pain!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Aspen
Thanks everyone for your suggestions! I'm going to check on some different shoes and get some soon to break in. I have some inserts that my podiatrist recommended - my insurance won't pay for prescription ones unless I am diabetic. They work pretty well and offer some great support.
Since you've had the PF for a while, you probably know this, but... the inserts really change the way shoes fit. My biggest gripe is that it's hard to find shoes that are roomy enough for my foot and the half inch insert in the bottom. Of course, having high insteps to start with doesn't make it easier.
I had a number of foot issues (falling arches, plantar fascitis, and pain shooting into my leg whenever I walked) months before my last trip. I suggest finding very supportive walking shoes. Not tennis shoes, not running shoes, not cross trainers.r
I second this. My sister has PF and has had great success with Crocs sandals. There's a specific footbed she likes - no wedge heel, no height, just a well-fitting cushion. She's been doing her stretching, has inserts, etc. but her sandals have been lifesaving.
I also have foot issues (haven't gotten confirmation that it's PF, but the symptoms are there) and LOVE my Crocs sandals. My sister and I have the now discontinued Adara sandal, but there are others with the same footbed. They're reasonably priced and not horribly unattractive.
I went to WDW last year 2 days after getting the stitches out from my latest PF surgery!! I used the ECV during that trip. But, I take my cane, I wear my Crocs faithfully. Sometimes I wear my Asics, but I have to change mid-day. My podiatrist said Crocs were awesome for PF because they conform to your feet. So any of the shoes that do that will work well.
I second(or third) taking the tennis ball. I have one in my Owner's locker. Ice helps too, or cold wet wash rags if you don't have an ice packet handy.
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