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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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So every cloud has a silver lining. Right? That’s how the saying goes. But is it really true? You tell me? In order to judge I need to first tell you about the cloud. Sorry that this will start off as a bit of a downer but hey it is “the dark cloud” after all.
Back in 2014 I was scheduled for a WDW trip, me, my then 7 year old son, my mother and my 8 year old nephew. We had everything all book and were pretty much all set to go in August. However in May of that year my mother’s hip was bothering her and she thought she needed a hip replacement. Turns out she had a re occurrence of cancer. We cancelled that trip – boohoo!
I began to make plans for just my son and me to have a replacement trip in summer of 2015. Well finances didn’t work out and mom’s health continued to be questionable. I did manage a quickie trip that summer as I drove my mom from NJ to GA in June 2015 for her reunion and then my son and I had a whirlwind 2 days at Disney. ( I actually even wrote some of a trip report for it you can read it here before the black cloud moved in fully so I never finished) http://www.passporterboards.com/foru...d.php?t=288950
During all this time my son was diagnosed with ADHD and began taking medicine and tutoring and a treatment plan, that entire time and process has been stressful. My mom’s health was on a constant decline and her memory issues were getting worse. So life was looking bleak, let me just say that 2015 will not be remembered as a great year. The only joy was my hope that we could still get back to the bubble in summer 2017.
I had managed to save 2000 for that 2017 trip but after needing some dental work earlier this year and having a sick dog which needed to be put down I have almost depleted those funds. Not sure I would be able to replace the money in time for next summer I began to wonder if we would still be able to go or would we really need to scale things down. More dark clouds hanging over us. The summer 2017 trip has nothing on the books just yet so I am still hopeful.
Then this spring Mom really took a turn for the worse. She had a collapsed lung and spent some time in the hospital (very touch a go for several days) and then in rehab and then coming home. All very stressful and me and my siblings were burning through our days off. My son’s ADHD had “flared up” so there were a few months of stress with that while we readjusted his medicine.
In early April of this year mom refused all chemo treatments and the waiting game began. It took 5 long, stressful and emotional weeks but she passed away in mid-May 2016. She was finally at peace.
Now that the service is over and thank you notes have been written we are in the process of cleaning out her house with 50 years of stuff in it and getting ready to put it on the market. My son has been acting up as I have been spending too much time at Grandmom’s. So now I head over there after he goes to bed and falls asleep. Now at around 10:30pm I head over and do some work for an hour or two. As you can imagine I’m not getting enough sleep.
I really, REALLY could use a vacation, Um, but I have that all too common disease… myfundsarelow. That was until the beautiful silver lining in all this.
My mom has a really nice amount of money in her estate and we should be getting a partial payment in the end of summer, early fall. WDW 2017 here we come.
But I need a vacation . Good thing mom also had a life insurance policy which pays out almost immediately. So now I’m just waiting on a check for 12,000.!!!
I still can’t believe it. It would probably take me 5 years to save that amount of money and I’m just gonna walk in one day and bam there it will be. Crazy! It is like found money…so what to do with said found money? Well any good Disney fan knows and I can bet you have already guessed….we are going to Disney. But not Disney World my friends, we are going to Disneyland.
Ever since Carsland opened I have wanted to take my son. He loves the movie and I think he will love this. I haven’t been to DL since mid-90’s so there is a lot to catch up on. I am super excited. I NEED this. I will be using the 12K to pay off my credit card, do a few things around the house, put a little into rainy day fund and STILL be able to take this trip. I am beyond excited. I am mean how many times in your life do you have a spare 12,000 dollars???? Like Never.
I just feel soooooo much stress lifted from me.
So you tell me does my dark cloud have a silver lining? I think so.
I am so sorry to hear of all of your dark cloud moments, especially the passing of your mother. As you said, though, she is no longer in pain. I'm sure she would be thrilled to know that you are going to be able to have a little fun with some of the money she was able to provide for you. People always need a ray of sunshine to look forward to, whether it be Disney or something else. I hope you and your son have a wonderful trip. Hopefully, too, with the stress of your mother's passing lessening some, your son will be able to handle his issues a little better, as your focus will shift back to him a bit.
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So glad that things are finally looking up for you & Evan - no doubt that you both deserve this vacation. So does Evan know about the DL trip or is it a surprise? Has the new program you enrolled him in still making progress - I absolutely hope he is still making forward strives. Can't wait to hear more details & congrats in finding that silver lining bc it definitely was buried under layers of dark clouds!
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First off, so sorry for your loss. But as you said, she's now at peace. Cancer really sucks, though.
Next, how excited to get this nice little payout (well, not that little really)!
When are you heading to DL? We're planning a trip for February, with my ADHD kid!
I am so sorry to hear of all of your dark cloud moments, especially the passing of your mother. As you said, though, she is no longer in pain. I'm sure she would be thrilled to know that you are going to be able to have a little fun with some of the money she was able to provide for you. People always need a ray of sunshine to look forward to, whether it be Disney or something else. I hope you and your son have a wonderful trip. Hopefully, too, with the stress of your mother's passing lessening some, your son will be able to handle his issues a little better, as your focus will shift back to him a bit.
My mom would be totally thrilled that we are traveling. she loved to do so too and she would be even more happy knowing she paid for it too.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cam22
So sorry that 2015 was such a rough year
for you all. Like Pris has mentioned I think your mom would be so excited for you two and this DL trip.
I know she is smiling down on us from Heaven
Quote:
Originally Posted by MayraLR
After the rough year you've had, you deserve this trip.
I DO deserve this, thanks for agreeing with me.
Quote:
Originally Posted by cattailmarsh
So glad that things are finally looking up for you & Evan - no doubt that you both deserve this vacation. So does Evan know about the DL trip or is it a surprise? Has the new program you enrolled him in still making progress - I absolutely hope he is still making forward strives. Can't wait to hear more details & congrats in finding that silver lining bc it definitely was buried under layers of dark clouds!
Evan does not know just yet. His program is about half way and he is doing very well. got a great end of year report from school.
Quote:
Originally Posted by lexiemom
I'm sorry to hear about your mom.
Your son is going to love Carsland! The theming alone can't be beat and Radiator Springs Racers is one of my favorites.
Carsland is the whole reason we are going. I wanted to get him there while still young enough to really enjoy it as a kid.
Quote:
Originally Posted by cubfancolleen
First off, so sorry for your loss. But as you said, she's now at peace. Cancer really sucks, though.
Next, how excited to get this nice little payout (well, not that little really)!
When are you heading to DL? We're planning a trip for February, with my ADHD kid!
Thank you, Cancer does suck. I wish no one ever had to deal with it again. We are going in November. More details to follow
Quote:
Originally Posted by Alaskan Mom
The loss of a love one is so difficult but what a wonderful gift your mom left you. Looking forward to your plans.
She would be so happy that she was able to provide us with this trip.
Sorry to hear 2015 was a rough one for you.! This trip is one you need, deserve and will enjoy so much more!
__________________
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!
Amazing - I can only imagine how you felt depositing that...happy dance down the street! Congratulations - it was so nice that your mom left that for you. She would be so happy you were getting so much out of it.
Sorry to hear 2015 was a rough one for you.! This trip is one you need, deserve and will enjoy so much more!
I don't think I have ever needed a vacation this much before.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cam22
Woot! Woot! indeed
Quote:
Originally Posted by cattailmarsh
Amazing - I can only imagine how you felt depositing that...happy dance down the street! Congratulations - it was so nice that your mom left that for you. She would be so happy you were getting so much out of it.
My brother said this is the most money he has ever just "gotten" I paid off my credit card yesterday so happy dance #2.
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You tell me? In order to judge I need to first tell you about the cloud. Sorry that this will start off as a bit of a downer but hey it is “the dark cloud” after all.
I did manage a quickie trip that summer as I drove my mom from NJ to GA in June 2015 for her reunion and then my son and I had a whirlwind 2 days at Disney. 
( I actually even wrote some of a trip report for it you can read it here before the black cloud moved in fully so I never finished) 
So life was looking bleak, let me just say that 2015 will not be remembered as a great year. The only joy was my hope that we could still get back to the bubble in summer 2017. 
Not sure I would be able to replace the money in time for next summer I began to wonder if we would still be able to go or would we really need to scale things down. 
More dark clouds hanging over us. The summer 2017 trip has nothing on the books just yet so I am still hopeful.
WDW 2017 here we come.
. Good thing mom also had a life insurance policy which pays out almost immediately. So now I’m just waiting on a check for 12,000.!!! 
. I am mean how many times in your life do you have a spare 12,000 dollars???? Like Never.
Holly: 
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Alaskan Mom aka Bonnie
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