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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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 taking our first trip as DVC owners in May and are booked at our home property of BAY LAKE TOWER ( ) for the 2nd-7th in a 2 Bedroom-- my inlaws are going with us.
We're flying in on the 1st and trying to decide where to stay.
As a travel agent part of me thinks I should stay at carib beach so I can check it out. But I really don't want to.
My two favorite options is booking 2 studios for cash at Beach Club (currently on a courtesy hold) and my other option is booking a 2-Bedroom at Kidani Village. Getting the 2-br at Kidani would only cost us $25 more per couple.
So which would you do? BCV Studios or Kidani village 2-BR? Travelling party is my inlaws, hubby and I, and our DDs ages 2 and 6.
I'd go with the two bedroom at Kidani. Why? Because you'll get a full kitchen, washer/dryer and the Jacuzzi bath, none of which you'll get with two studios. To me, that's worth it for the extra money.
Registered Message Board Members save 30% off PassPorter guidebooks! When you register you'll have access to a discount coupon good for 30% off the list price of PassPorter books in our online store.
I would definitely stay at Kidani. We were in a 2 bedroom there this past July and it was absolutely gorgeous. I can't wait to have enough points to stay there again. You won't be disappointed.
I would go with BCV because if it is for only one night you can walk or take a boat to Epcot or DHS and get in a little park time very easily both in the evening and in the morning before check in at BLT. Plus your kids may just fall in love with AKV and not want to leave. You wouldn't want them to be dissapointed in BLT. Just my take. We can't wait to stay at AKV ourselves but I would wait until you are comitted to spending some time there.
For one night I don't think the size of the room really matters. Having more space will probably just mean more room to spread out all of that vacation junk, if you're anything like me.
Personally I try to avoid staying in a Disney resort for just one night. Given the price paid vs. hassle involved (getting to the hotel, checking in, getting settled, etc.), it just isn't worth it. We've saved money doing a single night off-site. No frills; easy-in, easy-out. When splitting our on-site stay my general rule is a minimum of two nights in any single resort.
But I digress. I'd make your decision based simply on which resort you will be able to enjoy most. Beach Club has Stormalong Bay, BoardWalk nearby and easy access to Epcot. Kidani has the animal savanna, a decent activity program and a pool which is better than SAB for younger kids.
Pick the destination you'll be able to get some value from during that one night stay.
We had planned on going to Animal Kingdom for our first day, the 2nd... and having bell services take our stuff over to BLT for us, which is why I initially thought Kidani would be good?! We don't want to stay offsite (albeit cheaper) b/c then WE have to get ourselves over to our Disney resort the next day along with our stuff, etc. I think convenience-wise onsite is the better choice for us!
Registered Message Board Members save 30% off PassPorter guidebooks! When you register you'll have access to a discount coupon good for 30% off the list price of PassPorter books in our online store.
Animals? there are animals to see there? Even if you're not in a savannah room? I know nothing about AKL... i'm a monorail-resorts kinda girl usually. tell me more about AKL!?!?!? I'm all for staying there at this point, just got to make sure the inlaws want to cough up their half
Animals? there are animals to see there? Even if you're not in a savannah room? I know nothing about AKL... i'm a monorail-resorts kinda girl usually. tell me more about AKL!?!?!? I'm all for staying there at this point, just got to make sure the inlaws want to cough up their half
there are animals on the savannah outside. If you don't get a savannah view room, then there are places to look out over the savannah.
Yeah, what Chez said You can definitely watch the animals from public lookout points if you don't have a savannah view. I'm sure you'd love AKV, and staying there for just one night is perfect to try it out!
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) for the 2nd-7th in a 2 Bedroom-- my inlaws are going with us.
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there are animals on the savannah outside. If you don't get a savannah view room, then there are places to look out over the savannah.
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