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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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.
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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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Busses and Boardwalk or Beach Club
It is almost time for me to reserve my DVC stay for October.
Just wondering if either of these resorts have any trouble boarding the bus with a scooter. Will the bus be too crowded for me to board? Any insight is welcome. I would like to stay at one of these, but will also consder VWL... any problems with that one?
I don't think BW or BC is any different than other resorts for boarding with a scooter. I know there is also a boat option for these, which could be a problem. (When Deb comes, she'll be able to tell you for sure.)
One of the good things about the location of BW and B is that you can walk (or ride) right to Epcot if the weather permits. It is a pleasant walk, though there is no shade from BW for a while. If you like, you can walk thought Epcot and take the monorail to MK later.
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Just to clarify. I know that those resorts both share the bus with the Swan/Dolphin. That is why I wanted to know if the bus would already be crowded before it came to either BW or BC.
As for WL, I know there is one bus stop for the hotel and villas. Do they also share with FW?
You can scoot to Epcot in 5 minutes and DHS in 15 minutes, so that's not a problem. Bus service at BW / YC / BC is surprisingly ba. We always rent a car
Buses at the Epcot resorts are the same as elsewhere on property. No problem boarding with a scooter, unless you have one of the really large models. There's no bus service to Epcot or DHS-- you can take the boat or scoot to those parks. Take the bus for MK or AK. If you're a monorail-lover and hate the buses, you also have the option of scooting through Epcot and taking the monorail to MK. A longer trip, but some people will do anything to avoid a bus!
Hi! I have never had a issue getting on the bus with my scooter, I actually found that the bus at Boardwalk had very few people waiting. Maybe because of being close to two parks. I found the boats to be more crowded and slower to get to where I was going. But a fun ride if not in a hurry..
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We stayed at BWV last year and as I recall the buses were fairly empty (early morning - like 8:00ish). DH uses a scooter (that we rented at BWV since his regular scooter died).
We did take the boat to DHS & Epcot (no problem with the scooter - they were very accommodating).
In the evenings we would take the monorail from MK to Epcot and then either walk back or take the boat back to BWV.
We love the transportation that is available at BWV!
Bus drivers load scooters and wheelchairs first. Even if a bus is 3/4 full they can make room for a scooter. I stayed at CRB which is known for packed buses and only missed one bus as there was no scooter space. People would even exit the bus to make room so I could exit. Most people on the buses are nice and work together to help each other out. I would not worry about not getting on a bus.
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She is gone but keeping signature. Laundry is getting done. My purpose in life is to help poor people in FL. Farewell, will miss you.
Last October, several of my family wanted to go from Epcot to Downtown Disney (we were staying at OKW and did not want to go back there and then go to Downtown Disney). We walked to Boardwalk and took the bus from there. When we got to the bus stop, there was a group waiting who had a person using a wheelchair. They told us that the last Downtown Disney bus had been there about 15 minutes before had been too full for them to get on. When the next bus arrived, it was also too full, so they were still waiting for the bus when we left.
You would be able to easily get to Epcot and the Studio with either the boat or the walking paths. You could also get to MK by going thru Epcot and using the monorail if you want to avoid the buses to go there. You could also check with the resort to find out which resort is the first stop for where you are going and then go to the bus stop for that resort - that should help you to get on the bus with the least difficulty.
Just to clarify. I know that those resorts both share the bus with the Swan/Dolphin. That is why I wanted to know if the bus would already be crowded before it came to either BW or BC.
As for WL, I know there is one bus stop for the hotel and villas. Do they also share with FW?
As others said, the scooters are loaded first at stops. Only if the bus is very full or already has the maximum number of scooters/wheelchairs (usually 2) will you not be able to get on. You may, if the bus is crowded, get some evil looks from those who don't like that they had to give up their seats, but that's not very often. If you do, just ignore them!
At the parks, scooters and wheelchairs are supposed to NOT queue up and rather sit off to the side, near the front of the queue, where the driver can see them. When you arrive at the park from the resort, ask the driver where you should wait for the return bus. The driver will load scooters first to return to the resort.
In multiple stays at Boardwalk I've never encountered a bus too crowded to board my scooter. The only time I've had this problem was leaving MK after Wishes on a pretty crowded night.
As others said, the scooters are loaded first at stops. Only if the bus is very full or already has the maximum number of scooters/wheelchairs (usually 2) will you not be able to get on. You may, if the bus is crowded, get some evil looks from those who don't like that they had to give up their seats, but that's not very often. If you do, just ignore them!
At the parks, scooters and wheelchairs are supposed to NOT queue up and rather sit off to the side, near the front of the queue, where the driver can see them. When you arrive at the park from the resort, ask the driver where you should wait for the return bus. The driver will load scooters first to return to the resort.
WL shares with Contemporary, GF, and Poly.
It depends where you're going to. I know Studios is shared with the GF. I think both Epcot and AK are shared with FW. Not sure about DD and the MK, you just take one of the boat launches from the dock in the back of the resort.
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Thanks....All great info which I will now keep on the back burner. I am taking a staycation at the VGC right in my own back yard. My biggest worry is unpacking the scooter, luggage etc and figuring out wether or not to do valet handicapped parking or the self parking across the street.
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