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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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.
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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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My two boys, 7 and 3, will be surprised at Christmas with a Disney vacation for February. Anyway, my question is how many pins should I get them each to start trading? Is 12 a piece enough/ too much? I have no idea. This will be our first Disney trip!
Last edited by Belle*; 07-31-2012 at 10:21 AM..
Reason: newsletter08022012
As young first-time traders, I suggest they trade only with Disney cast members. All those trades are one-for-one, so if they start the trip with 12 (a decent number), they'll finish with 12. At their age, it's really a matter of trading the pins they have for pins they like better (favorite characters, etc.).
12 trades is more than enough for them to discover if they're interested. If they become interested, they'll probably want to buy additional pins at Disney. In that case, they'll likely be collecting those, rather than trading.
And, if your older boy becomes interested and the younger doesn't (which seems quite likely at his age), older brother may end up with closer to 24 pins to trade.
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Co-Author, PassPorter's Walt Disney World, PassPorter's Disney Cruise Line, and PassPorter's Disneyland and Southern California Attractions
I think 12 should be plenty! Most of the starter packs at the parks seem to have 6 pins I think. My boys started trading a couple of years ago and the older (who is 8 now) picks a type of pin every trip that he wants to look for, usually pirates. The younger (now 6) just goes for what he likes, he trades over & over again while we are in WDW always looking for something new. Enjoy and have fun surprising your guys!
Hi all, i've always wanted to trade pins, but i feel like being an adult, I would be taking something away from the kids. Do you trade pins as adults?
thanks
Hi all, i've always wanted to trade pins, but i feel like being an adult, I would be taking something away from the kids. Do you trade pins as adults?
thanks
Absolutely! Most traders are adults (although over the years, it's been skewing more towards the kids). There are many CMs who wear kids-only lanyards, so the kids always have good opportunities. And it is about trading, it's not a one-way transaction - It's not just a matter of guests dumping "junk" pins on the CMs. Guests often are trading pins of equal or even greater value. In other words, an adult may be leaving something good behind for the next kid to snag.
In my case, I still have a lot of Millennium Celebration pins that were purchased at close-out price, but are still well worth having. (I trade for specific characters, and unusual items that strike my fancy). You won't find the pins I have much in circulation, so when I put one out there, I'm sure someone else is going to think it's cool.
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Co-Author, PassPorter's Walt Disney World, PassPorter's Disney Cruise Line, and PassPorter's Disneyland and Southern California Attractions
I think my daughter's first pin trading trip I got her 20. She kept a few of the ones I got her but traded all the rest. She really enjoyed it and once she traded away the ones she didn't want, she wanted to keep trading, but didn't want to get rid of any of the ones she'd acquired! LOL!
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Stephanie- Mom to Jaden and Emerson, Wife to Keith, Novelist
I'm an independent agent with Fairytale Journeys, specializing in Disney vacations!
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When we went on our first trip to Disney last year, I used a reputable eBay seller and brought 25 pins each. My son had a blast and ended up with a few extra of ours. I would suggest checking out eBay and maybe you cn get a few more pins for the same price.
We started my daughter off with a lanyard with pins we bought at a cart in Epcot. We also bought her a couple other sets she liked.I think she started off with about a dozen pins.
I've bought one lot on eBay and just bought another, I couldn't resist. Can't wait! We're not going until feb. but these will be a surprisechristmas gift. I requested "boy" type pins from the seller. (no princesses) Guess I'll see what we get when they come in! Thanks for all the suggestions!
My kids 10,9,7 all love pin trading and we never have enough pins to trade. Luckily my youngest will trade a pin and then see a different one she likes and trade the one she just got for a different pin. We started with the "starter sets" and added from there.
This trip I stocked up over time and got them each about 20 new pins to trade. Lets hope thats enough. I like to get DL pins and take them to WDW. It always surprises a CM or a kid to see how the pins travel so far.
I don't buy from ebay as I was a former CM at DL and I just can't do it. HA HA. That being said, I don't blame the ones who do because there can be some great deals out there and not ALL pins are fakes.
Adults trade too!
I started because I got tired of looking over my daughter's shoulder, wishing she'd take "that one."
I'm a trade-for-what-I-like trader, so I only deal with Cast Members.
Trading is for every one, kids have special traders cast members with blue (I think) lanyards only trade with kids. Otherwise it's a great way to spend time talking with CMs.
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How many pins to start trading?
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We all love pin trading and collecting pins. 12 should definitely be enough for them!
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