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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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One of my favorite resorts at Walt Disney World is Disney’s Port Orleans Riverside. This unique resort gives you the feeling of stepping back in time to a slower pace.
Port Orleans Riverside is a grouping of smaller buildings as opposed to the large single building that is typical of many deluxe resorts. Some of the buildings such as the Magnolia and Arcadia houses are designed in a plantation manor house style, while others in the Alligator Bayou district look a bit more rustic. Room layouts are the same, but room decor is in keeping with the building's style. The property is enormous - there are a total of five swimming pools, Boatwright’s Dining Hall, the Riverside Mill Food Court, a lounge, an arcade, horse drawn carriage rides, boat rentals and so much more. You can literally spend a whole day at the resort and be entertained without ever stepping foot in a park.
My wife and I are Florida natives and of course, Walt Disney World is a major part of our lives. Our first visit to Port Orleans Riverside was in December 2004. We spent 4 days and 3 nights and attended Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. Anyone who has been to Walt Disney World during the holidays knows that they go all out, and Port Orleans Riverside is no exception. When we arrived to check-in around 3:30 pm, we were greeted by a group of carolers singing Christmas songs. The lobby was fully decorated with garlands hanging from the ceiling and an enormous Christmas tree.
We planned the trip to be a romantic getaway and this is a perfect resort for that. There is almost a mile of paved walking and jogging trails that follow the Sassagoula River. Port Orleans Riverside also offers a horse drawn carriage ride in the evenings (booking early is a necessity). We have seen the route that the carriage follows and it’s beautiful. Surrounded by huge Oaks and the Sassagoula River, the trail is a wonderful way to slow down after a busy day of park hopping. It truly takes you back in time.
Port Orleans Riverside has many different things for people to do on the water. You can rent Sea Raycer personal power boats by Sea Ray®, kayaks, canopy boats or pontoon boats and make your way up and down the river. The rates for all rentals vary by time of year, so check with the resort or call 407-939-0754 to reserve in advance. You can also reserve a fishing excursion on the Sassagoula by calling that number, and for a far smaller fee, there is an old fishin’ hole (catch and release only) in the Ol' Man Island recreation area.
For something more than "basic" transportation, a free ferry runs frequently from Port Orleans Riverside to Port Orleans French Quarter and then on to Downtown Disney. Though you can make the trip faster by taking the bus or driving yourself, the ride down the river is very nice. You will enjoy a view of one of the Lake Buena Vista golf course and you will also pass by the Saratoga Springs resort. The trip is nice if you are not in a hurry. Transportation from the resort to all parks is available by bus from the resort. If you're bound for another resort, you can take the bus or ferry to Downtown Disney and transfer there to buses to all resorts.
Another thing that is always important to talk about is the food. Boatwright’s Dining Hall, Port Orleans Riverside’s table service restaurant, serves dinner only. It is a mix of American and Southern comfort foods. Choices include Southern favorites like Bourbon Barbecue Shrimp, Jamabalya, and Pecan Pie.
The other option is the cafeteria-style offerings at the Riverside Mill food court, open 6:00 am - midnight for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Here you can get a la carte items such as pastries or bagels or complete meals for dine-in, or boxed to go back to your room. The seating area is very spacious. They have a kid’s corner near the working water wheel with a low table for coloring and a TV playing one of Disney’s animated classics. The food here is just as good as Boatwright's, without as much of a wait and at slightly less expense. There is also a very wide variety of food available, so even the pickiest of eaters should be able to find something they will enjoy. Also available from Riverside Mill is fresh pizza, delivered to your room (for a small delivery charge) until midnight. This is great for those late nights after you get back from enjoying the evening Extra Magic Hours that are one of the perks for staying at a Disney resort.
(If you have not been a Guest at one of the Walt Disney World resorts, the Extra Magic Hours are a special time every morning and/or evening when one park will open an hour early or stay open up to three hours later for resort guests only. It is a fantastic benefit that you get just for being a guest at any Walt Disney World resort. For more information on the Extra Magic Hours check out the Walt Disney World web site for all the details and schedule.)
I think that one of the best ways to enjoy a Walt Disney World vacation is to be able to get away from the parks and crowds at some point and just relax. The Port Orleans Riverside Resort is one of the best places I have found in the "World" to relax. You have all the benefits of staying at a Disney resort with out feeling like you have to be on the go all day, every day. This resort is great for couples or families. If you want a romantic getaway or just a nice place to rest between parks, this is the place. With the beautiful grounds and all the activities, you can stay at this resort many times over many years and still not get to see and do everything they have to offer. In my opinion it is the “Happiest Resort in the World.”
Sean and his wife live in Florida, where he is a realtor. They had a Fairy Tale Wedding at Disney's BoardWalk Resort in May 2005.
PassPorter's Free-Book to Walt Disney World It’s hard to believe anything is free at Walt Disney World; but there are actually a number of things you can get or do for little to no cost. This e-book documents over 200 free or cheap tips to do before you go and after you arrive. You could save a considerable amount of money following these tips. Perhaps more importantly; you can discover overlooked attractions and little-known details most people whiz by on their way to spend money. Click here to see free sample pages from the e-book! Get this popular e-book free of extra charges when you join the PassPorter's Club for as little as $4.95. A club pass includes access to all our other e-books; e-worksheets; super-size photos; and more! This e-book is also available for separate purchase in the PassPorter Online Store for just $5.95.
We are booked at Port Orleans Riverside in June. I was really excited and read some great reviews and comments about it. Today I was on some sites that had some REALLY bad reviews of it. Now I am nervous and second-guessing my choice. I know it is not a delux and the room will be simple. I stayed at FQ 12 years ago and it was great. The reviews were saying it was filthy, dingy and moldy. I can take simple, but not filthy, dingy and moldy. Has anyone stayed there recently and can ease my fears or convince me to change resorts? I requested AB building 14. Has anyone had bad experiences there? Are some buildings nicer than others? If Disney comes out with a great discount on rooms I would consider upgrading to WL. But I did have my heart set on POR. Any thoughts???????????
When we stayed there we enjoyed it very much! We have stayed at both POR and FQ and have to say these are our favorite mods. I love the laid back southern charm and the fact that you get benefits from both resorts! So I can't say that I have ever ran into a problem of filthiness at this resort! I say don't second guess it!
I have stayed there in 2006 & 2007 and was very happy with my stay. I did not notice anything filthy, dingy or moldy. It was clean everywhere we went. We went cane pole fishing and did the carriage ride. The boat to Downtown Disney is a nice and relaxing ride and so much better than being on a bus.
The only real downfall is that there is not elevator and walking up the stairs with 2 sleeping kids and a stroller is a little bit of a pain in the butt.
Go with your original plans and stay. You will have a good time.
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We had our first stay at POR this past January and fell in love, the grounds were gorgeous. It's easily our new favorite mod resort. We requested Alligator Bayou since we knew that the Magnolia Bend didn't have elevators and it's 3 floors where as Alligator Bayou is only 2. I don't think you'll be disappointed at all.
Are you sure it was the Disney property?? When I researched the hotels by name on the internet, I found that off site properties go by the same name. I began reading a review that said the room was filthy, moldy and had dirt on the pull out bed. I was stunned! When I read further, I saw the hotel was located in New Orleans. It wasn't the Disney Resort! All of the Disney resorts we have stayed at were impecable! And should you find an issue, all you have to do is call the front desk and they will take care of it immediately! Good luck to you. Enjoy your stay!
We were just there last month and we loved it. It was clean and so calm and peaceful. My kids are begging to stay there "every time we go". The food court was fantastic, Piano Bob was awesome. I can't say enough good about it.
We have stayed there 4 times the last being in August 09 and we are staying part of our trip there next month and we have never had any issues. We love the resort. Housekeeping was always great and the one time there was a minor issue in the bathroom there was someone there fixing the problem within an hour. We love the atmosphere, even with large crowds we never felt that crowded feeling. I would definitely recommend it.
We spent 12 days there in Nov '09 and it was excellent. We are going back in October of' '11(already booked). Here is my favorite website on PO, it shoots straight!!
Magnolia Bend does have elevators. AB does not. We stayed in Magnolia Terrace. Had a great stay last August. Room was clean, mousekeeping excellent. The grounds are beautiful. It's a great resort. I prefer the theming of the mansion section, it's a personal pref.
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I know it is not a delux and the room will be simple. I stayed at FQ 12 years ago and it was great. The reviews were saying it was filthy, dingy and moldy. I can take simple, but not filthy, dingy and moldy. Has anyone stayed there recently and can ease my fears or convince me to change resorts? I requested AB building 14. Has anyone had bad experiences there? Are some buildings nicer than others? If Disney comes out with a great discount on rooms I would consider upgrading to WL. But I did have my heart set on POR. Any thoughts???????????
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