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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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!
Welcome! We're happy you've found the PassPorter Community -- the friendliest place to plan your vacation to Walt Disney World, Disney Cruise Line, Disneyland, and the world in general! You are now viewing the PassPorter Message Board Community as a guest, which gives you limited access. As our guest, feel free to browse our messages by selecting the forum you want to visit from the list below.
To post messages and ask questions, join our FREE community today and you'll get access to tools and resources not available to guests, such as our vacation countown timers, "living" avatars, private messaging system, database searches, downloads, and a special PassPorter discount code. Registration is fast, simple, and completely free. Just click the Join Our Community link.
If you think you've already joined, log in below now. If you don't remember your member name or password, please visit our Member Name and Password Recovery page. You are also welcome to contact us.
First off, welcome...Ahhh, Wilderness Lodge, where do we start. You are going to love it. From the minute you drive on that winding road, pass through the guard gate to final approach where you get that first glimpse of its natural beauty and the cast members await to unload your vehicle. So many things to see and do. You unload and enter the doors and you get your first glimpse of the expansiveness of the lobby and the beautiful scenery and the fireplace. Tnen you know that you are home. Our DS x 2 love the boat ride to the MK and, of course, the pool and geyser. Be sure and spend plenty of time exploring the Lodge and take the free tour. Inquire about the Flag Family at check in and catch the Electric Water Pageant. Hope your next trip is peaceful and magical. Life at the Lodge is Living.
__________________
____________________________
Matt,Kendra,Jacob and Peyton
Goofylaw describes it very well. Your first glimpse when you pull up on your return boat ride and see it from the back all lit up is also amazing. It has a definate WOW!!! factor, it's our favorite.
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.
It's the best themedof all the WDW resorts imho. Gorgeous lobby, incredible fireplace. Roaring Creek Springs, the geyser, the whole atmosphere. My favorite rooms are the woods view. You don't even have to go to the parks to feel like you're on vacation - it's that relaxing. The boat ride to / from MK is quite magical
It is probably the most wonderful and relaxed place I have been to. There is a certain indescribable quality that can only be understood once you stay there. Whether it be romance, family comfort, or just true relaxation, you will find it there. The first time I stayed there, I was a part of a travel agent familiarization trip. I loved it, at 24 yrs old. I made sure our honeymoon was there too. Tons of romance can be had. There is nothing like walking the lobby and exploring the common areas on the floors above the lobby with someone or on your own. We have stayed there with our DD and it is extremely kid friendly. There really is amazing magic in the resort. The entry arch always make me tear up when we drive under it. And once I see the lodge itself, I get chills and tear up again. Walking through the lodge doors and seeing the lobby and hearing the music captures you and pulls you in. I challenge you to not fall in love with the lodge after your first two minutes of being there.
Don't miss a quite walk on the dock after the park closes and the boats are fewer. The lapping water against the dock married with the lights from the Contemporary and the twinkling lights from Ft. Wilderness ( when visible) will take you away.
Make sure you are on the beach for the Electric Water Parade, best viewing place that is different.
Try a woods view room. You will be amazed how you feel even further removed from the Parks.
Take the time to appreciate the fireplace and comfy chairs on the floor above the main lobby floor. And also take the time to sit in the rockers just off the lobby overlooking the stream and pool. There are so many 'hidden' area's off the lobby you will only be pulled further into the resorts charm.
Have a wonderful stay and enjoy the Lodge magic!
__________________
Last edited by LindaLu627; 02-09-2007 at 07:13 PM..
We loved being able to sit on the balcony and have morning coffee, evening soda's, and watching the kids play in the pool!!! We loved the boats to MK. ELP was fun!! Just walking through the lobby is a wonderful feeling!!!
You all are making it sound so wonderful! I can't wait. Let me ask you though, we are going when all the Christmas festivities will be going on and I asked for a lobby view room. I thought it would be nice to just step out of the room and soak it all in. Did I make a mistake? Will it be to noisy and annoying? Or will the music and holiday stuff make it nice?
Everyone else has said it so well. I'll add a picture. (and it is said a picture is worth a thousand words)
And to that I will add that the WL is beautiful, peaceful and one of the most outstanding resorts on all of WDW property. There is something about it that once you stay there, it's magic and charm just keep calling you back.
You all are making it sound so wonderful! I can't wait. Let me ask you though, we are going when all the Christmas festivities will be going on and I asked for a lobby view room. I thought it would be nice to just step out of the room and soak it all in. Did I make a mistake? Will it be to noisy and annoying? Or will the music and holiday stuff make it nice?
Something to keep in mind about the WL is that it is a deluxe resort where most (if not all rooms) have a private balcony and the "view" is based on what the balcony is overlooking. Odds are good that if you requested a view of the lobby (which you would only have if you were outside your door) you will have a standard view (that of the parking lot) or a woods view from you balcony. If you booked (and paid extra for) a courtyard view, odds are good that your room will not overlook the lobby.
Something to keep in mind about the WL is that it is a deluxe resort where most (if not all rooms) have a private balcony and the "view" is based on what the balcony is overlooking. Odds are good that if you requested a view of the lobby (which you would only have if you were outside your door) you will have a standard view (that of the parking lot) or a woods view from you balcony. If you booked (and paid extra for) a courtyard view, odds are good that your room will not overlook the lobby.
Hope that helps.
Yes it does, thanks. I booked a standard because I firgured we would mostly be around the hotel in the evenings and I thought there may be holiday happenings in the lobby. We paid for a water veiw the last time at CBR and you had to step out of the room and step to the left to see it!! Do some higher floor lobby rooms have a decent outside view?
We are headed back in April, but here's the Trip Report from my long weekend / Birthday trip . It was concierge (first time!) but there are a bunch of pictures if you don't want to read the whole thing.
Registered Message Board Members Get Our Free Newsletter! When you register you'll have the option to sign up for our weekly PassPorter Newsletter. It's chock-full of feature articles; news; tips; contests; photos; and special offers in our online store.
About This Page: 
Like
Thank
Pixie Dust
First off, welcome...Ahhh, Wilderness Lodge, where do we start. You are going to love it. From the minute you drive on that winding road, pass through the guard gate to final approach where you get that first glimpse of its natural beauty and the cast members await to unload your vehicle. So many things to see and do. You unload and enter the doors and you get your first glimpse of the expansiveness of the lobby and the beautiful scenery and the fireplace. Tnen you know that you are home. Our DS x 2 love the boat ride to the MK and, of course, the pool and geyser. Be sure and spend plenty of time exploring the Lodge and take the free tour. Inquire about the Flag Family at check in and catch the Electric Water Pageant. Hope your next trip is peaceful and magical. Life at the Lodge is Living. 
Do some higher floor lobby rooms have a decent outside view?
LOVE the WL!
Linear Mode
