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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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Hey, all! DH and I are going on a cruise next year with another couple. I was wondering if any of you have suggestions as to what lines and where to go. I have pretty much ruled out a Disney Cruise because that couple looks like they are heading down the infertility route and there are kids everywhere on DCL.
So, what have your experiences been, bad and good? TIA!
Our only non-Disney cruise was a Royal Caribbean cruise to Alaska back in 1997. My husband's grandmother took her immediate family (8 of us ranging in age from 17 to 80) and everyone agreed it was a good choice because there was something for everyone. We did shore excursions focusing on the Alaskan gold rush, Tsongass National Forest and eagle rehabilitation. (There were also helicopter tours to glaciers, but we didn't do any.) I would highly recommend an Alaskan cruise. (Plus, it's a destination Disney won't have for at least several years.)
If I wasn't going to do a Disney cruise, my choice would be an Alaskan cruise. It seems like a beautiful part of the world and I hope we get to do one someday.
For a first cruise - adults only - my suggestions would be a Western or Eastern Caribean on either Celebrity or RCCL. Celebrity would be my number one choice. We have done DCL but when we go with out the kids, I don't really want to see other people's kids either. On Celebrtiy, we saw maybe 5 kids all week. I would advise against going when school is out too b/c that'll make for more kids on any line.
I would also suggest an Eastern or Western Caribbean cruise. I know that the passporters who posted ahead of me made many great suggestions as to what cruise lines to sail on, but I would also like to suggest Princess. I also second the thought of not going on a school vacation week where the ships do tend to get lots more children. When were you thinking of cruising? DH and I love to go in January (mid to late) as the rates tend to be a bit lower, the temperatures are nice (in the mid 70's in the Caribbean) and because it's still so close to the December Holiday breaks, not a lot of children.
DH and I love cruise vacations because you only have to unpack once, but still get to go to several different places! You usually get great service, excellent food and lots of activities to do on board the ship. My biggest advise is to not listen to everyone when they tell you to book an inside cabin to save money. If you can do it, try to book an outside cabin with a window or a cabin with a balcony. Look carefully at the prices, because sometimes there may be only a $100.00 difference between an inside and an outside cabin and maybe only $150.00 difference between an outside and a balcony cabin. It is nice to be able to look outside and see what the weather is!
Have fun planning and have a great cruise. Let us know what you decide on.
I've only cruised Carnival and Disney. As a former travel agent, I "inspected" Royal and Celebrity. I wouldn't suggest Carnival unless you're really trying to save some cash -- they usually have the lowest prices. My former boss (and 22 time cruiser) always told our clienst this: If you're looking for one step above Carnival, then try Royal Caribbean. Another step up would be NCL or Holland. Another step up is Princess and then Celebrity giving you the best service for your dollar. I agree with the earlier post about less kids on Celebrity, of course depending on the time of year.
As far as destination goes, Eastern or Western are good ones to get your feet wet (ha!). If you're willing to spend just a little more, a southern would be slightly more exciting!! And I also agree with the earlier post to try and get an outside or balcony room. We had an inside on Disney and it drove me crazy!! I couldn't stand not knowing what it looked like outside!!
This is all just my opinions, I'm sure you'll get much more from people who have cruised more than me!!
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