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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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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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Ok, we might spend a night at a US resort next April before moving on to WDW. We're not sure about that yet, but if we do, which resort should we choose? We're both in our mid-20's, no kids, and we'll be on our honeymoon.
Based on what I've seen and heard from clients and co workers, you can't go wrong in any of their hotels. The Hard Rock Hotel does not appeal to me at all, but Royal Pacific and Portofino Bay both look amazing. My parents stayed at RP a few years ago and loved it. A co worker was at Portofino Bay and loved it. Samantha Brown on the Travel Channel also loved Portofino.
We've stayed at Royal Pacific and Hard Rock. We prefer the Hard Rock due to it's close proximity to Universal Studios. I think it's the closest of the 3 resorts to the parks in general. Both of our rooms at RP and HR were very similar as far as size and amenities. The bathroom of our HR room was a bit larger. I think my family prefers the pool at the HR. I think you will probably see more children at RP.
RP is the least expensive of the 3 Universal on-site resorts, HR is next, and Portofino Bay is the most costly.
RP is a beautiful resort, the theme is a South Pacific island. Beautiful landscaping! The pool is very large but has no slide. Instead there is a children's water play area designed as a ship. There is a beach with volleyball nets and lounge chairs.
HR is themed around a rock star's fantasy life. There is rock and roll memoriabilia displayed all over the resort. The pool has an awesome slide and underwater sound system. The room are very chic and were recently remodeled.
Like Jennifer said, I don't think you'll go wrong with any of the Universal resorts!
Royal Pacific is ten times better than the Poly, IMHO. I've never seen the Hrad Rock Hotel skew young, but I suppose it would. I've seen more families at Royal Pacific Resort, though.
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We were just at Hard Rock in June, and it was very young. Mostly teens.
Yeah, that's exactely what I'm afraid of. We'll be on our honeymoon and would prefer a quiet, romantic resort to a "young and hip" one. I guess we'll be better off with the Royal Pacific, then, huh?
Sabine, we've stayed at the HRH 3 times, and I didn't notice a lot of teens there - not any more than the RP. Well, not counting our 3 teens! You are going to see families with teens at both places. I wouldn't let that make the decision on which resort to stay at.
I've stayed at RP (once) and HR (twice). I would think the Portofino is likely the most "romantic" of the 3 resorts. However, it's also the "European" one and since you are coming from Europe already, I don't know if you want theming that is something you can find just a hop, skip & jump away from home. Maybe you do. I think a truly "American" experience is the Hard Rock (although it's not exclusively American rock stars that are showcased). The Royal Pacific is more of an Asian Polynesian, if that makes sense. Think Bali, Thailand, Phillipines rather than Hawaii.
Room at HR after being remodelled.
The rooms at HR are beautiful and sleek now that they've been remodelled. The RP is being remodelled this year.
In my stays at HR, I noticed both young children and teens. At the RP, I noticed the young children more, perhaps because of the swimming pool and the character meal. Neither age group were a problem though.
I would think the Portofino is likely the most "romantic" of the 3 resorts. However, it's also the "European" one and since you are coming from Europe already, I don't know if you want theming that is something you can find just a hop, skip & jump away from home.
That's pretty much the reason why we decided not to consider the Portofino. It just looks too similar to what we're used to here.
Quote:
Originally Posted by GoofyMom
The Royal Pacific is more of an Asian Polynesian, if that makes sense. Think Bali, Thailand, Phillipines rather than Hawaii.
I've never really been to that part of the world so I can't picture what you mean, sorry You (or anyone else reading this, for that matter) wouldn't by any chance have a few pictures from your stay at the RP you're willing to post, would you? Or do you know of a website that has pictures? The official US site only has a few.
Thanks for posting the picture showing your room at HR! I like the look of that! We're really undecided right now! My gut instinct (or whatever you wanna call it) leans towards the RP. Maybe we'll stay there and just check out the HR, go swimming there or something?
Quote:
Originally Posted by GoofyMom
The RP is being remodelled this year.
Does anyone know if they'll be done by April next year?
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I think a truly "American" experience is the Hard Rock (although it's not exclusively American rock stars that are showcased). The Royal Pacific is more of an Asian Polynesian, if that makes sense. Think Bali, Thailand, Phillipines rather than Hawaii.
You (or anyone else reading this, for that matter) wouldn't by any chance have a few pictures from your stay at the RP you're willing to post, would you? 
Or do you know of a website that has pictures? The official US site only has a few.
My gut instinct (or whatever you wanna call it) leans towards the RP. Maybe we'll stay there and just check out the HR, go swimming there or something?
But if you check allears, she has some photos up of the public areas of the hotel. 
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