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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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How much time would you say you really need to explore DL and DCA?
We're thinking of bumping our next Wildwood trip back another year in favor of driving out to CA for an extended trip with a long stop at DL. I'm thinking 5 days/4 nights, but since I haven't been there in nearly 25 years and Walt hasn't been in about 15 years, it's very much like visiting for the first time. Would you say 5 days is just enough, more than enough, or nowhere near enough time to cover both parks and DTD? We may visit some other parks while we're out there and I don't want to burn my poor guys out.
DL will be the long 'break' during our 2 week + road trip.
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If I'm reading your countdown correctly, I think you're going next month. In that case, 5 days/4nts would be great. If you were going at a less crowded time, I'd give it less, but for the summer it'll be busy. DD and I were at DL on Aug 1st last year (it was a Tues). We did all of the rides we really wanted to get done by lunchtime, and after that we did shows and shopped (it was PACKED!). If you have some extra days, do the park in the morning, swim/shop/relax in the afternoon, and then go back at night if you feel like it. DCA can be done in much less time. It's a nice park, but has nowhere near the good stuff that DL has. If I were you I'd give 3 or 4 days to DL and 1 or 2 to DCA.
Have fun!!!
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Looking forward to another Christmas with The Mouse!!
I have no DL countdown right now. We're going to Knoebels next month. We are thinking about going to DL next June in lieu of the Wildwood trip we'd planned beginning on Father's Day next year (the second countdown).
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That sounds about right to me Chrissi. We spent three and a half days in Disneyland last April and we didn't get to see everything, so we're planning on going back for another couple of days next years to try and do some more.
Hmmm..... we are planning a trip for Oct 08 and I was thinking 2 days at each park..... We've been to MK in WDW several times, so there may be a few things we can skip in DL???
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Hmmm..... we are planning a trip for Oct 08 and I was thinking 2 days at each park..... We've been to MK in WDW several times, so there may be a few things we can skip in DL???
Honestly . . . I wouldn't skip ANYTHING even if you have been to the MK. Even though there are many of the "same" rides, there are little differences to each of them! Since you are going in October, you shouldn't have too much of a problem hitting pretty much everything with little to no wait, unless you go during Halloween time, then it is a little less manageable.
Unless it is a ride I just DON'T do (like California Screamin' at DCA or Mission:SPACE at Epcot) I try not to skip anything period!
ETA: Chrissi . . . 5 days would work pretty well for you guys, I think. A couple of days for DL park, a day for DCA then a couple of days to go back and do anything you want to re-do or that you missed.
You mentioned maybe seeing some other parks. You may want to consider staying at a Disneyland Resort or Good Neighbor Hotel, and doing a Knott's Berry Farm or Universal Studios add-on, taking a tour bus over to the other parks. That way, you wouldn't have to switch hotels. I would add one extra day for each "other" attraction you want to see, then just relax or do Downtown Disney when you get back from the parks each day. So, maybe do Disney for 2-3 days, visit the other parks, and then finish up Disneyland and CA Adventure on your last 2 days.
You mentioned maybe seeing some other parks. You may want to consider staying at a Disneyland Resort or Good Neighbor Hotel, and doing a Knott's Berry Farm or Universal Studios add-on...
We discovered (by accident) the best way to enjoy OTHER parks when combining them w/Disney parks - go to the other parks first.
Our '96 visit to WDW was preceded by a day at Universal Orlando, which was fun.
Our '00 visit to WDW was followed by a day at Islands of Adventure, which was less fun - while the rides were cool, the theming & general helpfulness/friendliness of the park employees was of much lower quality than WDW... and the whole experience felt cheaper in comparison
I just went to Knott's with a group of kids from my church last month... and I found myself constantly thinking how much more I enjoy DLR.
If you're looking for thrill rides, add a day for Knott's or Universal or Magic Mtn. If you're looking for atmosphere & wonder & whimsy, don't bother with those parks.
We like to do at least a week. Sounds like a long time but we like to take our time and not be in a rush. The times we did 2 or 3 days just weren't long enough for what we like to do.
I usually always go for 5 days, and only spend time in DL/DCA That way I'm not rushed and can see everything I want to and go on rides multiple times if I want.
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Even though there are many of the "same" rides, there are little differences to each of them! 
Since you are going in October, you shouldn't have too much of a problem hitting pretty much everything with little to no wait, unless you go during Halloween time, then it is a little less manageable. 
Now, Beakie, we'll just flip this switch and 60,000 refreshing volts of electricity will surge through your body. Ready?
I'm going for the first time in 2 weeks, but just for 4 days. Hope it's enough time
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