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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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I really need some help from some of you who've visited Disneyland before.
It looks like I'm going to be going to a conference in San Diego March 1, 2008. I'm so excited, I've never been to the west coast before and so it will really be a great adventure. We're going to the conference at Town and Country Resort (its looks fantastic). On Thursday I plan to leave and head up to Disneyland---there is no way I'm going to get that close and not visit the mouse.
Now for my questions:
What airports to you recommend flying into and out of?
Where do you recommend staying at Disneyland? I'm not sure if we'll stay on property or at a "good neighbor". Give me some great advice.
What about places to eat at DL? My oldest son (he'll be turning 25--I'm getting old) will be with us and his birthday is March 7-his favorite character is Goofy--is that a good place to celebrate a major birthday?
What about the tickets? The prices seem much different than DW. We will have Thursday afternoon/evening, all day Friday, all day Saturday and maybe a little bit of Sunday.
One more--I know it's not a lot of time but is it "doable"?
I know a lot of questions but I really need your advice as I begin the plans for the trip. I also know where to come for super, great advice. Come on guys come through for me.
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I really need some help from some of you who've visited Disneyland before.
It looks like I'm going to be going to a conference in San Diego March 1, 2008. I'm so excited, I've never been to the west coast before and so it will really be a great adventure. We're going to the conference at Town and Country Resort (its looks fantastic). On Thursday I plan to leave and head up to Disneyland---there is no way I'm going to get that close and not visit the mouse.
Now for my questions:
What airports to you recommend flying into and out of?
Where do you recommend staying at Disneyland? I'm not sure if we'll stay on property or at a "good neighbor". Give me some great advice.
What about places to eat at DL? My oldest son (he'll be turning 25--I'm getting old) will be with us and his birthday is March 7-his favorite character is Goofy--is that a good place to celebrate a major birthday?
What about the tickets? The prices seem much different than DW. We will have Thursday afternoon/evening, all day Friday, all day Saturday and maybe a little bit of Sunday.
One more--I know it's not a lot of time but is it "doable"?
I know a lot of questions but I really need your advice as I begin the plans for the trip. I also know where to come for super, great advice. Come on guys come through for me.
Your timetable is definitely doeable in March
I would book my flights in and out of San Diego and use a rental car. Dl is 1-1/2 hrs drive from San Diego.
Many of the good neighbor hotels are in easy walking distance, others have the Anaheim Resort Transport (buy a pass at your hotel not from the driver) It is about $5 for a three day pass.
Buy a three or four day park hopper pass (depending on whether you intend on going in the last day). It is available at almost every hotel)
Goofy is best enjoyed at Goofy's Kitchen at the Disneyland Hotel.
You'll love Disneyland, especially if it's your first time there. We loved the Disneyland Hotel when we were there - I can't tell you much about the Disney hotels vs. the good neighbour ones, but I can recommend the Disneyland Hotel. The theming was a lot of fun.
As for places to eat, we really enjoyed Goofy's Kitchen and we also had some good meals at Yamabuki, Hook's Pointe and Napa Rose.
I think your timescale is certainly doable, especially if you make the best of the Thursday and Friday, before the crowds build a bit more at the weekend. We had four days over spring break and we saw most things.
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You've already received some great advice - most importantly - that this is so doable, and you still have plenty of time to prepare. If you can afford it, stay at any of the Disneyland Resort Hotels. I've been really happy at Paradise Pier, and the Disneyland Hotel. I've not splurged and done the Grand Californian yet, but would do it in a heartbeat if I had cash to burn. It can't be beat for location. The Disneyland Hotel is best for lots of Disney theming and landscaping, but at Paradise Pier, you can get a beautiful view of California Adventure.
Goofy's Kitchen - yes! Fun for kids of all ages - I'm 41 and love all of the character dining options. The Lilo and Stitch Breakfast at Paradise Pier is one of my favorites Another nice dining option, while you are there, is eating at the Blue Bayou Restaurant in New Orleans Square. Boats from The Pirates of the Caribbean attraction float right by the dining area, which looks like a Louisiana Bayou at night, complete with fireflies and sounds of the bayou. Even though the Cajun cuisine is not my favorite, the atmosphere cannot be beat. It is so fun to be eating inside an attraction.
If you do not want to rent a car and drive from San Diego, if you can fly into the John Wayne Airport (SNA). It is close to Disneyland, and you will avoid the nightmare that is LAX.
Good advice so far. I will add my two cents!!!
We usually stay off Disney property to save money!!! Though Disney motels are wonderful! We have stayed at the Carasoul motel across the street from Disneyland. There is a Denny's there and a IHOP for food. We are gonna stay next time at the Candy Cane motel which looks really cute and has lots of plants!!!
We also love John Wayne Airport. But that is for DisneyLand and not San Diego unless you are going to rent a car. John Wayne also has the Super Shuttle with will take you to Disneyland and which ever motel you stay at.
All great advice! I have stayed at local hotels only, and have not had any bad experiences. I would second the recommendation for the Blue Bayou, the food is great and the atmosphere cannot be beat!
The last time we went to Disneyland The Blue Bayou was closed for repairs!! We were very disappointed, but since then the POTC has reopened bigger and better then ever. I want to go again..
You've gotten some great advice already. You might want to look at Ontario airport as well. It might be a little further from San Diego, but the 3 of us are flying roundtrip from Boise to Ontario this Christmas for under $550!!
I too was going to say Goofy's Kitchen. We had breakfast there a few years back and it was really yummy.
We've stayed off property, and at Paradise Pier. There are some good deals to be had going off property, but if we do it again I'll do whatever I can to stay at DL Hotel or PP again. We didn't have a great experience off property.
One more thing...I went to a conference at Town and Country several years ago, and it was really nice!! It's laid out really well, and the convention center part is real nice. Have a good time!!
__________________
Looking forward to another Christmas with The Mouse!!
What airports to you recommend flying into and out of?The rental car is a good idea. Depending on how much time you will have before your conference, you can price out San Diego as well as SNA (Orange County) and ONT (Ontario). You could fly into SNA and take your rental car down to SD. Then, once you are back up, you don't have that long drive back to the airport.
Where do you recommend staying at Disneyland? The Disneyland Hotel is pretty good - it is the original and a bit older. If you would really like to stay at a Disney Hotel, the Paradise Pier will save a few dollars and is an easy walk to the resorts. If you can splurge a bit on the Grand Californian - you can't beat the location. They have their own entrance to C.A. and is a short walk to DLR.
That all being said, I never hesitate recommending the Candy Cane Inn and the Carousel Inn for low-cost, clean hotels. They both are a short walk from the main entrance: Carousel just across the street, CCI down the street just past California Adventure. Both also offer complimentary continental breakfast.
What about places to eat at DL? You can have breakfast or dinner at Goofy's Kitchen at the Disneyland Hotel. Whether you are staying there or not, it is easy to get to from the parks. This is a pretty popular breakfast, so make your reservations early - just to be safe. Be sure that you or your travel agent notes his birthday on all of your reservations.
What about the tickets? You can either order them separately online (slightly discounted) and just print them out or you can reserve a Disney Magic package with your hotel reservations. Since you are going on a weekend, the package is not a bad idea so that you can take advantage of the extra hour entries (when available) and the ToonTown Morning Madness entry. With a three-day ticket ordered online, you will also get one early entry day.
One of my most favorite things to do at Disneyland is to have breakfast at the Riverbelle Terrace on a Sunday morning...if you go when the park opens, the crowds are light and the view of the Rivers of America is great from the patio. I first tried this because I read that it was one of Walt Disney's favorite things to do...and now I know why...give it a shot...you'll be pleased.
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