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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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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!

Best wishes for a wonderful and magical new year!

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Old 08-17-2007, 10:38 AM   #1
MGW
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Talking Just Introducing Myself

I just wanted to say hi, and introduce my family. We will hopefully be going on a 4 day cruise in January. And I am sure I will be in here with a lot of questions. So in advance I wanted to thank you all for your help and support!

My family consists of Me, Melissa, age 35, my DH age 46 and my DS age 6. This will be the first cruise ever for all of us.

We have to go in January because this year that is the only window between Advent and Lent. My DH is a Minister and has a really hard time taking time off, but he is currently on board for this adventure! I feel bad taking my son out of school right after the Christmas break, he will be in 1st grade, but this may be the last winter my parents are working at WDW. They keep threatening to go somewhere else for the winter but they just love working at WDW!

My parents are CMs at the gift shops in Fantasyland in the Magic Kingdom and they really want to take us on a cruise. The only problem is that the discounted cruises for CMs don't open up until about a month before sailing. So I am a little concerned about getting airfare that close to the sail date. We can fly AlleigantAir out of our hometown, but with only 3 flights a week I am afraid they might be all booked up! One of the alternatives might be to go ahead and book the flight hoping to get on the cruise that week, but if we don't, just spend the week at WDW. What a great consolation prize that would be! We will have to wait and see.

But I have my trusty PassPorter in hand and am reading it cover to cover. I have also downloaded the Cruise Tips E book. I have skimmed over it, but need to get it printed so I can highlight and make notes! I am pouring over all the old trip reports I can find also and of course reading this message board.

Thanks again for all the help I know you will be giving me!
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Donning my Wellies to cut Peat in Scotland
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My Countdown Counting down to: First Time at the F and WF!
Showing our Friends around the World!
My Previous TripsEaster 1979 WDW First Trip, April 1987 WDW School Trip, March 2000 WDW First trip with DH - All Star Movies, October 2003 WDW First trip with DS (almost 3 years old) - All Star Movies, February 2005 WDW Parents' First Winter as CMs - Port Orleans Riverside, December 2005 WDW Parent's Second Winter as CMs - Off-site, February 2007 WDW Parent's Third Winter as CMs - Off-Site, February 2008 WDW Parent's Fourth Winter as CMs - Coronado Springs Resort, February 2009 Parent's Fifth Winter as CMs - Carribbean Beach Resort, February 2010 Parent's Sixth Winter as CMs - Beach Club & Pop Century, December 2010 - off site, March 2011 Mom's Seventh Winter as a CM - All Star Sports, Scotland July 2000 & 2006, September 2011, Other favorite destinations Gettysburg, Gatlinburg, Williamsburg & Myrtle Beach
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Old 08-17-2007, 10:45 AM   #2
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Welcome to the boards Melissa!
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My Countdown Counting down to: Another BLT visit
..See Ya Real Soon!
My PassPorter Bookshelf <table width=100% height=75 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 border=0><tr><td width=86 style='background-image: url(http://www.passporter.com/concierge/ticker/countdown7873-428.png); background-repeat: no-repeat;'><a href='http://www.passporterboards.com/concierge/back-to-the-beach-club-villas-trip428.html' border=0><img src='http://www.passporter.com/forums/club/images/bookshelf/transparent.png' height=75 width=86 border=0></a></td><td align=left style='background-image: url(http://www.passporter.com/forums/club/images/bookshelf/shelf7873.png); background-repeat: no-repeat;'><a href='http://www.passporterboards.com/forums/club/bookshelf.php?member=7873&name=RobDVC' border=0><img src='http://www.passporter.com/forums/club/images/bookshelf/transparent.png' height=75 width=200 border=0></a></td></tr></table>
My Previous TripsMay1991 Treehouse Villas - May1993 POFQ - July1998 CSR - May2002 ASSP - August2004 ASMO - December2005 SSR - August2006 BCV - April2007 POFQ - August2008 BWV - May2009 AKV Kidani - AugSep2010 BLT - Aug2011 BCV - Aug2013 BLT
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Old 08-17-2007, 10:49 AM   #3
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Welcome to the boards
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My Countdown Counting down to:
My Previous Trips2015 BC, 2014 BC, 2014 BWI, 2013 BC, 2013 GF, 2012 BC, 2012 OKW, 2012 BWI, 2011 BWI, 2011 BC, 2010 BC, 2010 CSR, 2010 Kidani, 2009 GCV, 2009 BC, 2008 BWV, 2008 Grand Californian, 2008 BC, 2007 BWI, 2007 POFQ, 2007 Grand Californian, 2006 BC, 2006 POR, 2006 WL, 2005 BC, 2005 BWI, 2005 CBR, 2004 CR, 2004 GF, 2004 POFQ 2004 Poly, 2003 Poly, 2003 CSR, 2003 POR, 2002 AKL, 2002 GF, 2001 AKL, 2001 Poly, 2000 CBR, 1999 CBR, 1998 ASMo, 1997 ASMSp, 1996 ASMo, 1995 ASSp, 1991 Wyndham, 1989 off site, 1985 Off Site
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Old 08-17-2007, 11:02 AM   #4
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Welcome to the boards Melissa
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My Previous TripsAUG '16 - POFQ, APR '12 - POFQ, JUL '10 - DL, AUG '09 - DCL Western, AUG '08 - POFQ/BC, AUG '06 - AKL/BC/DisneyWonder/Poly, DEC '05 - AKL, APR '05 - AKL/BC, DEC '04 - AKL, MAY '04 - AKL/BC, MAY '03 - WL/BC, MAY '98 -offsite, MAY '94 - BC, AUG '85 - Poly, AUG '83 - Poly, AUG '81 - Poly, JUL '79 - World Inn, JUL '76 - World Inn
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Old 08-17-2007, 11:11 AM   #5
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Welcome - you'll love the cruise! We have to take our 1st grader out of school for our trips - (I run "out-of school" camp programs, so if school is out, I'm "in"!) We are just up front with our teacher at the beginning of the year - ask about things we can do during the trip to reinforce what he might be missing, etc. We also had him journal during our cruise as well.
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My Countdown Counting down to: Wondering through Alaska
Enjoying it all!
My Previous TripsCS Feb. 2000, CS April 2002, POFQ April 2004, POR Feb. 2005, POP Sept. 2005, DCL Feb 2007, POFQ March 2007, CB Dec. 2007, AKL Oct. 2008
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Old 08-17-2007, 11:34 AM   #6
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Hope it all falls into place! We take our DD's out of school every year we go; even in to high school. Quite frankly, there has never been a problem (kind of a sad statement towards the school). And we always make certain they do their assigned work, and do 'real life' work while they're there, to make up for it. [Darn, I have to go to WDW and do calculations on distance, time, money, language, etc. What a shame.]
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My Countdown Counting down to: Childless in WDW ... again! December 2015
My PassPorter Bookshelf <table width=100% height=75 border=0><tr><td style='background-image: url(http://www.passporter.com/forums/club/images/bookshelf/shelf15288.png); background-repeat: no-repeat;'><a href='http://www.passporterboards.com/forums/club/bookshelf.php?member=15288&name=snoozin' border=0><img src='http://www.passporter.com/forums/club/images/bookshelf/transparent.png' height=75 width=100% border=0></a></td></tr></table>
My Previous TripsVisited DL MANY times from 1963 to 1997 until we moved out of SoCal (boohoo); WDW 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999 (twice), 2000, 2001 (twice), 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 3/24-28/2009, 2010, DH solo 12/2010, Oct AND Nov 2011, 2012, 2013, Dec 2014, and... wait for it... Dec 4, 2015!
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Old 08-17-2007, 11:57 AM   #7
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Welcome, Melissa. We're taking our first Cruise in December. We'll be taking our 3rd grade twins out of school for the week also. Have fun...
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My Previous TripsWDW May 2004 Contemporary Resort Concierge, DLR Nov 2004 Grand Californian Hotel, WDW June 2000 Off Site, WDW Aug 1999 All Star Movies Resort, DLR Aug 1985 Off Site.
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Old 08-17-2007, 12:43 PM   #8
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Welcome! We're about to go on our first Disney cruise next August ('08). I am excited and still have lots of questions, too!
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Old 08-17-2007, 01:59 PM   #9
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Hi and welcome to the boards Melissa!
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Relaxing on board the Magic. The trip report for our back-to-back cruises on the Disney Magic has started!
My Countdown Counting down to: 2019
Happy New Year!
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My Previous Trips21 trips to WDW, 6 to Disneyland in California, 9 to Disneyland Paris, 1 to Hong Kong Disneyland, 1 to Tokyo Disney, 1 to Aulani, 1 to Hilton Head, 2 to Vero Beach and 13 Disney cruises on the Magic, Wonder, Dream and Fantasy
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Old 08-17-2007, 01:59 PM   #10
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Welcome to the boards!!
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My Countdown Counting down to: Last day of school!!!
My oldest is off to the middle school!
My Previous TripsWe go to Disney every July for our Annual Trip
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Old 08-17-2007, 03:21 PM   #11
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Welcome, Melissa! We are all here to help!
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My Previous TripsDisney Memories: WDW (FQ)-Jan 2008, WDW (SSR)-Dec 2007, DLR-May 2007, HK DL (HH)-Dec 2006, Tokyo DL-Nov 2006, WDW (BWV)-Feb 2006, WDW (BCV&CBR)-May 2005, WDW (FQ)-Dec 2004, WDW (WL&Pop)-Dec 2003, WDW (AKL)-Sep 2003, WDW (FQ)-Feb 2003, WDW (BC&CBR)-May 2002
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Old 08-17-2007, 08:12 PM   #12
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Welcome Melissa!
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Old 08-17-2007, 09:08 PM   #13
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Hi and Welcome to the Boards
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My PassPorter Bookshelf <table width=100% height=75 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 border=0><tr><td width=86 style='background-image: url(http://www.passporter.com/concierge/ticker/countdown13323-230.png); background-repeat: no-repeat;'><a href='http://www.passporter.com/desk' border=0><img src='http://www.passporter.com/forums/club/images/bookshelf/transparent.png' height=75 width=86 border=0></a></td><td align=left style='background-image: url(http://www.passporter.com/forums/club/images/bookshelf/shelf13323.png); background-repeat: no-repeat;'><a href='http://www.passporterboards.com/forums/club/bookshelf.php?member=13323&name=marisag' border=0><img src='http://www.passporter.com/forums/club/images/bookshelf/transparent.png' height=75 width=200 border=0></a></td></tr></table>
My Previous TripsOKW Sept 2013, SSR June 2013, Dream Dec 2011, SSR June 2011, WL and Dream (x2) Jan 2011, Wonder Dec 2010, BLT Sept 2010, AKV Aug 2010, BLT May 2010, YC & BWI Nov 2009, AKV & Wonder Oct 2009, ASM June 2009, OKW Sept 2008, DLH Sept 2008, YC June 2008,Wonder & POR April 2008, Wonder & GF Dec 2007,BC Sept 2007, BWV July 2007, DLH & GC Feb 2007, AKL Oct 2006, POR and YC Aug 2006, SSR Jan 2006, WLV Sept 2005, BWV June 2005, POP and Disney Magic April 2005, OKW Dec 2004, CB Sept 2004, GF and Disney Magic May 2004, 1980-2003 Too Many Too List
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Old 08-17-2007, 11:51 PM   #14
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Hello Melisssa Welcome to the friendliest boards around !!
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My Countdown Counting down to: Going on my dream vacation to Africa!
Observing Lions, Cheetahs and Giraffes!!
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Old 08-18-2007, 09:16 AM   #15
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Welcome, Melissa!

You'll have a fantastic cruise and have certainly come to the right place to get your questions answered. I've only cruised once and learn something new from the posters here almost every day.
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