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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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This is my first post, but after having read some of the other posts in this forum, I know you guys can help me!
We are going to WDW in early February. "We" are myself (36), DH (35), and DS(3). We are trying to decide between WL and Beach Club (the price is a few hundred dollars different). I am mainly worried about transportation at WL with our toddler, and the WL being "too dark" (we're escaping a Northeast winter, after all). Will we have enough space in a WL room? Also, what are our chances of being able to use the pools? Anything above 50 degrees will seem warm to us by February!!
Any input you can offer is greatly appreciated! Thanks!
I would say BC. I know we stayed at WL in Feb and it was dark. If you are trying to escape the cold and you go to a lodge then your not really getting away. My vote is for BC. It is a resort that will take you mind off of your frozen home.
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Melanie
June 1985-off site/March 2004- Pop & OKW
Aug. 2004- Hurricane Charlie POR & FWCG/July 2005- Grand Villa OKW
Feb. 2006-Pop/Feb. 2007- AS Music, WL, AS Movies
Sept. 2011- Disney Med Cruise
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You really can't lose with either choice...but if you are looking for a theme and a get away from northeast winter, I'd probably choose Beach Club too!
Funny. I'm from Sunny Southern California, so I'm excited about the atmosphere at WL. I can get "beach" any day, but would have to drive a couple hours to get wilderness. Sounds like you need to stay at BC!
As a fellow Pennsylvanian, I can heartily recommend the Beach Club for a perfect winter escape! Wilderness Lodge is absolutely lovely, but it is more our "summer resort" than for winter trips. The Lodge is warm and cozy, usually with a nice fire going but I don't want that when I escape from the cold Philadelphia winters. I want to stretch out on a lounge chair with a drink in hand, then swim in warm waters and feel the sand beneath my toes. Yes, Stormalong Bay is a sand-bottom pool! We swim year-round at WDW - just bring a sweatshirt to put on after getting out of the pool if the breeze is cool.
The pool alone usually convinces me to spend the extra money, but since we love Epcot so much, that makes it even more worth it. With the convenience of walking into the back entrance of Epcot or taking the boat to MGM, sorry Hollywood Studios, there's no place I'd rather be.
You could always split your stay between the two resorts and have the best of both worlds!
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Lynn
Yes, I am a Disney Addict... and I'd rather be cruising!.
Splitting the stay is not a bad idea! Especially for someone like me who can never really make up her mind (as if you all couldn't tell that already! ).
Disney777, your comment is so true! We have to drive at least 6 hours to get to the beach- only 90 minutes to get to a "lodge!" It's all about skiing aruound here in the winter!
Guess I'll be the dissenting vote for WL. If you have a 3-year-old I would think most of your time would be spent at the MK which is only a boat launch away from the WL and a 15-20 minute ride from the BC (assuming there's no construction or traffic). The stroller would also be easier to get on/off the boat than a bus.
You'll get same sun at the WL pool as you will the BC and it'll probably be a lot quieter and easier to keep an eye on your toddler at WL pool than it will at Stormalongbay.
You also don't necessarily get a full balcony at BC.
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I'd vote for the BC We've stayed there a number of time with our kids, and they love it The rooms are bigger, you can walk/take the boat into Epcot and MGM, and the pool is fantastic. There's a great area that's all sand for little kids!
Second, I'm another BC vote. We're from CO and OR, and it seems silly to stay at a place 'just like home.' Also, the pool is phenomenal, and yes, February is often still beach weather, barring a freeze. There is a great huge 'kiddie' pool area, with shallow water and a sandspit jutting into it; my DD's have spent days there! And our DD's loved Epcot just as much as MK, even as toddlers; sometimes more, as there is a lot to do for them there as well.
I agree with the others on the Beach club. I am from Mass and would find the Beach club a good, sunny, warm getaway
I do love the Wilderness lodge, but agree it is darker and a cozier feel that I would love on a cold winters day. mmmm too bad Disney could not build one up here in the northeast lol.
Yet another vote for BC! We went in February, and even though some days were chilly, it was a great break from New England winter. My boys swam every day, and on the cooler days, I just used one (of the three!) hot tubs. The proximity to Epcot and the great Boardwalk restaurants was just wonderful! The boys proclaimed it their new favorite resort, just beating out the Poly. We would love to go back!
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Guess I'll be the dissenting vote for WL. If you have a 3-year-old I would think most of your time would be spent at the MK which is only a boat launch away from the WL and a 15-20 minute ride from the BC (assuming there's no construction or traffic). The stroller would also be easier to get on/off the boat than a bus.
We've stayed there a number of time with our kids, and they love it 
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