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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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We have new neighbors (the first since we moved in almost 10 years ago) moving to our street in a few weeks. They are coming from California and I don't think they have any family nearby.
I wanted to make them a book of all kinds of "local" information -- libraries, movie theatres, stores, restaurants, schools, etc.
So, my question is, if you were moving to a new state/neighborhood and you had two little girls under the age of 5, what kinds of information would you find most useful to have all organized together in a binder?
Thanks for your help!
Eileen
*******
Updated with a list compiled from all the great suggestions!
Here's the list of categories/sub-categories so far...
Township info:
- Township office (location, hours, services)
- Township library (location, hours, info on getting a library card)
- Parks & Recreation Programs (playgrounds, programs, etc.)
- Recycle Program
- Trash Program
- Leaf/Mulch program
- Snow ordinances (no street parking, required shoveling of sidewalks, etc.)
- Voting location
- Dog Park (Bark Park)
Holy cow, what a thoughtful neighbor you are! My nieces (age 6 and 7) love going to the library, local playground, GirlyGirlz and Limited Too. They also Build A Bear. So I am sure the mom would be happy with that info!
My aunt just moved to my area, and was given one of those Entertainment Books as a going-away present for this area. There is a TON of stuff to do in that thing! And for all ages. I think something like that would be really neat!
Oh, I forgot one thing! References to a good doctor and dentist are always a good thing, especially if they are new in town and there is an emergency.
__________________
Saturday, October 9, 2014 - Kaitlyn and I before the Happy Haunted 5K at ESPN Wide World of Sports
They're moving to PA from CA? Be sure to include a snowscraper and a shovel. Info about what radio station or tv station to tune into on snow days would be helpful, too, for when the kiddos are older.
Info and directions to the nearest hospital, pharmacy, grocery store, gas station, and take-out menus from the closest chinese, pizza, and fried chicken restaurants. We would have starved within a month if we hadn't had those menus!
Info on where to get the best Cheese Steak . . . and info about the Please Touch Museum (we took DD when she was under 5 and she LOVED it).
ETA: I wish all neighbors were as thoughtful as you Eileen! I would have LOVED for any of our neighbors to have reached out and done something like that for us when we moved here to VA from FL! Instead, I was met by next door crazy lady with nothing but gossip and warnings about the current neighbors and rants about the last 2 or 3 "horrible" families that rented the house before us.
Very very nice of you!!!
I always add in info. about my hairdresser, mechanic, doctor, dentist, post office hours, good restaurants for take-out for those first few days/weeks of unpacking....
I always add something about it not hurting my feelings if they don't go to the same people, just a starting point, fyi, etc.
Did anyone mention park district program guide or phone number? I remember using that a lot when my kids were younger. It seems like everyone gave you terrific suggestions.
And all I brought to my neighbors was a batch of cookies.
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I don't know if anyone mentioned this yet or not - She could probably use a reference for a good dependable babysitter too. It's hard if you don't have family around to find a trustworthy sitter since you may not have any background info on the area or neighbors.
__________________
A Fairy Godmother wannabe -
Look what a little Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo can do!
I was going to mention the park district guide and babysitter suggestions as well. Also any other favorite service providers - furnace repair, gutter cleaning, window washers, etc. Recommendations from friends and neighbors were how I located people.
I don't know if anyone mentioned this yet or not - She could probably use a reference for a good dependable babysitter too. It's hard if you don't have family around to find a trustworthy sitter since you may not have any background info on the area or neighbors.
We've been here three years and we still haven't been able to find a reliable sitter! I so wish someone had done this when we'd moved in! I'd PAY for the service you're providing, Eileen!
Eileen, what a thoughtful neighbor you are! You've gotten some great ideas here - some other helpful information to include may be websites/local addresses for your government offices for drivers license and car registration/tags/title.
As someone who has moved 8 times, I can tell you how helpful it is to get recommendations from neighbors, co-workers and real estate agents.
Doctors, dentists, hospital locations, which pharmacies are open 24 hours, and where the nearest 24 hour Immediate Care center is.
Mommy and Me groups?
When and where sign-ups are for the local softball, soccer, etc places are.
You could include a note in there about what you like at Calder's school. I'm assuming their girls will go to the same one. Maybe a list of kids in the neighborhood that are their kids' ages. Ask those kids (and their parents) if they wouldn't mind showing the new kids around the school, if they are going yet.
Does your area carry the Entertainment or Gold C coupon books? This would give them coupons for things in the area, and would allow them to see what there is in the area as far as dining, attractions, sports etc. I like the idea above of listing local doctors and dentists as it is always hard to find things like that when you move. Maybe throw in a movie and popcorn along with a voucher for "Movie Night with the Neighbors." This would be a fun get to know you thing for your new neighbors. How nice of you to put this together for them!
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Holy cow, what a thoughtful neighbor you are! 
My nieces (age 6 and 7) love going to the library, local playground, GirlyGirlz and Limited Too. They also 
Build A Bear. So I am sure the mom would be happy with that info!
We would have starved within a month if we hadn't had those menus! 
Instead, I was met by next door crazy lady with nothing but gossip and warnings about the current neighbors and rants about the last 2 or 3 "horrible" families that rented the house before us. 
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