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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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!
Welcome! We're happy you've found the PassPorter Community -- the friendliest place to plan your vacation to Walt Disney World, Disney Cruise Line, Disneyland, and the world in general! You are now viewing the PassPorter Message Board Community as a guest, which gives you limited access. As our guest, feel free to browse our messages by selecting the forum you want to visit from the list below.
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Ok, so I really want to go on a 4 day Disney Cruise in January with my DH. We've been on one before, but I really want to go again. I need some Disney magic, but I also need some serious relaxing and pamerping! The problem is I just keep thinking how much $$ it's going to cost, and Christmas is coming up, but then I think I'll put it on my Disney Visa anyway and then I'll have 6 months to pay it off. My DH just ignores me because he's already said we should go, but I'm the finance person so that's why I'm back and forth. I have no one to talk to about my craziness and I know that someone out there can relate to my dilemma, so I need your help! Tell my why I should go (or why I shouldn't even though I'm looking for some encouragement the other way)!
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Well, you just went in September ... right? (If I read your previous trips correctly.) I think you're head is good to question going right now from a financial standpoint. Sure, you can charge it and pay off over time. But what about paying yourself right now in a special account at your bank and having the money on hand for a future cruise? That way you can charge it for the card benefits and pay it off in one fell swoop when you get the bill.
We've always done this. We've had the money in-hand before we cruised. It was always so much more relaxing to us to not have that back-of-your-brain voice saying, "Remember, you have to pay for all this" while we're enjoying our trip. When we leave, we know we're free and clear.
I agree with jhannah. While it's hard to discourage anyone from adding a little "Magic" and "Wonder" to their lives, I don't like to see anyone go into credit card debt for a vacation. I firmly believe that credit cards are evil and should be avoided at all costs. If that means delaying our gratification long enough to save up and pay cash, then not only have we accomplished something that most people don't even try to do anymore, but we can REALLY enjoy that vacation knowing that it won't be following us around for the next 6 months (or longer)...
We're leaving for our first Disney Cruise in 22 days, but we booked it back almost 2 years ago. We've had a blast planning and saving for the past few years. We were able to pay for the entire thing without charging a dime. It's a wonderful feeling knowing that when we come back, all we'll have is our memories and NO BILLS!!!!
I'm with Jim & Doug. This is the first time everything's been paid for in advance or we're using the money in the "Disney Account" with no charging the cards or anything.... I would say save it up and go later next year.
Sorry, Hon. I've gotta agree with the above comments on waiting. I think in your heart, you know you should wait. Think of it this way. . . if you wait a little longer, and save a bit more, you can go on a longer cruise - one that's fully funded with no credit card debt!! - and it'll be just that sweeter!! Good Luck!!
We went on our first Disney cruise in September (a 7 nighter) and loved it so much that we're going on another 4 night one in December. However, we were able to pay for it in full, so... I hope everything works out!
I say if you've got the money, then go for it. It's a wonderful experience and you won't regret it. However, if you can't afford it, it might be better to wait.
One of the great things about a Disney vacation is that you can plan far enough in advance and then make up your own payment plan so that it can be paid off before you go.
I am old enough, now to have had life threatening surgery and have lost friends and family to an early death... so, I believe if you want to do something and can afford to do it,.. have fun!!!
Having said all that, only you know what your financial situation is and what you would be comfortable with.
I hope your decision is something you are comfortable with and you have fun with the cruise and the planning whenever it comes about!
Not everyone can swing it, but if you can, it's always nicer to go on a trip that's fully paid for. Booking a year in advance can sometimes be painful, waiting day after day. But it's nice to know that the day you walk on the ship, you're debt free.
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