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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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As overseas visitors to Florida we will not be hiring a car and driving. (Too stressful being the wrong side of the road etc) Does anyone do last minute transport from WDW/Orlando to KSC to see a launch, particularly if it is delayed?
There is a launch scheduled a few days before we arrive and knowing how these things can change we have decided there is no point in re-arranging our trip around a launch but if they suddenly give a go-for-launch when we are there I would leave dear Mickey for this once in a lifetime event. So we would love to know if anyone organises bus trips etc.
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Wow, that's a good question, but I know I have never heard of such a thing. I think it would be hard to organize a trip because of the frequency of delays and cancellations. If you had a bus hired, you might still be obligated to pay for the bus despite having no real sight to see.
You might want to check into a few of the local towncar services. I know that they have cancellations policies, and that would all be spelled out on their websites. But if you knew in advance that you wouldn't need them, you could probably cancel. We have used both Quiksilver and Happy Limo with good results. You could also check into the cost of a taxi.
Keep in mind that you will not be able to get on to the launch area at KSC without a ticket for the launch, and if you purchase the tickets for the day of the launch, and the launch is cancelled, there are no refunds. The sticky at the top of the thread lists places to see a launch other than KSC. You will need to leave early as they get crowded, and that is something you would need to discuss with your limo/taxi driver. Also, you CAN see a launch from various places in WDW. And while it's not quite the same, you would not have to even leave the property!
There is now a ride at the Kennedy Space Center which simulates the take off of the shuttle!!! If you are going to that amazing area you must see the meseums there!!! There is a major history of space flight. And also busses so you can tour old launch sites, and where parts of the Space Station are put togeather. I just love that area.
I am a huge Space nut (as well as Disney) and hope to do as much at KSC as I can. My family are joining me for one day at KSC and then leaving me to do a second day on my own. I hope to catch as many of the tours etc as possible. It would just be the icing on the cake to see anything launch!
The launch was rescheduled for the 8 th October. Hope it is still on so we can see the action.
First time we went to KSC the shuttle was on the launchpad and the closest (about 1 mile I think) you got to it was on the 'Up close and personal' tour (which was fantastic). We got awesome photos using the zoom on our not so special camera - LOL! Apparently it takes several days to transport the shuttle to the launchpad...I'm sure you knew that already, sorry but we had a great time and are really looking forward to going again with more of the family. Make sure you purchase the Maximum entry tickets and visit the Astronauts Hall of Fame (down the road). I think we pretty much saw/experienced everything except the 3D movie (personal preference not to see it) so two days will be plenty. Best wishes for a fun trip.
I bought a VIP ticket for the launch through a tour company that will pick me up from the Polynesian the night before. I'm very excited and if the launch goes ahead I'm sure will be the highlight of the trip - it certainly is on my bucket list! My sister and boys are going to stay at the resort but I told them they have to get up to watch it!