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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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I had originally posted this in the Globetrotting forum (these WDW threads are too depressing when there's no trip on the horizon) but didn't get any answers. So will try again here.
Anyway, the discussion of "Baggs" has convinced me that the Baggalini messenger bags are ideal for travel, and DH just got a coupon for $20 at Ebags, so it seems like our upcoming trip to Savannah is a good excuse to try one. A couple of questions, though--
are the interiors the same color as the bag, or lined with something lighter? I like black bags for travel because they go with everything but I hate how dark a bag can be at the bottom when you can't find that small whatever-it-is that you dropped in the big catchall compartment.
Also, do any of you have the bag in Espresso? Is it brown, or a really dark grey/almost black? I can't tell -- the photo resolution on my computer is lousy.
Other than texture, is there any difference between rip stop nylon and crinkle nylon? Is one easier to wipe clean? More water resistant?
How old do you think you need to be for this bag to be the right size? My DD loves the pink one but she's 8 and I suspect it's too big for her.
I have it in black, and it's all black on the inside too. Which didn't pose a problem for me because I either looked for stuff in the sunlight, or I knew exactly where I put it and could easily find it in the dark. I have it in the ripstop nylon and haven't had to wipe it clean yet! And I'm not sure if it's entirely waterproof (I didn't go on Kali River), but it did get wet in the rain and everything was dry inside.
I would guess that it might be a little too big for an 8 y/o, but I really don't know. Just a guess. My oldest is only 5 1/2, and it's way too big on her!
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Tanya
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I think the rip stop nylon is the same fabric as the crinkle nylon - the crinkle is just, well, crinkly. I have the rip stop in the purple and really like it. The bag may be too big to fit an 8 year old properly. To be honest, though, I very often found myself slinging the bag over my shoulder, like a purse, instead of wearing it properly. So as long as she doesn't have a lot of heavy stuff in there, she should be able to do that.
I bought the purple one as well after reading so much about the bag. I loved it! It held everything with no problem. It did a good job of keeping my things dry during one or two of the rain storms we walked through at AK and HS.
I think it would probably be too big for an 8 year old to carry. My DD8 liked her mini Jansport backpack whenever she wanted to carry something around!
I purchased a red one and a black one. The black one is for cameras and gear and the red one is for everything else. They hold a lot of stuff and have more than enough pocket room.
To give you an example:
I have a Nikon D40, 2 lenses, a Sony handycam, multiple memory cards, battery chargers, cables and a tripod in one.
In the other I have DD's autograph book, her headphones for the plane, kleenex, handiwipes, misting fans, notebook, mini clipboard, marker, lanyards, cast member appreciation cards....We aren't leaving for 49 days and I still have room in both bags! Oh yeah, both of them also have water bottles.
Thanks everyone for the input. I broke down and ordered mine last night. I wasn't sure about "crinkle" nylon, but they had a microfiber that was priced between the crinkled and the rip stop. Will see how that goes.
And since I'll have one, DD can try it on periodically -- and get her own once she's grown into it!
I just ordered the rip stop messenger in turquoise...it will match my daughters stroller..lol. It should be here any day now. I also ordered the ID Keeper in pink/orange and the Zip Zip bag in lime/turquoise. They should be here any day now. Heather
I have the rip stop in red, and my DD (she is very petite) has the purple. We have had them for a couple of years, and we LOVE them!! The insides aren't lined with another color - they are the same as the outside color. They never seem to get dirty, though. I can't imagine touring without it!
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Saturday, October 9, 2014 - Kaitlyn and I before the Happy Haunted 5K at ESPN Wide World of Sports
I just received mine a week ago and love it already. So many little compartments, you shouldn't have to put too many small things in the bottom of the bag. Most things are easy to find if you have a place for them. I actually don't think it's too big for an 8 year old depending on their size. My son was pretty big at 8 and this bag would have been ok for him but my twins are very small and I couldn't imagine them holding bag, they're taking their bookbag. I haven't tested the waterproof theory yet although today is a good day seeing how it's pouring out. I have the rip stop nylon red messenger because it matched my luggage. I don't know the difference between the two but if you've already ordered it then trying it on your daughter is a good idea.
Where did you find all of the things you are talking about? I would love to check out the bags? Google?
Tonya
I ordered mine from ebags.com because I had a coupon. I'm sure if you google you can find other sources, too.
My bag arrived today. I've never used this kind of bag before so it'll be an adjustment. But it should keep me organized! I think the Savannah trip when it's me and DD for much of the time will be a good test run.
I'm not quite as crazy about mine as everyone else. First of all, I'm well endowed and I didn't really like how it went across my chest. I also found myself adjusting the strap quite a bit and didn't care for the fact that you could only carry it over one shoulder. On the other hand, it was easy to switch around to the front when you go on rides or sit on the bus. There are also lots of pockets and a great place on the front of the strap to carry your passes for easy access.
I just have to put my 2 cents in and say that I love ebags and baggallini's in particular! (I don't have the messenger bag, but I used to have one of their teenee bags, then needed a little bit bigger one and got the mini bagg. I also have one of their curling iron covers--VERY handy when you're traveling!!! No waiting for your curling iron to cool down in order to pack it in your suitcase!) Sorry to get off topic!