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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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First of all, a zillions hugs and thanks to Jookiba for your post yesterday - she's been sweet enough to 'lend an ear' to my worries. Thanks!
DS Tyler is now entering Phase 3 of his Marine Corps recruit training out in San Diego. He's been out there since Jan and as long as he stays injury-free, is scheduled to graduate mid-April.
They tell us parents that having a son or daughter enter boot camp means that the parents go through boot camp, too. True, we don't go through the physical or mental 'transformation' that our kids do - but we go through a trial of channeling so much energy, love and strength to our children to support them in their training. I have never before been so intensely focused upon my son, what he is doing on a day-by-day basis, and offering him as much encouragement as I could.
That's the job of the parent - keep an upbeat attitude, encourage our recruits and help they stay motivated. We ignore their complaints and problems and just tell them how proud we are of them and what they are accomplishing - because let's face it; it's not suppose to be easy...it's the Marine Corps!
So this has been a stressful few months. Every day I have sent a letter with jokes or photos or funny stories or news clippings. I've sent prayers and healing energy when he had pnuemonia. I have been counting the days until Tyler's graduation in April and flying out to CA to see him receive his Eagle Globe and Anchor. And of course, looking forward to his 10 days of leave until he has to return for more training...
We had figured on him coming to our house for 5 days and then go up to his dad's house for 5 days so his entire family would get a chance to see him. Last week, I found out that DS will NOT be coming here. Instead, he's going straight to his dad's so he can do the 'Recruiters Assistance' program.
I am devastated, to say the least. Not only for myself, but also for his sisters who now have no idea when they will get the chance to see their brother again. (They are not able to fly out with me for graduation.)
Now to be fair, I understand that recruits can be 'highly encouraged' to do the RA program. As newly graduated Marines, they return to work with their recruiter during their 10 days leave and earn addition leave time. So I am trying to stay 'postive and supportive' in my letters to him - even though my heart is breaking.
When I fly out to CA, I'll get to see him for Family Day and then at the Graduation Ceremony. And then that's it for who knows when. As soon as hisleave is over, he heads right back out to CA for the School of Infantry and then straight to his MOS school (Military Occupational Specialty.) After that, he'll be assigned a permanent duty station. Deployment could happen at any time after that.
So thanks guys for bearing with me. It's not easy to be a mom - and yes, we've gotta untie those apron strings at some point in time. I just had no idea it would be so sudden.
Coming back to the PP boards has really lifted my spirits, though. I had no idea I loved you all so much!
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I am sooooooo far away from even thinking of cutting apron strings, I don't think I ever could, and can imagine how devastated you feel. Hope you have a nice trip while you get to see him.
I so totally feel where you are coming from! When DS1 graduated from boot camp, I too was expecting him to come home for leave. Unfortunately, the Navy had other plans and they no longer were allowed leave after bootcamp if they had a school. So DS went off to school right from boot camp. Being a mom is rough, but the rewards are so special! Chin up, sweetie! You are doing a wonderful job keeping him going! He will always remember that!
Semper fi
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I'm always here for you dear.....you know that. It's so tough but try to keep your chin up and take it one day at a time. That motto is how I got through some pretty rough stuff in my life.
We may be just online friends for now (going to fix that one of these days soon!) but please know you are always thought of, prayed for, and loved as a real friend.
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