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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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Hi guys. Hope this is the correct place to ask this one. We are booked for the last week in August. Have never been to WDW at this time of year. We usually travel in March or November. Warm days, but not really hot or humid. My DD13 has asthma and hot/humid days can set her off. I was thinking of getting something from our allergist, but I am not sure what to do. Can anyone tell me about the process? Is there something specific I need the allergist to fill out? Or is just a letter stating that she suffers from asthma and humidity is a trigger? I am just worried that we will not be able to be in the parks like we usually are. We are giving this a try because DD13 is heading off to a very tough high school next year and we probably won't be able to pull them out for the week around teachers week like we usually do.
Any help would be very appreciated. There are so many things about this trip that are different for us that I feel like a "newbie"!
PassPorter's Free-Book to Walt Disney World It’s hard to believe anything is free at Walt Disney World; but there are actually a number of things you can get or do for little to no cost. This e-book documents over 200 free or cheap tips to do before you go and after you arrive. You could save a considerable amount of money following these tips. Perhaps more importantly; you can discover overlooked attractions and little-known details most people whiz by on their way to spend money. Click here to see free sample pages from the e-book! Get this popular e-book free of extra charges when you join the PassPorter's Club for as little as $4.95. A club pass includes access to all our other e-books; e-worksheets; super-size photos; and more! This e-book is also available for separate purchase in the PassPorter Online Store for just $5.95.
ok, i'm not sure what your question is. I'm not sure why you would need a note from here allergist. My dd suffers from allergies and we carried her meds and inhaler on the plane. the inhaler was in the box it came in; You just may want to carry something with her that says the what she suffers from, in case you need to be seen by a dr.
I heard of a friend of a friend, that was able to skip some of the longer lines in the middle of the day heat. Kind of like what some rides do for people with wheelchairs. It made a Disney trip possible for this woman. I am afraid that we will have to be in the room, in the air conditioning, everyday for the majority of the day, if her asthma acts up. It is why I have never travelled with to places with high heat/humidity, or very cold conditions(another trigger). I have her daily meds and her emergency inhaler, we don't travel without them. The only time we ever had to use the inhaler at WDW was when they had the fires in Spring of '07. There were come chemical agents in the fires, and that is probably what set her off.
Sorry that I wasn't clear with my question! I feel a little uncomfortable about asking, almost like I'm cheating somehow. I just don't want to spend my trip in the room with her while the others tour the parks. (she would be devastated) I am hoping to come up with some solutions to avoid that if her asthma is a problem.
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I think I finally found the answer to my own question! If I am wrong, please let me know. I downloaded the "Passporters Answer Book", and read the section on Guest Assistance Cards. I am hoping that if we have a problem, the CM's can look at our GAC card and direct us to an air conditioned waiting area (?). The book said that some rides may have areas for children with autism or other disabilities where one of us could wait with DD while rest of party goes thru line. That would be fine for us. I just don't want to have to leave the park or spend hours in the care centers. I have found that if you plan for possible "problems" they tend not to happen! Hoping that is the case with us for this trip. DD13 is very excited about this trip. We usually stay in our timeshare off site, so this will be her first on site stay since she was 6months old! I don't think she remembers much of that trip. If anyone has used a GAC and has any additional information, it would be appreciated. I am going to have the allergist write a letter with her diagnosis of asthma and her triggers and treatments. Sort of like what they fill out for the school for me every year. Then when we arrive, I will hit the first guest services I come to and present it and ask about GAC options. Sound good?
I think I finally found the answer to my own question! If I am wrong, please let me know. I downloaded the "Passporters Answer Book", and read the section on Guest Assistance Cards. I am hoping that if we have a problem, the CM's can look at our GAC card and direct us to an air conditioned waiting area (?). The book said that some rides may have areas for children with autism or other disabilities where one of us could wait with DD while rest of party goes thru line. That would be fine for us. I just don't want to have to leave the park or spend hours in the care centers. I have found that if you plan for possible "problems" they tend not to happen! Hoping that is the case with us for this trip. DD13 is very excited about this trip. We usually stay in our timeshare off site, so this will be her first on site stay since she was 6months old! I don't think she remembers much of that trip. If anyone has used a GAC and has any additional information, it would be appreciated. I am going to have the allergist write a letter with her diagnosis of asthma and her triggers and treatments. Sort of like what they fill out for the school for me every year. Then when we arrive, I will hit the first guest services I come to and present it and ask about GAC options. Sound good?
The GAC (which has other names it goes by also), allows you and up to 6 people to use the Fastpass or wheelchair lines in any attraction, if any part of the queue is what is effecting/triggering/causing the disability. If there is a queue that has a very long wait and it's very hot, this could be an alternative. Don't feel like you are cheating; if your trip would be affected by this, it's probably worth it to see if it will work for you!
Definately get a GAC. I had a note on a persciption stating their diagnosis' (one note for each kid). When you get to your first park of the trip (ours was MK), tell them you need a GAC and show them the note. They will give you a GAC for the duration of your trip, usuable at all 4 parks.
Don't be afraid to go the nurse's station (can't think of what it is called officially) to get out of the heat and humidity. I got to talking with them in MK when I took DS1 there for a bandaid. We got to talking and could not have been lovlier. Dehydration is a huge issue for my kids. They told me not to hesitate to bring them in if it got too hot and humid for them.
PassPorter's Free-Book to Walt Disney World It’s hard to believe anything is free at Walt Disney World; but there are actually a number of things you can get or do for little to no cost. This e-book documents over 200 free or cheap tips to do before you go and after you arrive. You could save a considerable amount of money following these tips. Perhaps more importantly; you can discover overlooked attractions and little-known details most people whiz by on their way to spend money. Click here to see free sample pages from the e-book! Get this popular e-book free of extra charges when you join the PassPorter's Club for as little as $4.95. A club pass includes access to all our other e-books; e-worksheets; super-size photos; and more! This e-book is also available for separate purchase in the PassPorter Online Store for just $5.95.
If humidity is a problem, I would stay away from Animal Kingdom in August, as they usually have the water sprayers going attached to huge fans so that the water cools people off. It works for cooling, but makes it terribly humid. Or, go there first thing in the morning and then leave before it gets too hot. Go see the Lion King where it is now air conditioned and Bug's Life, also air conditioned before you leave.
The GAC (which has other names it goes by also), allows you and up to 6 people to use the Fastpass or wheelchair lines in any attraction, if any part of the queue is what is effecting/triggering/causing the disability. If there is a queue that has a very long wait and it's very hot, this could be an alternative. Don't feel like you are cheating; if your trip would be affected by this, it's probably worth it to see if it will work for you!
What the GAC says/allows depends on the needs, so a GAC doesn't automatically allow someone to use the Fastpass line. Because most lines are mainstreamed (wheelchair accessible), there are very few wheelchair entrances. It actually is printed right on the card that it is not meant to shorten or eliminate waits in line. The writing on the card suggests using the Fastpass system if you want to shorten your wait.
I would highly recommend using a planning guide like the Passporter book to plan your trip so you are not at the parks waiting in lines during the hottest part of the day. Also keep in mind that if it's hot, it's not hot just in the lines, but you have to worry about getting around the park in the heat too. The busier it is, the harder it is to get around, not just in line.
Going to the park at opening usually allows you to see a lot of things with very short waits. Then you can leave the park as the day gets warmer (rest and go swimming at your resort) before coming back in the evening when it's cooler and less busy.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jams67
Definately get a GAC. I had a note on a persciption stating their diagnosis' (one note for each kid). When you get to your first park of the trip (ours was MK), tell them you need a GAC and show them the note. They will give you a GAC for the duration of your trip, usuable at all 4 parks.
Don't be afraid to go the nurse's station (can't think of what it is called officially) to get out of the heat and humidity. I got to talking with them in MK when I took DS1 there for a bandaid. We got to talking and could not have been lovlier. Dehydration is a huge issue for my kids. They told me not to hesitate to bring them in if it got too hot and humid for them.
Have a great time!
Julie
First Aid is a great place to go.
I wanted to mention though that you don't need a note from the doctor (because of the ADA, you can't be required to provide proof of a disability). If you choose to get a note, it should have notes about your needs; many people with the same diagnosis have very different needs and the diagnosis does not tell what the needs are.
What the GAC says/allows depends on the needs, so a GAC doesn't automatically allow someone to use the Fastpass line. Because most lines are mainstreamed (wheelchair accessible), there are very few wheelchair entrances. It actually is printed right on the card that it is not meant to shorten or eliminate waits in line. The writing on the card suggests using the Fastpass system if you want to shorten your wait.
Thanks for clarifying what I was trying to say. (I phrased it that way because for example, traveling with an Autistic child, you feel much more comfortable using the FP rather than the WC). I didn't mean to use it as a great way to spend less time waiting in lines, just a way to avoid the problems of waiting outside in the heat where the asthma could be triggered.
PassPorter's Free-Book to Walt Disney World It’s hard to believe anything is free at Walt Disney World; but there are actually a number of things you can get or do for little to no cost. This e-book documents over 200 free or cheap tips to do before you go and after you arrive. You could save a considerable amount of money following these tips. Perhaps more importantly; you can discover overlooked attractions and little-known details most people whiz by on their way to spend money. Click here to see free sample pages from the e-book! Get this popular e-book free of extra charges when you join the PassPorter's Club for as little as $4.95. A club pass includes access to all our other e-books; e-worksheets; super-size photos; and more! This e-book is also available for separate purchase in the PassPorter Online Store for just $5.95.
By all means, DO get a GAC! I always take an MD's note along just to simplify things when I get to the counter. Several times, I have encountered a CM for whom English is not his/her first language and the note on an RX pad helps pave the way. My eldest has severe asthma( and the youngest ifnow following in his elder brother's footsteps) and I know the triggers and it isn't fun to spend a trip being tense wondering if you are going to end up with a sick youngster. Do you carry a nebulizer? If so, take it along. Make sure you locate the First Aid station in each park and feel free to make use of their services, even if only to sit down and rest. PM me if you need anything else.
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. If anyone has used a GAC and has any additional information, it would be appreciated. I am going to have the allergist write a letter with her diagnosis of asthma and her triggers and treatments. Sort of like what they fill out for the school for me every year. Then when we arrive, I will hit the first guest services I come to and present it and ask about GAC options. Sound good?
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