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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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 really need some real-world opinions on when to go to WDW in 2009. Our last 2 trips were in 2007 (Feb and Mid-Dec). We loved the Dec trip as it was great weather, had low crowds, and still had the Christmas decorations.
However, we are now concerned about going during the school year as both of our daughters are now taking Standards of Learning tests (or State Tests as they are sometimes called) and they are both worried about missing so much school. I can really appreciate their concerns and do not want to simply dismiss them and give my children the wrong impression. We live in Northern Virginia where EVERYTHING is a competition, including grades, and even though my daughters are young they are aware of the fallout from poor grades already (we have fallen into the trap also, unfortunately). Anyway, onto my issue.
We have identified 3 possible times to go this year: Mid-August before school starts while taking advantage of the buy 4 get 3 free promotion, Dec 12-19 (ignoring school concerns somewhat), or the week after Christmas while school is still out on winter break.
My worries are numerous:
August trip (8-15) : HEAT and CROWDS
Mid-Dec : School (our concern to address)
Week after Christmas (26-J2): CROWDS
If anyone can offer real-life experiences during the August and Post-Christmas times I would greatly appreciate it (either confirming my fears or allaying them). I have the Passporter WDW book, the official and the unofficial guide to WDW, and have read this and other forums endlessly but I am on information overload and would like a humans perspective
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We have teens and we do the mid-August trip.
The reasons you should choose that route....
---nice discount if you can use 4/7 deal.
---no having to make up school work (your earlier Christmas idea)
---longer hours in mid-August (you can spend the afternoon at the pool or inside when it's really hot and still be able to do parks in the later evening)
---Christmas week is VERY expensive compared to August
---It will be hot everywhere....why not spend it in WDW instead of at home?
I would pick the December dates. I LOVE WDW at Christmas time, the crowds are low (except weekends) and usually before Christmas (at least here) the worl load seems to ease up! I would however check your dates to see if the Pop Warner superbowl and cheerleaders are there at that time, especially if you are staying at a value resort.
I think I would take August and the heat over the IMMENSE crowds you are going to have between Christmas and New Years. Plus the cost will be up there at that time as well.
If you do decide to take kids out of school would you consider going for a shorter timeframe and breaking up the week? Taking off Friday and coming back Tuesday? Or some variation of that? I think that's what I'm going to do from now on so my DDs don't miss a whole week of school at once.
[quote=GoHerdIBG;2586236]
August trip (8-15) : HEAT and CROWDS
Mid-Dec : School (our concern to address)
Week after Christmas (26-J2): CROWDS
August is hot, no doubt, but the crowds are not bad. Many of the schools in the south return in early August, so the crowds have mostly gone home. The main issue is the weather - besides the heat, it is prime hurricane season. So, while I would not dwell on it too much, I would probably purchase trip insurance during this time. Just my two cents.....we may be going to WDW at that time this year. We can't seem to swing it any other time. Too many other things going on!
Mid-December is super. But wildly popular. You would probably need to think about booking right about now. (Sounds crazy, I know!) We personally love this time of year - great weather, fabulous holiday decorations, extra celebrations.
Christmas and right afterwards is Crowd City. And more costly. But a great time if you can get past the .....crowds.
Out of those, I'd go for the middle one. Why? Because December is so magical to us at Disney, but I wouldn't go over Christmas if you can avoid it, as it's mad in the parks.
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I would choose the August dates. I know its hot and humid, but if you plan it right and take breaks in the middle of the day you should be good to go. And this way your children will not be missing any school.
I would choose August. We have been in mid August and it is managable. MUCH cheaper (esp. with the deal) and not too crowded. If you children are concerned about missing school, why put added stress on them? Also, I would really think about subscribing to a site that gives crowd predictions and advice for beating them (my fav is TourGuide Mike, but others also like touringplans.com).
Ahhhhhhh...the wonderful SOLs and the anxiety attacks they inspire in children. And a prime reason my ds is homeschooled. Personally, I'd go in December. There is nothing quite like seeing all the decorations and the excitement. Then again, I've been known to ignore school attendance policies among other things before **shrug**
We've been mid-August and mid-December. Mid-December has less crowds, can be cool (or warm). Mid-August will be hot, but no different from what you're used to in Northern VA! We drink lots of water and take afternoon breaks. Crowds should be decreasing during the trip since most southern schools go back the first of the month!
Haven't done after Christmas, but I'd avoid that at all costs!!
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Quote:
Originally Posted by HiddenMickey
We have teens and we do the mid-August trip.
The reasons you should choose that route....
---nice discount if you can use 4/7 deal.
---no having to make up school work (your earlier Christmas idea)
---longer hours in mid-August (you can spend the afternoon at the pool or inside when it's really hot and still be able to do parks in the later evening)
---Christmas week is VERY expensive compared to August
---It will be hot everywhere....why not spend it in WDW instead of at home?
I think our next trip will I'll probably be asking the same kinds of questions. It is getting more difficult to take the kids out of school, and although August is hot, the park hours are longer so you can truly take a break during the day. And if you can get the 4/3 deal or free dining, I'd do it in a heartbeat.
(I did LOVE going to WDW in December, but we went the first week and it was incredible!)
I've been sold on the August trip. Even though money was not a deciding factor it will be nice to save over $2,200 by going in August vs. the post Christmas dates.
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but the crowds are not bad. Many of the schools in the south return in early August, so the crowds have mostly gone home. The main issue is the weather - besides the heat, it is prime hurricane season. So, while I would not dwell on it too much, I would probably purchase trip insurance during this time. Just my two cents.....we may be going to WDW at that time this year. We can't seem to swing it any other time. Too many other things going on!
And more costly. But a great time if you can get past the .....crowds.
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