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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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 All! I am not actually new here but its been a very long time and I couldn't remember my old name/password so figured it was just easier to rejoin!
We have decided to start planning a trip to Tampa. We were going to do BG, Adventure Island and some time at the beach. But I have some questions:
1. How many days should I plan for BG? We do not like to be hurried. We like to take our time but do want to include all the big rides for dd and all the animal attractions too.
2. I haven't seen a lot about Adventure Island. Do any of you recommend it?
3. I noticed on the websites that both of these parks offer a "dining deal". Is it worth it? How expensive is the food and what all does the "deal" include?
I'd say that you could spend 2 days at Busch Gardens if you like to do it all and take your time - it really depends on your family's touring styles.
That said - it looks like you are going to be in the area for the week - and if these are the parks you plan to visit - your best bet would be to buy the 2 park ticket at Busch Gardens website - then you'd have unlimited visits to either park for 14 days! So - you could be flexible - do 1-2 days at each park, and if you want to go back - you can!
I haven't been to Adventure Island, so I can't say one way or another - but chances are, it'll be fun!
The dining deal at each park gives you the opportunity to purchase a wristband that gives you a free combo meal, drink and dessert each time you go through the line at the participating restaurants. The restaurants are pretty typical theme park fare - burgers, chicken, etc. Busch Gardens has a few more options - but their price is higher as well. You can find more info here Busch Gardens Tampa :: Dining
We spent 2 days at Busch Gardens. It's a great park. Be sure to take in some shows. We went to one show that was amazing, almost like a Broadway show! Prob have a different one on now, it was a few years ago. i don't think they had a dining plan when I went. We just had lunch there, we were staying in Orlando, but got the Sea World/Busch Gardens multi ticket, and they bussed us free from Sea World to Busch Gardens. Had dinner when we got back to Orlando.
Some food recommendations:
Columbia Restaurant in Ybor (they've been around for over 100 years and have great food and Flamenco shows - Columbia Restaurant).
Berns Steakhouse (great food and tours of the kitchen, and when you're done with your meal they take you to a special dessert room. oh yeah! - Bern's Steak House > Home).
Lennys (an absolute MUST for breakfast lovers! best breakfast ever, and cheap too - Lenny's In Clearwater, Florida - Mr Breakfast.com).
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I believe people still want to live like human beings. But there are a lot of things that could be done. I'm not against the automobile. I just feel that you can design so the automobile is there but still put people back as pedestrians again. I'd love to work on a project like that. -Walter Elias Disney
I go with the 2 days at B.G. We've been to Adventure Island several times. It's considered to be "Tampa's" waterpark and therefore seems to have a more local crowd than tourists. It's compact and easy to get around. There are lockers at the front entrance as well as towards the back of the park close to Fabian's Fun Port. The beach space with lounges fills up quickly as there's not many so I'd recommend bucking up for one of the 4 cabanas located by the wave pool Pricey for a day, yes, convienient, yes! The attractions seem to be fun for everyone no real huge thrills. It's a fun day for us.
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adventure island is a lot of fun. i can't compare it to the water parks at disney since i have not been to those. i like marie's idea of the 14-day pass thingy. you will have to drive about an hour to get to any beach...you did not say exactly where you are staying in tampa....maybe you are in st pete or clearwater in which case you are right at the beach. i like the restaurant suggestions above...berns is pricey, though...
adventure island is a lot of fun. i can't compare it to the water parks at disney since i have not been to those. i like marie's idea of the 14-day pass thingy. you will have to drive about an hour to get to any beach...you did not say exactly where you are staying in tampa....maybe you are in st pete or clearwater in which case you are right at the beach. i like the restaurant suggestions above...berns is pricey, though...
We really haven't decided on a place to stay. How far is St. Pete and Clearwater from Tampa?
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well, depending on traffic and depending on where in st pete or clearwater you stay and where in tampa you want to go, it is around 30-40 mins unless it is rush hour. confusing, right? and there is currently construction going on north of the tampa airport on I-275 which can cause you lots of headaches. to get to tampa from st pete or clearwater, you cross over a bridge or two. anyway, search around to see where you want to stay, then if you need more info, let me know...you can pm me if you want. my dsd lives in st pete just right before the bridge going to tampa...she is very near the st pete airport. check fares for that airport as well as sometimes (not always) it can be cheaper. have fun planning!
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