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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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 don't know how people do trips with just carryon's because I have 2 good size carryon's and a regular suitcase and my dd & I are having problems getting all our stuff in them for our 7 day trip. And to make it worse we are planning on doing laundry half way thru. So I guess I'll start the support group, "Hello my name is Kris and I'm an overpacker"
LOL - My name is Jen and I am also a over packer!!! And I have 5 kids so imagine how much stuff I pack!!!!
It is so bad that this year we have decided to rent a trailer from Uhaul and put all our stuff in it, I had a trailer hitch put on my minivan just so we can do this!!!
Hello Kris. My name is JoAnne, and I'm an overpacker. It started with the children. A simple diaper bag. Before you knew it I had a "have to have my own pack and play" habit...
One checked bag is too many and a thousand is never enough. ;-)
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JoAnne and family (dh, ds 10 and dd 7) WDW May 06 (Pop/AKL/Poly); Jan 07 (CBR); DCL Magic Eastern, Dec 07. CSR Sept 2009.
Hoping to book for February 2011 to check out Hogwart's
Too Funny but also too True!!! I admit, I am an overpacker!!! Not sure how I will get myself and DD to cut back when it is our turn in Feb. Do you have any great tips???
PassPorter Guide Community Rank: Legend Extraordinaire
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Chapel Hill, NC USA
Concierge Level: 6
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I am the ultimate underpacker.....here to provide help.
Make a list of what you NEED. Only take those things. Don't get caught up in ....."just in case, I'd better take this"....chances are you'll never touch those things during the trip.
Put together an outfit for each day and then add two more for your 7 day stay. You won't need anything else....esp if you have laundry duty in your plan.
Take two pairs of shoes and a pair of flip flops. You don't need any more than that.
Hello fellow overpackers! I am one of those people who packs everything "just in case". I want to be organized and prepared for anything! Being away from home for 10 days is a lot for us. I don't worry about things that can easily be purchased - I worry about remembering each of the kids or DH's favorite little things. I feel like - if they are happy then I can relax! This includes things for our drive from upstate NY!
I am packing 2 outfits a day for everyone - due to the heat. I plan on doing laundry one day. I bought the shelves that hang in the closet and a shoe organizer that was recommended by some here on the boards. I know our room at ASMV is small - so we need to maximize our space. As far as our van - I leave it to DH to get it all in there - he is a math teacher and has an awesome spacial sense - its amazing what he can fit!
I am the ultimate underpacker.....here to provide help.
Make a list of what you NEED. Only take those things. Don't get caught up in ....."just in case, I'd better take this"....chances are you'll never touch those things during the trip.
Put together an outfit for each day and then add two more for your 7 day stay. You won't need anything else....esp if you have laundry duty in your plan.
Take two pairs of shoes and a pair of flip flops. You don't need any more than that.
These are great tips!!
I am also an over-packer but have improved over the years. I can't quite get to just a carry on but I have lightened the load in one suitcase. I have started a lot of what the pp said to do. I pack one outfit a day, then one pair of Jeans, one jacket or hoodie, one dress or "dressy outfit" (if needed) and maybe one or two extra tops. My reasoning for extras is I am a sloppy eater sometimes and don't like to do laundry on vacation (unless a stain is going to set then I will wash in the sink). I pack one pair of tennis, one pair of flip flops and one pair of "dressy" shoes (if needed) that will match everything in the suitcase. I double up on underwear and socks because I feel gross unless those are fresh.
I also have learned to leave a lot of my toiletries at home and use the hotel stuff. I bought a travel flat iron and leave the hair dryer at home since most hotels carry them now.
I start the packing process at least 2 weeks before we go and I evaluate each item before it goes in the case. It gets the "do I really need it" questions. I also have begun to realize that in most cases, if I forget something, or leave something at home I can just buy what I need when I get there. It may cost me $$, but I am sure the new item can replace something old I have at home.
I am the ultimate underpacker.....here to provide help.
Make a list of what you NEED. Only take those things. Don't get caught up in ....."just in case, I'd better take this"....chances are you'll never touch those things during the trip.
Put together an outfit for each day and then add two more for your 7 day stay. You won't need anything else....esp if you have laundry duty in your plan.
Take two pairs of shoes and a pair of flip flops. You don't need any more than that.
Me too! Also I find if I put each of those outfits in a gallon size ziploc bag and push the air out while I seal it, I serioiusly maximize the space in my luggage. Plus if something spills or explodes my clothes are safe AND you can put the dirty clothes back in the bag at the end of the day Oh and for my youngest DD I put a post it note in each ziploc with which day of the week that outfit is for. HAPPY PACKING!
Now I REALLY feel bad, lol. I travel with my 3 year old DD, and pack one big suitcase for her, one big suitcase for me, and then a carry on for her (toys and entertainment for the plane) and then two carry-ons for me (laptop and SUPER large purse - a smaller purse is packed in luggage, lol).
And that's "bare bones" for a five day trip. A trip with carry-on only would be, I suspect, physically impossible for me, lol. It's ridiculous, I know. I really do overpack. We should start "overpackers anonymous". Or, well, I guess it's not so anonymous. So just "overpackers"? LOL!
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Not sure how I will get myself and DD to cut back when it is our turn in Feb. Do you have any great tips???
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