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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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Well - it's 3:24 am, and we're just about ready to head to the airport. I didn't get a single second of sleep last night . Not good! Hoping I can doze a bit on the plane.
I can't help feeling like I've forgotten some very important things, even though I've gone through both my own and Passporter's packing check list. Hopefully not!
Wish us luck! I'll be trying to update at least once daily/nightly.
can't wait to hear about your trip when you get home
__________________
Heather - "I'm Tinkerbell's biggest fan!"
WDW - August 1997 Off Property
WDW - January 2005 AKL
WDW - May 2006 Pop Century
WDW- november-dec 2007 pop century
WDW- dec/jan 2009/2010 pop century
WDW- oct/nov 2012 art of animation
WDW- sept 2013 port Orleans riverside
WDW- july 2015 beach club
Well, we made it! Landed in orlando at 804 am. Got to POP about 930. Wasn't too impressed with the online checkin. The line was moving awful slow, then they gave us Our packet with pats name and some girl Jennifer, not any of my info. We did not get the room we requested (king size bed) but there is a room opening tomorrow, so we're switching rooms tomorrow.
Went to magic kingdom, rode haunted mansion first. I love that ride. Then early lunch at Columbia Harbour House. We had chicken nuggets and fries, pat had the chocolate cake and I had the apple crisp which was phenomenal. The only magic kingdom land that we missed was Tomorrowland.
We managed to see the fairy godmother outside the castle! She had a very small line. We managed to get our picture with her, but my autograph book was in my checked luggage.
We stopped to watch the Dream Along with Mickey show (YES I finally saw it!!) And then saw pretty dark storm clouds rolling in. I was exhausted beyond words so we chose that time (about 230pm) to head back to the room for a nap.
We had to pick up our carryons and then call asking about our DME bags because there was nothing in the room. Also, I was expecting a delivery in the room which also was not there.
Eventually they brought up our luggage and the delivery- pat's first surprise, another gift basket that I ordered from memories by betsy.
After our nap, we ran over to magic kingdom again to watch spectro (another first for me - I really enjoyed it, but we didn't really have a good viewing spot. I'd have enjoyed it more if I saw it better.) Then we moved closer to the castle and managed to get a really good spot for Wishes. Then went to planet hollywood for dinner.
We have the dining plan. If we did not. Lunch would have been $29, dinner wouldve been $72, and our two snacks wouldve been $8ish.
I forgot to wear my pedometer today, but ill try to remember tomorrow.
Also, we FINALLY tried our first dole whip! Was very good, except we had the float and didn't care for the juice at the bottom. Next time we'll get just the plain dole whip part.
I can't describe how tired I am. Had 2 and a half hours sleep in the past two days. That aside, we had a wonderful first day
Tomorrow, MNSSHP
PS: the crowds didn't seem bad while we were in the park, but when the park closed and everyone was waiting for their buses/monorails/boats, it seemed like every person in florida was there!
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