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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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Everyone is great here and I have more questions about our upcoming trip next year. One question is that my mom wants to go towards the Christmas Holiday as she thinks it would be great to see all the different lights and decorations etc. I am looking forward to the food and wine festival so I know we can't do both.
If we can go during the holidays when would you prefer more towards the food and wine festival or during the Christmas celebrations? Its not guarnteed I can go during the holidays because I work in retail and a lot of times there is a blackout date during the holidays for taking vacation.
Last question. For those of you who have traveled to Disneyland and WDW would you say that you should visit DL first before going to WDW? We would like to invite my brother and his wife however, his wife has never been to either place and my brother believes that she should see DL first.
I've been to both DL and DW and I really think it doesn't matter which you see first. They're very different so seeing one doesn't really prepare you for the other. DL is small only 2 parks, a smaller DtD area, and only 3 on property hotels and although it certainly attracts many visitors from around the country and around the world it's a theme park that is geared towards the locals. DW on the other hand has 4 parks, 2 waterparks, a much larger DtD area, 20+ hotels on property, award winning dining, it's own transportation system that includes buses and boats and is geared towards those coming from around the world. What I love about DL (the park itself) that you don't get at the MK in DW is a feeling that I just don't know how to describe that I think comes from it being the original and the only park that Walt Disney had an active part not only in the planning and design but in the building and day to day operations. I think his presence is still very much felt at DL because of that.
SInce I've never been to DL I can't comment on the difference, but being that WDW is my "usual" I'm a bit biased! I do love the size and variety WDW has to offer, however, someday a trip to DL is necessary as it's "where it all began."
With regard to when to go? That's tough.
F&WF is fabulous and one of my favorite times to visit Epcot at WDW esp. since DH and I love to eat and drink and see all the different kiosks while walking around World Showcase. And then there's Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party at MK as well! And since adults are just as welcome to dress up as the kids, it's a great time.
However, the holidays are just as magical. The parks are decorated, as are the resorts, and there's Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party at MK and the Osborne Lights at DHS. There is a lot to see and experience and it's a great way to get ready for/spend the holidays.
I guess it really just depends on what time of year is preferable? Fall/Halloween or Christmas? IMO, both times are a must-see for visiting the parks - at least once!
Whatever you decide, should you get the time off work, happy planning!
Gosh, that's a tough one, as you've picked two of my favourite times of the year to visit. I think Christmas would win out for me, as the parks and the resorts are decorated so beautifully and there are so many wonderful seasonal events going on.
As far as which park to see first, I probably would say Disneyland, as it's a lot smaller than WDW - every other Disney park in the world is small, compared to WDW, but having said that, I still found it to be very magical on our recent visits, even after all the time we've spent at the world. So long as they're prepared for how small it is, that won't be a disappointment to them.
Well I spoke to my mom and we both want my brother and his wife to come with us. So another question is coming lol.
We would like to be able to give my brother Keola and his wife Tia their own room. What would everyone suggest of how to do this? I am thinking of either getting a suite type room where they can have a bedroom or dropping from a deluxe to a moderate resort and getting two seperate rooms.
I'd get 2 rooms at a moderate. We love POR, the Magnolia Bend section (the Mansions). Or you could look into renting DVC points and get a suite at one of the DVC resorts. David's Disney Vacation Club Point Rentals
The renting points seems like a pretty good idea. We are still planning out our trip. Is renting points complicated? I am sure many people here are DVC but, has anyone had experience with doing that type of thing? It would be very nice to see if I can work out something like that.
I haven't done it, but got that link from a passporter who used them, and liked it. I read the info on the web site and it seemed pretty straight forward.
Renting points is a good way to try out the experience of DVC. I do have to warn you it's addicting. The amount of space in a one bedroom is truly amazing, and there are deluxe perks like closer bus stops.
If you don't do that, I'd encourage two separate rooms. Gives you a bit of space, and two bathrooms is a help.
Finally, I agree that your two date options are my favorite times of year. But if hot weather bothers you, I'd encourage Christmas. It can be VERY hot during F&W festival, and the heat can really get to folks who aren't used to it. If you come in early December, it's fairly likely you'll be able to swim, but it won't be really humid and hot.
I would say two rooms at a mod. I have stayed Coronado Springs and loved it. I will be staying at Caribbean Beach in just a few short days. So I can't really give you an opinion as to which mod is best.
As for when: would it be possible to go the last weekend of F&WF and then stretch it just a few days? I ask this because this year the F&WF ended this past weekend (I think) and then just 2 or 3 days later the Christmas lights were up on Cinderella's castle. So this might be a good compromise for you. You will get the F&WF and at least some of the Christmas decor.
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I do love the size and variety WDW has to offer, however, someday a trip to DL is necessary as it's "where it all began."
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