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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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OK, so it is offical I am spending my 40th bday at my favorite place on earth. Now comes the delima. First let me start by telling you that I am traveling with a total of 14 people. All but one family of 4 have been to disney before. The children;s ages range from 3-12 and there are 6 in all. So my question to all of you is WHat would you do on your 40th if it was all up to you and you were at WDW??
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DisneyDeva
1989+1993 Carribbean Beach,1996 ASS+Dixie Landings,1998 DL,2000 CB Hurricaine Floyd!!,2001 DL,2003 CS,2004 WL,2005 POR,2006 seven night eastern carb. disney cruise!!!,2006 Halloween Liki Tiki,May 2007 off site Orange Lake,May 2007 AKL,Sept 2007 CS,Oct 2008 Halloween ASM,May 2009 PC+ a seven night eastern carb. cruise,Feb 2010 GCV,BCV + BLT Sept 2011; OKW 8/12;Kindani 9/13: POR 3/13; Jambo Club Level & SS 6/14; Poly studio 8/15, GF villa July 2016;Blt + AKK June 2018
I too am celebrating my big 40 in WDW (along with a few other friends as well) The thing I look forward to most is spending the days in the parks and coming back to our villa to cook dinner over good wine with good friends in my favorite place.
As far as "one thing". I can't say, if the weather was nice, probably a Wishes cruise all decorated for my bday. Unfortunately, we are going early February and I know it will be too cold to drag 10 ppl out on a boat at night. They'd definitely throw me overboard!!
Whatever you decide, have a MAGICAL birthday at WDW!!!
Besides scrapping the party of 14 and going just with my best friend? LOL!!!!
In all seriousness, though, is there something you have always wanted to do there but haven't yet? Maybe a tour (for me it's the Segway Tour at Epcot) or a spa day, or tea at the GF? Or a resort you have always wanted to try? I would start with that, to make sure that no matter what else is planned you get to do what YOU want for your special celebration.
And, if you don't have a TA yet, get one to help you with logistics.
Have fun planning and happy 40th! It's on the horizon for me as well!
I would spend the day with everyone in MK -- maybe do a character breakfast. Then in the evening I'd put all the kids in the kids' club (DD loves Neverland Club at the Poly) and have a nice signature or WS dinner with just the adults.
due to my hubbys goofy bet.1000 bucks (no wdw until 2012). We are planning to go to universal and sea world.however for my 40th in june. I have talked him into the polynesian luau.We are planning on staying at the Regal Sun but close enough to the disney magic.
I just celebrated a BIG birthday at WDW in May. We started the day at Chef Mickey's, went to MK for the day where I rode the Carousel three times in a row, and had dinner at Whispering Canyon Cafe. There was much celebrating and with my birthday button, I received lots of good wishes. It was fun, silly, and I had no chance to think about how old I was getting. Best time ever!!
I like the idea of some special outing - character meal, Wishes dessert buffet (if still offered), Family magic tour. The GF afternoon tea sounds like a great idea. Maybe to keep it on the less expensive side, just ask everyone to grab a mickey bar and line up for the nighttime parade together! Definitely be sure to get some photopass pictures of the group, and then of course just the birthday girl!!
I'm planning on my 40th at WDW too -- even if it is still 4 years away..... Who would have thought to be excited to turn 40??!!
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Tanya
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I'm planning my own 40th birthday (a few months late) and visiting WDW with 16friends/family.
I have told everyone I am wearing my birthday cake hat all day! (That's the PLAN).
I would like to spend the day at Epcot and have my name and birthdate written in as many different languages as I can convince WS CMs to sign in my scrapbook. Then after a big day out I want to go to WCC for dinner and an after dark carriage ride around the campgrounds...DH can buy me whatever Disney gift he wants (hint- another trip would be good)...
I'm celebrating my 40th a few months late in Disney in August. I'm toying with the idea of the Pirate & Pals cruise since it will just be me and DS. I'm also going to wear my birthday button with pride every day. Other than that I'm not sure. I did tell DS he could help pick out the restaurants this year.
I'd think a "special" day...maybe start with a breakfast Chef Mickey and then go to MK!!! Take some relaxing time in the afternoon (and "tip" someone to give me a "surprise" gift basket?)...at night dinner at California Grill! WE were there at my DH Bday and the restaurant id perfect for both adults and children!!!
Humm, With that many ppl it would be hard to play a whole day. I'd go for a special breakfast ... I went to 1900's and a special dinner (where ever your fav. food /desert is). Then I'd spend a big hunk of the mid part of the day on my own. I loved the Keys to the Kingdom tour!!
I celebrated my 40th bday at WDW in 2007 (my bday fell on Easter Sunday). We stayed at Beach Club and I had breakfast on my bday at Cape May Cafe where Goofy sat with me while the entire restaurant sang me Happy Birthday. Then we went to Epcot and I took a passport around World Showcase and all the CM's wrote Happy Birthday in my passport in their language. Then we spent the night at Magic Kingdom. It was a great trip.