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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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We have always avoided going to Fantasmic because my son has a very hard time waiting - I have always heard nightmare stories about having to get in line an hour before the show then get herded into where you sit.
We are going again in July and I would like to try and see it this time. What is our best way to go wiithout having to wait too long? Is the dinner package worth it maybe??
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The wait was kinda long, but well worth it. When DD and I went, the CMs would get us to do stuff to kinda speed the time along, i.e. the wave and such. We did sit by some people who did hold our seats for us, so we were able to get up and walk around a bit, just to stretch and go to the restrooms. We returned the favor when they went for snacks.
I guess if you are going with a significant other, maybe one can hold the seats while DS gets to walk around a bit. Don't know about the meal, but we were able to walk right in and get some good seats towards the right of the stadium.
p.s. it was a great show, and one that DD and I remember the most.
We arrived about 1/2 hour before show time, It was crowded but we did get seats. (I was on my ECV & they had a spot for us) We did take turns wandering around & getting a snack. Give it a try, See how things work out.
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To me fantastic is always worth the wait. Sometimes we have our dessert packaged "to go" and bring it to eat while we're sitting waiting for the show to start. The "eating" keeps the whining to a minimum
If you have never seen fantasmic you definitely need to go, no matter what! Its amazing and when its over i promise you wont even remember waiting in line, and you'd do it all over again! You could also pack something to keep him occupied or ask the restaurant for an extra set of crayons and coloring paper.
Thanks - My son is Autistic and has a meltdown after about 15 - 20 minutes tops if we are standing in one spot. Once we are inside it wont be an issue as long as either myself or DH can get up before it starts to walk him around. It was the line to get in I was concerned about if he could wait on.
Would a GAC help in this situation? Maybe show it to a CM and explain the circumstances so they can save a spot for you so that you can still move around during the wait.
If you get a GAC (guest assistance card) it will help you during your whole trip. You can go in a half hour early sometimes & still find seats. Take food & something for your son to play with. Between that & the stuff the cast members do the time will pass quicker than you would think. We usually talk to people around us it is fun to meet new people while in Disney. Fantasmic is one of the best shows ever it is well worth planning & waiting for! If you sit in the back it is better for getting out quicker when the show is over. I don’t know of a bad seat. If you can try to make it to the show it is "Fantasmic"!! At any rate have a wonderful Disney vacation!!
Thanks - The GAC has been a lifesaver for us in the past - I wasnt sure if it would help for Fantasmic. Thanks so much!!
I don't know that the GAC will help, but it won't hurt to ask. The worst they can do is say "No" and you have gotten some great tips if you do have to wait for more than 15-20 minutes. If they say "Sure" then you can spend a few more minutes doing something besides waiting in line.
I like the idea of eating, as well as some of the other ideas. Are there other activities that might break the wait up for you? Maybe making a big ordeal of buying a special surprise from one of the vendors or playing a game?
I don't know your son, so I'm sorry if those ideas don't apply.
We bring a portable DVD player that keeps my son occupied. The GAC card doesn't help for this show; however, when you get to the seating area you can ask for help in being seated in a preferred area (further back, closer for vision, etc). I've also found that it's harder to get help during busier times simply because there are so many people with special needs that the CMs can't get to everyone.
You could also opt for the later show which will have less people (generally speaking). This is all just from my own experience.
I'd recommend going to a later show, if possible. The early shows during the summer fill up quickly and have the longest waits. The line doesn't get too long for the second show since loading takes place within a half hour/45 minutes of the show start--as opposed to 90 minutes.
PassPorter's Free-Book to Walt Disney World It’s hard to believe anything is free at Walt Disney World; but there are actually a number of things you can get or do for little to no cost. This e-book documents over 200 free or cheap tips to do before you go and after you arrive. You could save a considerable amount of money following these tips. Perhaps more importantly; you can discover overlooked attractions and little-known details most people whiz by on their way to spend money. Click here to see free sample pages from the e-book! Get this popular e-book free of extra charges when you join the PassPorter's Club for as little as $4.95. A club pass includes access to all our other e-books; e-worksheets; super-size photos; and more! This e-book is also available for separate purchase in the PassPorter Online Store for just $5.95.
I agree, go to the 2nd show as the line is much shorter (even though it might look long) and the wait is much shorter. The 2nd show never fills up completely. I think if you do a dinner package, you still have to be at the theater 45 minutes before the show starts to get your seat. Also, if you have a GAC, are you walking or does your son use a stroller as wheelchair that he will be sitting in? If you are walking, you can get into the show relatively late, show your GAC and you will be allowed to sit on the benches marked as handicapped. The CM's are very strict about people needing a GAC to sit there. It is sometimes more difficult to use the stroller/wheelchair to sit in as there are only so many spaces to park it in and still be able to sit as a family. It is really terrific show and we never miss it!
We avoid Fantasmic for the same reason; no way could we do an hour long line.... plus for us, two of my kids have sensory issues so I dont know that they could do fantasmic and I'd hate to wait an hour to have to run out 5 minutes into the show...
Barb, you are correct. The recommended time now for the dinner package seating is at least 45 minutes early, although they usually accept vouchers up until the 30 minute mark.
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