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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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So DH and I have decided to start planning a trip for our 15th anniversay in October. He wants to go to Vegas and I want to go to Disneyland so here is our tenative plans.
Monday fly to Vegas, and take shuttle to hotel. Thinking about staying at the Topicana. From what I have read it has been newly remodeled and it is inexpensive. We are not the type to hang out at the hotel. We will be out and about seeing as much as possible.
Wednesday morning fly from Vegas to Orange County or LAX. We plan on renting a car in California. We would like to go to Disneyland and see a few "highlights" of California and definetely at least see the beach. I am wanting to stay at the Candy Cane Inn. We will then fly home on Saturday.
Anyone have any ideas? Should we plan on 2 days at Disneyland? Should we go directly to DL when we get in on Wednesday or should we do sightseeing that day and maybe stay somewhere else, then drive to CCI and DL on Thursday?
Which airport would be best for us?
We are not the type to really relax on vacation - more of a go go go type of attitude? We want to see and do as much as possible but still enjoy ourselves.
Any ideas and suggestions would be great!!!
We only needed one day in the actual parks, we then did a breakfast on the next day and went and checked out the hollywood sights. We are not the type to relax on vacation either.
If I were to have a choice of airports I would settle for John Wayne (SNA) in Orange County. I think it is closer to the DLR property than LAX and there is certainly less traffic going to DLR from SNA than LAX.
I agree that John Wayne (SNA) Orange County is the preferred airport. I would plan two days for DLR; one for Disneyland and one for California Adventure/Downtown Disney.
I would personally drive from Vegas to LA. We've done it twice now and each time it took us just under five hours. We found it much less stress than having to get to the airport on time for flights, then rent cars at the other end etc. The scenery along the way is lovely, although I will admit that dessert does become a bit much after a while!
I agree about driving instead of flying. There are some nice places along the way to stop and eat. Airline is a cable show and I have seen people spending more time getting some place by plane than flying. I would say about 5 hours is all you need to do Vegas to Anaheim. You could easily get to Anaheim at check in and then hit the parks or beach.
One day for DCA and the evening of that day at Disneyland or Downtown Disney. One day minimum for Disneyland but I would do two days. There are many sites to choose from as far as beaches go. I love Dana Point for the view.
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Mom calls to check on me and reminded me to pay the gardener. I love her so much.
Disneyland was fun with flag retreat and pickles. I have a home here, thank you. GAC is NOT a "front of the line pass".
She is gone but keeping signature. Laundry is getting done. My purpose in life is to help poor people in FL. Farewell, will miss you.
I agree with the two days - one for each park...but it really depends on what your interests are. Color of Wonder is supposed to be really nice at DCA and I like Fantasmic at DL better than WDW (but that's just my opinion ). DCA is smaller and you can do most of it pretty quickly, so I'd probably break during the day and check out downtown disney.
I also agree about driving down - it will most likely be cheaper than flying and a lot less stressful. I'd do beach and travel Wednesday - maybe check out hollywood, see a show taping, etc. Then head to Disney thursday and friday. Have fun!!
Would consider driving also. But if definitely flying and renting car then John Wayne rather than LAX. Much less stressful and closer to nice beaches - specifically Laguna Beach and Newport beach not that far from JWA. Loved Laguna Beach when we lived in CA and would like to visit when we do our HI and DL trip in 2012. I would even go into Ontario and drive to Anaheim rather than LAX. You can hit several beaches on PCH trip from JWA and then hit Knotts Berry Farm on way to DL/DCA. Have a wonderful time!