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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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.
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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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My 4 yo DD & I are going to WDW in mid-Dec. What are your favorite MUST SEE sights/activities at Christmas. I already have tickets for MVMCP, CRT, & other charac meals. I'm wondering what resorts have the best decorations that we should make a special effort to see and are there any other special activities we should plan on doing.
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DsnyPrincss918
Our 1st trip to WDW (Dec. 2011) was so awesome we're going again this year!!!
For resorts, try to check out the Grand Floridian, Wilderness Lodge, Animal Kingdom Lodge, Yacht Club, Beach Club and Boardwalk Inn. At the parks, there's the Osborne Spectacle of Dancing Lights at DHS, the Holiday Storytellers at Epcot, and Mickey's Jingle Jungle Parade at AK.
The holidays around the world are great. Santa is with Mrs. Clause at the American Pavillion. He is by himself at MK. I would get a picture made at night by the castle. The lights are so beautiful.
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The holidays around the world are great. Santa is with Mrs. Clause at the American Pavillion. He is by himself at MK. I would get a picture made at night by the castle. The lights are so beautiful.
Oh, that's good to know! We found Santa at MK last year, but we apparently skipped the American Pavillion last year. I'll have to check on that.
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Disney World Trips So Far: 1982, 1986, 1990, 1994, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015a, 2015b, 2016a (2016b in planning)
At GF, in the lobby is a gingerbread house that is a store - it's always fun to buy a gingerbread cookie there. They also sell really pretty gingerbread houses, but they won't ship them - you'll have to carry it on the plane yourself!
A couple years ago we stumbled upon a display of gingerbread houses made by CMs at Poly - on the second level of the Grand Ceremonial House. There were some pretty cute ones and lots of strange and original ones.
OF course, you'll have to do the Osborne Lights. There is just nothing like them.
I was def planning on doing Holiday WS @ Epcot, Osborne's @ HS, Castle @ MK and GF Ginderbread House. But I was thinking that some of the resorts had other Gingerbread displays. Doesn't one of them have a carousel or train?? What's at Animal Kingdom & Poly?
Where is Santa @ Downtown Disney? Don't they do pics there? Does Epcot Santa do Pics? Where is the best place for Santa pics at WDW?
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DsnyPrincss918
Our 1st trip to WDW (Dec. 2011) was so awesome we're going again this year!!!
Last edited by DsnyPrincss918; 07-31-2011 at 06:42 PM..
Beach club has the carousel. We checked it out before breakfast at Cape May. We loved the gingerbread store at GF too and the giant tree. I haven't checked out AKL or Poly. I remember seeing Santa at DTD, but not sure where. They do have pics there. Yes, Epcot Santa and Mrs. Clause do pix together-to the right of pavilion. Santa was at MK when you first come in on the left.
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Originally Posted by DsnyPrincss918
I was def planning on doing Holiday WS @ Epcot, Osborne's @ HS, Castle @ MK and GF Ginderbread House. But I was thinking that some of the resorts had other Gingerbread displays. Doesn't one of them have a carousel or train?? What's at Animal Kingdom & Poly?
Where is Santa @ Downtown Disney? Don't they do pics there? Does Epcot Santa do Pics? Where is the best place for Santa pics at WDW?
A 4 year old may not want to see all the decorations, but the gingerbread house at Grand Floridian and carousel at Beach Club are pretty impressive.
Last year there was a gingerbread tree at the Contemporary. There was a little shop there, too. DD isn't big on the "shingles" at GF (chocolate and gingerbread are not a good combination in her world) but she liked the cookie she got at the Contemporary.
One of our favorite trees is outside Once Upon a Toy in DTD.
Mickey and his pals are usually in holiday garb for meet & greets at Animal Kingdom (Camp Minnie Mickey). Your daughter will probably enjoy the parade at AKL if they still do the holiday one.
All the parks have wonderful decorations and events. Magic Kingdom is always festive. If your budget permits, go to MVMCP one evening. It does require a separate ticket.
Epcot's story tellers are great, and this is also the home of the Candlelight Processional, a telling of the Christmas story with celeb narrators, orchestra and chorus.
Kids will adore the Osborne Lights at the Studios; they go on at 6:00pm, so little ones won't have to stay up really late.
In AK park, they change the regular afternoon parade to a holiday theme, the Jammin' Jingle Parade. Like the other parks, there is a huge tree as you enter, and Animal Kingdom Lodge has another magnificent tree decorated with African motifs.
We were quite taken with Wilderness Lodge's big, beautiful tree with Northwest-themed items. Downtown Disney is worth visiting as they decorate heavily, have musical performances, and you can meet Santa (get that visit done!) near World of Disney. They have a year-round Christmas shop that will empty your wallet!
On our schedule for this year is visiting Poly, the Contemporary and GF to see their decorations. You're going to have a great time!
Most of the pavilions in the World Showcase have Storytellers, whether it be their version of Santa, the 3 Magi (Mexico), the Monkey King (China), etc. The last time we were there during Christmas week, we got to each area early so we were up front and were then able to get a family photo with each of the Storytellers we were able to see (we weren't able to catch them all). We really liked hearing their stories...the woman telling the Kwanzaa story actually thanked us at the end for listening, as there seemed to be a lot going on in the area, while we were over there.
As far as decorations go, the Grand Floridian, Yacht and Beach Club (both lobbies) and the BoardWalk are all amazing. Things we have to do include the Osborne Lights, the storytellers in World Showcase and the Candlelight Processional.
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Things we have to do include the Osborne Lights, the storytellers in World Showcase and the Candlelight Processional.
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