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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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Thinking about taking a weekend trip to NYC in December. Definitely want to see the tree, Central Park, Statue of Liberty and the store windows. Any other suggestions?
Any must-do dining? Would like to go to Little Italy, any suggestions? I haven't been there in 15 years, so not up to date on good dining locations, especially with kids (8, 6 and 4). Thanks for any help!!!!!!
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My kids loved the Natural History Museum - we went hunting for many of the exhibits from the Night at the Museum movie (they have a pamphlet that leads you to each one). Our photo with the "dum dum wants gum gum" statue is one of my favorites!
We didn't make it to Little Italy, but one of our favorite restaurants was Serendipity (I want to say it's on 60th or so between 2nd and 3rd)... and it just happens to be on the same block as Dylan's Candy Bar, which we visited several times.
I would recommend either Top of the Rock or the Empire State Building if no one is afraid of heights. Top of the Rock has unobstructed views of Central Park and the observation deck has 3 levels. Empire State Building is beautiful just to walk through even if you decide not to go up. It is also close to Macy's Herald Square. You have to take a look at the Holiday Windows and if your kids are interested, visit Santa on the 8th floor - it's quite an experience!
Speaking of holiday windows, there are plenty to be seen. Visit the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree at night and across 5th Ave you will see plenty of holiday windows. Look at the snowflakes and listen for them to dance to the sound of music once every half hour or so. It lasts only a short time so pay attention!
Times Square has both Toys R Us with its ferris wheel and the new Disney Store. I recommend both. But be careful, crowds can make it difficult to enter and exit Toys R Us!
Little Italy is close to Chinatown, so you could do both at the same time. I have tried several restaurants in Little Italy, I can recommend Angelo's and La Nonna. These are two I've tried in the last few years. I would stay away from La Mela and Umberto's. I was not impressed with either. You have to have dessert if you are going to Little Italy! I like La Bella Ferrara - it's always easy to get a table and the service is good, not to mention the delicious pastries. This is not the more famous Ferrara, which is also good, but much more expensive and harder to get a table.
Serendipity is a great ice cream shop and more. But, at holiday time it gets extremely busy and you may have a 3 hour wait if you show up without reservations. I would call a couple of days ahead for a reservation. It is a bit off the beaten path so plan when you want to go.
There are plenty of museums if your kids are interested! Have fun planning!
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I thought of a couple of other things I've done at Christmastime. Grand Central has a laser show every half hour. There is also a Christmas Market until Dec. 24. Not sure if your kids would like that, but they probably would like the laser show.
Bryant Park has an outdoor market and a small skating rink. They also sell hot chocolate, etc.
I'd definitely add in Top of the Rock or the Empire State Building. We preferred Top of the Rock, as you can see the Empire State Building from there and you get great views of Central Park.
It will be very crowd during December so plan on waiting in lines to see the windows. I try not to miss the Macy's windows. I do not know if so of the other stores still do windows displays (Lord and Taylor, Bloomingdales). As some one has already mentioned the museum of Natural History is great for kids.
John's Pizaa in the Theatre district, just off Times Square is very yummy and decently priced. Times Square is BUSY, but the Toys R Us is really cool. If you can do a show that's a great choice too. We saw Mary Poppins in June 2009 and it was amazing.
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Looking forward to another Christmas with The Mouse!!
WDW - August 1997 Off Property
WDW - January 2005 AKL
WDW - May 2006 Pop Century
WDW- november-dec 2007 pop century
WDW- dec/jan 2009/2010 pop century
WDW- oct/nov 2012 art of animation
WDW- sept 2013 port Orleans riverside
WDW- july 2015 beach club
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