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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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I have always loved Disney stuff as a child, and even as an adult. I love going to Disneyland with my relatives and always volunteer to take them when they are visiting in town. I've been to Disney World a few times and had a great time.
I have always wanted to go on a Disney cruise. Thinking of going on an Alaskan cruise via the Disney Wonder, this year.
Is it fun to cruise alone, esp on Disney cruises (since they are so child oriented)? This will be the first time I've ever been on a cruise. I am not into party cruises since I am not a drinker or partier.
I'm 39 and I have no kids.
Last edited by renaissancewoman101; 03-02-2012 at 10:15 PM..
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I think you would have a good time. We went with a group, but all did things alone and met new people.There is tons of entertainment, the spa, deck time for reading, or whatever you want to do. We saw our kids at dinner and at the shows. the rest of the time they were in clubs and we were left to explore the ship. I spent a ton of time alone reading at the adult pool, and hubby went to some events by himself. There is so much for everyone to do!!
I've never been on a Disney cruise alone, but I wanted to assure you that there are plenty of things for adults to do on a Disney cruise. You have your own pool and hot tub (although if it's anything like our Alaskan cruise, it won't be warm enough to use it! ) and you can also enjoy the spa and Palo for dinner/brunch/afternoon tea for a small additional cost.
Alaska also offers some adult only activities on shore - we took the adult only excursion to the Yukon suspension bridge and back on the White Pass railway in Skagway and in Juneau, we did the whale watching and Mendenhall Glacier adult only excursion.
If you really want to do a Disney cruise, definitely get a PassPorter, as it will tell you everything you need to know.
Note that if you cruise alone, you pay about 80% of the two-person fare, so see if you can get your SO or a good friend to join you. (The idea is, you pay 100% of the room plus one person's food and entertainment if you travel alone, if you travel with a companion, you pay 50% of the room plus food and entertainment.)
I have cruised Alaska alone, and it is a very nice experience. If you want to meet others, you'll have plenty of opportunities, starting at your dinner table. Your companions will be selected to be compatible - another single or two, plus couples and/or a family. Cruising alone also means you can do exactly what you want without compromise. That's especially nice when in port - if you love hiking and your SO does not, you get to have your way.
Disney offers a great experience. While there are lots of kids on board, there are so many kids activities and activity spaces, and so many adults-only spaces and activities, that you'll rarely find kids to be a problem. The ships are not theme parks at sea - they're a combination of elegance and Disney whimsy - animation art, Disney music, Disney-style entertainment, etc. - like Disney's Deluxe hotels.
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Co-Author, PassPorter's Walt Disney World, PassPorter's Disney Cruise Line, and PassPorter's Disneyland and Southern California Attractions
I have cruised solo with Disney and am doing it again this summer in Alaska! As Dave says, the only drawback to solo cruising is the cost. You will pay well over what you would pay if there were another person in the stateroom with you. Once you swallow the cost, though, solo cruising is wonderful. You'll never run out of things to do and can go your own way or meet up with others. You'll have dining companions to discuss the day with, and fellow Disney-lovers to chat with if you choose. (I'll be on the July 30 sailing this summer-- if you end up on this cruise I'll be there for company if you choose-- or not, if you choose!)
My first cruise was solo, and I'm cruising again solo on the Fantasy in 49 days. Since Disney is family oriented, there was lots of stuff to do, not to mention adults only events.
While you won't be lacking for entertainment if you go alone, going with a friend is even better.
Sent from my Transformer TF101 using Tapatalk
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Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah...Tip for Today!
Proud DVC Member since December 2010
Home Resort: Bay Lake Towers
Diagnosed Sleep Apnea June 2012
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I love staying in Disney hotels. I've stayed at all 3 of the hotels at Disneyland (the original Disneyland hotel, the Grand Californian, and Pacific Pier). I've also stayed at the Contemporary Hotel at Disney World.
The Disney experience is something I enjoy.
I have already ordered the PassPorter for the Disney cruises and look forward to reading it.
I've never been to Alaska and always heard it was a great place to visit.
Yes, the cost is a bummer when booking a single in a room. We are booked for 2 cabins on the Fantasy next year. Although there are only 3 of us, I am someone who really likes my own space, and really would only share a cabin with my DD. Otherwise, I am willing to just suck it up and pay the cost to have my own cabin. I was pretty shocked when booking, though - the cost for 2 people in one cabin was not much more than the other cabin with only one traveler!
The Wonder is such a beautiful ship! We sailed on her last March - it was our first cruise ever - and we absolutely fell in love! The size seems perfect. Really easy to manuver, once you get the 'lay of the land', and plenty to keep you as occupied as you want to be! You will love it, I am sure!
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Saturday, October 9, 2014 - Kaitlyn and I before the Happy Haunted 5K at ESPN Wide World of Sports