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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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Any recommendations for private tours on St. Martaan? We would like to go to Marigot for shopping and also to a beach. We've already been to Orient Bay on a previous trip so we would like to try a different beach this time. Disney doesn't seem to offer this type of port adventure and I'm a little nervous about taxis and private tours. Any suggestions?
I don't have experience with specific tour operators, so no particular recommendations there. As to beaches... what are you looking for in a beach? Remote/accessible, quiet/busy, lots of facilities/minimal facilities, etc.? It's been a while since my last visit, but I've been to nearly every one of the island's 36 beaches over the years.
You might consider a simple taxi trip to and from Marigot, with a separate trip to the beach (even if its a short walk over to Great Bay Beach in Philipsburg). The taxi situation on the island is very good - it's not something I'd personally worry about. You can arrange with the driver to be picked up at a certain time. If you expect to shop in Marigot, it's probably best to bring your purchases back to the ship before heading to the beach anyway. I recommend timing your visit to Marigot to include lunch. There are lots of choices - a bunch are right by the waterfront crafts market, and another good lunch destination is the Port la Royale marina area - around a half-dozen restaurants encircle a very picturesque marina.
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Co-Author, PassPorter's Walt Disney World, PassPorter's Disney Cruise Line, and PassPorter's Disneyland and Southern California Attractions
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Your taxi driver will know when you need to head back to the ship from either Marigot or the beach. I'd recommend allowing some time for clearing customs between the two "countries". Perhaps as much at 30 seconds.
Many (most?) of the shops close around noon until 1:30. Plan on using your credit card for just about everything. The dollar isn't really popular in countries that use the euro (St. Martin, ie Marigot)
Your taxi driver will know when you need to head back to the ship from either Marigot or the beach. I'd recommend allowing some time for clearing customs between the two "countries". Perhaps as much at 30 seconds.
Of course, if they haven't cut the grass around the border monuments, you won't even know you are crossing the border.
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Many (most?) of the shops close around noon until 1:30. Plan on using your credit card for just about everything. The dollar isn't really popular in countries that use the euro (St. Martin, ie Marigot)
Depending on economic circumstances, sometimes the dollar is very welcome. The last time I was there (three years ago), a fair number of merchants in Marigot were offering the dollar at "par" - $1 = 1 euro. Can't beat that deal with a stick!
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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 would highly recommend Bernard's tours. I spent $40 on my tour and we went all over, including a stop to feed iguanas, orient beach, the beach by the airport, and Marigot.
Complimentary pop, beer, and punch.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2
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