Forums Closed
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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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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!
Best wishes for a wonderful and magical new year!
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09-05-2013, 10:40 PM
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#1
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PassPorter Guide
 Community Rank: Globetrotter 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 3,041
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Feature Article: Using Technology to Plan Your Disney Trips - Tech Travels Part 2
Using Technology to Plan Your Disney Trips - Tech Travels Part 2
by Justine Fellows
Walt Disney World is constantly looking for new technologies to assist their guests.
I am the first to admit that I am drawn to Disney year after year because they continue to add, change, and improve the many technologies that enhance and accommodate visitors. If you are a techie like me, you probably find yourself pouncing on the latest app, website enhancement, or planning tool that Disney puts out. From the ability to make dining reservations online to the brilliance of FASTPASS, these cutting-edge technologies enhance our visits and always get us thinking, how do they do it? On top of the mainstream technologies, Disney also offers an incredible array of tools to address specific guest needs. Timing is everything, as Disney has just launched an ambitious redesign of their Keys to the World - the MagicBand; the controversial wrist band that gives you the ease to do just about everything beyond flying. I can't help but drum up an old line for those of us of a certain age - "wonder twin powers activate, form of…," when picturing myself banded up with my jazzy wrist band. Swoosh, I've just charged a $150 meal, swoosh, I'm into Epcot, swoosh, I've entered my hotel room without diving through the backpack for the key. Some say scary, I say bring it on! I recently got into a discussion at work about the new system. My coworkers questioned the creepy factor - would you really want your kids name and birthday associated with their band? The educator side of me says, no, too much information, but the Disney side of me says heck yah! Who wouldn't want Mary Poppins leaning over to say, "Hello Miss Emma, I hear your birthday is coming up?" The kids will be warped for years! Fantastic. With the very strong advice that I always have given, track your purchases every day and only give out basic information, I can't help to be excited about the ease the convenience of this all inclusive wristband but I'm also cautious and heavily use technology to track credit card purchases. I'm also pretty sure I will be the sucker buying the little add-ons that they will be selling to "Disnify" my wristband even more!
Along with the new Keys to the World, Disney also has enhanced the current FASTPASS system by allowing visitors to pre-book their entry times - FASTPASS+. This reminded me of a trip we took about three years ago where we were awarded Dream FASTPASSes because of volunteer work. During the week we had no reason to rush, run, or watch the clocks because we had entry at anytime to any ride. Now, please take the next comment with a grain of salt (I'm the mom who had her kids playing the Amazing Race on our last trip), but both of us agreed - it was boring! No sending the runner ahead to Soarin' while three of us jog it out to Test Track and then retrace our steps to collect a pass to Maelstrom. No race. Ok, ok, we could definitely adjust to this and sleeping late a few days would be incredible, but it is going to be different. Now that I think of it, maybe we can finally use the tennis court at the resort or check out those fancy fitness areas they always talk about - we might have time to!
Hand in hand with all this change, comes the new app for smartphones, My Disney Experience. Interestingly enough, this is where Disney is truly lacking. Their online and app planning tools have yet to enhance my experience. In fact, they mostly frustrate me. I was hopeful that My Disney Experience would break this mold, but, it just seems to be another slow app that shows me what I already know - where 'm staying and my dining reservations. The map feature is nice, but still just too slow. I'm still hopeful for two reasons - it is getting better (they just added resort information) and I haven't used it onsite yet. Maybe there will be features only available at Disney World that make it more useful. I will keep you posted.</p> Features such as Fast Pass and the Keys to the World are available to all of us, but what if you need a bit more assistance. Here Disney proves their dedication to all visitors with some pretty amazing technologies:
Hearing Disability Services
Assistive Listening, Sign Language interpretation and more are available to help Guests with hearing disabilities.
Visual Disability Services
Guests with visual disabilities can maximize their enjoyment of our parks with tools like Audio Description and Braille maps.</p> Disney's Show Translator- Ears to the World
For Guests with limited English fluency, complimentary devices are available to translate attraction narration.
All in all, I am constantly surprised and amazed by Disney's amazing use of technology and we haven't even gotten into rides and shows yet ...
Added to PassPorter's Article Collection on 09-03-2013 03:09 PM
What do you think? Please add your own comments, experiences, or news related to this article in this thread! Reader feedback is welcomed and encouraged.
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09-06-2013, 10:09 AM
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#2
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Community Rank: Trekker 
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: MA
Posts: 1,535
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Wow I just love this article and like you I say 'bring it on'. :-) However I also agree with you on "My Disney Experience" it is the most frustrating thing and I have written and complained more than once. I can't believe that Disney has put that out there and hasn't done a thing about it.
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