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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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PassPorter Guide Author PassPorter Guide Community Rank: Navigator
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Ohio & Florida
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My first job out of college was as a tv reporter in a small town in West Virginia, and I met quite a few people in that job.
My colleague interviewed Dr. Joyce Brothers and William F. Buckley while I filmed, so I guess that counts as having "met" them.
The most exciting person I've met is John Glenn, former Senator and astronaut (twice!), and I interviewed several other politicians, including Jay Rockefeller.
Carter Oosterhouse from Trading Spaces and more recently the WDW Poly Villa's Reveal special is from my home town of Traverse City. I've met him during our high school days but since we did not go to the same schools I did not know him well, a few of my other friends were closer with him than I.
In recent years working at the Warren-Newport Public Library we see many authors. Our library has a great reputation and we tend to get some authors that typically do not stop at other libraries. The biggest names of the last few years would be Marilu Henner and the recently passed Jackie Collins who sadly had just visited last year.
I have met Roy Disney, Dick Van Dyke, Maureen Stapleton, Liev Schreiber, The Oakridge Boys. Random celebs I have seen in airports: Scott Wilson (Herschel on Walking Dead), Dan Jensen (Olympic Speed Skater) and I flew in first class with Ben Stein sitting across the aisle from me (he was in Ferris Beuhler. Think "Beuhler....Beuhler....")
Also, I worked in a hospital for 23 years and one of the physicians I used to deal with was Dr. Dan Doornink, who used to play football for the Seattle Seahawks.
While at Disney, we've met some celebs because of our travel guides; Jerry Lewis, The Hansons, the Jonas brothers, Chita Rivera, Trace Atkins, some kid who was on a few Disney shows - he was a sweetheart - his dad was a little too full of himself.
I've also met Henry Lee Summer (80s 1-hit-wonder), John Mellencamp (back when he was Johnny Cougar), Axl Rose, Larry Bird, Jeff Saturday, Peyton Manning, Dick Lugar, Evan Bayh, and a few other politicians. There are some others, but I honestly either can't talk about them due to my job or I don't remember who they are.
PassPorter Guide Community Rank: Legend Extraordinaire
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Ballston Lake, NY
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I met Linda Gray from Dallas once. She was staying at the same hotel I was in NYC and I met her in the hotel bar. I also met Regis Philban and Kelly Ripa, and a few hockey players over the years. I once saw Joey Fatone (from NSYNC) at WDW.
Let's see. I met Andy Williams after a concert once, and he signed an autograph for me. I met the late NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt and got his autograph as well. I'll say he was a bit of a jerk, which disappointed me a lot.
I have met Diana Gabaldon (author), Dr Joyce Brothers, and Zig Zeiglar. Nobody as famous enough as some, but still pretty good for me. I have seen some famous and eoe in musicals, but didn't meet them.
The biggest celebrity I have met is quite famous in the world, but may not be too well known here. His name is Ricardo Kaka and he is a soccer player from Brazil. He plays with Orlando City now. He has won the World Cup (with Brazil), Champion's League (with AC Milan), and the Ballon d'Or (award for best soccer player in the world) which is HUGE in soccer. I met him earlier this yr. He was extremely kind & humble.
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MNSSHP 2015: DH (Bane), Me (Batgirl), Genie, and our friends
PassPorter's Free-Book to Walt Disney World It’s hard to believe anything is free at Walt Disney World; but there are actually a number of things you can get or do for little to no cost. This e-book documents over 200 free or cheap tips to do before you go and after you arrive. You could save a considerable amount of money following these tips. Perhaps more importantly; you can discover overlooked attractions and little-known details most people whiz by on their way to spend money. Click here to see free sample pages from the e-book! Get this popular e-book free of extra charges when you join the PassPorter's Club for as little as $4.95. A club pass includes access to all our other e-books; e-worksheets; super-size photos; and more! This e-book is also available for separate purchase in the PassPorter Online Store for just $5.95.
Marty Stuart (country singer), 3 of the Osmond Brothers (Wayne, Merrill and Jay), and several actors from Days of our Lives in the mid 1990's. One time when I was in California I saw Patty Loveless (country singer) in the lobby of our hotel.
I have and had my picture taken with Wilfred Brimley from Cacoon many years ago. He was so friendly and talked with us for a long time. We were at the airport going to Bahamas.
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