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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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Was wondering if you guys have had the same experience...
Spoke with my TA yesterday and learned a lot about some changes. She went to the first MNSSHP last week. I said, "Oh, we're going (in late Oct), and having a late lunch at Sanaa, but should be at MK by 4pm". She told me that the cast members at MK were super strict about NOT letting MNSSHP people in until 7pm, and making sure non-party goers were ushered out promptly.
Apparently, WDW got wise to the fact that quite a few people made a game out of "outwitting" Disney in order to partake of the Halloween party for free - and the influx of party goers earlier than 7pm was making it more difficult to direct non-party goers to the exit. My TA suggested that as the season progresses, WDW might ease up on this and allow ticket holders to enter the MK before 7, but there's no guarantee, of course.
Now, this doesn't bug me too much - we're still gonna show up at 4ish. If we're turned away, we will console ourselves with a drink or 2 at the Poly and a bunch of trips on the monorail - not a bad way to spend a few hours, right?
For those of you who have already gone to the MNSSHP, does this jive with what you've experienced?
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Really curious that The DIS Unplugged podcast about MNSSHP didn't say anything about such a change. They all went to the first party, they said. When the podcast was a guide for first-timers, that would seem like a change they'd have emphasized.
Not saying your TA was lying, since those guys naturally all have APs and could go in on those.
Curiouser and curiouser, though.
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“People say nothing is impossible, but I do nothing every day.” —Winnie-the-Pooh
Last edited by Her Dotness; 09-05-2017 at 11:40 AM..
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.
I have read multiple first hand accounts about people being let in at 4 with their MNSSHP ticket this yr. It would be a logistics nightmare if they really didn't let people in until right at 7. One account I read said Jack & Sally actually came out at 5pm, which really surprised me. I asked if they were only letting people with wristbands get in line since they are a party exclusive, but haven't heard an answer.
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MNSSHP 2015: DH (Bane), Me (Batgirl), Genie, and our friends
There may be some confusion over the announcement that they would be closing the park to regular guests at 6:00 pm to facilitate emptying day guests out before the Christmas party. https://disneyparksmomspanel.disney....disney-338832/
Ok! Much as I love my TA, she's not infallible - and in this case, I hope we can still get in at 4. I was just curious to see if others had that experience or not.
thank you all for your responses. 43 days and counting!
We went to the first party and we got in at 4. Wouldn't have been a problem if they weren't letting us in until 7 because we have APs. My sister is going soon and only has party tickets for that day so I will report if she experiences something different.
They let partygoers book FP+ beginning at 4:00, so I doubt they'll turn away those people. I will be optimistic, although we're probably not arriving until 5:00ish this time.