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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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Welcome! We're happy you've found the PassPorter Community -- the friendliest place to plan your vacation to Walt Disney World, Disney Cruise Line, Disneyland, and the world in general! You are now viewing the PassPorter Message Board Community as a guest, which gives you limited access. As our guest, feel free to browse our messages by selecting the forum you want to visit from the list below.
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02-23-2002, 11:12 AM
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#1
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Community Rank: Day-Tripper
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: East Coast
Posts: 7
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I\'m new here! Looking forward to May 4th!
Well, now that we made the decision to go on the 7 night cruise...can you all brief me from your experiences? How was St. Martin & St Thomas? Should I take any time to visit St John on my first trip? What was your day like at the Castawy Cay? I would love to eat at a little stand on the beach...Maybe snorkle...buy a cigar or two and possibly a bottle of rum...Take my little girl to an aquarium or such. I mean I am really looking for the perfect week! Having never done anything like this before and going a few days after my 30th birthday sounds like a great way to start the stage in life that includes some fun time! My daughter is just over two, and although I know she probably won't remember this trip, I want her to just to have a blast [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] . I can't tell you all how much we (my wife an I) are looking forward to May 4th! Anyhow...If you all remember any particular shops you hit, or any secluded beaches, or some great memorabilia or souveniers you managed to bring back, please mention them! My wife is so exctited and I can't wait to share any dialogue with her. [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]
Thanks!
Bob
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02-23-2002, 01:09 PM
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#2
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Community Rank: Trekker 
Join Date: May 2001
Location: CT.
Posts: 1,381
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Re: I\'m new here! Looking forward to May 4th!
Hi Bob & Ruth Ann,
I'm sorry I can't help you with your cruise questions but I do want to welcome you to the boards. [img]graemlins/wavin.gif[/img] Don't worry though, there are loads of people here who CAN answer your questions, be it a land or sea Disney adventure.
P.S. You're gonna love it here! [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]
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02-23-2002, 04:18 PM
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#3
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Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Connecticut
Concierge Level: 6
Posts: 16,825
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Re: I\'m new here! Looking forward to May 4th!
Welcome to the Boards! I have not been on the 7 night but my DH (who turns 30 today actually) and I did the 3 night in September. I have been to St. Thomas/St. John on another cruise though and I would definitely make the time to see St. John - it is beautiful!! The aquarium on St. Thomas is also a lot of fun but not really comparable to the aquariums here.
Castaway Cay is a blast. Tell your wife to schedule a massage or facial in the Cabanas on the beach for that day. Heaven!! My DH went snorkeling but brought his own equipment. It was $45 to rent it there.
While we did not have any children with us, I have heard that the children's clubs are wonderful. While your daughter is young for the activities, I would definitely recommend making an appointment for her at Flounder's Nursery so you and your wife can have dinner at Palos. [img]graemlins/yuma.gif[/img]
Have a great time!!
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02-25-2002, 09:54 AM
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#4
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Community Rank: Trailblazer 
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: jacksonville, fl usa
Concierge Level: 3
Posts: 5,790
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Re: I\'m new here! Looking forward to May 4th!
Another great thing to do on Castaway Cay is take a bike ride. The bikes are inexpensive to rent and the path beyond the airstrip is peaceful and leads to an incredible view. I'd have to agree, if you are planning on doing any snorkeling, buy your own gear before you go. It's inexpensive at the discount and sports stores, and much more enjoyable to use something that hasn't already been in a stranger's mouth!
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02-25-2002, 11:59 AM
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#5
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Mrs. Jack Sparrow
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Aboard the Black Pearl
Concierge Level: 7
Posts: 21,228
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Re: I\'m new here! Looking forward to May 4th!
My sis and i just sat in the water and relaxed.I rented a float and she put a chair in the water and just rested.Wwe did take a walk to see what else was there it was one of the best times I had. [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] We hope to do it agian.
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02-25-2002, 03:18 PM
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#6
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Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Ann Arbor, MI USA
Concierge Level: 6
Posts: 14,427
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Re: I\'m new here! Looking forward to May 4th!
I hope I can help with the St. Martin experience. My family has owned a house there for over 20 years (my parents spend 4-6 weeks there annually).
I've never experienced the island from the perspective of a single-day cruiseship visit, and it's been about five years since I last visited, but here goes....
The boat docks in Phillipsburg, on the Dutch side of the island. We try to avoid Front Street in Phillipsburg when a ship is in port, due to the crowds. Front Street (for a few blocks on either side of the quay) is a typical, picturesque Caribbean shopping street. There's a calm, flat beach right there, but I've never found it to be particularly inviting for anything more than a brief stroll. Unless you live to shop (and you'll find the same perfumes, jewelry, colectibles and liquors you'll find elsewhere in the Caribbean), I suggest you get as far away from Phillipsburg as you can.
Sint Maarten (the Dutch half of the island) and St. Martin (the French side) have surprisingly different characters, due to each country's differing approach to economic development. The Dutch permitted relatively unfettered development, leading to a hodgepodge of attractive locations and not-so attractive urban clutter. The French held back for many years, restricting development and trying to keep everything picture-perfect. While the French did finally allow substantial growth, they've done a much better job of keeping things attractive. If you have the time, ditch the Dutch and head for the French side. For a day trip, that generally means either the French capital, Marigot, or clothing-optional Orient Beach (don't worry, there's a "safe," everyone-clothed side to that beach). Marigot has been developed into a far more attractive shopping and dining town than Phillipsburg. You can easily spend the day there (Epcot World Showcase-style) enjoying the sights and tastes. To my way of thinking, Orient is one of the least attractive beaches, as it's the most developed. There are plenty of beach-side dining establishments, and a variety of water sport offerings. I suggest a little bit of snorkeling, sailing, or a trip out to Ile d'Pinel, the little coral island right off shore.
Most of the joys of St. Martin have to do with dining and beaches (OK, it has casinos, too, but these are small and quaint compared to most gambling resorts). Half the island's beaches are on the calm Caribbean, half on the turbulent Atlantic. Each beach has its own character. Some are broad expanses of empty sand, others are thin strips of beach bordered by low, rocky bluffs. You can find coral barrier reefs in some places, go clothing-optional in others.... Do note that the island is "European." Toplessness is commonplace on many beaches, and while officially there's one clothing-optional beach on the island, there are several other secluded beaches where all bets (and some bottoms) are off. As with most places you go in the world, the best dining may be a bit too far off the beaten track for a day visitor. However, if you can get to Grand Case (on the French side), that town remains the dining capital of the island. On the Dutch side you'll find a variety of culinary offerings, including Dutch/Indonesian rijstaffel (rice table), a smorgasbord approach to dining.
Unfortunately, with so little time in port, shore excursions are often your best bet, unless you're adventuresome enough to rent a car (and maybe miss the boat). Fortunately, the Disney cruise offers a variety of attractive tours. As you'll note, many of them take you to Marigot, and there are many that are watersports-oriented. While I've never been to the butterfly farm myself, my parents have good things to say about it.
Altogether, I could go on for a lot longer than I have, but perhaps enough is enough. [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img] |
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02-25-2002, 05:23 PM
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#7
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Community Rank: Legend 
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Florida Big Bend
Posts: 17,133
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Re: I\'m new here! Looking forward to May 4th!
Caribbean Travel & Life had a big writeup on St. Martin in last July or August issue. - Not sure which one! Had loads of info, tho'
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02-26-2002, 09:33 AM
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#8
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Community Rank: Day-Tripper
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: East Coast
Posts: 7
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Re: I\'m new here! Looking forward to May 4th!
Hi All-
Thanks for the info! This is an awesome board, and the information will definitely come in handy. If anyone else has any scoop, please feel free to comment! Knowledge is power.
Bob
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