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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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We are planning our first trip to Disney 9/04. We have been trying for the last 4 years to get to Disney. I have researched and made resservations several times only to have to cancel for dfferent resons. Now it seems that we may actually make it, and I feel like I don't know where to start. My biggest worry is the kids, we will be traveling with my then 19month old son and my 9yr old son and neice. Is this crazy? I am afraid the older kids will never want to slow down, and the whole thing may be too much for my youngest, but I can't bear the thought of not taking him. It has been my dream since I was a little girl to go to Disney and I want to be with my whole family. I would a appreciate any advice on how to make this work. We are planning on staying about 6 days.
First off, WELCOME TO THE BOARDS!!! Seconds Congratulations! You're going to Disney World!
I don't think you'll have too much troubles as long as you remember to take an afternoon break if you plan on staying onsite. That way your little ones can rest and relax and regroup.
where do you plan to stay? No matter because you'll have a wonderful time!
Where to start first, well see what you can afford, then make your room ressies. It's less expensive to purchase your tickets beforehand.
Then, purchase your plane tickets if you're flying, or at the very least, start watching the fares. If you're driving, then you won't have that big expense.
Then 90 days out, you can start making your Priority seatings, if you desire to do so. September is a wonderful time to go to the World. It's not as crowded or as hot and humid as it is in the summer months.
Welcome to the Boards and you've come to the right places to get all your questions answers and worries soothed. First of all, relax, Disney is just as fun for a 19 month old! Disney has ride exchange so you and your spouse can each take turns while the other waits with the little one. Remember not to try to plan it all into one day. Take afternoons off in the heat of the day to go back to your room and let your oldest DS and niece to swim at your resort hotel and give you and your little one a NAP! Then go back to the park for the evenings and fireworks. Don't stress it, plan well ahead for PS so you aren't waiting so often with your youngest and you'll do just fine. Keep in mind the September is hot in WDW, so plan to do early mornings and late evenings to avoid the heat. If you don't have a passporter buy one! They are well worth the money and you won't regret it. These boards are the best place to get all kinds of advice, from average prices to resorts to rides and restuarants.
You'll love it, even with the little one. Some people make the mistake of thinking they should wait until their kids are older, if you wait that long, your older son will miss a great age at WDW. Disney is Disney, it's great for all ages, even toddlers!!!
How exciting for you! Your first visit to the Wonderful World of Disney!
I think the key to alleviate your fears regarding the different needs of the children is to establish expectations early on. Children, in general, appreciate routine. Let them know how the vacation will work. You go to a theme park in the morning. You'll break for lunch (whether at the park, at a resort, or offsite). You'll go back to the resort to relax. The youngest can nap, the older kids can play in the pool or some other resort based activity. Everyone returns to a park in the late afternoon.
The kids don't know it can be done differently. You just tell them this is how it is done. This is how we vacation. I bet even the older kids will need the down time of staying at the resort/hotel.
Have your 9 year olds make a list of what they are most looking forward to. Have them list five things each. That's their list of MUST DO's and you will do your best to do all of them. Anything else you happen to experience is just icing on the cake after that. Let them page through your PassPorter Guide. Order the free Disney planning video, let them watch that and make their list from that.
You might also want to consider giving your son and neice the opportunity to earn money. There are things in the running of the house that I'm sure is your son's responsibility ordinarily, like picking up his own toys. But I'm sure there is plenty of work around that he could handle. He could earn extra money by doing extra work. For example, every time he dusts the living he room he earns a dollar for example. The money goes into the Disney Fund - buy a piggy bank type thing from a dollar store. On the trip down to Orlando, turn over the money that your son has earned to him. Here is all the money he needs for whatever souvenirs he wants. He can spend it the way he wants to. Now he doesn't have to ask you for money during the trip. Now he doesn't have to bug you over and over about "can I have a Capt. Hook "hook" and you don't have to hear "I wanna pair of mickey ears NOW!".
Between the earning of souvenir money and making his list of MUST DO's, it really eliminates any legitimate reason for the common source of complaints, whining, and general "bratty" behavior.
I think you have it easier than some. Most 9 year olds aren't ready to face The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror. I know of one PassPorter who is going with her parents, her teenage children and a toddler. Talk about your spread out demographics!
I just wanted to welcome you to the boards! I'm sure with the tips you've got so far and the others you'll no doubt get that you'll have a great trip. Remember - half the fun is planning it!
Hi! welcome... I should have read the other replies 1st as this may all be repeat info. I have done both kinds of trips with little ones a no breaks trip and one where we did take breaks. It depends on your kid I guess (although my trips were the same kid just at different stages) 1st time my older daughter was 4 1/2 and the younger was under 2 we never went back to the hotel as my older girl has never been a napper she has energizer bunny genes she would never stop and she is really laid back so no meltdowns. My younger daughter slept a lot on teh stroller one of us would take the older girl on the rides the other would sit and watch street entertainment or shop with her asleep in the stroller. The 2nd trip they were 5 and a half and almost 3 and my younger daughter HAD to go back to teh room or we would have afternoon drama it is amazing how fast a princess can change into the Evil Queen when she gets tired. If there are 2 adults in your group ( I noticed it said we are traveling with not I am ) you can always let one adult stay with the 9 year olds while the other takes baby back to rest... depending on his personality maybe he can get enough downtime by just hanging out in the babycare center at the parks. I even remember one mom on one of my trips who was on the Disney Bus with a sleeping kid she was on it when we went back to our hotel and still on it when we got back on an hour later... she said her baby slept best riding so she was staying on that bus til he got his whole nap. It made me laugh. This trip (we will be there in Spetmeber too we have a 3rd kid now so this will be our 1st trip that we are outnumbered by kids wish us luck) have fun planning
Hi! If you stick with this board until September you will be the biggest "expert" never to have been to Disney Don't worry, there is plenty of time and LOTS of reading and "surfing" to do!! Your kids will be fine. They'll be at Disney!! But I'm sure it will be somewhat of a challenge (mostly for YOU, not the children).
The first thing to do, in my opinion, is decide on your resort. If your older child is very excited about MK, perhaps the Polynesian or Wilderness Lodge will appeal and be in your price range. They are very convenient to the Magic Kingdom and hugely popular with families. There is a LOT to choose from, though, so take your time checking out each of the resorts. If you don't already have one, order a Passporter 2004 off of this website or Amazon.com. It's a terrific resource for Disney travelers. Also check out the Disney website. I like to get a Birnbaum's "WDW For Kids By Kids" and have my DD(7) look through it and pick her "must-dos". Hopefully, you will enjoy the planning
One warning: September is a big hurricane month so you might want to think about this...not to be a downer. I'd go any time of the year, but for your first visit, I'd hate for something to ruin it. Have fun reading up
yea your first trip! congrats! i know what you mean though i am planning our first trip too,as a family. i was there as a child. we leave in october. i have found a wonderful site that has help me. it is allearsnet.com. it is so informative. it has pictures of everything and menus of all the restaurants. i also use my passporter like a bible. my hubby teases me about it. i think he's just jealous. something else to remember is take your own stroller. don't rent. i have had several people tell me that. i have a 3 year old daughter and we are taking ours. remember your budget. i have to stick to mine or else. we are a one income family. also i have found these forums to be the most helpful! thanks everyone. so post your little heart out. what i have found here is if you don't know someone here does! oh and someone else said to have your son and neice make a list of thing they want to see and do, don't forget to make yours too.
Thanks so much for all the feed back. I feel much better about the age difference now. It's nice to have so many experts so willing to help, I have a feeling I will need a lot of help before I am done!!!
Hi Scooters mom: Don't worry. When our third child came along the older two where 7 and 5. So when we made our next trip he was 2 and the others were now 9 and 7. With the use of strollers and good planning to each day (which parks, which parades and when to rest and when to eat) we had no problem. 6 days is a great way to start as you will have a full day at each park, a day for a water park, and a day to visit the park you want to go back to or hop around. Good luck and if you have any specific questions this board is the way to go, lots of great experience to be found here. Remember the Magic. Jerry
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I'm sure with the tips you've got so far and the others you'll no doubt get that you'll have a great trip. Remember - half the fun is planning it! 
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