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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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.
To post messages and ask questions, join our FREE community today and you'll get access to tools and resources not available to guests, such as our vacation countown timers, "living" avatars, private messaging system, database searches, downloads, and a special PassPorter discount code. Registration is fast, simple, and completely free. Just click the Join Our Community link.
If you think you've already joined, log in below now. If you don't remember your member name or password, please visit our Member Name and Password Recovery page. You are also welcome to contact us.
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02-03-2005, 08:04 PM
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#1
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Community Rank: Trekker 
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Posts: 1,302
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Has anyone taken a Thomas the Train ride?
Just curious...a friend called me today and said Thomas the Train is coming to PA and you can actually ride in the train. Has anyone ever done this with their child? Just wondering if it is worth a 5 - 6 hour drive. Mackinly really LOVES thomas, so I am really thinking about this. While we are out there, we can always do Dutch Wonderland, Sesame Place or Hershey PArk.
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Sponsored links
Check out the many e-books by PassPorter. The e-books are free to download if you have a PassPorter's Club pass.
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02-03-2005, 08:13 PM
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#2
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Community Rank: Navigator 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Chester County, PA
Posts: 6,404
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Re: Has anyone taken a Thomas the Train ride?
Oh my yes! We're only about 45 minutes from Strasburg Railroad so we've ridden the Thomas Train a couple of times.
Whether or not it's worth a 5-6 hour drive - that depends. (You are referring to Strasburg, right?) There's enough to do there to occupy you for a few hours but not all day. It's a small place - they have some booths set up but unless your child wants to play with the wooden play tables all day, you'll see & do everything within a few hours.
There's a great railroad museum across the street that's worth taking time to explore. And during the spring / summer, Dutch Wonderland is a great place to spend the day. There are lots of good hotels in the area and tons of outlets.
If your child is REALLY into Thomas, then it's truly a magical moment when they see that HUGE train - they gasp in true amazement that it's REAL!
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02-03-2005, 08:17 PM
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#3
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Community Rank: Trekker
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Posts: 1,302
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Re: Has anyone taken a Thomas the Train ride?
Lynn,
Thanks...I might really have to consider this. Mackinly's birthday is July 1st, so it could be an early b-day present. I've wanted to do Dutch Wonderland and breakfast with the Hershey characters. Do you know anything about the Holiday Inn in Lancaster? It might be a good weekend thing to do!!!! Thanks for the help.
Kelly
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Sponsored links
 | | PassPorter's Free-Book to Walt Disney World
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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. |
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02-03-2005, 08:38 PM
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#4
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Community Rank: Navigator
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Chester County, PA
Posts: 6,404
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Re: Has anyone taken a Thomas the Train ride?
We've stayed at the Fulton Steamboat Inn and the Best Western Eden Resort. The Holiday Inn is further up Route 30 towards the business section of Lancaster but still a good location. It would be easy to get to the railroad, Dutch Wonderland or even Hershey Park (@45 minutes) from any of these locations.
Let me know if you need anything else, Kelly!
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02-03-2005, 09:19 PM
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#5
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Community Rank: Traveler 
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: new jersey
Posts: 484
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Re: Has anyone taken a Thomas the Train ride?
We took our son there last summer. He LOVED it! I couldn't get over the Thomas either. I was expecting something cheesy, but it was so cool! There is ALOT to do there as well. Other rides and activities. Unfortunatly the day we went it was hot and humid, which really takes alot out of a toddler! Otherwise I'm sure we could have stayed longer. We were there sbout 2 1/2 hours. As far as lodging, there is a really neat motel down the tracks from Strasburg. The red caboose Motel. You actually sleep in a caboose! We have yet to stay there, they book so fast! The good thing too about this place is Thomas goes back and forth right at the edge of their property all day long! You can just sit on a bench and watch the trains go by! They also have a petting zoo, museum, restaurant, buggy rides. We hope to make a couple days out of it again this year. Someone told me the fall visit is better. Have a great time!
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02-03-2005, 10:19 PM
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#6
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Community Rank: Explorer 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: second star to the right
Posts: 13,308
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Re: Has anyone taken a Thomas the Train ride?
We have done it several times. DS loves it!! We just go down for the day since it is about 1 1/2 hrs away. You could easily make a weekend out of it by going to Dutch WOnderland - good for younger kids, older kids may not be impressed. In Lancaster there are lots of outlets to go shopping at!! There are even small fenced in playgrounds through out the parking lot to deposit husband and kids at while shopping.  Hershey Park is only a hop, skip and a jump away. Sesame Place is further - probably a good 1 1/2 hours further east.
If your DS is truly into Thomas, this is a must do event. We met people who had come from all over at the different Thomas events we've been to. We met families from Pittsburg, Virginia, Connecticut - all over!! If you do want to go, I suggest trying to go on a weekday if you can. There is a HUGE difference in the crowds. Also, be sure to buy your tickets in advance b/c they really do sell out. Thomas has been at Strasburg 3 times/year for the past few years - June, September and December - so if you can't swing the summer, fall is great (actually we prefer to go in September - June is way too hot and massive crowds). Have a great time!! |
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*
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Sponsored links
Check out the many e-books by PassPorter. The e-books are free to download if you have a PassPorter's Club pass.
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02-03-2005, 10:22 PM
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#7
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Community Rank: Explorer
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: second star to the right
Posts: 13,308
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Re: Has anyone taken a Thomas the Train ride?
I forgot - here is the website with the info on the Day Out With Thomas Strasburg RR |
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