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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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I don't know what to do for next year's trip! Last year I started formally planning a year in advance, and I always had a lot to do. It was great! Now, however, I feel like there's nothing to do. After just being there, and for so long, I know all there is to know about the shows, rides, attractions, restaurants and resorts, so there's nothing to look up or do research on. It's not as exciting downloadng video of the rides because we took our own video of everything. I can't even do much about PS's because it literally took me 5 minutes to pick out everything we want to try next year.
I looked into a million and a half condos, and wow... everything is really expensive. We got SO lucky having a gorgeous place to stay for 4 weeks for only $2000 this past summer. We now want an extra bedroom and bathroom (for my Aunt Stacy, Uncle Alan, and cousin Alison), and we wanted a private pool, but we couldn't find anything for less that $1100 a week, that would accept pets. We finally decided on again staying in Emerald Island, in a 4-bedroom, 3 1/2 bathroom condo, without our own pool. We wanted an actual house with a private pool, but it's just too expensive. We already spent a lot of money on this past vacation, my college is costing a fortune, Mike starts college next fall, and we're getting a new car since Mike and I are getting our licenses (finally!) So the condo situation is set.
There's nothing left to do! I've read and re-read my Passporter and Unofficial Guide, I've taped all of the specials on the Travel Channel, and I've listened to every disney CD and song I have hundreds of times. I still have my trip report to work on (sorry it's taking so long!), but I can't think of anything else... I'm just looking forward to the release of the 2006 Passporter (I'm going Deluxe this time! ) What do you all do when you start planning so far out? I love planning vacations (especially to Orlando!) and this is what's going to get me through the year. Am I actually going to have to completely focus on... College? I need to ideas of things to do! Thanks for reading my rant, I'm just a little stumped here!
I guess you'll just have to wait for the 2006 to come out, then read and reread that.
I know what you mean about being in a slump but i don't consider it a slump to be an expert (at least in my opinion) on DW. It brings a certain peace of mind to the trip.
I am even bold enough to NOT call in my ADR's before we go, we just can't think that far ahead and we still have a good time and haven't felt like we've missed out on anything. We actually like to miss the really popular meal places cause we like it quiet.
You should have a sense of comfort knowing that you have the knowledge and experience to get around the world without even needing a book.
Noreen
Melissa, I'm kind of in the same situation. It also took me about 10 minutes to figure out where I want to eat in June, and all I really need to figure out is what day we're doing what-- we were there 3 times in the past 11 months-- and I did so much research (I also have every travel channel show on WDW DVRd)-- I'm in kind of a slump as well-- it stinks!!
I know what you mean as well. We won't be going back until 2007, but I already know what resort we want to stay at and it probably won't take very long to pick restaurants and the only things I'll need to reseach are the newest attractions. So, I'm not all WDW!!! like I normally am. But, it is nice that I've become so aware of all the "tricks" so that I don't have to stress about our trips.
I hear you loud and clear about post-planning depression.
Now that it looks as though every detail is planned for this year's trip, I'm at a loss. I've read my Passporter through a dozen times, and the Unofficial Guide over and over. I need a new Disney fix!
Fortunately, it seems amazon.com has finally shipped my last order: "Imagineers Guide to Magic Kingdom" (an official publication that will probably be like re-reading the trivia book, but at only nine bucks, what the heck) and Mouse Tales. Also, dunno if y'all have heard of this magazine, but I also subscribed to the "Tales from the Laughing Place" magazine and hope to get my first issue soon! www.laughingplace.com) Hoping it fills the Disney Magazine void.
We're tentatively planning a trip to Disneyland next Spring, so maybe once that firms up, I'll have a new planning job.
You all have probably read and/or watched these. I'll mention anyhow that my favorite book is "Walt Disney: An American Original" and my favorite movie is "Walt: The Man Behind the Myth." I guess I'll start reading the Walt book again for a third time!
I am usually planning something on the way home on the plane about our next trip(if that isn't scary I don't know what is.) But you are right about the fact that once you get back it kind of sucks the fun out of it.
It will all be good again.
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Am I actually going to have to completely focus on... College?
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Yes! If I remember correctly, you're a freshman in college this year, right? Enjoy your experience! Try new things that you've never done before, meet new friends, take a class on a subject that you know nothing about. This is a time for you to really explore yourself and the world. Make the most of it -- you'll look back on these years fondly.
LoL, thanks Shelli I already made a lot of friends and I'm taking a lot of classes, and it's not as bad as HS. I just dn't like completely focusing on school... it sucks the fun out of life, lmao
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) What do you all do when you start planning so far out? I love planning vacations (especially to Orlando!) and this is what's going to get me through the year. Am I actually going to have to completely focus on... College? 
I need to ideas of things to do! Thanks for reading my rant, I'm just a little stumped here! 
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