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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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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Hi! DH and I are going to South Africa for 2 1/2 weeks this summer for the World Cup. We'll be traveling (by rental car) all over - Port Elizabeth, Cape Town, Blomfontien (I am murdering the spelling there I know), J-burg, Rustenburg, and Pretoria. I know the stories about S.A. and crime, but for those who are not from there and have traveled there, did you really feel unsafe? Or is it just a matter of being smart about where/when you go places, and not going around alone, etc, like it is in many cities/countries? Any tips or experiences would be greatly appreciated!
PS - I forgot to add that this is not the first international trip for either of us (I have been to many coutries in Europe, DH has been to Venezuela, and we've both been to Kazakhstan).
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MNSSHP 2015: DH (Bane), Me (Batgirl), Genie, and our friends
I have no tips as I have never been there, but just wanted to say how jealous I am. Going to Africa is my dream trip. I hope to go in a few years for a Safari
Thanks, FanOfMickey!! I am so excited; I have wanted to go to Africa since I did a report about it in 4th grade. It's pretty much a dream come true. I am excited about the World Cup, but I think I am more excited about just being in Africa. We made sure to add a bunch of sightseeing in between the games we will be going to.
I just know you'll be there for that safari in a few years!!
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MNSSHP 2015: DH (Bane), Me (Batgirl), Genie, and our friends
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Hi! DH and I are going to South Africa for 2 1/2 weeks this summer for the World Cup. We'll be traveling (by rental car) all over - Port Elizabeth, Cape Town, Blomfontien (I am murdering the spelling there I know), J-burg, Rustenburg, and Pretoria. I know the stories about S.A. and crime, but for those who are not from there and have traveled there, did you really feel unsafe? Or is it just a matter of being smart about where/when you go places, and not going around alone, etc, like it is in many cities/countries? Any tips or experiences would be greatly appreciated!
No worries - it's Bloemfontein (Bloem = flowers & Fontein = fountain). Keeping safe when you travel around South Africa is largely down to common sense - ask the locals which areas are 'good to go' and which are not, avoid flashing cash & looking like you're worth mugging, and avoiding desolate, quiet areas at night. We always tell our guests to "Be aware ... but don't be paranoid".
We've put together some honest & common sense advice as well as some good links to travelling and safety in South Africa - please have a look at these too specifically :
I agree with BackInAfrica on everything she said. My one main peice of advice is - Just be aware of your surroundings. If it feels wrong it probably is.
Have Fun, and Relax!! South Africa is a beautiful country, and you are going to be Welcomed by smiling and friendly people.
There was an article about South Africa in the travel section of our Sunday paper yesterday.
I saw it in the (Minneapolis) Star Tribune, but it was syndicated out of the Los Angeles Times and I suspect can be found online.
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We'll be traveling (by rental car) all over - Port Elizabeth, Cape Town, Blomfontien (I am murdering the spelling there I know), J-burg, Rustenburg, and Pretoria. I know the stories about S.A. and crime, but for those who are not from there and have traveled there, did you really feel unsafe? Or is it just a matter of being smart about where/when you go places, and not going around alone, etc, like it is in many cities/countries? Any tips or experiences would be greatly appreciated! 
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Safety in South Africa
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