Tag: Disney

The Armor We Choose: Finding Grace in Painful Places

Disney Cicerone December 30, 2022 0 Comments
Armor. That's what she had to put on, every day. Amidst cat calls, pranks, and those who watched and waited for her to fail so they could pounce, Grace Huntington walked a daily minefield with invisible protective gear making her not as invisible as she wished she could be. Walt had warned her about this in her job interview for the story department at Walt Disney Studios. He was honest with...

The Lost Jungle Book that Never Was

Disney Cicerone August 29, 2022 1 Comment
I recently had the privilege of visiting The Walt Disney Family Museum's special exhibit for the Jungle Book called Walt Disney's Jungle Book: Making a Masterpiece, and, to be honest, I was only mildly excited about it walking into the experience. Don't get me wrong, I have always liked The Jungle Book, but it had never been a top 10 (or even 20) Disney movie for me. But after watching the...

“Did you know that… ?” Seeking the Truth in Disney Stories

Disney Cicerone June 14, 2022 0 Comments
I once had a conversation with a former Imagineer who told me something along the lines of, "Disney people are storytellers." And boy, isn't that the truth? Sometimes Disney fans, creators, and even Cast Members hear a story about something in Disney history and get so excited to hear a "secret" that they immediately pass it on as fact without tracking down the primary source (my professor...

Repurposing The Magic: How We Reimagine Our Moments

Disney Cicerone November 2, 2021 0 Comments
It occurred to me the other day that so much of what we see at Disney isn't actually what we think it is. Or it used to be something very different, but we don't realize it. Let me explain. When you ride on Splash Mountain and sing along (jubilantly, if you're anything like me) with the geese and the swamp critters at the end, you probably aren't thinking about how they were all...

Mastering Time like Dr. Strange

Disney Cicerone September 18, 2021 0 Comments
Ok, confession time. I didn't always love Marvel. I used to roll my eyes when people went on and on about it, not understanding why superheroes were a thing. But one day, my husband and I decided to watch all of the Marvel Cinematic Universe movies in chronological order, and that was it. I was hooked. I know that Marvel isn't traditionally Disney, and maybe you feel the same way I used to about...

How Disney Gives Us the Magic of Confidence

Disney Cicerone August 3, 2021 2 Comments
On a recent visit to Avenger’s Campus, I witnessed a kind of Disney magic I had never seen before. Now, this is really saying something. I’ve held my babies with teary eyes during fireworks, I’ve been pixie-dusted for once-in-a-lifetime moments, and I have witnessed a gentle snow falling on Main Street USA in Disneyland Paris at Christmastime. But this moment was one that will go down in...

Where do you find yourself in the story?

Disney Cicerone June 5, 2021 0 Comments
Hey Disney friends! Let's consider some deep Disney thoughts today. Are you up for it? Yes? Great! Let's make some magic.... First, think of a wonderful thought: Your favorite Disney ride, movie, and character. Go ahead, I’ll wait. No really, take your time. Got your answers? Ok, let’s go. What you answered reveals more about you than you know, and I’m not talking about those...

Adventuring with young explorers: How to make your Disney travel with kids easier

Disney Cicerone May 23, 2021 0 Comments
I'm just going to come right out and say it... traveling to Disney with kids can be less than magical. I admit I'd gotten used to roaming without my littlest explorers due to the pandemic, and now that we are venturing out as a family, suddenly I'm having a crash course in being "mom" again in the Disney parks. Parenting in the parks carries with it this unique push and pull of wanting to be on...

Why the pauses at Disney mean more now than ever

Disney Cicerone February 22, 2021 0 Comments
What if I told you the most memorable part of a Disney trip is not the E-ticket rides or magical shows? Or even (gasp!) our beloved characters? The truth is, the magic is in the pauses. I don't mean the break between busy crowds (though that does feel magical when it happens, like finding a unicorn) or the moments when you sit down for a Dole Whip with the rest of humanity in what feels like the...

Why we need Disney in the midst of a pandemic

Disney Cicerone November 2, 2020 2 Comments
Today, we visit the WHYs that everyone is asking us, my fellow Disney friends. Why would anyone choose to visit a theme park, a breeding ground for germs, during a pandemic? Why would anyone want to travel to a hot, muggy climate and wear a mask all day in the unrelenting sun? Why would anyone pay for a lesser Disney experience, with so much of the parks closed and unavailable? Why can't you...