Tag: Walt Disney World

“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...

Disney Parks Hidden History & Secrets Scavenger Hunt – Magic Kingdom Edition

Disney Cicerone June 21, 2021 1 Comment
Hey Disney friends! If you're headed to Walt Disney World for the first time this year (or just the first time in FOREVER!), I've put together this scavenger hunt full of unique items to look out for, along with some fun facts about each one! I tried to include many things from Disney history that are overlooked or not widely known, and some of my favorite Magic Kingdom secrets. You can use them...

It’s easier than ever to visit Disney World (plus 5 steps to a great vacation)

Disney Cicerone January 26, 2021 0 Comments
Let's face it... planning for a Disney World trip has always been a project. And with our brains all a little foggier from this pandemic season (and too many Mandalorian binges), navigating HOW to get to Disney can feel like scaling a mountain as tall as Expedition Everest. Much has changed at Disney, that's for certain. Fastpasses disappeared (hello, regular standby queues!), resorts closed,...

Finding thankfulness in the worst year ever

Disney Cicerone November 22, 2020 6 Comments
Disney friends, do you find yourself feeling somewhat less than thankful this year? With Disneyland still not even close to open, COVID-19 messing with our lives, and restrictions on how many people we can see for the holidays, it's hard to see the silver lining here. And I can't be alone in sometimes pondering the question, "What's the point of Thanksgiving when there's little to be thankful...

How Disney’s hidden magic makes us look closer

Disney Cicerone November 16, 2020 2 Comments
As I shuffled around the MDE (My Disney Experience) app to make my next mobile food order, I found myself having walked to a completely new land without ever remembering how I got there. I stopped abruptly and turned around, aghast at what I had missed. Because every time I walk through Disney, I see something new. An unexpected detail I've never noticed before. A color palette I'd never fully...

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...