Me – The Eye of the Tyler

“Growing old is mandatory, but growing up is optional.” – Walt Disney

Where does one begin when trying to explain the Disney theme parks around the world to someone that has not been, or to offer new perspective to those that have been years ago? To be honest, the actual park slogan captures it pretty easily, “the happiest place on earth”. To all who come to this happy place, welcome. There is no other vacation destination that helps you escape reality like the Disney theme parks do. You leave your worries, troubles, stress, and work at the door for a chance to visit worlds you’ve only dreamt of or to visit imaginary places filled with experiences that interact with each of your senses.

Before I go farther, let’s take a step back and explore my own journey with Disney. Be prepared. Between watching & owning all of the movies (except those cheap DVD sequels from the early 2000’s), reading the multitude of books based on the stories and the company history, and enjoying all of the television programming over the years, these characters and stories have always been intertwined to my soul and well-being. In fact, my initials of T.D.C. could even stand for The Disney Channel. Coincidence? I think not.

As a child I was in awe by the man, the myth and the legend that is Walt Disney. At one point I even swore that I was him in a past life and vocalized as such to others I know. And just to be clear, please know that I was not high on pixie dust at this time. This abundance of Disney-ness is my life culminated by getting to go to Walt Disney World for the first time at the age of 5, increasing to a total of 8 vacation visits before the age of 18.

While I had absolutely NO idea what I wanted to do with my life while in high school, the one thing I DID know was that I needed to do the Disney College Program. So in 2003, I did just that and worked in attractions at ‘Splash Mountain’. Since I drove to college every day, I didn’t have the traditional college experience that others have had. So for me, the Disney College Program gave me that dorm experience that I needed and wanted. It also allowed me to meet others from around the country with similar passions that I am still friends with to this day. Upon program completion, I returned to Kansas City to finish college. During this time, I was a campus representative for the Disney College Program and shared my excitement and encouragement to other students in the Kansas City area schools. I would decorate the college campuses with the program paraphernalia in preparation for the recruiter visits.

After obtaining my college degree, I moved back down to Orlando and did the professional internship as part of the Disney College Program where I worked in the college recruiting office. 6 months later I completed an additional internship within Disney Vacation Club. Enjoying my time, and from having 4 years of retail sales experience at The Buckle, I thought I might have potential as an advance sales associate for Disney Vacation Club. I worked around the parks and resorts at a kiosk where I would introduce families to the vacation ownership program and encourage them to do a tour to learn more details. I quickly rose in ranks through my numbers and was offered a position on the cruise team aboard the Disney Cruise Line.

You might say this all sounds perfect for me, and I don’t disagree. And yet I knew there was more aspects of my creativity that were being un-used and un-touched. So surprisingly, I left the company. The aspects of Disney where I thought I could really shine were out of California. While that move out west has not yet happened, nor do I know if it will at any point, I still visit the theme parks and cruises as often as I can and have attended D23 events when I have been able to do so!

Why do I share all of this? Well, it’s to stress that you don’t have to be a child to love the theme parks, you don’t have to have children to find value in visiting the theme parks, and most importantly, that your experience at the Disney theme parks is something that you cannot find anywhere else. To be honest, I probably enjoy the theme parks MORE as an adult, than as a child. Sure, your state fair may have some rides you can go on, your city may have a local theme park you can easily visit, and you may have an area event that you can witness an evening fireworks show. I don’t disagree that those are cheaper and more convenient. But none of those amusements are able to hold their own to or compare to the level of entertainment that is able to be obtained and captured from the Disney theme parks.

How is Disney different? The combination of entertainment quality, attention to detail, and exceptional guest service allow dreams to be created and effectively delivered for guests that provide a lifetime of magical memories. That is the Disney difference. Something as simple as naming customers, “guests” and employees to the name, “cast members” help convey that this is a show and that they have a role to play while on-stage. Do the trash cans NEED to be themed to each of the lands that they are in? Does the ground you walk on NEED to be aged to show the hoofs of an animal or a wagon wheel that previously went through that area? Do the outfits for each president in ‘Hall of Presidents’ NEED to be designed in accuracy to each individual’s respective time period in history? Does ambient music NEED to be played in each area that is accurate to that land’s story and vision? The answer to all of these questions is no. However, they all help to set the tone and tell the story of the “show” that you are experiencing, regardless of how easily accessible or subtle they may be.

I have so many individuals ask for help in planning their own Disney vacation, and I look forward to sharing future blogs on just this, or to simply share new tips for your next visit! I know the property inside and out, I have eaten at a majority of the restaurants, and I have enjoyed about each of the entertainment offerings that can possibly be experienced.

Additionally, I have seen with my own eyes how badly some individuals plan their vacations, execute their days while on property, and ultimately leave feeling stressed, tired, out of tears and broke. I won’t even mention the children with the monkey backpacks aka leashes. By having just a wee bit of strategy you can ensure that you will not be running around like a chicken with its head cut off, regardless of the time of year. Below are a few topics that I have been thinking about that might be worth writing about:

Walt Disney World with a family
Walt Disney World on your own
Walt Disney World planning tips
Walt Disney World hacks and secrets
Walt Disney World dining
Walt Disney World nightlife
Walt Disney World in (2) days
Walt Disney World vs. Disneyland
Drinking Around the World
Orlando tips without any theme parks

I could go on and on with bullet points and stories but I feel like those are a few to get started. You will notice that Walt Disney World alone covers the span of an area double the size of Manhattan, soooooo there is a lot of ground to cover and a lot of money to spend. Believe me, Disney is great at that. Is there a particular topic that you would like me to dive into that would be helpful? What have you wanted to know?

As I wrap this up, there might be a few of you out there that may be saying to yourself, “Self, I know all of this and already love Disney. You don’t need to sell me on anything.” Well, thanks for that feedback and attitude. For those individuals, below is a high-level list of some of my favorites in an effort to show my personality and style. Enjoy and have a great week everyone! TTFN.