I’ve always been a member of the Disney online fan community, as least as far back as I can remember. And that’s a pretty long time. I remember the days of dial-up and the heady excitement of joining the rec.arts.disneyparks Usenet group. (In fact, I think I still have my RADP pin somewhere.)
Well, now that I’ve dated myself entirely…
I’d been having a lot of fun in Disney online communities, talking about Disney with others who “stalk the Mouse” closely for fun and the occasional bit of cheese. Someone pointed out to me that my online writing life was much like my professional life, where I am interested in what is broadly called “Disney Studies”: film, theme parks, history, theory.
I thought about starting a blog to combine my working and personal interests. But being more of a writer than a tech person, and not quite sure how much time I could devote to a blog, I went in another direction. I applied for a gig writing about Disney travel for Examiner.com. Examiner concentrates on the technology, I focus on the writing and take pictures. Oh, yeah, and visit Disney…a lot. The column justifies my travel habit. Or so I tell myself.
As the National Disney Travel Examiner, I write mostly newsy stuff. As I’ve told Chip, I like to follow the bright, shiny news. But I also have some Disney Travel 101 stuff – reservations, amenities, discounts, review of resources, tips – for people who search for the basics online.
But my interests in Disney go beyond news of the day. When my schedule allows, I’ll also add some other content. I don’t quite consider myself a Disney foodie (yet) but I am a dedicated Disney snackie. Eat Disney dessert first! So I loved covering the Epcot Food & Wine Festival, and the trick-or-treats for Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party. I’ll be back again for both events this year.
I’m also a Disney runner, one of the people who have happily found the party at “back of the pack,” with pictures and characters. So I try to keep on top of such Disney events. Really, I’m all for the active and interactive Disney vacations, so that’s the kind of stuff I follow in my column.
Finally, I have two series that speak to my special interests in theming and Cast Members. “Memories of the Magic Kingdom” provides an overview and occasional history piece on attractions at Magic Kingdom, a tribute of sorts to the 40th anniversary. And my “Salute to Disney Cast Members” occasional series points out the people who make the magic happen. I plan to do more of these pieces in connection with “Destination D” in Walt Disney World in May and with Disneyland’s D23 Expo in August.
So far, being the National Disney Travel Examiner has been a fun gig. I’ve had the opportunity meet many members of the Disney writing community, and it was through my work with Examiner.com I got to know Chip and Co. It’s inspired me to pay more attention to the latest Disney news and try new things on my trips. And who knows, a blog could be next; I have too many pictures to share and different kinds of things I’d like to write.
So that’s me, the National Disney Travel Examiner, a much more impressive title than I deserve. I’m more of a Kungaloosh kind of person, the name of my Facebook page. Check them out if you’d like, or just visit to give me a Kungaloosh salute!
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