About Me
Well, hi!
Let me properly introduce myself and share a little bit about how and why this all started.
My name is Ginny and for as long as I can remember, I have LOVED Disney World. But it was deeper than that. I’ve always been drawn to books, movies, video games, special effects – any means of telling a story in a deep, meaningful, and artistic way. More than anything else, I adore narrative – and Disney World was the epitome of that for me.
I know so many of you can relate. There’s something so other-worldly about stepping through those gates and finding yourself in the most magical, happiest place on earth. You hop in a ride vehicle and suddenly you’re transported into a story in a way you never could have dreamed of.
The immersive effects – sights, smells, sounds, and overall enchantment of a Disney ride was the closest thing my young self had ever experienced to real magic. But there was something else there – something that would keep me from really experiencing that magic for years.
As a young child, it looked a lot like being a scaredy cat. My mom would try to get me on rides and I would “chicken out” at the last second or just downright refuse if there was any possibility of it being “scary.” I later realized that it was anxiety – and something I’d deal with for the rest of my life.
I was a rambunctious, “tom-boy” type of kid who erred on the side of being spontaneous in many ways. But for some reason, my anxiety reared its head sometimes and I never knew when it was going to strike. Like everyone else, it took years to figure out what was “triggering” my panic attacks, why they would flare up sometimes, and how I could manage them when they came. I learned pretty early on that the most important thing I could do for myself was be prepared.
I remember being 9 or 10 and spending hours upon hours scouring my mom’s copy of The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World with Kids by Bob Sehlinger. Most of the book was about park planning and scheduling – you know, the important stuff. But he had a couple of sentences about what to expect on the rides and I would just read and reread them over and over again. I was desperate for information. I figured if I just knew how long each ride was or how fast it went – I could at least manage my anxiety by knowing what to expect. And the crazy thing? I was right.
So Why did I start this thing?
After years of bumbling through Disney trips with the little information I could get my hands on, things got a little better when the Internet was suddenly available to me. Still, though, it was hard to find the details I was specifically looking for and I still found myself missing out on attractions because I wasn’t sure I could handle them.
Then, about 10 years ago, I was in college and went on a Disney trip with my family. I was in the middle of transferring schools and it was the most anxious I had ever been. I remember just watching as my family went on without me – staring down at the hot concrete as I waited outside queue after queue. There I was – at my favorite place in the world – and I couldn’t even get myself on It’s a Small World.
When I got back to school, I told myself that one day, I would write a guidebook for Disney with anxiety. There had to be others like me, right? I was studying English Literature and had always been a writer, but being a full-time student and all – I never started my book.
Fast-forward 5 years and I was married – working as a teacher in Houston, TX. I had the summers off and was looking for something productive to do – so I revisited my guidebook idea. This time, however, I thought I’d give the whole Youtube thing a try. I made a few videos and enjoyed every minute of it. I was having an absolute blast experiencing the magic through my research and I learned so much about my own anxiety and how I could manage it on each of the rides I covered. However, when the fall came and I went back to work, my little channel fell by the wayside and was forgotten.
That is, until 2022.
I was looking for a way to get back into my love of writing. As a stay-at-home mom, my days were long and full, but I still found myself searching for something to pour my hard work and creative energy into. I started looking into blogging and it just seemed like a perfect fit – and even better, I had something to write about.
I revisited my old Youtube channel and found the kindest comments from others like me – people wanting to enjoy the magic of Disney but not having the resources they needed to do so. I was so overwhelmed and encouraged by their words and just knew – it was time to go for it.
Over the 10 years since having this idea and building knowledge on top of my own experiences, this blog has become so very near and dear to my heart. My only wish is that the information I’ve gathered might help others enjoy Disney World the way that I do.
What am I up to now?
I’m a wife, mom, pug lady, and still an anxious girl through and through.
I’m an ENFP, classic enneagram 6 wing 7, and a Hufflepuff. I love horror films but hate sad movies. I’m always DIYing furniture I found on the side of the road, and could eat sushi for every meal for the rest of my life.
Currently, I’m counting down the days until my next Disney trip and especially can’t wait to share it with my daughter and newest little one in a couple of years!
Thanks for tagging along – it really means the world!
Click here to get the Official eBook and never hit the parks without it!