Welcome to those of you joining me from Disney on Wheels and those of you just hopping aboard. I am the 2nd stop on our Magical Blogorail.
My DisneySide emerges…
In 1979, the summer after my Grandparents retired to Florida, my Mom, Sister, and I went to visit them, and being the Grandparents they were, they took us on a trip to Walt Disney World! When I walked under the railroad tracks for the Walt Disney World Railroad, and emerged in Town Square and Main Street, U.S.A., I remember the feeling I had, that no matter what I did that day, nothing would compare with the feeling that I had arrived. I didn’t know this at the time, and it has taken many years, my wife, and my daughter to bring it out, but that day in 1979 was the start of My DisneySide.
As I got older, my DisneySide would take a little bit of a back seat at times, because in my early years, I didn’t get to experience Walt Disney World as much as I would have liked to. I went that first time in 1979, and again in 1983 when Epcot opened, and one more time when I went to what was then MGM, but after that, it would over a decade until I would visit again with Cindy in the year 2000. To this day, I credit that first trip with Cindy as the trip that really kicked my DisneySide into high gear.
My DisneySide grows with my family…
The two pictures — as poor as they are — are representative of the change in me with the birth of our daughter Sophie. These lithographs — a set of four that still hang in Sophie’s room to this day — were a free gift at the Disney Store when we purchased the Disney movie Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. The movie was purchased before Sophie was even born! That was the continuation of the evolution of my DisneySide!
My DisneySide important points…
Finally, let me share with you a quick list of some of my other DisneySide moments. I’m sorry for the length of this post, but when you talk about your DisneySide, sometimes you can’t be brief!
- 2005: Sophie’s first trip to Walt Disney World, with her best friend Riley.
- 2006: The one day trip to the Magic Kingdom Sophie took with us and her Meemaw!
- 2007: Our first trip to Disney where we stayed on property!
- 2008: Our second straight trip staying at Coronado Springs Resort!
- 2009: Our first trip staying at Port Orleans French Quarter.
- 2010: The time we surprised Sophie with Stephanie joining us, and the year we bought our DVC property!
- February 2011: My first Magical Blogorail post!
- 2011: Staying at Bay Lake Tower with Nancy, Otis, Anna Jane, Sherry, and Stephanie!
- October 2011: Seeing the Food & Wine Festival for the first time, and also visiting for the 40th Anniversary of Walt Disney World!
- 2012: Staying at Kidani Village with Monica, Maddie, Kerry, Neal, River, and Izaiah!
- February, 2013: Signing on as a part time travel agent with Pixie Vacations!
- June, 2013: Taking a trip to Disneyland for the first time, and meeting Sheila and her family!
- July, 2013: Staying at the Grand Floridian! Incredibly blessed!
- June, 2014: Staying at Bay Lake Tower again, this time with Leigh Ann and Riley, and Sheila, Randy, and Miss J.!
I think you can see that my DisneySide has blossomed into what some would call an obsession! As for me, though, I think it is just a true love for all that Walt Disney brought to this world that we live in, and the legacy that he left in 1966. In a nutshell, I guess my DisneySide is my attempt to keep the ideals that Walt Disney lived his life by in my life, and to instill that love of life and the simple things into the life of my family so that they can continue to pass it along. Thank you for stopping by, and remember to make every day a Disney Day!
Thank you for joining me today. Your next stop on the Magical Blogorail Loop is Disney Babies Blog.
Here is the map of our Magical Blogorail should you happen to have to make a stop along the way and want to reboard:
1st Stop ~ Disney on Wheels
2nd Stop ~ My Dreams of Disney
3rd Stop ~ Disney Babies Blog
4th Stop ~ Picturing Disney
Final Stop ~ Manda’s Disney Blog
My Disney Side hit a new level around the same time! I’m so glad you are able to share your love of the parks with your wife and daughter. And I’m glad I get to experience the fun through your blog. 🙂
Thank you, Melissa! These blogs are a labor of love, and I can’t believe I didn’t even think to mention that as one of my highlights!
2013 seems to have been a big Disney Side year for a lot of us! I think I need to write a my Disney Side history post…
Thanks for the inspiration!
Thanks Lori! 2013 was definitely a big year in my Disney History. I went from the Grand Californian one month (our home resort, by the way) to the Grand Floridian the next! That one wouldn’t have happened if I hadn’t signed on with Pixie Vacations, so it was great timing! Thanks for commenting!
Congratulations on your first Blue ride Mike! It is no surprise that The Magical Blogorail made your Disney Side list!!
Thanks Donna! I miss my red line some, though, but we are all The Magical Blogorail, regardless of the color of the team!
Your #DisneySide is what makes you such a special guy, Mike! I love that, through showing your Disney Side here at My Dreams of Disney, I got to know you! I look forward to many more years of this Disney friendship!
Thank you very much Heidi! I’ve loved getting to know — and meet — you and your kids, and look forward to the time we can meet up again at Disney! Next time, bring your husband with you! 🙂
Awww I love this! That bit at the end was wonderful 🙂 x
Thanks, Manda! It’s funny how I wrote all of that, but then, when I was wrapping up, that last bit came to me — and I agree, I think that is perhaps my favorite part of the whole post!
I love your #DisneySide Mike!! I think it’s great that your wife & Sophie have made you love Disney even more!!
Thank you Donna! I think it’s great too! 🙂
Great Post Mike!! I love all the highlights that make your #disneyside unique!! I’m glad I’ve been around to experience some of this with you thought your blog! 🙂
Thank you very much Beth! Perhaps I left off one of my most important #DisneySide moments — meeting all of the incredible Disney bloggers I’ve come to know and love!
Wow! You have stayed at quite a few fabulous Disney resorts!
Thanks Kimberly! It’s been quite fun, and this June, we’ll be back at Bay Lake Tower!
What a beautiful Disney history you have. I only hope that in the years to come it only continues to grow. Thank you for sharing your #DisneySide with us.
Thank you Lisa! Your #DisneySide is quite impressive too, what with all the running and medals you picked up recently! Congratulations on all of that!
Mike, we all arrive at our #DisneySide from different roads, but the cool part is learning about how each of us arrived. I can’t wait to have kids of my own to experience Disney like you have with Sophie. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks Rosanne! I can’t wait to see your Disney Side come out in your children either! It’ll be a fun journey!
Mike, your #DisneySide is so sweet. I love how the Snow White Lithographs are still hanging in your daughter’s room, so sweet. I can’t believe you have stayed at the Grand, that is awesome.
Thanks, Dawn! The Grand Californian wouldn’t have happened without our DVC ownership, and the Grand Floridian that we stayed at the next month was truly God’s blessing on us because I joined in with Pixie Vacations just in time to be able to do that!
I’m so glad you have a Disney Side or else we’d have never met! It’s so neat you got the Snow White lithographs before Sophie was even born–building her Disney Side from the start 🙂
You know it, Jodi! Got to start them off young, don’t you know?! 🙂
I had to laugh – my Disney Side also kicked into high gear with the first trip with my then boyfriend – now husband. There is something very special about building your family around your Disney Side.
Exactly, Mary! Thanks for commenting, and sharing your own Disney Side with us!
I love that you have passed on your love of Disney to your daughter and wife. Thanks so much for sharing your love of Disney with us through your blog!
Thanks, Deb! It’s been a great journey the past 3+ years!
Thanks for sharing! I’m definitely with you – my DisneySide has taken off since having children. I went annually or more even before, but having it encroach in the rest of my life didn’t happen until my first son was born!
I think sharing your Disney Side with your kids is part of what makes the Disney Magic so special and real for all of us. Thanks Jenn!
I love that your DisneySide really blossomed when you got to share it with family!
Thanks, Tricia! I’m glad you had a great trip!