If you had told little 4-year-old me that one day I’d help real families plan the most magical vacations of their lives, I probably would have believed you. From the very beginning, Disney wasn’t just a destination for me; it was a feeling. For me, Disney has always been a place where the magic is so real you can almost touch it.
And I did touch it, quite literally. Let me explain!
It Started With a Front Row Seat (and a Very Stubborn 4-Year-Old)
Even growing up miles away from Mickey Mouse in New Jersey, Disney was woven into the fabric of my 90s childhood. The Disney Channel was always on. VHS tapes of 101 Dalmatians and Cinderella played on repeat — we’re talking thousands of viewings, people. Disney wasn’t something we watched. It was something we lived.
When my parents finally saved enough money to pack up the car and make the drive from the Garden State all the way down to Walt Disney World Resort in the Sunshine State, it was everything. If you’ve made that trek with little ones before, you know it is a journey. But we made it! My mom, my dad, my baby sister, and me had made it to the Sunshine State. Stepping into that world for the first time is something I will never forget.
I was four years old.
At some point during our Magic Kingdom trip, we found ourselves at a stage performance (honestly, I don’t remember the exact show, but I remember every single feeling). I wanted to be as close to the action as humanly possible. Front row. Non-negotiable.
My parents, understandably exhausted from traveling with two small children, were perfectly happy sitting further back. Four-year-old me said: Absolutely not.
My mom decided it was not the hill she wanted to die on that day. “Fine. Sit right here. Don’t move.” And she settled in toward the back. A few minutes later, a cast member approached me, a tiny little girl sitting alone in the front row.
“Hey, sweetie — are you here by yourself? Where’s your family?”
I pointed confidently to the back. My mom, watching this entire exchange from across the seating area, was convinced I was in trouble. Her face said everything: Oh no. What did she do?
What actually happened? The cast member smiled and walked me over to my parents. “We’d love to use her as part of the show. Would that be okay?” Would that be okay? Um, YES.
My dad scrambled for the camcorder. And just like that, I was escorted on stage where Mickey Mouse, Minnie, Chip, Dale, and the whole crew danced around while I sat in a chair of honor, my little foot tapping along to the music.
I was beaming. And as the grand finale, they presented me with an oversized, way-too-big-for-any-human t-shirt that I proceeded to wear as a nightgown for approximately the next decade.
That moment — that single, spontaneous, magical moment — is the reason Disney will ALWAYS be my happy place!
Why I Said Yes to Becoming a Disney Travel Agent
Fast forward a few decades. I’m a planner by nature (Type A doesn’t even begin to cover it), and I have always been the person in my friend group who researches a trip within an inch of its life before booking anything. Spreadsheets, timelines, dining reservations. I am that person.
But becoming a Disney travel agent wasn’t exactly on my childhood list of career goals. What changed everything was becoming a mom.
When I held my son Gem* for the first time, I already knew: I could not wait to bring him to the Walt Disney World Resort. I could not wait to watch his eyes go wide the way mine did. I could not wait to give him his own taste of the magic.
And then we actually did it.
Making New Memories: Disney as a Wife and Mom
My husband Matthew and I honeymooned aboard the Disney Dream in Europe. When you love Disney, you don’t just vacation there; you celebrate life there. It was the perfect start to our marriage and honestly just confirmed what I already knew: a Disney trip is always the answer!
Then along came our son Gem, and a whole new chapter of Disney magic began. He was just 10 months old when we took him to Walt Disney World for the first time. We had a very specific mission: his first haircut at Harmony Barber Shop on Main Street, U.S.A. in Magic Kingdom.
If you haven’t experienced Harmony Barber Shop, add it to your list immediately. It is an absolute treasure! He got his first snips, a sprinkle of pixie dust, and a whole lot of love from the incredible barber there (shoutout to Doug — you are a legend, my friend!). We walked away with a little bag of his baby curls and a memory I will hold onto forever.
A few weeks later, we took Gem on his very first Disney Cruise aboard the Disney Fantasy. And because Gem is apparently a born competitor, he entered Jack Jack’s Diaper Dash and won. (It was truly nail-biting and I’m not even being a little dramatic!) For the rest of that sailing, people recognized him as the fastest crawling baby on the ship. He was basically a celebrity… and rightfully so!
Disney Is in Our DNA — and I Want That for Your Family, Too
Disney has been a part of my family across generations, and God willing, it will continue for many more. I genuinely believe there is something about the magic of Disney that cannot be replicated anywhere else in the world. The intentionality, the storytelling, the cast members who go above and beyond — it creates memories that last a lifetime.
And THAT is why I became a Disney travel agent.
Not because it seemed like a good business move. But because I have lived this magic firsthand. I have felt it as a child, as a newlywed, and as a mama. Helping other families experience that same joy? That is something I get the privilege to do.
Here’s something a lot of people don’t realize: my services as a Disney travel agent are completely complimentary to you. I am paid directly by Walt Disney World and the agency I’m affiliated with. All that means is you get an expert in your corner — someone who knows the ins and outs of Disney vacation planning (me!) — at no extra cost to you. There is truly no reason not to use a travel agent for your next Disney trip.
I handle the research, the dining reservations, the planning headaches, and all the details so you can show up and just be present for the magic!
Ready to Plan Your Magical Disney Vacation?
Whether it’s your family’s very first Walt Disney World trip, a Disney Cruise, or a dream vacation getaway, I would love to help you create memories that will last a lifetime… maybe even a memory that a four-year-old version of your child will still talk about thirty years from now!
ACTIONABLE STEPS: Contact me here and let’s start planning your most magical trip yet! Because the magic IS real. I’ve seen it with my own eyes, and I’ve got the oversized t-shirt to prove it. Are you a Disney lover too? Drop your favorite Disney memory in the comments below. I’d love to hear it!
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