global-mouse
Earning My Ears
- Joined
- Jun 25, 2004
- Messages
- 68
Hello Podcast Team!
Pete has finally guilted me in coming out of the lurker closet...
I have been reading the DIS Boards almost from the beginning. Pete has actually been a role model of sorts, as I was a Disney fanatic and looking for a way to be involved in the WDW phenomenon while living in the northeast. I became a part time travel agent to support my Disney habit, and was looking into creating a travel agency specializing in all things Disney. Pete, you beat me to it!
I even contemplated moving down to Florida and maybe working for Disney as well since I have a degree in Hotel, Restaurant & Institutional Management.
But as they say, life gets in the way. I have spent the last 15 years reading and listening to the podcast team and living vicariously through all of you.
As many of the DISers I first experienced WDW at an early age. That was when WDW first opened and it was a 'trip of a lifetime.' Because my family owned a bakery, and my father had to work year round, my brave mother brought 3 children by herself to WDW. I have very vivid and wonderful memories of that trip and now realize how brave she was for doing this. I think we were 8, 10 and 12. (I was 8, the baby of the family.)
That was the only time I was at Disney until my parents retired some 25 years later. As they retired to Florida (isn't that what all NY'ers do?) and I drove the truck down there with all their furniture, I decided to visit Disney one more time.
Having studied hospitality, I toured all the resorts in WDW, and what a change from the early days. I was blown away with how they run hotels, attractions and resorts. I was now hooked. In the next 2 years I visited WDW more than a dozen times, went on 3 or 4 Disney cruises, became a Disney Certified Travel Agent and even ran a group tour/conference for New Yorkers in which we rented out the Adventurer's Club for some seminars.
Another left turn in life, I moved overseas. Not just Canada or even Europe, but the furthest continent form WDW, Australia. Why and how that happened is whole other novel, but needless to say, I was not able to go to Disney as often as I had become accustomed. Now I was really hooked on keeping my Disney fix through the DIS.
As I listen to every podcast, I smile, laugh and sometime yell back at Pete's rants (I think those are the best part! Thanks for the 3 rants this week!) So when Pete challenged all those lurkers to start posting, I knew I had to. It also got me thinking about what I get out of the podcasts, and yes, it is a Disney fix, but it has become so much more than that. You all have become a defacto family and I look forward to hearing the personal news as well. The ups and downs and life's tribulations make it real. The times when Pete was going through his issues and was off the show for a while, the passing of Bob and then Kevin's mother, all of this make the show real. It also helps put things into perspective. All the positive things to come out of the show as well, including "the power of 10" and all the good work you guys do with that. It feels more like a family that a show about Disney.
Two years ago my partner and I went on our honeymoon to Disney, which brings me to how grateful I am to have such wonderful gay role models as Pete & Walter and John & Kevin. The way that on the show it is "not an issue" is how it should be, but unfortunately it isn't that way everywhere. Even at Disney, my partner and I had quite a few raised eye brows when they found out we were on our honeymoon. On the other hand, many went out of their way to make our trip special. I am glad we were able to be as open as we were and it is public figures (you are whether or not you want to be) that make the difference. So, thanks for being you!
We are headed on our 2nd anniversary in December/January and of course it is a Disney trip. We will start in NYC for Christmas (will see either Mary Poppins or Newsies - saw Lion King last time), then 5 nights at WDW (BLT), 7 nights on the Fantasy, 4 nights in California at the GCV, then top it off with Aulani. (Obviously I am DVCer!)
Again, thanks to the team there and all the DIS'ers around the world.
Cheers,
global-mouse
Pete has finally guilted me in coming out of the lurker closet...
I have been reading the DIS Boards almost from the beginning. Pete has actually been a role model of sorts, as I was a Disney fanatic and looking for a way to be involved in the WDW phenomenon while living in the northeast. I became a part time travel agent to support my Disney habit, and was looking into creating a travel agency specializing in all things Disney. Pete, you beat me to it!
I even contemplated moving down to Florida and maybe working for Disney as well since I have a degree in Hotel, Restaurant & Institutional Management.
But as they say, life gets in the way. I have spent the last 15 years reading and listening to the podcast team and living vicariously through all of you.
As many of the DISers I first experienced WDW at an early age. That was when WDW first opened and it was a 'trip of a lifetime.' Because my family owned a bakery, and my father had to work year round, my brave mother brought 3 children by herself to WDW. I have very vivid and wonderful memories of that trip and now realize how brave she was for doing this. I think we were 8, 10 and 12. (I was 8, the baby of the family.)
That was the only time I was at Disney until my parents retired some 25 years later. As they retired to Florida (isn't that what all NY'ers do?) and I drove the truck down there with all their furniture, I decided to visit Disney one more time.
Having studied hospitality, I toured all the resorts in WDW, and what a change from the early days. I was blown away with how they run hotels, attractions and resorts. I was now hooked. In the next 2 years I visited WDW more than a dozen times, went on 3 or 4 Disney cruises, became a Disney Certified Travel Agent and even ran a group tour/conference for New Yorkers in which we rented out the Adventurer's Club for some seminars.
Another left turn in life, I moved overseas. Not just Canada or even Europe, but the furthest continent form WDW, Australia. Why and how that happened is whole other novel, but needless to say, I was not able to go to Disney as often as I had become accustomed. Now I was really hooked on keeping my Disney fix through the DIS.
As I listen to every podcast, I smile, laugh and sometime yell back at Pete's rants (I think those are the best part! Thanks for the 3 rants this week!) So when Pete challenged all those lurkers to start posting, I knew I had to. It also got me thinking about what I get out of the podcasts, and yes, it is a Disney fix, but it has become so much more than that. You all have become a defacto family and I look forward to hearing the personal news as well. The ups and downs and life's tribulations make it real. The times when Pete was going through his issues and was off the show for a while, the passing of Bob and then Kevin's mother, all of this make the show real. It also helps put things into perspective. All the positive things to come out of the show as well, including "the power of 10" and all the good work you guys do with that. It feels more like a family that a show about Disney.
Two years ago my partner and I went on our honeymoon to Disney, which brings me to how grateful I am to have such wonderful gay role models as Pete & Walter and John & Kevin. The way that on the show it is "not an issue" is how it should be, but unfortunately it isn't that way everywhere. Even at Disney, my partner and I had quite a few raised eye brows when they found out we were on our honeymoon. On the other hand, many went out of their way to make our trip special. I am glad we were able to be as open as we were and it is public figures (you are whether or not you want to be) that make the difference. So, thanks for being you!
We are headed on our 2nd anniversary in December/January and of course it is a Disney trip. We will start in NYC for Christmas (will see either Mary Poppins or Newsies - saw Lion King last time), then 5 nights at WDW (BLT), 7 nights on the Fantasy, 4 nights in California at the GCV, then top it off with Aulani. (Obviously I am DVCer!)
Again, thanks to the team there and all the DIS'ers around the world.
Cheers,
global-mouse
I am so glad you decided to de-lurk. Please jump right into a thread. Add your thoughts, opinions, and experiences. We'd love to see more of you around here! 
welcome, I don't post often, but, love how everyone here is so helpful.
