Nancy: Webmaster, Blogger, and Founder:
My first visit to Walt Disney World was as a girl in 1973, touring what was then just the Magic Kingdom. And what a magical place it was! My family and I had a wonderful time, and I knew this was a place that I would want to visit again and again.
It was 25 years before I had the chance to visit Disney World again. This time, my husband and I brought our little girl….and we all truly fell in love with the magic and joy of Disney. One of the biggest lessons learned from this trip was how enormous Walt’s world had become, and how important it was to have a good plan: we wanted our vacation to be more magical than miserable!
Many years and multiple trips later, we have become true Disney veterans. While we still haven’t “seen it all”, we have seen a lot. And I have learned over the years a lot of tips and helpful information that have filled our Disney vacations with many magical memories. I also have learned quite a few Walt Disney World money saving tips….if I hadn’t, we would not have visited as often as we have!!!!
One of my favorite things to do, if I am not visiting Disney World myself, is to help others plan their Disney family vacations…and help them save money while doing it.
Brenda: Writer
Brenda is a native Texan born and raised on the Gulf Coast. She visited Disney World twice as a teenager and always dreamed of growing her family Disney. She took her first-timer husband and their three children to Disney World in 2000 and they now spend every Thanksgiving there. Brenda writes with a comedic twist on various Disney topics. She will be sharing tips she has learned during her travels and also hopes to enlighten people on little-known freebies that Disney has to offer. She wishes she could have met Walt Disney and considers herself to be a student of Walt. In parallel to his dream it is her wish that everyone would take at least one trip to Disney World in order to share in its magic with their families. Just like Nancy, she loves helping others to plan their Disney family vacations and hopes that anything she offers here will help people to reach that goal. Her new dream is to one day retire so she and her husband can purchase a motor home and live half the year at home and half at the Fort Wilderness Campgrounds.
Kelly: Writer
Kelly, her husband, and three children live in the Chicagoland area. Kelly has been traveling to Walt Disney World since the age of two. She considers Walt Disney World to be her primary vacation destination. With 20 plus trips under her belt she still enjoys researching and learning new things about the most magical place on earth! Kelly began Disney Guru in August of 2010 with the vision of sharing fun vacation tips and magic with all fans of Disney World.
DeAnna: Writer
DeAnna, along with her husband and teen-age son, lives in Wiggins, Mississippi, and has a passion for all things Disney. She is always eager to share the knowledge she has gained from her many trips to Walt Disney World, and has helped numerous people in their vacation planning to realize it’s not an unattainable dream. Her must-dos on every trip are Pirates of the Caribbean, Rockin’ Roller Coaster & a stolen moment of quiet with her “Boyz” (as she affectionately calls them) having a pastry from Boulangerie in Epcot World Showcase’s France. Disney is so much a part of her life, that she & her husband were married in front of Cinderella’s Castle, and she says it doesn’t get any more magical than that………
Debbie: Writer
Debbie and her husband live in Collegedale, TN where her youngest son is going to college. She is a huge Disney fan who dreams of someday retiring and working as a tour guide at Walt Disney World. She has enjoyed many trips to WDW with children, grandchildren and sometimes adults only. It is her ultimate goal to make sure everyone who visits WDW has the same magical time that she enjoys every time she visits.
Belinda: Writer
Belinda is a Disney Vow Renewal Bride, and a massive Disney addict. In her words: “I am happily married to my high school sweetheart and we have two four legged kids, our cat Simba and our dog Harley. My husband and I have been to Disney 16+ times, been aboard Disney Cruise Line 5+ times and have had a vow renewal wedding aboard the Disney Magic! We have a room in our home we call our happy place. It is wall to wall Disney and nothing more. Not a day goes by that I’m not in my room basking in the happiness that only Disney can create. My hope is to share with all of you, the love and passion that I have for Disney while embracing the magic of Walt’s dream. I am honored to be a contributor for The Affordable Mouse, and look forward to helping spread a little Disney magic.”
Karen: Photographer/Writer
Karen grew up in the Boston area and traveled to Disney World many times with her parents and sister. Always staying at the Fort Wilderness Cabins gave the trips a feeling of a home away from home. It also started the tradition of attending the Hoop Dee Doo Review on each trip! Somehow that show sparked her interest in the Disney College Program. Which she did in the fall of 2002, working as a hostess @ Captain Jacks in Downtown Disney. Now as an adult, Karen finds herself traveling to the parks on a yearly basis! Photography has always been a hobby of Karen’s, but over the past few years it has become her passion. It’s even taken her to her favorite place! The Make a Wish Foundation sent a family to Disney for a week and Karen was lucky enough to be their photographer of choice! She got to tag along and photograph their memories being made. She hopes to get that experience again someday! You can find more of Karen’s photography on her site www.KPportraits.com.
Rachel: Writer
Rachel is a Virginia native who now lives in Louisiana. She is married with two children, ages 5 and 3. After dreaming and wishing for several years, her family had their very first Disney vacations this year and are now addicted to researching and planning—whether for themselves or for others. They now plan to visit the parks at least once a year.
Shannan: Writer
Shannan is a mom that was born and raised in rural Tennessee. She tells us: “I live with my husband and 3 of our 5 children. Travis is 24 and is father to my grandbabies, Emma and baby Judson. I can’t wait to start sharing Disney with them. Dusty is 22, Clay 12, Zachary 10 and Erin is 8. I clean houses to make money to fund my magical trips. I went to Disney the first time as a teen and couldn’t wait to start introducing my own children to the magic. We took our 3 youngest in 2004 and that started it all. We have been 3 times since then and have our first Christmas trip planned for this December. Usually my parents accompany us on the trip and I have to research and plan for things that will suit various ages in our party of 7. Each time I go, I try new experiences in lodging and dining so I can share it with friends and family that seek my advice on trip planning! Disney is definitely my first choice in vacation destinations. Hopefully there is a Disney surf and turf vacation in our future!”
