Our love of theme parks…
My love for theme parks began when I was a little girl. Our family wasn’t able to take big vacations on a regular basis, but one year my parents made some magic happen and took my 3 siblings and me to Walt Disney World. My mind was blown by the scale of the buildings, the details around every corner, the larger-than-life characters, and the magical feeling that took over my head and heart. I remember seeing my Daddy laughing like a little kid on Star Tours and my Mama smiling so big while riding the Carousel of Progress. I remember holding my brothers’ hands through Fantasyland and sharing a Mickey Mouse ice cream bar with my sister. As a souvenir, my parents bought us an encyclopedia-style book about Walt Disney World. When we got home, I read through that book over and over. At the library, I would check out books about Walt Disney, Imagineers, and the parks. The obsession had begun.
As a teenager, I would often visit Carowinds…a theme park a couple of hours from my home. It had all the fun and thrills, but it didn’t quite capture the magic that Disney did. During my first marriage, I was married to a military man, and we lived in Florida and southern Georgia. During those years, we were able to get military tickets for Disney and would go down for a day or two. I absolutely loved the parks. I loved the history. I loved the trivia. I loved the rides, the smells, the snacks. Again, what I loved most was that real-life worries were temporarily gone and everyone was able to laugh and enjoy their time together.
When I married Brian, it took a little convincing to go back to Walt Disney World. As a young child, Brian had visited Disneyland and Walt Disney World, but he didn’t remember much about those trips. I pushed hard for a family trip less than a year after our wedding. We packed up four kiddos and hit the road for Orlando. In that one trip, Brian was converted! He absolutely loved riding rides with the kiddos. He was immersed in the shows. He fell in love with Dole Whips. After that trip, we set a goal of having a Walt Disney World vacation every 2 years.
Along with a love of Disney, I also have a profound fascination with Harry Potter. I was one of those people standing in line at Barnes and Noble at midnight when the newest book would release. I was at the midnight showings of the newest film. I took my siblings to the movies when they would be on their Thanksgiving breaks from school. I am always reading a Harry Potter book…always. When the Universal company announced that they had purchased the rights to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, I was thrilled. At the time, I was living in Georgia, but by the time the first land opened in the Universal Orland Resort, I was living back in North Carolina, divorced and a single parent…making trips to Florida a little more challenging.
I started researching the Universal Orlando properties because I had never been there. We were 100% a Disney family. Brian and I started watching YouTube videos to learn more about Universal. We followed The Pugh Two (Tyler) and loved the content they shared. We planned a trip to check-out the property, and we fell in love…again. The Universal parks bring a different kind of magic and many more thrills. Our growing kids loved the roller coasters and immersive 3D rides. We went back to Universal with my equally-obsessed-Harry-Potter-fan brothers, and I was hooked. One of my all time favorite memories is standing in Diagon Alley with a brother on each side of me! I felt like a kid all over again.
As we started learning more about Universal, we discovered a YouTuber named Taylor Strickland with his start-up company called the Orlando Informer. His videos were full of information on special events, food and an after-hours event…WHAT?!? I have no idea how many times Brian and I watched the videos from Taylor and Tyler. We wanted to see what this after-hours event was all about! We went on our first Orlando Informer Meetup in February 2024…we went back again in December 2024…back again in May 2025…and again in December 2025. AND, we already have our tickets for February 2026! There is A LOT to say about this event, and we will have videos to share on the topic, but just know these highlights: the park is opened to a limited amount of people, food is included in your ticket price, waiting in lines rarely happens, and the level of magic is ramped up to 1,000.
It is safe and accurate to say that Brian and I love traveling to central Florida. We often talk about moving there or doing the snowbird thing. Right now, that’s not in the cards, so we stay on the course we’re on…making lots of visits!
I recently became certified by both Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando Resort to sell vacations. My personal experience gives me an edge for planning. I know how to stretch a dollar, where to stay, where to eat, and even where the best bathrooms are! If you are interested in a vacation to central Florida, let me know! I’d love to help make that happen for you. The magic is contagious!
