last month, for a variety of reasons i may explain later, i got to go to disney world on my very first disney solo trip.

was it heaven?

for me, yes.

every minute of it.

none the least of which was just observing the people in various states of merriment (or toddler break-downs) around me.

*is my favourite ride winnie the pooh? quite possibly. you get your own hunny pot for starters. i think i achieved my personal best with three rides through the hundred acre wood on this trip.* (not counting talking to tigger and pooh for realzies.)

here, collected for your further, and my continued enjoyment, are a few of the eavesdropped treasured nuggets i heard in the parks:

mom [to kid holding an elsa purse in sir mickey’s gift shop]: that’s a pretty purse.
kid: can i get it?
mom: you can ask your grandma.

dad [not ten feet down main street u.s.a., pushing stroller] : there’s no crying. it’s disney world.

mom [to kid in line for peter pan’s flight complaining about who knows what]: can we just learn to be happy?!

dad [to kid in stroller]: ray, you can’t kick people!

*fireworks at the magic kingdom. did i sing along? did i cry more than once? did tinkerbell wave at me as she flew over my head? yes, yes, & totally.*

dad: someone needs to trade with nelson.
nelson’s older brother: not it.
nelson’s older sister: fine. but you owe me a lollipop.

*maybe i just have one of those faces, but i swear gaston projected his performance at me. and totally winked more than once.*

and not from a fellow guest, but via narration on the overhead speaker at the “theater of the stars” on sunset boulevard at hollywood studios, behold my new favorite book-writing hack:
“for through a series of odd circumstances, belle found herself in an enchanted castle.”

and that’s how you trim a 90 minute animated film into a 20-minute stage show (made mostly of music) for the kids. ;)

have you ever been to disney world by yourself?

i have about eight blogs’ worth of thoughts and feelings and joys to share. but alas, i have other things to attend to in life at the moment.

so i’ll leave you (for now) with just TWO brief takeaways:

i want to be a guest-experience traveler consultant. like, send me down every four to six months and i’ll give you the scoop on what’s working and what’s not for a pleasant trip to your parks. what needs updating. what’s not working like you hoped. (as an undercover guest i could do a better job than the people in suits with clipboards, i promise!) characters guests want more of. merch we really want. quality checks on snacks that influencers instagram, but don’t necessarily match the hype.

*i apparently had LOTS of serious conversations with all the characters i met. and golly, they give good hugs and kisses. :)*

2. i had 9,000% more fun than i anticipated meeting the characters. actually, we may need to full blog this one out. with pictures. next week. ‘cuz it also involves some of the reason i got to go.

with her heart still a’ brimmin’ with magic and pixie dust,

xo,

*hallie :)

using my minnie ears for good. or: overheard at disney world