Welcome Tricia and thank you for joining us today. I really appreciate your taking time away from your busy schedule to share a little bit about yourself and your blog, Return To Disney as our Guest Star.
Even as a child, I was always drawn to
Disney’s perfectionism – every detail is so carefully attended to! That appeals
to my artistic soul. The way they take every possible opportunity to tell a
story appeals to my inner writer.
Are you a WDWorlder or DLander?
All of the above! I grew up in
California, so I went to Disneyland several times as a child. I moved to
Illinois for college, and didn’t go back to a Disney park until I took my own
children to Walt Disney World in 2010. That was a whole other experience, so
both places have a special place in my heart.
What’s your favorite park?
It really depends on the situation. If
it’s just me and DH, my favorite park is Epcot. With the kids, I’d have to pick
Magic Kingdom….or maybe Animal Kingdom….or Disneyland!
What is your favorite park attraction and why?
Haunted Mansion – the first time I
experienced it, I was so drawn in by all the details. I was enchanted by the
elegance of the mansion, and terrified at the same time. I half believed that
some of those ghosts weren’t completely made up! Even as an adult, I can still
almost believe the mansion isn’t totally deserted late at night….
What’s your park touring style? Commando or laid back?
Laid back, definitely! Our normal
schedule is so packed and structured, that when we go on vacation, I want to
relax and take it easy. That doesn’t mean we don’t end up with aching feet at
the end of the day, but we do try to remember that the goal is to enjoy time
together, not necessarily to check things off a to-do list. We can do that at
home!
Are you a park early bird or a night owl?
Neither, I guess. I do not set an alarm
clock on vacation! We get up when we get up, eat breakfast, then get to the
parks when we get there. We go back to the resort when we’re tired. Sometimes
we’ll go back out to the parks after dinner for the fireworks and parades
though, but we don’t push it. If everybody’s exhausted, then we don’t.
What is your
favorite Disney restaurant?
Tough call! Kona at the Polynesian resort is my
first choice for breakfast. It’s got the best coffee at Walt Disney World! For
lunch and dinner…there just aren’t any bad choices.
What is your favorite resort on property?
I’m a deluxe kind of girl J. My top choices would be either the
Grand Floridian or Polynesian. I’m just not that impressed by the Contemporary
resort.
If you could work for the Walt Disney Company, what would be your
dream job?
Pastry chef! I’ve always loved to bake,
and it’s a wonderful way to make someone’s day that much brighter.
What is your favorite Disney park memory?
My favorite memories are the little,
unplanned moments. Even I can’t orchestrate everything, and sometimes every
detail just falls into place perfectly. Those are the moments that I love to
remember.
Let’s hear
about your blog. Do you have a niche or specialty?
I write about Disney for “Special” families like mine – ones
affected by autism, ADHD, sensory processing disorder, and food allergies. I
also write for parents of large families – traveling with a crowd is a little
different than traveling with one or two kids!
Why did you start your Disney fan blog?
I was going crazy. When we took our family to Walt Disney World in
2010, I never dreamed it would lead to obsession! After all, I had been to
Disneyland several times, and it was nice, but nothing life-changing. But six
months after that trip, I needed to talk about it, and needed to find a way to
go back to Disney. That couldn’t be a once in a lifetime trip. So really, I
started blogging because I needed to talk about my experiences at that magical
place. In the past 18 months, I’ve found that not only did I gain a lot of
sanity through blogging about Disney, but I’ve been able to offer advice and
information for parents of special kids, hopefully making their own Disney
trips a little easier!
Tricia Ballad is a writer and
homeschooling Mom to four special children.
You can find her on Facebook at
http://www.facebook.com/ReturnToDisney and on Twitter @ReturnToDisney.
Thanks for featuring Tricia this week! It was fun to learn more about the inspiration behind her blog.
ReplyDeleteAnother great interview!! Glad I got to know Tricia a little better.
ReplyDeleteGreat stuff, Debra and Tricia! Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteThe interview was a lot of fun and so interesting. Tricia is a great inspiration for me, as a special needs mom. She's amazing!
ReplyDeleteThanks Donna!
ReplyDeleteThanks Mike for visiting!
ReplyDeleteTricia...we could soooo travel together. Our styles match almost completely.
ReplyDelete