My Story: Part 2

The Power of Trip Reports

As I had mentioned for my WDW trips I would record all the details and share them in my company’s Disney Notesfile. I enjoyed sharing this information and chatting with others who shared a love for Disney.

When the internet started to ramp up I signed up with America Online (AOL) and looked for a Disney chat. I found one hosted by someone with a handle of Laura235.

I started participating in these chats and talked about my experiences.

After one of these chats one of the participants, a fellow by the name of Brian Bennett, sent me a message asking me how I was able to remember vivid details from trips I had taken.

I mentioned my trip reports and how when I visited WDW I carried around a tiny notepad and scribbled down pretty much everything I did.

Brian was about to launch a Disney-themed website that would include content on Walt Disney World and asked me if I was willing to share some of my trip reports to help populate his site.

Brian’s handle on AOL was DVClubber as I believe he was a Disney Vacation Club member. I don’t recall the name of his site but I recall he framed it around trip reports.

I loved sharing my experiences as I knew it would help others.

Things Get Interesting

Well, fast forward a bit. Out on the West Coast there were some enterprising folks who were putting forth a large effort to build a comprehensive Disney website. This website would provide all types of content for those interested in Disney experiences, including trips.

However, most of these folks were California based and needed to find some sources who could provide Walt Disney World content. They were top-heavy with folks who knew a lot about Disneyland but not Walt Disney world.

They eventually found Brian and myself on his DVClubber site and to make a long story short, combined Brian’s site with their site, brought Brian and yours truly on board as chief WDW content providers and the site, MousePlanet, was born…

…and so too was my life as a blogger.

I wrote articles on a biweekly basis for MousePlanet and had fun sharing my insights with my readers. I had no idea what it would lead to.

The Power of the Internet

Here is a tidbit I haven’t shared with many folks. My blog was noticed by a producer on a cable station, I want to say the Travel Channel but I am not sure if that network was around. It could have been the E Network.

Anyway, I received an email from the producer asking if I was going to be in the Orlando area as they were going to do a feature on Walt Disney World and wanted to do an on camera interview with me with a backdrop at the resort.

Huh?

That was the first moment in which I understood the power and reach of the Internet. I was in the middle of a big project at work and as the Project Leader I could not at that time, fly down to Orlando just for that reason.

As I look back at that opportunity I have often wondered what “doors” would have opened had I been able to do that interview. Who would I have met? Who would have seen me? Would that lead to something else? Not sure but my priorities at that time was with work, my family, and the sports teams I was coaching.

I continued blogging with MousePlanet and my readership grew. I wrote about practically everything and anything I could think of and tried to put myself in the position of my readers and I think that worked pretty well.

As MousePlanet’s popularity grew so did the popularity of all who wrote on that site.

I never really wondered what would be around the next corner…but it was waiting for me.

It was to be called “MouseFest” and I’ll tell you all about it in My Story: Part 3.