Mom, unapologetic Disney nerd, Twitch streamer. Played a professional musician, published author, and "mommy" blogger in a past life.
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I game, I cosplay, I lewd. Hope to see you around!

Self-directed and successful social media manager, blogger, and published author, with 15 years expertise in growth-focused, effective content creation, and 7 years in gaming and community management. Specializes in turning experiences into engaging content & stories by developing targeted blogs, videos, and original social media posts to inform and shape opinions. Has the knowledge, passion, and motivation to help communities and brands grow from the ground up.

6 Awesome Things to do at Walt Disney World in Between your Fast Passes!

This blog was written in partnership with the EZ Dis Travel Agency. All opinions are truthful and my own.

Every other year, by now I’d be almost done planning my family’s annual Walt Disney World vacation. Unfortunately, this year it looks like we won’t be able to make it. We would need a boatload of pixie dust to make the trek happen, and as much as I believe in magic, I also believe in being realistic. This is why it’s even more important to me that YOU go and have THE most magical time– so that I might live vicariously through you!But don’t worry- I’m not sending you without a treasure map. I want to share a few (because if I tried to share them all this blog would take you a month to read) my most FAVORITE things to do, see, and eat at WDW, because magic deserves to be shared! Now, my favorite things are not all rides and princesses (although those ARE fabulous)- because Disney World is so much more than that, and we all need things to do to kill time between fast passes!
I want to share with you the things you might miss otherwise– things that you can’t put on your Magic Band, but are so worth the time to stop and experience.Want to make your Disney Vacation completely stress free? Let EZDis – a FREE concierge style travel planning agency – plan everything for you! From fast passes to dining reservations! Use the code HH18!

EPCOT - Stop by the French Bakery!

Nestled in the very back of France, behind the restaurants and shoppes, is Les Halles Boulangerie & Patisserie- aka, the French Bakery- with snacks and treats as far as the eye can see- all worth chowing down on. If you’re in between meals, looking for a quick bite, or have snack credits left to spend, this is the perfect place to go! Also, air conditioning. Go, chow down on a ham and cheese croissant (I’m not kidding, if there’s one thing you HAVE to get, it’s one of those), and relax for a bit.

THE ANIMAL KINGDOM - Spend an evening at the Animal Kingdom Lodge!

As I said in my last Disney blog, The Animal Kingdom Lodge is honestly one of the most magical places you will ever step foot inside (outside the Magic Kingdom, that is). But you don’t have to be staying there to experience part of that magic. Once you’re done in the parks for the day (or on an off day) plan a meal at one of their amazing restaurants (they have 2 and a quick service cafeteria, where the food is also delicious!) where you can overlook the savannah, and then walk out back and get up close and personal with all kinds of animals. Grab a drink at the poolside bar, or walk inside and sit for a while by the firepit (sometimes you can catch live music being played) and really make a night of it!

EPCOT - Inside the Mexico Pavilion!

Epcot can kind of be a crazy place. There aren’t as many rides as the other parks, so you can spend your day in line for the few they have because the lines get SO long, and you can only get fast passes for a few. Luckily, there is SO much else to do, and my favorite place to spend time is inside the pyramid in the Mexico pavilion.Not only is there shopping, there’s the Tres Caballeros boat ride (which is like It’s a Small World only a LOT less irritating, and with better music + Donald), an amazing restaurant (The San Angel Inn) and a margarita bar that’s out of this world.Plus, activities for the kids. If it’s raining out, or if you want to get out of the heat, this is the perfect place to stop in and spend some time. We go there even when it’s neither of those!

THE MAGIC KINGDOM - Meet Gaston!

I said no princesses, and as hard as Gaston tries, he’s no princess! There are a TON of characters to meet at every park, especially Magic Kingdom, but the MOST fun (in my humble opinion) is Gaston. You can find him in Fantasyland by Gaston’s Tavern (where you should definitely stop in and get a giant warm cinnamon bun and a Le Fou’s Brew before you wait, as the line can get rather long. Check the time’s he will be available, weather depending, in the guides you can find around the park and show up a bit early). Make sure to have your best challenge ready– Gaston can’t turn down a manly challenge!

THE MAGIC KINGDOM - Memento Mori!

You’ll definitely be a Foolish Mortal if you don’t stop by the Memento Mori shop outside the Haunted Mansion! Not only are there awesome and spooky Haunted Mansion and other spooky things to look at and buy, you can also get a photo of you turned into a ghoul! It’s honestly one of my most favorite Disney World purchases I’ve ever made. We bring them out every Halloween, but I’m tempted to leave them up all year!

HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS - Droid Factory!

If you or your kids are Star Wars fans, make sure to head to the Star Wars area of the park where they can build their very own Android (like R2D2). You can pick different hats, bodies, and bases, and give them their own android name! A much more affordable option to building your own lightsaber (which you can also do in the same shop).

I hope these tips help fill your magical Disney days with even more fun! So go, book your stay! Discover new things! Eat a dole whip! And make sure to have a magical time!

Sneak Preview -
NEW Attractions at Busch Gardens & Water Country USA!

I was lucky enough to be invited back for another year as a Busch Gardens Thrill Seeker/Blog Ambassador. I grew up at Busch Gardens and Water Country USA and it’s been such a pleasure to be able to go behind the scenes and share my experiences with you.This season is especially exciting, because EACH park is introducing a new attraction! Both of which I got to take a look at during hard hat tours of each construction site.At Busch Gardens Williamsburg, a (much needed, in my opinion!) new high flying swing is being added to the Ireland area of the park called FINNEGANS FLYER. You will see this, or maybe you have already if you went to pass member preview day, on opening day THIS WEEKEND, but construction won’t be complete until May at the earliest.What you see now is one of the support legs and construction for the platform and queue, but what it WILL be is a high-flying attraction with 2 pendulum swinging arms, seating 32 riders, that goes progressively higher with each swing- reaching a height of more than 80 feet and a speed of 45 mph!
Not only is this SO exciting, and a type of ride the park has never had before, but think of the views at the top!I cannot WAIT to ride this, and I think it’s such a fantastic addition to the Ireland area of the park, along with Battle for Eire, the virtual reality experience added last season!There was one ride at Water Country USA that my family always skipped, and that was Meltdown, so when I heard it was retiring last season, I’ll be honest, I wasn’t sad to see it go (not like I was when The Big Bad Wolf closed!) Change is good! Especially when change means you get a kick ass, unique RocketBLAST coaster called Cutback to take its place. It’s the only one on the east coast, and Virginia’s first hybrid water coaster.Walking up to it was pretty intimidating, as I’ve never seen anything like it before, with 5 saucers, and a water jet propulsion system that will send the raft of up to 4 riders up and down steep hills, jetting through tunnels, and speeding into the saucers at up to 35 feet per second!I don’t normally get excited for water rides, but this one looks awesome. At 48 inches for the minimum height, it means your minis can ride along with you!

You Might Not Care About Social Media, but your Customers Do.

A lot of blogs will come up with creative titles and bury the lede to keep you reading—but this one is just the opposite. Read the title, and then read it again.You might not care about social media, but your potential customers do.Social media is not everyone’s cup of tea, and that’s totally fine. People have a multitude of reasons to avoid being “logged on” all the time. We aren’t here to invalidate any of those reasons. You do not have to be a social media fan, lover, enthusiast, or even casual user to understand the value it has for businesses. It’s a tool, that when added to your arsenal, can be integral in helping your business grow. We all know word of mouth is the best form of promotion, and what’s the fastest form of word of mouth? Social media!For your tried-and-true, longterm customers—not having a social media presence isn’t a dealbreaker. They know you and love you, and that’s pretty awesome! But, for those who don’t know you yet, it’s a different experience.A curated feed can draw a new person in and make them your next regular!Don’t believe us? Let’s break it down into some actual, real-life scenarios.Scenario 1: Alex comes in to your store and buys something they really love (food, a hat, a massage). They want to gush about your business on social media, but your business isn’t there. They might still post about your establishment, but they won’t be able to tag you. What this does is create an extra hurdle for all of Alex’s friends to find out about you. They would have to ask, or punch your name into Google and hope for the best. Having an active social media presence removes that burden from potential customers.Tagging a business allows all of Alex’s friends, with no effort, to see exactly what you’re all about. They can go directly to your account from Alex’s raving review with one click. Up pops your business page with recent photos of what you sell alongside your address and phone number. They can even start interacting with and getting to know you. That is the beginning of building a relationship that brings people back. It keeps you in the forefront of their mind when they’re ready to shop for whatever you sell.Scenario 2: Alex is looking for somewhere new to get X item. They’ve punched what they’re looking for into Google, and your business name pops up, but your social media is relatively dormant. Since they’ve created no relationship with your business in the past, it’s just easier to scroll to the next business that is obviously open, since they’re active and responsive on social media. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve found the Facebook page for a local business that hasn’t made a new post in years, which instantly makes me wary. What if they closed? Is it possible they moved? The hours could have changed! Having an active online presence lets people know you’re open and ready for their business. It also relieves any of their doubts about where you are, your hours, and what you have to offer.Scenario 3: Alex would like to try something new, but is wary about trying a place they have never been before. Alex wants to learn more about the business before they patronize it.
Business #1 has a website with an address and some information about products here and there, but no social media. Business #2 has an active social media, where their products are showcased and talked about, and questions are being answered in the comments. With all of this information, Alex can get a good idea of what they might encounter before going there.
Which business do you think Alex will choose?Being easier to find online makes you more accessible to a multitude of new customers.While it’s not absolutely necessary to have a social media presence in order to see your small business thrive—social media is the new word of mouth. By ignoring it, you’re missing out on a lot of new customers you could be connecting with just by signing up and being active.Get out there and get posting! If you need help with that, well… we know exactly who you should talk to.

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