Think about a time you had friends to dinner or a weekend away that just totally, amazingly clicked -- the event was perfect from the minute it started and was so bittersweet at its end.
What a rare and wonderful thing that kind of moment is and I feel so lucky to say -- I just had one of those experiences.
It's taken me a few days to process all the wonder of the Disney Mom Weekend. I am so in awe of it - the details, the company of amazing women, the friendships I made, and all I learned. And, like all rare and perfect gatherings - I was also truly blown away by our hosts.
Michelle and Joyce from Walt Disney World have a gift. They have a gracious energy and glow about them that makes everyone they are with feel warm and invited. A tone of fun, excitement and mutual admiration was set from the moment we met each other the first night of the Mixer, and it stayed upbeat, positive and joyful until each of us got on our buses Sunday to return home.
But it wasn't just Joyce and Michelle. Every, single Disney person we met was world class -- from our bus driver, Vinny, to Claudio at Tutto Italia Ristorante, to Karen Haynes from the Food & Beverage marketing department, to Rex, project manager of THE AMAZING upcoming, new Toy Story Mania (of which we got an incredible sneak peek - SO COOL!)
Disney, I have decided, is exceptionally good and mind-bogglingly consistent at finding the most talented, positive, smart, fun people who are really, really nice to be around and passionately proud of their jobs and of Disney World. The park gives off such good energy, because, I realized, the people there give it a real heart and soul.
Couple that with the chemistry of the group, which was absolutely made in heaven, thanks to the dynamic, fabulous Maria Bailey from BSM Media. Somehow Maria magically put together one of the best groups I've had the honor of working (well, playing) with in a long time. (Reunion!)
The details of this fabulous trip were so exquisite. The gorgeous Epcot Flower and Garden Festival, limo rides with champagne, Cirque du Soleil's La Nouba, amazing restaurants (I wanted to find an Imagineer to miniaturize me at one point so I could roll around inside one particular chocolate/berry delicacy), surprises, fun, laughs, time to mingle, time to scream on roller coasters (I actually rode Space Mountain) and lots of smart, relevant, thought through information.
I feel like I know so much about Disney now: if you have a question about a Disney trip, go to The Walt Disney World Moms Panel (I met Darcie and Kim from the panel and they are encyclopedias, and they LOVE Disney); Disney has menus in five languages; they are so conscientious of the quality of food and being healthful; they recycle everything in a mini-city under the Magic Kingdom; they have very nice rooms for under $100; there are lovely babycare centers everywhere where you can nurse, take care of a young child or get some down time with a baby; they really think through how to address guest's food allergies; and their number one objective is making people feel happy - a goal which many of the Disney people clearly approach with all the creativity, energy and enthusiasm you can imagine.
And the icing on the cake of this amazing journey was the group of Super Women who were a part of it (they all have awesome posts on the weekend, so please check them out - see below!) Ladies, it was an honor to be among you and it was truly magical to be a part of the Disney Mom Blog Mixer. Thank you so much for including me. I will never, ever forget it.
The details of this fabulous trip were so exquisite. The gorgeous Epcot Flower and Garden Festival, limo rides with champagne, Cirque du Soleil's La Nouba, amazing restaurants (I wanted to find an Imagineer to miniaturize me at one point so I could roll around inside one particular chocolate/berry delicacy), surprises, fun, laughs, time to mingle, time to scream on roller coasters (I actually rode Space Mountain) and lots of smart, relevant, thought through information.
I feel like I know so much about Disney now: if you have a question about a Disney trip, go to The Walt Disney World Moms Panel (I met Darcie and Kim from the panel and they are encyclopedias, and they LOVE Disney); Disney has menus in five languages; they are so conscientious of the quality of food and being healthful; they recycle everything in a mini-city under the Magic Kingdom; they have very nice rooms for under $100; there are lovely babycare centers everywhere where you can nurse, take care of a young child or get some down time with a baby; they really think through how to address guest's food allergies; and their number one objective is making people feel happy - a goal which many of the Disney people clearly approach with all the creativity, energy and enthusiasm you can imagine.
And the icing on the cake of this amazing journey was the group of Super Women who were a part of it (they all have awesome posts on the weekend, so please check them out - see below!) Ladies, it was an honor to be among you and it was truly magical to be a part of the Disney Mom Blog Mixer. Thank you so much for including me. I will never, ever forget it.
Amy from Chicago Moms Blog, The Lady Bug And Her Blogging Mama and Mums The Wurd!
Amy from LIParentSource.com
Christine from Boston Mamas
Darcie from The Walt Disney World Moms Panel & Such The Spot
Elizabeth from Table For Five
Erin from Manic Mommies
Gabrielle from Design Mom and Sk*rt
Jennifer from Snapshot & 5 Minutes For Mom
Jennifer from The Mom Salon and The Mom Bloggers Club
Jo-Lynne from Musings Of A Housewife, Chic Critique, DCR Design and Reviewsings of a Housewife
Kim from The Walt Disney World Moms Panel & Stop A Moment
Kris from Clever Parents
Lori from Just Pure Lovely
Marybeth from Cheaper By The Half Dozen
Mia from Main Street Mom and EMCWebs
Stephanie from Adventures in Babywearing
Tracey from Suburban Diva
Oh yea!
I'm still processing, but you did a nice "brain dump," which is what I think I would do if I managed to write everything in one chunk.
Posted by: Jennifer, Snapshot | April 24, 2008 at 08:02 PM
That was a great letter. Saturday night was definitely the best!
Posted by: Jennifer James | April 24, 2008 at 09:41 PM
Really well said, Cooper! I had forgotten about the underground recycling center until I read this. And yes, every single person I encountered last weekend, from Karen Hanes to the lady who sold me a sandwich in our hotel, they all just oozed Disney love. I felt such an incredible amount of positive energy while we were there, both from the Disney folks AND from all of the bloggers! Maria brought together an incredible cross-section of bloggers, most of us had never met, and yet we felt like instant friends! I'll never forget that trip.
Posted by: Elizabeth | April 24, 2008 at 09:43 PM
It was so great to meet you Cooper! I sure do wish we'd have had more time. Love the photo of you and Jennifer (on the next post).
Posted by: Just Pure Lovely | April 24, 2008 at 09:43 PM
Hi Cooper!
I second what Lori said (about wishing we had more time). You couldn't be a sweeter person and I'm so happy to have had the chance to meet you. :)
Posted by: Darcie | April 25, 2008 at 12:33 AM
I love your way of acknowledging the people you come across in your experiences. What a good soul you are.
Posted by: design mom | April 25, 2008 at 11:17 AM
Great post! Love how some of you have the ability to wrap up an entire weekend in one post, whereas it takes me three posts to tell about my trip home! Ha! :0)
Cooper, it was SUCH a delight to meet you.
Posted by: dcrmom | April 25, 2008 at 07:24 PM