Join the conversation in between trips about Disney immersion, pixie dust, food, and attractions.

Disney surprises me all the time, but this was the last thing I expected.

In anticipation of this trip, I planned to become an Annual Passholder. I would apply the tickets from this trip onto the cost of the out of state passholder fee and use it to add three park days. I knew one of those days would be EPCOT. I was going to buy it in Magic Kingdom because when I looked back, I wanted MK to be part of that moment. I visualized the whole scenario. I was going to get my first magnet at Hollywood Studios. I was going to purchase Photopass Memory Maker, and I imagined crying at the Guest Relations window when I upgraded my ticket. I wanted to be part of this club of passholders.

Then I realized, I didn’t want to.

The reasons flooded in, but the main reason was it didn’t feel right in my body. After my initial visit to MK for the Not So Scary Party, my body tingled and screamed, NO!

I realized I don’t have to be here three times a year to write about Disney. I have a lot of notes and photos and experiences in the parks to draw from.

It’s not the same as being there, but I can embody the feeling of being in the parks watching certain social media and lives. Every time I watch the starting sequence for TRON on a video, I can feel the vibration and excitement in my body.

The money was a factor, but not as much as the feeling in my body that it was a hard no. Once I got here on property, in the magic bubble, it didn’t feel like the right thing to do. It shocked the hell out of me.

Even though I would have used the pass on this trip and at least one other within a calendar year, it still didn’t seem right. The “worth” was there for the purchase, and I could have justified it.

Solo vs twosome with my son caused some anxiety the first day in the park. I was fine at the resorts. The trip in March, I spent time writing solo. Seb wanted to go to Gideon’s and get coffee and try the cookies. I wanted to write in Jambo House.

I found it hard to write in the parks.

What I mean by that is, it was hard to find a place to sit and get out the portable keyboard. Writing on my phone worked well, as it had done in the past, but I didn’t have to be alone for that to work.

I also realized I could sink into a deep writing mode in the resorts, not so much the parks. I didn’t have to wait in line for too long this trip. Although this is a wonderful aspect, it caused problems with my motion sickness issues and that I didn’t have that much time in the queues.

Being a passholder would be a reminder to come back. [Do I need a reminder?] When my ex and I were first married, we purchased a timeshare through Wyndham. The Bonnet Creek resort is within Disney property, but we only stayed there once. I don’t remember why. We did use the timeshare and traveled every year [to Hawaii twice] but it never felt worth it. When we divorced, we sold it for a fraction of the money we paid.

I watched a social media video several weeks ago that suggested instead of DVC purchase (the Disney timeshare) to invest the money and then use the dividends to go to Disney.

Now back at home, I do not regret this decision. I am grateful and happy to have had this weeklong trip solo. I want other people to share in the magic of Disney with me. I learned a lot about planning my own writing retreat and what that means for me.

A friend of mine and I have plans to retreat together in the parks next year. I am looking forward to that trip and writing in the resorts. Which, to be fair, she told me before I left for this trip.

I look forward to hosting a retreat on Disney property in 2028 and to providing parameters to help others write well there, based on what I've learned. I hope writers who already love Disney join me, and I hope that people who are a little afraid of all that a WDW trip offers will come along too.

Will I become a passholder in the future? Probably. I’ll keep you posted! I am still the Happiest Writer on Earth!

Thank you for coming along on my journey!

Need some Disney prompts now?

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FETCH

I use gift cards earned through Fetch to help fund my food while in Disney!

If you use my code, we both get points!

I love this app! Turn basically anything you do into gift cards with Fetch. Earn at stores, restaurants, and shopping online. Even playing free games. Download Fetch with my link or use code P8BMWM to get a bonus when you submit your first receipt.

https://referral.fetch.com/vvv3/referralqr?code=P8BMWM

Thanks for reading all the way to the end! Have a magical day!

Join the conversation in between trips about Disney immersion, pixie dust, food, and attractions.

I spent a week in Disney as a solo writing retreat.

I wrote on my 5 am flight out of Chicago. This was the smoothest and most efficient flight I had ever been on. I also think I have traveled with at least one of the flight attendants on this flight!

I wrote in my room at this little desk. It is a Murphy bed, but since Seb wasn’t with me this trip, I could use it as the writing space!

I wrote in this bed every morning with one cup of coffee at a time.

I wrote at the Riviera resort. I also scored free iced coffee here!

I have a Chromebook that must be connected to Wi-Fi to operate. I can use the hotspot on my phone in an emergency, but I shy away from this method. In Disney, you can attach to the resort WIFI with no issues.

I wrote in the Grand Floridian in the Enchanted Rose bar on the second floor.

Wilderness Lodge Lobby

I wrote in the quick service area of the All Star Music Resort

More pictures and details soon!

Find more Disney Fun here!

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If today’s post made you think or helped you out, please take a moment right to share it with someone who loves Disney!

FETCH

For my March Disney trip, I redeemed my points for a gift card. It is super easy and is legit. All you have to do is scan receipts, which takes seconds. There are other ways to earn points like playing games and buying specific items. I tend to not pay attention to that part, but you could earn points much faster. If you use my code, we both get points!

I love this app! Turn basically anything you do into gift cards with Fetch. Earn at stores, restaurants, and shopping online. Even playing free games. Download Fetch with my link or use code P8BMWM to get a bonus when you submit your first receipt.

https://referral.fetch.com/vvv3/referralqr?code=P8BMWM

Thanks for reading all the way to the end! Have a magical day!

Join the conversation in between trips about Disney immersion, pixie dust, food, and attractions.

The Trio Method is based on Ray Bradbury’s alternative to an MFA. The practice is simple - read a poem, story, and essay every day.

GOOD WORDS IN=GOOD WORDS OUT

The Trio works for many writers because it is not writing in response to a blank page, or even a prompt without context. The Trio is an immersive experience that stirs emotion, memory, and connection.

Digital Products

Welcome to your inspiration today…

📖A Room of Disney Adjacent Readings📖 __________________________________

Poem: Variation on a Theme Park

Story: Death, or the Guardians of the Galaxy Ride at Epcot

Essay: Disney Taught Me How to Write about Food

Art: Mary Blair

Happy reading and responding!

If you enjoy the Trio, you might want to join me for the next course!

Here is what people are saying:

“Tammy is an extraordinary curator of Trio readings, and consequently, the writing that comes out of me in response is always a surprise.” Mike A.

“Tammy selects the perfect readings to inspire while bringing together just the right kind of people that are brilliant writers, warm, and engaging from a mix of backgrounds and areas. They critique each other’s pieces with consideration and kindness. Having two reading weeks and then two writing weeks with two meetings within the course for four weeks is just enough to motivate someone’s writing who may be stuck in some way.” Leslie S.

I would ask you to visit my PayHip page for more Disney Fun!

PromptBooks+ on PayHip

If today’s post made you think or helped you out, please take a moment right to share it with someone who loves Disney!

FETCH

For my March Disney trip, I redeemed my points for a gift card. It is super easy and is legit. All you have to do is scan receipts, which takes seconds. There are other ways to earn points like playing games and buying specific items. I tend to not pay attention to that part, but you could earn points much faster. If you use my code, we both get points!

I love this app! Turn basically anything you do into gift cards with Fetch. Earn at stores, restaurants, and shopping online. Even playing free games. Download Fetch with my link or use code P8BMWM to get a bonus when you submit your first receipt.

https://referral.fetch.com/vvv3/referralqr?code=P8BMWM

Thanks for reading all the way to the end! Have a magical day!

Join the conversation in between trips about Disney immersion, pixie dust, food, and attractions.

If we were walking along the Sassagoula River at Port Orleans, I would thank you for joining me today! Port Orleans is one of my favorite resorts. I love the laid-back feeling here. My son prefers Riverside, and I prefer French Quarter. I love that they are connected by the path that I walk and run in the mornings before heading to the parks.

I stayed here in 1997 before it was renovated, so the resort and I have a long history. On that trip, I had jambalaya for the first time, and it got spicier the more I ate it. The spice radiated off of me for hours afterwards.

Sassagoula River

If we were getting beignets at Scat Cat Cafe, I would tell you on a walk yesterday I realized Disney is like kindergarten. What I mean by that is, everything is celebrated. Lose a tooth? CELEBRATE! First of the month? CELEBRATE! No fighting at recess? CELEBRATE!

I love that Disney had a culture of celebration, and they have the buttons to prove it. I will proudly wear one this week that says I am celebrating my writing retreat. I love that strangers will ask you about your button or tell you Happy Birthday!

What are you celebrating?

If we were filling our resort mugs, I would tell you I almost forgot to pack my ears for my trip this week!! I have to wear them to the Not So Scary Party! These are from Anna’s Magic Ears!

If we were sitting in the purple chairs in the lobby, I would tell you I made a video about Disney and writing retreats. You can find that here: https://www.tiktok.com/@et58702/photo/7674318108764523789

If we were browsing the gift shops, I would ask you to visit my PayHip page for more Disney Fun!

PromptBooks+ on PayHip

I would also ask you what your countdown is right now?

If today’s post made you think or helped you out, please take a moment right to share it with someone who loves Disney!

FETCH

For my March Disney trip, I redeemed my points for a gift card. It is super easy and is legit. All you have to do is scan receipts, which takes seconds. There are other ways to earn points like playing games and buying specific items. I tend to not pay attention to that part, but you could earn points much faster. If you use my code, we both get points!

I love this app! Turn basically anything you do into gift cards with Fetch. Earn at stores, restaurants, and shopping online. Even playing free games. Download Fetch with my link or use code P8BMWM to get a bonus when you submit your first receipt.

https://referral.fetch.com/vvv3/referralqr?code=P8BMWM

Thanks for reading all the way to the end! Have a magical day!

Join the conversation in between trips about Disney immersion, pixie dust, food, and attractions.

Posing for my Haunted Mansion portrait with the boy

If we were riding The Haunted Mansion, I would tell you thank you for joining me today! When we got in the queue, the wait time read “13 minutes,” and you know what that means! Right to the stretching room we go!

My countdown for my Disney Solo Retreat is in the single digits now! Soon I will be standing in the stretching room and mouthing the words to the pre-show!

If we were riding Haunted Mansion, I would tell you today begins the packing process for my Disney Solo Retreat.

What does that mean? It means I start making piles.

There are specific notebooks, portable chargers, the Bluetooth keyboard, the park bag.

I will start piling the clothes I think I want to take.

This outfit I will take again. I don’t Disney Bound, but this felt the closest to that I have ever done.

I received more compliments from strangers about this outfit than anything else I wore the last trip.

I will charge my MagicBand next Sunday and double-check my reservations for the Meers Bus to the resort.

I also need to go to the bank this week. I have some cash I need to deposit in the account!

If we were riding Haunted Mansion, I would tell you The Haunted Mansion has always been my favorite. I remember the first time I rode Haunted Mansion. I knew I loved this attraction before I even had ridden it. I loved the dining room scene then, and now. I believe I rode it with my brother (the first time I went was with my Oma and Opa, and I do not remember them riding any rides). I just wanted to ride it again and again. I was in 8th grade, and we had visited in September. I had to give up a high school class because I was going to be out of school longer than was allowed. I do not regret skipping a class because of a Disney trip.

If we were riding Haunted Mansion, I would tell you I watched the live D23 Horizons event hosted by Neil Patrick Harris. It was a fun show, and I loved hearing the announcements of new attractions and updates while it was happening in California.

I am excited for the new Encanto ride and Maleficent, of course. She is my favorite character.

If we were riding the Haunted Mansion, I would tell you I schedule Lightning Lanes tomorrow!

If we were riding Haunted Mansion, I would tell you I made a video about Disney and writing retreats. You can find that here: https://www.tiktok.com/@et58702/photo/7674318108764523789

If we were riding the Haunted Mansion, I would recommend

The Main Street Book Club and Writing Club: https://www.instagram.com/mainstreetbookclub/

The writing club met today at Coronado Springs. I follow along at home when I am not in the parks and play the soundscape of the venue.

If we were riding the Haunted Mansion, I would ask you to visit my PayHip page for more Disney Fun!

PromptBooks+ on PayHip

If today’s post made you think or helped you out, please take a moment right to share it with someone who loves Disney!

FETCH

For my March Disney trip, I redeemed my points for a gift card. It is super easy and is legit. All you have to do is scan receipts, which takes seconds. There are other ways to earn points like playing games and buying specific items. I tend to not pay attention to that part, but you could earn points much faster. If you use my code, we both get points!

I love this app! Turn basically anything you do into gift cards with Fetch. Earn at stores, restaurants, and shopping online. Even playing free games. Download Fetch with my link or use code P8BMWM to get a bonus when you submit your first receipt.

https://referral.fetch.com/vvv3/referralqr?code=P8BMWM

Thanks for reading all the way to the end! Have a magical day!

Join the conversation in between trips about Disney immersion, pixie dust, food, and attractions.

Cinderella Castle for Not So Scary 2024

Hello Beasties!

The above picture is the lock screen I put on my phone this morning. I have less than two weeks, and I will be in the Happiest Place on Earth for my solo writing retreat.

Countdowns contribute to the concept of anticipatory joy. This is not a Disney-isolated concept for me. My husband and I used to have this with trips. Post-it notes would appear on each other’s desks with the numbers of how many days we had to wait for isolated time. I love the countdown feature on the Disney Experiences App. It makes me happy to check that number every day.

Whenever I am cranky or seem misaligned, my son [and Disney bestie] will tell me, “Mom, I think you need a Disney countdown!”

He wasn’t wrong.

This is also the same kid who once told me I should be able to deduct pens and notebooks as a mental health expense on my taxes. “You should be able to use your HSA for that too.” One of the many reasons I love that boy!

Anticipation is a happiness trigger. It boosts happiness because dopamine is released during the waiting period. Studies show that looking forward to an event often provides more pure, unblemished pleasure than the event itself, serving as a powerful mental buffer against daily stress.

In the case of Disney, there is pure, unblemished pleasure at Disney the whole trip, even if things don’t go as planned.

Everything goes right at Disney, even if it is wrong.

I am holding my plans loosely and allowing my intuition and nudges to guide me while I am there. I am open to the magic, and that cannot always be planned!

I am resisting the urge to start packing now. I will wait til next week at least. I am a piler when I pack.

I am watching videos of people’s experiences at this year’s Not So Scary. Looking back at my own photos. Mentally planning outfits. It all makes me happy!

Next week I have the opportunity to purchase Lightning Lanes so I still have a couple of days to decide what that game plan is.

What countdown do you have right now? I would love to hear even if it isn’t Disney!

PromptBooks+ on PayHip

If today’s post made you think or helped you out, please take a moment right now to share it with someone who loves Disney!

FETCH

The last time I went to Disney, I redeemed my points for a gift card. It is super easy and is legit. All you have to do is scan receipts, which takes seconds. There are other ways to earn points like playing games and buying specific items. I tend to not pay attention to that part, but you could earn points much faster. If you use my code, we both get points!

I love this app! Turn basically anything you do into gift cards with Fetch. Earn at stores, restaurants, and shopping online. Even playing free games. Download Fetch with my link or use code P8BMWM to get a bonus when you submit your first receipt.

https://referral.fetch.com/vvv3/referralqr?code=P8BMWM

Thanks for reading all the way to the end! Have a magical day!

Join the conversation in between trips about Disney immersion, pixie dust, food, and attractions.

If we were walking on Main Street, I would tell you thank you for joining me for a stroll on Main Street USA! Joffrey’s is not my favorite, but I will have had a couple of cups in my resort room before we arrived at Magic Kingdom. I must have my coffee in the morning, but I do love a crisp Diet Coke!

While we are walking, I would tell you I have 15 days til my solo retreat! I am looking forward to getting my button! I check the app everyday just to see my countdown. I love that feature in the app.

Do you recommend the custom popcorn on Main Street? I have never had it, but see people with it all the time. I know you can go in the back and pick and choose ingredients, but I understand there are also pre-made mixes. I have seen people pick that up on their way out after fireworks for a midnight snack or breakfast. I used to love the Mickey-shaped rice krispy treats, but they taste different to me now than they did 10 years ago.

If we were walking on Main Street, I would tell you Friday was the first Not So Scary Party, and from the videos and posts, Haunted Mansion appears to have taken over more of the party. This thrills me as it is my favorite ride. I enjoyed watching everyone’s videos and posts about the parade and all the new snacks.

I remember the first time I rode Haunted Mansion. I knew I loved this attraction before I even had ridden it. I loved the dining room scene then, and now. I believe I rode it with my brother (the first time I went was with my Oma and Opa, and I do not remember them riding any rides). I just wanted to ride it again and again. I was in 8th grade, and we had visited in September. I had to give up a high school class because I was going to be out of school longer than was allowed. I do not regret trumping a class with Disney.

My game plan is completely different this trip with the party. I will be there at 4 pm when I can get into Magic Kingdom and will get on a few rides. I want to take more advantage of the special events. Parade, character meets, trick-or-treating, and food are priorities.

I am looking forward to seeing Maleficent and the other villains in the Fairytale Hall.

If we were walking on Main Street, I would tell you that I ordered a WDW junk journal from the Disney Store, a Maleficent castle mug to drink my morning coffee and a HM bag strap. I am awaiting their arrival on Wednesday!

If we were walking on Main Street, I would tell you my luggage tags and coupon came in the mail yesterday from Disney Vacations! I always know it is close when that blue envelope is in the mailbox. Are there signs that your trip is getting close that you get excited for?

If we were walking on Main Street, I would tell you I found the most delightful Disney podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@IdiotsImagineering

This is their purpose: Imagineering project of the week

“Each week the team selects a project manager to develop a thoughtful, strategic proposal for a new Disney experience. Our ideas are grounded in reality, taking into account current tech and existing park infrastructure that make Disney magic work. While we’re mindful of budgets but are not bound by them, giving us freedom to explore ideas that are informed, imaginative, and creative offering a peek into how imagineering balances story design and guest experience.”

I listened to Alice’s Unbirthday Party and Carousel of Preservation episodes yesterday. First, all their imaginings are brilliant, and it gives me great content to run to. The other thing is it pings ideas for experiences I have imagined at the parks. Since I am a writer, I now have a format to write about these ideas in a clearer way.

My son had the idea for a Small World Restaurant based on a local place he loved when he was small. I finally wrote it out in my Disney story file!

If we were walking on Main Street, I would recommend

Julie Voris

I help midlife women find more joy and answer the question “now what?” so they can rediscover who they are after the kids leave, the career winds down, or they reach their happily ever after. I’m figuring it out in real time and sharing it all with you.

Apparently Julie has been in my background for a while. She lived in Indiana; she was in my favorite Shawn T’s fitness videos I used to do religiously, and she is a Disney adult and now a Disney cast member. Most of all though, I love what she has to say. She made an IG video the other day about the “price of admission” that resonated deeply with me. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it.

I also recommend Magical Escapes YouTube Ambiance for when you miss the parks and for when you need some music to work.

If we were walking on Main Street, I would ask you to visit my PayHip page for more Disney Fun!

PromptBooks+ on PayHip

If today’s post made you think or helped you out, please take a moment right to share it with someone who loves Disney!

FETCH

The last time I went to Disney, I redeemed my points for a gift card. It is super easy and is legit. All you have to do is scan receipts, which takes seconds. There are other ways to earn points like playing games and buying specific items. I tend to not pay attention to that part, but you could earn points much faster. If you use my code, we both get points!

I love this app! Turn basically anything you do into gift cards with Fetch. Earn at stores, restaurants, and shopping online. Even playing free games. Download Fetch with my link or use code P8BMWM to get a bonus when you submit your first receipt.

https://referral.fetch.com/vvv3/referralqr?code=P8BMWM

Thanks for reading all the way to the end! Have a magical day!

Join the conversation in between trips about Disney immersion, pixie dust, food, and attractions.

Writing the Resort: An Elemental Writing Challenge is a five-day creative invitation to slow down, observe closely, and let a resort setting become the spark for story. Each day focuses on an element—such as water, air, earth, or light—to help writers notice atmosphere, sensation, and the emotional layers of place. Through short, accessible prompts, this challenge encourages playful exploration, fresh drafts, and a deeper sense of immersion, making it ideal for writers who want inspiration that feels both grounded and expansive.

Today’s challenge is a chance to write your way deeper into the resort by noticing air.

Focus on movement you can’t see directly: breezes, AC hum, doors opening, curtains shifting. Write a piece where air is the main “character.”

Day 3: Air

Today, the resort breathes.

Bubblewands anyone?

• Capture the temperature transitions (outside heat to over-air-conditioned lobby, to humid night air). How do these shifts affect mood or memory? Do you override the room A/C to make it colder?

• Write about the sounds carried through air at night—distant voices, buses, footsteps, laughter—and build a story from fragments.

Air is mostly invisible, but think about when there is mist. Florida is infamous for its humidity. How does that affect your mood, what you wear, how you move about at different times of day?

Begin by noticing how the air feels on your skin. What are the smells that are carried through the air? Beignets and coffee in the Port Orleans Resort, for example.

Follow the breath of the resort like a map through all the areas.

Overheard

Capture the overheard conversations. There is magic in the words we voice that carry. What are the memories or stories that come to mind internally for you when standing in a space? When does your breathing change?

I have noticed Disney does a great job of placing ambiance and music in places where it is difficult to overhear conversations unless the people are standing right next to you.

What stories can be told through snippets of conversations? Phrases from songs you hear moving through a space?

I encourage you to play with the format today.

I Recommend…

Magical Escapes YouTube Ambiance to get you in the mood!

Day 4 will arrive soon!

If you liked these prompts, visit my PayHip page for more options!

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If today’s post made you think or helped you out, please take a moment right to share it with someone who loves Disney!

Thanks for reading all the way to the end! Have a magical day!

Join the conversation in between trips about Disney immersion, pixie dust, food, and attractions.

Travel Notes

I am always writing on my phone and taking notes. When I attended a writing retreat in Tulum 2 years ago, I vowed to take better notes so I could reimmerse myself in the experience long after the retreat was over.

This template worked so well for me on my Disney trip in March with my son that I wanted to share.

The container allowed me to capture in one place, which felt easier for some reason. Taking notes in the queue is always a great time for me.

If you want to read more about how I wrote flash fiction in queues, you can find that here:

[I also have some food-specific prompts I added for this next trip. If you would like to see those, let me know!]

This next trip, I will be using my wireless keyboard attached to my phone. I anticipate using that tech when I am sitting at meals and around Epcot.

Title or Theme Word:

Dates:

Destination(s):

🪞Prelude — Before You Go

1. Departure mood:

2. Packing still life (describe objects):

3. Anticipation feels like:

4. Hopes or questions for this trip:

5. First image I want to remember:

📍Daily Entry Page

Date / Location:

Time / Setting:

1. One-sense focus (choose one: sight, sound, smell, taste, touch):

2. The turning image of the day:

3. Reflection snapshot — what shifted in me or around me:

4. Three-sentence story start:

 - Sentence 1 — Observation

 - Sentence 2 — Emotional undercurrent

 - Sentence 3 — Hint of mystery or movement

5. Single word title for today:

🌿Interlude Page (use between destinations or morning/noon/evening)

1. Threshold moment (travel transition, arrival, departure):

2. Unexpected tenderness or surprise:

3. Found dialogue (overheard or spoken):

4. Color, texture, or sound that defines this leg of the journey:

🧭Homecoming & Reflection

1. First impressions returning home or end of day:

2. What changed in me (habits, thoughts, curiosities):

3. Favorite three-sentence starts to expand:

4. Found title for the trip:

5. Notes for future travel writing:

Want more prompts that are aligned to the parks?

PayHip Resources

If today’s post made you think or you found it valuable, please take a moment to share it with someone who loves Disney!

Thanks for reading all the way to the end! Have a magical day from the…

Join the conversation in between trips about Disney immersion, pixie dust, food, and attractions.

Early this month, my husband and I had a parallel retreat in Canada. My husband solo backwoods camped and canoed. I was in a delightful little hotel along the water. We were discussing some ideas that recurred in (the few) articles he read about solo trips - people allowing themselves to be bored and also dealing with only being with their own thoughts. Many of the articles discussed learning to be with one's own thoughts without any external interactions or stimuli.

After he shared this tidbit, I turned from the sink and said, “I am a writer, so I am with my thoughts all the time.”

Many people we know are uncomfortable with silence. They are people who feel they need to fill the space. These are often the same people who sing the same line out loud to themselves, or have the TV on for noise or the radio.

I love my alone time and am looking forward to spending time in August on my own in the Happiest Place on Earth! Each visit is a unique experience that cannot be recreated. I will have solitude, but I won’t be lonely. If I want to have a conversation, I have been assured Cast Members will talk to me.

I am learning that interactions with strangers is part of my storytelling. And in Disney, this feels a lot easier. In a queue, it is not unusual for people to make an observation or compliment Mickey ears or a LoungeFly. I like it, and usually never feel awkward.

The Disney immersion allows me to focus on sensory writing, especially during my solo table service meals. Disney will be full of stimuli, much different than my husband’s solo trip. He was more alone than I will be. I have had times in my life where I felt just as alone in a crowd as I have with no one else around.

When I visited in March, I had writing on the brain more than any other Disney trip. (I honestly have no idea why these two areas of my life did not collide sooner!) I was rereading my notes from the trip and was taken back in such a visceral way I felt the magic all over again.

As with many other Disney adults, I do things at home to bridge the magic from one trip to another. I use the soap and shampoo from the resorts, I drink my coffee out of my resort mug, I wear Disney apparel, I play the music, I wear my silver Castle earrings I chased on the last trip, etc.

Reentry to my normal life is a process. I grieve Disney because I am a person that feels freedom and rest in a whole different way there. I love being immersed in a story. At Disney, I feel the closest to falling into a book. I revisit the stories I tell myself and how out of character I acted. I spent money with abandon and went with my impulses. If I wanted it, I did it. I had a list and a secret list. I have a list of things I will experience this trip that I never have before. There is so much do there this is never a problem.

My Favorite Mickey shaped snack - Hollywood Studios has the best ones!

One of the delights of Disney for me is the walking. Walking 20,000+ steps at Disney seems easy, especially at Epcot! I miss that routine when I am home. I am certain if I lived in Orlando, I would walk several days at the parks. I have a lot to say about walking in the parks, so watch for that essay coming soon!

My countdown to my trip is in the teens now, and my anticipation only grows. One of the things I am going to do is notice, in the moment, how I am different at Disney than any other place on Earth.

Want to know the prompts I am using on my solo Disney retreat? You can find them here.

PayHip Resources

I also recommend other Disney adult substacks! (Not exclusively, but great!)

Julie Voris

I help midlife women find more joy and answer the question “now what?” so they can rediscover who they are after the kids leave, the career winds down, or they reach their happily ever after. I’m figuring it out in real time and sharing it all with you.

Dr Kimbology

I help women navigate transitions with clarity, resilience, and the magic of symbols.

By Dr. Kim Corson

Tammy Evans is the Happiest Writer on Earth, who is a Disney adult, Disney mom, and Disney Solo traveler. She writes remotely in WDW as often as she can.

Join the conversation in between trips about Disney immersion, pixie dust, food, and attractions.

Writing as Time Travel

Writing allows me to be all my ages at once. Writing is magic for many reasons, but one of those reasons is because it’s an act of time traveling.

It always reminds me of this story: Eleven by Sandra Cisneros and Billy Collins’ poem On Turning Ten.

Speaking of writing, I have run 4 pens out of ink this week.

Here is one of the pens I am using this week:

It is one of a set I purchased at Port Orleans in March. It is quite comfortable to write with, and I plan to buy another set when I am there in August. They are just simple ball point pens, but how I live in the Disney magic at home.

How many times have you read something you wrote in the past and feel yourself transported back there? I love this feeling.

One of the ways I have added to my journals, especially when I am traveling is to capture lists of sensory moments in the present tense. I also have taken to sketching in my journal. There is something about capturing what I am looking at on the page (badly, I might add here) with my pen. I pay attention to small details I would not see otherwise. It is the same way in the museum when I stand in front of an art piece for at least 15 minutes.

I always capture meals and the itinerary of the day as well. I usually do this in a notebook but standing in a queue is the perfect time to make some notes in my notes app.

I learned from Laura Treamaine to capture a bulleted list of “What I want to remember” as a good way to get lots of ideas down quickly.

The other idea that has come up several times this week is a moment that seemed small at the time, but one that keeps rising in your mind. The one example were parents who were talking outside their daughter’s bedroom door as she was going to sleep, talking about all the ways they were proud of her. Then they went in to hug her one more time. The moment was full of love and a kind of family moment, neither parent had experienced in their youth.

The other was a story of a meal shared under the moon with a can of beans. You can read the story here.

What is a small moment you keep coming back to?

I have also used scripting as a technique for writing in general, but not usually travel writing. I did make a list of things to do next trip when I was in Disney in March, but did not know I would be there again before the calendar turned. Scripting is when you write in the present moment of something that hasn’t happened yet. This is an exercise used to capture an ideal day that you are not living yet. It is also used for manifestation. Maybe I will script as to how my solo retreat will go in 28 days!

Want more prompts that are aligned to the parks? Click here!

If today’s post made you think or you found it valuable, please take a moment to share it with someone who loves Disney!

Thanks for reading all the way to the end! Have a magical day from the…

Join the conversation in between trips about Disney immersion, pixie dust, food, and attractions.

It’s almost Halloween!

Well, not really, but the Not So Scary Parties at WDW begin August 7th.

My ticket is for the last full week of August, and I was eagerly awaiting the menu for the speciality party food.

I am also waiting for the Food and Wine Menu!

You can read more about the full menus here or here.

Two years ago when my son and I went he had these Korean BBQ tenders that were amazing. We mobile ordered at Pinocchio's and then fast walked to Tiana’s. It was still a virtual queue during regular hours at the time, and we knew we could ride it at the party. It had been down.

That trip we were on a 5:20am flight and then came to the party that evening. It was a long day even for Disney standards! Seb and I love a rope drop to fireworks day. We want to maxinmize our time in the parks because we love it there. Yes, I suppose the time for the money spent is a factor, but we love being in the Disney bubble.

We had attended an after-hours party in the past which is different from the Not So Scary Party. There seems to be a lull where the park is being set for the Halloween party. There are no free snacks during NSS, only trick or treating.

This year being solo, I plan to navigate the party differently. I want to attend the parade and see the Headless Horseman. I did not see him last year, and I was sad we didn’t watch the parade.

There are over 50 items on the special menu and the preview makes me wonder how I am going to eat all the things I want to try! I will have to make some hard decisions that evening.

There is a Headless Horseman Treat that is a pumpkin pie tart with whipped cheesecake, spiced caramel panna cotta, candied pecans, and marshmallow buttercream that is top of my list. This is at Casey’s on Main Street.

Here is Disney’s official photo

At the Main Street Bakery, there is a pumpkin cheesecake, Mickey-shaped of course, that might win out over the Headless Horseman treat depending on wait times.

I am not a Joffrey coffee fan, but there is a cold brew coffee with a pumpkin spiced foam that looks fun.

The Korean tenders seemed to have moved to Cosmic Ray’s in Tomorrowland. Those are going to be a must-try.

The Be Our Guest restaurant has an Apple Cider Margarita, but I am not having table service during the party. I feel this is a waste of the party time. Now, if there happens to be a cart outside, I will be stopping!

A Dole Whip float with chili-lime seasoning is available and this will be a must try as well.

I plan to get a photo with Maleficent. She is my favorite and is a character that doesn’t appear outside the Not So Scary Party too often.

I will have a full 2 days before I attend the party this time, so it will be better to absorb everything while I am there.

I will report back after I attend the party and let you know what I ate and how I rate it!

If today’s post made you think or helped you out, please take a moment right to share it with someone who loves Disney!

Thanks for reading all the way to the end! Have a magical day!

Join the conversation in between trips about Disney immersion, pixie dust, food, and attractions.

Writing the Resort: An Elemental Writing Challenge is a five-day creative invitation to slow down, observe closely, and let a resort setting become the spark for story. Each day focuses on an element—such as water, air, earth, or light—to help writers notice atmosphere, sensation, and the emotional layers of place. Through short, accessible prompts, this challenge encourages playful exploration, fresh drafts, and a deeper sense of immersion, making it ideal for writers who want inspiration that feels both grounded and expansive.

Today’s challenge is a chance to write your way deeper into the resort by noticing water.
Use pools, humidity, rain, condensation, and reflection as the day’s lens. This is a strong day for emotion because water can carry memory, surrender, cleansing, or pressure.

Day 2: Water

Today, the resort softens.

Everything holds moisture—air, skin, memory. Even time feels slower here, as if it’s been steeped.

Water is not just something you see today. It is something that gathers, presses, releases.

Begin by noticing where water lives.

In the obvious places: the pool’s blue hush, the slick tile beneath bare feet, the sudden applause of afternoon rain.
In the quieter ones: condensation tracing a glass, damp curls at the back of your neck, the way your shirt clings between your shoulder blades.

Let water become your guide.

Trace it.

Start with one appearance—a drop, a surface, a reflection—and follow where it leads. Each new encounter with water becomes a doorway into the next scene. The pool might take you to childhood. The rain might interrupt something unfinished. A fogged mirror might distort or reveal a truth you’ve been avoiding.

Let water carry emotion without forcing it.

Water can hold:

• Memory (what resurfaces, what refuses to stay buried)

• Surrender (what you release, what slips from your grip)

• Cleansing (what you wash away, what lingers anyway)

• Pressure (what builds, what threatens to break)

You do not need to name the emotion. Let the water do the speaking.

A possible path:
You begin poolside, watching light fracture across the surface.
You move to a drink sweating in your hand.
You’re caught in rain you didn’t plan for.
You find yourself in front of a mirror, wiping it clear.
You end somewhere unexpected—where water has led you, not where you intended to go.

Let each scene touch the next through water, even if only by echo or sensation.

Write in fragments if needed. Let the scenes drip into one another. Let there be blur.

And if something feels too heavy to hold directly, place it in the water.

Let it float. Let it distort. Let it deepen.

By the end of the day, notice:

What did the water remember for you?
What did it ask you to release?
What remained, even after everything else washed through?

I Recommend…

Magical Escapes YouTube Ambiance to get you in the mood!

A quick invitation

Try to write for 10 minutes without naming the resort too quickly. Let the details do the work first. Let the reader feel the shift before they understand where they are.

Think of the attractions that have water if you want to go beyond the resort. There is Pirate water, Jungle Cruise, and Tiana’s, just to name a few.

Day 3 will arrive soon!

If you liked these prompts, Write Around the World: A World Showcase Challenge is for you!

It is a framework to write around EPCOT! (There is drinking and snacking…now writing!)

I also have a longer set of prompts for a Disney writing retreat.

Disney Photo

If today’s post made you think or helped you out, please take a moment right to share it with someone who loves Disney!

Thanks for reading all the way to the end! Have a magical day!

Join the conversation in between trips about Disney immersion, pixie dust, food, and attractions.

AVAILABLE NOW!

New! Get yours for only $3.33

Travel the World Showcase through story. Complete 11 short pieces—one for each pavilion—plus 3 “anchor” pieces using the general prompts. The challenge can be done in one immersive day, over a weekend retreat, or across 2–3 weeks.

Also available!

NEW! Get yours for only $20

The Happiest Writing Retreat on Earth Prompt Book is designed to help writers step into an immersive, sensory-rich creative experience that blends park magic, reflective writing, and meaningful observation. These prompts invite writers to write from inside the parks, noticing details of place, emotion, movement, and performance.

The prompts are meant to feel playful and thoughtful and give writers a way to gather story material from rides, walkways, attractions, storefronts, and meals while also asking them to consider what moments sparkle, linger, or become personal narrative gold.

Three sections of prompts are contained in this guide:

Prompts for the Parks

Food and Meals

Immersion Prompts

If today’s post made you think or helped you out, please take a moment right to share it with someone who loves Disney!

Thanks for reading all the way to the end! Have a magical day!

Join the conversation in between trips about Disney immersion, pixie dust, food, and attractions.

Writing the Resort: An Elemental Writing Challenge is a five-day creative invitation to slow down, observe closely, and let a resort setting become the spark for story. Each day focuses on an element—such as water, air, earth, or light—to help writers notice atmosphere, sensation, and the emotional layers of place. Through short, accessible prompts, this challenge encourages playful exploration, fresh drafts, and a deeper sense of immersion, making it ideal for writers who want inspiration that feels both grounded and expansive.

Today’s challenge is a chance to write your way deeper into the resort by noticing what most people overlook: the weather in the air, the rhythm of footsteps, the way light changes across a walkway, the feeling of arriving somewhere new. Each prompt is meant to open a small door into memory, imagination, or invention, so write freely and let the place shape the page. There is no right answer here—only the invitation to observe closely and see what story begins to emerge.

Day 1: Arrival

Every resort begins with arrival.

Before you know the schedule, before you choose the pool chair or the dinner reservation, before you figure out where anything is, you are in the in-between place: the place where ordinary life has been set down for a while, and the new place has begun to take over. That first moment matters. It changes your attention. It changes your pace. It changes what you notice.

Today, we are not trying to write the whole resort. We are only writing the entrance to it. The threshold. The first breath. The moment your body understands that it has crossed into a different atmosphere.

Write with these prompts

• Describe the resort as if it is meeting you for the first time.

• What do you notice first: sound, smell, temperature, light, or scale?

• What are you carrying that you have not yet put down, literally or emotionally?

• What does this place seem to ask of you before it lets you fully enter?

• Write the moment when your character realizes they are no longer entirely in ordinary time.

I Recommend…

Magical Escapes YouTube Resort Ambiance to get you in the mood!

Optional angles

• Write from the perspective of a guest, a child, a cast member, or the resort itself.

• Focus only on the threshold spaces: lobby, doorway, walkway, check-in desk, bus stop, elevator.

• Let arrival become symbolic. What is the character arriving toward in their life?

• Write the same arrival in two tones: wonder and hesitation.

A quick invitation

Try to write for 10 minutes without naming the resort too quickly. Let the details do the work first. Let the reader feel the shift before they understand where they are.

At the end of your piece, ask yourself: what changes the moment someone arrives?

That is your beginning.

Day 2 will arrive soon!

If you liked these prompts, Write Around the World: A Wolrd Showcase Challenge is for you!

It is a framework to write around EPCOT! (There is drinking and snacking…now writing!)

https://tammyevanswriter.gumroad.com/l/worldshowcase

If today’s post made you think or helped you out, please take a moment right to share it with someone who loves Disney!

Thanks for reading all the way to the end! Have a magical day!

Join the conversation in between trips about Disney immersion, pixie dust, food, and attractions.

This is a Resort Basket from Mouse Marketplace

It is time for your Resort Gift Basket full of magical, fun, interesting, and surprising items, to immerse yourself in Disney or Disney adjacent things in between trips.

AVAILABLE NOW!

NEW! On Gumroad - get yours here for only $3.33

Travel the World Showcase through story. Complete 11 short pieces—one for each pavilion—plus 3 “anchor” pieces using the general prompts. The challenge can be done in one immersive day, over a weekend retreat, or across 2–3 weeks.

The Most Magical Ears

Anna’s Magic Ears

These do not give me a headache! I wear the Haunted Mansion Ears!

https://www.etsy.com/shop/AnnasMagicEars

Do You Know This YouTube Channel?

https://www.youtube.com/@magicalescapesofficial

It is often hard to decide what magical video I want to listen to. I use these often as background writing music.

If today’s post made you think or helped you out, please take a moment right to share it with someone who loves Disney!

Thanks for reading all the way to the end! Have a magical day!

Join the conversation in between trips about Disney immersion, pixie dust, food, and attractions.

Crybaby

One of the things you may not know about me is that I abhor crying. I was raised believing it is a sign of weakness.

I cried one time in a professional meeting because I cared so much for the child who was the center of the discussion. I had the knowledge base for what I was talking about, but once I got emotional, no one listened to what I was saying.

Now do not come for me - I know there are documented reasons crying is good for you. It is a release, there is scientific evidence, blah blah blah…

Having said that, the next sentence may surprise you -

One of the reasons I love Disney is because it makes me cry.

I feel safe at Disney, which is another reason I love it. But I am safe to cry there too. In my everyday life, most people don’t know what to do with me when I start crying. No one thinks twice about it at WDW, or maybe it is my POV that is different there.

I watched the 50th anniversary documentary this week and learned that during the grand opening dedication of EPCOT on October 24, 1982, Disney held the “International Ceremony of the Waters”. Representatives from 29 nations brought water from major rivers, oceans, and lakes worldwide and poured them together into a central pool as a symbol of global unity. I believe I can feel the magic underneath acts like this. Sadly, the Fountain of Nations was permanently removed in late 2019 to make way for the new World Celebration neighborhood redesign.

I also tear up every time we enter the park because of the music. Music is just one part of the immersion Disney is so skilled at.

I have cried every single time I ride Avatar Flight of Passage. My son teases me before we get on, and I tell him I won't, and I am always wiping my eyes as we come down the exit ramp into the store. There is something about the feeling of flying and that I can feel the Banshee breathing.

The fireworks choke me up. It is a combination of the music and the light show. I am also incredibly grateful that I am there and that it was such a wonderful day.

I cry more at Disney than anyplace else because I am gripped by the sentimentality, the awe and the gratitude. I expect this now and have learned to embrace it. In fact,I think I will add a crying tally to my list of prompts I am taking with me to the parks for my Disney Writing Retreat next month.

BTW - Disney movies get me every time too. Even when you think you are safe with a movie, there is a moment where it is going to get you. I cried when Ray died in Princess and the Frog. Many times in Encanto, especially at the end when Mirabel turns the doorknob. I try to hide it when other people are in the room though!

What makes you cry at Disney? I would love to know.

If today’s post made you think or you found it valuable, please take a moment to share it with someone who loves Disney!

Thanks for reading all the way to the end! Have a magical day!

Join the conversation in between trips about Disney immersion, pixie dust, food, and attractions.

Let’s talk about song flu.

One of the aspects of the immersion Disney does so well is music. It’s the catchy tunes that you catch yourself humming or singing.

Certain songs come to mind as I do tasks in my life. I woke up this morning to the hula song from Lilo and Stitch in my brain!

🏰🏰🏰🏰🏰🏰

One of my mantras has become ALMOST THERE from The Princess and the Frog

I sang this to myself last year driving out of the one-lane trail after I dropped my husband off for his backwoods canoe trip.

This year I changed the words to NO PEO-PLE over and over. It mostly worked.

🏰🏰🏰🏰🏰

I will often play the Carousel of Progress’s It’s A Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow

I am so sad I will not be able to ride it before the update. Today is the final day. I am coming to the parks at the end of August and will miss it. I look forward to what is changed. I just looked up the wait time and it is only 5 minutes right now….hmmmmm…I will monitor during the day.

While cooking, I will play Nothing Can Stop Us Now.

Yesterday was Alice in Wonderland day!

Alice in Wonderland was the first Disney movie I saw in the theater with my mom. I watched the movie last night to celebrate!

If today’s post made you think or helped you out, please take a moment right to share it with someone who loves Disney!

Thanks for reading all the way to the end! Have a magical day!

Tammy Evans is the Happiest Writer on Earth, who is a Disney adult, Disney mom, and Disney Solo traveler. She writes remotely in WDW as often as she can.

Join the conversation in between trips about Disney immersion, pixie dust, food, and attractions.

Keep App In the Queue

One of the places I write in Disney World is in the queue of an attraction. Disney’s magic of immersion in a story helps when waiting in lines for a ride. There is always something to distract you and something fun to look at. Plus, there are always conversations happening around you.

In March, my son and I were in line for the Na’vi River Journey in Animal Kingdom. [I am obsessed with the idea that there are so many strangers in my vacation photos. That will end up in a story soon too….I am sure I have notes….]

I do not remember what the specific prompts were, but they were from the Micro Marathon for SmokeLong Fitness and the Flash Extravaganza from Kathy Fish. I had sparks of ideas and wrote two flash fiction drafts on my phone in my Keep App! The sentences were coming so fast, and I was trying to capture them. Writing two full drafts is not how it usually works so I was thrilled. The time went fast too since I was occupied!

Since I write on my phone, I have two portable chargers that I take when I am traveling and am uncertain when or where I can charge it. [AIC is another place this applies to.]

Another story was started on the bus ride back to the resort one evening. We had an unusual bus driver, and I was writing notes like crazy.

Notebooks

I also scribbled some notes for a story when I rode SpaceShip Earth solo. [Spaceship Earth is the ride inside the EPCOT ball!] The ride stopped several times (typical), which helped me write in the notebook. I do not like to disturb anyone with my phone light on a darker ride if at all possible, so I wanted to avoid my app. My pen ran out of ink while I was making notes!

I had a Field Notes small notebook in my hiking shorts pocket and the larger notebook pictured below in my bag. Taking a bag into the parks is not my usual behavior, but I knew I would have some writing time that day.

This is the second pen pictured with my notebook while I was in the UK writing after Spaceship Earth. I drafted several stories here, and I recorded overheard conversation.

I honestly feel like I am always writing, but certain lines grab me, and I have to write them down before they disappear. My brain works so fast that they never come back if they fly away.

Solo Writing Retreat

When I visit WDW in August, I will have a set of prompts with me designed to cultivate stories from all the parks and several resorts. Some will be general, and others will be specific to where I am. I also have a travel writing template I use on all trips. Sometimes I don’t need a prompt. The inspiration is all around me and a story emerges. A prompt’s job is sometimes just to get the words started on the page.

I recently purchased a wireless keyboard to use with my phone. It folds and is a full-size keyboard. [I have tiny hands, which helps.] I will write a draft in every country in EPCOT and need to be able to get words down faster - hence the keyboard. There are certain places I have no desire to drag the laptop to.

Each trip is a unique and unrepeatable event. Because this trip has an intentional solo writing retreat theme, my movements and tools are different from other trips I have taken. [Have I mentioned I am excited?]

If today’s post made you think or you found it valuable, please take a moment to share it with someone who loves Disney!

Thanks for reading all the way to the end! Have a magical day!

Join the conversation in between trips about Disney immersion, pixie dust, food, and attractions.

This is a Resort Basket from Mouse Marketplace

It is time for your Resort Gift Basket full of magical, fun, interesting, and surprising items, to immerse yourself in Disney or Disney adjacent things in between trips.

Imagineering Secrets with Storytelling

Who doesn’t love to know a good secret?

I loved this book! Amazon link My library offered it on Hoopla, and I kept coming back to it. The fictional group is led through Magic Kingdom, and many of the Imagineering storytelling concepts are shared! If you are a visualization person, it is a great way to immerse yourself in the park in your head! It also allows you to reflect on your own life, work, and creative processes, and how to enhance them with the Imagineering concepts.

Writing this, I now want to read it again. I am off to reload it in the app…

Ok, I am back.

A Fun Listen and Immersion on Haunted Mansion

One, I appreciate a podcast that discusses all things solo in the parks. I also enjoy her voice. (That is important in a podcast host).

Second, this is an immersive episode on the Haunted Mansion ride (with sound effects) with reflection. I made a whole list of prompts for myself to explore in response to this episode. I hope she does more like this one!

Third, it was while I was walking and listening to this episode that the lightning bolt came to me for this Substack!

Another Disney writer to follow

Madison was the first writer I found who wrote in Disney. She writes thrillers in theme parks, not direct Disney content. Her IG is worth the follow! This is her website: https://www.madisonrupp.com/

A Fun Listen from the Past

My son LOVED trains and Thomas the Tank Engine. I remembered this song and was thrilled to find it here:

When You Want to Pretend You Are At the Resort

I write well in a resort room, and I use this as white noise when writing often! It takes me back!

If today’s post made you think or you found value, please take a moment to share it with someone who loves Disney!

Thanks for reading all the way to the end! Have a magical day!

** This post was inspired by:

The Auntie Bulletin

Here's Your End-of-June Care Package

Happy summer, aunties! I am loving all the pieces I’ve seen lately about a vibe shift in the direction of love, joy, caring, and community. No false modesty necessary here: we aunties have been on the hope train all along, so let’s give ourselves some enthusiastic pats on the back…

Read more

2 months ago · 21 likes · 3 comments · Lisa Sibbett