While web-surfing the other day I stumbled across something particularly funny or interesting or useful – I can’t remember what it was – but it was GOOD. And I thought, “Man, that’s good. I want other people to see it.” I thought about tweeting about it from @TravelMamas (and may have done just that) or posting a link to it from the Travel Mamas Facebook page. But then I got an even better idea…why not share my favorite web stories and videos with YOU, right HERE on Travel Mamas?!

Now, this isn’t a unique idea by any stretch. Other bloggers have been doing something similar on their sites for awhile, like Matt Long with his Landlopers Picks of the Week and Stephanie Schaeffer with her Tuesday Tours: What’s Happening on the Web. But it’s a good idea, and one I plan to copy. Starting now.

Some of these things just got posted this week, but others have been around for awhile and I just happened to find them recently. In any case, here are my favorite stories for the first week of the The Travel Mama’s World Tour of the Web:

Q&A: TSA’s New Kid-Friendly Checkpoints – Overhead Bin
There’s been much excitement about children being subjected to less security pat-downs at the airport with the new TSA kid-friendly checkpoints. According to this article, however, it looks like kids under age 13 will just not need to remove their shoes. While this will make the lines flow smoother for parents and other travelers, if my kid is required to go through the ‘naked’ or ‘scatter’ scanners, I’m still insisting on a pat-down until the new technology is proven to be safe. Just last month I tried to take a photo of my 6-year-old getting a pat-down after I refused to let her go through the scatter scanner but the TSA told me I was not allowed to take any pictures. According to Christopher Elliott of Elliott.org, though, I should have been allowed to snap pics as long as I wasn’t disrupting official TSA business. The bigger news might be that the ‘Naked’ Scanners May Soon Be on the Way Out.

Roseanne Sings the National Anthem…Again! – Roseanne’s Nuts, on YouTube
This video clip brings tears to my eyes every time I watch it. Remember when Roseanne Barr sang the national anthem years ago and she did such a terrible job that it tanked her career, inspired death threats, and incited President Bush to call her a disgrace? Well, she recently sang the national anthem again. This time she sang the song before a women’s college softball game in Hawaii and she did a very good job. It took an incredible amount of courage for her to overcome her fears of bungling the song again but she did it. What an inspiration!

Meal Day Plan for 5 Day Camping Trip – Family Trek
Now, I don’t know if I’ll ever be up for such a long family camping trip (probably not, two or three days would likely be my limit), but I dig this camping menu with its appealing dishes and easy-to-follow instructions. I asked Family Trek on Twitter how they kept the perishables safe and they said, “Coleman cooler that keeps ice for 5 days @ 90 degrees. That’s how it’s billed. Not 100% true but it did the job.”

Astrophysicist Shows Why it Takes So Long to Board a Plane - WBEZ91.5
A Fermilab physicist ran experiments with actual humans and an actual airplane to determine the best way to cut boarding time. Guess what? The airlines have been doing it all wrong.

Hoop Dee Doo Revue…Review! – The Disney Food Blog 
I have wanted to go to the popular Walt Disney World character meal, the Hoop Dee Doo Revue, ever since I planned an elaborate WDW trip a few years ago. To get amped for the trip I purchased an old-school (2005) Disney DVD, Sing-A-Long Songs Campout at Walt Disney World, which includes clips from the Hoop Dee Doo Revue. My family wound up staying at the Nickelodeon Suites Resort instead of at our original choice, the Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort, where this musical ho-down/barbecue takes place. So we never did make it to the Hoop Dee Doo. However, my kids (and yes, the hubs and I, too), love watching this video together. We even get up and dance during the square dance scene. This review confirms the Revue’s spot on my family’s Disney to-do list.

10 Beauty Products for Under $10 - Savvy Sassy Moms
This beauty product list has nothing to do with traveling, or even parenting, but mamas like to look good too! Plus, I’m always looking for a good deal so I’ll have more money to travel with!

What’s the juiciest story you found on the web this week? Please share in the comments below!

Photo by DuBoix, Creative Commons 3.0

You might also like:

• 5 Safety Tips for Camping with Kids

• The Travel Mama’s Guide to Orlando & Kissimmee with Kids

• Tips for Flying Standby & Handling Flight Delays with Kids

• Top 10 Blogs of 2010

Dear Santa Claus,

Last year I made ten holiday wishes. You certainly delivered on a few, my jolly old friend. I’ll be one happy Travel Mama if you can come though on all of ‘em this year!

1) Last Year: A Disney Cruise. I knew a Disney Cruise would be a difficult item to fit on your sleigh but I asked for it anyway and put a photo of a Disney ship on my vision board. Now I’m a believer because I was recently invited by Disney Cruise Line to sail on the new Dream ship’s inaugural cruise in January 2011! My family and I can’t wait spend two nights at sea and make a stop at one of my Bucket List destinations, Disney’s private Caribbean island, Castaway Cay.  

This Year: An Alaskan Cruise. Now, I might just be getting greedy here. I should just be thankful for the Disney Cruise and leave it at that, right? But nooooo…I gotta keep dreaming!

2) Last Year: A Jogger. Last Christmas I camplained that I was the only mama in my Stroller Strides class bumping along at the back of the pack with my standard stroller. Well, I got my jogger, but I got a cheap one. Now I am the only mama in class whose front tire doesn’t turn so I have to push down on the handle and lift my son into the air every time I want to turn. If you are looking for a jogger, I suggest you spend the extra bucks and get a revolving front tire! By the way, I’m still at the back of the pack. I can’t blame the stroller anymore so I guess I just have to admit that I’m slow.

This Year: Fitness & Connection with Nature.  I won’t request another, better jogger. But I do want to focus more on getting outdoors and being active as a family. It’d be nice to splurge on some fun classes to keep the kiddos fit too- like swimming, dance lessons, or Tae-Kwon-Do.

3) Last Year: Long-Sleeved Shirts and Pajamas.

This Year: Just Fit into Last Year’s Clothes. ‘Nuff said.

4) Last Year: A Publisher for My Book, The Travel Mamas’ Guide a humorous, how-to guide for traveling with babies and tots. My agent recently sent out my book proposal to mid-size to large potential publishers. They all pretty much said the same thing: Love the voice. Think the book fills a need in the market. Worried there’s too much information already online (ironically). 

This Year: A Publisher for My Book. I am starting my search for a smaller publisher now. I know there is a need for this book. I know many moms and dads struggle to figure out how to continue to travel after becoming parents. I know I can help parents minimize the stresses of traveling with babies and children and enjoy the time spent together as a family on the go. I can’t give up yet. If J.K. Rowling gave up at this point, we never would have heard of Harry Potter!

5) Last Year: A Sponsor for BlogHer 2010 in New York. Well, I didn’t find a sponsor for the BlogHer conference, but JetSetBabies did sponsor my trip to the Travel Bloggers Exchange conference (TBEX) in New York this past summer! And, BlogHer is scheduled to come to my hometown of San Diego in 2011, for which I have already purchased my ticket.

This Year: Attendance at TBEX ’11 in Vancouver, Canada. I’ve always wanted to visit Vancouver and this conference gives me the perfect excuse to go! I look forward to chatting, touring, and toasting with some of my favorite bloggers and making new travel-loving friends.

6) Last Year: An Appearance on Oprah’s Show.

This Year: A Place in Oprah’s Audience. This is Oprah’s last year as a daytime talk show host and I’m just dying to attend a taping before it’s off the air. Sure, I’d love a spot on her couch but I’d settle for anything at this point. Do you think if I mention Oprah in enough blog posts that eventually one of her producers will stumble across Travel Mamas and invite me on the show?! (Hey – it could happen!) So far, I’ve included Oprah in five stories. Hmm…maybe you should expect to see her in a few more!

7) Last Year: Annual Passes to Disneyland. Well, I may not have gotten annual Disneyland passes but I was fortunate to have been invited to Disneyland three times in 2010 for Travel Mamas stories. As an added bonus, last year I attended Disney Social Media Moms, a conference in Orlando that enabled me to connect with other bloggers and to experience Walt Disney World with my mom and two kiddos!

This Year: Disney Gift Cards. Since we will be flying to Orlando for the Disney Dream Cruise in the new year, we have decided to extend our stay by a few days so we can explore the Disney World Parks and other Orlando attractions. I’m asking my family for Disney gift cards in lieu of holiday gifts to help us fund our park entrance tickets and vacation dining.

8)Last Year:  More Date Nights OUT with my Husband.

This Year: More Date Nights IN with my Husband. We can’t seem to find a reliable babysitter or afford many fancy date nights. So now I’m wishing for some home date night fun. Specifically, I’d love a fire pit for the backyard by which the hubs and I could snuggle up after the kids are in bed. I’d also like a couple of date night movies on DVD to watch while nibbling popcorn on the couch with my honey, like Julie & Julia (what blogger doesn’t dream of having her story made into a movie starring Meryl Streep?) and Eat, Pray, Love (because I could use a spiritual tour of the world!).

9) Last Year: A Month in a Foreign Country.

This Year: Travel. Period. While I didn’t spend a month in a foreign country last year, I traveled to Texas, Puerto Rico, Cabo San Lucas, Arizona, Florida, Maine, New York, and throughout California. Being a travel blogger does not pay well, but it does have some great perks! I’m not sure where Travel Mamas will take me in 2011…but I hope you’ll come along for the ride.

10) Last Year: Good Health. Lots of Love. Family. Friends. This year has been quite the journey for me. I have struggled with some health issues related to stress and have made a few trips to the emergency room for complications related to my son’s asthma. My husband and I have argued more this year than any other during our 11 years together due mostly to our constant worry about his job in this stinky economy (he’s had six within three years), the difficulties of making a living as a travel writer, and the likelihood of making our mortgage payment.

I am incredibly blessed for my overall good health and that of my children. I try to focus on the love that surrounds me, even when the world seems filled with noise and worry. I am blessed to be part of our family of four and to have siblings and parents, who are always in my heart even though they live far away. And I am thankful for my friends…from my neighbor, Sara, with whom I often trade harrowing parenting stories over a glass of wine while our kids run in wild circles around us…to Erin who accompanied me on my trip to Freeport, Maine and reminded me of the giggling college girls we used to be…to my online friends with whom I share my hopes, frustrations, and love of this crazy world of blogging and social media.

This Year: Joy in the Journey. I hope to discover how to make a living doing what I love: writing, exploring the world, and helping others get the most out of their travels. I have been working so hard to make Travel Mamas and myself into a success story that sometimes I have forgotten to enjoy the ride. Wherever this year takes me, I plan to enjoy the journey. I wish the same for you in 2011!

What’s on your holiday wish list? Please share your wishes in the comments below!

You might also like:

• The Travel Mama’s Holiday Wish List - Year 1

• Build a Village in India & Win a JW Marriott Getaway

• Holidays at Disneyland

• How to Survive Visiting Family during the Holidays

I was asked to share a few of my happiest travel memories to coincide with Lay’s potato chips’ Happiness Exhibit, a campaign that showcases the moments of simple happiness that people treasure most. Share one of your happiest travel memories in the comments below for a chance to win a $200 gift card to Southwest Airlines, provided by Lay’s potato chips!

Happiness is Family
When we travel with family, the focus isn’t on work, school, and never-ending to-do lists. Family vacations allow us to spend quality time with people we love, live more fully in the present moment, take notice of our surroundings, and enjoy life. This must be why my daughter often cries at the end of a vacation, “But I don’t wanna go home!”

And, it must be why so many of my happiest childhood memories took place while on a family vacation…swimming in indoor hotel pools with the gleeful calls of “Marco! Polo!” echoing against the walls…playing 20 questions in the backseat of our spitfire orange station wagon…or knowing I was safe on Disney’s Haunted Mansion ride because my dad told me my green Mickey Mouse ears would protect me. I am pictured above at age four (sporting my magical green mouse ears) with my brother and Pluto at Walt Disney World in Florida.

Happiness is Getting Away from it All
One of the happiest moments of any trip for me is after I arrive at my destination and I realize, “Hey, I’m on vacation!” Here I am pictured with my son, Leo, with my hometown San Diego in the background on a Carnival Cruise to Mexico. A sweet thing about a cruise is, the minute you step onboard, your vacation starts!

Happiness is Being Together
Since my two siblings and I live in three different states and we each have families of our own, it is a very rare occasion when we, our children, and our parents are all able to meet in one place. We made a point to get together in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico for a few days of family fun in the sun before my brother, a naval officer, was deployed to Iraq for six months.

While it was thrilling to swim with dolphins in The Bahamas and to climb a waterfall in Jamaica, most of my happiest travel memories take place when doing simple things with people I love. By far my favorite memory of this trip was simply splashing around in one of the hotel’s pools with the whole family.

In total, there were fourteen family members who went on this multi-generation vacation. From left to right, pictured above are my niece Siobhan, husband Phil, nephew Trevor, and sister Karen hamming it up at the pool at Solmar Resort.

Happiness is Relaxation
It is a happy moment indeed when children successfully take a nap while on vacation! This is especially true when such a nap takes place poolside at a beautiful resort, allowing for a mid-day snooze or dip in the pool for the Travel Mama and Travel Daddy! Here’s a photo of my daughter, Karissa, asleep in her stroller at the Kauai Marriott Resort in Kauai, Hawaii.

Happiness is Dreaming
I spent a lot of time visualizing taking my baby to Disneyland to distract myself from contractions during a very, very, very long labor with my firstborn. I couldn’t think of a happier place to be. It is, after all, The Happiest Place on Earth!

So, for my daughter’s first birthday rather than throwing her a birthday party, we took a three-day trip to Disneyland. Did the trip live up to my expectations? I think this picture of Karissa clapping with joy on her inaugural Disney ride aboard Dumbo’s back says it all!

Happiness is Simple
The message of the Lay’s potato chips’ Happiness Exhibit is that the happiest moments in our lives are truly the simple ones. From the online exhibit, select photos will be chosen to be featured on millions of Lay’s potato chip bags. You can submit photos that showcase simple, happy moments to Lays.com. Submitting photos on the Lay’s site does not affect your chance of winning the Happiest Travel Memories Contest on TravelMamas.com but it sure would be fun to see your photo on a bag of Lay’s potato chips! 

Happiest Travel Memories Contest Sponsored by Lay’s Potato Chips
I shared just a few of my happiest travel memories with you. Now it’s your turn! Leave a comment below describing one of your happiest travel memories for a chance to win a $200 Southwest Airlines gift card. Lay’s potato chips will provide the prize to the winner.

This contest ends at 11:59 pm Pacific Standard Time on Saturday, May 1, 2010. The winner will be selected at random using Random.org and will be notified by email. If no response is received within one week, the first winner will forfeit the prize and another entrant will be selected. THIS CONTEST IS CLOSED. To find out who won and to read my favorite entries, read Thanks for Sharing the Memories.

You can enter a maximum of four times, using each method of entry once. The first option is required for entry. For each bonus entry, you must add an additional, separate comment to this blog post.

• REQUIRED ENTRY: Leave a comment below about your happiest travel memory. Please be specific! General comments like, “I love to travel” or “I have many happy travel memories” will be disqualified.

• BONUS ENTRY: Follow @TravelMamas on Twitter and tweet this contest. Be sure to add a link to your tweet below! Copy and paste the following phrase into Twitter:

Share a happy travel memory on @TravelMamas to WIN $200 for AIRLINE TIX from Lay’s potato chips http://bit.ly/arRHw7  #giveaway

• BONUS ENTRY: Become a Fan of Travel Mamas on Facebook. Then submit a comment like the one below, filling in the blanks, on the Travel Mamas Fan Page wall. Be sure to come back here and repeat the phrase in a separate comment on this blog post!

If I win the Happiest Travel Memories Contest on TravelMamas.com I will go to ___________ because _______________.

• BONUS ENTRY: Become a Travel Mama to receive bimonthly e-newsletter updates. If you already receive the e-newsletter, that counts! Just be sure to make a comment below saying that you are on the distribution list!

You might also like:

• Beach Day in Zihuatanejo, Mexico

• Carnival Cruise Line’s Onboard Activities for Kids

• 10 Best Family-Friendly Hotel Pools in the World

• Top 10 Disneyland Rides and Attractions for Babies and Toddlers

• Why We Travel with Children

While standing in line for the Tomorrowland Transportation Authority ride at the Magic Kingdom during our recent visit to Disney World, I overheard the young couple in front of us discussing the wait times for various attractions while looking at their iPhone. Okay, I was being snoopy…but I asked them about it. They told me I could download a free app from iTunes called Disney World Wait Times. I downloaded it right there in line. The app allows you to check out current wait times for all four of the WDW parks in the palm of your hand. I only wish I’d discovered this timesaver before our last day at the parks! Download it directly from your iPhone.

Do you know of an iPhone app that is great for travel? Leave a comment below!

When people ask me what’s the most important thing to know about Disney World, the answer comes easily, “You’ve got to plan!” Orlando’s Walt Disney World is more than an amusement park – it really is a vacation experience. There are four major theme parks, two water parks, and a dining and shopping district. Guests can choose to enjoy unique and wide-ranging special events, recreational activities, dining experiences, top-notch shows, parades, and character meets. Have I convinced you yet that you need to research and plan to take advantage of everything Disney World has to offer?

Here are some tips on how to prepare for a Disney World vacation to make your experience magical, memorable, and enjoyable for everyone in your family:

Create Your Own Pixie Dust
Anticipation is an exciting part of a Disney vacation! Get out your craft supplies and create a customized welcome letter from Mickey Mouse and invitations to special events your family will be attending. With stealth and a little luck, you can slip these onto your kids’ pillows for a magical surprise. You could also make a Disney-inspired tear-away calendar for a fun way to count down to D-for-Disney-Day.

Pick Your Tickets
The longer you stay, the less you pay – per day that is. The daily rate for theme park admission tickets decreases the more days you purchase. You can choose a base ticket only or add on a Park Hopper option. With the base ticket, you can visit a single park per day. With the Park Hopper option, you can visit any combination of the four theme parks each day.  

Get Ready to WALK
The Disney World website lets you download customized park maps before you leave home. Prepare for the miles of walking you’ll be doing at the parks and bond with your family at the same time by “training” for Disney World with daily walks.

Create a Must-Do List
Avoid cries of “Why do we always do what he wants?” by creating a list of each family member’s must-dos. You don’t have to see and do everything; if you do, you’ll probably be so exhausted you won’t enjoy the trip.

Consider spending more than one day at a favorite park and leaving other parks for a future visit. Since dining at theme park restaurants requires park admission, knowing which park you’ll be visiting each day will help you make dining reservations.

Make Advanced Dining Reservations
At Disney World, you can eat breakfast with princesses, watch sci-fi flicks in a ‘50s drive-in during lunch, and enjoy an evening at a Polynesian luau. Selecting the Disney dining options that are best for your family will make your trip one to remember. To ensure a table at your preferred restaurants, making Advance Dining Reservations is a must! Book online or call 407-WDW-DINE up to 180 days in advance. Popular meals fill up quickly!

Consider the Disney Dining Plans
Look into the Disney Dining Plans which allow guests to purchase credits for meals at a discounted rate. Whether quick or table service meals are your pleasure, Disney has a dining plan available. Crunch the numbers – a dining plan is not for every family.

Dine In
Consider having groceries, especially beverages, delivered to your Disney hotel room from a local grocery store. You can even ship items to the hotel, which can store items until you arrive from companies such as JetSetBabies and Babies Travel Lite. Refrigerators are available by request in all Walt Disney World lodging.

Use Magic Hours
Disney offers guests staying on-site a perk called Extra Magic Hours. Each day, one of the theme parks either opens an hour early or has extended evening hours. Disney posts a calendar of these hours about six months in advance.

Avoid Ride Overload
Mix things up by taking in an indoor show, visiting a playground, or having a light snack after enjoying a couple of rides to prevent attraction overload. 

Use a FASTPASS
Using Disney’s FASTPASS system is an absolute must. Pick up a FASTPASS and return to the attraction during the designated timeframe to bypass the regular line. Before your trip, research which attractions offer FASTPASS to make the most of your time at the parks.

Make Time for Play Time
Mini golf. Outdoor movies. Sing-a-longs. Princess or pirate makeovers. Boating. Afternoon teas. All of these recreational activities and more are available at Walt Disney World. Though some of these distinctively Disney activities are costly, many are free or low-cost. Don’t overlook the exceptional afternoon parades or the awesome nightly fireworks shows.

Prepare for Special Needs
Disney goes out of its way to make every guest comfortable. If you have little ones, read up on stroller rentals, childcare options, and Disney’s Baby Care Centers. Disney’s policies make sure guests with food allergies or dietary restrictions can dine safely and enjoyably. From Electronic Convenience Vehicle (ECV) rentals and assisted listening or video captioning devices, to attractions that accommodate guests with differing mobility and more, Disney World is accessible to guests with special needs.

Get Your Questions Answered
For answers to specific questions, check out Walt Disney World Moms Panel. Between them, these moms and dads have experienced all aspects of Disney World and enjoy nothing more than passing their extensive knowledge on to others.

Win a Copy of Beyond the Attractions: A Guide to Walt Disney World with Preschoolers
Enter to win one of two copies of Beyond the Attractions: A Guide to Walt Disney World with Preschoolers. Retail value is $15.99. One book will be awarded to an attendee of the 2010 Social Media Moms Celebration at Walt Disney World. A second book will be awarded to any Travel Mamas reader. The winner will be contacted via email. Lisa M. Battista will provide the prizes to the winners. The contest ends on Friday, January 29, 2010. The winner will be randomly selected using RANDOM.org and will be announced on TravelMamas.com the following Monday. THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED.

You can enter twice, using each method of entry below once:

1) Make any post-related comment below. All generic comments like, “Thanks for the contest” or “I want to win” will not count as entries. Everyone is welcome to enter! If you are a Disney Social Media Mom, be sure to mention that in your comment!

2) Tweet this contest! Copy and paste the following phrase into Twitter. Be sure to post another comment with a link to your tweet!
Win “Beyond the Attractions” – a Disney World guidebook by @DisneyExplorer  http://bit.ly/7DdZA0 on @TravelMamas #DisneySMMoms

Travel Mamas Guest Blogger Lisa M. Battista is the author of Beyond the Attractions: A Guide to Walt Disney World with Preschoolers. As a mom of three and frequent Walt Disney World Resort visitor, Lisa is continually searching for new ways to enhance the magic of Walt Disney World trips with children. You can buy her book at Amazon.com or BeyondTheAttractions.com. Follow Lisa on Twitter at @DisneyExplorer for updates about the Walt Disney World Resort.

For more information on this topic see:

• Amusement Park & Disney Resources

• Holidays at Disneyland

• PassPorter’s Top Tips for Doing Disney with Children

• Top 10 Disneyland Attractions for Babies & Toddlers

A note from Colleen Lanin, Creator and Editor of Travel Mamas: I will be attending the Social Media Moms Celebration at Walt Disney World in February 2010 along with other blogging moms and dads. The cost to attend this three-day event is $350, which includes conference attendance, lodging for four, some meals, and Park Hopper tickets.

Additionally, I received a copy of Beyond the Attractions: A Guide to Walt Disney World with Preschoolers from Lisa M. Battista. I found it so useful in planning my upcoming trip that I asked her to write this guest blog post. I will be bringing my highlighted, dog-eared copy with me to Orlando!

An Interview with Jennifer Marx, co-author of the PassPorter guides to Disney

Hanging in my office is a page torn from a PassPorter’s guidebook to Disney World, across which I have written, “DO WHAT YOU LOVE!” 

PassPorter was developed by Disney enthusiast Jennifer Marx. Jennifer originally made homemade binders filled with itineraries to take on Disney trips with her husband and PassPorter co-author, Dave Marx. The organizers helped her plan their vacations and served as a souvenir scrapbook. During one of their Disney adventures, it occurred to Jennifer that she could sell a combination organizer/guidebook to help other vacationers plan and remember their trips too.

During a recent interview, Jennifer gave me her top tips for touring Disney with kids and divulged some of her Disney favorites.

Top Tips for Doing Disney with Children: Jennifer suggests, “Go at their pace. Don’t try to do 50 rides. Try to keep to their schedule as much as possible and get back to the hotel if you can for a nap or to go swimming.”

Jennifer also recommended bringing along a good stroller instead of renting one of the hard plastic strollers from Disney. Her favorite is the McClaren Quest, “because it folds in half for getting on and off the buses and monorail plus it reclines for naps.” She sewed patches on her four-year-old son Alexander’s stroller from the 15 countries their family has visited together.

Favorite Park: Epcot. “It’s probably because of sentimental reasons because that was the first park that I ever went to when I was a teen. We went just for one day and didn’t go to Disney World until a couple years later.” Epcot is one of four theme parks at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. It is divided into the Future World (which focuses on technology and innovations) and World Showcase (with shops, restaurants and attractions representing the cultures of 11 countries).

Favorite Disney Restaurant: “Victoria and Albert’s because that’s where Dave and I got married. We had a small wedding with 18 people – just immediate family.” Victoria and Albert’s is the most upscale of all Disney restaurants. It is located at the Grand Floridian hotel at Disney World and is solely for guests aged 10 and older.

Favorite Disney Attraction:  “The Carousel of Progress at Disney World.  It is quintessential Disney.  There are a lot of new great rides these days but this is old school Disney.  It’s kind of cheesy, but I like it. It just feels like Disney.” The 21-minute show was created by Walt Disney for the 1964-65 New York World’s Fair and then was moved to Disneyland in California. The show moved to the Magic Kingdom park in Florida in 1975.

Jennifer and Dave’s authenticity and approachability has helped to sell nearly a third of a million PassPorters to fiercely brand-loyal fans. Jennifer seems like one of your best girlfriends- unpretentious, fun, self-depricating. She said, “I don’t look like a supermodel. I look like a mom.” It is this couple-next-door realness that readers can relate to. Jennifer admits, “I’m really shy so at events Dave is in charge and I’m standing back and smiling and trying not to say something stupid.” I never would have guessed that from our conversation – she seemed nothing but confident, witty, and easy to talk to.

This year PassPorter is celebrating 10 years of helping people enjoy Disney World, Disneyland and Disney cruises. Jennifer and Dave are currently on a weeklong Disney Cruise to Tortola with about 150 readers. The festivities will continue at Disneyworld next week. Plans are in the works for a Disneyland party in the fall for West Coast fans.

I read PassPorter several months ago while planning a family trip to Disney World. The guidebook’s easy-to-read format and neighborly advice prompted me to flip to the to the front to read more about the authors, where I discovered how Jennifer was inspired to create the first PassPorter. I tore the page from the book (sorry, Jennifer and Dave!) and put it on the bulletin board in my office.

Jennifer’s story encouraged me to follow my dream. She transformed her love for Disney into a successful career writing a unique series of Disney guidebooks. She inspired me to turn my love of traveling and writing into a career too.

You can imagine how thrilled I was to interview the woman who has been such a source of inspiration to me! I just hope I didn’t say anything stupid.

 * * * *

Are you a fan of PassPorter or another Disney guidebook? Or do you have any Disney tips to share with other Travel Mamas? Leave a comment below!

For more information on this topic see:

• Amusement Parks & Disney Resources

• Holidays at Disneyland

• Top 10 Disneyland Rides and Attractions for Babies and Toddlers