Disney Mania!

I am currently 6 days away from being on a plane to Disney World with the boyfriend and his family. This means his parents;  his younger brother and younger brother’s girlfriend; his older brother,  sister-in-law, and their three kids;  AND his sister-in-law’s parents.

I’ve been counting down to my time with Mickey for about 7 months now. And, it’s been hard to restrain myself, because for the second trip this month, I have very little control over any of the planning. With a group this size, including three kids under the age of three, where I’m a guest of sorts, I’m pretty much committed to just going with the flow.

That said, it hasn’t stopped me from incessantly researching all things Disney! I’ve volunteered for the “Give a Day, Get a Day” volunteer program, I’ve put together a list of all the parks’ operating hours (including the “Extra Magic Hours” for visitors staying on the Disney property), and been perusing some of the Disney message boards on the “Largest Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World“.

The one thing I’ve really learned from all this is that there is a huge subculture of Disney addicts! It’s been quite eye-opening to me — all of the tricks, tips, and secrets that the repeat Disney-goers know. The message boards are so full of strange acronyms and abbreviations that I almost felt as if I was reading something in a foreign language. I think I’ve gotten most of the acronyms figured out now (WDW = Walt Disney World; MK = Magic Kingdom; CM = Cast Member; DLR = Disneyland Resort; FP = FastPass; GAD = Give a Day; DIS = Disney Information Station [Former name of the web site]), but if don’t feel bad if you need a glossary to help you out!

I have to admit, I was rather intimidated by the many DISers (what the DIS message boarders call themselves) who post long lists of past Disney visits as part of their signatures. Some of these people average more than 1 trip per year! But no need to worry. Everyone seems to be really friendly and welcoming in the underground Disney community.

Here are a few of the other things I’ve learned recently about this crazy sub-culture…

• DISers wear lime green ribbons or Lime Green Mickey Heads (from paint samples at Home Depot) to identify themselves to others while they’re there.
• There are entire forums designated to people traveling solo to Disney.
• Trading pins are a big deal.
• No matter how many times you go to Disney World, there will always be someone more obsessed and knowledgeable than you are!

Overall, my “researching” experience has been really intriguing, and actually a little scary, too. I guess I still have a lot to learn about being a true Disney fanatic!

That said, I’d love to hear any Disney tips or secrets you’d like to share!