Gary and the Pixie Dust!

Sounds like a great name for a band, doesn’t it?  If such a band existed, Gary Buchanan, the Social Media Managing Editor and PR Manager for Disney Parks, would be the front man without a doubt! Brimming with enthusiasm and exuding Disney magic from his every pore, Gary is the energetic ringmaster of the Disney Social Media Moms on the Road conference series landing in four cities across the country throughout the month of June.  I was fortunate enough to find a pixie-dusted invitation to this sought-after event in my inbox a few weeks ago and recently attended the 1/2 day conference in New York City on June 5th.

Everything I had read about this event encouraged arriving early, so after briefing the family on how to get out the door to school fully dressed with backpacks packed in my absence, I hopped on the 6:31 a.m. train to the city which would get me into Grand Central Station just after 7 a.m.  Plenty of time to stroll uptown to the Doubletree Midtown where the conference would be held.  There were only a handful of bloggers there when I arrived and the intimacy of the small group made it easy to meet some of the fantastic people I would have the chance to interact with throughout the morning.

The registration area began to fill quickly as 8:30 a.m. grew closer, and the space was abuzz with excitement and anticipation.  To our delight, the double doors to the conference room soon burst open and none other than the aforementioned Gary Buchanan (known in the Twitterverse as @Gary_Jerry) greeted us with a joyful shout and an infectious grin–this is a man who truly loves his gig!

With several mentions of prizes and pixie dust, Gary invited us to join him in getting the conference under way.  We were greeted at our tables by some of the furry stars of the soon-to-be-released Pixar film, Monster’s University, as well as some favorite Disney treats.

Gary’s role with Disney requires him to wear many hats–from presenting at conferences to writing for the Disney Parks blog, Gary spreads Disney magic wherever he goes.  And his presence at Disney on the Road was no different.  We were treated to an overview of all the new and exciting attractions, shows, and events that have recently launched at the Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resorts as well as to a recap of the 24-magical park hours experienced by park guests at both resorts on May 24th to kick off Disney’s Monstrous Summer.  One of my favorite parts of Gary’s presentation was a time-lapse video of those 24-hours on Walt Disney World’s Main Street, USA complete with the musical accompaniment of the Tiger Rag (often performed by the Main Street Philharmonic in Disney World).

One of the things that Gary shared with us is the overall philosophy of the Disney Parks experience as being one that is “all about immersion.”  According to Gary, “The subtleties and attention to detail are what make the [Disney] imagineers so special.”  I couldn’t agree more.  One of my favorite parts of a Disney Parks vacation is the way folks can completely immerse themselves into the experience, and this is a concept that Walt Disney himself was passionate about creating.  Take a ride on Soarin’ and you find yourself, literally, soaring over the spectacular scenery of California, feeling the breeze in your face and inhaling the scents of towering pines and zesty oranges.  A meander through Disneyland or the Magic Kingdom will take your from the frontier to the colonial days to the pages of a storybook complete with themed architecture, related botanicals, and musical accompaniment.  Disney is taking immersion a step further with many of their new attractions, beginning the guest’s experience as soon as they enter the attractions’ queueing areas.  Wind your way through a Tibetan museum filled with relics from past Everest adventures in Disney’s Animal Kingdom or lose yourself in the circus tent atmosphere while waiting to climb aboard Dumbo, the famous elephant.  Kids and parents alike will find themselves engaged on innumerable levels while visiting the Disney Parks in years to come.

For me, a self-proclaimed Disney Travel Guru, listening to Gary speak about this summer’s magic was invigorating.  Even though I was pretty well-versed in the information he shared with us, his enthusiasm served to encourage my own excitement for the parks and for the Disney brand in general.  I love helping to bring Disney magic to my clients and their families everyday–hearing my own enthusiasm echoed in the words of someone as close to the Disney Parks as Gary is inspires me all the more

What DO the Disney Parks have in store for guests this summer? Check out this great information from disney.go.com

It’s a Monstrous Summer at Disneyland Resort!