
This week, my good friend and longtime Disney Geek Dana Brogneri is back on the podcast to share a 10-night Walt Disney World trip with her husband and daughter — including a split stay at Animal Kingdom Lodge and the Beach Club.
Dana and her family have been to Disney plenty of times, but that’s what makes this trip so much fun.
They kept discovering experiences that made them wonder, “How have we never done this before?”
At Animal Kingdom Lodge, Dana shares a fantastic FREE activity called the String of Memories, where her daughter collected beads while learning about African culture, animals, conservation and even helping prepare enrichment activities for the animals.
Then they took things to another level with the Starlight Safari — heading onto the savanna at night with night vision goggles and getting incredibly close to giraffes, zebras and other animals.
We also get into:
👉 Why Dana would choose Beach Club over Animal Kingdom Lodge
👉 The convenience of walking to EPCOT and Hollywood Studios
👉 A nighttime safari most Disney guests may not even know exists
👉 Dana's surprisingly good EPCOT fireworks viewing spot
👉 Food & Wine Festival favorites, including a pistachio cookie, liquid nitrogen chocolate and cast-iron trout
👉 Princess breakfast at Akershus — including a little Viking Coffee!
👉 A surprise appearance by some rarely seen Disney characters at EPCOT
👉 Experiencing Disney's new animation area at Hollywood Studios
👉 The emotional Mickey and Walt moment in Once Upon a Studio
👉 Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party — rain, the Headless Horseman and one very happy little Cruella de Vil
👉 Gideon's vs. Summer House cookies — Dana picks a side!
👉 A great Ale & Compass takeout tip for Beach Club and Yacht Club guests
And Dana already has another Disney adventure on the books — including a future stay at Lakeshore Lodge!
What I really enjoyed about this conversation is the reminder that you can visit Walt Disney World over and over again and still find something you've never experienced before.
Sometimes it's a big experience like heading onto the savanna after dark.
Sometimes it's discovering a new place to watch the fireworks.
And sometimes it's simply slowing down enough to notice something you've walked past a hundred times.
That's one of the things that keeps us Disney Geeks coming back.
My wife Margita and our good friend Auntie Judy are the Travelin' Tiaras, and they'd love to help you plan your next adventure!
Whether you're thinking about Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, Universal, or another great vacation, they can help make the planning easier from start to finish.
Already booked?
You may be able to transfer your reservation and still get their planning help, tips, strategy and support.
And when you book or transfer your vacation through the Travelin' Tiaras, you're also helping support the podcast.
Or reach out to us through Facebook Messenger.
Thank you to everyone in our Geekin' family who has supported Margita and Judy!
Come hang out with us in the Geekin' on Walt Disney World Facebook group and answer this week's question:
What's something you discovered at Disney after multiple trips that made you say, “How did I never know about this?”
And if you've got a recent Disney trip, a great family story, or an experience you'd love to