Aloha!


The story of this blog goes back to the late-90s, when I worked as a Show Writer at Walt Disney Imagineering. It was there I developed my passion for and understanding of the ways Disney's theme park designers tell stories through the use of detail. Later, my wife Laurel and I would often volunteer our time, conducting classes and tours of the parks for Cast Members via Disney University. As the years went on, increasing responsibilities at work and home (our twin boys were born in 2005) meant those tours happened less and less. In 2009, I made a resolution to leverage technology and emerging social media to offer virtual storytelling tours.

I put up my first post here March 9, 2009. Three years and 705 posts later, I have to admit I'm quite proud of the accomplishment and humbled by the audience it has attracted. I've heard from many of you in comments, e-mails, Tweets and in person. You've all been so gracious and provided me more motivation than you know to keep the content coming.

Alas, as they say, all good things must come to an end.
As we step into 2012, I find myself with exciting new challenges at work and an increasing desire at home to spend more of my available time with my family and capturing the memories of our twins' fleeting childhood.


The good news for fans of the blog is all the content will still be here, and much of it is evergreen. I invite you to explore the Topic links in the right side column. Go back and revisit a post or maybe even discover something you missed the first time around. I'll also still be fairly active on Twitter (@disneyshawn for me, @disneylaurel for my wonderful wife) and in Google+, so don't be a stranger!

I've dearly loved sharing my passion with you over the years, and it's my fondest hope you'll take these stories and share them with your friends and family. It's only through being told that tales aren't forgotten.

So until we meet again (in a Disney Park, no doubt)... Aloha!

25 comments:

  1. Great work Shawn! I wish I would have found your blog earlier! Happy New Year!

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  2. Thank you for all of your hard work, and sharing stories and details with us that might otherwise have been lost. You have enriched the Disney experience for those that have enjoyed your blog, and for that we are all grateful. All my best to you and your family in 2012 and beyond!

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  3. Thanks for the MANY hours of time you put into you many posts. I think you have truly inspired many of us to take a closer look at our surroundings when visiting the parks, and even given us an appreciation for attractions we otherwise ignored. I certainly can appreciate the sacrifice your family has likely taken as a result, and don't begrudge you for your decision. Hopefully there will be a time in the future which will allow you to share with the Internet again. In the meantime, enjoy your family and work!

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  4. You've been a part of my morning ritual for so long that I don't know what I'll do with the time I used to spend reading your great blog... thanks, Shawn. It's been a blast.

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  5. Thank you so much, Shawn, for one of the greatest Disney blogs ever. You told the great stories of the Parks and gave us so many details to pore over. I'm very sad to see it all end here, but totally understand your reasoning. There's too little time to do too may things. I very much enjoyed the hours and hours I used of my time to learn so much about our beloved Disney Parks. I'll see you around.

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  6. Sorry to see you go Shawn. Your blog has been a tremendous source of information for years and I've enjoyed checking it every day. You're leaving for the right reasons but we're sad to see you go. Congrats on everything you've accomplished and good luck in the future!

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  7. im only 14 but i love your blog and i read it everymoring. I'm so sad to hear you are stoping. Your section on wdw tomorrowland has inspired me to write a novle about it

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  8. Thanks for this blog. Loved every detail. Your posts will be missed.

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  9. Thank you so much for the amazing work you have done. Your blog is great and I will miss reading new posts.

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  10. Your blog is inspiring and your passion for Disney is all too often unmatched. I'll miss this place but will still trek back to read the old posts. Thanks for allowing me to use your photos and content on my site. You will be missed!

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  11. Your content will be sorely missed. Thanks for the no doubt countless hours you spent pouring your Disney knowledge onto these pages. I've read your posts aloud to my children prior to our WDW trips and hope to continue to enlighten them. Thanks for keeping your site up for us!

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  12. I just came across your blog and wanted to to thank you for your posts. I have only been through a few of them, but I look forward to the rest.Great site for WDW fanatics!

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  13. Thanks again for your hard work, and thanks for leaving the site up. We're WDW people, but we're planning our first Disneyland trip. Your site is a great resource!

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  14. I came across your blog too late. But, I will enjoy going through your older posts. Thanks for sharing your experiences.

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  15. I have to say that reading through many of the older posts it's a shame that this is coming to an end.

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  16. Thank you for this blog! I know it's very late, but I have only just now realized that this blog ended, it was a great ride. Enjoy life!

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  17. That's great Shawn. I hope you enjoy spending more time with your family. I want to do the same.

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  18. I'm sad that I just discovered this blog. There is some great info here.

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  19. It was worth to me, thanks author for taking out some of your precious time and sharing your thoughts on this topic.

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  20. I love Disney World. I grew up in Southern California and went to Disneyland all the time, but I must admit that Disney World is my favorite. But I have never been to Disneyland France. That is next on the list I guess. I love and admire all things Disney, but nothing more than the fine art. The artists behind Disney are wonderful. I have a shop on Etsy where I put up my own disney art but I will never be as talented as Walt Disney. I don’t know how I have never seen your blog. But I love it! Thank you for putting in all the time to run such an awesome Disney resource.

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  21. Awesome article! I am always on the lookout for new ideas and resources for Disney collectibles.

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