Welcome, Mousekefriends! Today, we are joined by Walt Disney Dad, Alex Smith. Alex is from the Second Dad to the Right blog.
Alex has three kids and an amazing wife. He spends a lot of time at Disney Parks and on Disney Cruise Line with his family. He also loves to share tips, insights and funny stories on his blog. You can find his blog here.
Where Did Your Love of Disney Start?
In 2017, I wanted to do the Spartan Race. They had two of them in Atlanta where I live, and one in Tampa. We decided to go to the one in Tampa, and were gong to do a short little trip. this trip turned into one with my wife, two daughters, mother-in-law and grandmother-in-law. It ended up being six days, and I left to run my race. Everyone was confused why I left to race- but that’s why we were there! After that trip, I was obsessed. We try to go every chance we get.
As a Dad, You think You Have a Different Perspective on Disney?
I think it depends, there’s several types of Disney dads. You have the complainers, where everything is just expensive. Then you have the middle ground dads, which are probably the best. They just feel like if the family is happy, they’re happy. Then you have the hard-core Disney dads. These dads love everything Disney, everything Marvel, everything Star Wars. Those are the most dangerous dads, because the amount of money they can spend far exceeds any other person.
How Did You Go From Loving Disney To Running a Disney Blog?
We went through our trip, and we started becoming friends with Disney people, and people who were becoming Travel Agents. I couldn’t be a Travel Agent, because I don’t do mornings, which you need to do to get people’s Disney dining reservations. It started as a joke with a close friend, where I said I’d write a blog for her agency, but then I decided that if I make even $10, I can write off my Disney trips. So in April, I started. It’s great, because I get to meet lots of people who love Disney. My ten year old daughter has even written five posts so far.
Your Blog Covers Both Walt Disney World and Disney Cruise Line. How Many Cruises Have You Gone On?
We have been on four Disney cruises, two in the last year. We have been on the Wonder, the Magic and the Fantasy. We’ve actually been on the Fantasy twice. Our favorite ship though, has been the Wonder. We went on it the week before covid, and it was fantastic. It sailed out of New Orleans. Since it’s a smaller ship, there were less people on Castaway Cay too, which was good for getting to enjoy the island. Plus, the Wonder has Tiana’s Place, which is the best restaurant.
Now You Do the Blog, Are You The Trip Planner?
Honestly, we’re at a place where we just like being there. We have a little of a plan, but the only thing we really plan ahead is which park on which day. That’s only so we can plan our dining in advance. We don’t do a lot of planning, we just enjoy being there. I’d be happy sitting at a table in EPCOT, just enjoying the ambience.
Is There Anything You Do Every Time You Go To Walt Disney World?
Probably go to Raglan Road. It’s pretty easy to get a last-minute reservation, and we watch the show. They have an old fashioned with bacon in it.
We try to stay at Gran Destino at the Coronado a lot, so we also go to Three Bridges a lot. I think Three Bridges is really underrated. You can’t book it as a reservation, but we like to go there.
This or That?
Q: Magic Kingdom or EPCOT?
A: EPCOT. That’s my happy place.
Q: Mickey or Minnie?
A: Mickey, and not just because I’m a dad. It’s my baby’s favorite right now, he calls him “Mee mou”.
Q: Mickey Pretzel or Mickey Bar?
A: Mickey Bar. It’s one of my favorite snacks. I’ll even get them on the Disney Cruise Line.
Q: Guardians of the Galaxy or Rise of the Resistance?
A: Guardians. It’s probably my favorite ride ever. I got chills the first time I rode it.
Q: Festival of the Arts or Flower and Garden?
A: I don’t know. I love them both. I love the shadow boxes at Festival of the Arts. My daughters love the butterflies at Flower and Garden. I prefer Food and Wine, honestly.
Q: Polynesian or Grand Floridian?
A: I haven’t stayed at the Polynesian, but we have stayed at Grand Floridian.
Q: Christmas Party or After Hours?
A: Christmas Party. That’s where you get some awesome memories. After Hours is great though, you can ride the rides over and over. But the Christmas Party is just so special and magical.
Q: Fantasmic or Happily Ever After?
A: We’ve actually only done Fantasmic twice. If you ask my wife, it’s Happily Ever After. However, I like the story of Fantasmic, and I like being able to sit down.
Q: Peoplemover or the Railway?
A: Peoplemover. I’ve really only ridden the train once, because it was closed so long because of Tron.
Today’s Mouseketip
Follow along with Alex on his own blog! You can find it at Seconddadtotheright.com
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Alyssa is a Blog Contributor for MousekeMoms Blog. She lives in Florida, is an Annual Passholder and visits the theme parks frequently. For information about booking a vacation at a Disney destination, visit us at www.kingdomandcruise.com