[00:00:00] Dana: Hi Nikki.

[00:00:02] Nikki: Hi.

[00:00:03] Dana: Thank you so much for being my – interview on the Lead Back Magic Way podcast. Thank you for coming on.

[00:00:09] Nikki: I’m so happy to be here. Thank you for having me.

[00:00:12] Dana: Of course. So I wanna jump right in and ask you the leap that brought you from Broadway Performer to Disney, because that doesn’t seem like the two would transition, and I’m very curious how that all happened.

[00:00:25] Nikki: It happened very naturally. I finished up a show. I had moved to California after living in New York for about a decade, and I’d finished a show in Hollywood and I had a nine month old baby. I found myself pumping on every break. I was not seeing him in the morning of the night because of my commute and my long hours, and I left that show a little disenchanted with the job that I had loved for so many years because my new passion and focus was my kid and I, that was the moment that I knew that my focus needed to be on being a mom. And so I really threw myself into being a mom going on adventures. Southern California is a really awesome place for that, whether it’s the beach or Disneyland, but we’ve found our happy place. Going to Disney and I started sharing that very naturally online was getting questions from people that I knew about how to visit the park with young kids.

[00:01:27] Nikki: And it slowly evolved into me sharing tips and tricks about seven years ago. And the transition for me, I actually think it is closer than you think because I feel like Broadway and theater is all about storytelling. That is what Disney is too. And you step, it’s almost like you’re stepping inside a story when you go to one of the Disney parks.

[00:01:50] Nikki: So for me, being immersed in this, these magical worlds and watching my kids be pirates on Tom Sawyer’s Island or fly on Dumbo, or experience the different worlds through small world through the eyes of a 2-year-old, was for me just as magical as telling a story on stage.

[00:02:12] Dana: It’s true. It’s kind of like one big stage and you and your kids are like the little. Its characters. It’s

[00:02:20] Nikki: They call ’em cast members for a reason.

[00:02:22] Dana: true. It’s all a big show.

[00:02:24] Nikki: It’s meant to be an experience.

[00:02:28] Dana: I didn’t realize that you had a baby while you were still performing.

[00:02:32] Nikki: Yes. I did two shows after getting pregnant, one while I was pregnant, which

[00:02:38] Dana: My gosh.

[00:02:38] Nikki: A challenge in and of itself. And then another, nine months after I had him and I was, at the time, I was juggling auditions, juggling actual shows. I had him in the room with me for auditions in downtown LA and I just think I had this moment of, this just doesn’t work in my cir, in my circumstance and in my situation, this is no longer working,

[00:03:02] Dana: So then you finally found your happy place that you could bring the kids along. Was there a specific park day that you remember? Because this isn’t, it must have been a little bit gradual. So was there like a first trip or moment where you were like, oh, this is like we’re coming, we’re getting annual passes, we’re coming all the time.

[00:03:24] Dana: This is what I want.

[00:03:25] Nikki: Yeah, well, my husband and I have always loved Disney. I think it was our third date was coming to Disneyland. So it is something that we shared and something that we both enjoyed doing. So we had annual passes even before we got pregnant, and we would come on date nights. But being able to take our kid was something different.

[00:03:44] Nikki: I think both of us. Sobbed on Teddy’s first visit. Like we, I, it was one of the most magical days putting that little hat on his head, taking him down Main Street. I don’t even think we did anything, but we had. The best time taking our kid for the first time. But the moment I’m thinking of that really felt like Disney was our safe place was there was a period of time where Teddy wasn’t sleeping and I was up at 4:35 AM And where do you go when your kid is wide awake?

[00:04:19] Nikki: It’s not even light

[00:04:21] Dana: nothing’s

[00:04:22] Nikki: Nothing’s

[00:04:22] Dana: I’m like, why does Target not open at 6:00 AM

[00:04:25] Nikki: It should, it

[00:04:26] Dana: to go.

[00:04:27] Dana: I know.

[00:04:27] Nikki: And I would pack up the car and I’d be one of the first people at Mickey and Friends in the morning, and we would be there right for rope drop. Quiet morning with my kid and we’d be walking out at about 10 o’clock when all the crowds started pouring in.

[00:04:41] Nikki: And we’d already had a full two hours in the park, done all the rides, had a great time, and we would go home and do our morning nap. And I think that was the moment that inspired the mornings with Mickey, the Magic Mornings because. My passion for bringing my kids to the park really began at this moment where I showed up every day because I had nowhere else to go.

[00:05:05] Nikki: And it was our safe place.

[00:05:07] Dana: I love that. And I’m a little jealous that you were able. To do that and have Disneyland like in your backyard when they were so tiny. So now you’re not local, you’re in Utah now. So for those that don’t know, she’s describing her Instagram handle is mornings with Mickey, and now she has her own travel agency that specializes in Disney called Magic Mornings Vacations.

[00:05:32] Dana: And so now you’re still going to Disney all the time. Because it’s like literally your job, it’s been your job for a while, but it’s like even more so now

[00:05:41] Nikki: more so now, I’m there about once a month

[00:05:44] Dana: once a month

[00:05:45] Nikki: Yes.

[00:05:46] Dana: somewhere Disney related. And I think about this too, I don’t go as often of course, but if you talk to, I don’t wanna say like normal people, but most people are not going to Disney as often as us and you and your family even more so how do you keep it. Exciting and fun like this is a, because it’s still a big deal and it’s still a lot of money and it’s a lot of work and a lot of time away from your jobs and school and all of the things.

[00:06:13] Dana: So how do you keep that still the rhythm of your family while keeping it exciting that you’re going every time?

[00:06:19] Nikki: Because we lived so close for many years, there is a deep. Love instilled in my children of Disney parks and I do feel like we moved at a really great time to keep the magic. They never got a chance to become too sick of it because as they grew, there was always something new they could do.

[00:06:38] Nikki: Oh, I just hit 48 inches. I can go on the inre coaster. So we were always working towards something, and now we have this love instilled in Disney parks that, that it, it’s a new kind of magic for me to see them get excited about our trips. But. We still go quite often, and so I have found new ways to keep it exciting and fresh.

[00:07:01] Nikki: And for me it’s really, I think, embracing the season of Disney. Are we going for Halloween? Are we going for Christmas? Oh, it’s the new 70th celebration. Maybe it’s the Flower and Garden Festival over in Epcot. I think embracing the season that you’re in we do countdowns. This time my kids helped earn the money for the trip, which I thought was a really exciting way to build anticipation and get them really invested in the trip itself.

[00:07:31] Dana: We have to pause and talk about this because this is something I was gonna ask you about it anyway, but I loved this idea of. Having them more involved is do you ever surprise them or do they know every time that they’re going?

[00:07:46] Nikki: I think I do a little bit of both because this is the part of motherhood that I’m obsessed with. I’m the tooth fairy Christmas, all of it makes me so happy. So I am here to, I am here to surprise my kids. Have them involved. Let’s all like, I’m. I want it to be different and exciting every time.

[00:08:06] Nikki: So sometimes I will surprise them. They have been surprised. Last year we took them to Walt Disney World and it was a double surprise. I don’t know if you remember that, but we took them to the airport, pretended like we were dropping my husband off for a work trip, and then said, we’re getting on an airplane and we’re going to Walt Disney World.

[00:08:26] Nikki: And it was so much fun. And then while we were there, we took them on a treasure hunt throughout. Animal Kingdom Lodge that led them to a Disney cruise. So that also very exciting. So I think a little bit of both. I like

[00:08:40] Dana: I like that.

[00:08:41] Nikki: I have to switch it up.

[00:08:43] Dana: So on this last, I don’t know if it was it the last trip with the fundraising that they did? So can you tell us more about that and how. How they raised money and how did they come up with it on their own? Did you help them?

[00:08:57] Nikki: A little bit of both, but they came up with the idea all themselves. Obviously traveling to Disney is expensive and much more expensive than when we lived there. So we are starting to evaluate our Disney spending, especially my husband. And we had a talk about maybe not going down for Halloween and.

[00:09:18] Nikki: Maybe not doing Oggie Boogie because it is an extra ticket on top of our magic keys. And we told our kids, and they didn’t even cry. They were just, they were like no, that is not, we are not doing

[00:09:30] Dana: We do not accept that. What are we gonna do to raise money?

[00:09:33] Nikki: Exactly. They were like, what are our options? And they were like, we’ll pay for it ourselves.

[00:09:38] Nikki: And I’m like, okay you realize I need you to pay for all the tickets and not just yours. I want the whole family’s tickets. And this was back in June when the tickets went on sale and I had to buy them, even though they hadn’t earned it yet. But I trusted that they would

[00:09:53] Dana: you’ve, you pre-funded.

[00:09:55] Nikki: pre-funded it.

[00:09:56] Nikki: They didn’t know, but I did pre-fund it. And they were determined. They sat outside for hours in the sun selling cold drinks and protein bars to local hikers. They did work. They helped some family move and sell items. There was all these different things that they did in order to raise that money, and I think it really did make the whole experience extra special for them knowing that they were the ones that paid for it.

[00:10:23] Dana: And I think that’s something to keep in mind because as kids get older too, priorities shift as a family of where to spend your money. And we’re kind of in the same boat of okay, do we want this right now? Or could we do something that maybe will better our family long term? And I love that they were involved and thought outside of the box it’s going to be.

[00:10:47] Dana: So helpful for them in the future when they’re trying to fund their Disney trips on their own. So I have to ask you, because you have visited both coasts obviously, like Disneyland has your heart. It actually has mine too. ’cause I grew up going to Disneyland too. But now that you’ve been to Disney World more, how do you compare the, like what’s the biggest difference, especially preparing the kids between.

[00:11:15] Dana: Either Coast, like maybe you have people that are like you and now they’re going to Disney World. Or the reverse my kids haven’t been to Disneyland yet. So how would you compare to prep your kids if you’re visiting a different one?

[00:11:31] Nikki: I think it’s a very obvious one, but obviously Walt Disney World is so much larger than Disneyland, and that is overall the biggest difference and.

[00:11:42] Dana: And

[00:11:43] Nikki: When I am sending either a guest or a family or friend to Walt Disney World, I’m really wanting them to be prepared, aware of transportation, the resort situation, which as you know, there are several, understanding where you’re staying, where you wanna go, and really having a plan.

[00:12:04] Nikki: And I think a plan is so necessary for Walt Disney World, whereas Disneyland is much more. Close in proximity. quaint, it’s it has the nostalgia and the history of Disney. But I think it takes much less preparation and much less anticipation of where are we gonna go? What are we gonna do?

[00:12:30] Nikki: You can wing it a lot better at Disneyland than you can at Disney World.

[00:12:35] Dana: I think it’s easier for Disney World people to visit Disneyland as far as having your expectations because everything is just such a smaller scale. Like I remember, I grew up going to Disneyland, and when you’re a kid everything feels big.

[00:12:51] Nikki: Mm-hmm.

[00:12:52] Dana: But then going back as an adult, after I had been to Disney World for.

[00:12:57] Dana: I’m trying to think of how often we were gonna Disney World at that point. Maybe let’s just say five years. We were frequent Disney World. People went back to Disneyland, and I remember grabbing the paper map and walking down Main Street, which I had done before as a kid, but the scale, like I walked maybe five feet and then I was at the castle and I was like, oh, Disneyland is very small.

[00:13:19] Nikki: Yes.

[00:13:20] Dana: But then if you’re going from Disneyland to Disney World, yeah, I agree. The number one thing would probably be. Transportation getting around. ’cause you don’t have to deal with that in Disneyland. You can just walk to the other park. Or if your hotel is nearby, a lot of them are walkable.

[00:13:35] Nikki: You just walk

[00:13:37] Dana: Yeah, it’s, I mean, it’s really nice.

[00:13:39] Dana: It’s really

[00:13:40] Nikki: more time than

[00:13:42] Dana: like, convi, I’m convincing myself that we need to go to Disneyland. 

[00:13:45] Nikki: Do.

[00:13:45] Dana: it sounds so nice. I know I need to go back.

[00:13:48] Nikki: more laid back pace. I think even just the difference of the fact that our characters roam around Disneyland, it’s just much more accessible. And where at Disney World you say, okay, if my son wants to meet Woody, you have to plan that ahead.

[00:14:02] Nikki: Understand where the character meet and greets are and make sure that’s a part of the plan. So I think understanding your kids’ expectations and then, setting a plan of attack is really wise for people, especially Disneyland people who go to Disney World to understand it’s not just all at your fingertips.

[00:14:19] Nikki: You need to have a plan of, planning out your lightning lanes, planning out characters, planning out which rides you wanna hit, and making sure you hit your top priorities first.

[00:14:27] Dana: Is there something that you think Disney World does better than Disneyland or that you prefer

[00:14:32] Nikki: The resorts. I feel like ex, I feel excited about the Disney World Resorts. I could spend a day at a Disney World resort. And while I love our three resorts at Disneyland, it isn’t the same resort experience. It’s not the same. I’m checking into this hotel with all of these, with you. Just feel much more like you’re in the magic at Disney World than in Disneyland.

[00:14:57] Dana: do you feel like one park is better to start off with, if you’ve never been to either gun to your head. Let’s just throw a budget and location out the window. Which one would you go for?

[00:15:07] Nikki: Disneyland every time.

[00:15:09] Dana: Aw,

[00:15:10] Nikki: Every time. I love Disney World, but there is something about the detail and the storytelling at Disneyland that wasn’t replicated in Disney World. And it’s just, it’s where Walt was and I feel like there’s something so you can feel it. You can literally feel it at the park.

[00:15:31] Nikki: And I also feel from a logistical standpoint, if you are going to Disney for the first time, you don’t understand mobile orders. You don’t understand lightning lanes. It’s just Disneyland is so much easier to navigate.

[00:15:44] Dana: This was our first argument as a couple was Disneyland versus Disney World. My husband grew up going to world. I grew up going to land, and I said the same thing. I’m like you can’t. You can’t beat, like Walt touched things there. You know? He never got to go to Disney World. And

[00:16:03] Nikki: colors that went on the buildings like,

[00:16:07] Dana: I know.

[00:16:07] Dana: And then my husband, ’cause he’s my husband, is like, well, yeah, Walt did land. And then he thought, how could I make this better? And he made world. And I’m like, okay, whatever. I love both for

[00:16:18] Nikki: so much good about world and you guys have Epcot and Cosmic Rewind, which we do not have, and that is

[00:16:27] Dana: A

[00:16:27] Nikki: son will make me do a top 10. What are our top 10 favorite rides? He asks me that question a lot and I will say seven to eight of our top 10 rides are Disney World and I, we were making the list and I’m like, Teddy, I think we need a.

[00:16:43] Nikki: I think we need a trip to Disney World

[00:16:45] Dana: If you had a thrill seeker, there’s just gonna be a lot more options for that stuff in Disney

[00:16:49] Nikki: I think in general, Walt Disney World has more options. So I may say for a first visit, Disneyland is the way to go. But if you’re looking at a seven day vacation where you’re wanting time at a resort and you know you wanna hit four Park days and you really want to be immersed in the Disney Magic, Disney World is going to give you that full vacation experience.

[00:17:12] Nikki: Whereas at Disneyland, you’re probably looking at three, four days. And Disney World, I feel like in, in order to accomplish it, you’re probably closer to six seven. Oh,

[00:17:22] Dana: what you can

[00:17:23] Nikki: anybody listening just heard me say six, seven

[00:17:27] Dana: 7 0 6, 7

[00:17:29] Nikki: Yes. I’m like, oh my gosh, if my kids are here, I’d so be called out for that.

[00:17:34] Dana: oh a hundred percent. And don’t worry, we can cut that out.

[00:17:37] Nikki: I was like, six, seven,

[00:17:39] Dana: seven. I

[00:17:40] Nikki: you don’t cut it out because we cut we,

[00:17:43] Dana: I know we said it and a hundred percent if story was here, she’d be like, what did you say? Six, did you say six, seven on the podcast. I was gonna ask, since you’ve been going to Disneyland for so many years, what is one underrated thing that you feel like Disneyland goers overlook?

[00:18:03] Dana: It could be something small,

[00:18:05] Nikki: what? Something small. Okay.

[00:18:07] Dana: like maybe they skip over it and you’re like, no, don’t skip that. It’s so cool.

[00:18:11] Nikki: Okay, storybook land, going on the boats or the train and just seeing the little houses, seeing all the detail. I love that area of Disney and I think it is very easily overlooked, especially the boats, because it’s a little bit of a longer line for land, but it’s one of my favorite things to do.

[00:18:35] Dana: That’s the one where if you get there first, don’t they do something special.

[00:18:38] Nikki: the book? Yes. If you’re the first person there, you get to sign their storybook. And I know that in Disneyland they are adding Rapunzel’s Tower ’cause it’s currently under refurbishment. So I’m very excited about that.

[00:18:51] Dana: That will be number one first thing that we do, and I will try to be first in line for you so that we can do that.

[00:18:57] Nikki: yes.

[00:18:58] Dana: So I’m going to be mean and switch over and touch on cruises now.

[00:19:02] Nikki: Great.

[00:19:03] Dana: Which I know nothing about because I have not done any, I’ve done cruises, but not a Disney cruise. But you’ve done a lot of them now.

[00:19:10] Dana: So how do you feel cruises compares specifically with kids? Everything is about, with kids. How do you compare cruises versus park trips?

[00:19:22] Nikki: I feel like a cruise is a true vacation. I feel like a park visit is an experience and it’s also a little bit of a marathon, and you leave tired. We’re, I’m not gonna candy coat it. You leave Disney tired 

[00:19:36] Dana: and even us, like we take it so chill and it’s still, you’re so tired.

[00:19:40] Nikki: We do too. It, I could,

[00:19:42] Dana: I could

[00:19:43] Nikki: only walk for four to six hours a day and then sit by the pool and I’m still like, I got my kids to Disney.

[00:19:48] Nikki: I pushed a stroller. We were on and off rides. It is more of an experience vacation than a relaxing vacation. But a Disney cruise is a relaxing vacation. You can send your kids to the kids’ club. You get off on an island, the boat is moving while you just experience things. You’re not transporting your children from A to B.

[00:20:10] Nikki: You walk up, the food is ready, you’re it’s all done for you. And I feel like it creates an experience that’s actually a vacation for the parents. Yet you are still experiencing all the Disney Magic. You are riding an elevator with Pluto and you’re watching Frozen come to Life on stage, and you go to dinner and Spider-Man is at the Marvel dinner with you and it’s like you get the I experience of Disney without all the work.

[00:20:41] Dana: Do you have to use your phone at all when you’re on a cruise?

[00:20:44] Nikki: Yes, they have the navigator app and that is how, you know what. What activities are happening throughout the day? You can communicate with other state rooms that way get your photos. So you do use that app as like a hub while you’re on the ship?

[00:20:58] Dana: but not, you’re not booking lightning. I’m thinking of all the times I have to use my phone when I’m in Disney World, like lightning lanes, mobile ordering photos. Trying to think of what else. Why is someone calling me?

[00:21:12] Nikki: Yeah, there’s, your phone is dead by like noon when you’re at Disneyland. But no, you are not using your phone on a

[00:21:20] Dana: You don’t need like an external charger, fuel rod

[00:21:24] Nikki: definitely not.

[00:21:25] Dana: on a

[00:21:26] Nikki: need to look, if your kids are in the kids’ club, you need to keep an eye on it in case they message you that they wanna leave. But other than that, not really.

[00:21:35] Dana: I’m very, I am, I’ll be honest, I’m not a cruise. I’m not a natural cruise person. Especially, I think it’s because we love the ocean and boats and the beach and islands and the Caribbean, so we just wanna go to those places and stay put. But I do think like I could almost just stay on the ship. I almost wish you could just get on the boat and be docked.

[00:22:01] Nikki: I,

[00:22:01] Dana: I don’t even need anything else. I just wanna have the experience of the boat. Exactly.

[00:22:06] Nikki: That’s how we felt too. Our first ship was the Disney Wonder out of California, and we never left the ship because my kids were so enamored with everything going on, and I was so enamored with having time away from my kids to relax because I don’t get a lot of that. And I just thought it was the best of both worlds.

[00:22:25] Nikki: But yes we stayed on the ship almost the entire time. I.

[00:22:28] Dana: So my son just turned two. Can he go to a kid’s club yet or is it for older kids?

[00:22:34] Nikki: Three, but there is a nursery. I specifically love the newer nurseries on the wish class ships. So the wish, the treasure, and soon to be the destiny in a couple of weeks. The, those nurseries are my favorite. If you were going on. The other ships, they’re the fantasy, the dream, the magic. They have great nurseries, but not quite as nice as the newer ships, in my opinion, if I’m being

[00:22:59] Dana: Okay, that’s good to know. And those I think. You book the nurseries ahead of time?

[00:23:04] Nikki: Yes.

[00:23:05] Dana: Or all or all clubs?

[00:23:06] Nikki: you can, you don’t book the club ahead of time. You can show up. But the nursery, you can book hours ahead of time or go in person to book them, and it’s about $7 an hour. It can fluctuate, so it’s really affordable. They have cribs, they take care of your babies. We used it on the treasure for my 2-year-old, and it was great.

[00:23:29] Dana: That’s good to know. ’cause that’s one of the hangups I always get concerned about of like, I mean, who knows if we would do it until he was older anyway. But that’s good to keep in mind because when you start getting our age. The prob, it’s not a problem. But something to think about is just having a mixed ages of kids.

[00:23:49] Dana: I, things are a lot easier when you just are thinking about Disney with my baby or a toddler, or maybe even two kids. But now between us, we have three ranging and just so many different ages and interests. So it’s good to know that cruises have a little bit of everything for those ages. ’cause that’s one of the things I’m always thinking about.

[00:24:12] Dana: And one of the things that’s kind of hard.

[00:24:14] Nikki: Yes. I feel like a cruise has something for everyone. I think you could take a teenager and they would have a great time. I don’t think there’s ever a bad time to take kids on a cruise, a Disney cruise specifically, but I do feel like the magic window is probably three to 12.

[00:24:32] Dana: three to 12. Okay. So Dana is coming off this call and booking a Disneyland trip, booking a cruise. And my kids are funding all of it

[00:24:42] Nikki: Yes. We’re gonna put them to

[00:24:44] Dana: stands or something. Yeah. So looking ahead to next year, 2026, what are you most excited about? It could be any of the destinations.

[00:24:55] Dana: What are you pumped about?

[00:24:57] Nikki: I’m pumped about Walt Disney World.

[00:24:59] Dana: Good. I like that

[00:25:00] Nikki: it out to Disney World more. I would love to. I would love to give my kids more of the Disney World experience. I would love to test out more of the resorts familiarize myself. I am so familiar with Disneyland, like I know it like the back of my hand, but I would love to feel that way about Disney World.

[00:25:22] Nikki: Yeah.

[00:25:23] Dana: I love that. I like that answer because that’s our

[00:25:27] Nikki: that’s your place,

[00:25:29] Dana: Yeah. That’s how I feel about like the boardwalk area, Crescent Lake. And Epcot, because that’s just been our thing since we were married of. We go to the boardwalk, we walk into Epcot, that whole area.

[00:25:43] Nikki: that. I love, there’s a study done about how unifying going back to the same place as on a family vacation, how unifying it is as a family to have those memories in the same spot every year. And I think it’s so special like that my kids go home to Disneyland and are like, this is our second home.

[00:26:06] Nikki: And they have, they can attach so many happy memories as a family to that place. And how cool that your kids do. The same with a specific area in Walt Disney World. It’s just really special.

[00:26:19] Dana: And we say that all the time ’cause there’s two other places that we hit routinely. We just rotate between Disney World, Eleuthra and Rosemary Beach, Florida. And it’s so nice when you go because you don’t have to find, the logistics or where to go get groceries or where to find this place or what has the good coffee or good food.

[00:26:41] Dana: You can just be on vacation. And so when people are like, oh, you’re going there again, or You’re gonna Disney World again, or Disneyland again, I’m like, you don’t get it. You just don’t get it. And now there’s science behind it apparently, and I wanna read that study. That’s amazing.

[00:26:57] Nikki: to you. But there really it is something as a mom, especially with young kids, to feel comfortable knowing where everything is that’s a huge thing for us.

[00:27:09] Dana: it frees up so much in our brains

[00:27:11] Nikki: Yes.

[00:27:12] Dana: that people don’t realize and you can actually relax instead of thinking about all of the logistics that you have to do.

[00:27:19] Nikki: Yeah. You know exactly where to walk, you know where to park, you know where to go for first aid. If there’s an emergency, you know how to get your food that, think of that mental load. When you’re in a brand new area, you’re in charge of the safety and wellbeing of your children, and we carry a lot of that mental load.

[00:27:36] Nikki: So when you go somewhere that’s just. Routine, it removes that extra work.

[00:27:43] Dana: I love it. It’s so true.

[00:27:45] Nikki: We’re staying at the beach club, we’re staying at the beach club in February, so I know it’s by the boardwalk.

[00:27:53] Dana: When I say boardwalk too, like it’s really the area I do. I do like the Boardwalk Resort, but I am self-aware enough to know that a lot of it is nostalgia and just the smell of it and the feeling like it truly does feel like a second home now. But that whole area, beach Club, yacht Club, boardwalk.

[00:28:14] Dana: Even swan and dolphin anywhere around there is just, I can’t wait. You’re gonna love

[00:28:19] Nikki: Oh, I’m so excited

[00:28:20] Dana: I’m excited to hear your

[00:28:21] Nikki: The Dana way.

[00:28:22] Dana: Dana approved. Yes. So coming back to your literal home, I have been obviously following you for a long time, and one of the things I love about following you is seeing all of the magical, literally magical things you do at home between the crafts or you can theme anything. I’ve seen you theme, love a theme, and you do it so well. Is there something that you’ve done that you feel like as a family, comes up a lot like the kids really remember it? I.

[00:28:54] Nikki: I think one of the standout moments that even my kids remember is COVID when the park wasn’t open and I was desperate to entertain, desperate to bring a little magic to our lives, and desperate to lose such an opportune time to make memory. And so I remember I created different themed Disney Days for every day

[00:29:22] Dana: Day

[00:29:22] Nikki: and created a carsland day.

[00:29:25] Nikki: We went to Adventureland one day and we went to New Orleans Square and made mint tulips and had beyes. So I think that whole experience is something they still remember. They

[00:29:36] Dana: I think that’s around the time I found you. ’cause that’s ringing a bell.

[00:29:40] Nikki: yes. Yeah, I, I. them through the house in a laundry basket pretending to be a car. One of the horse-drawn carriages while married life played in the background.

[00:29:52] Nikki: And we even adopted Disneyland ducks that had that hatched in our backyard, that their mom abandoned them. And we set them back into the wild, but for a period of time, they had to live in our house. So I really feel like Disneyland came to life in our home and for me and for the kids, even though they were very young, that is something that we do bring up, or it does come up in conversation because it was it was such a unique time for all of us, but a time where I look back and the kids look back and my husband looks back and says, Hey, we tried to make.

[00:30:26] Nikki: A hard situation into something magical.

[00:30:30] Dana: that is, did you do a theme day in a row or did you spread it out?

[00:30:34] Nikki: I, I think I spread it out. I think I would do two and then I’d get exhausted and then I’d take a break and then I would do another one. So I think it was over like a. Two week period. I don’t even think I fully finished. I think I had plans that never fully came to fruition, but we definitely had a few fun days and one too many balloon arches.

[00:30:53] Nikki: But we had a good time.

[00:30:55] Dana: it was worth it. It sounds like it was worth it. Good thing they still remember. I know.

[00:31:00] Nikki: Me is grateful that past me went through all that, but I don’t know if me today would go through all that trouble. But I do try to make. Life

[00:31:12] Dana: special. Yeah. So for moms like me who are just hired listening to that what would you say is one simple thing? If you had a trip going up, let’s say what’s one little simple thing they could do to spark some excitement before the trip?

[00:31:27] Nikki: I’m like trying to think of like just one.

[00:31:31] Dana: I know you’re in a, you’re a maximalist, as they would call it. I love it though. I love it.

[00:31:36] Nikki: Yes. And there’s a few little things that we’ve done that I think have really sparked excitement. If you’re surprising your kids, I love having, I love decorating a room or a door while they’re asleep. So they wake up to something like lights in their room or a letter on their bed that leads to a scavenger hunt or a little.

[00:31:57] Nikki: I love a good scavenger hunt.

[00:31:59] Dana: Do you know chat, GBT if anyone needs help with a scavenger hunt, I’ve done. Like I need this type of theme. We’re doing this and I’m gonna, I tell chat GBT where I’m gonna hide them ahead of time. ’cause there was certain situations where my son would be napping when they were doing the scavenger hunt and he needed them in certain places of the house.

[00:32:21] Dana: And it was, I’m like, I’m gonna do scavenger hunts all the time now. So I feel like that’s actually a really easy one to do. Like why not?

[00:32:27] Nikki: Yes. I mean I actually had a plan that I’m now gonna do for Christmas, so I’ll spill the beans now, but I wanted to do a scavenger hunt when they got to the hotel room that led to different areas and then had like little baskets of, maybe those light up necklaces, some Mickey money that I

[00:32:43] Dana: you would pack anyway

[00:32:45] Nikki: things I would pack anyway in a little basket.

[00:32:47] Nikki: Yeah, that kind of surprises them when they arrive at the hotel.

[00:32:51] Dana: I love that idea. Are you ready for a lightning round

[00:32:54] Nikki: Let’s do this.

[00:32:55] Dana: Of questions?

[00:32:56] Nikki: Yes, I am. I got this.

[00:33:00] Dana: so the vibe of this is just gut answers. No, no wrong answers here. No judging. First one I think I know the answer to. And that is Disneyland snack. You’ll never skip.

[00:33:11] Nikki: Cream cheese, pretzel.

[00:33:13] Dana: I know it. Where do you get that? Is, are they all equally good or is there like only one place that you get them

[00:33:19] Nikki: The best ones are at Refreshment Corner, but you can get them at various carts throughout the park. Bayside Brew over in DCA, there’s a cart in Tomorrowland and a cart down by, it’s a small world but my favorite is always the refreshment corner, and you can use your annual your magic key discount there when you can’t use it elsewhere.

[00:33:40] Nikki: So typically, that’s the most affordable place to also get a pretzel.

[00:33:43] Dana: okay. Good to know. And guys, when she started her travel agency. She went to Disneyland and bought a ton of cream, trees, pretzels, I can’t say that. Cream cheese filled pretzels and was giving them out to people.

[00:33:57] Nikki: Yeah, it was our way to celebrate the

[00:33:59] Dana: Celebrate, I love it.

[00:34:00] Nikki: We did that at our one year. I hope to make it a yearly thing. I didn’t make it to the park this year on the anniversary, but I

[00:34:06] Dana: I am gonna be timing my trip. Let me know

[00:34:08] Nikki: Okay. I

[00:34:09] Dana: so I can.

[00:34:10] Nikki: I’ll just, I can tell you where to buy them and send them to your house because I do have that secret.

[00:34:16] Nikki: I do know where Disney gets them from.

[00:34:18] Dana: So your house talk about like magic at home. You actually found the

[00:34:21] Nikki: I found the pretzels, but I found that it made it less exciting to get it at Disneyland, so I stopped ordering them.

[00:34:28] Dana: oh yeah. Because yeah, because then they can get them all the time.

[00:34:32] Nikki: I know. They it be like I was putting ’em in their lunches. And then it got to a place where I’m like, they don’t even want it anymore.

[00:34:38] Nikki: So I was like, I am. So I stopped ordering them.

[00:34:41] Dana: that’s so funny. Oh my God. They’re like, stop giving me cream cheese, pretzels, please. I’m really,

[00:34:46] Nikki: for Main Street.

[00:34:47] Dana: I’m very bad at lightning rounds because I’m gonna keep talking. Okay. Ride you. Oh, I already know Ride. You would ride three times in a row.

[00:34:56] Nikki: yes. Storybook Canal boats.

[00:34:58] Dana: Not cosmic Rewind. No.

[00:35:00] Nikki: Oh, ooh.

[00:35:01] Dana: I said, no wrong answers, and I said, no, you’re wrong. You would do cosmic rind. I don’t know if you could do that three times in a row though.

[00:35:07] Nikki: I know. I was

[00:35:08] Dana: You might get a little, my

[00:35:09] Nikki: my initial reaction is not to choose a rollercoaster, though I think I could handle it. That’s my, not my initial reaction, although I will say cosmic rewind if it means I can try to get my favorite song.

[00:35:22] Dana: Okay. What’s your favorite song?

[00:35:23] Nikki: September.

[00:35:24] Dana: Of course, it has to be right. Okay. Favorite hotel. It could be anywhere. Disney World and

[00:35:33] Nikki: the Grand Floridian. I was going to say Disneyland Hotel, but the Grand Floridian is my favorite.

[00:36:07] Dana: I haven’t stayed there yet. I feel like I’ve stayed there, but I haven’t,

[00:36:11] Nikki: we need to get you

[00:36:12] Dana: is,

[00:36:13] Nikki: With a view of the castle.

[00:36:15] Dana: Of course I filmed a wedding there, which is very niche and random, but when it’s a wedding day and it’s

[00:36:24] Nikki: not really, yeah. It’s very stressful.

[00:36:27] Dana: it’s well, but you’re everywhere. So I feel like, ’cause I was in the suite and everywhere in between from there to the reception, but I’m like, I haven’t actually laid my head and slept and woken up and gone to

[00:36:41] Nikki: your kids on the boat to Magic

[00:36:43] Dana: I know. It’s a beautiful hotel.

[00:36:46] Nikki: It is.

[00:36:47] Dana: Most overrated thing right now. And when I say thing, I mean let’s maybe stick to, it could be anything, but I was thinking more Disneyland of something that’s overrated.

[00:37:03] Nikki: I’m gonna get slaughtered for this one.

[00:37:05] Dana: Oh, no.

[00:37:06] Nikki: fluffer, nutter churro.

[00:37:08] Dana: The fluff. Where is it?

[00:37:10] Nikki: loves it. You can get it at the churro stands tend to move.

[00:37:15] Dana: Mm-hmm.

[00:37:15] Nikki: Right now, I think it’s next to Grizzly Peaks. It used to be up closer to the front, next to Carly Circle. It’s a churro with like marshmallow on it and peanut butter and chocolate, and people love it.

[00:37:30] Dana: it.

[00:37:31] Nikki: My 8-year-old loves it. I do not love it.

[00:37:36] Dana: You just don’t, you don’t get the hype.

[00:37:38] Nikki: The peanut butter and the marshmallow, it’s like. Supposed to be like a s’more. I don’t know, just gimme a regular churro. But I think that’s a little overrated because people are like, this is the best churro, fancy churro we’ve ever had.

[00:37:51] Nikki: And I’m like, eh, I don’t think so.

[00:37:54] Dana: My version of that is the Cheshire Cattail

[00:37:58] Nikki: Oh,

[00:37:59] Dana: by the Mad Tea Party. I guess it’s just Cheshire Cafe and it’s, one of those like twists with the chocolate and it’s got some purple and pink icing on it and people go nuts for it. That’s, you gotta get it. And I don’t know if I got like a stale one or a bad one.

[00:38:15] Dana: Maybe I have to try it again. And I’m like, this is just not, this is not good.

[00:38:19] Nikki: I know, and I will say, those treats aren’t always made equal. And

[00:38:23] Dana: You can have a bad day. Yes. Yeah.

[00:38:25] Nikki: my pretzel has moments where I’m like, this isn’t as like warm and fresh as I’d like. Like I have days where I’m like, not so much, but sometimes there’s just a treat that just doesn’t hit right.

[00:38:36] Nikki: That one was it for me.

[00:38:38] Dana: is there a Disney splurge that you think is always worth it?

[00:38:44] Nikki: I think the Princess Breakfast at Napa Rose inside the Grand Californian Hotel, which is over $150 per person. It is worth it.

[00:38:55] Dana: that is a lot

[00:38:56] Nikki: It’s a lot and people like are very taken aback by the price, which I understand. I have done it twice and both times I left and was like, that was my favorite dining experience I’ve ever had.

[00:39:08] Nikki: At Disney, you get alone as much alone time with the princesses as you’d like. Three separate courses that come on these cute trays. There’s a buffet. And all of the treats are themed. There’s like little mini forks inside a ariel macaroon and everything is delicious and themed. It’s a really magical experience and I’ve never regretted it. Yeah.

[00:39:35] Dana: Good to know. That’s very helpful. I like knowing things like that. Obviously if we ever go to Disneyland, you’re handling all of it and one lesson Disney has taught you about motherhood.

[00:39:47] Nikki: To go with the flow. I feel like Disney has taught me how to adjust my plans, relax, recognize that not every day is going to be you want it to look in your head, and that our happiest moments are the ones when I walk in with expectations of. We’re just gonna have fun. We recently went to Disney. We only had one full day together as a family before my husband left on a golf trip and I was alone with the kids for the rest of the week.

[00:40:21] Nikki: And that day was our Okey Boogie day and our family day where we were doing all the Halloween stuff and it was a flash flood tornado warning in Southern California.

[00:40:32] Dana: which is so odd.

[00:40:34] Nikki: So odd in October, not super common, January maybe, but in October, not what I was expecting. And we were not prepared. But we went and bought ponchos and had the best morning as a family because we showed up, we danced in the puddles, we went on indoor rides, we got hot chocolate.

[00:40:55] Nikki: And to this day, my kids, to this day, it’s only been a week, but I will say. Mark my words years down the line, they will look back on that day and be like, remember that really awesome family day where it was raining? Because we walked in with the expectation of we’re gonna get soaked and we’re gonna have fun.

[00:41:14] Nikki: So Disney’s taught me go with the flow.

[00:41:17] Dana: And when things like that happen, I feel like it marks the memory so much stronger of that will be the GIE Boogie trip where you got rained out and they also helped pay for.

[00:41:31] Nikki: Yes,

[00:41:31] Dana: Versus when you’re going often, sometimes it can kind of all run together. So it’s nice when things go wrong

[00:41:38] Nikki: Yeah. You have some, you have almost like a landmark experience to remember the trip when this happened instead

[00:41:44] Dana: as a mom it’s nice ’cause thing, I mean, at least for me, things start to run together

[00:41:49] Nikki: they do.

[00:41:51] Dana: in your mind a little

[00:41:51] Nikki: do.

[00:41:52] Dana: This has been so nice. Thank you for coming on.

[00:41:56] Nikki: Thank you for having me. I’m so happy to be here.

[00:41:59] Dana: I like picking your brain about these things. If you couldn’t tell

[00:42:02] Nikki: We can do it anytime.

[00:42:03] Dana: your Disney brain, so to end things, where can everyone find you and follow you?

[00:42:09] Nikki: Yes. My handle is mornings with Mickey. And you can also find me at Magic Mornings Vacations on both Instagram and TikTok. Not as I need to be better at TikTok, but definitely very active on Instagram because I

[00:42:26] Dana: Yes. You have to follow her on Instagram. It is. It’ll make you feel tired because you don’t understand how she’s doing all of this, but it’s very inspiring to see how you’re doing Disney in the parks, but then also at home. I love to see it.

[00:42:41] Nikki: Yes. My whole goal in life is to have my kids look back and just say, my mom tried. My mom tried to make life magical. And even on the days where I don’t succeed, at least they know I’m trying and I just wanna make sure I really take in. Every moment with my kids at this age ’cause I know it’s really special.

[00:43:07] Dana: I know, and it goes so fast.

[00:43:08] Nikki: It does.