In this 5th week of the Meet Your Moms Panel series, we meet Dannée N. These informal interviews are meant to be a jumping off point from the bios that appear on the DisneyWorldMoms.com site where you can learn about every panelist’s background and experience with Walt Disney World, and see their personal videos as well. Once you check them out there, you can get to know the panelists a little better here!
I have a special place in my heart for Dannée, because she was one of the first two moms I met during our December Moms Panel training trip and boy did she make me feel welcome and at ease. She just oozes fun, personality and humor. I also had the pleasure of getting together twice recently when her family was visiting Walt Disney World and then Tampa. Our families were able to meet and interact and just have a general great time. {Who doesn’t bond over cheesecake?!} I consider myself so lucky to know Dannée – and now you will be too:
How did you first get interested in the Disney parks?
As a child, I loved Mickey Mouse and wanted to go to Disney World. We had such a great time that I knew I wanted to go back. In Middle School, I traveled with my Foreign Language Club for our Epcot field trip and fell in love all over again. It was not until I was an adult and returned with my husband that I could control our vacations and we have been vacationing at WDW ever since.
Besides Disney, what are you most passionate about?
My family, Girl Scouts, Community Service through my sorority, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., and health care for the underserved.
Tell us about your family – are they Disney fans too? What are some of your most memorable family experiences?
Yes, we are all Disney Fans! We even dress the part at Halloween. My most memorable family experiences would be our vacations to WDW. We enjoy getting away from the day to day and spending time together. I want to create as many lasting memories while we can!
What is your dream job (you can answer at Disney, not Disney, both or neither!)
My dream job is to provide health care services to Disney employees and their families in Orlando, Florida (or Hawaii ;)).
What is your favorite Disney restaurant and why?
My favorite Disney restaurant is The Plaza Restaurant at Magic Kingdom Park. Once you have had a Strawberry shake there, you will know why!
What is the first thing you do when you arrive at Disney visit? What is your MUST DO during each visit?
The first thing we do when we arrive to WDW is explore the resort. We enjoy checking it all out and looking at what activities are available for us. We try to plan our “free” days as resort days. My must do is Downtown Disney – I love window shopping and I love buying even more. I also must have Cotton Candy each trip.
What do you wish there were more of at Disney? Less?
I wish there were more shows that are based on the Disney movies we love. I wish there was less off and on rain (although we have the ponchos down to a science).
What type of music are you into?
All music genres. Currently I am enjoying these artists on my Ipod: Maroon 5, various artists from the Sex and the City Soundtrack, Jay Z, Mariah Carey, Mary J. Blige, Robin Thicke, Prince and the Revolution, Trey Songz, various artists from The Princess and The Frog Soundtrack, DMX, Toni Braxton, New Edition, Jon B., Beyonce, and Nina Sky.
What’s the last book you read that you really enjoyed?
The last book I read – Jodi Picoult’s My Sister’s Keeper. The last book I read that I really enjoyed – J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows!
Describe YOUR perfect Disney vacation (could be solo, with family, friends anything, no limitations).
My perfect Disney vacation is with family and friends, doing whatever we chose to do with no financial restrictions and no time restrictions. We would have dinner receptions every night in different areas of the Theme Parks. We would have Character Breakfasts every morning. We would be able to stay at each resort for as long as we like and Cinderella’s Castle Suite on the weekends. We could eat all the Turkey legs, cotton candy, Strawberry Shakes and Candy Apples that we wanted. We could ride the attractions with unlimited immediate fast passes. We could leave when we missed home, but would that be ever?
Feel free to share your little “interesting tid-bit” from training or some other surprising fact about you. (that you don’t mind the internet knowing!)
I took swimming lessons, but I do not know how to swim.
Thank you so much for sharing a bit more with us, Dannée! Remember to look for Dannée. at the Walt Disney World Moms Panel, where you can ask her all of your Disney World vacation planning questions. You can also keep up with Dannée on twitter @DisneySunFlower. And just maybe you’ll see her the next time you visit Walt Disney World, too!
