She Drank the Disney Kool-Aid; Now She's Blogging About it on Patch

Planning a Disney vacation? Meredith McCutcheon wants to help.

McCutcheon, a mom of two from Rochester Hills, first visited Disney World with her family last September. Before the trip, she spent months reading books and websites and devouring every piece of information that would help her make the most of her time.

You know the drill: Do we need reservations for breakfast at Cinderella's "royal table"?" Should we buy a Park-Hopper Pass?

McCutcheon researched the answers to these questions and hundreds more to come up with what she calls her "touring plan" of all things Disney.

That plan — and the magical trip that ensued — was the inspiration for McCutcheon's new career and passion as a Disney trip planner.

In her inaugural Patch blog post, "Drinking the Kool-Aid: A Mom's Guide to Disney World," McCutcheon hints at the success of this touring plan to make the most of her Disney trip. 

"My family routinely experiences all of the headliner attractions (and some minor ones) before lunch, and we rarely ever wait more than 15 minutes for any ride," she writes. "The trick is learning how to stay ahead of the crowds."

McCutcheon was a high school language arts teacher in Trenton before she became a full-time mom to Jack and Sadie. She intended to go back to teaching once her kids were in school. Instead, she has taken her newfound passion and made it a career. McCutcheon is a travel professional who specializes in Disney vacation-planning. She runs The Magic Minus the Mayhem on Facebook and works for Ginger's Getaways, a local travel agency.

"After this first trip, I realized that I could really help people with what I had learned," said McCutcheon, 35.

McCutcheon and her husband, Eric, moved to Rochester Hills from Dearborn two years ago. She grew up downriver Detroit, Eric grew up in Lake Orion.

She said watching her daughter Sadie's face as she saw the princesses come to her table for breakfast inside Cinderella's castle was one of her favorite Disney moments. She is currently planning a Disney cruise vacation with her family for next May. 

What's your favorite Disney memory? Are you planning a trip? Share your stories with other parents — and with Meredith — on her Patch blog here.

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