Disney Moms Panel Monday – Doug

Straight from my heart – A glimpse into what makes my fellow Panelists so very precious to me.

Doug was one of the 16 Panelists who joined the Moms Panel Family in 2009. Joining Bret, Doug became the second Dad to share his expertise with guests who are planning their Walt Disney World vacations.  Unfortunately, when I went down for my Training Trip in December 2009, Doug wasn’t able to be there. In fact, I didn’t get to meet him until the 2010 Reunion, and even then it was only for a few brief moments. Here he is with the other 2009 Panelists who were at the Moms Panel Meet & Greet in the Odyssey that day.

Back row: Doug, Whitney, Margaret
Middle row: Jennifer, Karen, Diane L, Anna, Joanne
Front row: Tanya, Kay, Cathy S.

The '09 Panelists at the Moms Panel Meet & Greet in 10/10 photo credit: Tanya

I distinctly recall a few conversations with Kay and Diane L in 2010 in which I was whining expressing a strong frustration with the fact that I hadn’t gotten the opportunity to really get to know Doug yet. “You’ll love him…everybody loves Doug”, was the immediate response.

I was excited last March when Doug headed to Boston for a business trip. This was the perfect chance for me to finally spend some time chatting with him. We met up for dinner and a few hours quickly flew by as I discovered first hand what a great guy he is.

Boston - Doug and I - 3/11

Doug has a razor sharp wit and an awesome sense of humor. He’s super outgoing, easy to talk to and an incredibly nice person. He and his wife live in Indiana with their 2 beautiful little girls.

Doug possesses a wealth of Disney knowledge and is an incredible asset to the Panel. In fact, he is the author of the Complete Idiot’s Guide to Walt Disney World!

In addition, Doug created an iPhone/iPod Touch application. “The WDW Complete Travel Guide is a guide book and map all in one. With a complete park maps set for all four theme parks, comprehensive dining, attraction, and resort reviews, and other tips, it is a valuable resource to have handy when you are in Orlando!” You can download it HERE in the iTunes Store.

After our dinner in Boston, I chatted with Doug a few times during 2011. With each conversation, I was reminded why “Everybody loves Doug”. He is such a genuine person. Doug was one of the Alumni Panelists who flew down to welcome the newest Members this past December. We all had an awesome weekend! On Friday evening, we met up at Hollywood Studios to enjoy the Spectacle of Dancing Lights.

Marisol, Doug and I at Hollywood Studios - 12/11 (Marisol's iPhone)

I have such wonderful memories of that entire weekend, and I especially enjoyed that evening.

Clockwise starting at Doug, Krista, me, Marisol, Jill and Tron - DHS - 12/11

The next day, we headed over to the Magic Kingdom where we ran into some of the new Panelists on Main Street. Here’s a group of Disney Dads…

Ari, Chris, Scott, Doug

After spending a few hours in the Magic Kingdom, we headed out on the ferry to get ready for the cocktail party that evening. I love this photo of 4 of the nicest people in the world: Chris, Marisol, Doug and Marc.

Chris, Marisol, Doug and Marc - Ferry Boat from MK - 12/11

The cocktail party was held at the BoardWalk Inn and many laughs were shared by all. There are 12 Dads on the Moms Panel, and 5 of them were there that evening.

Doug, Chris, Ari, Scott and Marc - 12/11

Here’s Doug with Krista and Malanie.

Krista, Doug and Malanie - 12/11

Afterwards Chris, Doug, Allison and I enjoyed a drink together at the California Grill. Marc soon joined us and we watched Wishes from the rooftop.

A toast to great friends...Chris, Allison, Doug and I - 12/11

The next morning, a group of us enjoyed strolling around the World Showcase together for a little while. It was a relaxing morning with great conversations and memory making with wonderful people.

Here are Marc and Doug in Germany.

Marc and Doug - Epcot - 12/11

We then had lunch and tackled a “Kitchen Sink” for dessert as a group at Beaches & Cream.

Krista, Jill, Marisol, me, Chris, Doug and Tron - 12/11

Soon it was time to head home. While Chris and I went back to get our suitcases, Doug made a quick trip to Hollywood Studios to pick up a treat for his wife. What a nice guy! The 3 of us then shared a taxi back to the airport together. While Chris chatted with our driver, Doug and I visited some more on the ride over. Doug is such a fun, energetic, outgoing, awesome guy. I am truly blessed to call him my friend and I look forward to making many more memories together in the future.

You can follow Doug on Twitter: @INDoug

Want to get to know some more Walt Disney World Moms Panel Moms & Dads? I share a different Panelist with you each Monday! Here’s the link to all of them so far: http://www.memorymakermom.com/category/disney-moms-panel-monday/

Love ya, Doug!