How I Write a Blog

I occasionally receive questions asking me how long it takes to write a blog, where do I get my information, and what type of cameras I use. I have answered all of these questions in the Comments section of my blogs, but it occurred to me that not everyone reads the comments. So today I’m going to give you a rundown of what it takes for me to create an article. Some of this might get a little technical (and boring, LOL), but I’ll try to entertain along the way. So here goes.

Where do I begin

I have written many of you and said, “My passion is Disney and I love to learn and write about it. The fact that you enjoy reading what I write is just frosting on the cake.”

I’m living the dream!

What type of cameras do I use?

For my still photographs I use a Nikon D80 camera. This is a very good camera – and to be honest, beyond my expertise. But it works quite well for me. Some of the things I like about it are that it turns on instantly and there is no lag-time between shots. If I hold the shutter button down, I can take continuous pictures. This is great because I never miss a shot waiting for my camera to “turn on” or copy one photo to the memory stick before allowing me to snap another.

I also use a Nikkor 18-200 zoom lens. This gives me both wide angle and extreme close-up shots. This comes in very handy at times. Here are four pictures to illustrate my point. In each set, I stood in the same spot with the camera set to extreme wide angle and completely zoomed in.

Spaceship Earth - Wide Angle

Spaceship Earth - Zoomed In

France Bridge - Wide Angle

France Bridge - Zoomed In

I had wanted this camera and lens for a long time, but just couldn’t bring myself to spend the money. What pushed me over the edge was an invitation I received from Disney to cover a Naturalization Ceremony being held at the Magic Kingdom in July, 2007. I knew I would be sharing the press viewing platform with folks from CBS, NBC, and ABC. I didn’t want to show up at the event with my simple point-and-shoot camera while the rest of them were sporting humongous, professional equipment. So I treated myself and splurged.

Ah, what we don’t do to justify our actions. LOL

When I first started carrying this camera and lens to the parks, I literally got a backache from the weight. Now, it’s second nature to me and I almost feel naked on those occasions when I decide to leave it at home.

Nikon D80 and Nikkor 18-200 Zoom Lens

For my video I use a Sony High Definition XR-500V camera. I have also purchased a wide-angle lens as I feel most video cameras offer too narrow a shot with the standard lens. I also splurged and bought a three-hour battery as the one that came with the camera only lasted about 30 minutes in ideal circumstances.

Even though this camera has an anti-shake feature, I learned very quickly that I can’t hold it steady enough to create a smooth shot. To rectify this, I purchased a monopod. Unlike a tripod, a monopod is light and easy to carry. It can also be extended and contracted in an instant. It gives me all the stabilization I need for creating level pans.

Sony High Definition XR-500V Camera

What software do I use?

For the editing of my still photos I use Paint Shop Pro X3. This is the poor man’s version of Photoshop. Paint Shop Pro runs about $100 as compared to the full version of Photoshop which costs upwards of $700. I’m sure Paint Shop Pro can’t compare to Photoshop, but it has all of the features I need.

For video editing I use Vegas Pro 9.0. This is a very powerful editing tool and rated one of the top for home and semi-professional use. I can add as many layers of video and audio tracks as I need and it offers dozens of transitions and special effects.

For audio editing I use GoldWave. I downloaded this software years ago from the internet and I’ve been more than pleased.

I use Microsoft Word (Office 2010) for composing my blogs.

Where do I live?

I live nine miles north of Downtown Disney between the Orlando suburb of MetroWest and the town of Windermere. From my garage, I can be in the parking lot of any of the Disney parks within 30 minutes. That doesn’t mean I can necessarily be through the turnstiles, but I’m close. When I moved to Orlando, I told my real estate agent that my goal was to live as close to Disney as possible. She did well for me.

This distance means that the absolute minimum time required for a round-trip to Disney will be one hour. I have been known to drive to a park, go to Guest Relations, ask a question, and return home. This takes just under an hour and a half (except for the Magic Kingdom which always takes longer).

You may be asking yourself, “Why do you drive all the way to Disney to ask one question when you could make a phone call instead?”

Although phone-trees are now a fact of life, and Disney’s is better than most, I find them frustrating. After answering all of the computer’s silly questions, I’m put on hold for 15 minutes waiting for a live person to answer my inquiry. I find a drive to Disney World much less frustrating, even though it takes longer. And I never know what I might discover on my short visit.

I’m usually somewhere on Disney property three to five times a week.

How do I select a topic?

I want to write about topics that interest me so I rarely solicit ideas. If I opened up this selection criteria to all of you, you’d be asking me to cover things like the Dining Plan, which I couldn’t care less about. Since I’m volunteering my time to AllEars, the topics must be fun for me to investigate and write about. There are, of course, times when I must write about less-than-exciting subjects.

Disney occasionally invites AllEars to cover press events. Since I’m the only team member who lives nearby, these assignments often fall on me. (It’s a tough job, but someone has to do it.) Most of these press events are fantastic. For example, when Disney opened La Hacienda de San Angel Restaurant at the Mexico Pavilion, I was wined and dined and entertained. I had a great night! But Disney also invites us to lesser events, like the opening of a shop.

A while back, I attended the official opening of Tren-D, a women’s wear store located at Downtown Disney. I have absolutely no interest in women’s clothing, but I attended with an open mind. I realize that it’s important that AllEars cover everything we can so we can remain a leading Disney information provider. In my article about Tren-D, I tried to put as much enthusiasm as I would for any other topic.

There are some topics that interest me, but I’ll probably never cover. Pirates of the Caribbean and the Haunted Mansion come to mind. There have been whole books written about these two attractions. I couldn’t begin to do them justice.

So back to, “How do I select a topic?” When the right idea comes to me, I know it.

Once I select a topic, how to I begin?

If I’m going to include a video with my blog, I usually begin by filming. Since my goal is the capture the subject matter, not the guests, I must arrive at the parks well before opening so I can be one of the first through the gates. I usually have 20 to 30 minutes of people-free shooting before too many guests arrive and start to get in my way. If I’m filming an attraction, I will shoot all of the exterior shots before riding. Once again, this maximizes my people-free opportunities.

I also like to shoot from as many viewpoints as possible. This adds interest to the video and alleviates the boring “one perspective” camera angle. Let’s take the Lilly Belle, for example. When I filmed this attraction, I rode three times. Once to film from the port side of the ship, once to film from the starboard side, and once to capture a clean recording of the narrative. I also videotaped the ship from vantage points in Liberty Square, Frontierland, and Tom Sawyer Island. This took about four hours as I had to wait multiple times for the Liberty Belle to complete a trip around the island.

I have the patience of Job when filming. Many times I will wait”¦ and wait”¦ and wait for people to move out of my shot. You’d never know it by the friendly expression on my face, but occasionally I’m thinking some pretty nasty things about guests who plant themselves in the middle of my next shot to discuss whether to ride Peter Pan or Small World next. (JUST PICK ONE, DARNIT, AND GET OUT OF MY WAY! LOL)

It’s not uncommon for me to have well over one hundred video clips by the time I’m finished filming a subject. It’s imperative that I edit my video as soon as I get home because I’ll quickly lose track of what I’ve filmed if I wait.

Unless I’ve filmed a live performance, I usually strip away all of the original sound. The microphone on my camera captures too many ambient noises that are distracting. Even the slightest breeze can sound like a hurricane to a video camera.

After I’ve cleaned off all of the audio, I then add appropriate music and sound effects. For example, if you see a fountain in one of my videos and hear the water splashing, the splashing sounds were added by me after the fact. When you see a roaring fire and hear the flames crackling, the crackling sound has been added by me. And those pleasant bird chirps coming from the trees were all placed there when I felt they were appropriate.

It can easily take me eight hours to edit a 10 minute video.

Since I only have 20 to 30 minutes of people-free shooting, I only take one camera with me when I go to a park. I simply would not have the time to take videos and stills on the same trip so why hassle with two cameras. So on another day, I return with my Nikon D80. It’s not uncommon for me to take 300 pictures of the subject I’m covering.

To give you an example of people-free pictures versus random guests, take a look at these shots of Morocco and Norway. The people-free pictures were taken at 11:05 (right after World Showcase opened). The pictures with guests were taken later in the afternoon.

Morocco without People

Morocco with People

Norway without People

Norway with People

I certainly believe that people in a photograph can add interest and composition, but that’s not my intent when writing a blog. I want to show you the topic being discussed, not a bunch of guests in shorts.

I keep all of my photographs organized for easy access. I never know when I’m going to need a picture I took years ago to better tell a story. I have a folder on my computer called Walt Disney World. Within this folder are additional folders for every park and hotel. Within these folders are sub-categories. For example, under the Magic Kingdom I have folders for each of the lands and under each land, the attractions.

All pictures I use in a blog must be resized to 480 pixels in width, my copyright added, renamed, and saved to another folder so as not to affect the original. It is not uncommon for me to use 80 to 100 photographs with some of my longer blogs. And just for the record, I edit my pictures. If I can take a stroller or another unwanted object out of a shot, it’s history. All of this takes time.

More often than not, when I get home and start to edit my videos or stills, I find that I forgot a shot, a picture is blurry, or a video clip too jerky. This will necessitate another trip to Disney for a make-up session.

How do I research my articles?

To begin with, I’m knowledgeable about Disney parks. I went to Disneyland for the first time in 1956-57 and Disney World for the first time in January, 1972. I’ve also been to the Tokyo Disney Resort four times and the Paris and Hong Kong Disney resorts twice each. I worked at Disneyland for nine years in my youth. I have lived through and experienced firsthand much of the history of these magical lands. However, my knowledge has many holes in it so I do rely on other sources.

I have a large collection of Disney books. These are invaluable to me when researching a topic. I also have Disney stock reports dating back to 1964. I have all but the first issue of Steve Birnbaum’s Official Guide to Walt Disney World. I also have the internet.

Jack's Disney Library

Ah, the internet. This is something that one must be leery of. When I find a Disney fact on some webpage, I try to corroborate the information with some other source before I use it. This isn’t always possible, but I try. If something sounds too outlandish, I leave the fact out rather than perpetuate misinformation.

I talk to cast members. Cast members can be a wonderful source of information. But they can also be as unreliable as the internet. I don’t believe any cast member would intentionally lead a guest astray, but they are subjected to the same Disney urban legends as the rest of us. I still hear cast members tell guests that the black sections in the Swan and Dolphin Hotels can be removed so the monorail can run through these openings. Or that the turrets of Cinderella Castle can be removed if a hurricane is threatening the park. It’s all I can do when I hear misinformation like this being dispensed to keep my mouth closed, mind my own business, and walk away. The problem is, guests eat this stuff up and perpetuate the stories.

I also use Guest Relations as a source. The information here is usually, but not always, more reliable than that obtained from a “generic” cast member out in the park.

How do I begin to compose my blog?

As any writer will tell you, the first sentence is the most difficult. Once I get that down, things usually begin to flow easily. But I have been known to agonize over a silly paragraph for much, much too long. I keep a thesaurus handy (actually, it’s online) as I try to not duplicate words whenever possible. I try to “write” in the same manner as I “speak.” I think this keeps things more informal. I will often write in the second-person, even though I was taught this is a no-no in school. Once again, I think this makes my blogs more personable.

If I’m reviewing a restaurant or some other facility, I will give you my opinion, otherwise, I just stick to the facts. I simply state “what is” in my articles. However, I do tend to write in a positive tone and my descriptions are often mistaken for recommendations. And because my blogs aren’t “Trip Reports,” I try to leave out personal minutia. I don’t think any of you really care what I ate for breakfast on a given day or how long I waited in line to ride an attraction. I believe you read my blogs to learn about Disney.

Proofing my blogs is another challenge. To begin with, I’m mildly dyslexic. This doesn’t help. But thankfully, Microsoft Word points out a lot of my mistakes and typos. One of my greatest aids in proofreading comes from software I purchase on-line called Natural Reader. This program reads any document out loud in a “natural” voice. It does not sound like a monotone robot. Hearing what I wrote helps tremendously when looking for errors.

My friend Donald also proofreads my finished documents. Besides finding errors, he also adds his two-cents about the content. Sometimes I take his suggestions, sometimes I don’t.

And then there are my readers. They often send me apologetic comments pointing out my errors. Please, don’t apologize. I appreciate you letting me know. (Thanks Dan)

By the way, when I receive a correction from one of you, I correct the error immediately, but I still post your comment. This can be confusing to others when the error pointed out no longer exists.

What’s involved with uploading the blog?

Once I have all of my text ready and my photos and video prepared, I must upload everything to the AllEars website. The text is easy. All I have to do is cut-and-paste. But the pictures are more time consuming. I must copy and upload each photo into place one at a time. Then, I rename the photo so you can hover your cursor over the picture for a brief description. One of my lengthy two-part blogs can take 40 to 60 minutes to upload.

I upload the video to YouTube and embed a link into my blog. A 10 minute video takes about 70 minutes to upload. This runs in the background so it doesn’t affect my computer use, but it does slow down my internet access.

How long does it take me to write a blog?

That depends. It only took me about three hours to write this blog. But then, all I had to do was sit down at the computer and take a few pictures around the house. I did not have to make a trip to Disney or do any research.

My two-part World Showcase blogs are taking me between 30 to 40 hours each. As I mentioned before, I will in all likelihood make three (maybe four) trips to Disney for pictures, videos, and make-up shots. Each of these trips takes around 4 hours minimum. However, if I want to film the entertainment, a trip can take longer than this. I usually arrive early in the morning for people-free filming, but entertainment usually doesn’t begin until later in the day. This means that I must wait around until the festivities begin. Now I admit, there are worse places in the world to be forced to sit around and wait, but in reality, I am “working” and this is “wasted” time for me.

My research of the subject also takes a lot of time. I try to be as accurate as possible which means I often check multiple sources before I include a tidbit in my blog.

I work on more than one blog at a time. Since I’m trying to post a new article every Monday, I need to multitask.

I will also try to alternate long blogs with short blogs from week to week. This helps me maximize my time.

If I’m attending a press event, time is of the essence. Allears wants to be among the first to cover the story. In these cases, I return home immediately following the event and do my best to get the story posted that evening or by noon the next day.

What about comments?

Once my blog is live, you are free to post comments (which I do appreciate). Please note, I review ALL comments before they go live. Although I am more than happy to post opposing views and negative comments, I will not post anything I believe to be controversial. For example, when I wrote a blog about Hall of Presidents reopening, I received a handful of comments putting down Obama. These comments never had a chance of being posted. The blog was about the attraction, not the political views of the politicians. If I had posted those comments, I would have received more comments with a variety of views and before you know it, my blog would turn into a name-throwing argument. We all read AllEars to learn about Disney, not to argue about off-topic subjects.

Occasionally I will receive a comment where the vast majority of it is perfectly acceptable, but I consider one line to be controversial. In those cases, I remove the offending sentence(s) and post the rest of the comment. When I do this, I will always contact the sender and let them know I have edited their work. Then I give them the option of leaving their edited comment posted or have me remove it completely.

I would guess that I post 99.8% of the comments I receive.

I DO NOT edit comments for typos and spelling. I simply do not have time.

I also try to personally answer every comment I receive. I figure if you’re nice enough to write me, I should at least say “Thank you.” But please forgive me when I don’t. Once again, I don’t always have the time.

Conclusion

It takes a lot of effort to write a blog on a weekly basis. I’m not going to sugarcoat this and say it’s easy. It’s not. But it is a labor of love. There is an old saying that states, “The worst day fishing beats the best day working.” Well, that’s the way I feel about my blogs. At times, it can be frustrating, but hey, I’m frustrated at Disney. How bad can it really be?

If you ever see me at Disney World, please flag me down and say hello. Nothing pleases me more than to talk about our favorite subject. And if I’m frantically trying to capture a shot and I’m too busy to chat, don’t worry; I’ll politely excuse myself.

As I said at the beginning of the blog, “My passion is Disney and I love to learn and write about it. The fact that you enjoy reading what I write is just frosting on the cake.”

I’m living the dream!

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55 Replies to “How I Write a Blog”

  1. Jack,

    Thank you for your tireless work on these blogs.
    I never knew how much work they were until this article.
    We all appreciate you even more now!
    I hope you keep up the great work for a long time as I love reading your blogs each week.

    So from one of your fans, a heart felt THANK YOU once again.

    Have a tiggerific Holiday season!

  2. we here @ allears are very lucky indeed to have you back JOB i mean JACK. just 13 working days & counting till all the xmas bueaty. happy turkey day & merry christmas
    my best to you ,dusty

  3. Great blog as usual Jack!
    I was wondering though if living so close to Disney World and going so frequently makes it less magical. I recently moved to Florida an i love going to Disney World as much as possible and was just curious if it will lose its magic the more times I go. If you get a chance, let me know if you feel this way or not.
    Thanks!

    Jack’s Answer:

    Yes. The magic you felt while vacationing here will vanish. How could the excitement and anticipation of holiday getaways be sustained? However, this lost magic will be replaced with new magic. What do I keep harping on in my blogs? “Slow down and smell the roses.” When you live in Orlando and have an annual pass, you never again have to worry about “getting your money’s worth.” You will go to the Magic Kingdom simply for lunch at Columbia Harbour House. You will go to Epcot just to enjoy the beauty of World Showcase. You’ll go to the Animal Kingdom and actually care about the animals.

    I think it’s an equitable trade off.

  4. Love your blogs, Jack! Keep doing what you love! I could only wish to do what you do! Thank you for all your knowledge and time!

  5. Jack–I first discovered you several years ago when researching for a family trip to WDW (we hadn’t been in about 3 years, and there were several new things happening). What got my attention was your blog about Disneyland Paris. Ever since reading it, I have wanted to go, and my husband promises me we’ll get over there someday. It was looking likely for a while, when he was a store manager at our local Disney Store. But, unfortunately, our mall did not appreciate Disney as much as we do, so they did not come to an agreement for lease renewal. A sad day in our house. At any rate, when you quit blogging, it was a sad day in the Dollar household, and to be personally honest, AllEars wasn’t quite as much fun to read as before. When you announced your return to “regular” blogging, I couldn’t have been more ecstatic. You are the reason people consider me to be a Disney expert, and I always tell them I get my info from someone who researchs much more than I do! It’s a testament to your skill, because I’ll read every post whether I think it will be interesting or not. Keep up the good work, you have loyal fans (who will buy a book if you ever lean that way).

  6. Hi Jack, As usual, had to read your entire blog as it was too darn interesting to quickly skim over. There’s much more work involved than I had imagined. A few years back, while recovering from an illness, I had the good fortune to live in Clermont on Rte 27 and visited WDW theme parks quite often and found it to be better medicine than the doctor had ordered. I highly recommend it. (In conjunction with whatever your doctor has ordered, adding a heaping spoonful of Disney makes everything seem better)
    Looking forward to the next blog tonight.

  7. Hello Jack,

    I am so glad you wrote this blog. Now I understand why your blogs read like professional-quality travel articles. It’s because they ARE!

    I get so much out of this blog. Like you, I love to know the ins and outs of how things work, what certain small details mean, why things are designed the way they are. The more I learn, the more I realize that the imagineers are not only geniuses at designing rides and special effects, but are also true artists. I am an engineer myself, and I would love to think that this same potential exists in my field (even though rockets don’t really have to be pretty!).

    Someday, I hope to run into you at the parks, and when I do, I’d love to buy you a beer – or a Dole Whip, if you prefer!

    A.D. Johnson
    – Littleton, CO

  8. All I can say is wow to all the work that goes into your blogs. It truly is a
    labor of love. It just never occurred to me how much work it takes to write
    your blogs but clearly it shows in the quality of your blog and why so many
    people enjoy reading them so much. I guess i can see how much work goes into
    your blogs because it took me an hour to write this response. I hope you will
    continue to write for many years to come.

    By the way, I was at Epcot last week and thought about what you always say about
    stopping to smell the roses and I noticed a lot of things you wrote about like
    the water wheel at Morocco (something I never noticed before) the different
    architecture styles in England, the bicycle left by the water in France, etc.
    Well it was on one particularly beautiful fall afternoon where the sun was
    shining, the air was dry at just the right temperature, the cool breeze was
    rustling through the trees and the park was not crowded that my boyfriend and I
    sat on a bench in Italy and took a nap. It was the most comfortable and
    relaxing thing to do that when we woke up 15-20 mins. later we were completely
    refreshed. Although that wasn’t exactly stopping to smell the roses or is it?
    I just shut my eyes and enjoyed the sound and feel of the park and the
    peacefulness lulled me into a light sleep. Haha.

  9. Jack,

    I happened upon your blog by accident about 3 years ago. I was planning a honeymoon to Disney World. I hadn’t been in 10 years and my husband had never been. In fact, just a year before he had no interest, but a trip to Downtown Disney during our visit to Orlando to go to Sea World changed all that! A friend mentioned that I should visit allears.net to help with my planning. I started reading your blog, then I decided I needed to go ALL the way back to start at the beginning. When I finally caught up, it was so sad! Luckily, you’re still writing so I can still enjoy your blog, just not several in one day! Your writing is amazing, especially now that I know you have dyslexia! My favorite blogs were the ones from Tokyo, Hong Kong and Paris. DisneySea was especially amazing. I’m so glad you shared your trip with us, otherwise I would never have experienced it! Your blog is amazing and I always look forward to seeing a new entry. Thank you so much for all of your hard work!

  10. Hey Jack, just want you to know that when you left briefly it was like having withdrawal symptoms! I work in mental health & during my lunch break I always love to peruse your latest blog. It was downright depressing when you left. Please know your efforts are not taken for granted. You have enriched my family’s visits to WDW through all the knowledge you’ve shared, and while we’re away we can live somewhat vicariously through you & your blogs. Thanks again & keep up the great work!!!

  11. Jack, Thanks for taking the time to explain how you write your blogs. I really enjoy reading your blogs for the reason you intended…to learn about disney. I’m a huge fan but I live far away and do not have the resources to make an annual trip to Florida…so I enjoy Disney and all it has to offer from afar. When I do make a trip, I use your blogs (along w/ this website) to help plan my trip itinerary. I also recommend this website to all my friends who decide to take the trip to WDW for the first time. I find this information invaluable! Thanks for taking the time to write to us so often and keeping the magic alive in all of us! 🙂

  12. Jack,

    I never realized how much time and effort you put into these. I love reading these in the morning at work. It’s a perfect start to the day. Thank you for volunteering and putting in so much time and effort into these. I truly appreciate it.

  13. Jack,

    I never believe I realized how time consuming your blogs are. I love to read them in the mornings at work, they are such a nice start to the day. Thank you so much for volunteering and putting all of the time and effort into these. I truly love reading you blogs all the time.

  14. This just makes me appreciate you all the more…I’m so happy you’re back doing what you (and we) love.

    Your articles make the time pass for those of us who live far away in other countries and can only visit once a year. They’re especially welcome in the winter months when we’re freezing 😉

    Thanks again Jack,
    Wendy

  15. Hey Jack,
    Been busy busy and have just been reading and running. As always great blogs. Love the insight on how you do what you do! Thanks!

    Rob

    P.S. Its common to have camera size envy, but I hear size dose not matter 🙂

  16. Hi Jack,

    Thank you for taking time out of your day and life to give us a great very informative read. Keep up the great work. I really appreciate it. Looking forward to my Christmas trip in 6 weeks,

    Shea

  17. Hi Jack! I can totally appreciate all the time and effort you put into your blog. They are always wonderful reads.
    I too blog and write about Disney all the time. I know first hand how much effort it takes. That being said, I love writing about Disney and I always have fun doing it. I say this all the time, if I lived in Orlando, I would get arrested for stalking the Mouse. :0) I bet he’s glad I live outside of Chicago…

  18. Hi Jack,
    You just have a natural touch for writing!
    I enjoyed this blog so much but I thought of the time you dedicate to this site and it is all volunteer! WOW… you are awesome!
    Take care

  19. Jack,
    Very interesting article! I know you put lots of time and energy into each of your blogs. I certainly do appreciate what you do. (Oh, and I for one did appreciate your Tren-D article! It inspired me to visit that store, and I always do since then. I have bought some cool Mickey jewelry and purse from Tren-D. Thanks!)

  20. Jack, thanks so much for this article. I always wondered what actually went into the making of your blogs. 30-40 hours is a LOT of time!

    So, my wife and I are looking to move to Orlando when she is ready for graduate school. Like you, we want to be less than 30 minutes from any Disney park as well. Can you recommend any particular areas?

    Another comment asked about whether you visit the parks anymore just for fun. So do you?

    Keep up the absolutely outstanding work that we have come to know and love!!!!

    Jack’s Answer:

    Without knowing your budget, it’s difficult to make a recommendation. Home prices range from $200K to over a million.

    When you move to Orlando, you need to understand, trips to Disney World will NEVER be the same as when you vacationed here. And this is great, as long as you’re prepared for this. If you’re expecting the same level of “magic” as when you visited once a year, you’ll be disappointed. When you move here, you need to look for “new” magic. It’s at this time you learn to really slow down and smell the roses.

    To answer the question, yes, I occasionally visit the parks just for fun. But my typical fun day isn’t what you might expect. It goes something like this. I enter the Magic Kingdom around 10:30am. I make a slow circle around the park. I might pick up a FastPass for Peter Pan or Splash Mountain along the way (I might not). I might stand in line for one attraction (I might not). I have lunch at Columbia Harbour House or The Plaza Restaurant around 11:30. I leave the park right after lunch. Of course, the rides and restaurants change depending on my mood and this same routine can be substituted for any of the parks.

    Because I have an Annual Pass, I don’t need to get “my money’s worth.” It’s perfectly okay to go to a park and simply sit on a bench and people watch. Living here gives you freedom to sample Disney in small bites, rather than large hunks.

  21. Jack: Super interesting article! Thanks so much. Never knew how much time and effort was expended in writing one of these. Gives us a whole new appreciation.

  22. Jack, fantastic report! I always enjoy your writing and this has given me a great insight into how dedicated you are to your craft. I hope all your readers appreciate the time and effort you put in, I know I do!

  23. Jack,
    Thanks for taking the time to tell us about how you write your blog. I truly appreciate it as I’m getting ready to roll one out. I also super appreciate that you take the time to reply to the comments you get–I’m always excited to see you in my inbox. The amount of time you spend checking facts, taking video and photos, and writing is absolutely amazing. I love reading your weekly posts and always learn something new.

  24. Jack,

    To echo many other comments, you blogs are the absolute best of the AllEars staff. You have a wonderful eye for detail and beauty and a nose for what is interesting. For those of us that can only afford to visit the World once every few years at best, your blogs and videos give us that fix to keep the magic in our everyday lives. We all appreciate your Labor of Love!

    My dream is to win the lottery so I can spend all kinds of time in the World and offer to take you out to lunch. 🙂

    Jack’s Comment:

    It’s a deal. When you win the lottery, I expect lunch.

    My lottery dream goes something like this… I travel to Tokyo and stay in a suite at the Disneyland Hotel for a month. Then I travel to Hong Kong and stay in the Disneyland Hotel for a month. Then I travel to Paris and stay in the Disneyland Hotel for a month. Then I travel to Anaheim and stay in the Disneyland Hotel for a month. Then I travel to Orlando and stay at the Grand Floridian Hotel for a month. Then start all over again. 🙂

  25. Hi Jack:

    Just a note to say THANK YOU from all of us that tresure WDW and all it’s details. The love you have for all things Disney certainly comes through in all your blogs.

    Keep up the wonderful work…

    Melissa

  26. Jack: A note to say thanks for all your effort. I have sent you three questions related to various blog entries and you have responded personally within a day or two. I appreciate it. BTW, you had a twin sitting behind me at the .38 Special Eat to the Beat show on 3 Oct. I asked if his name was Jack, but he said no

  27. I just started reading your blogs within the last month. I am planning a trip for November 2012. Our last trip was November 2002. I have to tell you, I love your blogs. I have gone into the archives to read past blogs. They are interesting and informative. Keep up your wonderful work.

  28. Thanks for explaining your blogging process – so interesting to read.

    I don’t know if I’ll ever have the chance to visit Disney World…if I do, I’ll know a lot about what to see and do from reading your blog info. If I don’t ever visit in person, well, reading your blog is the the next best thing.

    Your efforts are appreciated!

  29. As always, a great post! Only you can make a blog about blogging be interesting! I love all of the All Ears members’ postings but I have to say yours are the most enjoyable and informative. Keep it up!

  30. Hi Jack, Thanks so much for your dedication. I always enjoy reading your blog. I know you sometimes go to disney world with friends from out of the area and share your knowledge of the parks with them, but do you ever just go to the parks on a whim to have fun? I realize it’s fun to research and take pictures and prep for your blog too, but do you ever take a no-picture-taking, no blogging, non-researching trip to disney? Or do you get kind of sick of the place?

    Jack’s Answer:

    I never get sick of visiting Disney. I often eat lunch or dinner at the various Disney hotels, just so I can continue to soak up the atmosphere.

    Here is what a typical “fun” day is like for me.

    I enter the Magic Kingdom around 10:30am. I make a slow circle around the park. I might pick up a FastPass for Peter Pan or Splash Mountain along the way (I might not). I might stand in line for one attraction (I might not). I have lunch at Columbia Harbour House or The Plaza Restaurant around 11:30. I leave the park right after lunch. Of course, the rides and restaurants change depending on my mood and this same routine can be substituted for any of the other parks.

    Because I have an Annual Pass, I don’t need to get “my money’s worth.” It’s perfectly okay to go to a park and simply sit on a bench and people watch. Living here gives me the freedom to sample Disney in small bites, rather than large hunks.

  31. Just wanted to say thanks for taking the time to share all your Disney knowledge. I’ve said it before but we have gotten so much more out of our trips by reading your blogs. I’m not great with words but I wanted you know how much all of your hard work is appreciated!

    Debbie

  32. Jack,

    Thank you for sharing your process. I found it very interesting and it answered some of my questions, including what video editing software you use.

    Your blogs really do brighten my day, as I’m sure is true of countless others. Thanks for taking your time to share the Disney enthusiasm.

    Jack’s Comment:

    I use Vegas Pro to edit my videos. This is expensive software at $600. However, the same company make Vegas Movie Studio for about $125. This is also an excellent product and I highly recommend it.

  33. Hi Jack!

    We check Allears on a practically daily basis to see if you might have something new! We live in the Dallas-Ft. Worth area, and I must say, when our beloved Texas Rangers lost the World Series again this year, we were almost as sad as when it looked like you were no longer blogging!

    Anyhow, our question pertains to your day job. What do/did you do to earn a living, and how well were able to reconcile that with your Disney duties?

    Thanks, and keep the awesomeness coming!

    Jack’s Answer:

    After working at Disneyland for 9 years, I quit and went to work for the phone company in California. I held a number of position there, but my final four years were spent writing instruction manuals for in-house developed software. I have actually written a blog about my life and Disney. Here is the link.
    http://land.allears.net/blogs/jackspence/2009/11/my_disney_story.html

  34. Wow Jack, to say thank you for all you do just doesn’t seem like enough!! I too look everyday to see if you have written anything new. We don’t get to WDW as often as we used to so your blog (and AllEars in general) fills that gap.

    Please keep doing what you do. Even though it sounds like a full time job, I can assure you we all appreciate more than you know.

    Dana

  35. I don’t usually post comment but I feel compel to do so this time around. I want to say a big Thank You for all the hard work and time that you have put into.

    I have been to Disney many times but I always discover new things from your blogs. Your blogs also keep my sanity in check.

  36. I’m sure this post was a bit of ‘filler’ but it was a welcome surprise! I can honestly say I look forward to Monday mornings just because of your blog! I know all of us who read AllEars greatly appreciate your hard work and effort.
    And, not to sound too creepy but every trip to Disney I’m always hoping to run into you! Will you just put your Meet & Great times on the map already! 🙂
    Thanks!

  37. Hi Jack,
    Loving every blog you write. Reading them makes me think of the few times we were able to visit Orlando and relive them.
    I think you made a small typo on your lens: the Nikkor 80-200 is a multi pound Gorilla zoom lens. Your picture shows the 18-200 lens which you mentioned in earlier comments and which is a great lens to carry around a whole day in the parks.

    Jack’s Comment:

    I told you my camera was beyond my expertise. I don’t even know what equipment I have. LOL You are absolutely correct. I have a Nikkor 18-200 lens. Thanks for pointing out my typo/

  38. I read quite a few Disney blogs these days, but Allears was the first. Your posts are something I look forward to reading, as they are full of so much amazing, fun and interesting Disney information and trivia. Thanks for all the hard work!

  39. Interesting post, Jack. It’s fun to learn more about the behind-the-scenes process of creating a blog. I’m jealous that you’re so close to Disney and can swing by for a quick trip. It’s also cool to see your many Disney books. I recognize a lot of them, as I’ve been collecting both souvenir and guide books on Disney for a while. I especially like the large books from the ’80s with a lot of great photos from the early days of EPCOT.

    Great job!

  40. Hi Jack!
    Wow!! I am impressed by your dedication to this blog! I know how long it can take to wait for “that shot” but the hours you put into your writing/editing so that we can enjoy more Disney is amazing.
    I’m glad you have stuck with us and continue to share. Thank you!!

  41. I’m exhausted just reading this blog! After reading this blog, I appreciate your work even more than I did before. Thank you so much for what you do to keep us so informed!

  42. Incredible, Jack! Could ANYONE else write a blog about writing blogs and have it be so fascinating?? I think not. You have a gift and it is sooo appreciated! BTW, my big “find” of this blog was the fact that I can hover my mouse over your pictures and see a short description! Never tried it, so I never knew! LOL Thanks for all you do!

  43. Hello Jack!

    This was just as interesting to me as any other blog you’ve posted. Thanks for sharing! I definitely look more forward to your posts than any other (especially quizzes!). Thanks for what you do!

    Wendy

  44. Thanks Jack for all you do. These articles are so detailed and informative. Even learning about your writing process is entertaining. Your blogs help me make it through each work week as I wait and save for my next trip. You are living the dream! Keep up the great work.

  45. Keep up the great work. I love your blog and look forward to reading it.

    For someone who is just in the beginning stages of building a Disney library, are there any books you can recommend as must reads?

    Jack’s Answer:

    Disney is a huge topic. There are television, movies, theme parks, and more. My first bit of advice is to narrow down your scope of interest. For me, the vast majority of books deal with the theme parks. My next bit of advice is to buy books soon after they’re published. In the scheme of things, Disney books have a limited audience. I have many books that are now out of print as they never made it to a second printing. If you see a book and you think it “might” suit your needs, buy it. It won’t be there for long.

    If you’re interested in the history of Walt Disney World, I would recommend ” Realityland: True-Life Adventures at Walt Disney World” by David Koenig. I do feel that the book dwells on some negative aspects, but overall, it gives a decent history of the Florida property.

  46. This was wonderful, Jack! I appreciate all the hard, but enjoyable, work you do to brings us these posts! And thanks for “peeling back the curtain” a bit, so we can see what it takes to make them happen!

  47. Wow! I have always loved your posts & appreciated the amount of time I thought you put into them but I had no idea!! Your blog has always been my favorite to read.

    As a side note, I have been eyeing a new camera with the D80 on my short list. You may have just sealed the deal. Perhaps Nikon should give you a kickback! 🙂 Thanks again for all your hard work!

  48. I always enjoy reading your blogs, and eagerly await each new posting. To me this one is especially good because I’ve long wondered about many of the things you provide insight into and how you get such high quality pictures and video. It’s now apparent that patience and the amount of time you spend is a big part of it! I for one definitely appreciate your efforts, and am very happy you chose to take the time to share all of these details in one place.

    I am curious though, on days you don’t take the D80 or video camera do you usually carry a point-n-shoot in your pocket just in case you see something worth capturing?

    Jack’s Answer:

    Even though I have several point-and-shoot cameras, once I purchased the D80, there was no going back. However, I always have my iPhone for emergencies. LOL

  49. hey jack
    it was really interesting to learn all of the details about how you put your blogs together. i know that it takes a lot of hard work when making your blogs and i have to say THANK YOU. Your work is absolutly amazing and i always look forward to new blogs. can’t wait for your next blog and as always keep up the great work.

  50. Jack: The folks in the forefront of the Norway shot looked like they were wearing somewhat dated clothing. That caused me tolook at the photo to see if it was in fact from another era. Do I spot our favorite blogger smack dab in the middle, with the red-sleeved Mickey shirt??

    Jack’s Answer:

    I’m impressed. Yes, that’s a much younger, much thinner picture of me. You have a good eye.

  51. Really interesting. All your hard work and meticulous research pay huge dividends. I always love to see a new “World according to Jack” article, knowing it’s going to be a really good, informative and entertaining read.

  52. What a really interesting blog (as usual). How I wished I lived nearby like you do – as I live in the UK it takes me soooooo much longer to get to the parks LOL. I really really enjoy all your blogs and look on this website each day in case you have written another. I’m glad you enjoy doing it as it would be such a terrible loss to us and this website if you didn’t write them. Keep up the good work – oh and Happy Halloween!
    Ruth Woodhouse