One Man’s Dream: A photo tour

One Man’s Dream is officially closing in it’s current location. On my last visit to the world I wanted to go visit for the first and last time. This is truly an extraordinary exhibit and a testimony to Walt Disney. My entire family left feeling awed and a little bit teary eyed, especially after the film that was showed after you walked through (you know how us diehard disney folk get).

I documented most of the exhibits and tidbits of information I found interesting. I took all the photos on my iPhone camera so unfortunately they are not the kind of photography I would normally share on this page, they are merely documentary style and low quality but a way to show others some interesting parts of the exhibit.

I took much too long writing this blog from the time I visited so I unfortunately don’t remember a lot about what each photo entailed but the gist of the exhibit is a walk through the making of Disney.

This is also where you may become an ‘honorary citizen of Walt Disney World’ by answering questions for a quiz that you obtained by asking the cast member at the entrance of the exhibit for a quiz. The answers were all in the exhibit and were pretty easy to find for the most part. At the end you turned your quiz in, got your answers corrected, received your pin and got to sign the guest book! Very fun activity, especially when it was raining outside.

I’ll now proceed to my virtual photo walk through the exhibit. Enjoy and feel free to leave any comments with anything you know or liked about the exhibit!

The quiz.

Walt’s desk.

How the animation worked.

Entrance to the theater.

Completed Quiz.

Quote on the back of the quiz.

Signing the guest book.

Honorary Citizen of Disney World!

A shout out to all my favorite Disney Facebook Groups: Diehard Disney Nuts, Loving Disney, Disney Vacation Club Members, Disney Worldwide Dreamers, and Disneyland Dreamers just to name a few.

Be a Traveler not a Tourist: Part 1

go somewhere

So many people go on trips every year (sometimes more) and really don’t get anything out of it. Although I know that everyone has different ways of wanting to go on vacation, I hope that this post can give people an idea of how they can travel, let’s just say “better” than before. Not forcing anyone to do anything they don’t want to do, just wanting people to think about what happens in places where tourism is such a big part of that place. So many people go somewhere typical (which is fine) and just check off the things one should see in that location. Example, I’m going to Rome so I’ll see the Vatican, the Colosseum, and the Spanish Steps. Then I’ll go have some pasta and some gelato and perhaps some wine. Check, Rome is done, I’ve seen enough- maybe some day I’ll come back when I have more time. FALSE. Try something different, go outside your comfort zone.

I’ve been on a lot of cruises (which by the way are very cool and a great way to get a taste of so many different places in a very short time) and it is really hard not to just be a tourist on these trips. You are drug around in a group of individuals clad in walking shoes, D-SLRs around everyone’s neck, and of course the lovely walkie talkie contraptions or “whispers” as some guides call them also draped around one’s neck. You look foolish, but you get to see a lot this way. The problem is the only thing you are doing is SEEING a lot, you aren’t diving into the culture head first. The first time I went overseas I just spent a lot of time looking at the sights and I didn’t really get a lot out of the trip other than I saw a lot of cool things, basically all I was doing was following the tour group and seeing what was in front of me. I wanted my next trip to be something I got a lot out of both educationally and emotionally, but I’m different like that, I use travel as a way to express myself and learn more about myself. That isn’t how everyone likes to do things, but I’ve found I really come back from trips feeling overall better about myself if I really immerse myself into the locations I visit.

go somewhere and don’t just follow the leader

Let’s make this silly situation better! Let’s say you ARE on one of these tours and you aren’t off on your own (which I find is always the best way to see anywhere if you have more time and aren’t on a time constraint- if you are on something like a cruise I do think the shore excursions are the best way to get the most bang for your buck ), there are plenty of ways you can still discover what your destination is all about. Most trips give you some free time to eat or shop, take advantage of that! Find a map, wander down some side streets, get kinda lost and then figure out your way back to where you came from- it really gives you a sense of accomplishment to be able to find your way around somewhere completely foreign to you. It also makes you figure out what makes that place tick. Do the places to eat/drink get cheaper as you walk down side streets and get further away from tourist traps and closer to where people actually live? Usually it does. These are also AMAZING places to eat because it is where the locals eat, so usually a more reasonable price and you get the chance to talk to people who aren’t used to having THOUSANDS of tourists encroaching on their space every single day. From personal experience this is when I’ve really learned the most about cultures elsewhere is just by doing this little trick, going off the beaten path. Sometimes you don’t even have to go that far to find places with menus only in the local language (MOST of the time you can get by with English, but I find that it is polite to try to communicate in the local language first before going to English). Remembering you are a visitor to someone else’s home, be polite and be willing to try new things and talk to new people. You never know who will be willing to talk to you or what you will encounter. That is truly the beauty of traveling.

The times that I’ve strayed off the beaten path have been fantastic. I’ve found great hidden places to eat, lovely shops, and amazing people. I’ve wandered around places in Italy, France, Spain, Scotland, England, Ireland, Belgium, Holland, Greece, Monaco, Alaska, Canada, New York, Turkey, Malta, and so many more places. Each destination has something to teach you, my goal each time I travel is to discover what exactly I’m learning from that place. Holland taught me that I CAN find my way around a city I’ve only been in for literally minutes, Greece taught me to see the beauty in simplicity, Scotland taught me to appreciate the beauty of the world around me and England taught me that I can be so much more than I ever thought I could. Traveling really has helped me find direction and meaning to my life and traveling alone has helped even more.

go somewhere ready to try to “fit in”

Do research before you visit another country, learn how to say hello and thank you at the very least. I know so many people that complain about people who visit America or even move to America not being able to speak any English, give other countries the experience you want to have with foreigners, or at least try! Learning languages can be fun and a great family activity to do before embarking on a cruise or going on a trip if you are going somewhere as a family. Duolingo is a great little app that gets you started with the basics  Look into customs such as dress and body language. For examples there are cultures where one finger pointing not something you should do. Always be aware of things like that. Walk with a purpose, don’t feel bad about stopping to take photos, but be respectful of the people around you. Don’t stop in the middle of a busy sidewalk, go off out of the way so the people who live there can continue to go about their daily business.  Always carry currency of the country you are in, don’t expect places to “just take” the dollar because you think they should. (I’ve seen this happen in a few different countries, the end result was never a friendly exchange…).

This blog has mainly covered the basics of how to turn what would have been a straightforward tourist experience into something where you become a traveler and really start to learn about other cultures and places in a more personal and in depth way. Remembering everyone has their preferred way of traveling and I’m not looking to boss people around into changing how they vacation, this is purely food for thought and a reflection on how I like to travel.

Look for more in this series of posts, I hope it helps others prepare for travel abroad (and even in their own country). I’m aiming to help others grow through travel the way I have, it really is a way of life and once that travel bug bites you there really is no better way to learn more about yourself or relax.

Disney Vacation Club: Tricks and Tips

Introduction to vacation club

If you’ve never heard of Disney Vacation Club and are curious to learn more, please start reading here, if you know a bit about DVC feel free to skip this intro section and move on to the “tips and tricks sections”.

There are a variety of different resorts to choose from when you buy into Disney Vacation Club. There are currently 9 resorts at WDW (I’m sure more will be built in the future), they include: Animal Kingdom Villas, Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort, Beach Club Villas, BoardWalk Villas, Villas at Grand Floridian, Old Key West, Saratoga Springs, Villas at Wilderness Lodge, and the Polynesian Villas and Bungalows. In Disneyland there is the Villas at the Grand Californian. In addition to the park resorts there are three beach resorts that are destinations within themselves: Aulani in Hawaii, Vero Beach in Florida, and Hilton Head in South Carolina.

DVC operates on a point system. You buy a certain number of points and each year in your predetermined month you are rewarded that amount of points to use. You can use these points at the DVC resorts but they can also be exchanged for Disney Cruises, Adventures by Disney and partner hotel rooms around the globe. However, the most bang for your buck is to use them at the DVC resorts, if you want to do a different kind of vacation other than what the resorts offer, your best bet may be to rent out your points for that year and then use that money towards the vacation you wish to do.

Another bonus of having DVC is that when you go to the parks your room is larger than a regular studio and includes a microwave and a mini fridge and if there is no washer/dryer in your room you get tokens for free laundry! The one bedrooms and up have a full kitchen so you can make your own meals and save some money in the parks!

The initial cost to join is rather large, but continues to get larger each year so if you think this might be for you and you have the ability to join go ahead and do so before prices go up, you can always sell your contract if you find DVC is not for you. Keep in mind you will have to pay annual dues/maintenance every year so keep that in mind when you pick which resort to buy into.

Mickey Ice Cream bar

best ways to use points

There are plenty of options when it comes to using DVC points, but there are ways to get more bang for your buck! I’ve compiled a list of things to do to ensure you can go on more vacations- if that is indeed your goal!

1. Stay during the less busy season. This means the point chart will be in your favor and you can stay at all of the resorts for less points. This also means you can stay longer, or stay in a bigger room or even at a nicer resort if that is what you are looking for.
2. Stay in studios instead of one or two bedrooms. Sometimes it ends up being cheaper point wise to stay in a bunch of studios instead of the larger suites, be sure to check the point chart so you are getting the most for your points!
3. Rent points out and use the money toward cruising, or do half points/half cash to pay for the cruise so you can stretch the points as long as you can- the same applies to adventures by Disney.
4. Don’t be afraid to resort hop- stay a few nights at a monorail resort and then spend the rest of the time at a cheaper point resort for different experiences and point savings!
5. Try to use points for DVC resorts, not for exchange programs or cruise and adventures by Disney, the points go so much further at the resorts, but if you really want to use points for these things go ahead.

Fountain in Toontown

Travel hints and General tips

When you buy into DVC it comes with some perks- be sure that you utilize them! For example there are member get-togethers on board DCL and in the parks, just call member services or ask when you get to your destination for what is offered for members- and usually we get lanyards and sometimes hats when we ask what is going on for members. There are also special events that go on from time to time like the Typhoon Lagoon beach party that are going on later this summer.

Remember you get discounts throughout downtown Disney and in all of the parks and some of the resorts, a list can be found on line, but be sure to carry your membership card around with you and ask everywhere you go if there is a DVC discount- it never hurts to ask and many locations offer a discount!

At DVC resorts your self-service laundry is free! Even if you don’t stay in a unit with a washer and dryer you can ask for tokens to use in the laundry rooms!

Member lockers are a great way to leave stuff that you need at the park and not have to drag it back in forth, another good thing to look into if you visit the parks frequently!

Dining plans are available for DVC members and their guests while staying at a DVC resort- an opportunity only offered to those staying on packages if you are just the general public.

You aren’t charged extra when two or more adults (+18) are staying in a room, if you are not in DVC the resorts charge extra!

Conclusion

Overall, if you are planning on vacationing at Disney for at least the next 15-20 years (if not longer) DVC is a great idea for you! Even better if you have the cash to pay for the points at hand and you are wanting to stay at deluxe resorts and for sometimes extended periods of time, or a few shorter vacations a year. DVC isn’t for everyone, so if you aren’t a Disney die-hard, it is not recommended- but if you love all things Disney and think that you will continue to vacation at Disney, this is the program for you!

Downtown Disneyland

Downtown Disney in Disneyland is a tad different from Downtown Disney in Disney World. Serving more as a walkway and a smaller scale entertainment district. Live music can be found nightly, we saw a few musicians during our stay. If you stay at the Grand Californian Hotel you have easy access to downtown Disney and the shopping and dining it provides.

Need a snack that reminds you that you are at Disney? Look no further than a scrumptious churro from the California Churro cart!

The smell wafts from Wetzel’s pretzels around the midsection of Downtown Disney, also a good snack option!

There are quite a few options when it comes to snacking in the downtown Disney district, but there are also a few great options when it comes to sitting down and getting a real meal that prepares you for a long day in the park the next day or helps you recover from a day of walking you already got in!

Catal- a great restaurant with lots of options for everyone, a bit pricey though.

In the past we’ve eaten at the Napa Rose, Catal and ESPN zone as well as eaten snacks from Trader Sam’s. If you are looking to spend some money go ahead and splurge on a fantastic meal from Napa Rose (located just outside the California Adventure gate inside the Grand Californian Hotel). If you aren’t wanting to spend quite that much money, go for Catal, food is still very good but at a more reasonable price point (still an expensive meal though). If you are looking for a bit more reasonable still, try ESPN zone. You can catch a game and have some decent food, mostly Applebee’s quality food (hotdog, hamburger, chips and dip, cheese fries ect.) and this price point is a lot better than the establishments mentioned previously. There are still more options I haven’t mentioned, Jazz Kitchen, Earl of Sandwich, La Brea Bakery, House of Blues, Naples Ristorante E Pizzeria, Napolini, Rainforest Cafe, Taqueria and Tortilla Joe’s are also options.

Sorcerer’s hat as you enter Disneyland Hotel! Decorated for the diamond anniversary.

The second part of downtown Disney besides the food is the shopping! For a Disney lover this is heaven! From the World of Disney to find anything and everything Disney related to Anna and Elsa’s boutique that has everything Frozen inspired. A little miss matched store to get some crazy awesome socks, a build-a-bear workshop with Disney inspired creatures and outfits and a ride-makerz for kids to build their own toy cars. Boutique style smaller shops have Disney everything from Alex and Ani to Douney and Burke.

Every Lego imaginable can be found in the cute Lego store located in the heart of Downtown Disney.

Custom is the name of the game at Disney, choose your own Legos and even make your own Lego person!

Overall, there is more than enough to do in Downtown Disney. I love just sitting down and people watching while sipping on a Starbucks drink (also located in Downtown Disney in addition to a Jamba Juice as well if you would prefer). Everyone should be able to find a Disney inspired item to take home to remind them of their trip. I hope this was informative and I can’t wait to make a follow up blog when I visit downtown Disney again later in the summer, but this time in Disney World!

Social Media Reflection: A Semester in Review

The end of another semester (my final undergraduate semester) is coming to a close. In my social media class I learned more than I had ever hoped to learn and more. From learning analytics I’d never even heard of to learning what content marketing meant, I’ve found a new way to use social media. I’ve learned about the best times to post on social media and even about new social media platforms I’d never used before. I learned to use Google+ and I’ve found that the audience that is reached there is completely different than the audiences I already reach on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. I made a successful LinkedIn account and have used it to network with people from grade school, high school, college, study abroad and more. I am excited that I can use this new tool to make connections and help me with my job hunt. I loved that we learned to use tools like Klout, Kred, and TweetReach. I’ve been monitoring all those sources all semester and I’m proud of how my scores have grown.

My Klout score is currently a 59, but it has been teetering on the verge of 60 and 61 some days. I am proud to say that I use social media well and reach a lot of different people with my posts. Using Klout helped me realize how influential I can be if I post correctly.

Kred still kind of confuses me. I’m still unsure if I’m doing well. However my score has increased a LOT over the semester! Almost up to 630 when I started out in the low 600s at the beginning of the semester. However I do use this to figure out if I’ve been posting enough content across all of my platforms to make an impression, so maybe I do know how this stuff works!

My tweet reach might be the most impressive stat that has changed. At the beginning of the semester my tweets were only reaching about 200 people, look at me now!

Our visit to the humane society was something I appreciated a lot. Not only did we get a chance to see some adorable animals, but I also learned a lot about how to run social media effectively.

Making a social media analysis and then using the analysis to form a plan might be one of the most realistic projects I’ve ever done in school. I hope that I get to use my plan that I made or at least get the chance to do the same thing one day when I have a job! I think that this ability to analyze as well as formulate a plan is the most important skill I learned in this class.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this class. I’ve learned a lot about social media (including that MySpace is back). I’ve also gained appreciation for those who run large social media- it takes a lot of time and energy to get multiple accounts on different platforms to have a similar look and feel as well as share content on a regular basis and answer back any questions or concerns. I cannot imagine the amount of notifications some of those Facebook and Twitter pages receive for larger companies, or even just the humane society! I found this class interesting and I can see myself using the skills I learned in this class in a professional situation. I think that this class was a great way to round out my degree and makes me a more useful job candidate.

 

Social media went to the dogs

Visiting the humane society and speaking with Elizabeth Hilpipre was an amazing way to learn more about how to better use social media. Having had my own photography business Facebook page for over a year I can appreciate the time and effort that has gone into the Humane Society’s Facebook page. The fact that it has taken her 5 years to get to that point where she has 49,000 likes and growing is encouraging that it will take me time to grow my own page. She had lots of useful information such as to front-load videos with information because most people will not watch all the way through. I liked the idea of using pop culture references to engage audiences as well.

I recently have been doing the same thing that Elizabeth does on my own page’s posts, I ask people to share my things with their friends in hopes that my work is viewed by a wider audience. So far it is not working very well because I have so few “likers” but I hope as my audience expands so will my page. I also love the idea of replying to every one who comments, right now I am very good at doing this as my page is still small but I hope to be able to continue that as my page grows as she does with the Humane Society. The fact that Facebook has an algorithm that combines likes, comments and shares to decide where your posts go is helpful for me to attempt to plan to get my own posts to stay up in people’s timelines for as long as possible.

The other interesting and useful piece of information that I really enjoyed was the time of day that she posts things. Having already discussed this in class I have been trying to post things at times that people are often using second screens, but she had more to explain that I wouldn’t have thought of. She mentioned that people tend to use their technology in the morning when they wake up, at lunch, many parents use it when they wait to pick up children, and of course the majority of people who watch prime time TV at night after eating dinner. All these times are times I will keep in consideration when I post things in order to get the biggest reach possible. For more information about the Nebraska Humane society, visit their website!

Now enjoy some adorable puppy photos!

Remember always adopt, never shop!

 

 

Stumbling around the Internet

I spend way to much time online. However I wouldn’t say that I waste that time when I’m wandering around on the internet. I can honestly say I’ve found some of my best ideas on the internet especially when it comes to ideas for my photography. The best site I’ve stumbled upon in my hours I spend on my phone looking at twitter updates is Light Stalking. This website is amazing for photographers and I’ve used many of their hints and tips to better my photography and give my ideas for some of my upcoming shoots.

I feel like now that I’m on even more social media sites that I’m finding myself having to set my phone down and let my profiles on all these different networks just sit for a while. When I first got LinkedIn I spent hours checking to see if I had gotten connections until I downloaded the app that notified me when I got a new connection. I also feel that it’s important to set aside time without social media to just soak in life without thinking of the perfect hashtag. The other thing I worry about is if I share information that I probably shouldn’t while I’m on all of these networks, but at the same time I’m trying to market myself and paint the best picture of who I am. This article discusses the downsides of social media and includes many of my concerns about social networks.

Although I have benefited from the expanded use of social networking. I now use twitter in a different way. I’m trying to follow more news channels and newspapers as well as important members of the US government as well as in foreign governments such as the UK. I’ve learned about so many news events through twitter and I often already know all about the main news stories that show up on the local and national news in the evening.

I do believe that my random stumbling around on twitter, facebook, instagram and other sites really do add to my creativity and give me ideas I otherwise never would have thought of. I can honestly say that I probably will not be changing my internet habits anytime soon. In fact, I plan on spending most of my time after I publish this blog going onto twitter and reading articles about the Olympics.

Virtual Me

My personal brand on the internet is something I’ve just been made more aware of. I feel that I am pretty connected online as I have accounts on social media sites ranging from google+ to foursquare and everything in between. As it is important to show potential employers not only your best side but to also quickly inform them what you can do and who you are. Since I want to be sure my personal brand is on its way to becoming solidified and something that is easily apparent, I googled myself.

This is what I found when I googled my name.

Luckily, I appear to be one of the only Julianna Zieno’s so I was relatively happy with what I found. My photography company Facebook page was the first hit. I’m glad this comes up first because it really shows my professional side and showcases a lot of my most recent work I’ve done and I update it regularly. I also like that my google+ page shows up on the side so I know that as soon as I finish that profile completely and professionally it will be a quick and easy way for people to learn about me.

I also am happy with the fact that when you go through the google image search that comes up with my name it links to my websites that currently house some of my graphic design and photography. My twitter profile also is one of the first things that comes up in the search which means that is something that I have to strive to make professional and a good reflection of myself.

Overall, I think I have well branded myself as a photographer and graphic designer. This is currently the skills I am comfortable with and would be looking for a job in and I think that all of my social media reflects that well except for my twitter. I think that my twitter is more of a personal account still so I need to put some thought into whether I want to make a second account to be personal and a main account that focuses on presenting my photography and design side rather than mostly horse things like my current account does. I believe that from googling me right now a stranger would see me as an aspiring photographer and designer. I believe that to improve my personal brand online I need to professionalize my twitter and make the most out of google+ as well as continuing to improve my Facebook photography page.

Social Media Snob

I use social media mostly as a way to keep up with friends and family that I don’t normally see every day, at least that’s what I tell myself. I tend to usually end up using it as a way to waste time or to occupy myself when I don’t feel like doing my school work. See this article. I like that social media does allow me to keep in touch with the friends I made studying abroad, friends who moved away from Omaha, and other people I’ve met that I wouldn’t have normally taken the time to call on a regular basis.

My roommate from study abroad Sheereen and my friend from horse back riding Ann who lives in Ireland, and facebook is one of the main ways I keep in contact with her.

I however do not like that social media has changed from merely a way to keep in contact with people to the main form of communication that some people use, I know many people who only communicate via snapchat or facebook messaging, which I find strange. It also makes me nervous that so many children, and I mean actual children (we’re talking 8 year olds) are on instagram and facebook and twitter. I don’t think that they should be on these sites at that age, they will inevitably be exposed to things they shouldn’t see and it makes me nervous that parents aren’t more in control of their children and technology, I cannot imagine if I had been able to access social media at age 8, I have no idea how that would have effected me in the long run. This article mentions the pros and cons of facebook for kids, not sure I agree completely with it but its food for thought.

I am often finding myself on facebook, instagram and twitter as my main social media sites. These have changed a lot for me, I spend more time on instagram then the other two when previously I used to spend a majority of my time on facebook. I hope to discover ways that I can use social media for good, and use these sites for my professional advantage.