Among the earliest Disney blogs I kept up with were Mousesavers and Deb’s Guide to Disney (which is now AllEars). My main motivations were looking for deals and hacks for planning Disney trips, and these were among the originals. I used them often, and gleefully saved thousands of dollars.
99 percent are kind of the same
Fast forward a decade or two, and the internet has hundreds of Disney/Florida/cooking blogs and probably even a greater number of vlogs. Many are entertaining, and a fair number are run by travel agents. But the vast majority are geared toward a single purpose: trip planning, dining reviews, and general news. And most are relatively small. Of the more obscure ones, a majority fade away after a period of months. In fact, some of my old favs didn’t make this list because they’ve not posted in 2019. Sigh.
Writing and Cooking Take the Edge Off My Internal Angst
Last December, I started my own blog because my soul needed to get back to my writing and environmentalist roots. My focus is primarily on our beloved Fort Wilderness Campground, as well as other outdoor and cultural destinations in the South. Additionally, I try to share a tested Disney recipe or personal favorite every week or two. What I’ve learned is that so many Disney recipes on the web are simply incorrect, due to errors in reducing them from large scale or missing ingredients. For every recipe I post, I’ve usually made two that did not work.
Here’s my seven don’t-miss geniuses
Along the way, I’ve had the joy of discovering and reading many other blogs that have inspired me. What makes them stand out are some combination of the following:
- depth of original research
- authentic writing styles
- talent for making the reader think about meaningful living and southern wanderlust in novel ways
- purpose and passion
This Florida Life – Whimsical Florida native who intentionally focuses on her “own backyard.” Creative writing on topics ranging from Central Florida’s best parks and springs to the construction of a tiki bar in her home. I’ve got a true blog crush on this 7-year-old treasure trove of Florida. Always leaves me wanting for more.
RetroWDW – Retro, you had me at Veggie, Veggie, Fruit, Fruit. Then yesterday,you killed it with your in-depth, never-before-seen history of Discovery Island. I’m so jealous of your titanic-sized collection of faded picture-windows into Disney’s past. And I resent that once I visit your site that I can’t leave for hours – failing to achieve anything else in my day. But I love you with all of my heart.
Daily Disney Dime – This delightful southern couple with two graceful daughters blog about more traditional aspects of Disney World. What sets their food reviews and resort tours way above most others is an exceptionally rich and literary narrative. Combined with often-stunning photography, their posts make me feel like I was there with them. Not much on the Fort, but a delicious dose of Wilderness Lodge. This is an up-and-coming one that is growing quickly and starting to get some well-deserved attention.
Fort Wilderness Podcast – There’s lots of quality vloggers, and an exponential number of not-so-good ones. Very few of the greats highlight Fort Wilderness on a regular basis. These guys share their knowledge with a strong level of entertainment. Bonus – not even a hint of any bizarre awkwardness. I just wish they posted more often.
Just the Cook – Named one of America’s Top 16 cooks by Food Network, and my favorite on the Florida panhandle. Last year, he (Ernie Hall) lost his floating restaurant to Hurricane Micheal, and spent weeks cooking to feed the hungry and displaced. After a couple of other moves, he has very recently started a YouTube channel. That’s where he taught me to chop cilantro in less than a minute.
Good Food St. Louis – This is my all-time favorite cooking blog. I’m not sure if 85-year-old Jean Carnahan has ever been to Disney World, let alone Florida. But in my view, she is among the most talented and inspiring ex-politicians in America. She became a US Senator by accident (when her husband was killed in a plane crash), but her cooking is quite intentional. Everything about her screams whispers beauty, wholesomeness, nature, serenity, and so many of the good things we love about Fort Wilderness. Check out her magical Grilled Cheese a la Ruth Reichle.
Authentic Florida – Paints heavenly portraits of Florida’s wildlife, food and quirky history through photography and award-winning writing. Loves water, out-of-the-way places, nature, nostalgia. Well-known blog, but a terrific and heartwarming resource.
