The Disney spirit is everything good in the world. It transports your heart to a place of joy, happiness and wonder – free of everyday cares and worries that allow you to become a child once again.
-Kimberley Bouchard
Why do we love Disney so much? For so many of us, it’s an escape from real life and it’s where your imagination can run free whether you are a kid or an adult. It’s where the magic comes alive, whether it’s through movies, parks, cruises, books, etc. There is something so incredibly special about the characters and the stories Disney creates and it’s just a magical escape from the real world for all ages. Walt Disney once said, “That’s the real trouble with the world, too many people grow up.” I have grown up going to Disneyland and it is my second home. I have witnessed the magic of Disney as both a kid and an adult and I still find it as magical and wonderful as I did when I was a little girl. Just because you grow up, that doesn’t mean the magic has to end!
Kimberley Bouchard is an inspirational bestselling author, educator, podcaster and speaker, who has been spreading stories of the positive influence Disney has had on millions of lives for years now. She has become such an inspiration to me and I am so excited that she was able to give me more insight on her life story and how she got to where she is now!
Kimberley has been collecting inspiring, uplifting, and heartfelt stories from guests, cast members, actors, artists, and fans from all around the world on the true magic of Disney. Her ongoing book series, ‘Positively Disney,’ contains captivating collections of stories that shows the amazing versatility of the Disney magic – its capacity to heal, to instill a dream, to draw people together, to evoke kindness and compassion, and, above all, to make people happy.
The ‘Positively Disney’ books show the power of the Disney experience and how it is impacting lives through a collection of very personal stories. “The magic of Disney is the people,” says Kimberley, “both the cast members and the Guests. You would be surprised at how Disney has affected people to become animators, artists and to do wonderful, great things.”
So what is Kimberley’s story and where did her passion for writing come from? She started kindergarten at the young age of 3 when she could go downstairs to her mom’s kindergarten class during printing time, and that’s where her writing “career” began! She states, “My favorite subject in school was creative writing; I couldn’t wait, it was so freeing to just be able to write to my hearts content (and get a grade!).” She goes on to say, “My first ‘book’ was in 5th grade and titled ‘Memories of my Dog Maxi.’ Max-a-Million-Von-Smart-the first was a standard sized black and tan dachshund who had been full of shenanigans, especially the time he chased after the poodle down the beach, tearing away from his tether while my dad ran top speed to catch Max as the beachgoers turned to watch until he tripped over the sprinkler system and flew in the air (my dad, not Max).”
Fast forward to adulthood, Kim went on to graduate from the University of Alberta with a Bachelor of Education degree. She majored in elementary education but after 25 years of teaching, she had taught every grade in three different provinces in Canada.
Where does Kimberley’s love of Disney come in that lead her to write such an amazing book series? She was captivated by Disney as a young girl watching the Wonderful World of Color Sunday nights in Canada, where she was mesmerized by Walt Disney and Tinker Bell. Her family took their first and only visit to Disneyland when she was just 12 years old, and Disney took on a whole new magical meaning for her years later when she visited Disney World as an adult. She explains that there were experiences at the Disney Parks that made such a profound impact on her life that they inspired her to write about them! One specific example changed her whole life path…
“We happened to come across a River Dance troupe back in 2003 that would be performing later that evening at the American Gardens Theatre. Our children who were 5, 4 and 3 years were quite mesmerized by the show that, upon returning home to Canada where we resided at the time, discovered Irish dance schools. A year later, our daughter started, followed by her brothers a year after that. To our amazement, they were actually good at it. So good in fact that within 2 years we were dancing the international circuit! All became championship level Irish dancers, and we travelled the world competing and performing for 15 years…all because of that one Disney experience! And to top it off, the kids competed in the North American Irish dance championships at Walt Disney World and performed on the brand-new stage at Disney Springs! Adding to that, I met my first Disney animator for book one at an Irish dance competition!”
And that’s just another reason to add to the list on why we all love Disney so much. No matter what age Disney sparks imagination and inspires us to do great things. It’s absolutely amazing that this one event at a Disney park inspired Kimberley’s entire family!
Kim goes on to describe another experience that led her to write her inspiring book series:
“Another experience we had was winning a silent auction to spend a day at Walt Disney World with an astronaut. Both the Space program and Disney are favorite topics of mine, so we had to go, even if we were 2000 miles away! We met our astronaut, Captain Winston Scott, a two-time shuttle astronaut in front of Mission: SPACE. That would be the beginning of a lifelong friendship with him and his wife who are local Floridians. That day was filled with behind-the-scenes adventures visiting astronaut Mickey, (and surviving Mission space orange for me! It was only my pride that kept me from upchucking in the sick bag during the ride). The day ended with even more laughter as we found ourselves in the waiters’ closet waiting for a table (that is a long story but there were 8 of us in there, and two men 6’3).”
That would definitely be an experience to remember for the rest of your life!
One of the last events that led up to Kimberley writing ‘Positively Disney’ stems from a more somber memory when the crew from the Disney Magic took care of her family when it became apparent her dad was not going to make it and passed away the night before they disembarked. She states, “Their compassion, kindness and genuine caring…it seemed like all the cast members knew what was happening and they took special measures to help us through the devastating time and even escorted us off the ship. It was our first Disney cruise, and it took me awhile before I could do another. But all these experiences made me think about how what the cast members say and do, no matter how small, can be quite profound and they wouldn’t even know it. Further to this, I thought that if we were experiencing these things, other people must be, too.”
It was then that she started writing the books for two reasons. First, it was a way to thank the cast members and recognize that what they do makes a difference every single day. And secondly, she wanted to inspire others with stories that speak to the human condition and touch people’s hearts and perhaps make a difference in someone’s life. It truly is just “positively Disney”!
So far Kim has written 5 books with a 6th slated for this year and a 7th scheduled for 2022. One of the new releases will be a standalone book that is a special project! Her process is to start interviewing up to a year in advance but it can take up to two years prior to a book being released. I asked her if she could share with us any highlights we can look forward to in her next two books and she responded saying she can’t say much but that the following individuals will be in one or both books:
Imagineers Bob Gurr and Rolly Crump
Paige O’Hara (voice of Belle) and Robby Benson (voice of Beast)
Anthony Daniels (plays C-3PO)
Billy Dee Williams (Lando from Star Wars)
Bill Farmer (voice of Goofy)
What a lineup! I am already overwhelmingly excited to read about all the wonderful stories she has in store to share with us, and I am especially looking forward to this new standalone book coming soon!
Kimberley’s talents don’t just stop at being an amazing and inspirational author. The books were so successful she launched a ‘Positively Disney’ podcast that is now in its 4th season! It is a weekly live show where each episode features Disney related guests, Kimberley’s stories, news and experiences and an opportunity for fans to call in and comment and ask questions, too. The podcast can be found on Facebook, YouTube, iHeart Radio, Spotify, SoundCloud, Google Podcasts and Apple Podcasts.
Her talents have taken her to become an in-demand speaker sharing her positive message and the stories she has documented in her books and podcast. The heart of Disney can be found in Kimberley’s passion whether speaking to college classes, school groups or Disney enthusiasts.
Kimberley also has the title of being an ambassador for Disney and its positive message. I asked her what being a Disney ambassador involves and she stated, “I have been referred to as the Martha Stewart of Disney or Mrs. Disney. I really believe that there is a gold bar standard when it comes to anything Disney, and I try to just do my best. I don’t know what that would mean to others, but I really love people, and I Iove to listen to their stories and experiences. I believe this is how we connect, through our stories, and Disney is brilliant at bringing all kinds of folks together. I believe that if you are truly a fan of Disney, you are an ambassador of the values that Walt himself instilled in those around him and who worked for him. Be kind, expect the best from others and yourself, take care of those in need, offer a helping hand, light a spark in the hearts of others and go out and make a good difference in the world – this is what an ambassador of Disney is. Because if we can ‘magically’ do this when we enter those park gates, then we can do this outside of them, too!”
I don’t know about you, but I’m starting to wonder what Kimberley can’t do! She is inspirational, hard-working, and sets a great example within the Disney community. I asked her if there have been any challenges she’s faced to get where she is today.
“I am a mom first, and family is my world. Family always comes first for me so sometimes it gets tough to juggle all of it. But I love what I do and work every day at it, even if it’s just for a little bit, because it makes me happy. One of the most challenging experiences I have had was when I was finishing off one book and writing another and sustained back-to-back concussions. That was very trying and upsetting because I like to do things and go, go, go all the time. I had to learn to rest so that I could heal. By the grace of God, I did and could write again.”
I think there are a lot of us out there who can appreciate the struggle of balancing family, work, and our passions so this is definitely relatable. I believe Kimberley has accomplished a lot in her life and is a great role model for everyone. She is the example of hard work, perseverance, spreading kindness and stories of human connection, and she helps spread the magic of Disney.
The last very important question I asked Kim is if she has a favorite Disney park. She responded, “That is a very tough question! I always like to see the lamp in Walt’s apartment lit when I walk into Disneyland and know I am walking where he and many other of our great Disney giants had walked, but Walt Disney World is especially precious to me. It is the park that my husband introduced me to and where we took our children, even when I was expecting two of them. We have a lot of memories there with my parents, too. Here is what I can tell you, I don’t have a favorite. I love Magic Kingdom because it holds some nostalgia for me as the classic park, I love everything about Epcot, I love Animal Kingdom because I love animals and cried after my other worldly experience riding a banshee, and Hollywood Studios is great fun, especially with the new attractions.”
Good answer Kim! All the parks are magical and wonderful in their own way and I don’t think I could pick a favorite either!
So there you have it Insiders. The wonderful story of Kimberley Bouchard and how she got her start and how she became the inspirational author she is today. If you haven’t read one of her books yet I highly recommend you head over to Amazon, your nearest bookstore, or the Positively Disney website to pick one (or all) of them up.
Her sixth book will be coming later this year and the 7th one is scheduled for 2022!
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