by Makena W.
Do you know what it’s like for one of your idols to tell you that you are going on vacation? I do. Here is how the story goes (cue the flashback sequence.) It was a dark and stormy night (okay, so maybe it wasn’t. But it makes everything more dramatic!) I had a bad day-I got a bad test grade, I forgot a piece of homework at school and had to memorize a poem the next day and I hadn’t even started memorizing it yet. It was a Wednesday – February 1st to be exact-which meant that it was the day of the week Lou Mongello does live shows regarding Disney news right here on the website (or as we say in my house, it is “box night.”) I was considering not even watching it because I was in such a bad mood. “It will cheer you up!” My mom said. “Fine,” I responded. I logged into the box with my username (MakAttack98) and password (did you really think that I was going to tell you that?) and started chatting with my box family. Mom was right. My mood changed instantly. Lou scrolled down the attendance sheet and noticed that I was online. “Makattack!” He said. “It’s so good to see you! And you will see why soon!”
What?
This show was only a few days before the 5th anniversary of WDW Radio and there was a contest. We sent in pictures that related to WDW Radio and they created a slideshow with it. 10 random pictures were selected to win a prize. When Lou said that, I thought that I was lucky enough to be one of the 10 people. I would soon learn that that wasn’t the case.
Not in a long shot.
Lou got started a little bit late and the podcast went on as usual. As the show ended, Lou, Beci and Scott faded away, being replaced by the WDW Radio logo. When they reappeared, all of us box people started talking to the three people on the other side and each other. BacksideofWater and I were starting to talk about our favorite rides in Magic Kingdom when Lou said “I have a surprise for somebody in the box.” And the crowd (aka the chat box) became silent, everybody wondering what it was and which lucky box person would get it.
“So I got an email,” Lou continued, “from Christy about somebody who wanted to do something special for somebody that is very special.” Beci interjects “Am I going to cry?” To make a long conversation short, a short bus joke was shared, a commercial break went on for too long, Beci questioned whether tonight was definitely the night, Lou tried to text Christy to confirm and a food reference was made in the next minute. We also found out that this lucky person is going on the WDW Radio Cruise.
“And the person who will be joining us on the cruise is…” That is when I noticed the camera. To my left, my mom was holding a video camera. We never record anything.
That is the moment when I realized it had to be me …. But it couldn’t be me because we had discussed it and the answer was a definitive no so maybe it’s not me after all!
“And I am super psyched…” Lou continued, “For MakAttack.”
I jumped off the ground so hard that the chair I was sitting in was propelled backwards and I caught a few inches of air before I landed safely back to the ground-well, not so safely. When I pushed myself off the ground, I was so excited that I actually hit my toe on the computer desk. I believe that I might have broken my brother’s ear drum as I rolled the chair back to where it belongs. Then it hit me. I was going on my dream cruise. I lost it and burst into tears. AND I AM PROUD. Watch my mom’s video here: THE REACTION!! 8:)
“Your mom and dad sent us an e-mail and thought that there was no better way for you to have heard about it, Makena, than by being here on the box.”
“Oh my gosh,” Beci replies. I remember everybody in the box congratulating me as if I just got a window on Main Street.
“I can’t wait to hug MakAttack!” Lou exclaimed while “Love Boat” was playing in the background. My brother asked my dad “Am I going, too?” My father laughed and responded “Yes, we are all going, Austin. You too!” I guess because WDW Radio is more of my thing than his, he thought I was just going to go on a cruise by myself. Encouraging comments came flooding in like “represent the box people well!” and “see you on the other side, MakAttack!”
“We are going to Aquaduck together and I will scream like a girl!” Lou said. Somebody in the box wanted a speech. I was too overwhelmed. I felt like a princess for a moment in my life-and I loved every second of it.
Later that night, dad mentioned another surprise. That surprise was that we were going with three other people-close family friends. The daughter of their family, Courtney, didn’t know yet. She goes to the same school as me, and we are almost like sisters so it was hard not to tell her that we were going on a cruise. That Thursday night, we invited Courtney and her family over for dinner to announce the vacation-but that is a story for another time. 
I was going to my other home for the first time since 2006.
And those of you who are just reading this blog now, you’re late. Where have you been? I love your computer. No not you… I mean it’s alright but that’s-that’s high tech. Yeah. Anyway, so you are not completely lost, here is a recap of what has been going on. I’m Makena. Hi! I love WDW Radio and I used to think that I was never going to see the Disney Dream ‘til I had a dream that I was on the Disney Dream and Lou Mongello and the rest of the gang was on board. Oh, don’t I know it was amazing. So my parents, Ted and Tonya, stepped in and told Christy to tell Lou that I was going on the Dream in November and then he told me. That’s what’s going on. Got it? Good. You don’t? Then that’s your problem, because you’re late. And you think about that next time! (If you didn’t get this whole paragraph, you need to ride Ellen’s Energy Adventure one more time.)
On a serious note, I truly want to thank Lou Mongello. I don’t think he realizes how much he means to me. He introduced me to a group of people who are just like me and became my extended family. He treats me as if I was his daughter (shout out to Marion). Thanks for everything, Lou!
Of course, none of this would have happened without the help of Christy. My parents emailed her with an idea and she spread the word to Lou. She is also responsible for where I am in the first place. If you don’t know, NJChristy invited me to contribute to the teen and kids blog in November after I entered the “My Thanksgiving Goes Disney” contest. My first blog was posted on December 2. She is my “Box Mom” just like Lou is my “Box Dad” and I love chatting with them every Wednesday. I am excited to see both of them on the cruise (I have met Christy before and hope to see her a few more times before the cruise and will meet Lou June 9th.) And this is the story of Breaking The News – Celebrity Style.
Next week you can read about multiple ways to break the news that don’t require much explanation. Just fun, sort of simple ways to share!
Last week’s “Where in The World” picture didn’t even get a guess. So here is another chance to say where this picture was taken.
See ya REAL soon!
~Makena W.
Quote of the Week: “Your windshield is bigger than your rearview mirror for a reason: Keep looking ahead in life and not at what’s behind you.” ~Lou Mongello
Makena is a 13 year old middle school student who spends much of her free time researching Disney. She enjoys sharing Disney facts and even plans Walt Disney World vacations (including searches for secrets and Hidden Mickeys) for friends and family.
The post WDW Radio Kids & Teens Day: Breaking the News, Celebrity Style appeared first on WDW Radio - Your Walt Disney World Information Station by Lou Mongello.