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Meet Me Monday: John Welch

We are very excited to welcome a new member to the On The Road Travel Team! Meet John Welch!

John lives just North of the big apple in Valley Cottage, NY with his wife, Joanna and two boys Landon (11) and John (6). Besides his family there are two things in this world that John is most passionate about...The New York Mets and Disney! While one has brought him more than a fair share of pain and heartbreak, the other has provided countless cherished memories and unforgettable experiences. John’s first Disney visit was at 6 months old. He doesn’t remember much, but was told he slept almost the entire car ride down and was very well behaved the whole time! John grew up the same way a lot of Disney kids did during the late 80s and early 90s...wearing his Goofy ears while watching every Disney Sing-Along Song VHS tape he could get his hands on. Plus, numerous episodes of DucksTales, Chip n’ Dale: Rescue Rangers, TaleSpin and Adventures of the Gummi Bears. Some of John’s favorite family memories growing up were the Disney road trips with his mom and sister. This is where he became head navigator and which-wayer in the parks and leader of Mission: Paper FastPass!

Fast forward to Leap Day 2012, the future Mrs. Welch said “I do” in front of Cinderella’s Castle on their first Disney trip together. After tying the knot in 2014 the Welch’s honeymooned - of course - at Disney. Watching John (Little Dude) hug Mickey Mouse at his first meet and greet, Landon’s first time riding the Tower of Terror, and a family bike ride at Art of Animation that almost ended with us driving straight into Hourglass Lake are just a few of the long lasting memories Disney has provided.

Then in July 2018, John got involved in his own Disney Adventure! He met a bunch of individuals on social media that were a part of a ride challenge community. Their goal was to ride every moving ride at the four theme parks in one operating day while at the same time raising money for Give Kids the World Village. Since then at least one challenge day has been mixed into every trip, along with volunteering at the village. John has successfully completed the challenge twice which was a great personal accomplishment. However, being a part of a community that to date has raised almost $150K for GKTW is the most fulfilling part of the crazy adventure. You can read his guest series on the blog here!

Having experienced Disney in so many ways John is very much looking forward to helping others create long lasting memories at the happiest place on earth!

When not being a Disney fanatic John enjoys managing his son’s little league team, watching baseball, doing puzzles, watching movies and spending time with his family.
 


Favorite Disney Resort: Port Orleans French Quarter
Favorite Disney Treat: Goofy Character Gummies
Favorite Disney Restaurant: Sassagoula Floatworks and Food Factory
Favorite Disney Souvenir: Disney Puzzles (I buy a new one every trip)
Best Disney Vacation Memory: The day I ran and completed the EveryRide Kids Challenge with my youngest son, John on April 26, 2019. We successfully completed 40 rides across all four parks in one day. He was only 5-years old and was so into the craziness of running all over WDW while taking pictures and singing on every ride. At the end of the day we raised over $800 for Give Kids the World Village! It was a special day filled with so many memories that I will never forget.

Welcome to the team, John! We’re excited to have you! To start planning your next trip, contact your On The Road Travel agent. You can also connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
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