Today we’d like to introduce you to James Grosch.
James, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I’m James Grosch, the owner of Guide2WDW.com, one of the longest running unofficial online Disney World guides. I’m a freelance writer, editor, and videographer based in Atlanta, GA. Disney World has been a huge part of my life for as long as I can remember. I guess to say I’m a huge Disney nerd is an understatement. Guide2WDW is a way for me to harness my passion for the parks into creating informative (and hopefully entertaining) content for others.
In 1999, my sister Laura started Guide2WDW.com when she was in 10th grade. Disney World was my family’s yearly vacation, and we quickly became the go-to people among our friends to give advice about how to plan a great WDW trip. As a tech-savvy 12 years old, I had discovered how to create websites using a program on my dad’s computer, and my sister turned it into a successful business.
In 2009, I took over editorial control of the site, but it’s still a family operation, with my wife, my parents, and my sister all contributing. Over the last 22 years, Guide2WDW has provided tips, tricks, and valuable insights to millions of Disney World visitors. The site has been a way to share our knowledge and love of the parks and hopefully help other families have as amazing of a time in Orlando as we have had over the years.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
As the case for everyone, the pandemic was certainly a challenge. The site was on an upward trajectory at the end of 2019 and early 2020. With both Disney World and Disneyland closing in March 2020, traffic to the site plummeted for a while — people weren’t really looking for tips for a vacation that was impossible to have for a while. Since then, it’s been a challenge to keep up with all of the different rule changes, closures, and new systems like park reservations or Genie+. I’ve been going to Disney World for over 30 years at this point, and suddenly there are strategies and techniques for saving time and money that just don’t apply anymore. I’m really proud of the content that we’ve put together to explain some of these new systems that can be potentially confusing for new visitors to Orlando. This year I put out our first free eBook – The Guide 2 Disney Genie (https://guide2wdw.com/the-guide-2-disney-genie/), which goes in-depth on how the new line-skipping system works at Disney World. I started writing it as a single article, but it expanded into a 6-part series which makes for a great explainer for anyone visiting WDW.
We’ve been impressed with Guide2WDW, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Guide2WDW is a website that provides guides, tips, and must-know info for planning an amazing trip to Disney World or Disneyland. Founded in 1999, our site is one of the longest-running unofficial Disney World websites and has been family-run since its inception. Our mission is to give people the tools to be able to make their visit to Orlando that much more magical — whether it’s giving them a tip that saves them some money, telling them what to pack to manage the heat of the summer, pointing out the best freebies at Disney World, or recommending which rides and restaurants to check out. We strive to provide in-depth and extremely useful content. As a family operation, we don’t have a big staff or lots of writers or photographers. But we strive to make sure that our content is always high-quality and provides a ton of value to our readers.
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
Attention to detail and the ability to produce high-quality content. As a professional creative, I’ve been working in the entertainment and advertising industries for over ten years. Outside of Guide2WDW, I’ve written content for brands like Disney, Coca-Cola, HGTV, CNN, and more, and I’ve edited videos for Hulu and Reese Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine. Through these experiences, I’ve learned a lot of different skills, including photography, video editing, web development, and writing compelling copy on a tight deadline. These skills form my career are 100% applicable to creating content for Guide2WDW, whether it’s writing a multi-part guide with images or creating videos for Instagram (@Guide2Disney) and YouTube. My hope is that it results in compelling and valuable content to help others have the best possible time at Disney World.
Contact Info:
- Email: Jamesg@guide2wdw.com
- Website: www.Guide2WDW.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/Guide2Disney
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/guide2wdw
- Twitter: www.twitter.com/Guide2WDW
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/guide2wdw
