Kidding Around With Allie: Doing Disney with a Pint-Sized Author

Allison Cerel Marx is a pixie-like 9-year-old (at the time of the article's debut), with a quick smile and bright blue eyes. She loves dogs, cats, computer games, and Harry Potter. But she's not your typical kid. 2002 marked her debut as a published author. Allie (as she's known to her friends) is a co-author of the bestselling PassPorter Walt Disney World guidebook, which her dad (Dave Marx) and her step-mom (Jennifer Marx) began publishing in 1999.

Allie's contributions to PassPorter began in 1997, when her Dad took her to Walt Disney World for the first time. She made her first contribution in 2000 with special "A-OK!" (Allie-OK!) ratings for the attractions. In 2001, Allie went on her first official research trip. What's it like to research at Disney World? Follow Allie on a typical day:

5:00 am - Wake up call! Allie gets up early to eat a good breakfast and get to the parks early.

6:00 am - She gathers her research materials: a notebook, Little Mermaid pen, writing credentials, hat, sunscreen, and a waist pack.

7:00 am - Allie arrives at the Magic Kingdom and makes her way into the park with her Dad and Jennifer. Getting out her research notebook, she notes whether she wants to visit this park (yes!), if she thinks other kids would like this park (of course!), and who she thinks will like this park the best (everyone!).

7:30 am - As she rides the Walt Disney World Railroad, Allie pays close attention, watches other kids, but mostly just has a lot of fun. After the ride, she makes notes about whether she would want to go on the ride again (yes!), if other kids would want to go (you bet!), and who would like it most (big kids). She also notes that the train "doesn't go fast" in case anyone is afraid.

7:45 am - Allie continues touring the Magic Kingdom. For each attraction she visits, Allie earns Disney Dollars. She takes breaks to buy souvenirs such as a spray mister--it's hot!

11:00 am - Allie stops for lunch at "The Diamond Horseshoe Saloon Revue," where she also watches the show. She writes, "Let kids pick out where we want to sit. The tables in the corner rooms are cool."

12:00 pm - After lunch, Allie keeps visiting attractions, stopping occasionally to watch a show, parade, or have a snack.

Allie can't visit every Magic Kingdom attraction, but by the end of the day she's visited 31 attractions! And by the time the trip is over, she's filled in ten notebooks, visited every park, and becomes one of the youngest experts on Walt Disney World.

Allie's ratings and tips (which we call "KidTips") are published in PassPorter's Walt Disney World. Allie will continue to contribute to future PassPorters, and we believe we can expect great (and fun!) things from her in the future. To see Allie's contributions, pick up a copy of PassPorter, available in bookstores, over the phone (1-877-WAYFARER), and on the Internet at http://www.passporter.com.

> Things To Do: You can send Allie an e-mail at allie (at) passporter.com. Just be sure to give her a few days to respond!

Related Articles:

A Kid's Perspective: Allie's Picks and Pans
A Teen's Take: Allie's Picks and Pans
Surviving the Parks as First Time Parents

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