Interview with Samantha Brown from the Travel Channel

Lou Mongello: For fans of destinations like Walt Disney World, one of the most difficult parts of enjoying the resorts so much is not being able to visit as much as you might like, as real world obstacles like work and school get in the way all too often. But, fortunately, there are ways that guests can get that Disney Fix at home, and one of the very best ways is thanks to the Travel Channel and their series of specials about Walt Disney World. They serve to not only introduce viewers to some of Disney’s premier resorts, holiday happenings, and hidden treasures, but let you experience some of that Disney Magic with your family right from the comfort of your own living room.

And for my next guest, her job IS to visit destinations, not just like Walt Disney World but locations throughout the United States, Europe, and Latin America. With what can only be described as the greatest job in the world , it is my pleasure to welcome Samantha Brown from the Travel Channel to the WDW Radio Show.

Samantha Brown: Thank you very much. It’s quite an intro, thank you.

LM: Well, I have to admit that I am really excited to have you on the show because you might not realize just how popular you and your specials are to Disney Fans around the world, even when repeats of some of the older Great Hotels shows come up. A buzz begins in the online community.

SB: Really? And it’s really a wonderful thing for me to experience, obviously. We were just shooting in Disney World and Disneyland last week, as early as last week. When you’re out…I’ve been, like you said, traveling abroad for three years and now I’m walking down Main Street USA, and to have literally hoards of people surround you and say they love your shows and ‘I’m here because of you’ and ‘I’m going to this Disney Resort because you sent me there,’ it’s just…it’s really overwhelming. So it really is wonderful to actually talk to the people you get to reach through these specials.

LM: You are a superstar in the Disney Community, and I am not over exaggerating when I say that. (Samantha laughs.)

SB: Wow! Thanks!

LM: Before we talk about some of your work on the Walt Disney World specials, can you tell us a little bit about your background in travel, whether it be writing, etcetera.

SB: Yeah, actually my background in travel is a little different than people perceive it to be: I was a Musical Theatre major at Syracuse University; went to New York City to pursue my passion, and just fell into the job of hosting for the Travel Channel. I thought it was going to be a little Summer job, nothing more, because hosts, you know, hosted shows weren’t that popular. Now, they’ve exploded and everything’s a hosted show, and I was just lucky to get in on it before the really talented people showed up! (Laughter)

I was just very, very lucky and I got to do more stuff with the Travel Channel and travel more. Really, I was less a travel expert and more just someone who never had the opportunity to travel, so I try to bring that discovery and that wonderment and everything that I do – this isn’t just something that I expect to happen, I don’t have all the answers when it comes to travel, but I do love to show how emotionally it affects you, how travel makes you feel. And then people can take that show and go to all the tools they have on the websites and all the travel experts that there are at hand and find out how to do what I do and make it possible.

But, really, my role in the travel industry is just to inspire people to travel, just to get out there because, obviously, it’s such an important thing for us to do.

LM: Absolutely. And what you do on your specials, that we’ll talk about in a little bit, really serves to do that in so many different ways. But tell us about your first Walt Disney World special that you did for the Travel Channel. What show was that?

SB: I believe it was way back for Great Hotels, and I think the very first hotel we did was the Grand Floridian. And that was actually the very first time I had ever been to Walt Disney World. As I said in the show, my father said we didn’t deserve to go to Disney World as kids because we were rotten, so we never went. So my first time going there was when I was about thirty-two. Now, I had gone to Disneyland; I went to Disneyland when I was ten, and that was a magical experience. I got a chance to do that just this past January, to go back. We really have such nostalgia for everything they give. One thing that I always say: What’s magical about Disney World, the experience, is that every square inch of it is incredible. It’s not just about going to the rides and the attractions and the shows. Just sitting on a park bench is wonderful. You just look around you and you are surrounded by the magic of Disney. That’s certainly what I experienced the very first time I showed up at Walt Disney World way back when. I think it was, like, the year 2000.

LM: Yeah, that’s what I was going to ask you next: what was that first experience like. Not only because it was your first Walt Disney World special, but because it was your first visit there. What was, maybe, your favorite part of that experience? What were some of the surprising things that you discovered the first time you went?

SB: Just how large it is. That it IS a world. To go in that infrastructure and see the busses. And then go past the Theme Parks: Theme Park after Theme Park, and all the opportunities you have to have this incredible time. And then there’s Downtown Disney, and I just never realized it. You hear of Walt Disney World, but I think when you show up you just realize how overwhelmingly wonderful it is.

And I always say it’s overwhelming in a good sense, because I think most people who…I get a lot of people calling me, my friends, friends of friends, saying ‘Listen, we’re planning our first trip to Disney. My gosh, where do we start?’ Because they’re so overwhelmed. I say, you know, it is an overwhelming experience, but it doesn’t have to be because, simply, there’s so much to do. There’s too much to do. In my experience traveling, when there’s too much to do and it’s impossible to do it all, then you shouldn’t think you have to do it all. Just stick to what you really want to do. Just sit the family down and say ‘Hey, what are your expectations? What attractions do you absolutely have to go on? What character do you absolutely have to see?’ And then with all the information they have on their incredible website, you can easily map it out and plan it. And, like I said, it’s not just about getting to the attractions and the rides, it’s just sitting there and just watching the world of Disney surround you. I love the fact that you’re just sitting there and all the sudden Mickey Mouse comes by and waves at you, and Cinderella happens to go by. And a band strikes up. And a parade goes by that just takes in all the family members, you know, the Family Day Parade. Just everything is so well planned.

And I will say, having spent three years traveling the world’s best hotels and understanding what really amazing service is, the cast members at Disney can not be beat. They are an exceptional crew of people. They are dealing with thousands upon thousands of people every day, and they keep that smile on. And I know them personally, even when they go behind the stage they love Disney, they love their job, they love what they do and the magic they bring to people. And it’s just … the staff, the cast members are the best in the world, I have found.

LM: I agree, and I’ve said for years that, above and beyond the fact that Walt Disney World really is a fully functioning city in size and in scope, it really is the cast members that separates Walt Disney World from any place else in the world, notwithstanding, of course, theme parks, but even other destinations because you know you’re going to get that exceptional level of service 24/7 with everyone that you meet.

SB: Absolutely. It doesn’t matter if you are staying at one of their 5 star resorts or one of their value added resorts. If you are at Disney, you are treated like a VIP.

LM: Absolutely. Now, before the first time that you went to Disney and you found out that you were going to do a special on Walt Disney World, did you do any research on your own? Did you do any sort of preparation before you went out to start shooting?

SB: Oh, yeah, absolutely. In everything that I do, I do probably too much research. Whether I’m going to Europe or I’m going to China or I’m going to Walt Disney World, because I just like to know ahead of time what to expect. Because, basically, when you see me talk, I’m just coming up with that. That’s stuff that I write for myself. I call it writing, even though it’s more sort of improvisational “Hey you’ve got five minutes, you’re going to talk about this . . .” Just so I can give information as well as entertainment because, usually, when you’re hosting a show it’s just on your shoulders to keep the ball going and keep the action going. And I don’t want the show just to be about me reacting – “Wow, Disney’s wonderful.” We all know it’s wonderful, but why is it wonderful? So I will actively research things, finding out just exactly why this ride is cool and how long it’s been here and, you know, get on the blogs and see what people are talking about to see what other attitudes are about it that I might not have as, you know, a “single woman.” You know, mothers are extremely powerful in their great advice, and so I always try to get a comprehensive view of whatever I do so I can speak about it with some authority.

LM: You made reference to something – I think the most appealing part of your show is the humor that you insert into each of them. Because you are not only vibrant and energetic, but you are very, very funny and the fact that you are genuinely having fun while taping comes through. It adds so much to the program. And that what my next question was going to be: How much of it is actually scripted, how much is it just you enjoying the experience?

SB: I think a lot of it is just me enjoying the experience. What I will get is sort of a breakdown, you know we have scenes, so I know “for Monday, we are going to start with have Space Mountain, then I’ll have an interaction with Pluto, then I’ll go get a funnel cake . . .” Sometimes it’s a very tough schedule, as you can see. (Lou laughs.)

So I will have the breakdown of everything. Like a great thing we featured this time was all the wonderful healthy eating choices Disney is now offering, it’s beyond the fry-o-later, these wonderful kiosks full of fruit and vegetables, and restaurants now that are offering a Grilled Salmon Salad for lunches, and so, you know, it’s great. You get to talk to the chefs that are behind this; I get access to the Imagineers that planned this, and you just want to bring it all together so that when people watch me, they’re not just being entertained, but they’re being informed. And because of that, that’s why I DO do the writing, instead of it being just off the top of my head, because to speak concisely, to speak intelligently, you need some forethought. And then, of course, I always want to put some humor into it because, again, this is television. You want people to have a good time. You don’t want people to feel like they’re getting a lecture on Disney because they just want to enjoy it through you. It’s just an amalgam of a lot of things happening just so I can go on camera and speak. There is a lot of preparation, just to sort of ‘now let it go and have fun!’

LM: Well, again, I think that so much of the appeal is that when you watch as a fan, you feel as though you’re watching a friend. Like, we know Samantha Brown; she’s fun and she’s perky and she’s taking us all around, and we share in the excitement that obviously, like I said, really it’s palpable and comes through on the show

SB: Well, thank you, very much. I mean, it’s an easy job when you’re at Disney World (laughs). When you’re in Prague and it’s pouring down rain and you’re freezing, it’s a little tougher.

LM: And speaking of your job being as difficult as it sounds: from the Great Hotels series of programs, you had an opportunity to profile some of Walt Disney World’s best, including the Grand Floridian, Animal Kingdom Lodge, Wilderness Lodge, and the Yacht and Beach Clubs. Of all those, what do you think your personal favorite is, and why?

SB: My heart is still stuck with Animal Kingdom Lodge. I just got to go back again; I didn’t stay there this time. I love it because the experience that is gives is incredible. Just that, going out on your balcony and seeing the savannah, with the giraffes and zebras. It’s just as mesmerizing as watching a huge aquarium where you just see sharks go by and turtles and you see them move… And you’ll just be sitting there transfixed watching these exotic animals right, you know, fifteen feet in front of you, from the comfort of your own room. Also, I think ,what really fills that experience for me is that most of the people who work there are actually from African countries, and they will have them on their name tag so you can ask them anything – they want you to ask. I talked to someone from Swaziland and I talked to someone from Chad, and it’s such an enriching experience because, I think, for some – for most of us – the thought of going to Africa is pretty…you know…it’s a difficult trip to get to. It’s an incredible trip, it’s an expensive trip, it’s the trip of a lifetime. And this just gives you a taste, and it’s much closer. You don’t need a passport. I think what they do there is so special.

LM: Absolutely. The Lodge itself is, as I make reference to it, …

SB: Stunning.

LM: …a Hidden Treasure. And you can spend an afternoon just browsing the Lodge and the Lobby and talking to the cast members and learning about all the cultural significance of everything that you see in there.

SB: Absolutely! And I think it’s really important to say that you don’t have to be a guest there to enjoy it. People are encouraged to go to these resorts. I would say if you can’t afford the hotel, then take it on a date. You know, go there for the afternoon, have a drink or go to their restaurant – they’ve got a great restaurant there as well as a buffet setting, which has incredible food. You can sit there and watch the savannah: the best times to go there are in the afternoon or in the early morning when the animals are out. And, so, anyone can really enjoy it. It’s not just for their guests.

LM: Absolutely. In addition to the Great Hotels series, most recently the Travel Channel aired Disney Holiday Magic with Samantha Brown. Now, this is your second special about the holidays at Walt Disney World, right? The first was Walt Disney World Holidays hosted by, of course, Samantha Brown.

SB: Yeah, yeah, our second one. Right.

LM: Now having visited Walt Disney World during the holiday season and done the two specials, how do you feel it compares to going during other times of the year?

SB: There is something really, really wonderful about being there. It’s just… all the sudden things are – if it can get even more exciting, even more magical, it does. Because, you know, you heart is filled, your heart’s full because of the holiday season. We’re all a little kinder and gentler during that time, and so it’s hard not to – I think I said on the show – you just get the “warm fuzzies,” it’s just a great time to be there and I know, for a lot of people that watched the show and didn’t realize that Disney did all that wonderful offerings for the holidays and really saw that as a great time to go as well. So, it was a great special in that it really informed people of just the extra things that Disney does to make those holidays really special.

LM: Yeah, I think it’s a completely different experience than if you go during other times of the year because of all of the added things that Disney puts on top and really pluses the experience for everybody.

During these shows, including the holiday specials, you’ve had a chance to meet some of the exceptional people that help create this Disney Magic: Imagineers such as Joe Rohde, and you get to ride his attraction – Expedition Everest – with him. Tell us about those experiences.

SB: Yeah! When I met him, I’m like, “Oh, my gosh, you are a rock star!” I mean the people that are like “You got to ride with Joe Rohde!” He is this…you know when we do these segments, people should know, we can’t do them when the park is open, so we’ve arrived at, like 5:30-6am. You’re basically just waking up, and what a great way to start the day—at Expedition Everest with Joe Rohde. And he has this personality that, my gosh, he could just …what that man knows and what he experiences, and how he puts those experiences to paper and then to model and then to the actual attraction so that people actually experience what goes on in his mind is wonderful. And it was such a pleasure to show him, to give the Imagineers the credit that they’re really due. I mean, people are fascinated by the Imagineers. They have this – I mean, THEY probably have the greatest job in the world. Actually, we had a conversation about this, ‘cause he’s like “You have the greatest job in the world,” and I’m like “No, YOU have the greatest job in the world.”

He’s just a fascinating man and, obviously, has done a lot for Walt Disney World. Because I believe he’s the mind behind Animal Kingdom itself; and it’s a beautiful park, an exceptionally beautiful park.

LM: I agree. His creative energy and what he brings to the company – what he has brought to us for the guest experience – is really something special, and I think kind of carries on that legacy that Walt Disney started so many years ago.

As we’re talking here, you sound like, really, that you’re a fan as well, as opposed to just another destination to go to. So, what’s your favorite part of Walt Disney World? We know about your favorite resort, what about attractions and, maybe, restaurants?

SB: I think Soarin’ is amazing. It’s like a ride that you want to live in. I wish, you know, someday Sharper Image will have this technology in a Lazy Boy Chair. I’m sure most of your listeners know what Soarin’ is, but it’s that in-flight simulator where you feel like you’re flying, parasailing over California and you’re in an IMAX theatre so you’re engulfed in this incredible scenery that you are seeing on a movie screen. Meanwhile, they are pumping in beautiful scents like evergreen trees and citrus, so all your senses are really in tune with this ride, and it just makes you feel great at the end of it. You know, you feel like life is good. So that’s one of my favorites.

For restaurants, we actually featured back in Disneyland, which is Napa Rose. For those who love the California parks, Napa Rose is this incredible restaurant. Wonderful wine selection. Andrew Jackson is the chef there. Michael Jordan is the Wine Sommelier. They just give you this really amazing experience, but always in a really laid-back setting. It’s California, but you know you’re having this meal that in two years now is going to be across the United States, but you’re eating it before it’s a trend, because what they do is so innovative and fresh. So that’s definitely my favorite eating experience, Napa Rose, which is located in the Grand Californian Resort.

LM: Again, going back to you having the best job in the world . . .

SB: (Laughing) Right, right. Yeah, I get to eat, I get to talk with the people, everything, you know?

LM: But now, obviously, in addition to your work on the Travel Channel on the Disney Resorts, you also currently host two series, which are Passport to Europe With Samantha Brown and Passport to Latin America with Samantha Brown. Obviously, very different experiences going overseas and going to some of these destinations from visiting a resort like Walt Disney World. Can you tell us a little bit about these shows and how creating one of these for each of these individual cities compares to doing a special on a place like Disney World?

SB: Well it’s much easier to do in terms of just shooting purposes – it’s a lot easier to shoot in Walt Disney World. Because, well, one – we have to have everyone’s cooperation, and we have to be cooperative with them, and we’ve been working with the same people now for, probably, 8 years, maybe a little less than that. So, we all know each other, we know how to work, we trust each other; and when you have that things just happen. And that’s what you need to have happen for things to move.

You know, Europe and Latin America – very different, because you’re on people’s different ideas of work ethics and what’s important and, well, “No, now I need my espresso,” and so the entire thing shuts down because people need a two hour lunch, and “OK. Alright.” But, certainly, just traveling to Europe and Latin America has been the highlight of my life. To meet people from around the world and to understand their culture and to be a part of their everyday life is just extraordinary, it’s just changed me in many different ways.

LM: And the one thing, just from a production point of view, it’s fascinating to me how you are able to condense, and so well, what can be obviously hours and hours of material showcasing these destinations into a short period of time. These specials are only a half hour each, but we really get a sense of the culture and the country and the people and everything else.

SB: Well, thank you. That’s not me, that’s obviously the editors and the cameraman and the producers, and just the background work that needs to take place to create a travel show is just . . . would be like an avalanche of work for most of us; it’s unbelievable what they can put together and what they do. So, for European shows and for Latin American shows I know our cameraman would shoot, probably, seven to eight hours of tape, and we’d only use a half hour of it. So, just to condense all of that down to what the editor and director feel is most important is just an art in itself. They do an amazing job, and I’m glad I don’t have that job! I’m glad I’m in front of the camera (laughing).

LM: Well, one of the aspects of the show I really enjoy most is that on one show you can be visiting a huge city like Rio de Janeiro and then you can also be visiting some of the smaller villages where you get to meet some of the locals. What do you think your favorite city is that you’ve had a chance to visit by doing all these?

SB: You know, my absolute favorite city – I’ll say in Europe my favorite city is Berlin. Fascinating city. And then, for Latin America my favorite city was Granada, Nicaragua. Both are vastly different, but similar in the fact that what I like most about them was they completely surprised me. I was expecting one thing and got something completely different. Granada, for instance, just pulling in there and just, you know, walking around, and people would look at me and wave and say “Hello,” like I had been there my entire life, and I really felt so included and people were so warm that it completely changed the experience.

And I would say the difference between traveling to Europe and traveling to Latin America is when we go to Europe, we’re more interest in the history and its past and the pomp and circumstance, so we visit its monuments and its attractions to understand its past. Latin America doesn’t have the infrastructure that Europe does, so you spend more time in the present, in the moment. You get to know the culture more as it is today. And, therefore, the experience can be more deeply personal and infinite than a European experience. And I’m talking about a first time going. Obviously, I’ve been to Europe many times, and every time I go back, it becomes more personal, it becomes more familiar. But the first time, was always “Oh, my gosh, look at that – that’s the Roman Coliseum! My gosh, that’s the Forum! Oh, my gosh…” you know, you’re talking about things that happened 2,000 years ago. In Latin American, you’re really just being absorbed in what’s happening now, and what’s really important is that the people of Latin America go out of their way to make sure you see their country in a way it should be seen, which is just through authentic eyes.

Latin America: I got to visit about 12 countries of North America, Central, and South. Just, very different travel experiences: America, Latin America, and Europe, and each one extremely valuable.

LM: I can only imagine what you have been able to experience. In addition to – obviously we talked about some of the Walt Disney World hotels that you visited, and being some of the best of the best on property – there’s countless other ones that you’ve been able to visit, from high-end resorts to some of the smaller boutique hotels. Which stands out, maybe, as your personal favorite worldwide?

SB: Worldwide … okay. You know it’s interesting, I get this question all the time, but it never gets easy. You know, you like them . . . I will say that for my honeymoon I went back to a Great Hotel that we did, so that makes it pretty important and pretty special to me. We went back to a place called Sunset Key Guest Cottages. That’s actually a little island right off of Key West, a little private island; beautiful resort of Caribbean-style homes with front porch – verandas, I guess they say south of the Mason-Dixon line – rocking chairs, and every morning they deliver a picnic basket full of fresh baked breads and muffins and fresh-squeezed orange juice. It was just wonderful. And I only had, probably four days; my husband and I only had four days because of my travel schedule, and it was just exactly what we needed, so I would say that Sunset Key Guest Cottages is pretty near and dear to my heart because it’s where I chose to go on my most important vacation ever.

LM: Is it those little, special touches that maybe distinguish that and some of these other hotels from some of the other ones that set it apart as your favorite?

SB: Yeah, absolutely. I think that, you know, I stay in a lot of big resorts, and I enjoy the smaller, more personal experience. It’s not because of what the big resorts didn’t do, it’s just a personal choice. I just like the intimacy of it. Because in both small and large resorts the service is outstanding. If it’s a large resort and they’re a 5 star, they’re going to make sure you feel like you’re special. So it does have nothing to do with a lack of service, it’s just the actual surroundings themselves.

LM: Now, you talked about your travel schedule. How much time a year do you think you spend actually traveling and how much time to you get to spend back at home?

SB: I travel about 220 days out of the year. 30 weeks out of the year, so pretty extensive travel. That works out to be 10 months out of the year, I’m traveling. Three weeks out of the month, so I’m only home a week every month. So, like, right now my cat’s very upset because she sees my luggage and she knows what that means. (Laughter) So there’ll be some cat behavior problems I’ll have to deal with when I come back.

My husband will definitely join me sometimes, if the trips are really special. He joined me in China when I was there for a month. He joined me for 10 days. And now the series we’re doing this year is called Great Weekends. It’s mainly right here in North America, so that’ll be much easier for my husband to join me, so we can see each other more than just one week out of the month.

LM: As such a frequent traveler, what is the one important tip that you could offer to others?

SB: As a frequent traveler?

LM: Mmm-hmm.

SB: Oh, gosh. One important tip.

LM: I’m putting you on the spot, I know.

SB: I know. How about . . . My most important tip when I travel on a plane is I bring my own lunch. I bring my own food—to everywhere, actually, whenever I travel. But especially when I’m about to go on a plane. One, if there are delays, you can eat and you don’t have to wait. Once you get on that plane, I find that you’re always waiting for the cart to come and you’re starving. And then once the cart comes and they put down that tray, now you can’t move until they come around again, in forty-five minutes, to remove the tray. And you have to use the ladies room so badly … and so I find that having your own food, especially if you have kids—you eat, and then you can get to that bathroom line before anybody else does. So, bringing your own food is very important. Especially now, since a lot of times if you’re flying under four hours you’re not getting food. So it’s really important just to pack something. And I always travel with a jar of peanut butter everywhere I go. Always. So, that’s another travel tip.

LM: Alright, great! So, what’s next for Samantha Brown? We obviously have the Passport Series, but do you have any other specials coming up? What about, maybe, shows about Walt Disney World or Disneyland?

SB: I do! We had the holiday one, obviously, in December, and we just finished shooting Samantha Brown’s Disney Favorites. So, it’s a very good conversation we had today, very topical. And that will air some time the first week of April. And the Travel Channel is doing an entire week of Disney programming, I believe. So my show will air sometime, I think like… April 5th or 6th look for it? And it’s an hour show, and it is just about my favorite rides and attractions and shows, both in Disneyland and Disney World, but also the invaluable tips that I have learned from all my time of being there. You know, how to negotiate Disney, when to take breaks, when to use the Fast Pass, when not to, when to use the single line, when not to, where is the best place to see the characters – because character interaction is just HUGE at Disney, and I think people understand when you show up, the lines to get Mickey Mouse’s autograph is just as long as the line for Space Mountain sometimes! Well, I’m exaggerating . . . but just a way to cut down on the lines and have the best time that you possibly can . That’s what it’s all about.

LM: Well, Disney fans are rejoicing with the announcement that you are going to be doing another special, I can assure you. (Samantha laughs.) And I promise you it’s going to be very, very popular. Like I said, Samantha, at the beginning, you have a job that I think most people consider to be the greatest in the world and, in addition to getting so many of us excited about the prospect of visiting exotic destinations across the globe, on behalf of Disney fans worldwide I want to say thank you for continuing to bring that magic to us through your work.

SB: Well, thank you, Lou. It was a pleasure talking to you.

LM: You, too. We’re going to continue to set our TiVo’s for your upcoming Walt Disney World specials; we’re also going to look forward to your upcoming episodes of Passport to Europe and Passport to Latin America on the Travel Channel.

Again, Samantha, thanks for taking time out of your busy schedule to join me today, and for everything that you do.

SB: Take care. Bye, bye!

A very special thanks goes out to Samantha Brown from the Travel Channel for appearing on The WDW Radio Show You can find out more about Samantha and her Travel Channel series and specials by visiting her page at TravelChannel.com.

To hear the full interview, read the show notes, and for other links and information, visit our web site at The WDW Radio Show #53 – February 10, 2008