With heavy hearts, Josh’s parents would like to let his friends and readership know that he passed away quietly March 10th. We know that many of you came to love him and rely on his expertise and humor during his 10 years of blogging all things Walt Disney World on his easywdw.com website. He will be missed by his family and friends.
I am so sorry to hear of Josh’s passing. This is 365.24 degrees of heartbreaking. 🙁
Heartbreaking. I’m so sorry for your loss. Josh will be missed.
How very sad. I’ll miss him, his wry sense of humour, and his no-nonsense advice. He has helped me out tremendously in my past trips and I feel lost knowing that he won’t be there to guide the next ones.
I’m very sorry for your loss. May his memory be a blessing.
I never met Josh, but I’m glad he was part of my WDW planning and life. I thoroughly enjoyed his sense of humor, and I anxiously looked forward to reading his posts. His honesty was truly appreciated.
I am so very sorry. Praying for you family.
I am so sorry for this terrible loss to your family. I never met Josh but his website was a bright spot in my day for many years. He will be sorely missed.
I am very saddened by the passing of Josh at such a young age. He brought much joy to all who followed his writings and blog for the past years and will be sorely missed. He and all his family will be in our prayers.
I’m very sorry for your loss. Josh made me laugh so many times and helped with the planning of our WDW family holidays more than the rest of the family ever did!
I am so sorry for your loss. I never met Josh, but I felt like I knew him through his writing. His sense of humour and dedication to guiding us to the very best Disney vacation possible was unmatched. He will be missed.
I’m very sad to hear of Josh’s passing. He was amazing and will be missed.
So very sorry for your loss. He was extraordinary at what he did- no one else even comes close. His wit, humor and insight will be missed- as will his honest personality. Truly a great guy!
So very sad. I am so sorry for your loss. I have been an avid follower for years and his advice and knowledge transformed our vacations at WDW. I learnt so so much from him and will be eternally grateful. I have memories that will last me a lifetime and so many were following his reviews (dinner at California Grill, lunch at Sanaa, best place to stand for fireworks, never waiting too long for rides, princess breakfast, the list goes on). Living in England (cold!) it became habit for me to read his blog at the weekend over breakfast. It gave me a flash of Florida sunshine & just for 10 mins I felt like I was there with him. He made me laugh so many times (“count the smiles”). I never had the pleasure of meeting him but we interacted on social media. I will think of him every time we go to a park in the future. You must be devastated. Sending hugs x
My son and I are broken hearted. Josh was an incredibly talented writer, and we adored his witty reviews so much. As keenly as we will feel his loss, we know it pales in comparison to his family’s. Sending deepest sympathies and all the love.
Josh, your candle has lit flames in the hearts of hundreds of families. You will be sorely missed, but your light in the world is undeniable and will not be vanquished.
Many condolences to the family and close friends of Josh.
Absolutely gutted by this news. Such a brilliant and funny human. My sincerest condolences.
I’m so sorry, Josh will be missed.
I am saddened by this news and am praying for your family. Josh’s humor, wisdom, and beloved snark were always a joy to read. I am sorry for your loss.
I am so sorry for your loss. Josh’s writing was always a bright spot for me and he made a difference in my life.
I am so sad to hear about his passing. Josh was the first person I looked to when I was planning trips, or just wanted to feel like I was in the Disney bubble. He will be missed.
My deepest condolences to you and all of Josh’s family and friends. I did not have the pleasure of meeting Josh in person, but I was an avid follower of his since 2017. It brings a smile to my face recalling the handful of times that we interacted on social media. His mark is indelible. I will think of him often; especially, when I ride TriceraTop Spin or pass the Italy Booth or use the angle of the sun to tell the time . . .
Josh was an invaluable resource for so many people and families, his posts were not only informative but sublimely entertaining, he wrote in a way that no other Disney blogger ever has, he was irreverent yet respectful, insightful, witty, and so funny. I thoroughly enjoyed this site and everything it offered, a very bright spot in a sometimes dark world. Escaping from the everyday chaos of life to check in on Josh’s day at WDW was my favorite stress reliever. Living vicariously through Josh until it was our time to actually be on property was my happy place. So sad and heartbroken for his friends and family. A life well lived, a bringer of joy and happiness, a man who cultivated a community whose main purpose was to make happy times even happier. Heaven is a better place today, but the world is just not the same.
This is so devastating to hear. My sincere condolences to the family and friends.
I read Josh’s blog for 10 years and it was a wonderful place on the internet, full of fun info and wry humor about a magical place.
I got to briefly meet Josh a handful of times when I was doing the Disney College Program. I will miss all of the helpful and humorous advice he has given over the years. My condolences to his friends and family.
He had a great following and will be so missed. His wit and humor made my day when I read his blog.
I’ve been reading Josh’s blog for over ten years. I feel like I’ve gotten to know him even though we never met. I am so sad that I will never be able to come to this page and see a new witty post from him. I began reading his site because I was planning Disney trips and found his information invaluable, but I kept reading even though I haven’t been to WDW in five years and have no plans to return anytime soon. He was such a bright spot in my day. I can only imagine the sadness his family is feeling. My heart goes out to you all.
I am so sorry. I have been reading Josh’s blog for over a decade and have always enjoyed Josh’s advice, insight, and (dare I say) snark. He posts helped make planning for each Disney World trip easy and fun and I am very sad that I will not get to read another update from him. My sincere condolences to Josh’s family and friends.
Heavan feels just a bit more crowded today. My prayers and condolences go out to Josh’s family, close friends and to all those who’s hearts were touched by such a funny, sincere and caring individual. We’ll miss you Josh.
I’m so very sorry for your loss. I never met Josh in person but I looked for him every time we were at WDW. I just wanted to tell him thank you for his insight but also for the laughter he gave many of us. Again, so sorry. Prayers for your family at this time.
I am so sorry to hear this news and so sorry for your loss. My deepest condolences. I have been following Josh for at least 10 years, and through all of that time he has been such a bright spot to my days, even when no Disney trips were planned. His family and friends and this entire following are all in my thoughts.
I am very sad to read this, Josh will be incredibly missed.
I don’t have the words. This is truly heartbreaking.
I am so very sorry for your loss. Please know that Josh brought countless hours of laughs mixed with some information and just a touch sarcasm to so many. I truly enjoyed reading his posts and admiring his photography. My prayers go out to you and your family.
Sending my deepest condolences to his family and friends. Like so many others, even though I never met him I felt like I knew him. I sent him numerous messages thanking him for making such a huge contribution to our family vacations and he always was kind enough to reply. I truly hope he knew how much he helped his readers. I will miss his humour – he embarrassingly made me laugh out loud at my screen on too many occasions to count. Heaven definitely feels crowded today.
That last line is beautiful and worthy of the excellent writing we came to expect from this site.
My condolences to your family. Josh provided so much good information and his tone was always on key for me.
If only he could write a blog from heaven. I don’t want to believe he is gone. I enjoyed his posts about the parks, beer, and movies. I loved his meal reviews and resort room tours. I lost my brother about the time I discovered Josh’s blog and he became my new “snarky brother.”
I am so very sorry to hear of Josh’s passing. He will be missed.
My sincere condolences to your family.
Our sincere and deep condolences to Josh’s family and friends. He will be greatly missed.
He was such a part of my internet life and I would get so happy when he’d reply to my comments. All of my thoughts to you and yours.
I send my sincere condolences to Josh’s family and friends. He will be so missed. He brought all of his readers valuable insights and so many laughs. There will never be another Disney blogger like Josh!
I came here every day for 8 years anxiously awaiting his next post. Such terrible news.
When I first became obsessed with getting the most out of Disney, this website was my go-to on a regular basis. The first trick I ever learned was “go to the taps on the right – cast members will open them up in time for rope drop.” Josh was a Disney blogging legend. His writing skills, wit, and sense of humor were second-to-none. This is truly heartbreaking news. He will be sorely missed.
Josh provided such a bright spot to my day when he posted. I will really miss him. My condolences to his family.
I’m so sorry. This is crushing.
Really devastating news, sending deepest sympathies to Josh’s family and friends.
I remember at first reading Easywdw to help with planning Disney holiday, but then coming back again and again because of his great writing, quick wit and arty tilted photos. Josh I hope you know how much you will be missed.
OMG please no no no no no no no no
I’m gutted by this. My condolences to Josh’s friends and family.
Josh will be sorely missed by those who knew him or his work. I loved his wit and humor. He was smart and funny and weird (in the best possible sense). I only had the chance to meet him one time, but he was kind and generous with his time. And as he would say, ‘not nearly as awkward as you’d think’.
And, to be honest, I’m angry and frustrated. I feel like we all watched this happening in slow motion, saw what was coming, and were still unable to do anything about it. I don’t know the specifics of what happened, and I understand it’s none of our business. But, if as I suspect, if it was related to his mental health struggles that he was so courageous in talking openly about recently, then it’s a tragedy. I’m so sorry he couldn’t find the help that he so desperately needed. I’m not sure what one stranger on the internet can do for another, but I still wish I would have tried to reach out him. It probably wouldn’t have made a difference. But maybe it would have.
His death may have had nothing to do with suicide. In which case, everything above is moot. His death would still be as tragic. But if Josh decided to end his own life, maybe the best way to honor him is to show the same courage that he did and to be more open in our discussions about mental health, depression and suicidal thoughts. When something is stigmatized, it can’t effectively be discussed. And, speaking personally, to try to be more attuned to pleas for help from those around us and then do something about it.
I love this. This is so beautifully said. I too wish there was something I could’ve said or done. I feel so deeply sad about Josh’s passing. I came online today hoping to read a new post. My heart just sank reading this news instead. Although we are all strangers, Disney gives us a common bond. I felt like Josh accompanied our family for the last 10 years of trips, by using his advice, calendars, daily plans, maps, etc. His information and advice let us experience all there was to enjoy at Disney and most importantly, with good planning, helped us to focus on creating memories with family and friends. How many people can say that they helped so many to create lifetime, Disney memories? Only Josh can say that. I pray for him, his family, and his friends.
Thank you for stating this! I, too, felt that we could see a slow unraveling that made me uneasy. The pandemic unmoored so many people and revealed the fragility of our lives. I turned my back on Disney as they became TOO obsessed with technology and $$, but I never left Josh’s blog because I could count on him to find the magic and absurdity of loving Disney World. I will probably never go back to the World as I resist owning a smart phone to stare into, but I will hold onto Josh and Dave’s books as a reminder of happier, simpler planning days.
Like so many others, I am shocked, and devastated by thoughts of the pain his family is going through. I too honor his candor in speaking about his difficulties. While the world is not “ruined” by his absence, it is sensibly less interesting, less sweet, less kind, less amusing. I will never forget him, and will strive to learn the right lessons from his loss. And may God forgive me for not being able to help him more.
How incredibly sad. I am so sorry for your loss. Rest in peace Josh. I will miss you. This is so heartbreaking
This is so very sad to hear. My deepest condolences to his family and also his friends. I will very much miss his expertise and his humour.
I am so heartbroken to hear of Josh’s passing. I have checked his blog every day for years, eager for the next update, and was absolutely gutted to find this post. Josh was one in a million – marched to the beat of his own drum despite whatever Disney blogging fads were happening. He always put out quality content, and in the most humorous and snarky way. Easywdw is what turned me on to Disney so many years ago now, and I just can’t believe we will never have the joy of reading another of Josh’s witty posts or seeing his “tilted” photos again. To all his family and friends who loved him, please accept my deepest condolences and know that there is a huge community who will miss him every day.
I am so sorry for your loss. He will be sorely missed. Loved his sense of humor and how he always told it like it was. Your family will be in my thoughts during what must be a very difficult time.
Josh was a wonderful writer and I laughed out loud more than once reading his musings on all things Disney. I will truly miss him.
Josh was the best, a great journalist with a great sense of humor. His unique and incredibly helpful outlook on Walt Disney World was appreciated by many.
I’ve checked into this website for years now, looking forward to what Josh had to say. In a way, he was one of my best friends although he never got anything from me. He will be missed and I send condolences to his family and friends. I hope that his memorial “feels crowded.”
Hello, I am so sorry for your loss. I am sorry he isn’t here. His website and savvy advice was integral in making my three disney trips magical for my little girl. Without his advice, we would have been at a loss with a tired toddler complaining and waiting way too long for her attention span. I will miss his writing so much. He made me laugh and cheered me up. He gave me the Disney magic when I couldn’t be there.
He will be so missed. Thank you for letting his readers know.
I posted a comment on his last post from January after learning this shocking news, so I’ll just add here my own heartfelt sympathy to the family and friends of Josh. I hope the site will remain open at least for a while, even just lock the comments on older articles so as to avoid confusion (no new comments, I mean. Stick to forums if that keeps going ). Most things might be outdated, now or eventually….but many people out there like to read his musings and tips, complete with the snarky wit for which he was semi famous. We will miss that. I have read most everything he posted here in the last, I don’t know….10 years or around that many? I plan my own trips now and just stay on top of Disney park news. He trained us well, better than any other blogger. RIP.
I am devastated to hear this news. I never had the pleasure of meeting Josh, but I read his posts and used his advice on all of my Disney trips. I can’t tell you how many times I said to my husband, “but Josh said….”
I will miss his candid reviews and, dare I say, snark. I laughed so many times reading his posts.
It’s kind of morbid to want to know what happened, but I think we all are just trying to make sense of this. Why is it always the good ones?
So sorry for your loss. Josh & his writing will greatly missed.
I am so saddened by this news and sorry for your loss. Josh brought me and my family so much joy over the past decade by bringing the parks (and his snark) to me when I couldn’t be there and of course, showing us how to easily navigate when we could. Josh built a community, most of whom he never met. He will truly be missed.
Our family was so very saddened to hear this news. We only met Josh in person once many years ago, but we loved reading his blog. It was so informative, helpful, and just a joy to read. Even when we had no Disney trip on the horizon, we loved reading Josh’s posts for his wit and photography. His life touched countless people in ways he never knew, bringing happiness to so many. We will miss him so much. His family is in our prayers.
I’m so sad for his family. This blog was always my first stop for food booth reviews. If nothing else, I knew I’d get a great laugh and a super great description of the wine (“it tasted like wine.”). This is too surreal and heartbreaking.
Absolutely devastating. My family always knew not to bother me when they heard the words “Josh has a new post.” He brought so much joy to so many and I am so saddened by his loss. His family will be in my prayers. The next time we are at Disney we will toast to his memory. God bless!
So saddened to hear this news. My condolences to Josh’s family. Like others I’ve followed the site for about 10 years and would check pretty much daily for a new post. Josh’s writing was excellent and he helped my family plan the best trips we could have over the years.
I’m so sorry for your loss, such a tremendous loss.
I am grieving for a lost friend, one who gave so much, yet we never met. He made my life better, one of the many that he reached through his ability to analyse, dissect and repackage his knowledge and experiences with great individuality and humour. Truly one of a kind; it’s a tragedy that someone so talented and full of character was not able to flourish and reap the rewards he deserved.
I cannot express the depth of my feeling, it seems so inadequate to even try given the circumstances. But you should know that what he did went far beyond Disney blogging, there are others who do good work in the field but he was in a league of his own and will be deeply and forever missed.
My condolences to all of josh’s family and friends. He will be missed.
This is such sad news. My deepest condolences to his family and friends. I’ve enjoyed Josh’s commentary and knowledge over the years and always hoped to spot him on Triceratops Spin. On my solo trips, I tried to find the same places and vistas that Josh photographed so beautifully. His talents, skills, and snark will be greatly missed.
This is so sad, my deepest sympathies. Most everyone got the high notes here already, but he was a part of my life for 7 years on an almost daily basis and was so , so good at what he did. Take care.
I am so sorry for your loss. As you can see Josh meant so much to so many. He was with us on all our trips…
I was fortunate to find this website so many years ago when planning my family’s first trip to Disney World. It was the first and only website I ever relied on for planning, simply because Josh was honest.
Again, I am so very sorry for your loss, Josh and his family are in my prayers.
I’m so sad to hear this. We always looked forward to Josh’s updates and found his knowledge and recommendations an invaluable resource for Disney planning. Sending condolences to his family and friends.
I am heartbroken to read this. His wit, his insights, and his creative voice have played a pivotal role in my family’s vacation planning for years. May God bless and comfort all who knew and loved him, in real life and through his writing.
I am so sorry for your loss. I can only echo what others have already said. I have enjoyed Josh’s blog for the past ten years, sometimes checking in daily for a new post. I loved his sarcastic wit and sense of humor.
I can not imagine your grief. My condolences to Josh’s family and friends.
I’m very sad to hear this news. Condolences to all of Josh’s family and friends.
Like many here, Josh’s writing and photography brought me so much happiness, even besides helping me plan my vacations. May his memory be a blessing.
Oh no, I’m so sorry to hear that. My thoughts are with his family
My heart goes out to Josh’s family. I can only imagine their sorrow and grief. I, like other visitors of this site loved Josh’s humor and wit even more than his advice and insight into everything WDW. I earnestly pray that he and his family can find the peace they deserve.
I am absolutely shattered by this news. I loved reading his blog. He was soooo funny and irreverent. I hope his family and friends can take comfort in the idea that he touched so many lives. More than he ever knew or realized. I never met him, yet he was a part of my life for so long. I will truly, truly miss him.
At a loss here. Wow. I loved interacting with you here Josh. Your site was and always will be my favorite in the WDW world. It gave me so much valuable info and made family vacations perfect! Really going to miss you here, thank you. Rest in peace Josh.
I’m so sad to hear this new. Josh had a writing style that I loved and I’ll miss his wisdom, practical advice and commentary. I’ll raise a glass in his honor and say “it tastes like wine”
I actually got to meet him one time in Epcot. He graciously allowed me to take a selfie with him and even helped me take a good one. I am heartbroken by the news of his passing. I loved reading his blogs. I am not on twitter but I would try and get on to read how things were going according to Josh. My heart breaks for all his family and friends.
My condolences to his family and friends. I hope he had some knowledge of the many lives he touched through the help he provided all of us planners AND his comic genius. Just beyond sad. May he rest in peace.
I found out last night and I still can’t believe it. This is devastating and heart breaking for his readers, so I can’t imagine how his family and friends are feeling. He had a way of writing that always put a smile on my face and made me laugh, no matter how bad of a day it was. What makes this a million times worse is that it sounds like this could have been prevented? If that is true, then I’m sorry Josh that no one was able to help you. You made so many people happy and kept us going until we could go back to our “happy” place. Prayers for Josh and his loved ones, and may he rest in peace.
I just love you Josh and appreciate all the smiles that you put on my face over the years.
Josh touched so many of us. This is a gutpunch. I hope there is a heaven-if so I know I will be able to laugh at reviews of its Italy food both. See you on the other side brother.
💔 my heart is saddened by the news, Josh touched so many lives and will truly be missed. My deepest sympathy to his family and close friends for their loss.
I only heard this awful news today. So very sad, my thoughts are with his family and friends. Josh will be missed by so many of us who never met him.
I’m so sorry to learn about
Josh’s passing. Like many people I really enjoyed his sense of humor and honesty.
I am just absolutely gutted to hear this news. I first started reading Josh’s blog before our first family trip in 2014 and have been an avid reader ever since. Interacting in the forum getting ready for our annual visit. He has been a part of our Disney experience. Trust Josh’s advice above all others. My kids knew his maps and plans were our guides each year. I also had the pleasure of meeting him two different trips. Or more of less seeing him from a far to run over and tell him hello in my embarrassing way. My condolences to his family. My heart goes out to you and I want you to know how much joy he has brought to our families life. The wonderful vacations and memories he helped me create for our family. I will never not think of Disney without Josh. As a sibling of someone whom suffers from depression and mental struggles I know the struggle.
Josh, you will be missed.
I’m so sorry to hear this, my deepest condolences to the family! Josh will be missed! Found his blog in 2011? Enjoyed reading it so much, No one has the wit of Josh!!! always straightforward and didn’t sugar coat things. Many wonderful family memories were made as a result of all his hard work and the information he gave. Rest easy Josh!!!
I am genuinely heartbroken for Josh’s family, friends and the Disney community. The last decade or so Josh’s brand of Disney because my brand of Disney. I dont know that my 3x per year trek from Michigan would have happened if it weren’t for the pull I felt reading this blog. Honestly. Disney may never truly be the same without easywdw.
Josh, you’ll never ever be replaced. Count the smiles has been our family game for years. I will always play and thing fondly of your work. Trash can meals, artsy cuz is tilted and vacation ruined. Next time, ill throw my $1000 on the ground and consider it money well spent in your memory. Rest in peace. You mattered.
So sorry for your loss and our loss. I loved his humor and wit. He will truely be missed.
This makes me just so sad. So many people who didn’t know him still loved him. He will be missed. Deepest condolences to his family and friends. WDW will not be the same.
You mattered, Josh, and I am so so so sad that you are gone. Your wit and snark and humor were unmatched, and you, singlehandedly, were responsible for the bulk of my trips (thus, incredible Disney memories) over the last 7 or so years. I would swear off Dazney and then there comes you with artsy, tilted pictures, trash can food, and beautiful photos of a happy place. And there I would go with my Visa, reaching out to book another trip.
Rest in your peace, and thank you for it all….my condolences to Josh’s family. What an insurmountable loss for this world.
I am heartbroken to hear this. I’ve spent so many nights when I couldn’t be at WDW reading Josh’s words. His humor always made me laugh and his keen insights always impressed me. A huge loss for the Disney community. We will miss you dearly, Josh.
I am so sorry for your family’s loss. I don’t think there’s much that can be said that others haven’t shared already. A good writer builds a different type of bond with their readers. Even though many of us have not had the pleasure of meeting Josh in person, we all felt connected. To read his blog was to walk right next to him each day in Disney World. His delightful snark cpukd appeal equally to cynical theme park vets to a frazzled first time planner. It may not have always been easy to be a WDW fan, but it was certainly easy to be a fan of Josh.
Through all of the grief and loss, I hope his friends and family can cherish the legacy he left behind for us all. He will be missed and not soon forgotten.
I am so sorry for your loss. I followed his blog for many years and always looked forward to reading his posts and his spot on perspective if Disney world. He helped my family plan the best vacations.
I am heartbroken for Josh’s family and friends. He became a part of every trip and he will be missed. He touched so many of us. My prayers are with you.
The next time I go to Epcot, I will go to the beer cart in Canada and buy an overpriced Unibroue La Fin Du Monde and give a toast to Josh. Then I will place the beer on a trash can and take an artsy photo of it because it’s tilted. I’ll count the smiles and notice that it feels crowded, all with a smile on my face and a tear in my eye. Goodbye Josh, you were the best.