Holidays at Disneyland: A Family Tradition

Going to Disneyland for the holidays is something that our family has done for a long time. It's a family tradition and in my family, ya don't mess with tradition!

It's something that we can all count on each year. We know that no matter how crazy things get, how hectic and busy our lives become that we will all come together and meet for a family date at Disneyland during the Christmas Season.

There's so much to see and do there that we actually have to go a few times during the holiday season just to get it all in. Thank god for annual passes. And even then, we still end up missing a few things - how is that even possible? But one thing we never miss is the Haunted Mansion Holiday, which is taken over by Jack Skellington and his friends! It's perfect for kids of all ages, and the whimsy of it all makes it a lot less scary.

This year was no different and we all planned a day to visit the Merriest place on earth. We attended the family media day and had some really special photo ops at the reception. The fact that our youngest daughter had quality one-on-one time with some of her favorite characters is absolutely priceless. I mean how many kids can say that they've played tag w/ Pinocchio?

It was an amazing day and we made a lot of family memories that I know I will treasure forever. That's one of the biggest reasons that moms love Disneyland, knowing that when you spend a day in the magic kingdom you're going to take with you a whole new set of moments. By the time we got to take our family photo at the ginormous tree on main street the youngest one was already asleep in the stroller. Oh well, looks like we will have to try again next year!

Holidays at the Disneyland Resort are not to be missed, so you must visit by January 8th to catch all of the festivities. For more info on all things Disney Holidays check out the WEBSITE. And when you visit the park, be sure to take one of those silly, crazy, awesome JUMPING pictures, like the one below! PRICELESS!!!!

Disclosure: I was not paid for this post. I was given passes for me and my family to attend a media preview day. The opinions on this blog are 100% mine and 100% fresh!

Back to School

Do you ever have a moment where you want to stop time and stay there forever?

I know that most kids started school back in September, but for our youngest, she had her first day last week. She will be 5 next year and starting Kindergarten, so we thought that it would be most beneficial to her education if she went to pre-k. So she's back in school and couldn't be happier. The toughest part is getting her up in the mornings, because she is definitely is a night owl. (like her mama - ahem) We got her a new backpack (Disney - Jessie from Toy Story) and she was super excited about it, the smile says it all. I want to remember this face, this smile, this moment FOREVER!!!

The Lion King Returns

For the first time in years The Lion King returns to DVD, this time you can purchase it on Blu-Ray and High Definition. Hakuna Matata Baby!

It's the classic Disney tale we all know and love. A coming of age story of Simba, the lion cub who will one day be king. After suffering the loss of his father, he runs away from his family and home. Being that you can never truly run away from your problems, he eventually realizes that he must go back to his pride and claim the land back from his sinister uncle. Good triumphs over evil, and Simba becomes king of the jungle. You know, thinking back... He just couldn't wait to be King. (lol)

We got a chance to see a sneak peek of the Lion King in 3D at the D23 Expo.
It was stunning. Don't you want to see The Circle Of Life in all of it's glory.

I got all 4 of my kids together (a miracle) and asked them to talk about what they love about THE LION KING. Needless to say, this video is classic in it's own right! Here are ADAM, DEVEN, TAYLAR and KAIA doing their review of the movie.

Can You Feel The Love Tonight?

For more info you can go to the official website for THE LION KING.

 Or you can like the page of the LION KING Facebook.

Full Disclosure: This is not a paid post. I was given a DVD to help facilitate the review. 

These opinions are 100% ours and 100% fresh.

Mickey's Halloween Party at Disneyland

It's one of my favorite nights of the year.

It's the one event I look forward to the whole year long. 

No, it's not the Oscars, the Grammys or the Emmys.

It's Mickey's Halloween Party at Disneyland. My family and I go together every year. We love Halloween, Disney & being together - Wicked Fun for Everyone! 

There are so many things that are awesome about Halloween Time, it's hard to know where to begin! They have even more Spooktacular Attractions and Events going on during select nights of Mickey's Halloween party. (Special Admission fees apply) It's hard to do & see it all in just one night! Believe me, I'm already trying to go back again this year.

My list of things you MUST See & Do while you're there:

*Mickey's Costume Cavalcade Parade*

*VIP Dance Parties with Coloring Stations set up for the kids*

*Jack Skellington's Haunted Mansion Holiday*

*Halloween Screams Fireworks Spectacular*

*Trick or Treating for ALL Ages* (Adults Too!)

*Meet and Greets with your favorite Characters and Villains*

Here's a few of the best tips I can give to those who are planning on attending:

Get there early & plan to stay late. You get to enter the park early, before the actual party begins. Score! Also it's a lot of fun to cover & not that much time to do it in. 

Buy your tickets online & ahead of time. There are nights where the price is only $44. Other nights prices go up to as much as $64. Do your Disney research!

Bring your camera AND your video camera. There are priceless moments that you WON'T want to miss like dancing with the characters.

Don't stress on the long lines for candy, they move fairly quickly.

Get a Corn dog while you're there. That has nothing to do with the Halloween Party, except that Disneyland has the BEST Corn dogs EVER!

Full Disclosure: I was not paid for this post. I was given tickets to Mickey's Halloween Party by Disneyland. These opinions are 100% mine & 100% fresh.

Happy Talk Like A Pirate Day

Check out some of the cool Pirate DVDs coming soon... your Mateys are sure to enjoy! YO-HO!

Set sail when JAKE AND THE NEVER LAND PIRATES: YO HO, MATEY AWAY! lands on DVD 9/27/11. Disney Junior's #1 Series "Jake and the Never Land Pirates" releases it's first music soundtrack and DVD. It's a very popular show with preschool children ages 2-7, like my daughter, and my husband and I even find ourselves singing the tunes by Sharky and Bones. The soundtrack is available tomorrow. Roll Up The Map, anyone?

And everyone's favorite Pirate, Captain Jack Sparrow is back, in Disney's PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: ON STRANGER TIDES. You can pick up your copy (I know my husband will be getting his to add this to our collection) on 10/18/11. Savvy???

Also be sure to check out these Pirate-Speak terms to wow your Mateys!

*Full Disclosure: I was not paid or compensated in any way for this post. The original thoughts expressed on this blog are 100% mine and 100% fresh.*

D23 Expo Recap: In Photos

Remember how I was telling you about becoming a new member of D23 Disney's Ultimate Fan Club? Well this past weekend was the D23 Expo, the event that Disney puts on in appreciation of the fans. Let me just say that it was a whirlwind for me! I went and stayed down at my sisters house for 3 days and 3 nights alone with out my husband or kids. (That's a HUGE deal, because it's the first time I'd been away from Kaia overnight.) Since we have just launched our new site DISNEY SISTERS we thought it was only right that we officially launch it at a Disney Event! And this was THE Disney event not to be missed!

So I will be posting some of the photographic highlights here, but for more in depth coverage, interviews, videos & more photos (yes, we interviewed DAVID ARQUETTE) go to DISNEY SISTERS.  BTW have you like us yet on FACEBOOK? Also go follow us on TWITTER too. C'mon it'll be fun!

Here's the some of the highlights in a slideshow for your viewing pleasure:

"D23 Expo 2011"

Create a free slideshow with Picnik!

Newest Member of D23: The Official Disney Fan Club

I'd like to introduce you to the newest member of D23: Disney Official Fan Club... ME! I am so thrilled to announce that I finally did it, I joined today! EXCITED! You already know I'm a big time Disney Geek. Now it's Official! Hooray!

Some of you may not know what D23 is, so let me give you a quick overview. The "D" stands for Disney and the "23" is the year that The Walt Disney Company was founded. In 2009 they created "The Official Community of Disney Fans" to thank them for their support, by giving them one-of-a-kind opportunities and experiences only available to members. It's a way to bring every Disney fan together, in one very magical group.

There are many reasons that I joined D23, other then just bragging rights that I'm "in" with the in crowd. The biggest reason is access to exclusive "members only" events. Including special screenings, studio tours, meet & greets with Disney Royalty. You also get a nice discount on the D23 EXPO happening in less then 2 weeks at the Anaheim Convention Center. (FYI, You do not have to be a D23 Member to attend the expo.) It's dubbed as the "Ultimate Disney Fan Event" I will be there with my ears on! This is the Daddy of all Conferences for me. I even choose this one over attending (Ahem)  Blogher this year, another very popular conference in the Mom Blogging community. Now that's Disney Loyalty, right?

 Seriously though once you hear about all of the Disney Awesomeness that will be going down August 19th-21st you will be buying your tickets immediately, if not for yourself, do it for the children. Your precious children! Some of the people who will be attending are: the Cast of A.N.T. Farm, Cast of Kickin' It, Cast of Phineas & Ferb, Dick Van Dyke, David Arquette, Wilmer Valderrama, Melissa Joan Hart, Joey Lawrence, etc. Not to mention the Disney Legends Award Honorees like Jodi Benson (Ariel), Paige O'Hara (Belle), Anika Noni Rose (Tiana), Lea Salonga (Mulan) and many more! We're talking the who's who of Disney!

Here I am meeting some Disney Legends at the Walt Disney Studios a few weeks ago. Thanks to some very special friends in very high places.

Me & Bill Farmer, aka "Goofy"

Me, Roy & Minnie

Me, Walt & Mickey

There's all kinds of Special Discounts & Promotional Stuff throughout the year that only members have access to. It's like belonging to our very own Disney VIP Club. Wait a minute, it's EXACTLY like our very own club! Save on things like Disney's Aulani Resort, Membership at the Aquarium of the Pacific, Lion King in Vegas, Mary Poppins Musical, the ABC TV Store and much more. Just for signing up you get gifts... Disney Swag! Here's some of the cool things that I'm expecting in the mail in 3-4 weeks.

Aren't you just dying to sign up too? Or you can gift a membership to the Disney Geek in your life. Make sure to tell them that I sent ya, with D23's Refer A Fan Program! Thanks! See ya at the Expo!

(Jessica New from North Hollywood, CA)

(Full Disclosure: I was not paid or compensated in any way for this post.  I was invited to a luncheon by the D23 Team to learn more about this amazing club & given a gift bag. I did however purchase the D23 Membership on my own. The original thoughts expressed on this blog are 100% mine and 100% fresh.)

Disneyland's Summer Line-Up

It's going to be a Soundsational Summer at the Disneyland Resort taking place from June 3-Sept 5! (THAT'S TOMORROW PEOPLE!) So mark it down in your Calendars, I know we have some plans to visit the Parks in the next few months. The Resort is extra fun during the summertime. Our Disney Annual Passes (So Cal) get blacked out soon. But if we want to buy a discounted blockout day ticket, they are $50 per person. Of'course there is always the possibility of upgrading our passes.... Hmmmm!

 

Disneyland has officially kicked off their new main street show, Mickey's Soundsational Parade including a new drumline, new colorful floats, and some of my favorite characters including Rapunzel, Mary Poppins, Princess Tiana, and Ariel.

And speaking of Ariel, we have all been waiting for the Little Mermaid ride to be finished and the time is finally here. Introducing the coolest thing to happen to California Adventure, since the WORLD OF COLOR. Ariel's Undersea Adventure opens June 3, and I can't wait to get on.

When they shut down Mulholland Madness, my daughter was really bummed, because it one one of her favorite rides in California Adventure. But I knew something bigger and better was coming our way. This summer Goofy will be teaching all of us how to fly. I'm really looking forward to seeing how my daughter feels about this new ride! Looks pretty Goofy, if you ask me. 

Star Tours is back for the next generation with a new adventure. Can't wait to see what it's like to travel to another galaxy and back all in the matter of a few minutes. I know my husband is looking forward to this Star Wars inspired ride.

If you still have yet to see the show World of Color... You are missing out! We've seen it a number of times & it still is breathtaking! Plus now they've added new stuff for Pirates of the Caribbean with the mermaids and scenes from Tangled! Yay!

And who could forget about the nighttime party - ElecTRONica, which is still going on at California Adventure. It's not summertime until you have a glowing drink at the parks! Cheers!

All Tangled Up

This weekend we got our Disney fix by attending a SPECIAL EVENT that The Disney Store put on. It was all about Rapunzel, because the new movie Tangled comes out on DVD today! In case you were wondering we pre-ordered our copy and got free lithographs and a bag. Whoo-Hoo!

They had stations set up all over the store, with different activities for the little ones to partake in. They each got a sun flag that would be filled up with stickers after they completed each activity. The first up was coloring a Rapunzel sheet and finding Pascal on a page.

The next area had a whole Tangled Memory Game, that each child got to play. Pick a pair of the characters from the movie, and once they made a match, or two they got another sticker. Kaia just kept picking up different cards & handing them to the worker, who played along beautifully.

The last station had the Wanted sign of Flynn Rider, where the kids got to play soft darts trying to hit him in the nose, and then they received their last sticker. (Looks like they finally got his nose right!)

When they filled their Sunshine Flag up, they then went to the last station, where they were handed a personalized Certificate (see below). The Disney Store worker stood up on a ladder announcing "Ladies and Gentleman please join me in welcoming Princess Kaia into the Royal Tangled Court..." or something of that nature. And then everyone clapped... Yay!

Let me just say how happy my daughter felt at that moment. She had such a look of pride on her face, because she completed all of her tasks and got a reward. Disney knows how to make a kid feel special. She liked it so much in fact, that she wanted to go do all of the steps again. 

And you know what... They let her! 

I'd like to thank all of the Disney Employees at the at the store in Sherman Oaks Westfield Mall.

They were very patient and kind with my daughter and all of the kids, the day was a big hit. It was a lot of fun, we're looking forward to the next one -
Minnie's Masquerade Party on 4/8 & 4/9.

If I may quote Rapunzel on behalf of my daughter, "BEST DAY EVER."