Mickey’s Halloween Party at Disneyland - Giveaway

Disneyland Halloween 2012 VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

In my Friday post, I told you we were on our way to Mickey’s Halloween Party. We had such a great time and I hope everyone will get a chance to experience Disneyland at Halloween. I have fun news: one of my readers and their guest will get to party with Mickey next week! I’m thrilled to announce that Disneyland has given me two (2) tickets to Mickey’s Halloween Party on Tuesday, October 9 to give away to one of my readers! The party starts at 6:00pm which means you can enter Disneyland Park to play starting at 3:00pm. The tickets are $54.00 each and include parking for a total prize value of $123.00. All you have to do is enter below! (one entry per person)
 
Some of my favorite blogging friends are giving away tickets too! Check out the Mickey's Halloween Party Giveaways board over on Pinterest to find more places to enter!


Photo credit: Three photos in album are courtesy of Caryn Bailey of Rockinmama.net
 

Disclosure: This is not a compensated post. I received complimentary tickets to Mickey’s Halloween Party for review purposes. a Rafflecopter giveaway

Congratulations to Lynn T. for winning the two tickets for her entry #60 following @Disneyland on Twitter! Thank you to everyone who entered!
 
Giveaway open to US Residents only. Duplicate entries, entries and comments not following the above guidelines will be disqualified. For the "leave a comment" entry, you must either leave your e-mail address in your comment or login with your Google ID. Winner must respond by noon PST October 5 or a second winner will be chosen. I reserve the right to change the contest rules.

Mickey’s Halloween Party at Disneyland - 2012

Tonight we are off to party at Disneyland! This year, Mickey’s Halloween Party started earlier than previous years allowing for more chances for more people to get in on the fun! As in previous years, Disneyland Resort guests will join Mickey Mouse and the Disney villains for some treats and family fun at Halloween Time. The Celebration started Friday, Sept. 14 and will continue at Disneyland Park on 11 special Monday, Tuesday and Friday nights until Halloween. This is a separate-ticket event and tickets are available at www.Disneyland.com/Halloween. The fun gets even spookier this year with the new Disney's Halloween Time Carnival featuring "The Astounding Cauldron of Magic" at Big Thunder Ranch, plus new pirate makeovers at Pirates League and, at Disney California Adventure Park, "The Art of Frankenweenie" exhibit with a peek behind the scenes of Tim Burton's new film which opens in theaters on October 5. Nearly all of the favorite Disneyland rides and attractions will be open so you can jump on something in between your trick or treating.

A really great feature of the party is the opportunity to "mix in" with regular Disneyland guests for three hours prior to the start of Mickey's private bash. To use us as an example, today, we will arrive at 4:00pm for the 7:00pm party. The party starts at different times depending on the date, so make sure you check before you go. I always make sure we have a good spot for "Halloween Screams" fireworks spectacular, hosted by "Master of Scare-omonies" Jack Skellington and only for guests of Mickey's Halloween Party. It’s really fun to see those mischievous Disney villains who you don’t usually see as much in the park other times of the year. For Halloween, they are plotting to take over Town Square on Main Street, U.S.A.

Big Thunder Ranch is my favorite spot in Disneyland. I’m really looking forward to, Disney's Halloween Time Carnival which is new this year.  A highlight of the Halloween Time Carnival can be found inside a mysterious sideshow tent where guests are invited to help conjure one of the Disney villains - Maleficent, Jafar, Cruella, Captain Hook or the Evil Queen from "Snow White" - with a magic spell in "The Astounding Cauldron of Magic." When the villain appears, guests may join him or her to pose for photos. As in past years, visitors to Big Thunder Ranch also will find ranch animals, pumpkin carvers, Halloween décor and activities for youngsters. Please, don’t worry, fan favorites Haunted Mansion Holiday and Space Mountain Ghost Galaxy are back again this year and I’m looking forward to Chip and Lulu being big enough to go on Ghost Galaxy.

At Pirates League in New Orleans Square, guests age three and up can live their pirate dreams and learn the ways of the seven seas by choosing one of three pirate transformation options: Jake and the Never Land Pirates, First Mate and Empress (created especially for all the pirate princesses). Pirates League is at Disneyland for a limited time only this fall. For Pirates League reservations call (714) 781-STYLE/(714) 781-7895.

What you need to know: The after-hours Mickey's Halloween Party is offered as a separate-ticket event on these nights: Sept. 28 and Oct. 2, 5, 9, 12, 15, 19, 23, 26, 29 and 31. This is the only time adults are allowed to dress up in costume. Kids and adults can trick-or-treat (candy and healthy treats). Be sure to get your tickets early as many nights sell out.

Tickets purchased in advance for Mickey's Halloween Party are $54 most days, while tickets purchased on the event days are $64. All tickets to Mickey's Halloween Party on Monday, Oct. 29, and Halloween Night, Wednesday, Oct. 31, are $69.

For more information about Halloween Time at Disneyland Resort, see www.disneyland.com/halloween. This site will be updated with frightfully fun details.

Disclosure: I received complimentary tickets to Mickey's Halloween Party for review purposes.

Orange County, California – So much to see and do!

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I live in Los Angeles County, but can hop in my minivan and be in Orange County in 20 minutes (traffic gods willing). I love Orange County, there is so much to do there. Most visitors to Los Angeles seem to make Orange County a “day trip” for Disneyland or Knott’s Berry Farm. When I was a kid and my family vacationed in California, I remember that exact scenario. Here’s the thing…There are lots of OTHER reasons to go to Orange County and lots of other things to do. The Anaheim/Orange County Convention and Visitor’s Bureau, in conjunction with my gals of MomsLA, recently held The OC Blogger Bash and hosted 175 So Cal Bloggers at a really fun event with a Mad Men Theme. While at The Bash, I got the chance to learn so much more about what OC has to offer.

One really great attraction that I’m dying to check out myself is The Battle of The Dance in Anaheim. It’s funny, because I had heard of the show but I didn’t understand what it was. I met people from the show and learned more about it.

  It is a dinner theater show that combines the disciplines of Irish, Flamenco, Pop and Bollywood dance into one spectacular event. Check out the video to get a glimpse.  There were lots of giveaways through the night and I won a gift bag full of Aveda Products and a Gift Card from Lux Salon/Spa/Store in Fullerton. I just gotta find the time to get there….Maybe I can send Surfer Guy to Knott’s Berry Farm with the kid’s while I spa! Knott’s was generous to give each attendee 2 tickets to their amusement park. I love Knott’s. I love Mrs. Knott’s Restaurant and her chicken dinners. Maybe I can meet them for dinner after I spa? I was also super lucky to have my number selected to receive 2 tickets to Disneyland. Geez, maybe I should just move to the OC?

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Photo Booth Pro was there with some really fun props for us to use while we posed in front of backgrounds of well known Orange County locations. Here I am posing with two of my best online influencer buddies, Caryn Bailey of Rockinmama.net and Linda Perry of Peachhead.net. We also learned about the 100,000 sq.ft. expansion of the Anaheim Convention Center with an amazing Grand Plaza that will be completed next year.

It was fun to have Snoopy on hand representing Knott’s. It’s funny, actually, now that I’m, ahem, well into my adult years…I get to meet so many characters that I would have been crazy ecstatic to meet when I was a kid. I’m actually still really excited to meet them…I just try to remain cool, for my image. As well as Lux, Knott’s and Disneyland, the other event sponsors were: McDonald’s® of Southern California, 300 Anaheim, Anaheim Marriott, Angels Baseball, Aquarium of the Pacific, Casa Resorts, Costa Mesa CVB, Hilton Anaheim, Honda Center, Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach, Laguna Beach CVB, Pacific Edge Hotel, Photo Booth Pro, Pretend City® Children’s Museum, Queen of Heartz Vintage Inspired Apparel, R.W.B. Party Props, Inc., Sheraton Park Anaheim, Sunset Flying, The Outlets at Orange, Anaheim White House, House of Blues® Anaheim, Huntington Beach Marketing and Convention Bureau, Irvine Barclay Theatre, Medieval Times® Dinner &Tournament, Montanya Spa, OC Wildlife and Travel, Universal Studios® Hollywood, Discovery Science Center, Hilton Anaheim Health Club, Lux Aveda Salon and Spa, RA Sushi, and Roy’s Anaheim. For sure I will be covering more of the fabulous offerings in my neighboring county. Love the OC!

Update: I'm totally blown away that The Anaheim/OC Convention & Visitors Bureau chose my post as the Grand Prize Winning post for their blogger contest. The OC Blogger Bash Team wrote, "Your creative post, inclusion of sponsors and links to the destination did an excellent job of featuring the destination of Anaheim/Orange County as well as the OC Blogger Bash!" What did I win? Two round-trip tickets on American Airlines!

Halloween Fun in So Cal

Photo credit: Angry Julie Monday AngryJulieMonday.com

Have you missed me? I've spent the month scouring the best Halloween fun to be had in Southern California's amusement parks for CBS Los Angeles. I'm wiped out, on a sugar high and fresh out of costume ideas. And it's not even Halloween yet....

 Disneyland-Mickey's Trick or Treat Party

Knott's Berry Farm - Knott's Scary Farm Haunt

Universal Studios - Halloween Horror Nights

LEGOLAND-California for Brick or Treat and SeaWorld Spooktacular

Disney, Disney & Disneyland!

There have been some interesting things going on in the wonderful world of Disney lately. Wanna come along for my ride? First up, I was invited to the launch event of “It’s a Small World” Kid’s Fashion Apparel and Accessories Collection at Nordstrom. Disney and Nordstrom have teamed up to celebrate the 45th Anniversary of the famous “It’s a Small World” attraction at Disneyland with this collection that includes items for newborns, infants and toddlers. There will be four seasonal collections throughout 2011 available exclusively at Nordstrom stores and nordstrom.com/smallworld. Each collection has items priced from $18-$169 from well know collaborators such as Petunia Pickle Bottom, TOMS Shoes and Feed.

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I learned something new at this event: At the 1964 New York World’s Fair, Walt Disney introduced a 9 minute boat ride – It’s a Small World – a Salute to UNICEF—dedicated to children around the world. In 1966, the attraction opened at Disneyland. To keep with Walt Disney’s original theme, Nordstrom and Disney are teaming up with TOMS Shoes and FEED Projects to offer philanthropic pieces in the collection. TOMS will give a pair of new shoes to a child in need. FEED Projects items will benefit UNICEF. Proceeds from the sales of the FEED collection will provide vitamin supplements to children in need. The really cool thing is that each FEED item says on the hang tag exactly what the purchase of the garment will provide. Chip got a “FEED our small world” t-shirt that says it will provide 150 children Vitamin A for a year. I was really excited to meet FEED Projects Co-Founder and CEO Lauren Bush at the launch. It was awesome to be able to say, “Huge fan of your uncle and your grandfather!” as we took a couple of pictures together. The ‘Indian Summer’ collection is currently in stores as of this week and has some super cute stuff. Lulu got a really sweet sundress from the ‘Japanese Spring’ collection“Disney, It’s a Small World Apron Dress” with Japanese children and motifs and a big butterfly detail.  She is a huge fan of butterflies right now, so it was perfect. The ‘Japanese Spring"’ collection still has many items available online at Nordstrom.

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Next up, the New Disney Stores. Lulu and I got a special pre-opening, sneak peek at one of the latest stores totally re-done with a brand new award-winning concept. It’s not a store…And I’m not just saying that….It’s an interactive shopping destination offering magical experiences for Disney fans of all ages. Lulu was told to rub her hands together and Tinkerbell appeared flying across the walls! Disney Store’s new design aims to deliver “the best 30 minutes of a child’s day” through immersive experiences including a Disney Princess Castle with Magic Mirror, Translucent Magical Trees, Disney●Pixar CARS-branded Ridemakerz custom car building experience and the Disney Store Theatre featuring the latest in Disney entertainment. They will also be offering arts and crafts projects throughout the day. The outside of the store has an electronic schedule of events so you can see what’s coming up in-store. One really awesome effect that it took me a bit to realize is that it actually smells like Disneyland. It’s subtle, but there. It’s like going on a mini-trip to The Magic Kingdom with the trees, the lighting, the twisting path and all the interactive features. Lulu is still too young to realize she had this whole, new concept store to herself. She loved the Princess Castle with the Magic Mirror and kept going back to try different characters. I like the Ridemakerz (build your own car) because it allows you to start with a toy that you design and you can bring it back to change it up and further customize it. How could you possibly get bored with that option? Disney Stores will continue to convert to this new format. Disneystore.com has lots of info for you and make sure you visit the interactive Disney Store page to find out about the latest store openings.

Lulu’s favorite Disney character is probably Ariel. The issue with that is she also seems to be the favorite character for all her friends, too. So, when Lulu has a playdate, there have been, ahem, skirmishes over who gets to be Ariel. Who cares that almost every other female Disney character is represented in costume in her closet?…It’s all about Ariel. I had the brilliant idea to buy ANOTHER Ariel costume at The Disney Store, and a cute reversible swim suit, and sunglasses…But all really, really cute and to make my life easier. And because they didn’t have cool stuff like this when I was a kid.

Just as Ariel is hitting her peak in popularity in Casa Minivan, I have some big news for COMING ATTRACTIONS over at Disneyland Resort:

Grand opening June 3: At Disney California Adventure park, get ready for an all-new voyage with Ariel. The Little Mermaid ~ Ariel’s Undersea Adventure takes guests on a  journey under the sea to experience all the fun and adventures in Ariel’s world. From the great songs to state-of-the-art animatronics and special effects, guests will become a part of her world in a way that’s never happened before. Check out the video for a sneak peek:

May 27 Premiere: Over at Disneyland Park, “Mickey’s Soundsational Parade” officially steps off for Memorial Day weekend, with an explosive musical score, thrilling rhythms and bold percussion that will have people dancing to many of their favorite Disney tunes. Look for whimsical floats, live musicians and some of your favorite characters. There will be more than 90 performers in the parade. Mickey Mouse (drumming away live on an acoustic drum set) and his pals will be jamming like never before and creating an atmosphere that will be…soundsational! I’m particularly looking forward to this. The parades are among my favorite things to do see and do at Disneyland.

Grand opening June 3: Star Tours – The Adventures Continue officially re-launches in Tomorrowland at Disneyland park, taking guests on interstellar adventures to Coruscant, Tatooine, and other destinations in the “Star Wars” galaxy. With the return of favorite Star Wars characters and the addition of more familiar faces and destinations, guests are going to experience Starspeeder travel in an all-new way…in 3D!

And in closing, to give you something to look forward to: the 12-acre Cars Land is well underway and scheduled for opening next year!

Disclosure: I received a gift bag from Disney with a T-shirt and dress for my kids at the Nordstrom-Small World Event. I received a gift bag with a Mickey Mouse plush toy and mouse ears at the interactive Disney Store sneak peek visit. No compensation was received for this post.

Halloween at Southern California Theme Parks

Every Southern California theme park has Halloween activities. However, not all events are the right fit for each member of the family. Here is a guide to the top picks to help you plan your Halloween family fun.

Halloween Time at Disneyland

Disneyland is all dressed up for Halloween! Space Mountain has turned into “Space Mountain – Ghost Galaxy” and The Haunted Mansion is all decked out a la “Tim Burton’s Nightmare before Christmas”. Disney characters are dressed in Halloween costumes and the Disney Villains characters can also be found roaming the park this time of year.

Mickey’s Halloween Party, a separate ticket event at Disneyland, takes place on Tuesday (6pm) and Friday (7pm) evenings during October as well as Halloween night. The extra bonus this year is that guests attending Mickey’s Halloween Party are allowed to enter Disneyland three hours early to play in the park. Mickey’s Halloween Party is also the only way to see the “Halloween Screams” fireworks spectacular. Adults and children can dress in costume, trick-or-treat throughout the park, attend dance parties and take photos with characters in the special photo locations set up for the party. Tickets start at $49. For more information visit: Halloween at Disneyland

 

 Knott’s Scary Farm

Knott’s Berry Farm is transformed for the season into The Halloween Haunt at Knott’s Scary Farm Wednesday through Sunday nights in October. Featuring 13 mazes, 7 hair-raising shows, 3 horrific scare zones and 1,000 roaming monsters, this year is scarier than ever. The doors open at 7pm and close at 1am (2am on Fridays and Saturdays) for this separate ticket event. Knott’s Pre-Scare “Boo-ffet” Dinner, $20.99, allows event ticket holders early entry into The Haunt. Knott’s Halloween Haunt is a scary event and not recommended for children under 13. Guests are not allowed to wear costumes so as not to be confused with The Haunt characters. Tickets start at $33. For more information visit: Knotts Scary Farm

For the younger kids, Snoopy’s Costume Party in Camp Snoopy is an alternative daytime non-scare celebration of Halloween cheer rather than fear. Offered on weekends in October, 10am-5pm and included with regular park admission. This special, family event includes friendly monsters, a kid-friendly maze, crafts, and trick-or-treat stations.

Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights

Universal Studios Hollywood is offering its Halloween Horror Nights on consecutive weekends and select weeknights in October. This separate ticket event begins at 7pm and is not recommended for children under 13. Horror Nights capitalizes on Universal’s movie franchises by combining the themes and characters into mazes, scare zones and the “Terror Tram” attraction. How about a stroll through the Friday the 13^th maze with Jason followed by working your way through A Nightmare on Elm Street maze with Freddy Krueger? All Universal attractions are open during Horror Nights. Costumes are not allowed. Tickets start at $44. For more information visit: Universal Horror Nights

 

 Brick-or-Treat at LEGOLAND

Every Saturday in October from 5-9pm, LEGOLAND California is transformed into a not-too-spooky Halloween haven for Brick-or-Treat Party Nights featuring costume contests, dance contests, a pumpkin patch building event, “howler of the hour” contests, nighttime trick-or-treating on one of two Brick-or-Treat Trails, live music and entertainment.

During the day every Saturday and Sunday in October revelers 12 and under trick-or-treat on the Park’s exclusive Brick-or-Treat Trail, where they gather goodies including delicious treats, trading cards and other surprises. Guests can also enjoy the new musical “Mail Order Monsters” and pose with a giant LEGO^® jack-o-lantern. All Brick-or-Treat and Party Nights festivities are included in the price of regular one-day admission to LEGOLAND California.  Special tickets for Brick-or-Treat Party Nights only are available for $30. During Brick-or-Treat, LEGOLAND is open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturdays and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sundays. For more information visit: Legoland

Here’s What’s New at Disneyland Resort

The day after the premiere of World of Color, I returned to Disneyland for a media presentation of “What’s next?”  Well, there sure is a lot to tell.  Once again this year, The Summer Pass is being offered to Southern California residents.  Valid from June 11-August 29, 2010, for $108 your receive a 3-day park ticket which allows you to visit either park on three separate days within a 45 day period.  That works out to $36 per day and is a really great deal!  Summer Nightastic kicked off June 11 and is a dynamic lineup of entertainment including Fantasmic! with it’s new dragon, fireworks featuring Dumbo and Tinkerbell flying over Sleeping Beauty’s Castle, Tommorowland Terrace TLT Dance Club and Pixie Hollow Enchantment all taking place after dark at Disneyland Park this summer and runs through August 29.  New attractions to look forward to are: Star Tours in 3-D at Disneyland and Ariel’s Undersea Adventure at California Adventure, both coming in 2011.  The upcoming attraction generating the biggest buzz is Cars Land, the 12-acre expansion slated to open in 2012 in California Adventure.  We saw a presentation showing the three new rides going into Cars Land, the main one being Radiator Springs Racers.  Somehow, 2012 seems so far away!
Not everything new is happening exactly in The Disneyland Resort.  The Disney Cruise line is coming to the West Coast in early 2011 with its cruise ship “Wonder”.  For the first time, itineraries will include Alaska cruises from Vancouver.  Before and after the summer Alaska cruises, Mexican Riviera itineraries will be offered out of The Port of Los Angeles.  We were also informed of a really great promotion: From Jan. 23 to March 20, 2011, Disney Cruise Line will make it easier to experience the West Coast cruise magic with a special “Kids Free” offer on seven-night cruises to the Mexican Riviera.  Guests age 17 and younger can sail free aboard the Disney Wonder when accompanied by two full-fare paying guests occupying the same stateroom on seven-night voyages (government taxes and fees excluded).  For more information visit DisneyCruise.com/KidsFree
The Disneyland Hotel is undergoing renovations to actually retro-renovate it to be more in the style it was originally designed to be.  I saw some plans and photographs of rooms and suites that are already completed and it looks really cool.  They are also making enhancements to the pool and water play area including a monorail themed waterslide with the original Disneyland sign atop that I know Chip and Lulu would love!  Speaking of staying at the resort, there are several packages this summer.  The 5 days for 3 gets you a 5 day park hopper ticket and 5 days in a resort hotel for the price of 3.  There are also discounts of up to 40% on rooms in each of the 3 resort hotels this summer.
The news I’m really excited about is Aulani, the Disney resort opening in Hawaii Fall 2011.  Located on Oahu, you can find more info at DisneyAulani.com  and I hear you will be able to make reservations well in advance of opening so check in at the website for updates.  Have fun and remember to visit Disneyland.com for further info!

If you have extra time to spend exploring the Anaheim area, visit this page on Uptake.com for some great info and reviews.

Premiere of Disney’s World of Color

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I recently attended the premiere of “World of Color” at Disney’s California Adventure park.  World of Color is the nighttime show that I’d been hearing was coming for a couple of years.  The Paradise Bay Lagoon in California Adventure had been walled off for so long I was really excited that I was invited to be among the first to view the show.  I wore my typical black but threw on a bright pink wrap in honor of the theme.  My first stop was along the red carpet for the Celebrity Red Carpet Welcome portion of the night.  I joined several of my fellow bloggers who had also been invited to the event including: Caryn, Aracely and Liz.  The carpet was actually blue in honor of the water theme.  Among the celebrities we saw were two of my favorites: Jamie Lee Curtis and Geena Davis.  Next we headed over to the World of Color viewing area, Paradise Park, which is the side of the lagoon opposite Mickey’s Fun Wheel.  The name “World of Color” is a tribute to Walt Disney’s 1960’s tv series “Wonderful World of Color”.  Fountains in the lagoon (1,200 of them!) serve as the screens onto which the show is projected.  There are also synchronized flame projections, lasers and all kinds of special effects.  The show started and I was pulled into an amazing journey of Disney and Pixar characters accompanied by an original soundtrack performed by more than 100 musicians.  I learned that many of the scenes, although familiar, actually had to be recreated for World of Color.  This show is an amazing creative and technological feat!  Toy Story, The Little Mermaid, The Lion King and Wall-E are some of the movies included in the show.  Be warned, you may get a little wet.  More likely just slightly misted depending on where you are in the audience and how breezy it is.  I was in the left front and only get a little bit of mist.   When the fire shoots up, you really feel it and it warms you up a bit, too.  Wow, I was blown away and can’t wait to go back!  The show runs just under 25 minutes and will have at least two showings per night through the summer with a possibility of a third show if demand is there.  Show times are: 9:00pm and 10:15pm.  A third show will be announced the same day and will be at 11:30pm.

Now, here is the scoop on maximizing your viewing of World of Color: The World of Color FASTPASS, reserved viewing and preferred viewing.  World of Color FASTPASSES will be available every morning at The Grizzly River Run FASTPASS terminals.  A limited number of FASTPASSES are available each day for each show.  The FASTPASS will allow you access to a reserved area in Paradise Park from which you can view World of Color.  For reserved viewing, you can take advantage of “World of Color” Picnic Meals which are available online or by walk-up purchase.  There are a set number of picnic meals each day, thus I strongly recommend ordering online to guarantee yours.  For $14.99 you get a choice of 4 adult and 3 kids meals, each meal comes with reserved viewing.  Finally, Prix Fixe “World of Color” Dinner Packages are available at Ariel’s Grotto and Wine Country Trattoria restaurants and come with World of Color Preferred Viewing.  At Ariel’s Grotto, prices are $36.99 for adults/$20.99 for kids ages 3-9 and at Wine Country Trattoria, prices are $39.00 for adults/$18.99 for kids ages 3-9.  For full details about World of Color dining options, go to Disneyland.com/WorldOfColor.  But, don’t worry if you don’t get a FASTPASS or a reserve viewing, you can still view World of Color from many locations around Paradise Bay.

After the Premiere of World of Color we headed over to the after party at Paradise Pier.  The whole pier was decorated with a dance floor and the gazebos were turned into living rooms.  There was tasty food and drinks to by had as well.  But let me tell you the best parts:  Characters and rides! Characters were available for photo opps without lines.  Chip and Dale who are my absolute favorite characters were hanging out right near our table so I went over and took some pictures with them.  They were right near the dance floor and since no one else was waiting to take a picture, we all danced around together for a bit, so funny.  The other absolutely awesome aspect of the party was that the rides were open…With no lines!  We went on Toy Story and then stayed on because no one was waiting.  You should have heard us hooting and hollering as we went back in.  I must have had the biggest grin on my face.  I think I we were all about 8 years old that night.  We didn’t have our kids with us so we could do whatever we wanted.  It was crazy.  We were all saying, “Hey, go on Screamin’ with me!” which is the roller coaster.  I went on that three times in a row because with toddlers I can never, ever do that!  Tee hee!!  Then we ran over to the new attraction “Silly Symphony Swings” which is a ride with 40 swings that you sit in and it swings you up high and out while you go spinning around on a musical journey.  We were having too much fun and the night came to an end too soon.  I knew I had to get home and get some sleep though to get back the next day for the media briefing so I could find out what’s new and what’s next at Disneyland to share with all of you.

For some great info about more to see and do in the Anaheim area, visit Uptake.com

Photo credit for most of the photos in this post goes to Caryn Bailey of RockinMama.net.  Thanks, Caryn, awesome shots!

Disney’s California Food & Wine Festival

I had the opportunity to attend Disney’s Food & Wine Festival last year and am looking forward to attending again this year.  The theme for this year’s festival is “The Art of Flavor”.  I just took a look at the calendar and it definitely looks like there are many fabulous see events happening throughout the event which is now in its fifth year.  Each year the events and offerings get bigger and better.  The festival kicks off April 16 and ends May 31, 2010 at Disney’s California Adventure at the Disneyland Resort.  I attended the festival on three different days last year and had really great experiences each time.  There are complimentary and signature ongoing during the course of the festival.  Signature events such as Winemaker Dinners are on sale now and some will sell out before the start of the festival, so be sure to make your reservations asap.

Every day you will be able to attend complimentary demonstrations by culinary experts and celebrity chefs including Guy Fieri, Cat Cora and Robert Irvine.  There are also seminars that feature, wine, beers and spirits.  All these events take place at various locations throughout Disney’s California Adventure in locations that are easy to find and with ample seating.  There are also “wine walks” that allow you to taste several different wines along a walkway.  I did that with some friends last year and had a lot of fun.  I went to a couple of cooking demonstrations which also allowed us to taste what the chefs demonstrated—a fun bonus!  I highly recommend the signature events for special occasions like a birthday…Coincidentally, mine is April 16th, the first day of the festival!  Maybe someone will give me a signature event ticket for a present?  One of the times I went last year was with four girlfriends and we had so much fun going on the rides at the park as well as doing a couple wine walks, two cooking demonstrations and we finished off the day with a signature event.  It really gave me a totally different appreciation for a way to take in Disneyland.  With Disney’s California Food & Wine Festival running for six weeks, there is absolutely no excuse not to attend this year!  For full information please visit www.disneyland.com/foodandwine

If you are traveling to the Disneyland Resort, be sure to check out Uptake.com for their compilation of reviews, sites and info for travelers.

Downtown LA: Autoshow & Disney on Ice

It’s a peculiarity of Los Angeles that unless you work or live there, you can easily go months without ever going downtown.  I recently had the opportunity to go to the LA Autoshow at The LA Convention Center and will be going to Disney on Ice at the Staples Center next week.  I really like the downtown area and all they are doing to revitalize it and make it a family destination.  So, let’s start with the Autoshow.  What a fun event for someone like me who is all about cars.  We were invited for a special early-beat-the-crowds entrance which made parking a breeze.  Next we were given an overview of the convention floor, and by overview, I really mean OVER-view.  We were in a room a couple of stories above the floor looking down.  Wide array of cars as far as the eye could see.  I couldn’t wait to get down and talk horsepower with the “spokesmodels”.  But, I had the family with me so we made the Kid’s Fun Zone our first stop.  In this area, kids had the run of two bounce houses, an inflatable obstacle course and, Chip’s favorite part, a driving course with kid sized cars!  The Kid’s Fun Zone also offered other activities, but we never made it to them because Chip and Lulu were all about the bouncing and the cars.  After we bribed the kids away from the “zone”, we headed to the main convention area.  Every single manufacturer and every brand were in attendance.  I was really interested in checking out the 2011 Buick Regal as I had attended the unveiling in Hollywood last month.  I had minivan envy as I chatted up a “spokesmodel” about the 2011 Toyota Sienna--love the dual moonroofs.  I walked down memory lane as I strolled amongst the BMWs….Gently whispering, “I’ll be back.”  Speaking of which, while I was in the elevator with the kids, my mom and Surfer Guy were taking the escalator and who did they walk right past???? The Guvernator himself!  My mom said, “Hello, Mr. Governor.”  And he totally ignored her.  Not. Cool.  Let’s hope he either didn’t hear her or was focused on bringing more car manufacturing jobs to California?  ‘Kay?
 
The Los Angeles Autoshow runs from December 4-13 and is open on weekdays from 11am-10pm, Saturdays from 9am-10pm and Sundays from 9am-8pm.  The Kids Fun Zone, is open on weekends from 9am-8pm.  Admission for kids 12 and under is free and there is no additional charge for the Fun Zone.  For more information, go to LAAutoshow.com.

Next stop in downtown LA, and right across from the LA Convention Center, is Disney on Ice at The Staples Center!  I’ll be attending with my family next week and we are really looking forward to it.  Especially something that they sure didn’t have when I was a kid: The Disney Princess Pre-show.  One hour prior to each performance families will be able to view an exclusive collection of enchanting ball gowns and mementos from the Disney Princess stories.  This is a bonus experience that is included with your show ticket and includes a special appearance by a Disney Princess.  Once the show gets going, there will all kinds of action by Disney characters such as stunts by Lightning McQueen, “Circle of Life” with the Lion King and Tinker Bell and her fairy friends making their world premiere on ice.  Many of my loyal readers know how much I love Disney and that Tinkerbell is my favorite character!  The info I’ve received promises skating, special effects and animatronics.  This sure isn’t the Disney on Ice of my childhood.

There are four Southland venues with shows running from December 17-January 10.  Ticket prices range from $16-$65 with Opening Night seating at each venue set at $12.  Disney on Ice has offered a special promotion for my readers: enter coupon code MOM at checkout and receive 4 tickets for $44 (weekday matinee shows) or $4 off single weekend tickets.  You can order tickets online at DisneyOnIce.com or Ticketmaster.com.

Holidays at Disneyland – 2009 edition

I love Disneyland.  I just do.  I love the holiday season at Disneyland.  It’s so different there this time of the year, I can’t really explain it, it’s just so fun!  I’ve had the opportunity to attend twice the past couple of weeks.  Both times I was able to check out both Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure and I’m here to report back.  Come with me as I guide you on the “must see” parts of Disneyland this time of year.  Let’s start with California Adventure.  They are making big changes over there and there is quite a bit of construction going on, but it’s going to be fabulous.  I’ll be updating you all about that in the future.  If you are here during the holiday season, you can visit with Santa in his Victorian Gazebo on The Paradise Bay boardwalk.  Both days I was there, the line to visit with Santa was very short.  The two must-do rides are Soarin’ over California and Toy Story Mania which are two of my favorite rides in the whole resort.  Most of the holiday action is over at Disneyland so that is where we spent most of our time.  When you enter Main St., the Disneyland Christmas tree, every inch covered by an ornament, is gawk-worthy.  The tree is specially designed to present a nightly holiday light show, with more than 62,000 energy-efficient LED lights.

Moving on down Main Street, Sleeping Beauty’s Castle is all decked out for the season and is the focus for the evening’s “Believe … in Holiday Magic” fireworks, which is worth seeing if you can stay into the evening.  The best part is that at the end of the show, snow comes swirling down!  It’s so awesome to watch the kids see it for the first time.  As you head through Sleeping Beauty’s Castle, make your way to “It’s a Small World” which is redone for the season inside and out (with more than 300,000 glittering lights on the facade).  Next, head to Frontierland and my FAVORITE part of the holidays at Disneyland: Santa’s Reindeer Round-up.  Being in this area is like being in a rustic mountain village, it’s just such a nice relaxing area.  If you are hungry, you should stop into my favorite restaurant, Big Thunder Ranch Barbecue.  After you’ve filled up on the all-you-can-eat chicken, ribs and fixin’s, mosey on over to check out Santa’s Reindeer, just relaxing and storing up their energy for The Big Trip on the 24th.  Then around the corral, there is a fun arts and crafts area staffed by cast members.  When we were there, they had reindeer cut-outs for the kids to color.  There are also various characters stopping by.  We saw Pluto sporting his Christmas sweater.  Santa and Mrs. Claus’ house is next to the crafts area.  We met Mrs. Claus standing on her front porch and waited about 10 minutes to sit on Santa’s lap.  It was funny because Chip didn’t want to see Santa a first so he stayed outside with Surfer Guy while Lulu and I waited.  Then after a while, I saw Chip talking to Mrs. Claus and she apparently talked him into meeting her husband.  So he stepped inside and joined us in line.  Of course, when it was our turn to see Santa, Lulu, refused….I can’t blame her, strange guy, big beard….But he was really nice and Chip gave him a laundry list of what he wanted for Christmas, so it all worked out.

Next on your “must-do” holiday adventure is The Haunted Mansion, which is celebrating it’s 40th Birthday this year.  I really get a kick out of  “The Nightmare Before Christmas” theme that features Jack Skellington and his skewed vision of the holidays.  This ride is not scary at all (for my kids).  Both Chip and Lulu had a really fun time looking around at everything.  Once you’ve done Haunted Mansion, you have covered all the rides on my list.  Next you can focus on the entertainment.  New for the holidays is “Tiana’s Showboat Jubilee!” – inspired by the new Walt Disney Pictures animated film “The Princess and the Frog.” The rousing, colorful show has a jazz-filled holiday celebration vibe. It begins with a Mardi Gras-style cavalcade from New Orleans Square to the Mark Twain Riverboat

in Frontierland. At the landing, Princess Tiana, Prince Naveen and other “Princess and the Frog” characters move onboard and, as the boat takes to the river, Tiana and company entertain guests on shore with a musical show that includes songs from the movie.  The parade, “A Christmas Fantasy” is a nice chance to take a break and soak in the holidays.  The parade is so fun because it has every Disney character doing something fun and festive.  There are dancing reindeer, toy soldiers playing real horns, Mickey and Minnie ice skating and of course Santa Claus.  Although we didn’t do this, I did see some guests taking the guided holiday tour, “Holiday Time at Disneyland Park,” that provides entry into the “it’s a small world” holiday and Haunted Mansion Holiday, reserved seating for the Disneyland “A Christmas Fantasy” parade, a keepsake remembrance, a sweet surprise and entertaining information about the history behind Disneyland holiday traditions.  You can get information about this tour at City Hall.

Chip and Lulu’s favorite activity this year as well as last is the cookie decorating.  This year, it’s at Plaza Plaza Pavilion, the restaurant at the end of Main Street, U.S.A. near the entry to Adventureland.  The cookie kits come in three designs to choose from: Gingerbread Man, Christmas Tree, and Snowman.  The kits include the cookie (nice size and quality) frosting of different colors, m&m’s, sprinkles of various colors and candy cane sprinkles.  I think the cookie kits are a really good deal and really fun and a nice way to pace the day.  Chip and Lulu loved, loved, loved making their cookies.  And when we got home, they kept wanting to look at their creations and take little bites at a time.  I tell ya, those kids got a ton of fun out of those $6 kits!

I also had the opportunity to test out the Mobile Magic phone application from Verizon Wireless.  Mobile Magic is the first Disney-developed mobile application that enables Verizon Wireless customers to easily navigate Disney parks.  When I used it I was able to check on the wait times of rides, look up where I could find a certain character and get an overview of dining options across the resort.  This is exclusive to Verizon Wireless customers and is available for download and purchase for $9.99 for a 180-day subscription.  Although I don’t think this is a “must have” for Disneyland, I can see it being useful for some guests.  I found it to be a fun application and fairly easy to use.  You can check out the DisneyParks.com/blog and DisneyParks.com/mobile for more info.

The Holidays at Disneyland runs from November 13, 2009 to January 3, 2010.

Coming up in 2009 Disney Parks is launching a program that celebrates the spirit of volunteer service with a simple proposition: “Give a Day. Get a Disney Day.”  Disney hopes to inspire families to volunteer in their communities during 2010 through this first of its kind program.  One million people who perform volunteer service for a participating organization will receive a free one-day admission ticket to a Walt Disney World Resort or Disneyland Resort theme park.  Starting Jan. 1, 2010, guests can go to www.DisneyParks.com for the United States and Puerto Rico or www.DisneyParks.ca for Canada to search for volunteer opportunities available in those areas through HandsOn Network, the nation’s largest volunteer network, and sign up for a day of volunteer service. Many of the opportunities will be for projects that entire families can participate in together.

Disneyland has some vacation offers going on now as well as just after the new year.  For more info about Disneyland Resort at the holidays, visit www.Disneyland.com/holidays

I also recommend a visit to UpTake for a compilation of information about Disneyland from all over the internet.

Chip and Lulu go to Build-A-Bear Workshop

Ever since I had a kid, I have wanted to go to Build-A-Bear Workshop.  Yet, even with a second kid, we still hadn’t make it through the doors of a workshop.  That all changed this past Saturday when my family and I were invited to the Build-A-Bear Workshop in Downtown Disney.  The occasion was to kick off a collaboration between Build-A-Bear and ABC Family, “Holly & Hal Moose: Our Uplifting Christmas Adventure” a one-hour feature movie.  This is the first time in Build-A-Bear’s 12 year history that its animals have been brought to life on tv.  

Our adventure began when we entered the workshop and were greeted by some nice folks who offered our family the chance to test out the process and make Holly and Hal Moose.  Chip selected Hal and Lulu went with Holly.  I thought it was cute that in the movie, Hal and Holly are brother and sister….Just like Chip and Lulu.  One really cool thing about Hal is that his antlers light up with Christmas lights!  Next, the kids took their moose (yeah, that’s plural for moose, not meese!) to the stuffing machine.  They had a blast getting to step on the foot pedal and watch their moose take shape.  Next they inserted “hearts” and watched as their new friends got stitched up.  Then it was off to the bathing area.  This is where Chip had the most fun.  He had a blast scrubbing Hal and Lulu followed suit with Holly.  We next selected outfits—the selection is huge.  I really wanted them to get the outfits that match the moose movie “looks”.  Chip loves camouflage and Lulu looks great in light blue, so it worked out perfectly.

Our next stop was over at the movie theaters in Downtown Disney to get a first look at the Holly & Hal Moose: Our Uplifting Christmas Adventure.  It was a really nice event because it was also a drive for Toys for Tots and US Marines were on hand to collect the toys.  Chip and Lulu loved being able to sit with their Holly and Hal and watch Holly and Hal!  It was  really cute movie that inspires viewers to follow their dreams—no matter how big they seem.  You have the opportunity to watch when it makes its nationwide premiere on ABC Family tonight at 7:00 PM ET/PT (encore presentation on Saturday, November 28 at 10:00 AM ET/PT).  I’ve already set our DVR so we can watch Holly and Hal on their adventure again while we cuddle up with our Holly and Hal.  We had a really fun experience and love the opportunity to have the toy and watch the toy onscreen.

Disneyland at Halloween

In the past week, I’ve been to The Disneyland Resort twice to check out the Halloween Time scene.  Last Tuesday, I was at Disneyland with a couple of friends and our kids (6 toddlers and 1 newborn).  Then this past Friday I was at Disney’s California Adventure for Mickey’s Trick or Treat Party.  This year, Disneyland is featuring Space Mountain Ghost Galaxy for the first time.  Ghosts appear out of the starry darkness and swirling galaxies of Space Mountain, reaching out as if to grab guests as they speed through space. The exhilarating drops and curves of the journey are punctuated by piercing screams, creepy sound effects and haunting music.  I did not get the chance to take a ride on it but I have a friend who went on it with her two tween daughters.  She said they all loved it but it was a bit scary.  One of my favorite attractions is The Haunted Mansion.  Unfortunately, I didn’t get to go on this one either!  Team Toddler nixed it.  Oh, well, maybe one day I can shake the kids and go by myself!  Transformed to a mix of Halloween spookiness and Christmas tradition, Haunted Mansion Holiday is inspired by the classic animated film “Tim Burton’s Nightmare Before Christmas.” Jack Skellington and his friends provide plenty of havoc and surprises as they celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Haunted Mansion in their unusual style.  Jack’s return to the Haunted Mansion includes the traditional Halloween/Christmas gingerbread house in the Mansion Ballroom, with some special spooky surprises in this year’s design.
My favorite area of the park is the Big Thunder Ranch.  I can’t totally explain why, but I just think it’s so fun and a peaceful vibe.  During Halloween Time, visitors will sometimes find the ranch animals dressed in costume for a seasonal Halloween Roundup, with pumpkin carvers, Halloween décor and activities for youngsters, all presided over by Sheriff Woody.  Next door at Big Thunder Barbecue (my favorite restaurant in Disneyland), Miss Chris and the Roundup musicians add Halloween songs to their repertoire.  I love fireworks!  Luckily, I was able to catch “Halloween Screams – A Villainous Surprise in the Skies,” a fireworks spectacular that haunts the nighttime sky of Disneyland throughout the Halloween season.  To start the show, “Master of Scare-omonies” Jack Skellington appears in a flash of fire above Sleeping Beauty Castle.  I really enjoyed the show as did Team Toddler.  There were several, “how’d they do that?” moments.  It’s more than just a fireworks display.
This past Friday, Chip and I were invited to attend Mickey’s Trick or Treat Party at Disney’s California Adventure.  Our neighbors heard we were going and wanted to join us, so eight of us: 3 parents, 3 toddlers, 1 13 yr old and 1 20 yr old all set off for Anaheim.  Mickey’s Trick or Treat Party is a separate admission event held at Disney’s California Adventure for 12 nights in October (2, 8, 9, 15, 16, 21, 22, 23, 28, 29, 30 and 31).  This party lets adults and children alike dress up and trick-or-treat in the ultimate Disney neighborhood.  The event starts at 7:30pm on Fridays (6:30 pm other nights) and goes for four hours.  We arrived around 8:00pm due to Friday traffic.  So, although the party is described as being for younger kids, I wouldn’t recommend it for the under 8 year old crowd.  Chip is 3 and our neighbor twins are 4.  It was a late night for them and with only about 3.5 hours do do things like meet characters in special Halloween Costumes, participate in some Halloween activities, see the Character Cavalcade, Trick or Treat and go on 2 rides, we just couldn’t do very much and the kids were tired and overwhelmed.  I did see lots of tweens having a blast.  There are two party areas, Candy Corn Acres and Hollywood “Bat-Lot” Bash where tweens and teens were dancing around and having a really great time.  The 13 yr old and 20 yr old in our group went off together and had an awesome time.  It was the perfect event for them.  So my recommendation is to take your younger kids during the day to Disneyland or Disney’s California Adventure.  There is still plenty of Halloween feeling in the decorations and you will be able to pace yourself and maybe just wrap things up after the fireworks.  For more information about Halloween Time at Disneyland Resort, see www.disneyland.com/halloween. This site will be updated as frightfully fun details become available.
Value-minded vacationers can celebrate Halloween Time with a special travel offer this fall: savings of $400* at the Disneyland Resort. From Aug. 12 through Dec. 19, 2009, guests will save $400 when they book a 4-Day/4-Night Disneyland Resort vacation package, featuring Disneyland Resort hotel accommodations – Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, Disneyland Hotel and Disney’s Paradise Pier – and park hopper tickets. The offer is valid for arrivals through Dec. 20, 2009, with a final booking day of Dec. 19. Details are at www.disneyland.com/Save400 .
I’m planning to be back at The Disneyland Resort at least two more times before Halloween Time (September 25-November 1) is over.  It really is a great time of year to go!

For some great reviews and info about Disneyland, visit Uptake.com

Win a Disney Stroller!

Random.org has chosen #6 as the winner of the stroller! Congrats to Joyce of Illinois!

When Delta Children's Products contacted me to ask if I'd like to review their new Disney umbrella strollers, I didn't even have to think twice. I'm a huge fan of both Disneyland and strollers, so the offer was right up my alley. Their latest offerings are: Disney Pixar Cars, Disney Princess and Disney Fairies. Chip is a huge fan of Disney Pixar Cars and I knew he'd love to take a spin in that stroller. You can never go wrong with the Disney Princess theme which here includes images of Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty and Cinderella. However, Peter Pan has always held a special place in my heart so I chose the lavender Disney Fairies stroller featuring Tinkerbell. I've been to Disneyland twice in the last week learning a great deal about the new offerings coming up for this spring and summer. I look forward to sharing all the news with you in upcoming posts! I learned that Tinkerbell features prominently in Disney's upcoming entertainment, events and attractions so I was really pleased with my choice. A couple of days ago I headed to Disneyland with Lulu to put the new Tinkerbell stroller to the test. First of all, it's just cute! But, beyond that, the stroller actually has a canopy which is not totally common with umbrella strollers and a must for a day at the amusement park. This stroller is ideal for amusement parks because it folds up quickly and easily for hopping on and off shuttles, trams and trains. It is really lightweight and just all around good for quick trips if you are running errands and are in and out of the car. The front wheels swivel and make pushing easy. The stroller has a tall frame which allows for babies and toddlers to ride comfortably. While I certainly don't think this would be your only stroller, I do believe that this is a very good umbrella stroller and an excellent addition to any family's "stroller stable." With upcoming summer vacations, this is exactly the kind of stroller you can use to get you through the airport and one that doesn't take up much room in a car trunk. Besides, it's fun for the kids to have Disney characters on their stuff. Lulu is just tickled with it and pushes it around on her own (she isn't tall enough to reach the handles, but you know what I mean). I definitely recommend this stroller to anyone in the market for a wallet friendly, fun and capable umbrella stroller. These strollers retail for approximately $20.00 and have a maximum weight capacity of 35 lbs.

Guess what? You get the chance to win your choice of one of these three strollers! The kind people at Delta Children's Products have made a stroller available to one of my blog readers. Here is how you enter: Contest period runs from Friday, May 1, 2009 at midnight (Pacific) until Sunday, May 10, 2009 at midnight (Pacific). Enter by leaving a comment stating which stroller you would like to win and leave your e-mail address. If you don't leave your e-mail address, I cannot contact you if you win and your entry will be disqualified. One entry per person. Winner must provide a US mailing address. At the end of the contest period, I will utilize Random.org to randomly choose a winner. Winner will be announced the business day following the end of the contest period. Winner has 72 hours to respond to my e-mail. If winner does not respond within 72 hours, stroller will go to the second place winner as decided by Random.org. Happy strolling!