Mickey Mouse will be on hand at the L.A. Clippers vs Cleveland Cavaliers game at the STAPLES Center, Los Angeles on Sunday March 13th. The famous mouse will be participating in the ceremonial tip off with Make-A -Wish recipients. Mickey will also be entertaining the crowd at the half time show encouraging everyone young and old to join #teammickey and to get up, move around and just have fun! Disney invites fans to join #TeamMickey by celebrating family fun
Fans in attendance at the game will enjoy three never-before-seen cartoon clips showing Mickey’s basketball skills, as well as video footage from when Mickey dropped into a practice session with Clippers players Chris Paul, DeAndre Jordan, Cole Aldrich, Wesley Johnson and Paul Pierce.
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Fans will also be encouraged to capture and share their favorite Mickey moments from the game with hashtag #TeamMickey.
Mickey’s visit to the game is part of The Walt Disney Company’s Healthy Living Commitment, a long-standing commitment to create healthier generations by making healthy living fun and simple. Through engaging content and unique experiences, the company finds creative ways to partner with parents and inspire kids to eat right, be active, and be their best.
Make sure to keep in the spirit of #teammickey all year long to keep happy and healthy!
If you are going to have the pleasure of spending the Easter holidays at Walt Disney World, there are many special Easter events you have to look forward to help you celebrate. From the Parks to the restaurants at Disney Springs, there is quite the lineup of Easter entertainment for you to enjoy!
At Magic Kingdom:
Mr and Mrs Easter Bunny will be making appearances in the Town Square Courtyard from March 14 to March 27 2016, 9am to 6pm. Be sure to stop and pose for a photo with the adorable Bunny couple!
The Tomorrowland DJ Dance Party will extended operating hours from March 20 to April 2 – midday to 11pm.
Disney Festival of Fantasy Parade will perform twice daily at 12pm and 3pm.
The Azalea Trail Maids will take part in an Easter pre-parade before Festival of Fantasy Parade on March 26 and 27, and will meet and greet around Town Square on March 27 2016. Not only will there will be special events happening at the parks, but certain restaurants at Disney Springs will be offering special Easter menus for guests.
A second Main Street Electrical Parade has been added from March 28 to March 31 and will run at midnight.
You can also participate in the Annual Easter Egg-stravaganza at Epcot: where from March 2–27, 2016 (or while supplies last), you can search for special hidden “eggs” themed to Disney characters and record your discoveries by placing the corresponding sticker on the specially themed Egg-stravaganza map to represent that location. Maps and stickers can be purchased for $5.95, plus tax at the following parks and locations.
Here is a sampling of some special offerings by Disney Springs restaurants for Easter day:
Fulton’s Crab House: For its final Easter service before it temporarily closes for renovations, Chef Mark Boor will offer a Lobster Ravioli with tear drop tomatoes, asparagus, prosciutto, chive, basil and champagne beurre blanc ($34)
Portobello Restaurant: Chef Cristobal Lopez offers a 3-course prix-fixe menu that includes a glass of Cantele Primitivo. Guests can start off with a mixed green salad with fennel, cucumber, and cherry tomato red wine dressing before enjoying an Italian spin on Easter lamb with Lamb Ravioli with roasted mushroom sauce, and finish off on a sweet note with Carrot Cheesecake with caramel sauce. ($50)
Wolfgang Puck Grand Café: For a seasonally inspired 3-course menu, Chef Robert Leonardi starts guests off with a Caesar Salad with a goat cheese crostini, tomatoes, and parmesan followed by a Roasted Duck Breast with ricotta gnocchi, wild mushrooms, and huckleberry reduction. For the grand finale, guests can enjoy a Carrot Cake with cream cheese icing, caramel sauce, and spicy pecans ($75 without wine pairings; $115 with wine pairings)
If you need help planning your next Holiday at WDW, contact me today to take advantage of my free vacation planning services! Email me at [email protected] today for your free quote!
Disney has launched the new game Disney Build It: Frozen, an app for mobile devices, where kids can build their own version of Arendelle alongside the characters from the award-winning Walt Disney Animation Studios’ motion picture “Frozen.”
In Disney Build It: Frozen, players can make Frozen-themed snow globe worlds by creating and customizing buildings, such as Elsa’s Castle, Wandering Oaken’s Trading Post, Arendelle towers and more, with different colors and decors. Once a building is completed, players are rewarded with magical snowflakes that create props like snowmen, trees and lakes when matched together.
Elsa, Anna, Olaf, Sven and Kristoff will play along and add musical themes to the world. They will also accompany players on mini-missions, which introduce Snowgies to the cast.
Key features include:
Build in five locations from the film: the North Mountain, the Forest, Troll Valley, Arendelle Castle and the town of Arendelle.
Elsa, Anna, Olaf, Sven and Kristoff will play, dance, ride and even celebrate along with players.
Customize buildings with different colors, roofs, chimneys and more to unlock magical snowflakes.
Make snow globes special by adding lakes, mountains, rocks, trees, puddles and snowmen.
Go on mini-missions to build favorite Frozen characters’ palaces, castles, towers, amphitheaters and more.
Unlock Snowgie and Marshmallow surprises.
Build a collection of snow globe creations—and then shake them up to see an Arendelle snowfall.
After building their world, players can tap the camera to take a flying tour over their creation. Players who have an iPhone 6s or iPhone 6s Plus can use 3D Touch to activate flythrough mode or Quick Actions to instantaneously jump into a specific snow globe!
Disney Build It: Frozen is available for download for $3.99 on the Apple App Store, Google Play and the Amazon Appstore. Additional packs with new buildings, characters and props can be purchased for $1.99.
Angry Woman on Splash Mountain Could Be Your New Favorite Meme
Normally when people are at the Happiest place on Earth they are all smiles and happiness, expect one woman! Jordan Alexander was at Magic Kingdom with her husband, Steven when, even after endless promises to ride, he refused to go down Splash Mountain. So Jordan rode by herself and that’s when it happen.
“I thought it would kind of be funny if my husband had a memento of how mad he made me,” she said. “I practiced my face the whole ride. I wanted to get it right but I didn’t have a mirror, so I just had to frown my brow, make a face, and just hope for the best.”
So Jordan rode down the giant drop on splash mountain with the unhappiest face ever seen as the camera caught it!
They say humor like this ride is what has kept their marriage strong through the harder times.
It appears the long rumored Storymaker has finally made its debut at the It’s a Small World attraction in Magic Kingdom.
The “goodbye” portion of the ride now displays signage specifically mentioning the names of guests in your party. This new MyMagic+ feature allows for interaction between the rider and the ride itself by accessing personal information via the RFID in guests’ magic bands. The result is a personalized and magical experience where the attraction actually recognizes you by name.
Time will tell what other attractions plan to roll out Storymaker.
Check out a video below:
If you would like to experience Storymaker then contact [email protected]to start planning your trip today.
It’s the great debate …. Should we or should we not take our kids out of school to visit Walt Disney World?? If we wait until summer break, there will be larger crowds and it’ll be HOT! If we go during the school year, it’s generally cheaper, the crowds are smaller, and the weather cooler ….BUT do we let them miss school? Is there a way we can make our family trip to Walt Disney World more educational?
As a mom of 4, with 3 in elementary school, I can tell you we take our kids out of school at least twice a year for our family trips to Disney World. Here are some great tips on how to focus on the educational aspects of your trip while still keeping it magical.
WORKBOOKS – My kids love the Walt Disney World Adventure: A Field Guide and Activity Book for Explorers. It is best suited for ages 6 through 10. This workbook is broken down by individual attractions. Each attraction has its own activity to do ranging from mazes to decrypting secret codes. It is perfect for down times and while waiting in line.
DISNEY’S YES PROGRAM – Disney’s Youth Education Series gives students a hands on educational adventure! While first a program for homeschoolers and groups of 10+, Disney often opens up classes to individual children from grade school to high school. Topics include Environmental Studies, Applied Sciences, Liberal Arts and Leadership Development. My 6 year old daughter took the course entitled Experiencing Synergy in Science. One adult was able to attend with her. This class took place inside of EPCOT. The course was very kid friendly and they all got to go behind the scenes in the Imagination Pavilion. Both Daddy and daughter had a blast on this 4 hour adventure!
TOURS – Walt Disney World has a variety of tours available to choose from. One of my favorite educational tours is the Behind The Seeds Tour at the Land Pavilion. It is inexpensive ($16 child, $20 adult), about 45-60 minutes long and appeals to all ages. We did this tour with our preschooler and 1st grader as well as with the grandparents. It was so neat to go behind the scenes of the Living with the Land ride, entering the labs and walking through the green houses. We were able to feed the hybrid fish, check out the alligator tank, taste fresh food, release ladybugs and learn about how the “good” bugs eat the “bad” bugs. The kids were fascinated with how they could make fruit into the shape of Mickey! For animal lovers, the other educational tour I would recommend for older children would be the 3 hour Wild Africa Trek offered at Animal Kingdom.
RIDES & ATTRACTIONS – Each park has some wonderfully educational rides and shows. Here are some highlights
Magic Kingdom : Relive the dramatic history of the United States of America at the Hall of Presidents. Experience American Literature by exploring Tom Sawyers Island or World Literature at Swiss Family Robinson Tree House. At It’s A Small World, talk with your children about World Cultures and Geography. My favorite is discussing how advancing technologies affected the American family over the 20th century on The Carousel of Progress.
EPCOT : Besides the obvious science and history in Spaceship Earth and Ellen’s Energy Adventure, there are many less obvious educational experiences in this park. For little ones, be sure to ride Journey Into Imagination and talk about the 5 senses. For older kids, teach them how the 3d effect works at the Disney and Pixar Short Film Festival. All ages will enjoy stopping by Club Cool and tasting Cokes from around the world. Discuss with your kids why they think Coca-Cola has different flavors in each country (regional palates, local resources, infrastructure, transportation costs). For fish lovers, check out the 2nd largest salt water aquarium in the world at The Seas with Nemo and Friends. It is actually a working underwater research facility! Living with the Land can spark countless conversations about how we can grow our own foods, conserve resources and learn about synergy in nature. Our family’s favorite at EPCOT is traveling with the kiddos around World Showcase. Each cast member in their respective pavilions are here visiting from their home country. We love to come up with a topic and ask the same question to a cast member at each pavilion to compare and contrast different cultures. For example, if you are visiting World Showcase during the Christmas holiday, have your children ask a cast member in each country about their holiday traditions. Older children can even keep a journal.
Hollywood Studios : This park was once a working movie studio. There are several learning opportunities here. Kids can learn about American culture with classic movie history on The Great Movie Ride. At Voyage of the Little Mermaid, talk about how black lights work on the neon puppets or ask your child to retell the story with a beginning, middle and end. On Toy Story Mania, show them how math can get them a better score by choosing to hit the targets with bigger numbers. Compare scores at the end (which is bigger? smaller? difference?) or ask them to round up their score to the nearest hundred.
Animal Kingdom : This is by far Disney’s largest park and has so much to offer from an educational standpoint. When you enter each country, have your child look it up on a world map. Look around at the details in each country to see the differences in plants, building structures, music, etc. On Kilimanjaro Safari, learn about the endangered white rhino along with numerous other animals. Take a train up to Rafiki’s Planet Watch where you can learn how they care for the animals and how you can help through conservation. There is also a fun petting zoo area here where you can brush billy goats and pet a donkey. For a more structured learning experience, be sure to join the Wilderness Explorers near the entrance of the park. After joining, your little one will be given a journal packed with dozens of activities. Each activity can be done at it’s matching station around the park. When the activity is complete, your little one earns a “badge” (sticker) to place in their journal on that page. Activities include matching up dinosaur bones, scavenger hunts, mimicking drum rhythms, cracking secret codes, animal observations and learning about different cultures.
SAFETY – Use the time at the beginning of your vacation to teach your young ones about safety. Go over what to do if they get lost including finding the nearest cast member. Have them recite their name and phone number. Teach them how to be aware of what is going on around them and to stay close. These are great skills for preschoolers to practice!
MANNERS, MANNERS, MANNERS! – Learning social skills is part of education and manners are a super important social skill that takes practice, especially at Disney World. Often times we as adults can get stressed out but these precious little ones are looking to us to set the example. Every where you turn you can teach by example and even talk about why we act the way we do. Hold the door open for others. Say please and thank you. Give your seat up to the elderly or to a pregnant mommy. Watch where you are walking and teach your kiddos to do the same. When dining at a quick service restaurant or just on the go, be sure to clean up after yourself. Teach your child how important it is to be responsible for their own trash and to take care of this beautiful place.
LOOK FOR TEACHABLE MOMENTS – Education doesn’t always come in a lesson plan. Sometimes the best lessons are learned through life experiences. Slow down and look around. Intentionally converse with your child and ask them questions about their surroundings. Is this rock smooth or bumpy? What colors are the flowers? Do you see something red? What do you smell? What do you think that sound is? Can you find me a letter B? Why do we have to wash our hands? For older kids, give them the park map and have them navigate to the next attraction. Teach them how to make change when purchasing their Mickey Ice-cream Bar. Give them a $10 allowance for a souvenir and guide them in making a good choice. Tell them what time it is and ask them how much longer until the 3 o’clock parade. When dining, talk about healthy food choices. The sky is the limit!
As you can see there are so many different ways to intentionally and unintentionally have an educational trip to Walt Disney World. The best part of it is that the kids usually have no idea that they are learning! Every trip and every age brings new learning experiences.
Would you like to learn more about planning your own educational trip to Disney? Have some great ideas to share? Contact me today by email at [email protected] or through my Facebook page here. I would love to help you plan your next Walt Disney World vacation!
Get ready to snuggle down in style with giant Disney character sleeping beds, that are larger than life! These large and super soft cushions come in two different Disney favorites, Stitch and Baymax! These fun beds not only make for cozy comfort, they’re also a statement piece that really shows off your DisneySide!
Bring Stitch home to be part of your Ohana in a snuggly soft sleeping bag bed that’s perfect for napping, reading a book, playing games and so much more!
Now Baymax can be your personal nap-time companion, while also being a perfect addition to a fun reading corner, or maybe to cuddle up on while watching your favorite Disney movies!
These are so delightfully fun, I don’t know which one I want more! Which one is your favorite?
If your kids watch “Jessie” on the Disney Channel you have probably heard them singing around the house, in the car, at the dinner table, that catchy theme song, “Hey Jessie!” Well, I am lucky enough to call Christina Moore, who plays “Christina Ross” on the hit Disney Channel show, my sister-in-law. Christina plays the mother to the Ross family kids: Ravi, Luke, Emma, and Zuri. She and her husband on the show are similar to Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, since they have adopted children of different ethnicities and she is supermodel, business mogul and fashion designer married to a movie director (Morgan Ross). She’s wise, loving and strict and even once fired a nanny for wearing plaid, however, she trusts Jessie as the children’s nanny. Christina and I had a chance to talk about the show, the cast, and Disney in general.
Here is what she had to say:
Tell me about the audition process to get this role?
I went in and read for the role with producers and the network executives. Then they had me come to the set and meet the kids. We all got along really well and then I was offered the job. It didn’t hurt that my husband, John Ducey, had already been a regular on the Disney Channel as the dad of the Jonas brothers on JONAS. I knew the executives all very well.
When auditioning for the part was there a former role or preparation that you thought helped you get chosen for this character?
My job as Tracey Clark on 90210 prepared me to play a very rich, very successful mother. My life as a step-mom has also wildly helped me understand the life of a being a mom—how it feels to love a kid.
Besides Debby Ryan was this a break out role for the other child actors in the cast?
I think all of the kids really broke out. Peyton List, Cameron Boyd and Karan Brar had prior film experience but “Jessie” really put them on the map in a big way. “Jessie” is shown all over the world. These kids became huge stars with this show.
How long did it take to shoot an episode of Jessie, and where did you film?
It takes 5 days to shoot an episode of “Jessie.” We rehearse Mon- Wed, shoot parts of the show Thursday and then Friday we shoot the whole show in front of a life studio audience. Our stages are in Hollywood, CA.
Do you have any tricks for memorizing lines?
REPETITION—I don’t have any other tricks—just the more time you spend on each line—they easier it is to remember.
What was it like to shoot with Mrs. Kipling (a seven-foot water monitor lizard)?
There were occasions that we used a real lizard and I thought that was scary. We had to let “Frank” have a lot of space so we faked our spacing. All other times we used a stuffed lizard tail and pretended it was the real Mr./ Mrs. Kipling.
My kid’s favorite episode you are in is “Trashin’ Fashion” (Christina promotes her new retro-80s clothing line, Fer Shur Couture, at the same time Emma’s new anonymous fashion blog, Kitty Couture, is trending. When Emma looks at Christina’s over-the-top designs, she does not want to give her mother an honest review in order to spare her feelings) What was your favorite episode to shoot and why?
My favorite episode is “Gotcha Day” – I love the idea of celebrating a child’s adoption day. It is sweet and it is inventive. I have quite a few friends who have adopted children and have “adopted” the idea of celebrating a “Gotcha Day.” Yay! #trending
Since your character and your husband on the show play parodies of the famous Jolie-Pitt family…do you think the Jolie-Pitt kids have seen the show?
Hmmmm—Let’s hope so!
Was the character already named Christina or did they like that name once they picked you for the role?
My character’s original name was Pandora but the Disney executives were concerned about the “Pandora’s Box” associations so we were all scrambling to find a different name. At the last minute – the writers decided to name the character after me: thus Christina Ross was born.
The set on Jessie seems pretty elaborate from the Penthouse to the kid’s rooms with trampoline beds and slides…is that something you would say Disney does well- who was behind those creations?
There was a whole team of people that designed and decorated the sets. Disney has the most creative group of professionals working for them. A few names:
Series Production Design by
Michael Hynes … (52 episodes, 2011-2013)
Jim Jones … (46 episodes, 2013-2015)
Series Set Decoration by
Laura Richarz … (88 episodes, 2012-2015)
Maralee Zediker … (10 episodes, 2011-2012)
Does Karan Brar who plays Ravi on the show really have an Indian accent?
Karan is originally from Canada—so NOPE he doesn’t have a real Indian accent. He is great at creating that accent for sure.
What character would you say is actually the funniest in real life? Anyone have any special talents?
All of the kids are very funny in real life. Cameron Boyce is a tremendously good dancer and often times entertained us with his “moves.” Kevin Chamberlain plays piano and sings- he is currently on Broadway. So the set was just a hotbed of creativity all the time.
I asked some kids what they would like to know about Christina Ross and they wanted to know “Why is she away from her children so much?”
Christina is a working mom. I think she wishes she could be with her kids all the time but she is balancing many jobs and home life.
How did the kids on the show go to school in real life?
The kids go to school on set part of everyday. There is a studio teacher that is there to guide and manage their learning. They are able to stay on track with their grades while acting. I personally was glad to have been done with my education. They were asked to juggle a lot.
It’s not easy to have a show that runs for 4 seasons, what do you think was the secret to the success of the show?
The show was clever, funny but most of all had great heart. Viewers kept coming back for the hugs and the laughs. The kids, Jessie and Bertram were the big draw. It was a little bit like capturing magic in a bottle.
Do you get any Disney perks from working with the network and what’s your favorite ride at Disneyland or Disney World?
Each cast member gets one free trip to Disneyland per year. I was very thankful to them for that. My husband and I took our daughter and her friends. I love Space Mountain, Thunder Mountain Railroad and CARS at California Adventure.
What spot do you like to eat at when visiting Disneyland or Disney World?
I love the food at Boma at the Animal Kingdom Lodge and Teppan Edo at Japan in Epcot, we always have a good time there.
How often does the theme song of Jessie get stuck in your head?
ALL THE TIME—HEY JESSIE!!!
Do you think Christina Ross will appear in the spin off of Jessie, “Bunk’d”?
If you look closely there are pictures of Morgan and Christina Ross in the kids’ rooms on Bunk’d. I am not sure but there is always possibility of me showing up.
What do you enjoy most about being an actor?
I love the fact that every day is a different experience. I like the diversity. I get to go to new place and meet new people and play different characters.
Do you have any projects you are currently working on?
I have been super busy the last year. I have a movie coming out where I play the “bad guy” coming out mid July: The DOGLOVER released by SONY pictures. I co-wrote and co-produced a movie called RUNNING WILD starring Sharon Stone and Tommy Flanagan. I also play Sharon’s sister in the film. It is scheduled for completion and release later this year as well. I also am on a new digital series called MR. STUDENT BODY PRESIDENT that should be released in July.
You can catch “Jessie” on the Disney Channel Fridays at 8pm and you can catch me at [email protected] to book your next Disney vacation!
The popular restaurant ‘Ohana at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort is extending its dinner hours beginning on Sunday, March 13, 2016.
Guests will now have more opportunities to enjoy this Hawaiian style feast with dinner reservations beginning at 3:30pm rather than 5pm. Breakfast hours were also recently extended through mid-day where the last seating was previously at 11am. Be sure to make your ‘Ohana dinner reservation 180 days in advance or as soon as possible as this restaurant books quickly!
If you would like to enjoy dinner at ‘Ohana then contact [email protected]to start planning your next Walt Disney World vacation.
Lighting up the night with Disney is always magical. From the fireworks over our favorite castle, to the soft glow of Mickey light up necklaces I always feel safe and nostalgic thinking of the different ways Disney lights up the night. At home a I love to have Disney themed night lights to light the way. These fabulous laser engraved night lights from UrNeedAtNight on Etsy are just perfect.
There are many different character options and color choices but, best of all you can even have them personalized! A last name for a family area, or your child’s name for their room so many ways to make each one personal and unique for your home. These would also be great to take on the go for a bit of extra Disney magic your next time staying at a Disney Resort too!
So what are we waiting for? Let’s look at all of the fun options below:
Minnie and pals will be dressed in their garden best ready to host a springtime soiree at Minnie’s Springtime Dine at Hollywood & Vine this spring.
Hollywood & Vine is located at Hollywood Studios and features a seasonal dinner event where guests can dine with some of their favorite characters. This Spring, classic picnic food with a twist can be found on the menu, such as refreshing coconut-lavender lemonade and springtime salads like watercress or basil-lime fruit salad. Hearty entrees include barbecue meatballs, buffalo baked chicken, lobster and shrimp mac ‘n cheese, herb-roasted pork and more. For dessert, indulge in passion fruit cheesecake, key lime tarts and banana cream puffs.
Minnie’s Springtime Dine will be offered March 21 – June 5 at the cost of $46.99 per adult and $27.99 per child, plus tax and gratuity. Some dining plans accepted. Reservations are now open, and are available online at DisneyWorld.com/dine or by calling 407-WDW-DINE.
Email [email protected]if you would like to plan your Spring vacation to Walt Disney World and experience Minnie’s Springtime Dine at Hollywood & Vine.
If you were planning on taking a trip to Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, CA this April 3- June 16, then you’re in luck, as room discounts have just been released !
You can save up to 20% on Premium rooms at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel® & Spa or the Disneyland® Hotel on select Sunday – Thursday nights April 3-June 16, 2016 when you book now thru May 24, 2016.
And, to make your visit even more dazzling, you can upgrade to a 2-night or longer Walt Disney Travel Company vacation package – including Theme Park tickets – and enjoy a variety of magical extras!
By staying at a Disneyland Resort hotel you are going to experience the superb magical hospitality that Disney offers its guests, all while being within walking distance to Disneyland Resort, Disney California Adventure, and Downtown Disney!
Contact me today to take advantage of this magical offer for Disneyland Resort stays. Together we can create a magical vacation your family will never forget! You can contact me at [email protected] or follow me on Facebook here.
Stitch Sleeping Bag Sofa Bed
