Star Wars: The Force Awakens toys are great for everyone ages 6 and up – way up. This hilarious commercial aired on Saturday Night Live just in time for Star Wars: The Force Awakens which is in theaters this Friday! Does this remind you of any of your geeky friends?
Photo credit SNL
The Iowa Department of Transportation is using “The force” to remind drivers to drive safe! There are 5 different messages that can be seen statewide on Monday. They had so many great suggestions they could not pick just one.
.@iowadot outdoing itself w/ Star Wars themed safety messaging tying into movie release- #letthewookiewin pic.twitter.com/QoxqINe366
— Brian Morelli (@bmorelli) December 14, 2015
These messages can also be seen on billboards in other states as well. Iowa has shared with, Utah, Arizona, and Colorado.
Iowa DOT strikes again. #starwars https://t.co/SCouE71iZz pic.twitter.com/8Zgp4kbctZ
— Jennifer Friedmann (@friedmannj) December 14, 2015
Keep in mind this will not be a regular thing. If you will be in these states keep an eye out, but be safe about it!
Wishing you Faith, Trust, and Pixie Dust
Maria
Recently the kids at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles got to experience some Star Wars fun. The Star Wars: Force for Change Program is a program that promotes healing through creative inspiration. Children’s Hospital Los Angeles was one of 8 children’s hospitals that got to participate in the Star Wars: Force for Change program.
Check out some of the Star Wars fun:
The kids got Jedi Training and brushed up on their light-saber skills. This helped them relax through breathing exercises and find their “inner force”.
An autograph signing with Mark Hamill
Of course, a video game station
They visited the Rehab floor, Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Cardiovascular Acute Unit and Cardiothoracic Intensive Care Unit.
Check it out:
Everyone had a great time, including the parents and siblings.
For more photos and Star Wars magic check out CHLA blog
Wishing you Faith, Trust, and Pixie Dust
Maria
Photo credit chla.org
It’s no secret I love all things Tsum Tsum, and that Tsum Tsum Tuesday is almost a Holiday for me! Lately even more Tsum Tsum items have been popping up besides just those darling little plush toys! New Tsum Tsum Mini Figures
These little guys come in different size packs, with the 9 pack
One last fun thing I’ve found in my Tsum Tsum hunting are Lip Smackers Tsum Tsum
So that’s all for my Tsum Tsum discoveries today, check back tomorrow for you guessed it, Tsum Tsum Tuesday! It’s going to be an out of this world one!
The grand opening of Disney’s Jungle Navigation Co. Ltd. Skipper Canteen Restaurant is on December 16th. Many guests had the opportunity to enjoy this restaurant early due to a soft opening yesterday. While not taking Advanced Dining Reservations quite yet they do offer a walk up text when they are ready service. Which is a great idea considering the wait has been over 60 minutes.
Here is a first look of the menu at this fun sit down restaurant!
If you are unable to read the items above here they are:
S.E.A. Shu Mai
– A legendary blend of Pork, Shrimp, Mung Beans, and Spices wrapped in Gyoza Skin then steamed $10
Baladi Salad
– Classic Egyptian Salad consisting of a mix of Hearts of Romaine, Green Peppers, Cherry Tomatoes, Cucumbers, Parsley, and Ambasha Bread tossed with Garlic $9
Falls Family Falafel
– A secret recipe of Chick Peas, Garlic, Onions, Lemon Juice, and Herbs served with White Bean Dip and Tomato-Cucumber Salad $8
Amazon Annie’s House-made Arepas
– A trip down the Amazon with Slow-cooked Beef, Black Beans, Tostones, and Queso Fresco $9.50
Ginger Grog of Hot and Sour Soup
– Flavored with ginger “not the crocodile” garlic, soy sauce, and rice wine vinegar finished with fresh egg, tofu, and wood ear mushrooms $7.50
Sustainable Fish Collar
– Broiled Collar served with a green papaya salad and yurt-soy sauce $11
Rice Noodle Bowl
– Pho Broth served with choice of Chicken, Duck Breast, or Tofu served with Jalapeños and mix of fresh Herbs. Duck $23, Chicken 422, Tofu $20.
Grilled Lamb Chops
– Seasoned with a North African Berber Style Spice Blend served with green lentils stew $25
A Lot of Steak Salad
– We’re betting it all on this Thai-marinated Flank Steak tossed with Hearts of Romaine, Carrots, Red Peppers, Cucumbers, Red Onions, and Cherry Tomatoes with Asian Dressing $18
Char Shiu Pork
– Marinated Grilled Pork Tenderloin Medallions served with Chinese Broccoli and choice of Five-gran or White Rice $23
Curried Vegetable Crew Stew
– Served with Roasted Acorn Squash, Lentils, and Sautéed Collard Greens $17
Skip’s Mac and Cheese
– A typical Egyptian dish consisting of Spiced Ground Beef, Pasta, Béchamel Sauce, served with Broccoli $19
Trader Sam’s Head-On Shrimp
– Sustainable Local Farm Raised Shrimp tossed in a Chili-Garlic Sauce and served with Chinese Broccoli and choice of Five-grain or White rice $25
Sustainable Fish
– “Not Piranha” served over Chinese Broccoli, Carrots, Shiitake Mushrooms, and Red Bell Peppers in a fragrant Lemon Grass Broth (Market price)
“Tastes Like Chicken Because It Is!”
– Marinated Grilled Chicken Breast served with Stir-fried vegetables, Shiitake Fried Rice, and Hoisin Sauce $23
Dr. Falls’ Signature Grilled Steak
– Strip Loin Asado marinated in Sofrito and served with Yuca Planks, Avocado, and House-made Chimichurri $23
Sugar-crusted Congee Pudding
– Caramelized Custard with Millet, Almonds, Apricot, Dates, and Honey-Almond Tuile $8
Coconut Bar with Pineapple-Basil Compote and Vanilla Cream
– Vanilla Chiffon Cake with Coconut and Lime–White Chocolate Ganache $8
Bertha’s Banh Bong Lan Cake with Mango Lime Sorbet
– Vanilla Chiffon Cake soaked with Lemon Grass-Ginger syrup $8
Kungaloosh!
– An African-inspired chocolate cake with caramelized banana served with cashew-caramel ice cream topped with coffee dust $8
The Disney Dining Plan is accepted, as well as Tables in Wonderland discounts.
I can’t wait to dine here. If you have already eaten here let us know what you think in the comment box below!
Special thank you to Rachel Carl for sharing her photos with us!
As a first time traveler to Walt Disney World, it can be tricky to navigate the world of Theme Parks, dining, rides, attractions, shows, resorts…etc, etc – there’s just SO much to do and see that planning your trip can seem really overwhelming! But fear not – we here at Chip and Co are here to help – with info about how to pick a Resort, where to eat, and how to plan your days too.
Read on for some first timer Itenerary Tips and Tricks:
Read Up: Make sure you know what you’re in for – there’s a LOT to do at Disney, so you’ll want to do some research/reading before your trip. There’s tons of information out there – so make sure you’re using trusted sources – places like chipandco.com, the official WDW website, and there’s some good guidebooks out there too. Don’t bother going too in depth or spending hours and hours researching – just do enough that you get an idea of what’s there and what your family might enjoy doing
Use Technology To Your Advantage: We live in an age of smartphones, smart watches, apps, tablets, drones….etc, etc – the world if technology has exploded over the past few years, and Disney has really been embracing it all – with advances like their photopass system, mobile app, online dining reservation booking, online fastpass selection – and all of it is tied together with one little bracelet – the MagicBand! It has a chip in it that stores your Park tickets, WDW Resort room key, Dining information, fastpass reservations, photopass photos – it is truly amazing, and while it may seem overwhelming to a first timer, I highly recommend you utilize all of these to their fullest capabilities. And if you can’t figure it out – you can always ask a Cast Member while at WDW, or call Disney before your vacation and they will gladly walk you through any of these amazing high-tech options
Take It Slow: The immediate reaction most people have when they go to WDW for the first time is that they want to see and do it ALL – and trust me – unless you’re taking a month long vacation, that is just NOT possible. Don’t tire yourself out by trying to ride all the rides and see all the shows and characters – it will just leave you needing a vacation from your vacation! Use your research to know what things would best suit your family (think about ages, fears, likes, dislikes, etc!) and pick just a few “must do” things to do at each Park. If you have more time then great! If not, at least you will have gotten to see your top picks!
One Park At A Time: Another thing people tend to do when they are at WDW is to think they can easily Park hop and see all the parks in one or two days – and while park hopping is absolutely possible and something I do often – It isn’t always easy, and it doesn’t usually work out well for first time WDW vacationers. When you visit WDW for the first time, you really want to take some time to explore each park – the décor, the little hidden spots, the beauty and tiny details that make it truly amazing. Your instinct might be to rush over to a Park, ride your top 5 rides, then rush over to another Park and repeat the same process…but you will just wind up tired and cranky from all that (not to mention you’ll spend most of your day on – or waiting for – a Disney bus/boat/monorail which is not the most fun), so try and slow down and do one park a day if you can, you will have a much more relaxed vacation if you do!
Write It Down: Now that you’ve researched the rides, attractions, magic bands, food, and parks – it’s time to actually make a plan! When it comes to writing an itinerary, I like to stick to 1 park a day, and I will generally pick 1 “must do” ride/attraction for each person I am traveling with and use my fastpass selections for the day on those – and then have a list of backup items that I can do between the fastpass things – rides that might have shorter lines, or I will plan my fastpasses so that I can see fireworks or the parade. I NEVER plan more than 5 things to do in any given day – I might have other things I want to *try* and do – but I never over-plan – and to me that’s the key to a successful Disney vacation. My itinerary is very basic – it might look something like this:
Day 1 – Magic Kingdom
Day 2 – Hollywood Studios
The beauty of having only a few things planned each day is that you can be spontaneous – if you decide you want to Park hop, then go for it! Want to head to a different Disney Resort for a drink and dinner? No problem! For me, the key is keeping it simple, and being willing to be flexible if need be
Happy Planning!
This year the holidays at the Disneyland Resort are even more magical with the Diamond Celebration going on. There is so much to see and do, it might be overwhelming. Here’s my suggested holiday itinerary for the Disneyland park.
What does your Disneyland holiday itinerary include?
It’s not too late to book your holiday vacation to the Disneyland Resort! Email me today at [email protected] to begin planning.
Sotheby’s and Ebay recently sold more than half a million dollars in an online auction for rare Star Wars merchandise. Over 600 items are on their way to new homes.
The priciest item was an unopened packet of 7 action figures from Empire Strikes Back that was in pristine condition. It sold for a whopping $32,500. Next is 2 complete sets of “Power of the Force” coins that are available only by special request from the manufacturer Kenner and that sold for $27,500. A Luke Skywalker doll from 1978 sold for $25,000. It was never taken out of it’s original packaging and in pristine condition. It is one of only 20 confirmed examples of the doll.
All of the items sold came from the private collection of a Japanese designer named Nigo. They started collecting at 6 years old.
Would you pay these prices?
Wishing you Faith, Trust, and Pixie Dust
Maria
Did you know there were plans for a Disney Park in St. Louis? It never happened, obviously. However the blueprints for the project recently sold for $27,000. They were auctioned by a Los Angeles based company. They held a “Animation and Disneyana” auction recently.
The potential park was supposed to be an indoor park in downtown St. Louis ins 1963. City leaders could not agree on financial matters and so the plans fell through.
Photo Credit: wsiltv.com
Would you pay that much for blueprints?
Wishing you Faith, Trust, and Pixie Dust
Maria
I must say I LOVE stuffing Christmas stockings, and I also LOVE dumping mine out to see what wondrous goodies are inside! My family knowing me as well as they do, always make sure to get lots of Disney goodies for mine. I always get a little overwhelmed when it comes time though, stockings are only so big so you have to use your stocking stuffing space wisely! Great things are always candies, small toys, personal care items and even cute little notes to bring a smile. The other trick is making sure it makes the recipient happy too. Disney makes me happy though, so let’s check out a list of top 5 items to make Disney Addicts smile on Christmas morning!
5.) Fruit Crisps
4.) Disney Toothbrushes
3.) Mickey Jelly Belly
2. ) Disney Character Bandaids
1.) Themed Candy Sets
With so many great Disney themed options out there, you can see why I have a hard time choosing! I also want to stuff the stockings now, it’s so hard waiting till Christmas Eve!! Do you have any family traditions for your stockings, or maybe some ideas to start new ones?
It’s time…Skipper Canteen is now having a soft opening at Magic Kingdom!
The newest restaurant added to Magic Kingdom is now seating walk ups for lunch and dinner. The date for advanced reservations is still undetermined, but the restaurant is already accepting the Disney Dining Plan and Tables in Wonderland. The menu is the same for lunch and dinner.
A cast member will take your information to add you to the waiting list and text you when your table is ready. Please remember, as with all soft openings, the restaurant may or may not be open. Stay tuned to Chip and Company for more information on the official opening date!
There are lots of new restaurants and experiences popping up all around Walt Disney World and scheduled to open in 2016. If you are interested in more information about planning at trip contact me at [email protected] for free vacation planning!
Special thank you to Rachel Carl for sharing her photos with us!
As part of the network’s reality expansion, ABC Family has greenlit “The Letter” to series. It was announced by Karey Burke, executive vice president, Programming & Development. The series begins production in 2016 and comes from Sirens Media.
“When your best friends tell you what you ‘really need to hear,’ it can be very emotional – whether hurtful, helpful, kind or hopeful,” said Burke. “All these emotions and transformations are explored in our explosive new reality series, ‘The Letter’.”
“The Letter” is a bold, new relationship show that asks the simple question: “If you could, without identifying yourself, what would you tell your best friend that he or she really needed to hear?” In each stand-alone episode, four people close to one another draw names and anonymously write to the selected person a thoughtful yet totally honest letter outlining what, in their opinion, needs to be changed in order to improve and transform for the better the life of the recipient. For one week, each “reader” must follow all the rules and instructions outlined in the letter – culminating in a dramatic and emotionally charged meeting where the authors of each letter reveal themselves to their best friends.
The show pickup comes on the heels of the network greenlighting season two of the docuseries “Monica the Medium,” following 22-year-old Monica Ten-Kate, a college student who speaks to the dead.
“The Letter” is produced by Sirens Media, part of Leftfield Entertainment, an ITV America company. Executive producers for Sirens Media are Rebecca Toth Diefenbach, Valerie Haselton and Lucilla D’Agostino.
ABC Family is becoming Freeform on January, 12, 2016.
Stay tuned for more!