Today my middle son, Brandon, turns 5. The moment he was born, I felt like I had known him forever. It’s like we were together in another life. He lives in a world of imagination and fantasy. He’s a pirate, a Jedi and Peter Pan all wrapped into one. To know Brandon is to love him.
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(Almost) Wordless Wednesday: Sword Fighting On Main Street
in All Posts, boys, main street, photography, pirates league
If you read my post or watched my slideshow on Disneyland’s Pirates League, then these pictures may be old news. Regardless, I just had to share them today for Wordless Wednesday because in the moment, we were experiencing that pure joy that a family can only experience at a Disney Park. My boys were swashbuckling pirates, fresh from their pirate transformations. As parents, are hearts were so full of happiness watching our boys live out their fantasy in a place where dreams really do come true. Thanks for indulging me.
Terrific Tip Tuesday: Making the most of Pirates League at Disneyland
September 4, 2012 in All Posts, boys, new orleans square, pirates league, Tips & Tricks for Families
In the wake of my article on Disneyland’s new Pirates League, I’ve received questions about this incredible experience Disneyland is now offering. Here are my tips for making the most Pirates League.What ages are best for Pirates League? Pirates League is great for kids ages 3 and up. I think instead of thinking in terms of a child’s age, one should consider the child’s interests and loves. Pirates League is great for children’s who love pirates (obviously) and do a lot of imaginative play. In the case of my children, my older two boys not only engage in a...
Thousands Participate in the Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend
in All Posts, Cars Land, disney california adventure, disneyland, runDisney
Runners wait at the starting line for the Cars Land 5K Rally. This Labor Day weekend, thousands of people flocked to the Disneyland Resort for the seventh annual Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend, and I was one of them! It was my first time participating in a runDisney event, and it was a fun-filled three days that my whole family was able to enjoy together. The Disneyland Health & Fitness Expo was the place to snagexclusive official merchandise and gear. Although the main event of the weekend was the half marathon (that’s 13.1 miles for those of us newer to...
Annual Passholder Preview: Fantasmic “Glow with the Show”
September 3, 2012 in All Posts, disneyland, fantasmic, legacy annual pass, vy
Based on the success of the Glow with the Show integration at Disney California Adventure’s World of Color show, Disneyland has added the technology to Fantasmic!, adding audience participation to the show that just celebrated its 20thanniversary. Anyone who already has Glow with the Show Mickey ears can now bring them to both parks! Disneyland offered Annual Passholders the opportunity to see the Glow with the Show activation on Tuesday, August 28th, prior to the August 31st premiere to the public – an opportunity that couldn’t be passed up! As I’ve mentioned before in my 20th Anniversary Fantasmic! post,...
Disney Store makes major school supply donation to Boys & Girls Clubs of America.
September 1, 2012 in All Posts, disney store
To celebrate back-to-school, Disney Store, in partnership with The Walt Disney Company, will donate 25,000 school supply kits to children at Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA). Full of classroom essentials , the Disney Princess and Cars themed supply kits include a folder, notebook, pencil case, pencils, ruler, eraser, sharpener, glue stick and a pair of scissors. Cast members from Disney Store locations across the country will deliver the supply kits to their local BGCA chapters. Through this donation, Disney hopes to add a little magic to the back-to-school experience as kids nationwide prepare to return to the classroom this fall....
Fun Fact Friday: Storybook Land Canal Boats
August 31, 2012 in All Posts, attraction tips, disneyland, disneyland resort, fun facts, Randy, Tips & Tricks for Families, walt disney
When Walt Disney first began planning for what became Disneyland, one of the early ideas was a set of miniature scenes that would be a traveling exhibit (traveling by train, of course). As often happened with Walt, the plans became grander and more elaborate, but the miniatures idea found its home soon after Disneyland opened as Storybook Land Canal Boats. Unless you visited the park within the first couple of months of opening, you may not know that the first incarnation of this attraction didn’t feature miniatures. In fact, it didn’t really feature anything. Storybook Land Canal Boats originally opened...
Ever since Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique opened, I have been dying for a similar experience for my boys. I have been a long-time proponent of children of both genders dressing in costumes at Disneyland and throughout the years, my boys have dressed at Buzz Lightyear, Jack Sparrow and Mickey Mouse on trips to the “Happiest Place on Earth.” When Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique opened, little girls had gained the opportunity to dress up and live out their ultimate Disney fantasy. And, yes, little boys can get the prince/knight makeover at the boutique, but it’s not what every little boy dreams of. When...
Chimpanzee is now out on DVD and Blu-ray. In the film, Disneynature takes moviegoers deep into the forests of Africa in the tradition of Walt Disney’s True Life Adventure films. The movie introduces an adorable young chimpanzee named Oscar and his entertaining approach to life. The film chronicles the remarkable story of family bonds and individual triumph. I know the question that is on every parent’s mind each time a Disneynature film comes out: Is Chimpanzee appropriate for young children? In my opinion, the answer is yes and no. I would say the movie is best for children age...
The mailbox mystery of Buena Vista Street has been solved!
August 29, 2012 in All Posts, buena vista street, disney california adventure, disneyland resort, fun facts
Shortly after Disney California Adventure Park opened, I posted about the mailboxes in my new favorite spot to sit and people watch. (Click here for the article.) Located on Buena Vista Street is an apartment building facade with a covered porch area and stairs perfect for watching guests as they enter the park. The building features mailboxes for the building’s residents. After researching the names, I was able to come up with the origins of three out of the four names on the boxes. (And we have gotten confirmation that these are correct.) Eddie Valiant, the private investigator and...