Yesterday morning was cold and rainy in Pennsylvania.  We were only three hours into our day when my seven-year-old son, Gavin announced he was already bored.  Luckily I remembered that Disney Interactive just launched a new Disney Halloween themed portal.

Wondering what the portal is all about?

Disney invites fans to roam the halls of Disney.com’s Haunted House at Disney.com/Halloween to discover spook-tacular games, videos, crafts, and galleries of the most dastardly villains. Every dark corner and hauntingly sweet floor of the page offers online and offline fun for the whole family, including:

• Disney themed not-so-scary stories told by Disney Blogs
• Trick and treat ideas inspired by Disney Family
• A costume destination brought to you by Disney Store

 Bring your family’s Halloween to life by visiting Disney.com’s terror-ific haunted house at Disney.com/Halloween this October. Creepy new content will be added throughout the month, so check back regularly for new fun and frights!

Gavin had fun playing in the “Gostly, Ghastly Gaming” section and I enjoyed checking out the “Spooktacular Halloween Tricks & Treats” ideas!  When you’re looking around the portal, make sure you watch Nick Pitera’s rendition of “This Is Halloween.”  It’s awesome!  You’ll find that at the very top of the page under “Creepy Clips from the Crypt.”

Have a great Fall weekend everyone!

Disney Channel has kicked off a month-long Halloween celebration called “Monstober!”

My family life has been very chaotic over the past month, including quite an adventure to The Disneyland Resort.  I apologize that I have not posted on the blog in such a long time! I promise to fill you in on all of the magic of Disneyland over the next month, but FIRST I have to share this Disney News so you don’t miss a show!  Packed with new Halloween-themed episodes of our preschoolers’ favorite Disney Junior shows and school-age kids’ favorite Disney Channel and Disney XD shows, Disney’s “Monstober” will have your television recording devices earning their keep in October!

Here’s the line up for Disney Junior!

Friday, October 3rd: 

• 8:30 a.m. “Jake and the Never Land Pirates” features the stories “Pirate Ghost Story” (Jake and his Never Land Pirate crew help ghost pirate, Treasure Tooth reunite with his ghost gal, Peg-Leg Peg) and “Queen Izzy Bella” (Izzy transforms into pirate adventurer Queen Isabella and sets out on a quest to find treasure in Never Land’s Valley of Ice.)
•  9:00 a.m. “Sofia the First” features “Ghostly Gala”– Sofia tries to keep a ghost from ruining her Halloween Party.
• 9:30 a.m. “Doc McStuffins” features “Hide and Eek”– Doc’s brother, Donny and friend, Alma create a toy monster.  All of the other toys are afraid of the toy monster until they get to know him.

Friday, October 10th: 

• 8:30 a.m. “Jake and the Never Land Pirates” features the stories “Jake the Wolf” (Jake turns into a wolf and his Never Land pirate pals must find a cure) and “Witch Hook” (Captain Hook is turned a witch.)

 Saturday, October 4th and Sunday, October 5th Disney Channel has a line-up packed with new Halloween-themed episodes from “Gravity Falls,” “Wander of Yonder”, “Austin & Ally”, “Liv and Maddie” and “I Didn’t Do It.”

To kick off this “Monstober” two-day weekend, Saturday, October 4th at 8:00 p.m. “Phineas and Ferb” will have a one-hour episode!

“Night of the Living Pharmacists”

REMINDER: Saturday, October 4th at 8:00 p.m.

Can you imagine that this is just the beginning of Disney Channel’s “Monstober” event?

Disney XD will also host all-new Halloween-themed episodes of its popular shows, including “Lab Rats,” “Mighty Med,” “The 7D,” “Marvel’s Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H,” “Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja” and the new series “Kirby Buckets,” beginning FRIDAY, OCTOBER 17.

I have to ask!  Aren’t they just the cutest little dwarfs ever?  We love “The 7D!”

I could go on and on, but instead I’ll invite you to check out the full “Monstober” schedule at http://disneychannel.disney.com/monstober

I don’t know about you, but I suddenly feel a huge push to get the Halloween decorations out!  Have a great weekend everyone and don’t forget to tune in Disney Junior Friday morning!

On the morning of September 11th, 2001 I was just like most Americans, both eyes focused on the television in disbelief and in terror.  At the time, I was employed at Walt Disney World, however I wasn’t scheduled to work that day. I remember finding out that all park guests were vacated from Disney’s four theme parks and my fellow cast member friends were sent home from work early.  I recall spending that emotional day huddled with friends around the television and talking to my family back in Pennsylvania, that is, once I was able to get my cell phone to work.  I’m fairly certain that most Americans remember a similar version of that horrible day. Regardless of where you were on September 11th, 2001, the events of that day we never forget.

I will also never forget the day AFTER 9/11.  On September 12, 2001, I worked at the Disney Vacation Club booth located in front of The American Adventure attraction in Epcot’s World Showcase.  I had worked at this location dozens of times before but only recall with clear vision that specific day.  It was quiet, really quiet.  I had never seen the park so empty.  There was no laughter or the typical over-tired families fighting.  Guests were quiet.  They all walked slowly and didn’t make eye contact.  It was awful.  It was somber.  It was raw emotions masked by the idea of a vacation.

But then the drums tapped…and the beautiful woodwind sounds of the fifes erased the silence.

September 12th wasn’t a day full of pixie dust and magic but it was a day full of strength and American pride.  For something that typically was dismissed by almost every guest became an attraction that unified strangers with their belief that as American citizens we are stronger than the terror that took the pixie dust away just the day before.

During each hour it would begin with a few taps of the drums…guests seemed to follow the sound and then gathered around the Spirit of America Fife & Drum Corps.  The guests didn’t rush by, instead on that day Americans circled around the performers.  They sang patriotic songs.  Some guests shed tears.  But most significantly the pride that I saw in guests’ faces, and the strength I heard in their voices was something that I never saw matched in the years I worked at Walt Disney World.

I hope today as we continue on with our overly busy lives, we take a moment to think of how truly blessed we are to live in America and to give thanks to all that serve our country.  May God bless them.

I’m deeply sadden to say that September 25, 2014 will be the final day to see the Spirit of America Fife & Drum Corps perform at Epcot.  If you plan on visiting Epcot within the next two weeks, make sure to see one of their performances.  I promise you, seeing the Spirit of America Fife & Drum Corps in person will give you goose bumps!  If you can’t make it to Epcot by September 25th, you can watch their performance below!

I linked this post to the Fastpass to History blog hop.  If you love reading about Disney history, check out these other links!

Monday September 8th on Disney Channel, Minnie Mouse and her friends begin globe-trotting adventures in new episodes of “Minnie’s Bow-Toons”!  

I’m so excited to be able to show you two sneak-peeks of these special cartoon shorts. The first sneak-peek is from the “Minnie’s Bow-Toons” episode, “Gondola with the Wind.”  This adorable cartoon short kicks off the special week on Monday September 8 at 11:55 a.m. ET/PT.  

Watch as Minnie and Daisy set off on a gondola cruise through Venice Canals!  

 Here is the “Minnie’s Bow-Toons” schedule for next week!

 In this second sneak-peek, Minnie and Daisy have created a special Bow hat for the Queen and must find a way to get the bow to her.

I hope you’ve enjoyed the special sneak-peeks of “Minnie’s Bow-Toons” as much as I have.  Have a great weekend everyone and get ready for some world travelling with Minnie Mouse next week!