Category: Reviews

27
Jun
2014

My Zip-A-Dee-Do-Dah Day at the “On-The-Road” Disney Social Media Moms Celebration!

Today is the my one year anniversary of blogging!

It’s been a wonderfully fun year of creating Disney-Inspired treats, crafts, planning parties, sharing vacation tips and reviewing Disney products. I found out very early on that the best thing about blogging is getting to know fellow Disney fans and bloggers! Thank you to each and every one of you that have stopped by my blog and taken the time to read a post or two. It’s because of you that last week I was invited to a special event that many bloggers dream of attending. This pixie dust filled event was called the spectacular On The Road Disney Social Media Moms Celebration! OK, I added the spectacular, but it truly was over-the-top wonderful!

During one week in June, the On-The-Road Disney Social Media Moms Celebration had moms and a few dads showing their Disney Sides in three cities across the U.S.– Chicago IL, Philadelphia PA, and Phoenix AZ. I was lucky enough to attend the celebration in Philly. It was a day full of Disney details, Disney knowledge, outstanding blogging tips, inspirational stories and just as importantly, Disney Blogging Friends. Today I’m honored to share this day with you through photos and by passing along a bit of information that I took home with me that day.

It was Thursday, June 19th and my alarm went off at 3 am. I jumped into the shower, belly full of butterflies doing flips worthy of the US Olympic gymnastic team, and head repeating, “You will NOT be late. (If you know me, then you know that I’m habitually late. I really do try to be on-time, but it just never seems to happen.) Successfully, I made it on the road by 4:15 am ready to fight the rain and fog but couldn’t be more excited to travel to my destination! I carpooled with THE “Disney Pinterest Queen” Linda Stevens Jones. We had a lovely drive talking Disney and family. You really should check out Linda’s boards. She has 47 Disney themed boards with a total of over 9000 of the Greatest Disney pins. Don’t believe me? She has over 45,000 followers to back me up on that statement. Here’s a link that will take you straight to Linda’s pins.

http://www.pinterest.com/greatwdwtips/

Before we knew it, Linda and I had arrived! We eagerly entered the Crowne Plaza hotel and scouted out the registration table.

At registration we were given an official Disney Social Media Moms lanyard and a cool DisneySMMoms bag with all sorts of goodies inside!

The event room was decked out in true Disney fashion!

From the balloons…

To the presentation stage…

To the table settings… (How stinking cute was our table setting! Get it? Character Limit 140 🙂 )

Everything and EVERYONE was rockin’ their Disney Side!

Yep, my Disney Dork, I mean Disney Side, really came out at this event.

I think everyone was having so much fun getting to know each other that they had to resort to food to get all the moms back to their tables!

Doesn’t a Mickey Mouse Rice Crisp Treat make breakfast even better?

It was just too cute to eat. I had to take it home for the kids!

The core part of the event started and things got even better! I mean, take a look at the first speaker, Gary Buchanon. Would you expect anything short of entertaining? Gary’s the Social Media Managing Editor of the Disney Parks Blog and he knows how to show his Disney Side with the best Disney Bounding people. Not only did he get us up-to-date on the latest craze, Disney Bounding, (if you don’t know what Disney Bounding is then check this out: http://blogs.disney.com/disney-style/fashion/2014/04/09/leslie-kays-top-10-tips-for-disneybounding/ ) Gary and Jennifer Fickley-Baker, also a Social Media Manager for the Disney Parks Blog, shared the newest Disney Park happenings complete with their creative marketing campaigns. I have to say watching the videos made us all dream we’d walk outside and end up on Main Street USA.

One of my favorite marketing campaigns that they shared was for the new Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. It was great to watch their “Behind the Scenes” blog series about the making of the now open crowning jewel of Disney’s Fantasyland Expansion Project. The Seven Dwarf Mine Train is categorized as a Family Coaster and I can’t wait to ride it with my family! If you’re a Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs fan, get in on the personality fun at http://bethe8thminer.com/

After being doused with the perfect amount of pixie dust, Noah Lomax of Hewlett-Packard took the stage next to teach us about the company’s latest and greatest offerings for the crazy busy people in our lives. Stay tuned – I’ll be filling you in on these great products in the near future.

Victoria Lim, multimedia expert with the Disney Parks team, spoke next and I have to say, I learned SO much from her. I wish she could have spoken for hours. She shared all kinds of doo-dads (technical term) to get me moving towards an important goal I want to conquer in this second year of blogging – VIDEO tutorials! I never thought I could be capable of doing it, but with the knowledge I gained from Victoria I’m confident I can! Thank you Victoria!

Maria Bailey of BSM Media ~ Marketing With Moms! ( http://www.bsmmedia.com/ ) presented an amazing panel of Mom Entrepreneurs that shared their success stories. These women have guts to take chances. They all moved full steam ahead until they achieved their dreams. I think Walt would be proud to know Maria partnered with the Disney company to bring these women to speak with us. One of the entrepreneurs, Jen Grover, creator of the Butler Bag ( http://www.jengroover.com/ ) said something I won’t soon forget. It applies in all aspects of our lives and therefore, I’ll share it with you.

We should have more fear of regret than a fear of failure!

Last but not least Debi Silber, The Mojo Coach ( http://www.themojocoach.com/ ) took to the stage AND floor. That woman has energy! She motivated us all to take better care of ourselves and urged us to get rid of our limiting beliefs.

Do you have a limiting belief that is holding you back from fulfilling a dream? “Let It Go!” I glad that one year ago today I didn’t let my doubts stop me from starting this blog.

Thank you again for following me on my Disney-Inspired journey in life.

A big thank you to On-The-Road Disney Social Media Moms Celebration!

#DisneySMMoms

25
Jun
2014

Walt Disney World Spotlight ~ Can you believe she chose Belle over Elsa?

categories: Reviews, Walt Disney World Travel Tips

It’s shocking, I know. How could a three-year old little girl chose to celebrate her birthday with Princess Belle over Queen Elsa from Frozen?

If you read my blog posts over the past week, then you know my daughter had a Princess Belle themed party to celebrate her third birthday. She had a wonderful time and is still talking about it this week. Yesterday on the blog, I had a lovely guest comment on the birthday party simply stating that she wishes her nieces would choose a party theme like Beauty and the Beast. However, her nieces are obsessed with the film Frozen, so that’s going to win for the party theme this year.

I get it. My daughter is crazy over the Ice Queen and her sister too. She sleeps with both an Anna and an Elsa doll. She wears a different Frozen-themed t-shirt to match her Frozen-themed underwear just about every day. The Frozen soundtrack is on repeat in my SUV. So what’s up with the birthday party choice?

Magic!

Walt Disney World is an amazing place, filled with real-live Princesses, dancing mice and giggling bears. HOWEVER, by themselves, whether in a storybook, on a movie screen or even walking around in a park, they fall short of true MAGIC. True magic is the stuff you feel when your toes twinkle, your heart soars, and you know something special is happening. True magic happens with an experience. My daughter experienced a few precious moments with Princess Belle at Walt Disney World within the Magic Kingdom’s New Fantasyland. In those moments she fell in love with Belle’s dress, her gloves, her twirl and of course her kindness and beauty. This was all before she ever saw the film Beauty and the Beast. And to think, we almost “skipped” this moment.

Enchanted Tales with Belle

I should clarify. We almost “skipped” this attraction experience. My son, Gavin, is seven years old. For seven years, my husband and I have looked for Captain Hook, Peter Pan, Handy Manny, Mickey Mouse and the gang, and a few other classic characters. Not once did we give a thought to stop and visit a Princess. Then along came the Fantasyland Expansion project, complete with Enchanted Tales with Belle.

Enchanted Tales with Belle opened its doors to the public in December 2012 and I admit that during our first trip to the Enchanted Forest we skipped right over this attraction. Maybe it was out of excitement for the Voyage of The Little Mermaid attraction or eagerness to eat at the Be Our Guest Restaurant, or quite possibly the thought, “I’m not waiting in THAT line to see Belle “, regardless we walked right on by Maurice’s cute little home. Luckily my parents, whom had taken the time to experience the attraction, scolded us and ushered the entire family of 13 to visit Maurice’s cottage during our following trip in the fall of 2013 and then again in January 2014. Our first visit was spectacular and Belle became a quick favorite. However our last visit was unsurpassable. What an experience it was!

Today, I’d like to share with you a brief overview of this attraction in hopes that you take the time to plan into your vacation schedule this opportunity to create an amazing magical memory.

When entering the Magic Kingdom’s New Fantasyland, you’ll find nestled among welcoming trees and surrounded with creations by a true inventor, Maurice’s cottage. Take time as you walk along the path leading into the cottage to notice the many special touches that remind you that you’re heading to one unique man’s home.

When you enter the cottage, you’ll find yourself in the main room, which is a waiting area for the main event. Now’s the time you’ll want to check out Belle and Maurice’s home. My favorite find in the room is a portrait of Belle as a young child with her mother! Soon a cast member will usher you into Maurice’s workshop complete with gadgets and gizmos of plenty! (a nod to Ariel that I couldn’t resist) A few moments later you’ll be magically transported to Beast’s castle, where children and adults take part in performing a story for non other than Belle.

Madame Wardrobe will BLOW YOUR MIND! She’ll fool any adult into believing that she’s a living, breathing wardrobe. She interacts with the guests in the room and helps the new performers prepare for their big moment. Once the actors are spot on in their roles, all the guests walk into the Beast’s library to get in place for Belle’s big surprise. Now if you agree that Madame Wardrobe is pretty amazing, you’ll be in shock when Lumiere shows up. You have to meet him! You’ll spend a least a portion of your time trying to figure out how he works. For a few adults I have to say he stole the show!

However, for the children ready to strut their stuff when Belle enters the room, a bit of stage fright can occur in a mere second. Nonetheless, the lights turn on and it’s showtime! Here’s where magic is made.

A little Chip hops up to Belle…

That was it! That was the moment where magic happened and Belle defrosted the Ice Queen and took the throne in my daughter’s heart.

It happened in just a few seconds, but what a few seconds there were! Shortly after, Belle posed with each child for a photo and gave them a bookmark to remember their meeting.

Let me just say, she didn’t need a bookmark…

You never know where Magic will happen. It seems to be that these moments happen when you least expect it. If you’re planning a trip to Walt Disney World, live in the moment, slow down, take your eyes off your map and phone. Look around you. A moment of Magic can strike at any moment! I hope you make time on your Walt Disney World vacation to visit Maurice’s cottage. It’s an experienced you won’t forget!

31
May
2014

Mouse Ears Mom’s Review of “Maleficent”

categories: Reviews

Maleficent

On May 30th, the “Mistress of All Evil” graced movie screens across the nation in her film, Maleficent. Disney fanatics, “Sleeping Beauty” fans and Villain fans spent last evening submerging themselves in Maleficent’s world with this retelling of the Disney classic, “Sleeping Beauty”. Fitting into all three of those categories, you can probably guess correctly who was among this great group of people- ME! Today I’m excited to share with you my “spoiler-free” thoughts on “Maleficent”. Reviewing this film as a mom and Disney Enthusiast, I’m simply telling you my opinions of the movie. I am in no way affiliated with The Walt Disney Company.

My Thoughts as a Mom

I would not recommend taking small children to this film. Having a seven-year old boy and a three-year old girl, I can tell you that neither of my children would enjoy the movie. Maleficent’s world is home to some incredibly beautiful creatures, but it’s also filled with woodland inhabitants that can create a few nightmares for kids. In addition, the violence and fast-moving images can be intense for small minds. This is NOT a traditional Disney princess movie where Aurora sings with animals as she dances through the forest. Having said that, there isn’t any gore in the film and if your child enjoys live action movies, such as the Pirates of Caribbean films, I believe they can handle “Maleficent”. The story line can easily be followed and the lessons to be learned are those we should all teach our children.

My Thoughts as a Disney Enthusiast

As a Disney Enthusiast, this is a “MUST-SEE” film. “Maleficent” is pure enjoyment. Discovering the elements from Disney’s 1959 classic “Sleeping Beauty” brilliantly weaved into Disney’s 2014 film “Maleficent” is a gift from executive producer Don Hahn to “Sleeping Beauty” fans across the world.

Casting is spot on. Elle Fanning’s portrayal of Princess Aurora is angelic perfection. Sharlto Copley, with the looks of a perfect King Stefan, passionately plays a dad whom will save his daughter at all costs. As for Maleficent… Personally, I’m not Angelina Jolie’s biggest fan and prior to seeing the film, I wasn’t extremely excited to know that she would play the role of such an infamous Disney villain. However, her performance as Maleficent is truly fantastic. There are moments in the film that I had to hold back giggles of enjoyment when Sleeping Beauty‘s animated Maleficent seemed to descend upon Angelina and take over the screen. Again I emphasis that Ms. Jolie’s depth in portraying this character is nothing short of superb.

The film’s visual design and story development are simply magical. The set designs instantly transports you to Maleficent’s stunning world, and in turn it speaks volumes to the heart of the film without saying a word. The “Maleficent” story line keeps true to key components of Disney’s 1959 classic “Sleeping Beauty”, while additionally telling the back story of its main character, Maleficent.

I applaud first-time Director Robert Stromberg for giving us a new Disney classic, “Maleficent”. Once Upon a Dream may not always mean what it seems…

07
May
2014

“Delicious Disney Just for Kids” Cookbook Review and Giveaway

categories: Disney Shopping, Disney-Inspired Treats, Reviews

Macaroni & Cheese

Looks pretty good, doesn’t it?

This yummy looking dish was prepared by my seven-year old son, Gavin. Seriously, aside from me straining the water from the pasta, he did it all by himself and it was delicious! Gavin received the “Delicious Disney Just for Kids” cookbook from his grandmother a few weeks ago for his birthday. After watching Ratatouille this past Saturday night, he turned into my “Little Chef” and the two of us were inspired to crack the cookbook open to see what recipes we’d find.

The cookbook, written by The Disney Chefs and Pam Brandon, is made up of 20 recipes supplied by different chefs at Disney’s parks, resorts and even the Disney Cruise Line. The recipe Gavin followed for the Macaroni & Cheese came straight from the chef at Jiko- The Cooking Place restaurant, located within Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge at Walt Disney World.

The recipe was so simple and quick to make that immediately after making dinner he wanted to make dessert too! You can see in the background that our dinner was on the table cooling while he whipped up dessert.

Gavin chose to make “No-Bake Granola Treats” as our after-dinner treat. The recipe was courtesy of the Chef at Disney’s Contemporary Resort Bakery. Since this recipe came from the Disney resort that we call home, the treats were a bit extra special for the kids. We enjoyed talking about staying there as we made them and of course ate them. It added a nice sprinkle of pixie dust to our evening!

I have to tell you- the granola bars were the absolute best granola bars I have EVER tasted! They had just the right amount of peanut butter, chocolate and granola! YUM!

Gavin did such a great job and really enjoyed cooking. It was wonderful to see how impressed he was with himself. While devouring every single noodle, he proclaimed that his mac & cheese was delicious! The next morning, he proudly packed a granola bar for his snack at school and that evening he told me that he told his classmates about his night of cooking. Talk about a nice thing for me to hear!

Do you like to cook dinner with your kids?

Honestly, I often find that it seems to take double the amount of time than if I just did it myself and usually the kids end up frustrated or bored. This time was different. Both recipes moved along quickly and easily. We enjoyed our evening of cooking so much that I’d like to giveaway a copy of the cookbook to a Mouse Ears Mom fan. I’ll pick the winner on Mothers Day!

The opinions in this review and giveaway are purely those of Mouse Ears Mom. The giveaway is not sponsored by The Walt Disney Company. It’s simply my hope that you’ll enjoy the book, as my family has enjoyed our copy.

Giveaway Details:

The giveaway will run from Wednesday, May 7, 2014 until May 11, 2014 at 12:00 am EST.
The winner will be chosen by Rafflecopter after verification of entries and notified by email.
To officially accept the prize the winner must reply by email within 24 hours. Make sure that you provide an email address that you check regularly.
The giveaway is open to United States residents only, ages 18 yrs old and up.
The lucky winner will be announced on the Mouse Ears Mom blog and the Mouse Ears Mom Facebook page, after the winner has accepted their prize.

To Enter Click on the Rafflecopter Link Below. Good Luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

02
Apr
2014

Mouse Ears Mom’s Review of “The Pirate Fairy”

categories: Reviews

Do you love the movie Peter Pan?

On April 1st DisneyToon Studios released their fifth film in the Tinker Bell series titled “The Pirate Fairy”. When it arrived at our doorstep yesterday afternoon, the kids and I sat down for a special treat ~ Movie Night on a Tuesday night! Our movie night is usually on a Friday or Saturday evening, but the three of us were so excited to see this film that I made an exception this time. I have to say, it was a good decision on my part. We all loved it! Gavin and I have proclaimed it to be our favorite Tinker Bell movie to date.

Here’s a little glimpse into the movie. “The Pirate Fairy” tells the story of a curious and smart dust keeper fairy called Zarina. She’s a bit like our favorite fairy, Tinker Bell. Unfortunately, Zarina’s experiments get out of control and land her in trouble with the head of the Pixie Dust operations. Upset and frustrated, she choses to leave Pixie Hollow and “hooks” up with a few pirates at Skull Rock. Can you guess whom one of them might be? If you’ve guessed a certain Captain then you know Zarina is going to need some help from her friend Tinker Bell.

I truly enjoyed watching this movie with a Peter Pan magnifying glass, dissecting each scene to find a connection to the original Peter Pan film. There are so many connections that I believe it’s a MUST SEE for any Peter Pan fan. The film is a pure joy to watch. The storyline is sweet. The animation is fantastic for a direct to DVD release and the soundtrack was fun and cheerful. I simply love the song, “Who I am” by Natasha Bedinfield.

Gavin, my six-year-old, who said he was “too old to watch a Tinker Bell movie”, couldn’t help getting caught up in the storyline, laughing and telling me how he sees it all connecting to the Peter Pan movie. Victoria, being two, made it half way through the film before becoming distracted, returning later when the music grabbed her attention. She loves “Jake and the Neverland Pirates” Disney Junior show, so she’s familiar with the most famous pirate. However, I was really surprised when watching “The Pirate Fairy” she announced, “Hook Mommy, Hook!”

So in case you have any doubt, my Mouse Ears Mom’s opinion of “The Fairy Pirate” is Fantastic!

If you have a swashbuckling crew that you plan to view the movie with, you may want to make them a few Pirate themed treats to enjoy during your family’s movie night. Here is a photo my Captain Hook cupcakes. The link below will take you to the simple tutorial of how I made them.

http://www.mouseearsmom.com/2013/07/22/a-pirate-picnic/

If you’re a fan of Peter Pan, I hope you have the opportunity to view “The Pirate Fairy.” I’m sure you’ll enjoy it! If you haven’t purchased this film yet, stop by the Disney Store online, where you can purchase the movie along with more than a dozen Pirate Fairy items! Below is the Disney link to take you there!

Category: Reviews

Today is the my one year anniversary of blogging!

http://www.pinterest.com/greatwdwtips/

Before we knew it, Linda and I had arrived! We eagerly entered the Crowne Plaza hotel and scouted out the registration table.

At registration we were given an official Disney Social Media Moms lanyard and a cool DisneySMMoms bag with all sorts of goodies inside!

The event room was decked out in true Disney fashion!

From the balloons…

To the presentation stage…

To the table settings… (How stinking cute was our table setting! Get it? Character Limit 140 🙂 )

Everything and EVERYONE was rockin’ their Disney Side!

Yep, my Disney Dork, I mean Disney Side, really came out at this event.

Doesn’t a Mickey Mouse Rice Crisp Treat make breakfast even better?

We should have more fear of regret than a fear of failure!

Do you have a limiting belief that is holding you back from fulfilling a dream? “Let It Go!” I glad that one year ago today I didn’t let my doubts stop me from starting this blog.

Thank you again for following me on my Disney-Inspired journey in life.

A big thank you to On-The-Road Disney Social Media Moms Celebration!

#DisneySMMoms

Share this:

It’s shocking, I know. How could a three-year old little girl chose to celebrate her birthday with Princess Belle over Queen Elsa from Frozen?

Magic!

Enchanted Tales with Belle

Today, I’d like to share with you a brief overview of this attraction in hopes that you take the time to plan into your vacation schedule this opportunity to create an amazing magical memory.

A little Chip hops up to Belle…

That was it! That was the moment where magic happened and Belle defrosted the Ice Queen and took the throne in my daughter’s heart.

Share this:

Maleficent

My Thoughts as a Mom

My Thoughts as a Disney Enthusiast

I applaud first-time Director Robert Stromberg for giving us a new Disney classic, “Maleficent”. Once Upon a Dream may not always mean what it seems…

Share this:

Macaroni & Cheese

Looks pretty good, doesn’t it?

I have to tell you- the granola bars were the absolute best granola bars I have EVER tasted! They had just the right amount of peanut butter, chocolate and granola! YUM!

Do you like to cook dinner with your kids?

Giveaway Details:

To Enter Click on the Rafflecopter Link Below. Good Luck!

Share this:

Do you love the movie Peter Pan?

So in case you have any doubt, my Mouse Ears Mom’s opinion of “The Fairy Pirate” is Fantastic!

Share this: