Sep
2013

Planning a Walt Disney World Vacation for Families with Preschoolers or Infants

categories: Walt Disney World Travel Tips

mickey earsPlanes, Trains, and Automobiles to Monorails, Buses and Boats

Whether you plan on traveling by plane, train or automobile, the thought of traveling with small children for a long period of time can be a bit overwhelming. Then you throw in the fact that Walt Disney World consists of 42 square miles of fun and I’m certain most heads start to spin. Thoughts flood your mind. What should I pack? How can I prepare for all the potential issues that could arise? How will I meet all of my children’s needs and have an enjoyable vacation for the whole family?

As a mom of two young children (2 years old and 6 years old), as well as a Disney File, I find myself running the same thoughts through my mind each year. My husband and I met while we worked at Walt Disney World about 10 years ago. Since moving back to Pennsylvania in 2002, we have visited our old boss at least once every year and our son, Gavin, has been to WDW 8 times in his six big years. We’ve traveled by automobile and plane, both have had their perks. Today, I’d like to help you prepare with packing lists and tips for travel to and from WDW, as well as tips for being prepared to have FUN with your little ones in the parks. Most importantly, I promise that after all your preparations, no matter what happens along the way to Disney, once you arrive Tink’s Pixie Dust will make many moment magical and your memories will truly last a lifetime.

Below is a link that will take you directly to a page that I wrote a year and a half ago, yet it is still relevant today.  On this page you’ll find my Plane Flight Packing List for Traveling with an Infant and a separate list for Traveling with a Preschooler.  In addition the page includes a Children’s Packing List for Automobile Travel  and a Packing List for your Daily Disney Excursions while on vacation.  It’s nine pages packed with valuable packing lists and advice for travelling to Disney with small children.

http://a2zdizney.hubpages.com/hub/Planning-a-Pixie-Dust-Filled-Walt-Disney-World-Vacation-for-Families-with-Preschoolers-and-Infants

If you’re not currently planning a trip to Walt Disney World, Pin It for later.


Sep
2013

Mickey Mouse Pumpkin Shaped Cookies

categories: Disney-Inspired Party Planning, Disney-Inspired Treats

Mickey mouse pumpkin cookiesWhen I think of Fall, I think of Mickey Mouse Pumpkins.

Mickey Pumpkins

Where I live, once summer has ended and fall has arrived, the evenings welcome a nice warm stove baking cookies.  At The Walt Disney World Resort in Florida, the fall brings pumpkins in the shape of Mickey Mouse.  In preparation for our upcoming fall vacation to Walt Disney World, I thought I’d combine the two and make these Mickey Mouse pumpkin shaped cookies.  I think they’d be a great addition to any upcoming Halloween parties too!  Since a Mickey Mouse pumpkin cookie cutter doesn’t exist, here are two tutorials on how to make them.

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The first way to make to Mickey Mouse pumpkin shaped cookie is to use a pumpkin shaped cookie cutter with a small circle cookie cutter.

IMG_2146Cut off the bottom of the circles before attaching them to the pumpkin

IMG_2143Shape the circles to fit the shape of the pumpkin and gently press them together.  Secure the ear by applying a tiny bit of water.  Then into the oven they go.

 

IMG_2150The second way to make a Mickey Mouse pumpkin shaped cookie is to use a Mickey Mouse shaped cookie cutter, flatten the bottom and add a stem.

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 Into the oven they go.

IMG_2162Then comes the fun part, ICING!

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Regardless of which way I made these cookies, the kids in the neighborhood referred to the cookies as the Mickey Mouse pumpkin cookies…Success!


Sep
2013

A Fall Minnie Mouse Mini Wreath

categories: Disney-Inspired Crafts

Minnie Mouse WreathA Minnie Touch of Fall for a Mini Book Corner

September is here!  It’s time to decorate for Fall!   My son, Gavin, inherited my love of decorating and enjoys decorating his room for the different seasons.  He’s collected quite a variety of seasonal decorations over his six big years!  This year my daughter, Victoria, is two and just like her brother, she’s discovered how exciting it is to place fun things around her room.  Looking through our fall storage bins, we soon realized that her only Fall decoration is a little Minnie Mouse Halloween Bean Bag Plush that her grandparents purchased for her last year at Walt Disney World.  This simply would not do!  Time to get crafty!

Victoria’s room has an adorable, yet décor challenging, little reading nook that was created by the slanted walls of our Cap Cod style home.  Using her Minnie Mouse plush as inspiration, I created a mini wreath to give her room a dainty touch of fall.  It was simple to make and a cute addition to her little reading nook.

Do you have a little girl’s room or a special little corner that you’d like to decorate with a pinch of fall, Disney Inspired?

 Here are the directions on how to make this Fall Minnie Mouse Mini Wreath:

  1.  Gather all your supplies: One (1)  6 inch Grapevine Wreath, Two (2) Mini Grapevine Wreaths, Floral Stem Wire, Eight (8) Fall Mini Flowers, Glue Gun w/ glue sticks, 3/8 inch ribbon, 1 inch ribbon.

  2. Using the floral stem wire, connect the two mini wreaths to the 6 inch wreath.Wreath Supplies

  3. Separate the flowers from their stems and using a glue gun, attach the flowers to the 6 inch wreath.

  4. Using the one inch ribbon and 3/8 inch ribbon, make a bow and super glue it onto Minnie’s ear.
  5. Last, cut about 12 inches of  3/8 inch ribbon and loop the ribbon around the 6 inch wreath and tie in a knot.  Using the ends of the ribbon, knot it again to create your loop to hang the finished wreath.

Mini Minnie WreathThe Fall season is one of my favorite seasons to decorate.  The deep rich hues of purple, gold, and amber bring such warmth into a home.  Have you started to decorate for Fall in your home yet?  If so, is it Disney Inspired?

I’d love for you to share your Disney Inspired Fall Décor ideas!

 


Aug
2013

A Nutritiously Sweet Mickey Mouse Apple

categories: Disney-Inspired Crafts, Disney-Inspired Party Planning, Disney-Inspired Treats

DSC_2177What could make this classic apple a bit more attractive to your Preschooler?

Try turning his snack into a Mickey Mouse Apple.  With the use of two small black cardstock circles and two small pieces of tape, you’ve got a Mickey Apple!

First wash your apple and dry it really well so the tape will stick.  Make two circles on black cardstock.  I traced a lid to a container that is the size of a typical spice container.  Then cut them out and tape them face down.  Bend back the “ears” so that they fit the apple.  That’s it- you’re done!

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It’s the simplest thing to do, but effective.  As soon as my six-year-old and two-year-old saw the apples, they both wanted the Mickey one!  Just make sure that your little Mouseketeer takes the ears and pieces of tape off the apple before they bite into it.

DSC_2216Which one do you think your Mouseketeer will pick?


Aug
2013

The Evil Queen’s Red Apple Cupcake

categories: Disney-Inspired Party Planning, Disney-Inspired Treats

wickedly good“Go On.  Go On.  Have a Bite.”

National Apple Month begins on September 1st and goes all the way through the month of November.  I’m not quite sure how this came to be, since it’s actually THREE months long!  Regardless, this week I thought I’d share a few “Disney” apple treat ideas that you can make with your children during this three-month long celebration. The ideas will be super easy to make and the kids will love to “help”.

To start the week, of course I had to recreate the most famous Disney Apple!  The Evil Queen from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs said it best when she said, “This is no ordinary apple, it’s a magic *wishing* apple.”

I suggest that we “wish” that they’d be calorie free , but alas it’s a cupcake apple, so our wish would not come true.  I promise you that if you wished for them to be easy to make, then your wish is granted.

Decorating Items Needed:

  • cupcakes
  • red icing
  • red sprinkles
  • pretzel sticks
  • green taffy

To Decorate the Cupcakes:

  1. Ice your cupcake with red icing.
  2. Cover the cupcake icing with red sprinkles.
  3. Break a pretzel stick in half.  Insert one half of the stick, broken side down, into the center of the cupcake.  Make sure it’s partly sticking out.
  4. Cut a triangle shape out of a piece of green Taffy.  Attach the triangle shape Taffy to the bottom of the pretzel stem.
  5. Repeat the above steps for the rest of your cupcake bushel.

Mouse Ears Mom 004

If you like to limit your child’s intake on sweets, pin this idea for a later date.  The Evil Queen’s Apple could easily be used as a special treat during a Princess themed birthday party or a Disney Villain Halloween party.

 

The apples in our yard still have a long way to go before picking!

Maybe I should listen to Snow White instead of the Queen and just make a Gooseberry Pie!