Conference
« Previous EntriesDisney Cast Member Magic
Monday, May 21st, 2012When you immerse yourself into the world of Walt Disney World, you quickly realize that part of the magic is thanks to the amazing Cast Members. Yes, I said Cast Members, not employees. As a member of the Disney production team, all individuals that work within the Disney umbrella are referred to as Cast Members (CMs in Disney lingo).
On our last visit to Walt Disney World, I wish I had gotten the name of several of the CMs that went far above and beyond what they needed to do. There was the CM in Mouse Keeping that arranged special friends and left us nightly surprises in our room. 
Luckily, we did keep track of a few names to make sure to recognize them.
Kimmy from Garden Grove, CA was the CM at Beaches and Cream that had the entire place sing Happy Birthday to JSL. He was so surprised since he thought the flashing lights were to present another Kitchen Sink at a table.
Countless CMs were involved in helping us through an emergency and then they left some Pixie Dust one evening. It was completely uncalled for, but very much appreciated. After taking the photo below, Papa and I walked down to the front desk to thank them and get names of the CMs responsible for this sweet gesture.
What I wish is that I had taken more photos of these amazing individuals that as a team made our trip even better. I have many names and will be writing to Disney to praise these individuals. Still, photos would have been nice – a face to personally thank them here on my blog.
There were also CMs that made us laugh like Steve from Wallingford, CT. Steve was our fearless Captain on The Jungle Cruise. He was absolutely amazing, keeping the kids happy and tossing in some much needed adult humor.
Another person that made me smile while I was having a rough last night was Stephani from Centerpoint, AL. While I was stressing over last minute purchases and packing at the Yacht Club Resort store, she made me laugh and smile. Suddenly, the idea for this post came into my head. I knew that I had to get a photo of this woman who had made me forget about the stresses of packing my family up to leave Walt Disney World. She laughed, but I explained that I was a blogger and there was a reason for this. She recalled the conference earlier, posed, and told me to make sure to spell her name properly.
It is because of these CMs and countless others that my family will always remember this magical trip that we had together. I will never be able to thank them enough, but hopefully by writing this and letting others share in the wonder – it will be at least something.
Do you have a magical CM tale to share? I would love to know how someone at Disney helped to make your trip even more special or went above and beyond. Let me know what this person or people did and how you thanked them.
Disclosure: Although we paid for our own trip to Disney World to attend the Disney Social Media Moms Celebration, we were given an incredible deal from Disney. Also note that Disney never asked us to blog about this event. As a long time Disney fan, it is my pleasure to share my experiences from the event and our extended stay.
Cocktail Reception – Passport to the World
Thursday, May 10th, 2012After arriving in Orlando for Disney Social Media Moms Celebration, we checked into the Yacht Club, registered, and immediately took advantage to the close proximity of Epcot. NHL and I stayed at Epcot a little while longer to have some special time together. In just a few short hours, I noted over 8,000 new steps on my pedometer. Yes, there is a lot of walking all over Walt Disney World.
As NHL and I walked and then hitched a ride on a boat back to the Yacht Club, we chatted about the resorts and places we were passing by. I pointed out where TechyDad and I stayed for our honeymoon. NHL was fascinated with the Boardwalk. We also noticed more things unfolding on the beach where we would be gathering in a little while.
When we got back to the room, TechyDad and I quickly got ready to head out to the welcome reception in the convention center. Nana and Papa were in charge of getting the boys into their pirate party best and meeting us there later on.
TechyDad and I walked over with Shannan and a few other people. We were among the first to arrive as they opened the doors. We were immediately greeted by a ukulele player and room that transported us to Hawaii. It was like we were at Aulani – a Disney Resort and Spa in Hawaii. As people arrived we walked around and saw many old friends and finally got to meet some new ones. There are too many people to name. My one regret – I hardly took photos of any people. 
During this time another special event took place. Ellen presented Kelby with her new book – Pinterest For Dummies
Soon after this, Leanne took the stage to officially welcome everyone to the 2012 Disney Social Media Moms Celebration. From here, we learned more about the Aulani Resort and Spa in Hawaii. In addition to this, they shared that with Disney you may need a passport for other reasons than going to their resort in Paris, cruising, and beyond. Thanks to Adventures by Disney, you can experience locations throughout the world with a special Disney touch.
Adventures by Disney Brings History to Life with New Privately Guided Itineraries in 2012 — Launched in 2005, Adventures by Disney provides immersive, hassle-free and exhilarating guided family vacation experiences in Europe, the Americas, Africa, Asia and Australia. In 2012 guests will journey through Greece, Egypt and Northern France in an award-winning lineup of family-friendly group adventures.
Yes, one day I would love to go on an adventure with Disney that would require a passport and take me beyond World Showcase in Epcot. It would also be nice to head back to Hawaii again, to go on the Menehune Adventure Trail.
Before we knew it , it was time to head out to the beach and meet our families for a night on the sand and under the stars with our pirate pals.
Disclosure: Although we paid for our own trip to Disney World to attend the Disney Social Media Moms Celebration, we were given an incredible deal from Disney. Also note that Disney never asked us to blog about this event. As a long time Disney fan, it is my pleasure to share my experiences from the event. One Amazon Affiliate link is included in this post for Pinterest for Dummies by Kelby Carr. I will receive a percentage of money for the sale should you opt to buy any of the books through my links.
Views from Disney’s Art of Animation Resort
Wednesday, May 9th, 2012
Preview photos of Disney’s Art of Animation Resort scheduled to open in the first phase on May 31, 2012. We had a dinner there on our last evening of the Disney Social Media Moms Celebration. More coming about this beautiful and magical resort soon!
Disclosure: Although we paid for our own trip to Disney World to attend the Disney Social Media Moms Celebration, we were given an incredible deal from Disney. Also note that Disney never asked us to blog about this event. As a long time Disney fan, it is my pleasure to share my experiences from the event.
Destination Disney Social Media Moms Celebration 2012
Monday, May 7th, 2012Thursday, April 26th was a busy day in our house. We woke up before the sun was shining and packed the boys and suitcases into the car. By 7:30, this was the view from our Southwest Airline plane taking us away to Orlando, Florida for the 2012 Disney Social Media Moms Celebration.
At noon, the Magical Express taking us from the airport pulled up at Disney’s Yacht Club Resort. The excitement was in the air as we were Tweeting with a few other bloggers while on the bus. After we checked into our rooms and dropped things off, it was time to head down to find the Disney Social Media Moms check in for our park tickets and schedules. On the way down, I noticed some familiar faces. I saw Suzannah, Amanda, Jackie, and Leigh. I ran down to say hello, give hugs, and then went with TechyDad, the boys, and my parents to the convention center area.
NHL was so excited to see the sign and ran ahead to show us the way to get our items. We bumped into Mary and Amy from BSM Media and Maura from Disney. Then it was time to toss things back into our room, get park tickets, and head over to Epcot for lunch. Since you can walk to Epcot via the International Gateway, TechyDad and I suggested going to France for a quick lunch. On the walk over, we saw the beach getting set up for our Pirate Soiree that evening, watched the palm trees blowing in the breeze, and saw beautiful topiaries set up for the Epcot Flower and Garden Show.
Lunch was perfect to hold us over until later on and gave us some energy to tackle some more of Epcot. The boys asked to stop in Great Britain to play in the maze there after checking out the Winnie the Pooh topiary. Then we continued to walk around World Showcase and noticed that Duffy was outside for photos. We missed him on our last trip, so it was perfect timing with a short line.
Next, we decided to go to Mexico to do one ride before heading back to the Yacht Club. It was time to sing and ride in the boat while chasing Donald Duck around.
By this time JSL was really tired and we hoped to get him to rest before the party on the beach. NHL wanted to roam more of Epcot. I said that I would walk around with him to see Figment. We wandered to Journey into Imagination.
Since we still had more time, we walked by The Land and over to The Seas with Nemo & Friends.
We walked a lot in a short amount of time and decided to take the boat back to the Yacht Club. When I got back, TechyDad and I had about an hour to get ready to make it to the Cocktail Welcome.
So much more to share coming soon. Next up, the Welcome Cocktail party and Swashbucklers Soiree.
Disclosure: Although we paid for our own trip to Disney World to attend the Disney Social Media Moms Celebration, we were given an incredible deal from Disney. Also note that Disney never asked us to blog about this event. As a long time Disney fan, it is my pleasure to share my experiences from the event.
Smartphone Charging Solution
Sunday, May 6th, 2012As a blogger who just finally entered the world of Smartphone ownership, I knew that keeping my phone charged when out and about would be critical. I have often seen other bloggers at events running around to find an outlet to plug in their phone. With Disney Social Media Moms Celebrations, TechyDad and I knew that we would challenge our phones. The reality is that Violet, my Droid Bionic, does not keep her battery charged for a full day at home. I knew that I would be doomed at Walt Disney World.
Thanks to TechyDad doing a lot of research we finally ordered two Anker Astro 5600mAh Backup External Battery Packs and Chargers
We quickly found out that we could get two recharges from about 15% to fully charged. What I liked was I could use the phone during the conference as it was gaining strength, it could go into my purse and gain power while waiting on lines. This is Violet on the table while waiting to hear author Ridley Pearson speak.
In a typical day, I do not have the photo opportunities that we saw in Disney World. While TechyDad had his regular camera with us, I was often busy snapping shots with my phone to send to Twitter and Facebook via Instagram. If my phone was not charged, I never would have captured these amazing memories and others.
The things we will do for our Techy Toys! All I can say is thank you, TechyDad, for finding this must have to keep my phone alive.
Disclosure: Although we paid for our own trip to Disney World to attend the Disney Social Media Moms Celebration, we were given an incredible deal from Disney. Also note that Disney never asked us to blog about this event. As a long time Disney fan, it is my pleasure to share my experiences from the event. We purchased the Anker Astro with our own money and wanted to share how it helped us while traveling.One Amazon affiliate link for the Anker Charger is included in this post. I will receive a percentage of money for the sale should you opt to buy this item.
The Year that was 2011
Monday, January 2nd, 2012It is hard to believe that 2012 is here. Once again, the year went by with a lot of fun, photos, and memories. Here are just some of the highlights from the year that was 2011.
January:
- Mother Nature started her tricks with a lot of snow that came our way. We had fun making memories with the sled in our own yard.
- I started writing Education posts at The Disney Driven Life and introduced it to everyone. Thank you to J.L. for the amazing opportunity. I look forward to getting back on track in 2012.
- NHL lost three more teeth during the first three months of the year. Much relief as they came out without dental assistance.
February 2011:
- The Snowpacalypse welcomed the month of February threatening 18-30 inches of snow. It left lots of the white stuff and tons of ice damage. Our neighbors probably had a laugh with knee-highs on our roof.
- With all of the freezing cold, even the little guy was trying to ride Tony Pony to Disney World to escape. Of course, we were gearing up for Disney Social Media Moms Celebration 2011 in March.
- We continued to take the boys to introduce them to hockey. They had a blast checking out all of the extras between the on ice action.
March 2011:
- Mother Nature teased us with warmth to melt snow mountains early in the month, only to knock us down with an ice storm to remember. Crackling trees and ice pelting the house is hard to listen to in the dark.
- A magical trip to Walt Disney World for the Disney Social Media Moms Celebration allowed me to see amazing friends, learn, and have fun with my family. Lots of items from that trip were shared throughout the months ahead.
- Of course, the reality world hit hard once we got back from our magical adventure. Tough decisions were ahead and left my head spinning. All of this made me remember the wise words of Rene Syler – The Good Enough Mother.
April 2011:
- Passover preparations were dominant this month. Making lists, shopping, and getting the house ready. Of course, we also captured memories of the holiday itself.
- Lots of moments where I wished I was not the adult who had to make decision. Thank goodness, JSL helped to keep me smiling along the way.
- A routine visit to the dentist for NHL revealed the need to see an orthodontist. We made the appointment for several months later in June, but knew the missing adult tooth was going to be something to contend with.
May 2011:
- Even moms need field trips. Yes, the weekend before Mother’s Day, Cutestkidever and I jumped into the car for a lunch date with Rene Syler.
- JSL’s 4th birthday and new love for Jake and the Never Land Pirates required working on a theme for his party. Supplies were bought and cupcakes were made.
- The sun coming back also provided an opportunity to test out our new grill, plant some veggies, and attempt to regrow our front lawn.
June 2011:
- After taking NHL out of a school he had been in since kindergarten, TechyDad and I watched as our second grader started to flourish in a new school. Once again, we started to believe in the education system. This entire drama made it SO hard to bite my tongue and keep a lot of things to myself.
- Father’s Day we spent a fun day together. We had lunch out, went mini-golfing, and had dinner with Nana and Papa. It reminded me of how special these moments together are.
- The end of June marked a major milestone for TechyDad and me. We celebrated out 10th wedding anniversary. Memories of our special day, honeymoon at Walt Disney World, and everything over the ten years together came flooding back. Of course, the day of our actual anniversary was a house nightmare. A plumbing fix resulted in us moving out for several days.
July 2011:
- The month started with a visit out to see my brother and his family for 4th of July. While there, we went cherry picking and beat our previous record. A day at Niagara Falls was also included in the fun adventures.
- Both of the boys were home with me for the entire summer. We looked for fun activities to do. We often ended up at the library for learning and crafting.
- We also spent a lot of time at Michaels crafting our way around the world. Yes, Michaels and Crayola teamed up to make a great passport of crafts for kids to do that were mostly free. The kids learned so much and we found some great new crafts to try later on.
August 2011:
- At the end of July, we started to think about a magical getaway to celebrate our 10th anniversary. Shortly after this, we booked a fantastic trip to relive our honeymoon at Walt Disney World. Everything was planned from the hotel, dining, and place for the kids to stay over Labor Day.
- NHL turned 8 in August and requested lion cupcakes. We documented the construction process and birthday celebration.
- The end of the month was heart breaking. We watched as Hurricane Irene wrecked havoc up and down the east coast. Thanks to the fear of the kids being stuck with no power and our flight getting canceled, we postponed our big trip to Disney. Being responsible adults was tough.
September 2011:
- The boys started back to school after Labor Day. NHL loved his new school and was settling into third grade. JSL thrived at his familiar nursery school and we had lots of fun going apple picking with his class.
- As a Type-A personality, I am a planner. So it was very rare for me to pack up in just a few days notice to head to New York City for the first ever SheStreams Conference. It was an amazing time seeing friends, learning, and getting away for a weekend. A huge thank you to all of those that made it a magical and empowering weekend.
October 2011:
- As a third grader, NHL started to take band in school. He picked percussion instruments and drum practice even got a Disney touch thanks to Nana and Papa.
- During the month of October, two large packages arrived to host parties. The boys loved learning and playing with LeapFrog items during the Learn, Create, and Share Party. The LeapPad had been an amazing addition to our family learning electronics. HexBugs also invaded our house for some glow-in-the-dark holiday fun.
- Halloween was a lot of fun thanks to everyone staying healthy. NHL was Darth Vader, JSL was Jedi Tigger, and even TechyDad dressed up. Of course, Snowtober threatened to make things more interesting just a day before heading out.
November 2011:
- The start of the month meant going to a fun event for bloggers at Price Chopper, headquarters. The Price Chopper Holiday Cheer afternoon showcased endless holiday entertaining ideas. Of course, I wanted to highlight the Decadent Desserts line.
- This was also the month that my entire family fell in love with Susan Egan. I had been lucky enough to see Susan at Disney Social Media Moms in March, but her new CD review was a hit in our house. My little guy even had a crush on her and certainly did care more than Nina.
- The boys learned about what an aufruf is and spent a lot of time with family in November during Thanksgiving weekend.
December 2011:
- The month began with full on Muppet madness in our house. The boys have always loved the Muppets, but the anticipation of the new movie brought it on even more. There was Muppets mania clothing style and lots of Muppet music playing in our house. Heck, I even tossed in some fun Muppets nail polish. Bringing things from our childhood back are so much fun.
- Chanukah was more quiet this year as we focused on time with each other, festive music, watching the menorah glow, and less attention on presents.
- A surprise trip to Build-A-Bear workshop introduced our family to Snowflake and Clumsy. Snowflake has been on a lot of adventures and even requested a beary special knitted scarf.
There were so many other things that made 2011 special and amazing. Thank goodness that is what archives are for. We can look back, laugh, cry, remember, and reflect.
What are some of your favorite part of the year that was 2011?
Disney Store Dreaming
Saturday, October 1st, 2011Dear NHL & JSL,
Once upon a time, in a galaxy within our reach – there was a Disney Store at our local mall. Actually, before the two of you were born, we had two of them. Then they closed one to centralize everything. Just around the time JSL was born, the remaining one closed its doors for the last time. It was a place that we often went to. We were able to be with Disney and have a fun time. Now, the closest store is several hours away.
A week ago, Shannan and I went to to the Disney Store in NYC on one of our breaks during the SheStreams Conference. To say that I was in heaven would be an understatement.
There was so much to look at in every corner of the two levels of the store. The Phineas and Ferb area immediately got me to check everything out. I now wish I had bought you both something. 
There were endless amounts of the Disney Princess items. Those areas of the store were gorgeous, but my attention went to places like the gigantic Toy Story section. So many possibilities that my head was just spinning. 
I joked to Shannan that the two of you would not have known where to go next. I think the Marvel area would have kept you there for a while. Lots of Spiderman, Ironman, Captain America, Hulk, and friends. I will say, I am sad that I didn’t get you each one of these:
Back on the first floor, I found what I was looking for. There was a giant display of Vinylmations. I knew this was what I was going to bring both of you and Daddy. I bought each of you a Lion King box to open at home. Then, I saw the NYC Cab series that are only available in this store. I picked one of those tins for Daddy. Then, for the heck of it, I grabbed a Muppet Series 2 box.
Oh, I also stopped myself from picking up one of these for each of you:’
The reason I stopped, I want to head to NYC on a train with all of you for a fun day that includes a stop at the Disney Store.
When I got home and started to unpack, I had the bag from the Disney Store ready to go. The two of you were thrilled with the new Lion King packages. I do not think you were aware that they existed. Daddy was very happy with the two he got as well.
So now we just have to figure out a time to take the train to the city for a fun day together. There are a ton of places that we HAVE to go to and the Disney Store is just the first on a long list. Now if only we would get our Disney Store back here.
Love,
Mommy
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If you want to participate in Dear Kid Saturday, head on over to Cutest Kid Ever by clicking on the button below.
Making Time For You
Friday, September 30th, 2011A week ago, I was heading to SheStreams in NYC for the adventure of my life.
I am still digesting all of the information that I learned during the two days in New York City. Maria Bailey and her team packed in an amazing weekend. Thanks to the amazing keynote speakers and panel members, my brain is still moving a mile a minute.
SheStreams was also the first time I have been away for a night without one of the boys since NHL was born eight years ago. Yes, I missed TechyDad, NHL, and JSL – but it was nice only to worry about ME and put ME first. The wise words of Rene Syler (aka Good Enough Mother) came flooding back to me Saturday morning when she reminded us that it is ok to move yourself to the top of your to-do list.
Late nights in NYC chatting, networking, and laughing with new and old friends reminds me of the importance of ME time.
On the flip side, I also know that TechyDad needs time away to do things he likes, and we need couple time as well. Mom and Dad need to keep their identities to be their best for the kids. As we begin 5772 this Rosh Hashanah – I hope that our family can work on this aspect of life.
So my question to you this week:
How do you make sure to get time for YOU and what do you like to do with these special moments?
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Thanks to Kailani at An Island Life for starting this fun for Friday. Please be sure to head over to her blog to say hello and sign the linky there if you are participating.
Aloha #171
SheStreams and NYC Bound
Friday, September 23rd, 2011
Yes, you read that right. I am heading to SheStreams today. I have always wanted to go since they announced the conference, but things came up and other factors were there.
Then, out of the blue Wednesday with less than two days before I would have to go, things started to line up. TechyDad gave me the green light, Nana and Papa can help with the kids after school Friday, and a ticket was purchased from a friend that could no longer go. It just worked out amazingly.
I am excited and scared at the same time. I have been to BlogHer (NYC 2010) and the Disney Social Media Moms Celebration, but those were always traveling with TechyDad and other friends. This will be me going by train for the first time into Penn Station. Of course, once I get to NYC I will meet up with Shannan, Kelby, Amy, Rene, and countless other amazing women. The opportunities for learning, networking, and getting away with the girls is huge.
Did I mention I am a Type A person? To say that I am running around the last few hours trying to think of what I will forget is an understatement. So my question to you this week:
What stresses you out about travel? Is it the planning (or lack of), packing, or something else and why?
If you are at SheStreams, I hope to meet up with you. You can find me on Twitter @TheAngelForever.
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Thanks to Kailani at An Island Life for starting this fun for Friday. Please be sure to head over to her blog to say hello and sign the linky there if you are participating.
Aloha #170
My African Trek Adventure Begins
Thursday, July 28th, 2011Have you ever wished you could go on an African Safari and watch animals running, eating, and playing in the wild? I did, but the reality is that going to Africa is not in my future right now.
Lucky for me, I was one of the lucky people that was able to try out the new Wild Africa Trek at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. As part of the Saturday afternoon activities of Disney Social Media Moms Celebration, I had the chance to go on the adventure of my life. Of course, the biggest decision I had to make once it was finally time to go, which camera to take. With some major prodding from Ellen of Confessions of an IT Girl, I took TechyDad’s new DSLR along. Please note – this is his baby. Often times, the look of panic on my face is of ruining his new toy and not fear for my life.
We were picked up from the Grand Floridian Resort early in the morning. We took a back entrance into the Animal Kingdom. Before heading to Disney, Shannan, From Cribs to Car Keys, and I joked that we would hold each other up as we crossed the bridge and promised to keep each other moving. Here is Shannan signing her life away:
From here, our group was taken to the area to get weighed (there is a max here) and fitted with our Trek uniforms. No, they were not uniforms – just harnesses that had to fit just right for certain areas of the trek.
Later on there is a great shot of me from the rear where you can see just where this fun contraption goes. It honestly looked a lot more intimidating than it was. Once we were all in our gear, had our water bottles, we were ushered to the lockers. You are not allowed to take anything along on the trek that is not attached to you. Bye-bye phone, DSLR lens cap, and hello safari animal protection. Then, it was time to try the practice bridges.
From here, we were given some juice. You know this was just to test how good our bladders were since there are no restrooms for close to two hours while on the trek. This is where my pre-kid teacher bladder had to kick it back in. There was NO coffee for me this morning.
Once we were all set, the entire group stopped for a photo as we set off on our adventure.
Yes, the real fun was about to begin. We started by walking into the Pangani Forest area where anyone can explore. I was not going to include this photo, since my rear is quite visible. Shannan persuaded me with a reminder: “That harness totally made our asses look HAWT. So here’s the photo of our hawt derrières.
The time in the Pangani Forest area was to explore and check our audio. Yes, we all hate cute little ear pieces in so we could hear these two amazing tour guides that took us on our adventure. A huge thank you to Alex and Bethany for everything. They were so great knowing that a group of Social Media Moms was watching their every move.
At a point in the forest, we went off road to where only guests on the Trek are allowed.
This path was where you had to watch where you walk because the terrain got a little different. We were now in Africa and you never know what you may “bump” into.
Alex stopped to tell us about the fossil that was along the trail. We soon learned that it was from a hippo. As we listened, Bethany was snapping photos. One of the great perks of participating in the African Trek is that you get a Photo Pass CD of your adventure. If you ask, they will snap a photo of anything along the way.
Moments after this, we were hooked up with our harness to observe the hippos. I will save this for another post. Just an FYI, this was one of my favorite parts of the experience and one that I will never forget. Hungry, hungry, hippos really left an impression.
Have you ever been on a special tour at Disney World? If you have I would love to know. If not, which would you like to try.
Disclosure: Although we paid for our own trip to Disney World, we were given an incredible deal thanks to Disney. The sweet conference fee included 3 nights at the Grand Floridian, several meals for the entire family, 7 day park hoppers for everyone, conference/meals for me and some other items to take home. Also note that Disney never asked us to blog about this event. As a long time Disney fan, it is my pleasure to share my experiences from the event.
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