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Wednesday, May 23rd, 2012
Disney 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.
Percussion Playing Prowess
Saturday, May 19th, 2012Dear NHL,
In the fall, when you decided that you wanted to play percussion instruments, I wondered how things would go. With most of the school year and two concerts behind you, I can hardly imagine life without a percussion playing kiddo in our house. Though the bell set is a bit shrill at times, we can recognize songs when you play them. The only down side is the size of your kit that has to travel into school each week. I now know where to park to drop it off and where to set it down outside of school at the end of the day.
While we were at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, we made sure to stop over by the drum area in Africa. Daddy and I knew that you would have fun experimenting on the different items that were there.
Of course, it was also interesting to watch your little brother follow you around. As you can see, one of you had an easier time switching things up, while the other needs to stretch a bit more.
Still, I think the moment that made me the proudest happened at Mimi’s house on Mother’s Day. She had a little keyboard. Suddenly, we heard a song and looked over. There you were taking what you learned from playing the xylophone to play the same song on the piano without any sheet music. Of course, I wanted to test this theory. When we went to Nana and Papa’s house a few days later, you did it again proving that you really have learned quite a bit. Keep up the great work. I can’t wait to see how much more you learn next year and beyond.
Love,
Mommy
Disney Junior Swashbuckler Soiree
Thursday, May 17th, 2012From the minute we received the more detailed schedule for events of Disney Social Media Moms Celebration, something caught the attention of my children. Yes, NHL and JSL immediately noted the Swashbucker Soiree, especially after I read them this:
Ahoy matey! Aye – now this is a family dinner you won’t want to miss! Brought to you by Disney Junior, join us for a buccaneer-themed evening along the beach with live music, a treasure hunt and plenty of fun for everyone.
The boys literally jumped up and down. They guessed that Jake from Jake and the Never Land Pirates would be there and possibly others. The boys, well, they are good at guessing.
After the Cocktail Reception – Passport to the World welcome, we went out to the beach by the Beach Club Resort to meet up with our families. With one quick look, you could see we were in for an amazing pirate party!
Disney Junior handed out pirate bandanas and pirates greeted us as we walked onto the beach where a pirate band was playing music for all of us to enjoy. Then, it was time not to walk the plank because there was an amazing buffet of pirate inspired goodies for all to devour.
While the boys and Nana and Papa were eating, TechyDad and I were able to chat with some of our friends on the beach. We also caught up with head GEM (Good Enough Mother) Rene Syler and stopped for a photo. TechyDad helped the kids eat while we gabbed and gabbed with Rene and every other person I bumped into.
Of course, my little mateys had a hard time staying by their seats soon after this. You see, once they saw someone enter the area, they did not want to stay at the table. Check out who joined the party below.
Yes, that is Jake from Disney Junior’s Jake and the Never Land Pirates. When Jake came out onto the Swashbuckler Soiree scene, many of the kids (including mine) were off to participate in the fun and games. Once NHL and JSL had their photo taken with Jake and the pirate slide behind them…
They had to beware of other pirates. This colorful crew of pirate misfits were teaching the kids how to perfect their pirate pose for the camera.
Looking back on it, I wonder if they were really just trying to help and protect the kids. Soon after this, two scallywags that you may recognize showed up to join the party.
Of course, when you party like a pirate, it is important to stop to enjoy a cool ice cream treat.
This break also means that it is the perfect time for the Pirate mother to send out an Instagram or two to share photos from the fun. And for those that finish their Mickey Ice Cream sandwich early, it’s always interesting to hide your feet in the sand!
Of course, little pirates that have been up since the wee hours of the morning get tired when the sun sets. We knew that we had many more adventures ahead on Friday and beyond. While others remained to dance in the dark, we went back to our room in the Yacht Club Resort to settle the boys in for some sweet pirate dreams.
More to share and lessons learned from our time at the Disney Social Media Moms Celebration coming 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.
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.
Our Disney World Family Tradition
Saturday, May 5th, 2012Dear NHL and JSL,
Coming back home from a magical week at Disney World has been a tough transition for all of us. Now, we can sit down and look at all of the moments that we captured from this latest adventure to Orlando. There was the pirate party, dancing in DinoLand late at night, and checking out the Art of Animation Resort. Once the conference was over, we had some extra days to roam the four parks together.
Even a simple moment like the two of you sitting together on a Disney bus while going to a new destination melted my heart. Just three years ago, you were so little when we took you to Disney World for your first visit. Now, the two of you could lead us around the parks and tell us where you wanted to go.
What I loved was the two of you humored us to keep a tradition alive. On our last day at Disney World, we have always worn matching shirts. Both of you agreed to do this again. The best part was wearing them while two special friends before our trip was over:
Sure the heat may have gotten to all of us from time to time, but the amazing moments together is something we will always remember. For now, we will look back at these and hope to start planning another trip back one day soon.
Love,
Mommy
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.
Fantasmic Memories
Monday, April 30th, 2012Adventures to Walt Disney World continue to change as the boys get older. Each year, they grow bigger and taller for new rides. In addition to this, they get more adventurous and can stay up later.
For years, we would skip a lot of the late evening shows, parades, and fireworks since the boys were tired.
During this trip, we experienced a first together. We finally got to see Fantasmic at Hollywood Studios. TechyDad and I missed it on our honeymoon because I had sun poisoning the night it was playing.
The timing was right and we got to Hollywood Studios later in the day. We did a few things, had a quick dinner, then walked to get on line. The time in the beautiful arena went quickly. The kids were nervous, but that changed.
We all loved this magical first viewing of Fantasmic and there will be many more items to share soon.
What moments have you shared with your family at Walt Disney World that were special to your family and why?
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.
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