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‘The LEGO® Movie™ 4D A New Adventure’ All-New Story Opening Feb 6 at LEGOLAND® California Resort

December 17, 2015 / Legoland, San Diego, SoCal Fun

Such exciting news for LEGO fans of all ages! For the first time ever, LEGOLAND® Parks are offering a first look at an exciting new theme park attraction that reunites the stars of “The LEGO® Movie™” in an all-new story appearing exclusively at LEGOLAND® theme parks and LEGOLAND® Discovery Centers in 2016. The 30-second clip gives fans the first glimpse of what happened after the blockbuster movie, when Emmet, Wyldstyle, Unikitty, MetalBeard and Benny reunite at the invitation of a shady new character, Risky Business, who plans to open a curious theme park bearing a suspicious resemblance to LEGOLAND®.

Returning to voice their iconic characters are the following actors:

Elizabeth Banks (Wyldstyle)
Nick Offerman (MetalBeard)
Charlie Day (Benny)
Alison Brie (Unikitty)
Actor, writer and comedian Patton Oswalt lends his voice to the scheming Risky Business, whose Evil Secret Plot requires the heroes to call on the Master Builder skills of a surprise ally to save the day.

The short 3D film will play several times a day at each LEGOLAND® site, with “4D” effects such as wind, water, fog and more bringing the action bursting off the screen and into the audience.

“The LEGO® Movie™ 4D A New Adventure” will premiere at both LEGOLAND® Florida Resort on Friday, January 28, followed by LEGOLAND® California Resort on Saturday, Feb. 6. The attraction will debut later at LEGOLAND® theme parks and LEGOLAND® Discovery Centers worldwide.

Los Angeles-based Pure Imagination Studios is creating “The LEGO® Movie™ 4D A New Adventure” with input from Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, the talented writer-directors who brought “The LEGO® Movie™” to life, along with contributions from Rob Schrab, who is directing the movie’s eagerly awaited sequel, due in 2018.

Stay tuned for more details as the opening dates approach!

For more information, visit LEGOLAND California Resort here and LEGOLAND Florida Resort here.

Disclosure: This is not a sponsored post. All opinions are 100% my own. Video and images property of LEGOLAND.

YOTEL New York Presents 12 Days of Travel Surprises With YOBOT

December 4, 2015 / Travel

YOTEL New York, together with Flight 001 and JetBlue is celebrating the season by offering guests the opportunity to win travel-themed gifts throughout the month of December with 12 Days of Travel Surprises!

The initiative is made possible by YOBOT, YOTEL’s beloved luggage storing robot that will personally deliver the gifts to guests in Ground Control. The enormous, friendly and efficient luggage-storing robot holds guests’ luggage in any of the 150 bins situated behind a transparent glass wall. The interactive and playful experience allows guests to use a touchscreen to transport their luggage to the storage bin via a giant robotic arm. The luggage can then be easily retrieved with the simple scan of a custom barcode.

This holiday season, YOTEL will make the experience even more exciting by stocking select bins with special travel-oriented gifts for those staying at the hotel. While guests use YOBOT to store their luggage, they will have the unique opportunity to win JetBlue travel certificates, hotel stays and fun travel essentials from Flight 001. If one of the stocked vaults is selected, YOBOT will bring the gift to the guest before proceeding to store their baggage.

JetBlue will contribute round-trip travel certificates, while YOTEL will offer two night stays at its New York location in a Premium View Cabin. Gifts from Flight 001 will range from rolling luggage and travel essentials, to beauty accessories and more.

Eligible participants may also play online at yotel.com/sweepstakes. Visitors to the site will be prompted to log in and select a virtual YOBOT bin each day for a chance to win a range of travel surprises. Participants are encouraged to share their excitement on social media with #YOBOTSANTA!

For inquiries, please contact [email protected].

Connect with YOTEL on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

This is not a sponsored post. All opinions are 100% my own. Images property of YOTEL New York.

A Holiday Season Filled With Joy, Cheer And Even a Nighttime Snowfall at Knott’s Merry Farm!

November 1, 2015 / Knott's, Travel

Disclosure: My family & I are invited by GigaSavvy to attend a Media Day at Knott’s Merry Farm. No other compensation was received. All opinions are 100% my own.

Halloween is great and I love it, but I’m so happy it’s over because I’m ready for the holiday season to begin now, starting with Knott’s Merry Farm! Have you been before? It’s something my family and I look forward to every year. Starting November 21st, Knott’s will be transformed into Knott’s Merry Farm and filled with the spirit of the holiday season. It’s the perfect place to create holiday memories together as a family. This seasonal event has become one of our annual holiday traditions.

During Knott’s Merry Farm, park guests can enjoy special live entertainment, a crafts fair, lavish holiday decorations, and a nightly snow in Ghost Town, in addition to Knott’s thrilling attractions. If you’re thinking about getting a 2016 Knott’s Seasonal Pass, you should know that it includes one visit in 2015 and Knott’s Merry Farm is the perfect occasion to use your “one 2015 visit”! Why not grab your 2016 Season Pass today and use it at Knott’s Merry Farm this year?

Santa’s Christmas Cabin

The Wilderness Dance Hall in Ghost Town is transformed into Santa’s Christmas Cabin for the holiday season. Not only can you indulge in holiday delights like homemade cookies, mouthwatering pastries, fresh roasted nuts, seasonal craft beer, and decadent cinnamon rolls here but you can also visit Santa! Kids can share their wish lists with Santa and even take a keepsake photo with him.

Knott’s Christmas Crafts Village

Ghost Town transforms into a shopping wonderland filled with dozens of local artisans selling their unique gifts.
Can’t-miss highlights of the Village include powerful chainsaw sculpting and elegant glass blowing demonstrations. (Entrance to the Knott’s Christmas Crafts Village is free Monday through Thursday, November 23 – December 10, and is included with theme park admission every day.)

Strolling the pathways of Ghost Town, the Calico Carolers share the sounds of the season through songs and hand bell chimes. In the intimate setting of Ghost Town’s historic Bird Cage Theatre, Knott’s melodrama company brings to life Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol and O. Henry’s A Gift of the Magi with daily performances.

Enjoy Knott’s world-famous holiday treats, including fresh poured-to-order maple lollipops at the Gold Trails Hotel, holiday churros from the Churro Factory, and warm gingerbread men baked at the Farm Bakery.

Christmas Tree Lighting

Another nighttime tradition at Knott’s Merry Farm is Snoopy’s Merriest Tree Lighting show on the Calico Square Stage. This whimsical tree lighting features a cast of marching toy soldiers, the loveable Mrs. Claus, dancing snowmen, and the world’s most famous beagle, Snoopy!

Snowfall in Ghost Town

When the sun sets on the Farm, the buildings and paths in Ghost Town will twinkle to the beat of holiday music while snow gently falls. This year, snow falls across even more of Ghost Town, from the School House to the Saloon and down to the Assay Office. (Photo Credit: Knott’s)

Live Entertainment

You’ll find a ton of live entertainment to enjoy with the whole family during Knott’s Merry Farm.

Returning this year, the PEANUTS® gang, and a cast of world class ice skaters perform in the breathtaking ice show, Merry Christmas, Snoopy! in the 2,100 seat Charles M. Schulz Theatre. In this whimsical show, Snoopy enjoys all of the best parts of the season, including trimming the Christmas tree, awaiting Santa’s arrival, and attending the Christmas Ball! Select dates, November 21 – Jan 3 (dark Wednesdays).

If you love the Peanuts characters as much as we do, you’ll be delighted to find them in the park and dressed for the occasion this time of year! Not only are there photo opportunities with them dressed in holiday attire, you’ can also catch them for a brand-new show in the Camp Snoopy Theater will debut an all-new show, Christmas Time is Here, Charlie Brown. The show features a delightful mash up of some of your favorite holiday songs with a cheerful and heartwarming dose of the Peanuts gang. Other live entertainment you can enjoy during Knott’s Merry Farm includes the toe tappin’, hand clappin’, comedy and bluegrass of Krazy Kirk and the Hillbillies! They continue their Knott’s Merry Farm residency this holiday season in the Birdcage Theatre on select nights. Plus, the upbeat blue grass quartet,The Ghost Town Miners, make their eagerly awaited return to the Fireman’s BBQ stage. Southern California’s finest live bluegrass bands can only be seen at Knott’s Merry Farm.

As I mentioned before, if you’re contemplating getting a 2016 Knott’s Season Pass, now is the ideal time to do so since it includes one free admission in 2015, in addition to unlimited visits in 2016, with no blackout dates, discounts on select food and merchandise, and access to exciting year-round seasonal events like Knott’s Merry Farm!

Season passes are also the perfect stocking stuffers for all of your friends and family members! It’s affordable year-round fun for everyone on your “nice” list, Season Passes start at just $81.00, the best price of the year for a limited time.

For more information about Knott’s Season Passes, go here. Find Knott’s on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Southern California Great Wolf Lodge® Set to Open in February 2016! #GWLSoCal

October 11, 2015 / California, Family Fun, Great Wolf Lodge, Lifestyle, Orange County, Travel

Great Wolf Lodge® is opening in Southern California and our family is ecstatic! I was invited to take a hard hat tour of the newest location, which is currently under construction in Garden Grove and I’ve never seen anything like it! Great Wolf Lodge refers to themselves as the ultimate family vacation destination and I can see why! They pride themselves on providing quality accommodations, exceptional services, and a variety of amenities and entertainment all under one roof. The 603-room all-suite resort is going to WOW when they walk in!

At the start of the facility tour, I got to meet Wiley the Wolf, who is the official Great Wolf Lodge mascot. As I was During my hard hat tour, I felt like my mouth kept dropped open around every new corner! Seriously, I cannot wait for it to open!

The GIANT 105,000 square-foot indoor water park at Great Wolf Lodge is the most popular amenity for resort guests. Water park passes are already included in the cost of your stay and are exclusive for the guests staying at Great Wolf Lodge.

The water park itself is maintained at 84 degrees which means that weather will never affect your stay. Unique water slides and attractions will offer something for everyone.

The Howlin’ Tornado is the water park’s signature ride and is six stories tall! It sends riders swooshing up and down its enormous funnel before the final splash into the catch pool! I can’t wait to get on it!

Let’s talk about the accommodations! There are more than a handful of different suite options to choose from at Great Wolf. Each suite offers a complimentary coffee pot, microwave, and refrigerator. Families have plenty of room to spread out and relax and can choose the accommodations that best fit the size of their family.

Double Queen Suite – Features two queen beds and sleeps up to 4 guests.
Family Suite – Features two queen beds and a full sofa sleeper and sleeps up to 6 guests.
Wolf Den Suite – Features a queen bed, full sofa sleeper and a themed Wolf Den, complete with a set of bunk beds. Sleeps up to 6 guests.
KidCabin Suite – Features a queen bed, full sofa sleeper and a Great Wolf Kids-themed KidCabin complete with bunk beds and a twin bed. Sleeps up to 7 guests.
Grand Bear Suite – Features a private master bedroom with a king bed and a full bathroom. The main area includes two queen beds, a full sleeper sofa and a second bathroom. Sleeps up to 8 guests.
Great Bear Suite – Features two queen beds and a semi-private living room, complete with a private master bedroom with queen bed. Sleeps up to 6 guests.
Great Bear King – Features two queen beds and a semi-private living room, complete with a private master bedroom with king bed. Sleeps up to 6 guests.

The dining options at Great Wolf provide something for everyone in the family to enjoy. I like that Great Wolf not only acknowledges kids can be picky eaters but also offers options for guests with food allergies and have special dietary needs ,such as a gluten free diet. It’s something that moms can really appreciate as it isn’t often easy to dine out when your child has those kinds of needs.

Lodge Wood Fired Grill – A full serve a la carte restaurant open for lunch and dinner, with delectable shareables and unique signature items to create the perfect place to eat.
Hungry as a Wolf – Family meals on the go for lunch and dinner featuring fresh made pizza, sandwiches, salads, and pasta.
Bear Paw Sweets & Eats – A confectionary that offers a variety of treats, such as fresh-baked pastries, ice cream, lodge-made fudge and more.
Buckets Incredible Craveables – Located inside the water park, the casual menu offers burgers, hot dogs, french fries, cold beverages, ice cream, and more.
Loose Moose Family Kitchen – A buffet style restaurant, open for breakfast and dinner, that has options for the entire family.
Grizzly Jack’s Bar and Grill – Located by the outdoor water park, this is the place to refuel for more fun in the sun, offering a variety of food and drinks to choose from.
Dunkin’ Donuts – Located right inside the resort, this is America’s favorite all-day stop for coffee and baked goods.

Although most people are going to spend a lot of time at the water park, there are a ton of other attractions and entertainment to enjoy during a stay at Great Wolf Lodge including:

Character Appearances – Daily appearances with Wiley the Wolf and Violet the Wolf.
Story Time – The entire family can gather in the Grand Lobby each evening to hear a story about the Great Wolf Kids characters before bedtime.
Wolf Walk – Learn about the many animals and wildlife living in the Northwoods and make an origami wolf to take home.
MagiQuest – Battle dragons, befriend a pixie and wave a magic wand in this live-action adventure game throughout the resort. The games feature three unique chapters, each with their own challenges and quests.
The Great Wolf Kids Program – Daily activities for kids that take place around the resort, including dance parties, face painting, and games such as Wiley Bingo, Character Floor Memory, and Character Trivia.
Howly Wood XD Theater – This motion thrill ride transports riders directly into the movie action with every effect amplified, creating an unforgettable experience.
Howl at the Moon Mini Golf – 9-hole themed indoor miniature golf course.
Northern Lights Arcade – More than 100 interactive video and redemption games that allow guests to redeem points for prizes.
Scooops Kid Spa – A unique spa created for kids, complete with ice cream-themed manicures, pedicures, and more. Each service includes a real ice cream treat.
Ten Paw Alley – Family-style bowling with pint-sized bowling balls.
Clubhouse Crew – Interactive Scavenger hunt through the resort starring the Great Wolf Kids characters. It’s the perfect experience for the resort’s youngest guests.
Laser Frenzy – An exciting arcade-style game with the latest in touch and LED technology. Players can see who is fastest as they dart between the “laser beams”.

The Great Wolf Lodge Southern California also features over 20,000 sq. feet of meeting and banquet space. It’s the ideal location to host corporate meetings, youth excursions, family reunions, special occasions or more. With 12 separate and configurable meeting rooms, the resort’s team of experienced meeting professionals can create the perfect space to your needs.

Great Wolf Lodge Southern California is now accepting reservations for its newest location. You can book reservations for March 2016 through December 2016 by visiting http://www.greatwolf.com or calling 1-888-960-WOLF (9653).

So what are YOU most excited for at Great Wolf Lodge Southern California? My answer to that is “all of it!“

Connect with Great Wolf Lodge Southern California on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

NOW Is The Perfect Time to Grab Your 2016 Knott’s Season Pass!

September 25, 2015 / Knott's, Orange County, SoCal Fun

The opinions in this article are my own. I do not work for, or with, any brand mentioned in this article, nor do I have any official relationship with them. I have a relationship with GigaSavvy, for whom I create original editorial content.

I’m LOVING the arrival of Fall, even though it’s still boiling hot in SoCal! However, the “official” arrival of Fall means that all of the big holidays are just around the corner! Can you tell the holidays are my favorite time of year?

For anyone who’s a lover of Knott’s Berry Farm (like me), the end of the year is the BEST time to grab Knott’s Season Passes for the upcoming year. Yep, you can buy Knott’s 2016 Season Passes right now at their lowest prices of the year!

You can pay them off with Season Pass Easy Pay Payments. Yes! Knott’s will let you make payments. That makes it even more affordable.

Buy your 2016 Season Pass now and enjoy unlimited visits in 2016 with no blackout dates plus discounts on food and merchandise! Regular Season Passholders also receive a discount on tickets to Knott’s Scary Farm!

Knott’s is also offering a 2016 Gold Season Pass. You also have the option to make payments with Season Pass Easy Pay Payments.

With the Knott’s Gold Season Pass you get 2 parks in 1. If you opt to purchase a 2016 Gold Season Pass you’ll enjoy 2 Parks, including all the thrilling rides at Knott’s Berry Farm and cool slides at Knott’s Soak City Waterpark. It pays for itself in less than 2 visits! Gold Season Passholders also receive a discount on Knott’s Scary Farm tickets.

So here’s another option. It’s one of my FAVORITE options to add onto Knott’s Season Passes, especially for families! I’m talking about the Knott’s Regular Season Pass WITH the Dining Plan! It can be expensive to spend a day out with your family and have to feed them meals. This is such an affordable option and allows you to save so much money on food for your family, when you’re at Knott’s. You also the option to make payments with Season Pass Easy Pay Payments.

With a Season Pass Plus All-Season Dining, you get all the exclusive benefits of being a Season Passholder, plus one lunch and one dinner at participating locations throughout the park every day you visit Knott’s Berry Farm in 2016. Beverages are not included.

Not only do Knott’s Season Passes make a great gift for friends and family, they are an incredible deal for any family, large or small! They’re affordable and allow you to create new memories together, throughout the year!

For more information and pricing for Knott’s Season Passes, click here. Connect with Knott’s on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram.

{Giveaway} Rubba Ducks® Have Arrived at The Boathouse in Disney Springs! Enter to Win One of Your Own!

August 22, 2015 / Disney, Lifestyle, Travel

You may have heard some major QUACKING goin’ on at The Boathouse Restaurant in Disney Springs and it’s not Donald Duck! They’re actually Rubba Ducks® and you’re going to fall in love with them! (We have already!) Rubba Ducks are the premiere rubber duck toys with personality. Each one is super cute! They’re lots of fun to collect and give as gifts. They’re also the only non-Disney toy sold in The Boathouse gift shop.

Rubba Ducks® was founded in 1997 and was the first company to bring character rubber ducks to life. What’s special about these ducks is that they are uniquely designed to communicate their individual personality and characters. While there are the traditional-themed ducks dressed as police, firemen, sports and animals, these ducks go a step further in incorporating specialized hobbies and interests like a train con’duck’tor, a marathon runner duck, a ‘groovee’ duck, and even a duck who loves a good cappuccino!

Each of the Rubba Ducks® is adorned with a tattoo on its tail feathers reflecting its unique personality and has its own hatch date with an engaging bio found on its trading card.

It’s all in the details. These ducks are chock full of elements, from vibrant colors to ornate sculpturing to decorative costumes and designs. Here are 2 fun facts about Rubba Ducks that parents are going to especially love:

They float upright at all times. Rubba Ducks are designed with weights at the bottom so they will always float upright whether it’s in your own sink, bathtub or pool!
Most rubber ducks have a hole in the bottom which, when used in the bathtub, can retain mold. Rubba Ducks do not, which means Rubba Ducks don’t get moldy from being played with in the water!

You can enter to win a Rubba Duck of your very own, too! All you have to do is comment on this blog post, telling me who you want to win one for? (It’s ok if you say it’s for yourself). Giveaway ends on August 31st at 11:59 p.m. and I will choose one winner randomly on September 1st. Thanks for reading and entering! Good luck!

Swim on over and connect with Rubba Ducks on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest!

Your Love For Disney…..When Did It Start For YOU? #DisneySMMC #WDIS4U

August 18, 2015 / Disney, Disney, Lifestyle, Social Media, Social Media Conferences, Travel, Uncategorized

As a mom who loves Disney and shares A LOT about Disney online, it was such an honor for me to receive an invitation to the 2015 Disney Social Media Moms Celebration. I am so grateful for all of the opportunities we (the attendees) received at the celebration, including access to hear amazing speakers like Jeffrey Epstein from D23. Jeffrey’s presentation at the conference had me teary-eyed (in a good, Disney way, of course) and beyond emotional. He shared one of D23’s latest campaigns with us called “When Did It Start For You?“.

The campaign asks Disney fans to share when they first remember falling in love with Disney and becoming a lifelong fan. It was fun to watch different clips of celebrities, a Disney Legend, some current Imagineers, and even some D23 fans. I couldn’t help but tear up as I watched each video. Listening to these people who all shared a common Disney bond share about their own personal reasons for loving Disney and feeling inspired by Disney was something I could relate to.

What inspired me the most though was when I looked up at the screen and realized there was a “When Did It Start For You” clip of someone that I knew up there! She’s mostly an acquaintance I know online, which is how this whole social media thing works, but regardless, to look up and hear Ashley speaking about her own experience was literally speaking straight to my own heart! The picture of her as a young girl was adorable!

It really hit home when she proceeded to talk about being bullied and how her love for Disney’s “The Little Mermaid” was her own escape from the ugliness of bullying. The “Ashley” I know online is a fun-loving, adorable Disney girl who posts tons of beautiful Disney photos. I had NO IDEA about all she’d been through and that she’d overcome so much. I admire her immensely for sharing her story on the big screen!

Watch her story here (you’ll probably need a tissue):

I’m trying to remember when it started for me? I can’t remember exactly though. I think I was a baby! I grew up living pretty close to Disneyland. When our family did visit Disneyland (it was a single park back then), it was in the summer and we always had to make the most of one day, from park opening to park closing. It wasn’t like present day where so many people are fortunate enough to have an Annual Pass and can just visit for a couple hours at a time.

I only have faint memories of my early Disneyland days. I can recall things like The Matterhorn, Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride, and It’s a Small World. I remember eating lunch at Carnation Gardens and I remember watching the Main Street Electrical Parade at night.

Our day at Disneyland was like the one day a year I didn’t fight with my younger brother since we were too busy being in awe of all the magic! What I do remember is that it was all about being with our little family and creating memories together.

As I got older, my love for Disney continued to grow and I’d visit Disneyland with my friends (and no parents. One of my high school dreams was to dance in one of the Disneyland parades. I never had the technical training to make it to the final cuts of Disney auditions, but I will say that it was fun to spend hours and hours on the old backlot of Disneyland where they used to hold the auditions.

Luckily for me, they created a parade for Disney’s 45th anniversary that guests could actually dance in. It was called “The Parade of the Stars” and guests were picked up along Main Street, U.S.A. in the Omnibus and taken backstage to learn their parts.

We got to dance the entire parade route from It’s a Small World to the top of Main Street, U.S.A.! I danced in it on two different occasions, so it was a dream come true…twice! They even gave each of us a commemorative pin for participating.

Once I became a mom, my love for Disney was something that I quickly passed on to my own daughter. Her first visit to the parks was at Christmas time when she was just 7 months old. I don’t know how much she remembers about that particular visit, but when she was about a year and a half, she and I started visiting the parks together approximately 2-3 days a week together.

My daughter and I watched “The Parade of Dreams” so many times during its run at Disneyland! Now, just hearing the music from that parade brings back all of the fun memories we created together when she was really little.

I would say that my love for Disney has come full circle because now I’m here blogging about it too. I could go on typing thousands of words about this topic too, but I think everyone gets the message loud and clear. “When Did It Start For You?” is something we can ALL relate to. It’s fun to hear others’ personal stories.

Do YOU have a particular memory or reason for when it all started for YOU? Share with me in the comments!

What It’s Like to Apply for The Disney Parks Moms Panel! Should I Apply Again This Year?

August 9, 2015 / Disney, SoCal Fun

If you’re active on Twitter like I am, then you may have seen the tweet that came from the Disney Moms Twitter account recently, sharing exciting news about the Disney Parks Moms Panel!

It’s almost that time of year again…the time when the application window opens for the Disney Parks Moms Panel! It only opens once a year and it’s a VERY exciting time, especially on Twitter! If you’re not following the Disney Moms account on Twitter already, you should go do so now.

The Disney Parks Moms Panel is a select group of moms (and some dads) who are chosen through a very extensive search. After they are chosen, they go on to be part of an online forum where they help Guests by answering questions and offering advice and tips about Walt Disney World Resort in Florida, Disneyland Resort in California, Disney Vacation Club, Disney Cruise Line, team sports at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex and runDisney events. Applicants initially complete an online application for Round One, which contains questions in essay format. Those who advance past Round One may be asked to submit a video, participate in a phone interview or conference call, or even do other things as part of the selection process. It’s a ton of fun to participate in! I’d even call it magical!

I’ve applied for The Disney Parks Moms Panel twice. Two years ago I applied in a hurry without knowing much about it. I don’t even think I double-checked my spelling ( you totally should though) and I actually just quickly typed up and submitted my answers one morning right before the 8:00 a.m. school bell rang! I realized afterwards that I should’ve taken more time. I didn’t make it past Round One that year and it motivated me to plan better for the following year.As soon as the application window opened last September for Round One, I was on it! I took so much time! I researched the answers a ton and was super careful. I must add that Disney is really looking for the real you and not something that’s been rehearsed or memorized. Yes, you can study certain things but they can spot a true Disney Side when they see one! I couldn’t believe my eyes when I received a pixie-dusted email informing me that I was advancing to Round Two! That email in itself, was already magical! Last year, Round Two required a video submission though! Yikes! Me? On video? I sound about 12 years old on camera! The thing is…I really wanted to be part of the Moms Panel so I knew I needed to get past my insecurities about being on camera! I’ve seen some of the Disney Parks Mom Panelists on videos before and they seemed comfortable in their own skin so that’s what I was going to work on portraying.

One Sunday, I put on my best Disney Mom outfit, a pair of cute EARs (those are kind of necessary), and my Disneyland Mom button. I also put on some makeup and curled my hair. I locked myself in my daughter’s room for about 6 hours that day, with Woody and Jessie on the bed post behind me and about a dozen stuffed animals to keep me company. I can’t even count how many retakes I shot on iMovie that day! I had SO many outtakes! They were funny to look through afterwards!

I was super proud of myself for doing it. I conquered the video requirement and sent it off to Disney! I wasn’t selected to advance to Round Three last year, but I really felt like I’d a gained a lot from applying again AND was honored to even get to Round Two. Honestly, it was totally worth all of the time and effort I put into it. Are there some things I’d do differently if I were to apply again? Absolutely! I’ve put together a list of some tips for applying for The Disney Parks Moms Panel. These are just my own tips for others who are considering applying.

I think #5 is the MOST IMPORTANT one! You have to stay positive and believe in yourself. You should also be supportive of others who are applying. I made so many friends in the process of applying and found so much support and praise on Twitter. It was a magical time, even though I was stressed out to the max! Each time pixie-dusted emails were sent out informing applicants about whether or not they were advancing to the next round, I found so much love from Disney friends. Not only did it come from others who were applying but also from Disney friends, including the current Disney Moms panelists, themselves! It’s such a great experience and the Disney people make you feel special, whether you are chosen for the panel or not. I thought it was so nice that they bothered to send a kind email to those who didn’t make it. It’s so much better than just never hearing anything.

So…do I apply for the 3rd time this year? Is the 3rd time going to be “the charm” for me? Hmmm…what do YOU think? Are YOU going to apply this year? Have YOU applied before too? If you plan on applying this year, Round One of the Disney Parks Moms Panel Search begins at 10 a.m. ET on Tuesday, September 8, 2015 and will remain open until noon ET on Tuesday, September 15, 2015! If you are going to apply, good luck and chEARs!

Family Travel Made Easier With the New Cars Daredevil Garage App! #DisneyPixarCarsToGo

August 5, 2015 / Apps, Travel

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #DisneyPixarCarsToGo #CollectiveBias

At the beginning of summer, when we were making our “Summer Bucket List”, we thought it would be fun to add some family travel, like a little road trip for our family of 3, to the list. I love road trips. I love exploring new areas. I love driving in what seems to be the middle of nowhere because of all the beautiful nature. I just love the idea of getting away (but still having our own car). There is one thing I don’t adore about road trips though…the questions that come from the back seat!

I’m almost sure the Road Trip Fairy timed the release of a new app called Cars Daredevil Garage to coincide with our road trip this summer because it came out right before our trip!

My daughter LOVES watching the Disney Pixar Cars movie and anything Cars related! The Cars Daredevil Garage app is fun for kids (and moms like me) because they get to join Lightning McQueen, Mater and all of their favorite Cars characters to power through virtual worlds of heart-racing stunts. There are over 160 cars to choose from in the new Cars Daredevil Garage app! The app is now available as a free download and is compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. It’s optimized for iPhone 5, iPhone 6, and iPhone 6.

How cute does it look?

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Go to the App store on your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, or iPhone. (I have it downloaded on more than one device).
Search “Cars Daredevil Garage: App. It’ll look like this.
Click “Get”. Be sure to have your Apple ID ready because it usually asks you to enter it when you download a new app.
Click “Install” and wait for the app to fully download.
As soon as it’s fully downloaded, it’ll look like this on your desktop.

Before we left on our road trip, we made a special trip to Toys “R” Us to check out some of the Pixar Cars toys they had and found some exclusive Cars Die-Cast vehicles like Hudson Hornet, Antonio Veloce Eccellente and Green Ramone that are exclusive to Toys “R” Us. They also had a bunch of the Radiator Springs Story Sets on the shelf, so I grabbed one to bring with us for the hotel room.

You can find all of these fun Cars toys in the toy section. I didn’t refer to any of it as a “Boys Toys Section” or “Girls Toys Section” because I’ve always encouraged my daughter just to play with anything and everything!

When you first open the app, this is the screen you’ll see. *Cue the fun music As you navigate through the game, you’ll be given choices for things you can play.

I appreciate that the app informs users, right away, about in-app purchases. It’s always important for kids to get permission from parents before adding on these kinds of things, especially when they know the password to easily download things on their own.

The app also gives you tips on how to scan in some of the Die-cast vehicles to add to your own garage in the game. It’s important to note that they must come from specially marked packages to work with the scanner. After you have them scanned in, you can actually play with those cars in the app. It’s really cute! We’re kind of partial to the Green Ramone.

Although I don’t encourage my daughter to be on her device for hours at a time, it was nice to have her engaged as we set off on our road trip. It was also so cute to hear all of the sounds coming from the game in the backseat. I can’t get enough of Lightning’s voice! The Cars Daredevil Garage app is such a fun game and I loved the Ultimate Piston Cup Speedway Set we bought for the hotel room because it kept her occupied.

What do YOU do to keep your kids occupied on a road trip or when you’re on-the-go?

In-Store at Toys “R” Us 25% Off All CARS Die-Cast $9.99 And Under (7/26 – 8/22)