Disney Side Archives - Over The Top Mommy

Disney Side

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!

Adults Aren’t Too Old to Wear a Costume to Disneyland! We’re Big Kids Too!

September 10, 2014 / Disney, Disney, Travel

I sometimes wish I was a kid again so that I could dress up in a costume any time I visited the Disney Parks. There are only a couple of occasions during the year when adults are permitted to dress up in a full costume to enter a Disney Park and Disney’s 24-hour event was one of the most recent ones. It was extra fun to people watch at the “Rock Your Disney Side” event. Let me share a few of my favorites with you.

I know he’s not a Disney character but I must start by saying that both Emi and I were pretty enamored to see this guy in the parks…..

Santa likes photography too!

Other than his Christmas EARs, he wasn’t dressed up in a costume. I KNEW Santa was real! AND he likes Disneyland!

Almost right away, we came across one of our favorite princesses. We didn’t want to bother her because she looked to be deep in thought!

Aurora likes to feed the ducks! She was carrying her basket with some bread in it and sitting in front of the Rivers of America, most likely daydreaming about a certain prince!

Funny how a couple of hours later, we ran into Aurora again…this time with friends!

Spending some quality time in the parks with girlfriends is the best way to do it! Aurora was wearing what looked to be the prettiest gown from the closet!

Next, we ran into a very familiar mermaid! It looks like she chose legs for the occasion in lieu of her usual tail!

I loved seeing Ariel and Eric in their more casual outfits! I wonder if he was texting Ariel’s dad to ask permission to hang out with her in the parks?

There’s nothing that makes my heart more happy than seeing these two together!

They were WAY cute together! AND her name really IS Jessie!

It looks like Princess Leia enjoys a Dole Whip as much as the rest of us do! Nice mani!

It was funny to see Alice and The Queen at this spot. I guess that must be their favorite bathroom too!

I was fangirling on Alice’s handbag! She never carries it in her movie! And this lace version of her dress? Love! The girl’s got a great sense of fashion!

WHO knew these two were actually friendly in real life?

Doc McStuffins is even cuter in person than on Disney Junior! I loved her Big Book of Boo Boos and Lambie! She diagnosed me with “Disneylanditis“! I don’t think that’s a bad thing though!

I always wondered how Maleficent looked so great and now I know! She works out whenever she’s in the parks!

Witnessing an engagement in front of the castle is ALWAYS special! This one landed on Belle’s birthday! (I totally teared up)

I was so happy that Belle and Beast let us all witness their special engagement in front of the castle!

Oh Belle, we’re all so excited for you, too!

Disney Magic happened that day for sure!

I’m not sure where the Seven Dwarfs were but Snow was really wrapped up in her cell phone convo!

I think she loves her cell phone as much as I do! (except I’m really more of a texter)

Seriously, it looks like whatever the gossip, it’s pretty good! Hey Snow, I want your shoes!

I saved my most favorite pics for last. These two ladies were both so beautiful and I adored their costumes and hair! They honestly looked like they were having the best time ever! Emi asked me if they were going to get in trouble for riding the Tea Cups? She thought they were the official in-park characters!

So beautiful!

Rapunzel’s hair! I want it!

Now these are my kind of girls! Selfie in a teacup?!!!

I had the best time writing this post. I love all of the creativity that these guests put into their costumes and outfits and I love how they’re wearing their costumes with such confidence. Most of all I love the fact that you’re never too old to dress up and have fun at Disneyland!

Have YOU ever dressed up as your favorite Disney character? If so, which one?

The Girl With the Disneyland Map Skirt at Disney’s 24-Hour Event!

September 7, 2014 / Disney, Lifestyle, Social Media, Travel

As Mickey’s Trick or Treat party at Disneyland gets closer, I’ve been looking through pictures and trying to get costume ideas. As I was going through some of the pictures I’ve taken at Disneyland Resort, I came across some that I took of this adorable girl who was wearing the cutest outfit at Disney’s 24-hour event in May. I didn’t realize just HOW cute, until we got up close to her and realized that her skirt was made from park maps!

I just HAD TO approach her to ask where she got the skirt! That’s when she showed me her matching bow and told me she’d made them both! Oh my goodness! I loved her creativity and Emi looked instantly inspired by her! She was such a sweet person to talk to also, which is always nice.

I, of course, didn’t grab her contact info that day and I think she said she isn’t on Twitter or Instagram (good for her). I suppose one day I’ll run into her again and I”ll be able to ask if she could make a skirt and bow for Emi, because Emi has been dying to have her very own ever since that day and can’t seem to duplicate it. (believe me, she’s tried!) I know the power of social media is strong because it’s helped me find people before. Plus, I think she lives locally.

Did you attend Disney’s 24-hour event in May? Did you see “The Girl in the Disneyland Map Skirt”?

Help Me Find This Couple from Disney’s 24-Hour Event! They Got Engaged! #RockYourDisneySide

August 4, 2014 / Disney, Lifestyle, Social Media, Uncategorized

I was just going through my pictures from Disney’s Rock Your Disney Side 24-hour event back in May, when I came across some that I totally forgot about. As Emi and I were walking around that day, I had my camera out and ready to snap pics. Just as we approached Sleeping Beauty’s Castle, there were a bunch of people standing around and I witnessed the end of an engagement! This adorable couple, dressed as Belle and Beast, was in the center of the crowd. I knew something special was happening so I started snapping pics. Emi totally missed it but I got a few. They seemed very shy and although the PhotoPass people took some pics, I think it was just really quick and then they were done. I never got to chase after them to tell them I caught a few of the pics because I felt like I’d be interrupting their moment. I know that no one else caught these other pictures of them though and looking at them again, I see that it was “Belle’s” birthday! (her name is Yela) I’m guessing he arranged Photopass to snap a castle pic for them, letting her believe it was just for her birthday and then broke out a ring! That’s my best guess, but I’m a total fantasizer! I believe in fairytales! Regardless of the real details, I know that they’d want these pictures, because I know I would if it were me, so I’m determined to find them, so I can give them the pictures! I was tearing up adding these to this post. I think you’ll tear up too! Just look….

This one chokes me up BIG TIME! I think the shock and excitement just settled in here!

I love her backpack! It’s him!

As I stood there in shock, they just walked away. I was too frozen to bother them in the middle of their moment!

So… I’m going to rely on social media to help me find Belle and Beast…because I know how powerful social media can be! I also know that if I had gotten engaged like this, I’d want these pictures for my own keepsakes. Sorry guys but I think this guy just set the bar really high!

Do you know them? If not, please help spread the word!

Now let’s sing it….”Tale as old as time...”

Getting Ready to Go ON THE ROAD for the Disney Social Media Moms Conference!

July 16, 2014 / Arizona, Disney, Lifestyle, Social Media Conferences, Travel

The day I got an email in my inbox inviting me to attend the Disney Social Media Moms on the Road Conference in Arizona was a Magical One!

I’d connected with so many other Disney-loving moms online who are also in the social media world and this was finally going to be my chance to connect with many of them in person! I was also excited about the location of the conference, The Fairmont Scottsdale Princess Resort! The property looked like it had so much to offer when I checked out the website. Emi was excited for the pools and Sonoran Splash, which are the watersides. I just couldn’t wait for all of it!

As the conference date neared, I started to plan out which necessities I’d need. I made a list of road trip necessities, in-room necessities, and conference necessities! Since Emi was going to be traveling with me to Arizona, although she wouldn’t be attending the actual conference, I wanted to get some extra special things for our trip to maximize our dual Disney Side.

First of all, let’s talk EARS! I love wearing ears. I wear ears when I’m in the parks. I sometimes wear ears when I’m teaching. I wear ears when I’m cleaning the house, unless I’m already wearing a tiara to clean! I will find any excuse to wear ears. Emi and I both already have black and red ears but I was in search of new ones for this special occasion. I came across an adorable local (to me) shop on Facebook called Popsikle Shop. She makes custom ears, so I decided to order a pair for both emi and I, matching of course!

Next we went shopping for warm weather necessities. Wait, I didn’t mean warm weather, I meant HOT weather! (Have you ever been to Arizona at the end of June?) Emi wanted to find some items that were matching and Disney-ish. We really lucked at Walmart! Their Juniors section had a ton of really cute bathing suits and swim shorts. Hot pink with white polka dots was VERY “Minnie”

So adorable, don’t you agree?

Do you like our hot pink visors, too?

We also found matching polka dotted coverups at Walmart that we wore as sundresses!

Walmart had everything we needed for our trip. We found sunglasses, water shoes, some other summer clothes, sunblock, and even snacks for the road trip! Not only did they have everything we needed, but it was also very affordable!

We also packed the personalized t-shirts we had made for Disney24 to wear in the room as part of our pajamas. I think this was the first trip we’d gone on where we had almost exact matching wardrobes. It was pretty cute!

I knew I needed to find something special to bring to this conference and hand out with my business cards. I racked my brain for something that I could make, but I truly had no extra time to really make anything by hand. Then I came across a post from a friend of mine, Xenia, who had recently hosted a Disney Junior Familia Party. It was on that post that I discovered alfajores! I KNEW immediately that they where what I needed to bring to the conference. Melo made me some AMAZING Mickey-shaped alfajores in both pink and white animal-cookie flavor and churro flavor! She was sweet enough to wrap them individually for me to pass out to friends. Needless to say, they were a hit!

Emi and I picked out a road trippin’ buddy to take with us. It only seemed appropriate that we chose Minnie Mouse. She sure loved to take pictures with us on our trip.

We even went to Michael’s to buy some chalk paint pens and the night before we left, we wrote on our car windows! We had to be the most prepared car driving through the desert! Emi even wrote “Honk if you love Disney” on my rear window!

I DO think it’s weird that not one person honked though!

Oh well, more Disney for us, right?

The Day We Met Olaf (Josh Gad) at Disney’s 24-hour event

June 1, 2014 / Disney

I must admit that I was a little hesitant about attempting the Rock Your Disney Side 24-hour event at The Disneyland Resort with Emi. I have an immense love for Disney, I just wasn’t sure how it would be with a 9 year old by my side. We did some pre-planning for the day and even organized a little bit, thinking it might help make our experience a little easier. (to see that post, click here.)
I originally planned on arriving at The Disneyland Resort around 5 a.m. but waking up Emily was a little more difficult than I anticipated. We still made it by 6:30 a.m., which actually turned out a little bit better for us, because those initial crowds were already inside of the parks. We parked in the Mickey & Friends parking structure and that’s where the Magic started for the day! Emi had a HUGE smile on her face after the CM gave her these.

Disney even offered carpooling perks for guests carpooling to the event!

Here we are going down the escalator to the tram…at 6 a.m.!

The parking structure didn’t seem very crowded nor were the trams. After exiting the tram and going through the security bag check, we spotted the media area in the Esplanade with sand sculptures in it. As we walked towards the giant Olaf sand sculpture, we were both in awe of its beauty. Clearly we had no idea there was an even better surprise over there!

After walking around the media area to see if any of our friends might still be over there, I recognized the amazing Lisa Robertson of Babes in Disneyland and saw that she was taking a picture with someone, right in front of the Olaf sand sculpture. That’s when Emi tugged at my shirt and (practically) shouted, “Mommy LOOK…it’s Olaf!!!” Lisa was actually taking a picture with Josh Gad, I guess I just didn’t realize at first! I try not to fangirl but THIS WAS OLAF! Emi and I walk around on a daily basis talking like him, quoting him, doing his snowman dance…we LOVE Olaf! When we saw Josh had walked over to the other side to take a few fan pictures and sign some autographs, we walked (very quickly) over there too. He was so kind and genuine with the fans, taking time with each one. He chatted with them, signed autographs, took pictures with them, and even recited a line from the movie for one girl, as she recorded it. It melted my heart when my daughter backed up to make more space for a guy in a wheelchair, so he too, could have access to Josh. It melted my heart more when Josh approached him and the guy’s face light up as they took a picture together. I then overheard a high school kid next to me say, “Oh my gosh, this JUST made my entire graduation trip here SO MUCH BETTER!”

At this point I was already overjoyed about our day and it was only 6:45 a.m.!

We chose to start our day in the parks inside Disneyland. I loved walking in and seeing Alice and Mad Hatter dancing in the entryway with some children to the music of The Disneyland Band. I loved being inside Disneyland this early in the morning because there were still lights on that you’d normally only see at night and it just feels like you’re getting a view of Disneyland that you normally would never get during a regular visit. I loved seeing all of the guests in costumes. I already loved the ambiance. I think I loved a lot of things that day!

As Emi and I walked down Main Street, U.S.A., we just kept running into social media friends. First we saw our friend Caryn from Rockin’ Mama and we got to meet Heather from It’s a Lovely Life and Nicole from Presley’s Pantry too. Next we spotted Pattie from Living Mi Vida Loca, who was channeling her inner Snow White. Then we got to sit for a little while on the patio of The Jolly Holiday and have coffee with Liz from Family is Familia!

We LOVED our Maleficent buttons that they gave us at the Main Gate!

A little later it was time for some fun in Fantasyland. Surprisingly, the lines weren’t very long. Emi and I have several mandatory things we must do in Fantasyland each time we visit Disneyland. Some of them include a ride on King Arthur’s Carousel (specifically on Jingles), a ride in the caboose of Casey Jr. Circus Train, and a spin in the blue tea cup over at Mad Tea Party.

Jingles is so beautiful!

From Fantasyland we strolled over to Big Thunder Ranch to visit the animals. We have a special bond with the goats and sheep over there, and taking pics and selfies with them has just become something necessary for us on each visit. We’re even starting to know each one by name. (you can learn their names from the tags on their collars). I’m convinced that the Disney goats have actually learned how to pose for a properly for photo. What do you think?

We were fortunate enough to run into the ladies behind Disneyfluentials while we were there and got one of their cool buttons!

We also got to watch an interview they did with one of the goats.

You HAVE TO check out that hilarious interview below!

I love how festive Mickey is in his Spring suit!

All of the socializing really made us work up an appetite, so we cruised over to Stage Door Cafe next. We were on a mission to try the Red Velvet Funnel cake, which was offered exclusively for the Disney 24 event! After one bite, it was like…..WOW!!! We were fighting over who was getting bigger bites and who was eating more of the cream cheese frosting! Sometimes it’s just hard to share!

We headed over to ride Big Thunder Mountain Railroad next but the line was a little longer than we were prepared to wait, so we just grabbed a fast pass for each of us. This is when we ran into The Disney Sisters! I’m telling you, it was a super social media day and, although we had never gotten to meet in person, it was fun to chit chat with them for a little while!

I feel like we did so much walking, talking, eating and tweeting all day long until we found ourselves in the early evening. Emi and I were both exhausted but neither of us was willing to admit it to the other one. We decided to take a walk into Downtown Disney for a little while to break up our day and re-energize with a Frozen Strawberry Lemonade and some Cinnamon Bits at Wetzel’s Pretzels. As soon as we both sat down, outside of Wetzel’s Pretzels, I think I knew what was going to follow. We were both exhausted and I don’t think either of us had any energy to walk back to the parks. I felt like we accomplished a lot in the 13 hours that we did rally that day! Honestly, it was one of the BEST days we’ve had at The Disneyland Resort! We saw so many of our friends and got to do so much and let’s not forget, WE MET JOSH GAD!!!! I think THAT one is going to be hard to top!

Are you ready for my grand finale shot? Here ya go……….

Should YOU attend the next 24-hour event that Disney has? TOTALLY!

Ready for Some Fun at Disney’s #RockYourDisneySide 24-Hour Event!

May 21, 2014 / Crafts & DIY, Disney

Emi and I are so excited about the Rock Your Disney Side 24-hour event at The Disneyland Resort on May 23, that we’ve been counting how many more sleeps? It’s going to be our first attempt at one of the 24 hour parties. We’ve been doing a lot of pre-planning for the day, referencing the Disney Parks Blog site and a few other favorite blogs who have posted fun and useful tips. I think having a little bit of knowledge ahead of time is going to make a world of difference and being prepared to endure a long day can’t hurt either!
Here are some of the park necessities we’ll be bringing with us:
*Our APs-These are obviously the most important part of our trip that day! Not only to get in the gates, but also for parking. (By the way, to read about the carpooling perks that Disney is offering for this event, click here.)

My business cards just go along with my APs in the wallet every trip! You never know who you’ll network with!

*A backpack-I almost ALWAYS bring a backpack with me, to the parks, so I can carry things like a water bottle, headache medicine, bandaids, sunblock, extra snacks, an autograph book, a pen, my camera, extra clothes for layering, and gum. I’m sure I’m leaving something out, but basically a backpack allows me to have my hands free, which is so much better than carrying a purse!

This is my lucky UK Mickey Pen that I got from a Disney friend!

*Disney accessories-Emi and I like to wear our matching Minnie ears headbands when we’re in the parks. Sometimes she prefers to wear her traditional ears too, so I’ll be bringing both for this trip. (Do you see why I NEED the backpack?)

*Coordinating attire-Although we’re not going to the extent of wearing actual costumes, (we’ll save those for Mickey’s Trick or Treat Party) or even DisneyBounding like other park goers, we do love to dress for an occasion and had special shirts made for each of us! Why NOT sport our Twitter handles on a shirt, right? Sending a BIG thank you to The Shirt Cannery in Mission Viejo! They are amazing!
*Pooh-When you are going to be in the parks for an extended amount of time, especially when it’s going to be crowded (or at maximum capacity like they’re predicting), having something like a stuffed friend to play with really helps keep your kid(s) occupied during wait times. They also make for great photo opportunities. Some stuffed friends even have their own Instagram accounts. (Ours doesn’t) Pooh is usually the one Emi likes to bring with us!

*Our “Eat Our Way Through the Parks” Checklist-Yep, you read that one correctly! Have you read the post on the Disney Parks Blog about all of the special items that they’re going to offer in both parks, exclusively for this event? If you haven’t, then click here. After carefully analyzing all of the items, Emi and I are especially looking forward to trying the ones you see on our checklist of what we’ll attempt to eat and drink at Disney 24!

I guess it looks like we’ll be rockin’ our Disney Foodie Side!
Wish us luck!

Will YOU be attending the event this time?

For live tweets from the parks, follow along with us on Twitter @overthetopmommy and @overthetopkid and @UptownDisneyGal.

For pictures of our day, follow @overthetopmommy on Instagram.

When You Lose a Tooth in Disneyland…

March 8, 2014 / Disney

Back Story:
When Emi was 5, she had a VERY loose tooth one day when we were at Disneyland. This tooth was literally hanging by a thread and she was very upset about it the entire day. A friend who was with us on that particular visit to the parks, told Emi that she had heard if you lost your tooth inside Disneyland and you buried it somewhere, Tinkerbell would find it, alert The Tooth Fairy about it AND visit your house that night as well! Although that tooth never came out on that visit, Emi never forgot that story.
Fast forward to present day:
Emi has had a loose tooth for some time now and when I picked her up from school the other day, it was so bad that it was literally turned around backwards in her mouth but still attached!

Seriously, what IS this?

Of course she didn’t want me to “help” her and she definitely didn’t want her dad to either. (He DEFINITELY knows how to get the job done!) So, she spent all night very upset and had even gone to her school nurse’s office to get one of those little tooth necklaces to hold the tooth, WHEN it finally came out. Since Emi knew she was off of school for a couple of days because of parent conferences, I think she knew that a trip to Disneyland was inevitable, since it’s our favorite thing to do on days off. She seemed to have the entire thing planned out in her head beforehand because when she woke up, she reminded me of the Tinkerbell tooth story and told me that she was saving her loose tooth for that. She had even planned out the dialogue for her intro video which she had me take, while she stood in front of Pixie Hollow, inside Disneyland.

Here’s her video:

The funniest part about the day was that we spent so much time focusing on the tooth and trying to get it to fall out and it wasn’t until we stopped trying that it happened! We ate lunch at The Golden Horseshoe, thinking that might do it. We rode The Teacups. We rode King Arthur’s Carrousel. Nothing was working. Nothing!

I must admit that I was very tempted to accidentally bump the tooth out myself. When it was almost time to leave and Emi was growing more upset about the urgency of the situation is when it actually happened! Yep! We stopped by the Snow White Grotto to make a wish and after she bent over to look down into the well and drop a penny….BOOM! She stood back up, had this huge grin on her face, opened her mouth, the tooth rolled out onto her hand and she exclaimed, “Look, I did it!”

At that point we jogged back over to the Pixie Hollow area. That’s when she really stopped to ponder the whole thing. She nervously asked, “Mommy, what if it’s NOT true? What if Tinkerbell doesn’t know? What if she doesn’t tell The Tooth Fairy?” I assured her that Tinkerbell WOULD know and that The Tooth Fairy WOULD come, because of The Tooth Fairy’s “radar”. (referring to the “Rise of the Guardians” movie). She decided she WAS ready to leave her tooth behind…inside of Disneyland…but we weren’t exactly prepared to bury it, for fear of getting into trouble. So…she took the tooth out of her necklace, held it in her hand, closed her eyes, made a wish, and tossed it over her shoulder and into the flowers at Pixie Hollow! I had to choke back my tears!

When Emi woke up this morning, she found pixie dust all over her pillow and her face and money in her tooth fairy pillow! Phew!

I’m pretty sure Emi’s going to start a new trend if she tells all of her friends that the story is actually true….If you lose a tooth inside Disneyland and leave it there, Tinkerbell WILL alert The Tooth Fairy AND she’ll visit your home as well! She now has the “pixie dust” on her pillow to prove it’s true!

It’s Time to Show My #DisneySide…..Again!

February 21, 2014 / Disney

If you aren’t familiar with Disney’s most recent campaign, Disney Side, it’s this really fun campaign spotlighting Disney lovers’ own love for Disney, whether it be showing their #DisneySide while in a Disney park or on a Disney vacation or showing it off at home or just in their everyday life, it’s a chance to have some fun and show the rest of the (social media) world at the same time!
One of the latest opportunities to participate in this campaign was the chance to host a #DisneySide @Home Celebration. There were 1000s of applicants who applied to host one of these parties at home, to be held between February 15 and March 1st, integrating a party kit which they chosen hosts would be receiving. I decided to apply for it but felt discouraged at first when January 10th came and went and I didn’t receive an acceptance email. I didn’t talk about it to anyone, but I was disappointed, until I saw some other people mention online that they also had heard nothing nor had they heard of others getting an acceptance email. At that point, a little bit of hope re-ignited inside of me. I still chose not to talk about it to anyone though. I sometimes feel like if you talk about something too much, it won’t happen.

And then I got this……. I was ecstatic!!!

My Facebook newsfeed was blowing up with a ton of people who had also received the magical email, as were my Instagram and Twitter timelines. It was such an exciting day for so many of us. I don’t think I slept that night because all of a sudden my brain wouldn’t shut off with ideas for my #DisneySide party! I was literally up for work at 2:30 a.m. that next morning because my wheels wouldn’t stop turning enough for me to sleep. I think this euphoria stayed with me for about 2 days before I could go back to being normal again, whatever that is.
Next came more excitement because at this point, the chosen ones were now all waiting for our “magical boxes” to be delivered by UPS! My mind started spinning again because it seemed like every post I’d see was relating to the date of delivery, the weight of the box or boxes, people trying to guess what was going to be in the boxes, people trying to ask others if they knew about the contents of the box, etc. It was nuts! I understand how excited and anxious everyone was, but for me, I just wanted to be completely surprised and I knew my box would come at some point! I tried to stay away from anything posted that might give anything away and I definitely didn’t worry myself about when my box was being delivered. One day I got the email about my delivery and coincidentally, I happened to be home on the day my box was delivered. Not only was I home on that day, but I was home at the moment the UPS guy rang my doorbell, which is rare, since I’m hardly ever home for more than 5 minutes at a time! Boy was he in for a surprise! Just as he was trying to hand me the big box, with the magical blue #DisneySide tape on it, I asked if we could take a selfie? At first he seemed confused, and actually acted as if I were making a joke. It didn’t take him long to learn just how serious I was! Yep, as I started to explain WHAT the importance of the box was, I also stressed that it was vital I make “as big a deal as possible” about the delivery of my party kit!

I swear our UPS guy was cut out for this stuff! After we took the first shot with my iphone, I realized that it didn’t get the wording on the box in, plus it was actually my bad side, so we switched spots!

Then he kept offering to switch poses and spots and try different angles! He was HILARIOUS and the best sport about it! He told me that he often chats with my husband when he delivers to our house, so he was no stranger to convo on my porch! I’m seriously considering inviting him to my #DisneySide party! I mean, he WAS one of the first highlights of this process. People who saw the pic, LOVED how fun our UPS guy is!
Next came the box opening. Unfortunately my box was delivered around 2pm and my daughter was still in school which meant that I HAD to wait until I picked her up from school to tell her about it and actually open it.

Emi was so excited about all of the goodies that were inside of our box, but her biggest “WOW!!!” came right when she opened the box and saw there was an American Tourister suitcase!!! And it was purple!

I think the suitcase may have been the coolest part for Emi!

We were both overwhelmed by all of the goodies inside of the suitcase though! There was a whole bunch of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse plates, cups, cupcake liners and a matching tablecloth with some coordinating hanging decorations! There was a hostess planning kit with suggestions for games and even a face painting guide. There were Craisins, like they serve in the parks, and these adorable rubber bracelets and stickers and some adorable Minnie and Mickey prints, all to give out to our guests. There was also a huge box of printer photo paper from HP! I know there were other things too. The list just goes on. It was all so Magical! I mean seriously, how amazing to have been chosen for this opportunity and now this generous pile of things to help us with our party? Wow!
I guess it’s time to get to planning! Stay tuned for more details and a post about our #DisneySide Party! http://disneyside.disneyparks.disney.go.com