When last we left, the first Disney Villains float had just turned the corner on Main Street in the Magic Kingdom. Well continue if you dare, foolish mortals – to see the rest of Disney’s Boo to You Parade complete with Villains, ghosts and gravediggers! As always, click to enlarge the photos, and enjoy!
Search Results for: disney on ice
New Kid on the Blog Block – Mickey!
We received a little advance notice on Twitter this morning, then the link went live and the announcement was confirmed – Disney Parks now have an official blog! Of course, as with all things Disney, they did it up right – gorgeous graphics to enjoy while you read and moderated comments to keep out any any topic-hijackers.
So what does this mean for the rest of us not-so-official Disney bloggers? Hopefully the site will serve as a great resource to confirm or deny rumors that abound in the blogopshere. Additionally it could spotlight topics we may not have considered otherwise and inspire us to explore new avenues as well. There is certainly room for all of us in the blogging world and I for one am happy to have the Mouse that started it all among our ranks.
The majority of just-published blogs are authored by Thomas Smith, Director of Social Media for Disney Parks, but it looks like perhaps the whole social media team from the various Disney Parks and Cruise Line will be posting and helping out.
From the About page:
The Disney Parks Blog provides the latest, official information about Disney destinations as well as behind-the-scenes looks at what makes Disney Parks the most magical places on earth. Expect to hear from a variety of Disney Cast Members who work each day to make that ‘Disney Difference’.
I wonder if they’ll consider “Guest” authors? Where should I send my application? 😉 Regardless, the blog is off to a great start and it will definitely be exciting to see what unfolds and watch potential interaction between parks and guests.
Check out the new site and wish them luck!
Time for Food & Wine!
Although I’ve already written a full description of Epcot’s 14th Annual International Food & Wine Festival with all it’s wonderful gastronomical delights, special events and seminars. I also noted my Top 5 Must-eats and even shared how to enjoy the Wine without the Whine. As the opening date of the festival approaches, I thought I’d take another moment to go over what’s new this year at the festival. From Disney’s Food & Wine Festival Page:
Bangkok, Thailand — Location: Africa Outpost • Chicken and Coconut Soup, with Mushrooms, Lemongrass & Ginger • Green Papaya Salad with Shrimp • Beverage Selection: Singha Beer
I love anything coconut and cannot wait to try this. Thai food is one of my favorites – I only wish they had Thai iced tea to go with it!
Rio de Janiero, Brazil — Location: Showcase Plaza • Shrimp Stew with Coconut and Lime • Grilled Pork Skewer with Farofa • Beverage Selection : Leblon Frozen Caipirinha
Ooh, more coconut! Despite it most likely still being quite hot and humid, I’m still looking forward to trying soups and stews, so you know it must be worth it at the festival! I have no idea waht Leblon Frozen Caipirinha but a quick google search tells me it’s the Brazilian national cocktail and is a combination of muddled lime, sugar, and Cachaça (Brazilian rum made from distilled cane sugar), frozen in this case. Count me in!
Desserts & Champagne — Location: Showcase Plaza • Austrian Gugelhupf (Austrian Bundt Cake) • Strawberry Shortcake • Frozen Grand Marnier Parfait, Orange Coulis • Champagne • Beverage Selection: Moët & Chandon Wines: Impérial, Rosé Impérial, Nectar Impérial, Nectar Impérial Rosé
Hmm…I’ll have to be sure to save some room for this stop. Strawberry Shortcake (if done right with actual shortcake and not pound cake) is one of my favorites. Grand Marnier is another. (see photo) What better way to test out your gourmet chops with a sampling of some of the best Champagnes around? I really need to stop writing these updates on an empty stomach. Let me just say that I cannot wait to get to the Food & Wine Festival this year, and if you have the chance to visit during this time period, you will not regret it. In addition to the items noted as “new” on the offerings list this year, existing kiosks do like to switch things up a bit and try out new items, so be sure you check out all the locations to find your favorites! What would be first on your list to try?
Do You See What I See? Hidden Mickey’s Field Guide to Fun
Somewhere in our early 1990’s visits to Walt Disney World, I learned of a Hidden Mickey visible in the Great Movie Ride at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. The giddy excitement experienced when I first spotted it had me hooked. I’ve been a Hidden Mickey fan ever since; forever on the quest for new discoveries. You may notice I put one into my website banner above, that’s how much I love them! So it was a great honor when the publishers of “Hidden Mickey Guy” Steven M. Barrett’s “Hidden Mickeys-A Field Guide to Walt Disney World’s Best Kept Secrets” offered to send me the new edition of his wonderful book.
I will admit, up until now, I was one of those “I don’t need a guide!” guests that just wanted to discover them on my own without a book to lead the way. I will also admit after reading Steve’s book, I am a complete convert! The first thing I had to do was pry the book away from my 10 year-old son long enough to read it. The fact that he got so enthralled by this book speaks volumes. He is at the age where he likes to pretend he’s ‘too cool’ for lots of Disney things (I have no doubt it’s a phase, he’s being brought up in a Disney household, it’s a way of life ;)) but with this book he couldn’t contain his excitement. Every other minute was a new comment of, “Wow there’s one here…we have to find that!” as well as, “This guy must’ve spent forever finding all of these!” (He was very impressed with your book & work, Mr. Barrett!) His reaction and excitement really warmed my heart – and we hadn’t even gotten to the parks yet!
For those who may not have heard of a Hidden Mickey, it is a sometimes-inconspicuous Mickey Mouse design found within the parks & resorts of Disney World and Disneyland. Most of the time the Hidden Mickey is a ‘classic’ 3-circle design for Mickey’s head and 2 ears (like the one in my banner). Sometimes, however, Mickey may appear in different forms, or it may be another character altogether, like Tink or Donald, etc. It is unknown for sure exactly how Hidden Mickeys started, but the thought is that they were snuck in by Imagineers during the construction of Epcot, when Disney wanted to limit the presence of characters in the new park. Imagineers thought otherwise and the reaction from guests proved it was a wise move. Hidden Mickeys then began to show up everywhere, with guests anticipating new ones at each visit.
Building on this new phenomenon, author Steven M. Barrett, an Orlando-area emergency room physician by day, decided to record many of the Hidden Mickeys into book form, for all guests to follow along as they toured the parks. Now enjoying its 4th edition, the Hidden Mickeys Field Guide is published in a thin paperback design, so it’s perfect to carry around with you or slip into a diaper bag or purse without being cumbersome as you walk around the parks.
Now don’t go thinking this book is just a collection of all the Hidden Mickeys for you to find and check-off like a grocery list. Oh no, it’s much more than that. The book is designed like a scavenger hunt. The Hidden Mickeys are organized by location, but listed as clues, with points for each depending on the level of difficulty in spotting them. You can decide if you prefer to find them as a group, or individually: awarding the points to whomever finds the Mickey first, or grouping your total points together.
If scavenger hunts aren’t your thing, you don’t have to use the points at all! Additionally, if the clues in the scavenger hunt section still have you puzzled, there is a “Hints” section for each chapter which gives more extensive info on the Hidden Mickeys in question. If you’d rather just check a specific place you are currently visiting, the index in the back of the book lists the pages where you can find the Mickey clues in each locale. Steve really has thought of everything!
As with all things Disney, they are sometimes subject to change. Steve encourages readers to check out his website HiddenMickeysGuide.com for up-to-date information on new and eliminated Hidden Mickeys. The site is a great place to get confirmation that what you found on your quest is the same Mickey described in the book, with 1000’s of pictures to check out. If you find a new Hidden Mickey on your travels, just post it on the site. If it’s the first siting, you may even get mentioned in Steve’s next edition of the Hidden Mickey Field Guide.
If you would like to join in the fun, Steven M. Barrett’s 4th edition of the Hidden Mickey Field Guide is available for purchase now, along with his other Disney guide books. Steve is constantly in the parks searching for more Hidden Mickeys. If you see him, say hello – I know I will. My family is so excited to go on the scavenger hunts on our next visit.
note: I would like to thank The Intrepid Traveler for sending me the Hidden Mickey guides for this review. Look for a review of the Disneyland book in the coming weeks! Also, I have never met Steven Barrett, but I refer to him as Steve throughout this review in the spirit of Walt Disney’s “first name” policy. I hope to meet up with him some day and thank him in person!
Too Cool for Ghouls…Halloween Help?
I announced earlier this week on Twitter that the family is heading to Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party. Personally *I* am super excited about it because it’s one of my favorite events at Disney World. The Boo To You parade is worth the price of admission alone, I feel. The parade starts with the Headless Horseman fiercely galloping down from Frontierland to Main Street on his horse (a horse who’s only job is this parade!). My next favorite part of the parade are the gravediggers from Haunted Mansion. They will definitely keep you alert as they stomp and drag their shovels along the pavement – causing sparks to fly!
Then of course there is the trick-or-treating throughout the park. Various spots are set up in the different lands where kids and adults can collect candy treats together (there are non-candy alternatives available at each location as well). My favorite section is the walkway from Toontown to Tomorrowland, where characters from Alice in Wonderland are set up. During our first time at the party, they actually had an entire tea cup from the Mad Tea Cups ride FILLED with candy. The spooky-themed HalloWishes fireworks display is a spectacular end to the night, it really can’t be missed.
We didn’t make it last year, because I was 9 months pregnant and had our 3rd child on October 28, 2008. For that reason I was even more excited to attend this year. My original plan was for all of us to be different characters from Alice in Wonderland. A few years ago we saw an entire family dressed up as the Malfoys from the Harry Potter movies and I loved it. I don’t think that’s going to work out, time just snuck up on us, but maybe next year! My daughter has decided to be Coraline– her haircut makes it a perfect choice. I know it’s not a Disney character, but the director also did The Nightmare Before Christmas, and it’s unique enough that she probably won’t see 20 of herself there. I haven’t figured out the baby yet, but I will find something cute I’m sure. My problem is my ten year-old.
Last year with his longer hair, he was a PERFECT fit for playing Heath Ledger’s Joker from Batman. Once we got him all dressed and made up, he was less than thrilled about actually going out. So it’s no surprise that this year, while he’s excited to go to the party at the Magic Kingdom, he does NOT want to dress up. I decided to ask Twitter for some ideas on how to help, and thought I’d ask here as well. Of course I’m not going to *force* him to dress-up, but I’d like to win the challenge of finding something that actually excites him enough to want to wear. My friend Kristen on Twitter suggested an “I’m too cool to dress up” t-shirt, but I wonder if he thinks he’s too cool to wear an “I’m too cool” shirt?! Help me, friends of ZannaLand, you’re my only hope! 😉
Fantasyland Expansion Not Just for Little Princesses
When rumors first swirled a few months back regarding the Walt Disney World Resort’s Fantasyland expansion with blueprints featuring an entire separate area devoted to princesses, critics lambasted the unconfirmed choices for aiming to exclude little boys and focus solely on Princesses-in-training. On September 12, 2009 at Disney’s inaugural D23 Expo in Anaheim, those rumors were proved completely-TRUE. Disney countered the worry about leaving boys in the dust with promises of opportunities for boys to be knights-in-training. Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Chairman Jay Rasulo assured the crowds in attendance that Fantasyland would be for families not just girls. What I find interesting is that a company which has received constant criticism concerning its gender stereotypes and teaching little girls to aspire to be princesses, is now still under fire when promoting a place where all can imagine and explore.
Fantasyland has been around in its current form for decades. Have generations of boys refused to go to Cinderella Castle because a GIRL lives there? Do girls not want to ride Peter Pan’s Flight because a BOY is the main character? As with most arguments against a popular phenomenon, I think there is too much scrutiny going on. Little girls loved Toy Story even before Jessie showed up. Little boys in turn still love Beauty and the Beast, Sleeping Beauty, Little Mermaid…all the masterpieces Disney has produced. A story is a story and a child is not bound by adult definitions of what he or she is “supposed” to identify with.
Despite those facts, Disney has still made an effort to entertain both genders with this new Fantasyland expansion. There will be a knight-in-training section in the Cinderella area and there will be a new restaurant featuring everyone’s favorite neanderthal, Gaston (who still uses antlers in all of his decorating). However, who is to say that only boys will want to be knights in training or girls will want to do the planning for Aurora’s 16th birthday celebration? I think we need to leave aside our worry about boys being entertained or girls being catered to and just relax and enjoy what Disney does best, weave a tale of magic. By doing so, our children and our children’s children may all experience the wonder that is ever-present at Disney’s parks, without over-analyzation and debate about what they are allowed to appreciate.
As far as the specifics on Fantasyland expansion, there are many sites out there with more detailed information and pictures, but I will share some highlights. Fantasyland will be expanded not replaced, however Toon Town will pretty much be lost in the new plans. Goofy’s Barnstormer will remain and according to Imagineers, Mickey’s presence will still be felt, but they are keeping mum as to where and how that will play out. An all-new Dumbo attraction will be built, with not one but two actual Dumbo rides as well as an interactive game queue so there will be no more shuffling in the sun while you wait.
Fairy Tales will receive the royal treatment, with several new areas full of activities and chances for interaction with everyone’s favorite princesses. As mentioned above, you will be able to help the 3 fairies from Sleeping Beauty plan a 16th birthday party for Aurora, since she missed out. Cinderella’s appearance will transform from rags to her ball gown before your eyes. There will be special locations to explore from Beauty and the Beast including Gaston’s Tavern and a more elegant Be Our Guest restaurant themed after the ballroom scene in the movie. Ariel will not be forgotten and in fact she’ll get her own ride where guests can go under the sea and experience some favorite scenes and music from the movie.
Perhaps what I am most excited about will be the addition of Pixie Hollow, which has enjoyed great success in Disneyland. Disney World’s Pixie Hollow will be one of the last new sections of Fantasyland to be built and guests will be magically shrunk to pixie-size and be able to explore the Hollow from a fairy’s perspective. Tinker Bell is my favorite and I love all things pixie-dusted so I can’t wait to see and be a pixie!
If Fantasyland does not make all your dreams come true, there is also the announcement of the all-new Star Tours 2 – Pod Racers – in 3-D. This new take on the outer space adventure will be landing in Disney’s Hollywood Studios in 2011 as well as Disneyland. As you can imagine the motion ride simulator possibilities of a pod race scene from Star Wars Episode 1 are endless. Add 3-D technology to that and I’m sure the experience will be unforgettable.
One thing is certain, 2010 and beyond will usher in an amazing new era at Disney’s Parks. While the memories we experienced as children may not be repeated, new memories await visitors old and new to the place where Dreams Do Come True…no matter who you are.
images ©Disney and courtesy of wdwpress.com (via @DisneyParks on twitter) and attractionsmagazine.com
Shave & a Haircut-A Main Street Barber Shop Memory
My son decided when he was 3 that he wanted a mohawk. Three years later he still wanted one, so we let him have it. He got it trimmed a few times, but one time we decided to let him get it trimmed and turned red at Harmony Barber Shop on Main St. in Magic Kingdom. When he got a bit older he decided to grow it out and it's been long since about 2006. Today, a change was in order and his long hair came off. I thought in honor of that I'd share how far he's come. For a 10 year old, he's almost had as many hairstyles as me (tho I never got a mohawk). He's not too happy right now, but it's nice to see my 'little' boy's face again.
The Great Dole Whip Controversy
If you have been to the Walt Disney World Resort’s Magic Kingdom, you have no doubt seen a curious queue of people as you cross the bridge to Adventureland. What could so many people be waiting in line for? Is it a Princess or Mickey waiting to take pictures and sign autographs? Are they giving away nights in Cinderella’s Royal Suite? (I wish!) No, they are all waiting for the delicious treat known to all Disney park fans as Dole Whip.
The Aloha Isle counter serves this heavenly pineapple soft-serve creation, which visitors with dairy issues enjoy because it is virtually dairy free. I am not ashamed to admit I have made a specific trip to the Magic Kingdom for a Dole Whip – and nothing else (one of the perks of living close to Disney World). Part of the draw for this mouthwatering creation is the fact that is available in only 3 locations in all of the world – Disney World Resort, Disneyland Resort and the state of Hawaii. [See comments below for where readers have found Dole Whip in their neighborhoods!]
Fans of Dole Whip have started countless pages on the internet devoted to recreating this unique recipe. This is not easy to do since the real Dole Whip does not contain milk so it’s never going to be ‘just right’. There are also places that sell the dry mix to make in commercial ice cream machines, but if I could make it at home any time, I think some of that specialness would wear off. Part of what makes it so magical is where you get to enjoy it.
Now – the controversial part! For the record, you don’t have to get pineapple Dole Whip at Aloha Isle – also available are orange (like an orange sherbet), vanilla, chocolate or swirl soft serve, or a root beer or coke float. A pineapple float with Dole pineapple juice and Dole Whip on top is another popular choice. But the real question is – How do you take your Dole Whip? PLAIN pineapple Dole Whip – or SWIRL with vanilla and pineapple Dole Whip together?? You’ll find people defend their choices quite strongly if you ask around.
Personally, I have always been and will always be a SWIRL girl. The tart and tangy pineapple mixes perfectly with the sweetness of the vanilla. Mmmmm. What’s funny is last time we had a Dole Whip with our friends from California, the husbands stood in a very long line in the intense heat to get our whole group of 6 Dole Whips. When my husband came over with mine, I took a few bites and thought “Hmm, something’s off here…” I asked if he was sure he got a swirl and he said yes, that’s what he asked for. I tried again but it just wasn’t right. I looked and noticed the other cups of Dole Whip had the signature yellow and white swirl going on. My sainted husband went back up and the gracious cast member, Bob from Chicago kindly made me a new one. Sweet perfection!! So yes, I feel a bit strongly too, I simply cannot be a plain pineapple person – I must have the swirl! That is not to say pineapple doesn’t taste good on it’s own, but that the vanilla just makes it so much better.
So what are you? A Pineapple Person or a Pineapple-Vanilla Swirl person? Share your vote – or better yet a picture of you or your family enjoying your favorite choice and I will update the entry with your photos and votes. If you have not yet had the pleasure of experience the wonders of Dole Whip, make sure you add it to your bucket list – you won’t regret it!
UPDATE: If Pineapple or orange sherbet-like flavors aren’t your thing, the Sunshine Tree Terrace has brought back Citrus Swirls, not to be confused with the orange available at Aloha Isle, the Citrus Swirl features tart frozen orange juice – much more of a slushy consistency, and vanilla soft serve ice cream. It’s available in a cup OR a cone, too! It took me a few tries to like it over the sweeter offerings at Aloha Isle, but it is now my preferred frozen snack in Adventureland. Sometimes the machines can be a bit cranky, but if you’re lucky you can enjoy this delicious treat and visit the Orange Bird while you’re at it!
Epcot’s Food & Wine Festival – Without the Whine!
As parents we’ve probably all taken our kids to an event primarily aimed at adults and then wondered “how do I keep them happy?”. If you are looking forward to Epcot’s 14th Annual International Food & Wine Festival for all its delicious gourmet fare and adults-only drinks, you may worry about how you’ll keep your little ones entertained. Luckily, you’re in Epcot! Even if you leave the rides and attractions Epcot is known for behind on your visit to the Food & Wine Festival, there will be no shortage of activities to keep the wine in your glass rather than a whine from your stroller.
Here are 5 to get you started:
5. KidCot Stations – There are KidCot stations in 11 World Showcase locations as well as in The Land and The Seas pavilions which feature a FREE mask that your kids can decorate. At each station, a cast member gives your child’s personal creation a stamp and attaches a paper cut-out, each themed to the KidCot location.
The wonderful thing about the World Showcase KidCot Stations is that whether it is their first visit or thier 20th, your kids will still love to create a new mask and add to it at each stop. This attraction is aimed at preschoolers, but I have to admit, my oldest son enjoyed it until he was almost 10, and my 9 year old daughter still loves to do it!
4. World Showcase Passport – Passport gift sets are available for purchase in many Epcot merchandise locations, as they have been for years now. I remember getting my passport stamped when I was about 11 and asking many cast members to write my name in their language as well. Now they come with stickers for each country, and a space for the cast member to write a message in their native tongue. This is a great activity for kids that may not want to decorate a mask, but still want an “International” souvenir to take home.
3. The Flavorhood, hosted by Edy’s Ice Cream – I’m not sure I need to say more about this new addition to the Food & Wine Festival – it’s ice cream! This fun spot will let the whole family test their “flavorology” and learn their ice cream personality. Ice cream can also be purchased here. A great spot to recoup before heading out for more international tastes! Did I mention the ice cream?!
2. Kim Possible World Showcase Adventure – This interactive adventure is one of the best additions to Epcot in recent years. Be sure to head to a pick-up location early to reserve your “Kimmunicator” because this is now a very popular attraction (you receive a Fast Pass type ticket to return and pick up your Kimmunicator in a certain time frame, this is so there aren’t 30 groups heading to the same mission at once).
Once you receive your first mission, follow the directions that appear and you’ll be in for all sorts of surprises and fun for the whole family. Each mission takes about 30 minutes to complete but can take up to an hour, so be sure you have allotted time for at least one. After one mission you can either turn your Kimmunicator in at a marked location, or continue on to defeat other baddies around the World Showcase. My personal favorite is the China mission, we visited areas of that pavilion we’d never seen before and the whole family loved the surprise finale of that mission.
1. Eat to the Beat Concert Series – True, your pre-walker, pre-schooler or tween probably won’t be familiar with the line up of great performers for this concert series, but don’t let that deter you. As you know, kids LOVE music. What better way to relax between tastings than jamming along to Big Bad Voodoo Daddy or En Vouge, among others? This year 5 new acts are added to the series, which perform 3 times nightly and range from R&B to jazz to classic rock and more.
In addition to the above suggestions, Epcot’s International Food & Wine Festival is a wonderful way to introduce your children to other cultures through food and hopefully even expand those growing taste-buds. Your child may surprise you by requesting a new gourmet favorite for dinner after trying it at the Food & Wine Festival. Remember to be adventurous yourself and try new things and use the above tips to entertain the kids between bites.
Mickey’s Moms Club Party!
I had the distinct pleasure and honor to be able to attend the first-ever Mickey Moms Club Party, put together by the wonderful Disney Moms Panel and the PR Team from Disney World. With the upcoming 2010 Disney Moms Panel search, it was a lovely surprise to see this invitation in my email a few weeks ago. The Mickey Moms Club comprises applicants of past Disney Moms Panel searches that did not make the cut but were still given a special place online to gather, share tips, get the latest news and use some great tools and downloads of park maps, recipes and more! Every registered member of the MMC was invited to gather on Sunday, August 23, 2009 for a special viewing of Illuminations: Reflections of Earth at Epcot, enjoy some refreshments and meet other MMC members! Best of all, we were allowed up to 5 guests, so it wasn’t something where we had to leave our families at home while we had all the fun.
I will admit, as excited as I am and as hopeful as I remain to some day make the cut for the Disney Moms Panel, I clicked “RSVP yes” before I even fully read the invite, I just KNEW I had to be there! As luck would have it, it coincided when we were already going to be in Orlando, celebrating my mom and daughter’s birthdays. Even if we hadn’t, driving up from Tampa would not have been too difficult. As I’ve mentioned in the past, I’ve gotten to know many Disney Moms Panel members via Twitter, as well as two of the very special PR people, Laura Spencer (@LauraSpencerOne) and Leanne J (@LeanneJ), so I was very excited to potentially meet some of my ‘idols’ and hopefully get to know even more MMC members. I knew not all the Disney Mom’s Panelists would be there, but it was exciting nonetheless.
We checked in and were told due to weather issues (it had been raining on and off all week) the refreshments had been moved indoors. Yay! We were told to head to the World ShowPlace building, and as the cast member tried to describe it, I said, “The old Millennium Village building, right?” She said, “Yes! You’re the first person that knew what that was!” I remember viewing the Millennium Village ages ago, I guess it was about 9 years! We filled out our name tags – I wrote “ZANNA” in big letters on mine hoping to connect with anyone I knew from Twitter, and headed over to wait for the doors to open.
Once we entered the World Showplace building, I was in awe. It was beautifully lit and there seemed to be endless tables of goodies! Tables with pretzels and popcorn, tables with huge cookies & rice crispie treats, tables with sodas, juices, water bottles and plain and chocolate milk, AND! freezers with Mickey Premium bars, Mickey cookie ice cream sandwiches and other frozen goodies. Amazing!!! In addition, there were pub tables set up with candles glowing inside beautiful colored glass holders for us to enjoy our goodies and mingle. It went on forever too!
I was there for about 5 minutes when a mom came up and remarked on my diaper bag. We had a long conversation about the pros and cons of designer diaper bags and I think I converted her to my bag’s brand 😉 (Ju-Ju Be in Purple Paisley for the record :P) My husband told me I should’ve gotten her name and given her one of my cards, but in my excitement I forgot. Anyway, nice talking to you!
I kept looking at people’s name tags hoping to find someone I knew…I saw Disney Mom Cathy (@DisneyMomCathy) and Disney Mom Anna(@BeautyGirlsMom), Disney Mom Jackie (DisneyMomJackie) and Disney Mom Joanne (@JoJoey – who I did not follow on twitter but I do now!). Also there was Disney’s Leanne J. and another Disney PR person, Annette (not sure if she has a twitter account!). I tweeted about my location within the party, because I knew of at least 3 friends from twitter that were there but I hadn’t seen yet. Suddenly, someone came up to me and said, “You’re…ZANNA!” I said, “Yes, I am!!” 😀 That person was Kristen (@KristenWDW) on twitter and her lovely family from Massachusetts. Obviously we had tons to talk about since we had the Massachusetts connection. I looked down after two minutes and my daughter and her oldest daughter were playing on the floor together already. They became instant friends. Her younger little girl was adorable as well and her husband was great too. We had fun talking until it was time to head over to Illuminations.
The location for viewing was right between the two World Showcase Plaza shops. I must say, viewing Illuminations from there is almost like a completely different show! The fireworks seem to go up even higher into the sky and it was simply beautiful. After the show, Kristen suggested we walk around and look for Laura since she had tweeted she was watching Illuminations too (see how valuable twitter is? 😉 ) so we did and sure enough we found her at the exit of our little viewing area. I introduced myself and we talked about twitter and I thanked her for the wonderful evening. Leanne was there too so we let her know how much fun we all had and how grateful we were for the experience. Laura said that she and Leanne had been talking and realized how fun it would be to get everyone together like this, and that the name tags were such a great idea so we’d all know who we were meeting. She also said it would be the first of hopefully many future get-togethers like that. We hope to be a part of any future parties for sure! We also got some fun MMC and Disney Moms Panel swag on the way out – unexpected fun, just like Disney is famous for!
All in all it was a magical evening and I am so grateful the stars aligned to let our family be a part of it. Everyone wishing my daughter a happy birthday was just the icing on the delicious cake that night! My fingers and toes are crossed and I am showering daily in pixie dust, in hopes that next year at this time, I’ll be one of the Disney Moms Panel moms in a pink polo, but if not, I’m happy just to be a part of the magic.