Disneyland

Tiny Top Hats Take Over Disney Parks!

7 October 2012 by Suzannah Otis 4 Comments

Nicole and Suzannah and tiny hats — My friend Nicole and I with our tiny hats!

During my first-ever visit to Disneyland in August of 2011, my friend and I kept seeing people wearing these adorable tiny top hats. We finally stopped someone and asked where they got theirs. The Mad Hatter, we were told. So we headed directly there and purchased matching Tinker Bell tiny hats. And wore them ALL.DAY. It was a wonderful memory and we thought we were being so cool by getting something that only existed in Disneyland. Well, come to find out, thanks to Twitter, Walt Disney World had the same hats. Wah wah. Oh well. We still had so much fun wearing them and all I have to do is look at that hat in my room and smile.

Since then, tiny hats have sort of exploded in Disney Parks. They now compete with Mouse Ear Hats and Mouse Ear Bands as the most popular headpiece to see around the parks. So far I’ve seen our Tinker Bell hat, a Cheshire Cat striped one, a Mad Hatter hat, and now a few more from the Mad T party in Disney California Adventure. Last night at Downtown Disney’s World of Disney here in Walt Disney World, I saw three new hats, all villain-themed. In addition, another kind of hat [I’m sure it has a name, but I am unsure of its official title – a fascinator? cocktail hat?] has appeared in the Parks. I saw the Ariel version, complete with tiny Dinglehopper in California Adventure in September, and again last night. A Mulan style hat was there too, with a tiny fan as its little accessory. Super cute.

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Here are photos from last night:

Cruelle DeVil tiny hat — Cruella DeVil tiny hat

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Villains tiny hats and bags – I love the bags too, sparkly and a good size!

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And also while I was in California in September, I saw these fun and fancy animal print Ear Hats – which I still haven’t seen in Walt Disney World yet. Also pictured is the Haunted Mansion bowler hat which has been around for a month or so and also super cute. (Please forgive my hamming it up, I was just being silly but didn’t get photos of the hats by themselves so there you go :P)

Animal print Mouse Ear Hats and Haunted Mansion bowler hat

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What do you think of these tiny top hats and ear hats? Would you wear them in the Parks (or at home?) 😉

NEW 2012 Edition of Disney Couture Nightmare Before Christmas by Harvey’s Bags

23 September 2012 by Suzannah Otis Leave a Comment

Last week a new edition of the wildly popular Nightmare Before Christmas designs of the Harvey’s Bags for Disney Couture launched at Vault 28 in the Downtown Disney District at the Disneyland Resort. Harvey’s bags, made from seatbelts and carry a lifetime guarantee. In addition to the Nightmare Before Christmas collection, you can find Minnie Mouse-inspired Harvey’s bags at Disney Parks or at the Disney Store online.

Tim Burton’s Nightmare Before Christmas is one of my favorites, and I love what Harvey’s has done with the designs from the film that we all know and love. I’ve had many readers ask about this new collection, so I thought I’d share what the new bags look like.

A couple of the bags are website exclusives and many have sold out already, so pick up your favorite today at Vault 28 or at Harvey’s site! Here’s a sneak peak at what you’ll see on the site – click to enlarge:

Harvey's Nightmare Before Christmas 2012 — The 2012 Nightmare Before Christmas Collection for Harvey’s Bags

^*Disney Store link is an affiliate link. If you purchase through it, I will get a few cents to keep zannaland running. Thanks!

Disney Parks Halloween Merchandise for 2012 VIDEO

24 August 2012 by Suzannah Otis 2 Comments

Halloween is right around the corner, so I decided to head over to Downtown Disney Marketplace and check out the new 2012 Halloween merchandise at World of Disney. The Halloween merchandise should be in all the Walt Disney World and Disneyland Parks now, so check it out! Be sure to see the new Haunted Mansion tombstone collectible pieces as well as the new “Goth Goodies” line of candy, including a chocolate rose.

Here’s a video of the merchandise highlights with a little song to get you in the Halloween spirit:

On the way out, I also snagged some photos of the Halloween/Autumn soaps at Basin. I’m pretty sure those are there year round, but they are pretty!

Guest Post: Tom Bricker Shares Spectacular Highlights From Cars Land

16 July 2012 by Suzannah Otis 1 Comment

I’m so pleased to have Tom Bricker back sharing his amazing photo skills and some highlights from his recent visit to the grand opening of Cars Land at Disney California Adventure. Please welcome Tom again and enjoy his post below:

Cars Land at Disney California Adventure is quite possibly the most beautiful land in any Disney theme park, and is definitely the most immersive. As soon as you set foot in Cars Land, you feel as if you’ve exited Disney California Adventure and stepped foot onto Route 66 in the Pixar film, Cars. Words certainly do not do the beauty of this amazing new land justice, and even photos barely do it justice. That said, I’ll try to do justice to the jaw-dropping beauty of Cars Land by sharing some photos I’ve taken of this all-new land.

If these photos piqued your interest in Cars Land, make sure to check out my Cars Land photos and Radiator Springs Racers photos, where you can view hundreds of additional photos of Cars Land and its flagship attraction, Radiator Springs Racers! Are you thinking about booking a trip to Disneyland Resort to experience Cars Land? Have you already experienced it? Share your thoughts in the comments!

Merchandise Update: Fun, Quirky, Retro T-Shirts at Disney Parks

23 April 2012 by Suzannah Otis 7 Comments

Pinocchio t-shirt - not sure how I feel about this message, "It's not a lie if you believe it." Jiminy, help!

Here at Zannaland, I’ve loved tracking fun Disney Merchandise from the start. Whether it’s Disney Dooney & Bourke purses, Duffy the Disney Bear, Ear Hats, Minnie Ear Headbands, Disney antenna toppers, or unique t-shirt designs, I’ve loved sharing it all! I was recently at Downtown Disney West Side and Marketplace and realized it had been a while since I’d done a t-shirt update. I saw some fun shirts at D-Street and World of Disney and thought I’d share them here.

Some of these designs have been out for a while but I wanted to post them anyway as they showcase the really cool retro/vintage designs that have been sweeping twitter as of late. It’s been great to follow along the designers as their work shows up in the parks. While some shirts may appeal to a select group of Disney history buffs, thankfully, Disney is taking a chance on these cool designs that poke fun at their past or even present. Click to enlarge any photo:

WDW flip flops shirt — WDW flip flops t-shirt

Disney Minnie surfing t-shirt — Subtle Minnie surfing/beach t-shirt

70's style WDW t-shirt — 70’s style WDW t-shirt in green and pink

Pretty castle photo t-shirt — Pretty castle photo-detail t-shirt

Retro Disney character Friendlyable t-shirt — Retro style Disneyland/WDW character t-shirt

So Friendlyable t-shirt — “So Friendlyable!” t-shirt

I'll be your Minnie t-shirt — I’ll be your Minnie t-shirt

I'll be your Mickey t-shirt — I’ll be your Mickey t-shirt

Tweedle dum t-shirt — I’m with Tweedle Dum t-shirt

Tweedle dee t-shirt — I’m with Tweedle Dee t-shirt

Disney Patriotic retro characters t-shirt — Disney 1776 Patriotic retro characters t-shirt

Donald Angry Bird t-shirt — Donald “The Original Angry Bird” t-shirt

Dumbo t-shirt – The Ladies Think I’m Fly

Which shirts are your favorite?

Disneyland Explorer iPad App – Magical Fun for All Ages

3 February 2012 by Suzannah Otis 2 Comments

The past week has been a whirlwind of activity around the zannaland headquarters (aka my house) so I haven’t been keeping up with all the latest tweets and blog posts and news…However, I happened to see one of my favorite Disney cast members re-tweeting something about a new Disneyland Explorer iPad app. Hey, I thought, I’ve been to Disneyland! And I have an iPad! I’d like to explore Disneyland ON my iPad! So I downloaded it. I instantly fell in love, and wanted to share my thoughts here with you all.

When I heard the title, “Disneyland Explorer” I figured it would be more of a “fun” app vs. planning or facts etc. And this is true. This is exactly how I like my Disney information and entertainment. This may shock some, but I’m actually not a planner when it comes to Disney Parks. Maybe I take visiting Walt Disney World so often for granted, but even on my first visit to Disneyland last summer, I didn’t read one guide book or really do anything before I arrived. I just walked in and explored. That being said, I do want to put that little disclaimer in that for anyone looking for solid planning information, this is not the app for that. This is more like a way to be in Disneyland Resort virtually, with some extras thrown in too.

As you would expect from an official Disney app – it is breathtakingly beautiful. As you press the screen to enter the app, you are instantly transported to Sleeping Beauty Castle, with Walt standing in front. An image that makes any Disney fan just sigh with contentment. From there you can just start touching various park icons to discover how you can explore. Some attractions will feature a photo, others a short video of the ride in action, and still others will offer an interactive game or activity.

Disneyland Explorer iPad App — Pirates of the Caribbean game

As you scroll through the different lands, the music blends seamlessly from one area to the next and each new land offers lush backgrounds and foregrounds with all your familiar favorite scenes. It’s just wonderful. Once you explore all of Disneyland, the landscape continues to the Disneyland Resort hotels, Downtown Disney District and then on to California Adventure. There’s even a section for Cars Land, opening soon – so I’m sure the app will be updated in the future with more interactive elements. [edit: just heard from one of the developers that they are working on this update and the Buena Vista Street area as we speak!] You then end up back on Main Street, U.S.A. and back down to the Castle to explore all over again. (I won’t give away all the surprises, but there are a lot of them!)

Quite a few of the interactive games are perfect for little ones and rated my 3 year-old’s seal of approval. Now I know I can keep him entertained with Ariel’s undersea friends, any time of the day. I think my favorite games were trying to capture a photo of the Yeti from Matterhorn (I wish it saved these to my photos on my iPad!) and the epic pirate battle within Pirates of the Caribbean. You can even enter the Animation Academy and learn how to draw one of the Fab 4 characters. There’s also a menu button to press and see all of the location choices in list form, in case you want to look for a particular attraction or dining location.

I know I will spend hours just relaxing and enjoying the magic of this little app – free from the AppStore. It is the perfect pick-me-up in between Disneyland visits. I can imagine something like this for the Walt Disney World Resort would require many more months of creation time, but I have hope they’ll be releasing one for the Florida parks and even better – the international parks. I may never let my iPad leave my side if that were to happen. If you need even more convincing, enjoy the Disneyland Explorer preview video below —

Here is the official press release for the app:

The magical sights and sounds of Disneyland Resort can now be discovered with “Disneyland Explorer,”the official Disney Parks app available for iPad. The free app invites parents and kids to explore some of the many thrilling and whimsical experiences that can be found at Disneyland Resort, a premiere, multi-day, family vacation destination in Southern California.

With “Disneyland Explorer,” users can swipe their way from Pirates of the Caribbean to “World of Color” to themed suites at the Disneyland Hotel, discovering more than 100 exciting things to see and do across the resort. Users tap beautiful images, animation and interactive touch points that represent experiences inside Disneyland park, Disney California Adventure park, Downtown Disney District and all three hotels of the Disneyland Resort.

Touch points within the photo-realistic carousel reveal photos, videos and special activities inspired by classic attractions and entertainment. As users explore the Resort, day changes to night with spectacular colors, lights, and fireworks.

Animations are triggered as users scroll through the parks, hotels and Downtown Disney District, revealing surprises such as Dumbo in flight above Sleeping Beauty Castle. Users discover items that are both fun and historical, from the Mad Hatter popping out of a tea cup to vintage video of Walt Disney dedicating Disneyland.

Users will:

Tour the galaxy with Star Tours – the Adventures Continue
Learn to draw their favorite Disney characters at the Animation Academy
Create their own musical water show in “World of Color”
Steer a Soarin’ hang glider over California, while collecting and sharing personalized postcards
Bring the iconic dolls of “it’s a small world” to life and hear the classic song in five different languages
Snap photos of the elusive Yeti as he roams across Matterhorn Mountain
Take part in a raging sea battle in Pirates of the Caribbean

“Disneyland Explorer” is a free app, available exclusively from App Store on iPad (www.itunes.com/appstore). More of the fun and excitement at the Disneyland Resort will become available on “Disneyland Explorer” throughout the year.

Tinker Bell Disney Dooney & Bourke Bags to Debut at Disneyland Half Marathon

24 January 2012 by Suzannah Otis 7 Comments

Ok, now it’s bad enough that Disneyland’s inaugural 1/2 Marathon has a Tinker Bell theme and I will not be able to attend (or run for that matter!) but now DisneyParks Blog has just announced that a new Disney Dooney & Bourke bags with the Tink design will also debut for the weekend! Torture, I tell ya!

Here’s what we know so far:

It looks like there are three styles, all previously released – the Medium Tote will be $198, Letter Carrier will be $168 and Flap Wristlet will be $49. The Art of Disney Parks site notes that these purses will feature the special inaugural Disneyland 1/2 Marathon hanging tags – the green tag shown in the photos. This is the first time the name of an event will ever be placed on a Disney Dooney & Bourke bag. I personally love the design, and may have to contact my Disneyland pals to pick me up one! I may not be running THIS half marathon, but I will some day! 😉

Here is some new information about the bags:

My source tells me from their understanding they won’t be carried online at this point. They are also advising guests who are interested that they will need to wait until after the marathon to inquire with Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Merchandise Guest Services at 1-877-560-6477 or send an email to: [email protected]

Dooney & Bourke Tinker Bell Half Marathon medallion

Dooney & Bourke Tinker Bell Half Marathon medium tote

Dooney & Bourke Tinker Bell Half Marathon letter carrier

Dooney & Bourke Tinker Bell Half Marathon wristlet

Dooney & Bourke Tinker Bell Half Marathon wristlet back

Don’t forget to check DisneyStore.com for sales of select current released Disney Dooney & Bourke purses and Zannaland’s Disney Dooney & Bourke page with ALL handbag photos and info.

*DisneyStore.com links are affiliate links, which means it costs you nothing extra to click or buy, but if you do, I get a small commission. Thanks for reading!

Kinect Disneyland Adventures Gameplay Preview

4 November 2011 by Suzannah Otis Leave a Comment

During our first Disneyland visit we managed to squeeze a little D23 Expo in, including this fun preview of the Disneyland Adventures game for Xbox 360’s Kinect. Santa brought my eldest a Kinect last year, and he has loved playing Dance Central, Kinectimals and Kinect Sports. There are absolutely no controllers for the Kinect, because YOU are the controller. It’s pretty amazing and once you get used to it, a great immersive game experience.

Friend and zannaland correspondent Nicole Siscaretti got to experience Disneyland Adventures first hand, as one of the games creators explains the ins and outs of the game. Things like “you never die in Disneyland” (you just splat and come right back) and how you collect coins and can then purchase costumes for your avatar in Bibiddi Bobbidi Boutique within the game.

Kinect Disneyland Adventures arrives in stores November 15th. Be sure to pick it up for your adventurer or the whole family!

…Here are some screenshots of the game to entice you, the created world is just breathtaking!

Main Street, USA in Disneyland Adventures — Walk right down the middle of Main Street, U.S.A.

Alice Croquet Ball — Become Alice's croquet ball!

VIDEO: Magical Disneyland Memories (and a little D23 Expo too)

29 August 2011 by Suzannah Otis 8 Comments

I mentioned before as a preface to my D23 Expo Primer guest post by Carrie Hayward that I was visiting Disneyland for the first time during our journey out west to see the Expo. Not only was it my first time visiting California and the Disneyland Resort, it was my first time flying since 1997! So, I was a bit nervous, but I survived and actually liked it!

Now usually, I am a photo-holic and take pictures of any and everything when I visit a place for the first time. However in this instance, I was so completely overwhelmed by the experience, that I found myself without photos of a lot of what we saw when I returned home. (I still have quite a few, and I’ll be posting them over the next few weeks.)

Nicole and Zanna on Small World — Nicole and I on "it's a small world" Where else but Disney could we get away with those hats?? (photo by Becky Staudt)

That said, I wouldn’t change it for the world. I’ve seen tons of photos of Disneyland, even ride videos, but nothing compares to walking down Main Street, U.S.A. that first time and seeing it all before you in living, breathing color. So while I’m still sharing our memories here with you, my real purpose in writing this post is to implore, even beg any Disney fan that has not yet made the pilgrimage to the “motherland” to do so. If you’re anything like my friends and me, it will change your life.

Now first, a little backstory. I decided to make this journey westward thanks to an amazing friend of mine, Nicole Siscaretti. She is not only a wonderful, caring person, but she’s also going to be a star some day, so you can watch these videos and say later, “ahh, I knew her when…” Nicole was part of our team for the D23 WDW Scavenger Hunt we did a few months back and it was then that I really got to know what a special person she was. After spending the last few months hanging out and “planning” our conquest of Disneyland (I say that in quotes because this was probably the least planned trip either of us had ever taken), she is like a little sister to me. In addition, she loves making fun videos on her iPhone andlooks WAY better on camera than me, so I’m pleased to be able to share a highlight reel of our Disneyland adventures thanks to her.

Before sharing her Disneyland video, I must explain one other thing. Nicole actually embarked on a quest that most people don’t even dream of – visiting all 6 Disney Parks in the US in one day. Nicole had asked me to join her and I was all set to do so before a last minute meeting had to happen at 9 on the morning we left for California. So I got to take the easy way out and only went to the 2 west coast parks. Nicole persevered and accomplished her goal. You can see her Six Parks One Day adventure on YouTube!

And now, without further ado, here are just a handful of our amazing Disneyland memories, shared with local Florida friends, west coast friends and new friends from all over! Disney fans may recognize the famous Scott Otis (@otisney on twitter) and the equally famous Michael Crawford from ProgressCityUSA.com (@ProgressCityUSA on twitter), two great friends from whom we were lucky enough to get amazing Disneyland history and backstory as we toured the lands!

I hope you enjoyed our video and if you’ve never been, do make plans to get to Disneyland some day soon, it is simply incredible!

Disney Parks Memories Sweepstakes-Win a Vacation to Disney!

18 February 2011 by Suzannah Otis 2 Comments

Let the Memories Begin with the Disney Parks Memories Sweepstakes!

Enter the Disney Parks Memories Sweepstakes for a chance to win a 4-person family vacation to a Disney Resort each week in February 2011!

Guests can enter either online or via mobile once a day for the chance to win:

· Current week: 5-days, 4-nights at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida

· Week 4: 7-days, 6-nights at any Disney Resort worldwide

Guests can also go to the sweepstakes site each day to download the Daily Digital Download, featuring exclusives such as Disney-themed picture frames, wallpapers and more.

The sweepstakes runs from now until Feb. 28, 2011. For rules, please see: Official Rules