My family is the biggest fans of all things Disney and Walt Disney World. My husband and I have been traveling to Disney since our honeymoon. We know all the best tips and tricks for navigating your family’s Walt Disney World Vacation on any budget.
We’ve watched all the movies and shows. We own all the costumes and we can throw a Disney party based on any movie. We can be your resource for all things Disney and how to Disney like an insider.
How to make an Elsa Costume? My girls loved Frozen and there are no Elsa costumes to be found….anywhere. We are in desperate need of an Elsa costume. My girls have Elsa on the brain and want to eat, sleep and be Elsa. We are living in a Frozen state of mind over here and I am not even referring to the below zero temperatures and 4 foot of snow in my front yard. I am talking all things Elsa, Olaf, Anna, Sven and Cristophe. I am talking Let it Go, all day every day. I am talking sisterly love and all things winter.
My Bella is turning 9 next Monday and so we are throwing the Frozen party to end all parties because what else do you do for the soon to be 9-year-old who is gaga for Elsa and completely obsessed with her own #Disneyside. Every year, the girls have had themed birthday parties and every year there have been costumes. Yes, Costumes! There have been Fairies, Dora, Fancy Nancy, Pink Poodles in Paris, Moulin Rouge, Alice in Wonderland, 60’ peace and Love and a pajama party. We’ve had Princesses, Tinker Belle, Fancy Nancy again, Madeline, Rocker chicks and butterfly magic. Costumes .every.single.time and sometimes even a Harlem Shake.
This year, we had to have Frozen themed Party and Bella wanted an Elsa costume. Only, if you have been online or to the Disney store, you know that there are no Frozen costumes left unless you go to eBay and pay with your first-born. I’d prefer to keep my first-born. Think I could just hire Elsa to come reign over this Frozen soiree and use her magic? That would make life so much easier for all of us and absolutely unforgettable for my own little princess.
READ ALSO: What is Disney Creator Days and How to Get Invited
My girls are both pretty tall so the only dress up dress that my 8-year-old can wear at 4’ 9” are Disney because they go up to size XL (if you buy them on grounds) but since we live in the middle of the country, we must improvise.
Last year, we started hitting garage sales and vintage stores in search of costumes from ballet productions, prom and wedding dresses. The girls have gotten some really beautiful dresses to play dress up in and make great costumes. Remember Halloween’s Magenta costume?
READ ALSO: Recipes for the Perfect Frozen Party
I am not a seamstress, wish I were, but I am creative and I can hand-stitch the hell out of anything and just so happens that I have a Mother-in-law who can sew anything. The only things that surpasses her sewing abilities is her imagination and her big heart.
So, we scoured our supply and found a beautiful prom dress that could be perfect except it was lavender. Everyone knows Elsa’s dress is that beautiful shimmery bluish/green. I set out to try to dye it.
I bought some Dylon dye in Bahama blue at Walmart. I went home, rinsed and drained the $3 garage sale prom dress. Followed the directions on the Dylon Dye ( mixed it with 4 cups of warm water to dissolve. Filled the sink up with lukewarm water and 4 teaspoons of salt, mixed well and submerged the entire dress into the sink. Then proceeded to mix well for 45 minutes. I used my hands. I suggest using rubber gloves. I did not and have the bluish hued hands to prove it.
I can tell you that I learned a valuable lesson; polyester prom dress shells do not dye. The lavender shell turned more of a grey silver (perfect in my mind) and all the lavender fabric flowers with sparkly glitter on the overlay turned that gorgeous bluish/greenish color of Elsa’s dress. It looks amazing and only cost me $6.00.
READ ALSO: How to have a Quality Fashion Wardrobe on a Budget
The dress is strapless and Elsa’s has sleeves, so we are using silver sparkly gloves that come to just above my daughter’s elbow. The infamous sparkly cape? Well, while rummaging through fabric remnants at Grandma’s house we found the perfect 2.5 yards of sheer fabric with sparkly shimmer already on it. Grandma gave it a seam and made it into a cape that can easily attach to the back straps of Elsa’ dress.
To complete the look, I will be spraying Bella’s hair white and putting it into a loose French braid and she will be wearing silver sandals that she already had around the house.
The entire costume cost me $6.00 versus $200 on eBay. Even if you don’t just happen to have an old prom dress laying around the house for dress-up purposes, why not repurpose one of your old Bridesmaids outfits (God knows you’ll never wear it again), hit the local Goodwill or just use an old flower girl dress of your child’s. The dye I picked up matched the color perfectly. The packet says it dyes ½ pound to the color of on the package. The dress I dyed was 11 pounds and I only used one packet. It dyed it to the perfect shade.
We’re not all great seamstresses and I am here to tell you that with a little imagination and ingenuity, you can make all your child’s Frozen dreams come true. Now, to get started on my youngest’s Olaf costume. Oh, you thought she’d want to be Anna? Nope, she likes to break the mold. I’ll share her costume later this week and I will be showing all kinds of great crafts, decorating ideas and recipes to host your very own awesome Frozen party! I will also have plenty of photos this weekend with the complete hair, makeup and costume together. Can’t wait to share.
To make my girls happy is easy, just add Disney.February is halfway done and I can feel March coming a little too quickly. My daughter is turning 9. 9!! I’ve been really busy trying to plan a great surprise destination spring break for the girls but I don’t want to sweep the birthday under the rug, even though it is just 2 short weeks before spring break. I want it to be special but not outrageously priced. Bella is completely happy with a small party. She’s had extravagant parties every year since she was born. She had asked to take a few of her girlfriends bowling and out for pizza and we were perfectly happy to do that but now life has presented us with a theme; Disney!
It just so happens that Bella has only asked for two things for her birthday; American Girl of the year, Isabelle, and the Disney Pocahontas dress up outfit. The surprise spring break destination is Disney World. Shhhh! Don’t tell the girls. I was also selected to host a Disney Side party, which the girls are thrilled about sharing with their friends and today, I partnered with Feld Entertainment and Disney On Ice and I will be taking the girls to see Disney On Ice Princesses and Heroes!
It’s all the breathtaking ice-skating of Disney on Ice with all the princesses and heroes that my little girls love so much. Not just one or two of the princesses but all of our favorites, Ariel as she yearns to explore the world above the waves and Prince Eric breaks Ursula’s slithering spell to reclaim his one true love. See Prince Philip defeat the evil Maleficent as she transforms herself into a fire-breathing dragon in a race against time to rescue Sleeping Beauty’sAurora. Be there to discover a whole new world with Jasmine and Aladdin. And, watch in awe as the dreams of Cinderella, Belle, Snow White, Rapunzel and Tiana
Our spring is most definitely themed by Disney and I can’t wait to give my girls all these little Disney surprises. They have no idea any of this is in the works, with the exception of the #DisneySide party. I can’t wait to see their faces.
You can get your own tickets for a discounted price of $3 off all performances except opening night by going here and using the promo code MICKEY.
Disclosure: I was not compensated for this post but I am being provided tickets to the show for review purposes.
We’ve been waiting for Disney’s latest picture Frozen and it’s finally here! This morning we took our girls to see Disney’s Frozen. I will be honest, I wasn’t expecting much from the movie. Don’t get me wrong, I am a big Disney fan but from the promos it looked very hokey. I think it was Olaf the snowman. Very cute but I just had no idea what the lesson of the movie was going to be.
I found out pretty quickly.
Frozen is the charming tale about two princesses who are sisters, Elsa (Idina Menzel), the eldest child of the King and Queen of Arendelle, has the power to freeze things and Anna (Kristen Bell), the younger sister who admires her big sister.
After a small mishap with her powers, Anna is made to forget about Elsa’s powers and Elsa and Anna are separated as children. Soon after, the Queen and King are in a fatal accident and die. The girls are left with no one but each other and Elsa keeps herself away from her little sister, for fear that she will accidentally injure her again.
Time passes and the girls grow up and apart but at the heart of it all, they are still sisters and their love is a bond that not even time can alter. The day comes for Elsa to be crowned queen and with trepidation she opens the castle gates to the public once again. After years of being separated from one another and their subjects, the two girls are once again face-to-face.
The love is palpable but still, for Anna’s safety, Elsa must distance herself.
An incident occurs and again, Elsa finds herself feeling vulnerable and incapable of controlling her powers around people. She runs off into the frozen abyss and as her emotions run high, her powers freeze Arendelle.
Fearless optimist Anna sets off on an epic journey, teaming up with rugged mountain man Kristoff (Jonathan Groff) and his loyal reindeer Sven, to find her sister Elsa, whose icy powers have trapped the kingdom of Arendelle in eternal winter. Encountering Everest-like conditions, mystical trolls and a hilarious snowman named Olaf (voice of Josh Gad), Anna and Kristoff battle the elements in a race to save the kingdom.
On the way, they unexpectedly find love and Anna sacrifices her own safety to break through the icy exterior that surrounds Elsa’s heart. Her act of unconditional love proves once and for all to Elsa that love can conquer all and with your sister to support and love you, there is no obstacle too big and no winter too cold to weather.
I loved this movie so much because it was not about a princess who is saved by a prince charming, but about the love and bond that sisters share. In the end, Elsa’s one true love was her little sister, Anna, because no matter the time that had passed or the incredible circumstances that they had to muddle through, her sister was always there for her.
Anna’s selfless kindness saved Elsa’s life and in turn, showed her that warmth emanated from within and in that moment, Elsa unfroze Arendelle and they all lived happily ever after.
This is one of my new favorite Disney movies, tied for first with The Princess Frog and Brave.
What’s your favorite Disney movie?
In a couple weeks, Disney Junior Live On Tour! Pirate & Princess Adventure is coming to our town and lucky me, I’ve been offered tickets for review to take my girls. They will be ecstatic. They love Sofia the First and Jake and the Neverland pirates. A little bird also told me that there might be a couple surprise guests; paging Doc McStuffins! I can’t wait to surprise my girls on Friday October 25 th, when I pick them up from school and announce that we will be seeing this production!
I’ll have to be sure to grab a couple tiaras and doubloons before we head out. Mickey and Minnie are taking their seats too at this never-before-seen live show featuring our favorite characters from Disney Junior’s hit series, Sofia the First and Jake and the Never Land Pirates. I hear Sofia and her family are preparing for a royal celebration that helps us all learn the true meaning of being a princess with a special appearance from Cinderella. Cinderella!!! My girls are going to go crazy!
Then it’s off to Never Land where Jake and his swashbuckling friends Izzy and Cubby, with a little help from Peter Pan, battle Captain Hook to unlock treasure hidden inside a mysterious volcano. It’s danger and dueling on the high seas as Jake discovers what it takes to be a true hero.
Filled with new music, amazing effects, thrilling action and endless surprises, I’m sure our whole family will enjoy Disney Junior Live On Tour! Pirate & Princess Adventure!
Special bonus! Starting ten minutes before every performance you can join the loveable Doc McStuffins for a special pre-show! You and your child can help Doc take care of one of her beloved toys with her own special brand of love and magic. Maybe it will be Lambie???? I hope so.
I will be there! Will you? If you want to go you can buy tickets here and bonus you can save $5 per ticket by using the promo code “BLOG” ! Hope to see you there.
Disclaimer: I am being provided tickets to DIsney Junior Live Tour! Pirate and Princess Adventure but all opinions are my own!
Vince Vaughn has a new film, Delivery Man, coming out on November 22, 2013 but today, I, along with 532 of my fellow bloggers, will be exclusively debuting the trailer not yet released. I’ve seen it and before I give you the synopsis, I need to tell you that I think this movie tells a wonderful story of the human situation. I’ve never seen Vince Vaughn play a more likable or endearing character. The film is funny and heartwarming. I can’t wait to see this movie on the big screen.
In the film, Delivery Man, Vince Vaughn plays David Wozniak, an affable underachiever with a knack for making bad decisions in his life. He is unreliable to those who depend on him; his father, his friends and his girlfriend. He’s been stuck in a rut but believes that everyone has a purpose in life; he just hasn’t found his yet.
In 1994, David Wozniak anonymously donated to a fertility clinic but to his shock, due to a mix up at the clinic, he is the biological father to 533 children. Now, he must decide whether or not to come forward when 142 of them are suing to meet their biological father.
David is given an envelope containing the files and information on the 142 children who want to know who he is. Curiosity gets the best of him and soon, against advice from his friend/attorney, he opens the envelope and begins to secretly insert himself into his children’s lives, acting as their “guardian angel”.
Suddenly, the scariest thing to happen to David Wozniak has become, what he believes may very well be, the most beautiful thing to ever happen to him. The children he fathered need someone to look out for them and in the blink of an eye, a selfish, purposeless man, David, has found the greatest purpose of his life, fatherhood. For the first time in his life, he is doing the right thing and life is great.
The movie reminds us, what many parents already know, you are never quite ready for what life delivers but sometimes the best day of your life is embracing the gifts you are given, no matter how unexpected or unplanned they may have been.
In the end, David Wozniak has everything, he never knew that he always wanted; a strange, oversized, amazing family and life. Finally, his life has a greater purpose than himself.
Family comes in all shapes and sizes and even though what we have may not be what we expected our life to look like, it may just be exactly what we needed.
Finally, without further ado, here is the debut of the official Delivery Man trailer:
DELIVERY MAN stars Vince Vaughn, Cobie Smulders and Chris Pratt and will be in theaters November 22. This movie is for adults and not small children. It is rated PG-13 for mature themes.
One of my daughter’s favorite Disney features ( aside from princesses, of course) has always been Monster’s, Inc. I think they related to Boo. Makes sense with all the nightmares of chickens and lemurs. Boo was there people. Well, there is a new film in the series, Monster’s University and my girls can not wait to see what Mike, Sully and Boo are up to!
The heartwarming story of two “monsters” Mike Wazowski and his best friend, James P. Sullivan who work as “scarers” at Monsters, Inc. but somehow one night while on duty, a toddler, affectionately known as Boo by Sulley, follows the two back and changes their lives and perspectives on scaring forever.
Mike: “Boo? What’s Boo?”
Sulley: That’s… what I decided to call her. Is there a problem?”
Mike: “Sulley, you’re not supposed to name it. Once you name it, you start getting attached to it. Now put that thing back where it came from or so help me!”—Mike and Sulley, Monster’s Inc.
Ever since college-bound Mike Wazowski (Billy Crystal) was a little monster, he has dreamed of becoming a Scarer and everyone knows the best Scarers graduate from Monsters University (MU). Mike is realizing his dream and attending Monsters University when life throws him a curve ball.
Unfortunately for Mike, during his very first semester at MU, his plans go awry when his life becomes entangled with hotshot James P. Sullivan, “Sulley” (John Goodman), a natural-born Scarer. There is nothing more frustrating that trying your best to reach your goal in life and having someone who it comes so easily too as your competition.
Mike finds himself working twice as hard as he ever thought he’d have to.
The pair’s super competitive spirit and accompanying hi-jinks gets them both evicted from the University’s elite Scare Program. To the chagrin of both Mike and Sulley, being evicted from the program was the last thing either had on their minds.
To complicate the situation even more so, they realize they will have to work together, along with a very odd bunch of misfit monsters, if they ever hope of having any chance to get back into the program.
I’m sure the movie is hilariously cute, like Monster’s Inc., and will most likely leave you with a lesson on friendship, working together and a serious case of the warm fuzzies, just like its predecessor.
Disney Pixar’s Monster’s University is directed by Dan Scanlon, who directed Cars, produced by Koi Rae, who produced Up and the Incredibles, and features a score by award-winning composer Randy Newman, who’s scored more films than I can recall, but he did score Monsters,Inc., and even more memorably, the Toy Story series.
There is just something about a giant, hairy blue monster with purple spots that makes you want to cuddle him right up like a giant teddy bear, and Mike Wazowski with his what should be one-eye gouging constant “I told you so” monologue is as endearing as ever.
Monsters University defies logic, so forget what you’ve always been taught about monsters and prepare to fall in love with Mike and Sulley all over again.
The Oscar nominated Monsters, Inc. was originally released in theaters on November 2, 2001. The new film in the series, Monsters University will be in U.S. theaters nearly 12 years after the original Monsters, Inc. making its theatrical debut on June 21, 2013.
If you can’t wait until then, here is a sneak peak.
Photo Source: Disney Pixar
Did your kids love Finding Nemo? Mine too! They we’re particularly taken with Dory. I wonder what ever happened to Dory? Did her short term memory every recover?
Word is Disney Pixar has a new animated picture in the works that many of us have been waiting a decade for: Finding Dory. Finding Dory will be the second film in the Finding Nemo series.
Ellen Degeneres, the voice of Dory the blue tang fish with no short-term memory in Finding Nemo, will be starring in her very own feature film coming November 2015.
For me, Dory stole the show in finding Nemo. Ellen Degeneres’ voice endeared Dory to our hearts with her forgetful memory and sweet disposition. When Dory said her famous line, “just keep swimming” in Finding Nemo, she could never have imagined where that phrase would take her.
The story takes place in the same extraordinary underwater world created in Finding Nemo. One thing everyone has wanted to know since Dory first appeared in Finding Nemo was why was she all by herself in the ocean on the day she met Marlin.
In Finding Dory, the question will be answered and Dory will be reunited with her loved ones, meanwhile learning a few things about the importance of family.
Finding Dory will take place about a year after the first film and feature Finding Nemo favorites like Marlin, Nemo and the Tank Gang from 42 Wallaby Way. The movie will partly take place along the California coastline. Finding Dory will also welcome new characters, including a few who will prove to be a very important part of Dory’s life.
My girls cannot wait to see Finding Dory in theaters and neither can I. We loved Finding Nemo and cannot see what new adventure the group will embark on.
**UPDATE 12/09/14
The primary setting of Andrew Stanton‘s 2016 Pixar sequel, Finding Dory, has been revealed. A new interview with Pixar President Jim Morris revealed that the bulk of the movie – which follows Dory (Ellen DeGeneres) on a quest to remember her past and find her parents – takes place in another aquatic location.
The film takes place several months after the first movie. Dory (DeGeneres) is living with Marlin (Albert Brooks) and Nemo on their reef; she goes with Nemo on a school trip. On the trip, memories are triggered, and they begin an adventure that will lead her to her family.
The majority of the movie takes place at the “Marine Biology Institute of California,” described as “a huge rehabilitation complex for marine and aquarium life. Dory learns that there she was born and raised and was released in the ocean still young.”
By setting the story at the Marine Biology Institute, the door is opened for a ton of new characters. There are Dory’s parents Charlie and Jenny, voiced by Eugene Levy and Diane Keaton, as well as a funny beluga whale, Bailey, voiced by Ty Burrell. We’d also heard Idris Elba and Domenic West will lend their voices to the film. Of course, there’s still the possibility of Dory, Marlin, and Nemo running into some old familiar Finding Nemo faces. We’ve already heard Gill and Deb will be making the return.
Finding Dory opens June 17, 2016.
Are you excited as I am??
Guess who’s taking her girls to see Disney on Ice presents Worlds of Fantasy? This Mommy. My family loves all things Disney so I was pretty stoked when I was invited to attend and review the show. It’s always a special treat when your work can include your children. It’s the best of both worlds, really.
We all know that Disney World is a magical place filled with fairy dust and fueled on the laughter and happiness of children. It happens to be one of our favorite places, and when I say our, I mean my husband and I.
For some reason, it seems like since we had children we just haven’t had the time or money to go. Nonetheless, we love Disney and our girls desperately want to go.
We are actually planning on surprising them with a couple days in Disney World in June, as a side trip on a surprise visit to Orlando. I plan on filming them when we tell them. Stay tuned. I am pretty sure that my 7-year-old might just faint on the spot and my 4-year-old, I am fairly positive that she will do a happy dance along with some woohoo! followed by some, ” You’re the best mommy I ever had!” I can’t wait.
But it made me think, with only two days to blow my little girls’ minds, I better figure out what the coolest things to do at Disney World with little kids actually is.
I am sure there are loads more that I am forgetting, but for right now, these are on my list.
What do you recommend as a must see at Disney World for a 4 and 7 year old?
Oh my Goodness! I’m so excited and I just can’t hide it. Oz the Great and Powerful is coming to a theater to you next year! I can’t wait to see what Disney is going to do to up the Wizard of Oz game. It’s going to be hard to live up to the standard but I can’t wait to see them try!
As a child, every Thanksgiving when I was growing up, watching the Wizard of Oz as a family was a yearly tradition.
After dinner and all the family had gone home, my mother would sit with my brothers and sisters and I and we’d snuggle into palettes on the floor and watch on in enchantment as Dorothy left Kansas and found her way atop the witch and her magical adventure to find her way back home through Oz. I still get the warm fuzzies when I think about it.
I’ve since watched the Wizard of Oz several times with my own children, and I still find it as endearing at 40 as I did at 3. I’ve even read the girls some of the L.Frank Baum books. When I heard that Disney was coming out with a movie Oz the Great and Powerful, I was thrilled. I can’t wait to see what it is all about.
Disney’s new fantasy adventure, Oz The Great and Powerful, the prequel to the beloved Wizard of Oz, was directed by Sam Raimi. The movie brings to life the story of how Oscar Diggs, played by James Franco, comes to Oz.
Diggs is a circus magician with questionable morals. He is hurled away from Kansas (much like Dorothy is in the Wizard of Oz) to the Land of Oz, beautiful vibrant land.
At first, he believes that this is his opportunity for fame and fortune until he encounters three witches, Theodora (Mila Kunis), Evanora (Rachel Weisz) and Glinda (Michelle Williams). The witches are not sure that Diggs is the great and powerful wizard that everyone in Oz has been expecting, but they cautiously allow him to prove himself .
Before long, Oscar Diggs finds himself immersed in all the issues that are facing the people of Oz and he must race against time to determine who is good and who is evil before it is too late. Using his magic of illusion and a bit of wizardly ingenuity, Diggs soon transforms himself into the great and powerful Oz and a better man, as well.
I’m excited to see this movie. I’ve seen several clips and the colors and cinematography definitely lend themselves to making the land of Oz a beautiful and fantastical setting.
This movie will be something that we can start a new tradition with our own children. The beauty of the scenery and the engaging storyline will definitely transport you to the land of Oz while you are watching the movie. The bar was set high with the original, but from what I’ve seen, this prequel will definitely live up to its namesake.
Oz The Great and Powerful opened in U.S. theaters on March 8, 2013. It opened two days before my daughter’s birthday and she’d already planned that we will be going to see this as a family. I can’t wait to see the expressions on my girls’ faces as they watch the movie for the first time.
I still remember the first time I saw the Wizard of Oz, it was magical and I have never forgotten it.
We’ll be seeing it on March 14, 2013. Will you? Will you take your children to see it?
Photo Source: Disney