I am in the process of writing up my trip report including a lot of information on Star Wars. I loved everything about it – the theming, the shops, the restaurants, Smuggler’s Run, the food, and of course, the Merchandise! There were the neatest things in these stores. These are items that have not been sold before and were created just for Galaxy’s Edge. I was so excited to see and play with them and we brought home quite a few souvenirs. While I write my trip report, I wanted to share this video with you. This is from D-23 and they share a lot of what is up for purchase when you visit Galaxy’s Edge at Walt Disney World or Disneyland. Check it out!
My Trip report and a further, more in-depth look of Star Wars Land should be up this weekend but I thought this was fun in the meantime! Enjoy!
If you are ready to visit Galaxy’s Edge to build your own Droid or take home some of this other amazing Star Wars Merchandise, contact me today and Let’s Turn Your Disney Dreams into Magical Memories!
Disneyland’s Entertainment District has so much to offer. Disney has written up a quick guide for guests to have so that they can enjoy all that there is to offer.
Directly From Disney:
“PLAY!
Step into the Star Wars universe with the hyper-reality, multi-sensory Star Wars:
Secrets of the Empire by ILMxLAB and The VOID. Your Clients will go
undercover as a stormtrooper to capture Imperial intelligence vital to
the budding rebellion’s survival!
Bowl a few frames at one of the 20 lanes at Splitsville Luxury
Lanes, a one-of-a-kind dining and entertainment destination. Your
Clients can pop in anytime for lunch or dinner and enjoy the outdoor
patio with live entertainment!
After dark, Downtown Disney is bustling with live
music at the main stage, strolling performers throughout the promenade
and “meet the artist” events on select dates in WonderGround Gallery.
SHOP!
Sprinkled with pixie dust, magical moments and eye-catching
collections, the redesigned flagship World of Disney store is where your
Clients can step into the art of Disney storytelling and shop the
biggest selection of Disney wares on the West Coast.
The Disney Dress Shop has quickly become a fan-favorite boutique
with retro-designed apparel and accessories inspired by favorite Disney
characters and theme park attractions.
The family-owned boutique, Sugarboo & Co., features charming
home goods, paper products, handmade ceramics, candles, bath apothecary
and stamped jewelry—all with a touch of whimsy.
For pampering products, head to Rinse Bath & Body Co., a new
boutique featuring natural products, handmade soaps, body oils, bath
bombs, lip balms and more.
Disney Home offers fans a curated assortment of Disney-themed
treasures for the home—from glassware and linens, to kitchen goods and
more.
EAT!
Black Tap Craft Burgers & Shakes opened its first California location in the heart of Downtown Disney. Along with award-winning burgers, signature CrazyShake milkshakes, hearty salads and appetizers, the atmosphere gives a trendy New York diner vibe,
Popular craft brewer Ballast Point Brewing Company’s first Orange County location serves 50 of its innovative beers across 100 taps, including its flagship Sculpin IPA and limited-edition beers exclusive to Downtown Disney. Your Clients can pair their favorite beer with brewpub-style dishes!
Enjoy expertly-crafted Italian meals at Naples Ristorante e Bar renovation. Its recent renovation upgraded the restaurant’s beautiful two-story dining venue, featuring twinkling chandeliers upstairs, a modern feel downstairs, gorgeous patios and an open kitchen.
Next door, Napolini offers create-your-own Neopolitan-style pizzas, to be enjoyed with a fresh salad and Italian soda on the patio.
The family-run scoop shop, Salt & Straw, is known for its taste-provoking, imaginative creations—handmade in small batches using local, organic and sustainable ingredients.
Wetzel’s Pretzels’ flagship location features a bright, breezy California-inspired design—complementing its full line of popular pretzels, Wetzel’s Dogs, Bitz, and fresh and frozen lemonade. “
There are so many wonderful opportunities to explore at Downtown Disney District. Plan a trip to Disneyland today and take full advantage of all that the Downtown Disney District has to offer. If you have a trip planned to Disneyland, be sure to check it out. If you do not yet have a trip planned and would like to look into pricing or have other questions, contact me today! My services are free of charge and qualifying orders will receive our Minnie Box. A gift to you as a thank you for letting us be a part of your magic. Full of wonder & surprises, our Minnie Box will provide treats and guide you through your stay. See ya Real Soon!
Since I shared what is new in Disney World this Halloween season, I wanted to also relay what would be new in Disneyland!
Disney California Adventure Park will present Oogie Boogie Bash! This will be a separate ticket event that offers special entertainment, food, characters, and trick or treating.
An awesome new version of World of Color will be shown. “Villainous!” will be hosted by Oogie Boogie himself and is sure to provide some screams. Other Halloween entertainment will include a Descendants Dance Party, Mickey Stage Show, Frightfully Fun Parade, Trick or Treating on immersive treat trails and a new interactive trail provided by Disney Villains.
Guests are encouraged to dress up in their favorite Halloween Costume. This Bash will start on September 17th and take place on 20 select nights. Get your tickets now, as they will sell out!
To plan a trip to Disneyland and add this Spooky event to your itinerary, contact me today!
On the Ninth Day of Christmas in July, Flynn Rider Gave to Me::
Traveling for the Holidays
Vacations are a great time to bond with your family and loved ones. Taking a trip during the holidays to a Disney Destination creates that bonding experience in a magical and whimsical setting. Disneyland is a wonderful place to visit any time of year but shines brightest during the holidays. You cannot go wrong with all it has to offer including the Downtown Disney District.
The Downtown Disney District is decorated with large beautiful trees, planters full of holiday plants & giant ornaments, and Lights, lights lights! It is a lovely little winter wonderland to stroll through. Why not get some of your Holiday Shopping done while you are there? There are many shops to peruse including the World of Disney. With all that shopping, if you work up an appetite there are several eateries to choose from. The eateries will have seasonal specialties for you to try like holiday themed ice cream, cookies, cotton candy, and more! Grab one of the many bites because next you are going to want to sit and watch some of the many forms of Holiday Entertainment, they have carolers in ugly sweaters, musicians, magicians and so much more. It is a fantastic addition to any Disneyland trip during the Holidays and I hope you get to enjoy it!
Giving a Disney Destination as a Gift for the Holidays
Get your Holiday Shopping done early and reserve a Disney Vacation Package! Something fun we do while we are anticipating a Disney Destination Trip is to count down the days. There are many ways to do this but our family personally likes a display out in the open where we can all see it. We made one out of construction paper and clothes pins about 7 years ago and we still use it. It hangs on the fridge and they take turns changing the numbers of the display each morning. It is something small that we all do together each morning before we leave for work and school. This is one of the first things we “wrap” and include when we gift them a Disney Destination Trip for the Holidays. It is just simple Mickey Ears so it works for any destination. Once they tear off all the paper and see that countdown, they know they have a Disney Destination in their near future and they LOVE it.
There are many different kinds you can make – some more intricate than others and they can all be found on Pinterest. You can also purchase a ready made countdown from a place like Etsy. I have been eyeballing a Disney Cruise Countdown made of wooden blocks. We will definitely be adding that to the purchase list before our cruise next year.
Trivia
In Olaf’s Frozen Adventure, What Happens Each Time Elsa Sneezes?
Contact Me
If you would like assistance reserving a trip to a Disney Destination
for the 2019 Holidays or if you would like to beat ALL the Holiday
Shopping crowds and book a Disney Destination to gift to your loved ones
this year, contact me today!
I would be delighted to help you find a great way to wrap up your
gift to surprise your family! I look forward to hearing from you and
helping you plan your Holiday Magic soon!
On the Seventh Day of Christmas in July, Br’er Rabbit Gave to Me::
Traveling for the Holidays
The Disneyland Resort is a wonderful destination any time of year but they do put on a bit of Holiday Magic if you are able to attend during the Winter Holiday Months. In addition to beautiful lights and amazing holiday decor, California Adventure has a fun holiday festival, amazing treats & sweets, holiday entertainment, ride overlays, and more. Here is what you can expect when you arrive at California Adventure during the holidays-
Buena Vista Street Holiday Tree Lighting
Holiday Ride Overlays – Mater’s Jingle Jamboree & Luigi’s Joy to the Whirl are waiting for you!
Disney Viva Navidad – A beautiful Holiday celebration featuring the Three Caballeros, music, dancing, decor, and more
Disney Festival of Holidays – Very Similar to Epcot’s Holiday Festival. You will be able to enjoy culture, traditions, food, music, and more all from different countries around the world.
If you are planning on heading to Disneyland, the Holidays would be a great time to do that because of all the extra magic and excitement!
Giving a Disney Destination as a Gift for the Holidays
If you are looking for a more low-key way to gift a Disney Destination this Christmas, maybe a gift certificate is the way to go. For a spouse, a significant other, an older child, perhaps glitter and glam and cardboard Cinderella Castles are not the way to go. In this instance, the agency I work for, Magical Vacations, does offer gift cards. You can book a trip with a deposit and purchase gift cards for the balance due to give to a loved one to show that they are going on a Disney trip. We always think it is fun to put them in stockings.
Trivia
In Mickey’s Twice Upon A Christmas, what type of animals skate with Minnie & Daisy?
Contact Me
If you would like assistance reserving a trip to a Disney Destination
for the 2019 Holidays or if you would like to beat ALL the Holiday
Shopping crowds and book a Disney Destination to gift to your loved ones
this year, contact me today!
I would be delighted to help you find a great way to wrap up your
gift to surprise your family! I look forward to hearing from you and
helping you plan your Holiday Magic soon!
On the Fourth Day of Christmas in July, Donald Gave to Me::
Traveling for the Holidays
Planning a trip to Disneyland during the Holiday Season is a great way to get into a jolly mood. There are so many Christmas themed events and changes that take place at the park that it is really worth a visit during this time.
Events include-
A Christmas Fantasy Parade
Believe…..in holiday magic Fireworks
It’s a Small World Lighting – the daily lighting of the facade of the ride, a lit up in Christmas Magic
It’s a Small World Holiday Overlay – See the Yuletide version of this classic
Lights & Decor – See one of the most Iconic theme parks decorated for Christmas
Haunted Mansion Holiday Tour – Nightmare before Christmas Overlay (AHHHHmazing!)
Holiday Time at the Disneyland Resort – A guided Tour
All of this and more paired with California Adventure as well as the Downtown Disney District provides so much Holiday Happiness to each guest that visits. It is a highly recommended destination during the holidays for sure!
Giving a Disney Destination as a Gift for the Holidays
Wrap up a Disney Dream! If your kids have too much “stuff”, give them the gift of memories that will last a lifetime. There are so many fun ways to do this and you can go crazy with creativity or you can keep it simple. One of my favorite, more simple ways is to wrap up a favorite Disney character stuffed animal with a card in its hands that says “See ya Real Soon” for each family member. Just have anyone getting a gift box all open them at the same time and watch the celebrations begin! You can even tailor the stuffed animal to the type of Disney Destination! Gifting a Disney Cruise? Wrap up Sailor Minnie & Mickey! Gifting Disney World? Wrap up a favorite Princess or a Pirate. Gifting Adventures by Disney? Order a stuffed animal from Epcot through the My Disney Experience Shopping section – have it dressed according to the country you are traveling to.
If you would like Mickey stickers, park maps, or other fun literature to add to their gift box, let me know and I would be happy to send you some.
Contact Me
If you would like assistance reserving a trip to a Disney Destination for the 2019 Holidays or if you would like to beat ALL the Holiday crowds and book a Disney Destination to gift to your loved ones this year, contact me today! I would be delighted to help you find a great way to wrap up your gift to surprise your family! I look forward to hearing from you and helping you plan your Holiday Magic soon!
While there is not a whole lot of availability left for 2019, there are still a handful of Very Merrytime Sailings left that you can take advantage of. Take a break from the chilly weather and see what the Holidays are like on the High Seas!
There are Tree Lighting Ceremonies, your favorite Disney Characters dressed in their Holiday Best, as well as a few special surprises provided by our favorite Frozen Sisters. Many Holiday activities await you including decorating gingerbread houses and you may even catch Santa himself! He needs a break too, right? Don’t forget Holiday themed shows, entertainment and merchandise. Many guests say it is their favorite sailing of the year! Will it be yours?
Some Tips for your Very Merrytime Sailing:
Get in the spirit! Bring Ugly Sweaters, Festive Mickey Ears, Santa Hats – whatever Holiday Garb you would like!
Decorate! Bring some Holiday Cheer to your stateroom. Box Stores sell mini LED lit Christmas Trees that we bought to bring last year that are lit with just a USB Plug. Bring Holiday Decor for your Stateroom Door too!
Get the Character photos! It is only on these special sailings that you will find your favorite Disney Pals in Holiday Wear at Sea.
Enjoy the Holiday Treats. There are several yummy Holiday treats onboard. Make sure to get to the Hot Cocoa Bar after Mrs. Claus’s Story time.
Go to the Holiday Events! They are so special and unique to these sailings. They are well worth your time and you will be so happy you did!
Taking a Disney Cruise during these wonderful celebrations is a great way to enhance your holidays! I recommend one of the first sailings offered. It is a GREAT way to really get in the Holiday Spirit and kick off the season.
Giving a Disney Destination as a Gift for the Holidays
Get your Holiday shopping done early and reserve a trip for a Disney Destination. Whether it is a Disney Theme Park, Disney Cruise, Aulani, or an Adventure by Disney, your family is sure to be super excited about it and that excitement will continue until you travel.
One year with the littles were…littler, I got super creative. I cut out Cinderella’s Castle out of cardboard. The castle was about 4 ft. tall and the front doors were tall enough for them to go through. I drew details and colored it in. Behind the doors, I put two wrapped boxes full of things that they would use in Disney. When they came down Christmas Morning, they were able to open the doors and go “into” the castle and discovered all their wonderful goodies and that they were going to Disney World in a few short weeks. Their boxes included:
Our countdown
A Luggage Tag
Mickey Stickers (the kind you get in the parks)
Disney Sun Glasses
Disney Waterbottles
Disney Coloring book & Crayons
Glow Wands & swords (Dollar Tree)
A New Disney Shirt
A Disney Frame
An autograph book & Pen (For the 3 year old)
Disney Gift Card
Disposable Camera
The little guy didn’t really get it but my LilBug was totally excited and was so ready to go. It was great to watch her face light up as she went through the box and they kept the castle for a few months to play in.
Holiday Recipes
Mickey Cookies! Once again, using the sandwich shaper, we used sugar cookie dough and cut out several Mickey Heads. Once baked, you can use several different combinations of icings and sprinkles to decorate. We make these each year and leave some for Santa and share the rest with our family on Christmas Day. Enjoy!
Contact Me
If you would like assistance reserving a trip to a Disney Destination for the 2019 Holidays or if you would like to beat ALL the Holiday crowds and book a Disney Destination to gift to your loved ones this year, contact me today! I would be delighted to help you find a great way to wrap up your gift to surprise your family! If you are looking for some things to add to a surprise gift box, like the stickers I mentioned, let me know and I am happy to send you some!
Better yet, you can include the Minnie Box in their gift box. This is our Thank You gift to you for letting us assist in Planning Your Dreams. It will be full of Magic and Excitement and is a great way to get your family excited about any Disney Destination. I look forward to hearing from you and helping you plan your Holiday Magic soon!
Walt Disney World, Disneyland and the many other Disney theme parks are a wonderful destination! However, what happens when you want that Disney level of Service at a “slower paced” vacation? Or what if you want all the Disney character interaction but would prefer to see a different part of the world – a more tropical destination? a different country? I am happy to tell you that there are several other amazing Disney options beyond the theme parks.
Disney Cruises are a great way to immerse yourself in Disney theming and characters without ever stepping foot in a park. They have great destinations, port adventures, and there are characters and the true feeling of Disney throughout each ship. Some of the other parts of the world you can see on a Disney Cruise:
Aulani is another fantastic Disney Destination. Nestled in Ko Olina, Hawai’i, Aulani is a gorgeous paradise with the trademark Disney Difference. There are so many things to do and see at the resort and on the island and so much is included with your stay. For more information on Aulani, look here.
Adventures by Disney provides guests with a once in a lifetime trip to almost any corner of the Earth. You are accompanied by two guides who are the storytellers of your journey. They provide you with meal reservations, tours, and activities that fully immerse you in the culture of the area you are visiting. These are great for families and couples alike. They do tailor the trip to whoever is on the tour. Destinations that Adventures by Disney tour:
Asia
Africa
Australia
Europe
North America
Central & South America
River Cruises
They also can be added to a Disney Cruise for the ultimate immersive ship & port experiences. To learn more, please visit the Adventures by Disney Page.
Check out this great video provided by Travel Expert, Jeanenne Tornatore. She showcases her top 5 destinations beyond Disney Parks.
Disney Travel Professional YouTube Chanel
To learn more about any of these destinations or to receive a quote for the trip of a lifetime, contact me today! I would be happy to answer any questions, provide a no-obligation quote, and get you on your way to turning your Disney Dreams into Memories that will last a lifetime! I can be as hands on or off as you would like. Some guests I just hold their reservation so I can make them aware of anything that comes up – discounts, closures, changes..etc. Some guests, I do it all from start to finish and guide them the whole way. It is your vacation so it is up to you!
Qualifying reservations receive our Minnie Box. Our gift to you prior to your departure. It is full of magic and tailored to each guests travel. See ya real soon!
This Summer, Bo joins the rest of the Toy Story Characters and will be meeting with guests in the parks. Bo makes a dramatic return to the Toy Story Franchise in Toy Story 4 after being separated from the toys many years ago. I look so forward to seeing how this story plays out.
If you would be interested in meeting up with Bo or any of the Toy Story Toys, contact me today for information for Disneyland & Walt Disney World Resort Stays. There are still some great last minute Summer promotions!
No, but really, it has officially been added to the Disneyland Guidemap! Here is your sneek peek!
This is said to be one of the most immersive lands to ever be added to a Disney Park. When it opens tomorrow, guests will have an experience of a lifetime and use all 5 senses to explore this 14 acre land.
The adventure that you will be able to have while in this land will be unforgettable and you will truly feel that you are in Batuu. In addition to the innovative attractions (Just Smuggler’s Run to start off, Rise of the Resistance to open later this year) guests will eat, drink, & interact as true explorers of the Galaxy.
I can’t wait for guest’s photos of this land and their experiences to start rolling in. Please share any photos and/or experiences and opinions you may have about the land. I will not get to Disneyland’s until November unfortunately but I will be at the opening week of Disney World’s and I am super excited to report back. Enjoy!
Turning Dreams Into Memories 