Thank you Disneyland, for making me feel like a princess today.  I hope each and every one of you (especially you moms) enjoy this special day.

It was cool and brisk…a rarity in Southern California…and the perfect weather to celebrate the Holidays.  There were lights and the biggest Christmas tree I’ve ever seen. We saw saw Santa and his reindeer.  We drank hot chocolate and ate cookies.  And it even snowed!  It was a magical day at Disneyland.  And while every day is sheer magic at the Happiest Place On Earth, Saturday was extra special.

I’m always amazed at the transformation Disneyland undergoes for the holidays.  And while tradition holds strong, there is always something new… Like Tiana’s Showboat Jubilee, a show inspired by Disney’s new movie The Princess and the Frog.  It takes place on the Mark Twain Riverboat and features singing and dancing that’s “all that jazz.”  The show includes songs from the newly released movie (which I am aiming to see before our baby is born).  Be sure to catch the show before it leaves, January 3, 2010.

Last year my husband and I took our little boy to Santa’s Reindeer Round-Up.  Located in Frontierland, this is where you’ll find Santa, his reindeer, and various characters.  This is the perfect place to “wind down” for a bit if you and your children are tired from walking around the park.  You’ll find holiday arts and crafts (although I could not find the cookie decorating this year) and a sleigh that’s perfect for family pictures.

Speaking of reindeer…

Other holiday highlights include It’s a Small World’s holiday transformation (which is simply spectacular), Haunted Mansion Holiday (which I opted out of this year for obvious reasons), and the Christmas Fantasy Parade.  An evening at Disneyland must always conclude with flare!  Be sure to catch the holiday lighting and special-effects show at Sleeping Beauty’s Winter Castle which concludes with the “Believe…in Holiday Magic” fireworks and snowfall!

Photo Courtesy of Disneyland

Photo Courtesy of Disneyland

Photo Courtesy of Disneyland

Understandably, this time of year is busy for the Disneyland Resort.  If your stay is limited, you’re from out of town, you have little ones, or you want the ultimate Disneyland experience, check out their guided holiday tour.  Never mind waiting in line for it’s a small world holiday or Haunted Mansion Holiday…don’t worry about showing up early to get a good seat at A Christmas Fantasy parade…. Get a personal tour that will make the most of your stay at the Disneyland Resort this holiday season.  More information can be obtained at Disneyland City Hall, Tour Gardens Kiosk in Disneyland Park, the Guest Relations Lobby at Disney’s California Adventure Park, or by calling 714/781-4400.

My son was so excited about our day that he never took a nap. So by dinner, he was fast asleep.  Fortunately, he woke up in time to give big hugs to Mickey, Minnie and Goofy.

Last year my son ran away crying from these characters…

I always leave Disneyland with a sense of renewed anticipation for what’s to come.  We never manage to “see it all,” and I think that’s perfectly ok, especially with a toddler.  We have season passes (that we must hurry and use before they black out) and I think it’s the perfect way to go with little ones.  Because we live so close, I prefer the half days taken at leisure.  It’s much more enjoyable that way!

I could say a lot more about Disneyland (in fact, I have…just search my site!).  But really, the best stories are told with photos…

Goofy’s Kitchen at the Disneyland Hotel

Last week we took my son trick or treating…at Disney’s California Adventure!  We took my son to Mickey’s Trick Or Treat Party last year and what a difference a year makes.  I don’t ever remember him staying up past 11 pm, but he did.  He was so excited about the characters and the festivities.  For the first time, we were able to see Mickey’s Trick-or-Treat-on the Street Cavalcade, a Halloween-themed parade.  I wish I had pulled my video camera out in time to capture it because it was fun and my son was captivated by the music and the lights.

Some of the highlights of the night included seeing Minnie and Mickey (my son had been asking about them all week) as well as many other beloved characters, trick-or-treating for Craisins and Ghiradelli chocolate (mmm!), and riding the carousel.  The music was lively, we were able to watch fireworks from Paradise Pier, and enjoyed a yummy pumpkin spiced latte at the bakery near the entrance to the park.

The event was a ton of fun and I really appreciated the healthy snacks offered (apples, carrots, Craisins).  I only wish it would have started earlier because my little boy and his pregnant mama were tired!  Next week, we’re using our season passes to check out Halloween Time at Disneyland!  Stay tuned for a post on our experience.

Mickey’s Trick or Treat Party is a special ticketed event that runs through October 31 (October 2, 8, 9, 15, 16, 21, 22, 23, 28, 29, 30 and 31).  It always sells out so be sure to get your tickets early if you want to attend (Halloween night is already sold out).  Plus, if your by your tickets in advance, you’ll save $7!  Here is what you’ll get:

If you’re planning a holiday trip to the resort (which I highly recommend since Disneyland is gorgeous during the holidays), now is the time to book it!  Now through December 19, 2009, you will save $400 when you book a 4-Day/4-Night Disneyland Resort vacation package, featuring Disneyland Resort hotel accommodations – Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa (I want to stay here!), Disneyland Hotel and Disney’s Paradise Pier – and park hopper tickets.  The offer is valid for arrivals through Dec. 20, 2009, with a final booking day of Dec. 19.  Details are at disneyland.com/Save400.

Last Thursday, Jason and I had a Disney date night!  We were invited to a special media sneak peak of Disneyland’s nighttime summer entertainment…Summer Nightastic!  I have to start by saying how exciting it is to see how Disney striving to make the resort more enjoyable (not that they NEED to).  That’s the magic of the park…there is always something new and exciting happening.  Rather than bore you with a press release, I’d rather share with you our experience through the night through words, pictures and a little video!

JASON!  : )

Hubby and I started the evening by riding Finding Nemo for the very first time.  The ride was really a lot of fun and I can’t wait to bring our little boy to experience it.  I know how excited he will be to see all the fish.  I posted a video here.  It was a nice way to “wait” for the entertainment at the Tomorrow Land Terrace (TLT), where we Jason had dinner (I was feeling rather green).  We had decent seats in a sectioned off area reserved for media.  Headlining the show was tween sensation Mitch Musso (think Hannah Montana). By the way, if you’re a teen or tween, or you just like to dance, be sure to visit the TLT where you’ll find live bands and DJ’s throughout the summer!  Grab dinner and hang out while the lines on Finding Nemo die down (do the lines on Finding Nemo EVER die down?).

Once we rocked out, Disney style, it was off to watch the new fireworks show entitled Magical.  Not only will you find Tinkerbell soaring  over the castle, Dumbo joins her (Did you ever see an elephant fly?) and it’s truly magical.  I love the music and fireworks are always a spectacular end to a fun-filled Disney day.

The above photos were obtained from the Disney Press Site

But that’s not all!  Once the park closed…it was just us…the media.  And boy there were a lot of us!  We made our way over to the Rivers of America for my favorite part…Fantasmic.  If you think it can’t get any better, just wait until you see it. There are new special effects and cutting-edge video projection technology that make it seem like the characters are leaping off the screen.  We were so close, we could feel the mist from the water stream.  There is something mysterious and awe-inspiring about seeing this show at night with the light effects, mist and fire against the backdrop of the river.  I’m bummed we didn’t get to see the dragon but Mickey rocked the show!  This IS my favorite show at Disneyland!

The 2 photos above were obtained from the Disney Press Site

The night ended with a preview of Disney’s Electrical Parade.  Can you believe that there are over half a million lights used in the parade?  With Tinkerbell leading the show and the return of Snow White and Pinocchio, the parade is sure to be a hit among adults and children alike.

The above photos were obtained from the Disney Press Site

Apart from the entertainment above, Disneyland’s newest attractions include Pixie Hollow Enchantment, Celebrate! A Street Party, and the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutiuqe.

Jason and I had so much fun, although it was bittersweet since I really would have loved for my son to be there.  Our passes are blacked out for most of the summer but we’ll still be able to catch the tale-end of the summer entertainment in August since it runs through the 23rd.  Don’t forget that you can get a 3-day park hopper ticket for $33 a day now through August 23.  It’s perfect for out of town guests coming to visit!  Be sure to check out the site for more special offers.

As a season pass holder, I frequent Disneyland about 2-4 times a month.  But last Friday, I had an opportunity to see Disneyland in a different light.  I was one of “the press” at an exclusive Media Preview day along with Amanda from Mommy Mandy.  Imagine my surprise when I was handed this:

After we “checked in,” we were escorted to a private Celebration Roundup and Barbecue Lunch at Big Thunder Ranch.  They apparently knew the way to my heart.

Borrowed with permission from Jason (aka Disneygeek)

The restaurant even offers a Tofu/Veggie skewer, which was much yummier than it sounds!

Borrowed with permission from Jason (aka Disneygeek)

Did you know the restaurant has been closed for 9 years?  That’s just one of the many interesting facts I learned last week.  I had the opportunity to meet the amazing chef, Sean Layne, who developed the menu.

Borrowed with permission from Jason (aka Disneygeek)

For $28.99 ($18.99 for kids 3-9) you’ll be served a family-style meal including barbecue chicken and ribs, cole slaw, corn on the cob, beans, beverages, and an AMAZING cupcake platter (well, it’s more like a display). I only had 3 by the way.

After mingling, practicing my photography skills (thanks Jason), and getting serious with Jessie,

we headed over to a special “media” section near “Small World” to dance along with a cast of nearly 100 dancers, DJs, and Disney characters. (Videos coming soon!)  Work it Tanyetta (it’s one of those…”had to be there” moments)!

After we danced the night afternoon away, we headed over to special auditorium (the name escapes me) over at  California Adventure for a presentation on what’s up and coming with Disneyland.  Now any other presentation would have been a great, big yawn.  But not at Disneyland.  There was music, dancing, and a lot of excitement.

We learned about Disney’s new summer entertainment called Summer Nightastic!  You’ll see changes to Fantasmic! including intermixings of HD technology, Dumbo will join Tinkerbell for the Fireworks show, the Electrical Parade will light up with advanced audio and lighting technologies, and little girls will be enchanted at Pixie Hollow. And if that wasn’t enough, the Food and Wine Festival opened last week (which I have yet to experience).

Perhaps the most spectacular announcement was the return of the 3-day Fun Pass for Southern California residents ($99).

Overall, it was an extremely informative, lively, magical day done in true Disney style.  Oh…and I met some fabulous bloggers, some of which have blogs entirely dedicated to all things Disney.

Thank you Disneyland!!!

The Food and Wine Festival opens this Friday at Disneyland and I am going to be one of the mom bloggers at a very special press event.  I am so excited because I get to see Amanda from Mommy Mandy.  Along with getting a first look at the festival, we will be previewing the resort’s new entertainment, including Fantasmic!, Disney’s Electrical Parade, and the Fireworks show.  I just love Disneyland (if you read my blog then you know that!) and I can’t wait to see what’s up next!  We have annual passes so while we’re at the resort almost every week, we don’t get a “behind-the-scenes” look at the latest.  I will take plenty of pictures and try to do some vlogging while I’m at the event so you’ll be up to date on the latest happenings at the Disneyland Resort!  

Disneyland…it’s that magical place where dreams come true.  I purchased a season pass earlier this year and attended two mom blogger events courtesy of Disney.  I’ve learned so much over the past several months about Disney and I can’t believe that it just keeps getting better.  Did you know that Disney offers events for adults as well as children? Starting April 24, a World Celebration comes to Disneyland at the fourth annual Disney’s California Food & Wine Festival.  For six weeks, visitors will enjoy cooking demonstrations, wine, beer and spirits seminars and recipes that reflect California’s regional and culinary diversity.  During the festival visitors have the opportunity to experience over 600 complimentary events and a Junior Chef program for children under the age of 11 on the weekends.  What’s great about the event is that they’re all included with your theme-park admission.  Additionally, there will be premier events that require an additional fee.  Some of these include Sweet Sundays which include a fabulous brunch with sparkling wine and decadent desserts from well-known pastry chefs and Winemaker Dinners on Friday nights.  Hint Hint hubby…Mother’s Day is rapidly approaching!  If you’re interested, be sure to purchase tickets early since many sell out quickly. I have a season pass so I’m definitely going to check out some of the events and give you the 411 on all of the happenings!  Disney’s California Food & Wine Festival ends June 7.

A couple of weeks ago I blogged about the wonderful time we had at Disneyland.  I wanted to share with you a little more about how magical Disneyland is during the holidays!

One of the things I love about the holidays is the food!  Disney knows how important food is and they’ve risen to the occasion with the Merriest Treats on Earth!  There are many traditions that surround food at Disneyland and it is through food that the stories are kept alive and strong.  Some of the traditional treats you’ll find during the holiday season include gingerbread cookies, holiday biscottis, rice krispy treats, snowman cookies, cranberry and pumpkin mini loafs, almond and chocolate yule logs, holiday brownies, tres leches desserts, and jiggle mortis with whipped cremation.

We were given a lovely demonstration on the “science of gingerbread houses” by a real French pastry chef. One of the mom bloggers in attendance was right upfront getting in with the decorating action.  I went home with some wonderful tips on creating the “perfect” gingerbread house including an icing recipe (Egg white, powdered sugar, lemon juice) that is certain to withstand even the tiniest of tots.

While decorating expert David Caranci was not able to join us for our Mom Blogger evening, the PR team created a video clip of tips on how to turn that holiday fruitcake into a lovely centerpiece.  Enjoy!

Disneyland Decorating Tips from Heather Hust on Vimeo.

One of the things we really enjoyed at Disneyland was decorating cookies at Mrs. Claus’s Kitchen. You can choose between sugar or gingerbread and the kit includes frosting and sprinkles to complete your cookie creation.  I think more frosting ended up on our little one’s face than on the cookie but we all had fun! While you’re over in Frontierland, be sure to check out Big Thunder Ranch which has been magically transformed into Santa’s Reindeer Roundup where you can sing and dance at the Holiday Ho-Ho-Hoedown, make your own cowboy-inspired gift, and take pictures with your favorite Disney characters.  Here is where we took our family picture (more on that in a bit).

One of my favorite things about Disneyland during the holidays is the decor.  From the magical glow of Sleeping Beauty’s Winter Castle to the festively international it’s a small world “holiday” you’ll be in the spirit from the moment you step foot into the park.  Be sure to take a picture in front of ginormous tree on Main Street decorated with over 60,000 lights (you may even see some snow!).  For a complete listing of the holiday happenings, visit their special holiday website.

By now you know how passionate I am about photography.  The last “gift” that we were given was from Disney’s PhotoPass Service.  You probably remember having your picture taken by one of Disney’s own photographers at any number of places throughout the park.  Now you can edit, share, and create photo gifts with one handy little service (and card!).  Once you’ve taken your first picture with Mickey, you’ll receive Disney’s PhotoPass card.  Re-use the card every time you stop for photos throughout the park.  Once you’re ready to view them, go to DisneyPhotoPass.com within 30 days and enter the number from your card.  Once you’ve registered, you can order prints or create fun products like calendars, ornaments, and photo books.  One of the great things about the service is that you can upload your own photos to create gifts that have that magical Disney touch.  All of us mom bloggers received a lovely print of Sleeping Beauty’s Winter Castle and the opportunity to create a Disney Photo Calendar.   I can’t wait to show you how our calendar turned out.

I’d like to thank Michele Himmelberg once again for the opportunity to experience Disneyland during this festive holiday season!

I just love Disneyland.  I’ve been going there since I was two and every time is like the first.  This past Friday was truly a first for all of us.  It was our first visit to Disney’s California Adventure Park (all three of us) for Mickey’s Trick or Treat Party courtesy of Disney and MomSelect.  I was one of the mom bloggers at the event along with my good friend and guest blogger Kristin,  Amanda from Mommy Mandy, Channah from Get A Grip, Mom!, Candace from “Deal”ectible Mommies, and Marissa from Mama Sparkles.  I actually met and spent a little time talking to Amanda (who is as sweet and genuine as she is on her blog) which was fun.  There was a special mom blogger check-in (which made me feel very special!) and we each got a cute little Mickey treat bag with a treat for my son (a lollipop) and a fantastic treat for me (a Disney watch!). 

This private event (which is selling out most nights) allows children to dress up and experience a magnificent Halloween party!  There are several treat stations located throughout the park for children to collect candy and other treats. I was really impressed with their candy alternatives including Fruit Leathers, carrot sticks, apple slices, and raisins.  Other activities included photo opportunities with your child’s favorite characters, special music and live entertainment, crafts, and of course the park’s rides and attractions.  The entire park is decorated for Halloween but it’s definitely not scary.  

I wasn’t sure about how long our little boy would last but he was so excited that he stayed up until 10:30! There are plenty of attractions available for young tots like my son (he loved the carousel!) but I do wish it had started a little earlier.  Understandably, they have to clear out the entire park for the event, hence the 7:30 opening time.  I also found that I wanted more time to spend at the park (guess that means we’re going back!).  I have to say that I was a little nervous about bringing a 15 month old to a theme park but Disney really does a great job of having something for everyone.  The parking is relatively easy (just jump on a tram and you’re right there at the entrance of both parks).  Even young children like my son can ride King Triton’s Carousel, Monsters, Inc. Mike & Sulley to the Rescue!, and Heimlich’s Chew Chew Train.  I was so impressed with the food.  We bought my son a kid’s meal at the Cocina Cucamonga Mexican Grill and it was healthy, affordable, and just the right amount of food for my son.  Overall we had a really fabulous night out and I will definitely be brining my boys back to the Disneyland Resort.  

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VX1vKyGEwcQ&hl=en&fs=1]

Mickey’s Trick or Treat Party is going on now through October 31, 2008 (check the site for exact dates and times).  Tickets are $29 (except on Halloween when the price goes up to $37) and can be purchased online.

Check out my pictures on Flickr!