Pursuing the Magic

A Special Edition Magical Blogorail Minnie Mouse Birthday Celebration ~ Toys and Gift Ideas

noreply@blogger.com (Beth Doda ~ disneymom2jhe) — Thu, 24 May 2012 11:00:00 +0000

Welcome to those of you joining me from Disney Babies Blog and those of you just hopping aboard. I am the 7th stop on our Magical Blogorail.

Birthday parties are definitely one way I try to bring Disney into our lives between trips. So far, my kids have had a Disney birthday every year (much to my relief!). But yes, I am THAT mom. The one who goes completely overboard and themes everything from the decorations and cakes to the clothes my kids are wearing to even the gifts. So I couldn't wait to share some of Minnie Mouse gift ideas for part of our Minnie Mouse party ideas loop. Emily has had two Minnie birthday parties so far, her first and her fourth, so I have plenty to share!

With the Disney Junior "Minnie's Bowtique," it has become much easier to find Minnie Mouse themed toys and gifts. Emily loves Minnie's Bow Toons, and she has collected several of the toys themed from these short videos on Disney Junior. I will share a few of our favorites, followed by a few we don't have that are on Emily's Wish List:

Minnie Mouse Plush
We have Minnie Mouse plushes of all sizes and in all colors of dresses. Emily actually decorates her Disney Princess bed with about 15 different Minnies. On the Disney site, you can purchase a Minnie Plush in pink or her classic red polka dot dress. Even better, you have a choice of five different sizes.

Minnie Bowtique Snap Dolls (this is what Emily calls them)
We own all the Fisher Price Snap and Style Dolls, so when they released sets of Minnie Mouse "snap dolls," Emily just had to have them. There are several "Bowtique" sets. Each comes with a Minnie with clothes that snap on to Minnie. Emily loves these! We have several sets, including the beach, birthday and princess sets. The only drawback to these as a mom is that each set comes with a Minnie. You can't purchase just the outfit. So we have five sets in all, which means five Minnies. I can only hope they come out with Daisy or Clarabell (or both) with snap on outfits to go along with Minnie.

Minnie Mouse Scooter
Santa delivered Emily the crown jewel of Minnie Mouse toys. A Minnie Mouse Motorized Scooter. She absolutely loves it! The funniest part is as she scooters around the yard, she looks like a natural on this little scooter, of course she has let me know she loves her princess helmet for her princess bike, but could really "use a Minnie helmet" for her Minnie scooter. When she is outside, she is either on the her scooter or her bike, so I was relieved that using her scooter has not taken away from her learning how to ride a bike (and get some exercise!).

Here are a few of the Minnie items that Emily has asked for or we have seen out and about:

A Minnie Mouse Shopping Cart

Minnie Mouse Folding Trike: We do not have the Minnie trike, but we do have the princess one and both my girls have used it and loved it!

Minnie's Bowtique Squinkies (I am not sure what it is about Squinkies, but my girls are obsessed with them and have many more than any child needs!)

I could honestly go on and on with ideas for Minnie gifts - from Minnie furniture to costumes to play sets. Luckily, with the release of Minnie's Bow Toons, you can find Minnie toys and gifts in many local stores! Around here, we can't see a Minnie Mouse and not smile! We love meeting her in Disney and have found many ways to bring her into our home in between trips. What is your favorite Minnie Mouse toy or gift to give?

Thank you for joining me today. Your next stop on our Magical Blogorail loop is

Disney In Our Blood

Here is the map of our Magical Blogorail should you happen to have to make a stop along the way and want to reboard:
1st Stop ~ Delightfully Disney with Minnie Mouse Invitations
2nd Stop ~ Disney Donna Kay with Minnie Mouse Decorations
3rd Stop ~ Growing Up Disney with Minnie Mouse Attire
4th Stop ~ Can Do It Mom with Minnie Mouse Inspired Drinks and Snacks

5th Stop ~ A Disney Mom’s Thoughts with Minnie Mouse Games & Crafts

6th Stop ~ Disney Babies Blog with Minnie Mouse Cakes

7th Stop ~ Pursuing the Magic with Minnie Mouse Gift Ideas
Final Stop ~ Disney In Our Blood with Minnie Mouse Favors

Disney Wordless Wednesday Blog Hop ~ Disney's Royal Ladies

noreply@blogger.com (Beth Doda ~ disneymom2jhe) — Wed, 16 May 2012 12:21:00 +0000

Today, I am joining in the fun of the Disney Wordless Wednesday Blog Hop hosted by Deb at Focused on the Magic. The theme this week is "Disney Royal Ladies," a favorite Disney topic around this house! With two princesses with us every trip, we certainly have a lot to share but I tried to contain myself to just a few photos!

Of course, the top Disney Royal Lady has to be Minnie Mouse.

I love Joey's face in this one!

We had the pleasure of meeting Pocahontas for the first time this trip. My girls were thrilled!

At Cinderella's Royal Table, Ariel was very sweet and as soon as she left the table, Hayley said, "I want to have a Little Mermaid Birthday party this year." Of course, that changed with each princess we met, but she is a big fan of Ariel!

My two favorite Disney Princesses ~ Princess Hayley and Princess Emily

If there is one thing my girls love, it is the Disney princesses and dressing up just like them!

Make sure you head over to Focused on the Magic to check out all the great photos of Disney Royal Ladies this week and link up with your own favorites!

Nighttime Shows When You Travel with Little Ones with Early Bedtimes

noreply@blogger.com (Beth Doda ~ disneymom2jhe) — Tue, 15 May 2012 14:00:00 +0000

My kids loved the beach at Disney's Polynesian
Resort, but they were never awake long enough to
see Wishes from the beach.

This post was originally written for my column Making Magical Memories for the WDW Daily News Newsletter. It was originally published in newsletter #227 published on April 17, 2012.

I absolutely love watching the fireworks at Walt Disney World. But with three kids who generally go to bed early, getting to the nighttime shows with the kids awake and then getting back to our resort (before the kids fall asleep) is always a challenge. It can be so much of a challenge that many trips we miss seeing Wishes, Fantasmic and Illuminations. Of course this isn’t really a complaint because our kids are up early and we are generally at the parks at opening.

This trip I discovered something that allowed me to at least watch Wishes and the Halloween version, Hallowishes, right from Disney’s Polynesian Resort. One night after the kids went to bed, my parents, who were in the room next to us, said they would watch the kids, as Pierre and I walked around the resort. At about the time Wishes was about to start, we found a couple of chairs along the beach, sat down and watched the Electric Water Pageant go by as we waited for Wishes. The best part was not only was it a great view of Wishes, but they pipe the music onto the beach. It was as if we were right in the middle of the Magic Kingdom enjoying the show without the crowds. Even better, after the show, we weren’t in the masses making our way out of the park trying to get back to our resort. We simply walked back to our room. It was great to see my favorite nighttime spectacular from a different perspective.

This is Martinique, one of the island villages
at Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort

On our 2010 trip, we stayed at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort. We could see parts of Illuminations from the beach in the island village of Martinique. Even better, you could hear all the preshow music before it even started as you walked around the resort. Because Illuminations is so late, our children would never stay awake until 9. This was a perfect way to at least catch a portion of the show.

With your little ones, do skip the nighttime shows or have you found a fun hidden treasure like these to catch them from a different perspective?

Your Mousecast Episode #48 Includes My Trip Report!

noreply@blogger.com (Beth Doda ~ disneymom2jhe) — Tue, 15 May 2012 12:00:00 +0000

A few weeks back I had the pleasure of chatting with Alan, Chris and Steve of Your Mousecast. For each of their mousecasts, they ask someone on to share their Disney trip report. I had a great time reminiscing with them about our Halloween trip to Walt Disney World. As many of you already know that I am a complete ride chicken, which I was relieved when I heard that Alan is also in that club with me. He had a great idea how we, as the ones who avoid the thrill rides, could enjoy them without the "thrill." I happen to think he is on to something. How about you?

To hear his idea, check out my trip report at

Your Mousecast Episode #48

Thank you, Alan, Chris and Steve!

Disney Wordless Wednesday Blog Hop ~ Relaxing at Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort

noreply@blogger.com (Beth Doda ~ disneymom2jhe) — Wed, 09 May 2012 18:54:00 +0000

Today I am joining in on the fun of the Disney Wordless Wednesday Blog Hop hosted by Deb at Focused on the Magic. This week's theme is Resorts and Relaxation. We personally are a family who takes full advantage of relaxing at our resort when in Walt Disney World! In honor of my brother and his family being at Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort in Walt Disney World right now, I am sharing a few shots from our favorite spots to relax at Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort.

My kids favorite Disney pool

From Martinique looking toward the Marina

Wish I were here right now!

Make sure you head over to Focused on the Magic to check out all the other great Disney Wordless Wednesday photos! Which resort do you think is the most relaxing?

Room Only Disney Deal for Late Summer

noreply@blogger.com (Beth Doda ~ disneymom2jhe) — Wed, 09 May 2012 17:00:00 +0000

Will you be traveling to Walt Disney World in late August or September? Disney has released new discounts for room only reservations. For more information or to book your trip, make sure you contact Magical Journeys! As you know, I have been using them for years and love the service they provide! They have saved us money every trip and make planning a Disney vacation stress free!

Here is the current deal for late summer:

Booking: NOW - August 14, 2012
Travel Dates: August 15 - September 29, 2012

Save 20% at Disney's All-Star Sports Resort, Disney's All-Star Music Resort, Disney's Port Orleans Resort – Riverside, Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, Disney's Contemporary Resort and Disney's Polynesian Resort

Save 25% at Disney's Coronado Springs Resort, Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort and Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort Cabins

Save 30% at Disney's Yacht and Beach Club Resorts, Disney's BoardWalk, Disney's Animal Kingdom Resort (standard view), Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa and Disney's Old Key West Resort

Not sure you and your family could handle the heat of summer? My friends on the Orange Line over at the Magical Blogorail shared their Favorite Ways to Beat the Heat in Disney World.

A Disney Gift Card and Avengers Gift Pack Giveaway for #AvengersMonth at The Dragyn's Lair

noreply@blogger.com (Beth Doda ~ disneymom2jhe) — Tue, 08 May 2012 04:01:00 +0000

Welcome to another giveaway! This time I am teaming up with some of my fellow Disney bloggers to bring you something really great - a $125 Disney Gift Card AND an Avengers Gift Pack. The Dragyn's Lair is host to the giveaway. Also did you know that May is Avengers Month over at The Dragyn's Lair? Make sure you head over to keep up with all the great Avengers reviews, fun and more she has in store.

While you are there, don't forget to wish @DragynAlly a Happy Birthday!

In order to be eligible for this prize, you need to complete all of the required entries. Good Luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Happy Birthday, @DragynAlly, and thank you for bringing us all together for this great giveaway! Also a big thank you to everyone else who has joined in the fun:

The League of Awesome Bloggers... Assemble!

Little Chef Disney Creations ~ King Louie's Frosty Banana Treats

noreply@blogger.com (Beth Doda ~ disneymom2jhe) — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 19:26:00 +0000

Our Little Chef Disney Creations, a series dedicated to getting the kids in the kitchen and cooking, continues this month over at Cooking with Mickey. With the warm weather approaching we thought we would share a fun and easy to make summertime treat. The best part, everyone can personalize their creation with their favorite colors and flavors! For the recipe, head over to:

King Louie's Frosty Banana Treats

If you try them out, let us know how you decorated them! We would love to see them!

Disney Character Cricut Cartridge Reference List

noreply@blogger.com (Beth Doda ~ disneymom2jhe) — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 16:49:00 +0000

I love Disney, and I love my Cricut. I have used my Cricut to create many projects from Cars wall hangings to Disney themed cards to favorite character cake toppers. But keeping all my cartridges organized and being able to find the images I want can be a little tricky. Cricut has created several Disney cartridges with characters from the Fab 5 to Pixar stars to Disney classics and many more. This guide is a list of all the Disney characters you can find on Cricut cartridges, which cartridge you can find them on and how many images of that character are available. This includes just the main images, not the icons included with each image. These are organized by the name of the character. Below each character's name are the cartridges you can find the character on, followed by the number of images on each cartridge.

Abu (Aladdin)

Dreams Come True (1)

Aladdin

Dreams Come True (2)

Alice (Alice in Wonderland)

Disney Classics (4)

Ariel (The Little Mermaid)

Dreams Come True (10)

Atta (A Big's Life)

Best of Pixar (1)

Aurora (Sleeping Beauty)

Happily Ever After (6)

Bambi

Disney Classics (4)

Bashful (Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs)

Happily Ever After (1)

Beast (Beauty & the Beast)

Dreams Come True (2)

Belle (Beauty and the Beast)

Dreams Come True (7)

Bloat (Finding Nemo)

Best of Pixar (1)

Blue Fairy (Pinocchio)

Disney Classics (1)

Bo Peep (Toy Story, Toy Story 2)

Toy Story (1)

Bob Parr (see Mr. Incredible)
Boo (Monsters Inc.)

Best of Pixar (4)

Boost (Cars)

Cars (1)

Bubbles (Finding Nemo)

Best of Pixar (1)

Buck ~ Adult Bambi (Bambi)

Disney Classics (1)

Buzz Lightyear (Toy Story, Toy Story 2, Toy Story 3)

Toy Story (7)

Bruce (Finding Nemo)

Best of Pixar (1)

Bullseye (Toy Story 2, Toy Story 3)

Toy Story (4)

Captain Hook (Peter Pan)

Disney Classics (2)

Card (Alice in Wonderland)

Disney Classics (1)

Caterpillar (Alice in Wonderland)

Disney Classics (1)

Celia (Monsters Inc.)

Best of Pixar (1)

Cheshire Cat (Alice in Wonderland)

Disney Classics (2)

Chick Hicks (Cars)

Cars (1)

Chip (Beauty and the Beast)

Dreams Come True (1)

Chip (Chip & Dale)

Mickey and Friends (1)

Cinderella

Happily Ever After (8)

Cleo (Pinocchio)

Disney Classics (1)

Cogsworth (Beauty and the Beast)

Dreams Come True (1)

Crush (Finding Nemo)

Best of Pixar (1)

Daisy Duck

Mickey and Friends (4)
Mickey Font (1)

Dale (Chip and Dale)

Mickey and Friends (1)

Dash (The Incredibles)

Best of Pixar (2)

Deb (Finding Nemo)

Best of Pixar (1)

Dinah (Alice in Wonderland)

Disney Classics (1)

DJ (Cars)

Cars (1)

Doc (Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs)

Happily Ever After (1)

Doc Hudson (Cars)

Cars (3)

Donald Duck

Mickey and Friends (5)
Mickey Font (1)

Dopey (Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs)

Happily Ever After (1)

Dormouse (Alice in Wonderland)

Disney Classics (1)

Dory (Finding Nemo)

Best of Pixar (2)

Dot (A Bug's Life)

Best of Pixar (1)

Eeyore (Winnie the Pooh)

Pooh and Friends (6)

Eeyore, Baby (Winnie the Pooh)

Pooh Font Set (2)

Elastigirl (The Incredibles)

Best of Pixar (2)

Eve (Wall-E)

Best of Pixar (1)

Fawn (Disney Fairies)

Tinker Bell and Friends (2)

Figaro (Pinocchio)

Disney Classics (1)

Fillmore (Cars, Cars 2)

Cars (1)

Flick (A Bug's Life)

Best of Pixar (1)

Flo (Cars, Cars2)

Cars (1)

Flounder (The Little Mermaid)

Dreams Come True (1)

Flower (Bambi)

Disney Classics (1)

Frank (Cars)

Cars (1)

Frozone (The Incredibles)

Best of Pixar (1)

Genie (Aladdin)

Dreams Come True (1)

Geppetto (Pinocchio)

Disney Classics (1)

Gill (Finding Nemo)

Best of Pixar (1)

Goofy

Mickey and Friends (4)
Mickey Font (1)

Gopher (Winnie the Pooh)

Pooh and Friends (1)

Green Aliens ( (Toy Story, Toy Story 2, Toy Story 3)

Toy Story (3)

Grumpy (Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs)

Happily Ever After (1)

Guido (Cars, Cars 2)

Cars (3)

Hamm (Toy Story, Toy Story 2, Toy Story 3)

Toy Story (2)

Happy (Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs)

Happily Ever After (1)

Helen Parr (see Elastigirl)
Irisdessa (Disney Fairies)

Tinker Bell and Friends (2)

Jack-Jack (The Incredibles)

Best of Pixar (1)

Jasmine (Aladdin)

Dreams Come True (6)

Jessie (Toy Story 2, Toy Story 3)

Toy Story (6)

Jiminy Cricket (Pinocchio)

Disney Classics (2)

John (Peter Pan)

Disney Classics (1)

Kanga (Winnie the Pooh)

Pooh and Friends (1)

King of Hearts (Alice in Wonderland)

Disney Classics (1)

Lightning McQueen (Cars)

Cars (8)

Lotso (Toy Story 3)

Toy Story (2)

Luigi (Cars)

Cars (2)

Lumiere (Beauty and the Beast)

Dreams Come True (1)

Lumpy (Winnie the Pooh)

Pooh and Friends (1)

Mack (Cars)

Cars (1)

Mad Hatter (Alice in Wonderland)

Disney Classics (2)

March Hare (Alice in Wonderland)

Disney Classics (1)

Marlin (Finding Nemo)

Best of Pixar (1)

Mater (Cars, Cars 2)

Cars (4)

Meeko (Pocahontas)

Dreams Come True (1)

Michael (Peter Pan)

Disney Classics (1)

Mickey Mouse

Mickey and Friends (7)
Mickey Font (1)

Mike Wazowski (Monsters Inc.)

Best of Pixar (4)

Minnie Mouse

Mickey and Friends (6)
Mickey Font (1)

Mrs. Potato Head (Toy Story, Toy Story 2, Toy Story 3)

Toy Story (1)

Mrs. Potts (Beauty & the Beast)

Dreams Come True (1)

Mr. Incredible (The Incredibles)

Best of Pixar (2)

Mr. Potato Head (Toy Story, Toy Story 2, Toy Story 3)

Toy Story (2)

Mr. Smee (Peter Pan)

Disney Classics (1)

M-O (Wall-E)

Best of Pixar (1)

Mulan

Happily Ever After (2)

Mushu (Mulan)

Happily Ever After (1)

Nemo (Finding Nemo)

Best of Pixar (2)

Owl (Winnie the Pooh)

Pooh and Friends (1)

Peach (Finding Nemo)

Best of Pixar (1)

Pearl (Finding Nemo)

Best of Pixar (1)

Peter Pan

Disney Classics (2)

Piglet (Winnie the Pooh)

Pooh and Friends (6)

Piglet, Baby (Winnie the Pooh)

Pooh Font Set (2)

Pinocchio

Disney Classics (3)

Pluto

Mickey and Friends (5)
Mickey Font (1)

Pocahontas

Dreams Come True (2)

Prince Charming (Cinderella)

Happily Ever After (2)

Prince Eric (The Little Mermaid)

Dreams Come True (2)

Queen of Hearts (Alice in Wonderland)

Disney Classics (2)

Rabbit (Winnie the Pooh)

Pooh and Friends (1)

Ramone (Cars, Cars 2)

Cars (3)

Randall (Monsters Inc.)

Best of Pixar (1)

Red (Cars, Cars 2)

Cars (1)

Rex (Toy Story, Toy Story 2, Toy Story 3)

Toy Story (2)

Roo (Winnie the Pooh)

Pooh and Friends (3)

Rosetta (Disney Fairies)

Tinker Bell and Friends (2)

Roz (Monsters Inc.)

Best of Pixar (1)

Sally (Cars)

Cars (2)

Sarge (Cars, Cars 2)

Cars (1)

Sebastian (The Little Mermaid)

Dreams Come True (1)

Sheldon (Finding Nemo)

Best of Pixar (1)

Sheriff (Cars, Cars 2)

Cars (1)

Silvermist (Disney Fairies)

Tinker Bell and Friends (2)

Sleeping Beauty (see Aurora)
Sleepy (Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs)

Happily Ever After (1)

Slinky (Toy Story, Toy Story 2, Toy Story 3)

Toy Story 2

Sneezy (Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs)

Happily Ever After (1)

Snotrod (Cars)

Cars (1)

Snow White

Happily Ever After (5)

Squirt (Finding Nemo)

Best of Pixar (2)

Stinky Pete (see Prospector, The)
Sully (Monsters Inc.)

Best of Pixar (4)

Syndrome (The Incredibles)

Best of Pixar (1)

Tad (Finding Nemo)

Best of Pixar (1)

The King (Cars)

Cars (3)

The Prince (Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs)

Happily Ever After (1)

The Prospector (Toy Story 2)

Toy Story (1)

Thumper (Bambi)

Disney Classics (3)

Tigger (Winnie the Pooh)

Pooh and Friends (8)

Tigger, Baby (Winnie the Pooh)

Pooh Font Set (3)

Tinker Bell

Disney Classics (1)
Tinker Bell and Friends (14)

Tractor (Cars)

Cars (1)

Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum (Alice in Wonderland)

Disney Classics (1)

Violet (The Incredibles)

Best of Pixar (2)

Wall-E (Wall-E)

Best of Pixar (2)

Waternoose (Monsters Inc.)

Best of Pixar (1)

Wendy (Peter Pan)

Disney Classics (1)

White Rabbit (Alice in Wonderland)

Disney Classics (2)

Wingo (Cars)

Cars (1)

Winnie the Pooh

Pooh and Friends (9)

Winnie the Pooh, Baby

Pooh Font Set (5)

Woody ( Toy Story, Toy Story 2, Toy Story 3)

Toy Story (7)

Zurg (Toy Story 2, Toy Story 3)

Toy Story (1)

What Disney characters would you like to see on a Cricut cartridge? We would love to see one for the Walt Disney Resort with the attractions and park icons. Both my daughters have asked for a Tangled cartridge and a Princess and the Frog cartridge.

Disney Magic Times 3 ~ Hoop Dee Doo Musical Revue Does It Again

noreply@blogger.com (Beth Doda ~ disneymom2jhe) — Sat, 21 Apr 2012 19:04:00 +0000

I have talked a lot about the Hoop Dee Doo Musical Review being one of our family's favorite things to do in Walt Disney World. It is our tradition to spend our last night in Disney at Pioneer Hall enjoying the show and the food. I have seen the show over 10 times and my children have been every trip. Even better, all three of my kids love to play the washboard, clap and stomp along with the cast and twirl their napkins. During our 2010 trip, Hayley was lucky enough to be pulled from the crowd and asked to ring the dinner bell. As exciting as that was, this year, something even more special happened:

My kids were so thrilled! The best part of this moment was that actually Joey was chosen to ring the bell. He looked right at the cast member and said, "Can my sisters come too?" It is by far one of my favorite moments of the trip because whether in Disney or anywhere else, my kids just love doing everything together and are always looking out for each other!

Magical Journeys Starts a New Program and Is Looking for Disney Itinerary Planners

noreply@blogger.com (Beth Doda ~ disneymom2jhe) — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 19:01:00 +0000

As you know, Magical Journeys is the travel agency my family uses for our trips. They are starting a new planning program and are looking for a few individuals who would like to be a part of it. I know many of you can answer yes to all the following questions, so how could I not share it with you?? If you choose to apply, good luck!

Are you the "go to" Disney person at work?
Do you know the Disney Theme Parks as well as your home town?
Are you already planning your friends vacations?
Do you have commitments that tie up your time, but you still love to plan Disney vacations?

If so, you may be the perfect person for Magical Journeys new Itinerary Planner Program.

We will be bringing on and training a few Independent Itinerary Planners to work under a highly trained and extremely knowledgeable Magical Journeys Team Member. If you think this may work for you, please fill out an application http://magicaljourneystravel.com/junioragentapplication . You only need to submit one application, we will be keeping all applications for future consideration. Please do NOT directly contact any of the current Magical Journeys agents regarding this program, they are busy enough. (doing so will be a strike in the "Listens to and Follows Directions" Column - you don't want that!)

-Nanci

Disney Wordless Wednesday Blog Hop ~ Cheetahs of Kilimanjaro Safaris in Disney's Animal Kingdom

noreply@blogger.com (Beth Doda ~ disneymom2jhe) — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 12:37:00 +0000

Today, I am joining in the fun of the Disney Wordless Wednesday Blog Hop hosted by Deb at Focused on the Magic. The theme this week is Nature, and I am sharing a photo, yet again, from Kilimanjaro Safaris. As you may know this is one of my favorite attractions in Walt Disney World. I was happy to capture this shot of three cheetahs resting in the shade. Much like my desire to see the lions in action along the safari someday, I would love to see the cheetahs up and roaming around. All my photos of them are of them relaxing.

November 2011, Disney's Animal Kingdom, Kilimanjaro Safaris

Make sure you head over to Focused on the Magic to share your Wordless Wednesday post and check out what everyone else had to share today!

Kali River Rapids Adventure

noreply@blogger.com (Beth Doda ~ disneymom2jhe) — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 11:30:00 +0000

Here's the button on the bridge

For whatever reason, Kali River Rapids in Disney’s Animal Kingdom always seems to be an attraction that some of our funniest Disney moments have occurred, from the first time my dad experienced it with my husband having no idea how wet he would actually get to Joey’s first trip in which he came off the ride looking as though he jumped in the pool to a fun incident (and discovery) on our most recent trip.

The water squirts from the trunk of the elephant

We celebrated many milestones this past trip and experienced many things for the first time. All three of my children for once were tall enough to take a float down Kali River Rapids. Unfortunately, as we approached the turnstiles, Emily and Hayley made a last minute decision to not experience the attraction. I was slightly disappointed, since I was looking forward to all three of my kids experiencing a thrill ride together for the very first time. But being a parent who does not push her kids to try an attraction if they don’t want to, the girls, my mom and I made our way over to the bridge near the attraction exit and waited. Since there was no line, it wasn’t long until we saw the raft carrying my dad, my husband and Joey. As they came toward us, Hayley yells to Pierre , “Daddy, I changed my mind, I want to go on the raft!” Of course, Pierre did not hear her, but I told we would have to wait until daddy came off the ride to ask him.

As we waited a cast member came by and asked if we knew that we could have squirted the riders. I had no idea what he was talking about, and he showed us this button right on the bridge that if you pushed it, the elephant trunks would squirt water! Too bad he didn’t tell us just moments before because I would have loved to get my husband and my dad! I had no idea these even existed. So next time you are waiting on the bridge, look for this box and give the button a push! I love when I go on Disney vacations and learn something new!

Well, Pierre came off the ride soaked, as did Joey and my dad, but that did not stop them from taking another round of it so the girls could have a turn too. It was very exciting that in the end, all three of my kids experienced their very first thrill ride together, and we discovered something new about Kali River Rapids!

This article was orginially written for my Making Magical Memories column, which was published in WDW Daily News Newsletter #223 on March 20th.

Visiting Camp Minnie-Mickey at Disney's Animal Kingdom

noreply@blogger.com (Beth Doda ~ disneymom2jhe) — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 20:19:00 +0000

My kids are big fans of Huey, Dewey & Louie, so they
were quite excited to spot on the way into
Camp Minnie-Mickey!

We tried many new things at Walt Disney World for the first time on our most recent trip. One of my children’s favorite firsts was stopping in Camp Minnie-Mickey at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. In all our visits we had never made our way to this section of the park. That is because this is the first trip all three of our kids wanted to meet the characters. During our past trips, we have always had one, if not two, afraid of the characters. I took full advantage of it and finally have some great photos of all three of my kids together with characters!

This was our first trip that Emily
would have her picture taken
with the characters.

Along the Character Meet and Greet trails, some of the characters we encountered were in their safari clothes, including Donald and Goofy (Mickey and Minnie were there too, but their line was very long!). There were Photopass photographers assigned to each trail. This was great because we were able to get pictures of our entire family. Even better, not only did the Photopass photographers take photos with their camera, but they also offered to take pictures with mine! (That is actually a good tip for any park and Photopass photographer - ask if they will take pictures with your camera, though I never had to ask, they usually asked me!)

My children tend to be very shy. What I loved about the trails was that the characters were under a gazebo and the line of people was not wrapped around where the characters are. This may not seem like a big deal to some, but for a mom of shy kids, this is a tremendous help. Since my kids could not see all the people watching them while waiting for their turn, they were much more interactive, especially Joey who even pinched Dale’s nose!

Our entire travel party in one photo! My hair only looks
crazy because I just happen to be the lucky one
standing right under the fan!

Camp Minnie Mickey is a great spot to get some photos of the kids (and adults) with the characters. We found the characters to be very interactive, which was a lot of fun, and the set up is great for shy kids. Next time you are visiting Camp Minnie-Mickey make sure you take full advantage of the Photopass service. When we ordered our CD, not only did the photographers capture some great shots of the kids, but also included were some fun bonus photos of the characters in Camp Minnie Mickey, including characters we did not have a chance to meet.

This article was originally written for my Making Magical Memories column, which was published in the WDW Daily News Newsletter #221 on March 7, 2012.

Our Beyond the Attractions Giveaway Winner Is . . .

noreply@blogger.com (Beth Doda ~ disneymom2jhe) — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 19:15:00 +0000

We were very excited to host our very first giveaway. Thank you so much, Lisa, for allowing us to share Beyond the Attractions with our readers.

Without further ado:

Congratulations, Christine Watson Huff!

I have sent you an e-mail and will ship the books as soon as I hear back from you. Thank you so much for participating and I hope you enjoy the books as much as my family and I do!

Magical Blogorail ~ Africa in Disney's Animal Kingdom

noreply@blogger.com (Beth Doda ~ disneymom2jhe) — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 11:00:00 +0000

Welcome to those of you joining me from Meet the Magic and those of you just hopping aboard. I am the fourth stop on our Magical Blogorail.

When I knew we would be discussing the history of lands of Disney parks, I knew I was going to choose Africa in Disney's Animal Kingdom. I chose it for the simple fact that when Animal Kingdom first opened in 1998, I did not appreciate what this park had to offer. Now it has two of my top ten favorite things to do in Walt Disney and having a child who loves animals, I have an entirely new appreciation for all that this park has to offer. Walt Disney had a passion for animals, even wanting to put live animals in the Jungle Cruise. They never worked out. Luckily, Walt's love of animals was never forgotten and is now represented in Disney's Animal Kingdom. It is a park that is entertaining, educational and brings attention to conservation efforts.

There are two attractions in the Africa section. As soon as you enter Africa, guests are strolling through the African Village of Harambe and heading toward the Harambe Wildlife Preserve, where you can experience an African safari in an open-air jeep. As you exit Kilimanjaro Safaris, the entrance to the Pangani Forest Exploration Trail is straight ahead. If you want to get even closer to the animals, as of 2010 a Wild Africa Trek has been added to list of Disney magic you can experience for an extra cost.

Kilimanjaro Safaris is an attraction that has gone through story line changes over the years. When originally opened, it had a story line of capturing poachers and saving Big Red, and even had wardens aboard the jeeps. Today, the focus of the attraction is more on the animals along the safari with the poacher story line taking a back seat. For me, I actually enjoy just listening to details about the animals. I wouldn't be bothered if the story line were dropped completely. Though I have never been to Africa and experienced a true African safari, I can say that I feel like this is just what it must be like. As you make your way around the Harambe Wildlife Preserve in your jeep, you observe animals in habitats that Disney created to replicate their habitats in Africa.

The Pangani Forest Exploration Trail is one of the places where I really have learned to take my time through the park. There are so many amazing displays, but there is one spot I could spend a lot of time just watching, and that is the Gorilla Research area. There are a few types of gorillas, but the silverbacks are amaing to observe. It is hard to imagine how big they actual are until you watch them interact with each other and their surroundings.

I no longer consider Disney's Animal Kingdom a half day park. We take at least an entire day to take everything in, talk to cast members about all the types of animals and enjoy all that it has to offer. It is an amazing way for the Walt Disney Company to bring Walt's love of animals to life.

You next stop along our Magical Blogorail is

Days in the Park

Here is the map of our Magical Blogorail should you happen to have to make a stop along the way and want to reboard:

1st Stop ~ Disney Babies Blog

2ndStop ~ Cooking with Mickey

3rd Stop ~ Meet the Magic

4th Stop ~ Pursuing the Magic

5th Stop ~ Days in the Park

Final Stop ~ The CanaDisney Blog

A Magical Blogorail Winnie the Pooh Baby Shower

noreply@blogger.com (Beth Doda ~ disneymom2jhe) — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 11:00:00 +0000

Welcome to the first stop of our Special Edition Magical Blogorail loop and our virtual Winnie the Pooh Baby Shower! I happen to love baby showers and creating them with a Disney theme, just makes them even more special! I happen to have a soft spot in my heart for a Winnie the Pooh theme, because it just so happens that my baby shower for Joey had a Winnie the Pooh theme. Hard to believe that was over 7 years ago!

It seems lately that so many people I know are having babies, and when Amy at Growing Up Disney suggested we host a virtual baby shower for our online friends who are pregnant, I jumped right on it. We are dedicating this loop to our friends Jenn of Disney Babies Blog and Beth of A Disney Mom's Thoughts. I have been so lucky to connect with them through our Disney blogs and cherish their friendships! I cannot wait to "meet" their little ones!

I am sharing Winnie the Pooh themed baby shower invitations. I love making and personalizing invitations! It is such a great way to share the theme with your guests and get them excited for the shower. Now I know not everyone has time to make baby shower invitations, especially if they are hosting a large gathering, so I have tried to make these very simple and quick to assemble. But also know, there are plenty of absolutely adorable Winnie the Pooh invitations sold at party stores that you can't go wrong with either!

Materials

Printed Card Stock (pastel green with polka dots, though you could easily personalize this color if you know the sex of the baby)
DCWV Yellow Glitter Cardstock
White, Yellow and Red Cardstock
Cricut Pooh Font Cartridge*
Cricut Alphalicious Cartridge*

*If you do not own a Cricut machine, the images and phrase I used for this project can easily be printed from your computer or you can purchase pre-cut letters and characters from your local craft store.

Steps

Create a 5.5x4.25 card using the polka dot cardstock
Cut the white cardstock into a 4.25x3.75 rectangle (I used a punch to create the decorative edge)
Using the Pooh Font Cartridge, cut the sleeping baby Pooh at 2"
Using the Alphalicious Cartridge,cut the phrase "You're Invited" at 2.25"
Adhere the "Your Invited" to the white rectangle
Adhere the white rectangle to the front of the card about half an inch from the top.
Adhere the sleeping Pooh at the bottom of the front of the card
Personalize the inside with details of the baby shower

Congratulations to Jenn and Beth! This is such a special time for you and your families and I couldn't be happier for the two of you!

Your next stop along our Special Edition Magical Blogorail loop is

Disney Donna Kay

Here is the map of our Magical Blogorail Loop and Virtual Baby Shower should you happen to make a stop along the way and want to reboard:

1st Stop ~ Invitations with Pursuing the Magic (You are here)
2nd Stop ~ Decorations & Gifts Ideas with Disney Donna Kay
3rd Stop ~ Winnie the Pooh Cakes with Growing Up Disney
4th Stop ~ Drinks & Snacks with Can Do It Mom AKA Mouse Fan Diane
5th Stop ~ Party Favors with Disney on Wheels
Final Stop ~ Pooh's Inspirational Thoughts with DIStherapy

Beyond the Attractions Review and Giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (Beth Doda ~ disneymom2jhe) — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 17:23:00 +0000

Traveling to Walt Disney World with little ones is absolutely one of the most magical experiences I have had. Seeing Disney and the magic it holds through their eyes makes every moment of planning and every penny spent worth it. But the key is planning! Before having children, I wouldn't say I was an expert on Disney, but I could certainly get around to our favorite attractions, restaurants and shows without a problem, even traveling during some of the busiest seasons. But I realized in 2008, when I traveled with three little ones (ages 10 months, 2 years and 3.5 years), that vacationing in Disney with kids is an entirely different vacation. I won't say I wasn't prepared, but I will say bringing three kids in diapers, two strollers and one diaper bag made for a very busy week.

If you are planning to take your little ones to Walt Disney World, I highly recommend you pick up a copy of Lisa Battista's "Beyond the Attraction" Disney guidebook. This book will help you plan your trip to Disney, starting with a discussion on whether or not your child is ready for a Disney trip. She then shares steps to planning your magical vacation with your preschooler from the perspective of a mom who has been through it herself. This leads into preparing your child for this type of a vacation and other valuable tips for advanced planning.

Once through the planning and preparing for your trip, Lisa discusses the attractions, dining and recreational activities appropriate for preschoolers. This is a great resource because the attractions section details what you can expect, but also shares some attractions that may be unexpectedly scary for your child. Even better, Lisa includes the height restrictions for the attractions found throughout Walt Disney World. This is great information to know ahead of time to be sure you don't talk up a ride to your child and then find out when you arrive, they are not tall enough to experience it. The dining is very thorough with an overview of the dining plan, advanced dining reservations and family friendly restaurants throughout the parks and resorts.

The Child Care and Safety section includes invaluable information for any parent traveling to Walt Disney World, from the Baby Care Centers to your child's safety in the parks to child proofing your resort room.

Being that this book is geared toward traveling to Walt Disney World with preschoolers, it is an amazing resource for parents looking to plan their trip, whether they are Disney Rookies or Disney Veterans. The information Lisa provides will make sure you are prepared before arriving, as well as how to enjoy every minute of the magic while in Disney.

Starting today, I am giving away a copy of Beyond the Attractions: A Guide to Walt Disney World with Preschoolers, along with one our favorite books here at home - the Disney Junior Encyclopedia of Animated Characters. I've added in the character encyclopedia because Lisa shares a very valuable piece of advice when it comes to preparing your children for a trip to Disney. . . have your children be familiar with the characters. I could not agree with her more! This encyclopedia is a great way to familiarize your child with many of Disney's characters. Even better, one of my readers and my friend, Beth, over at A Disney Mom's Thoughts has used the encyclopedia as an autograph book, which sparked conversation from the characters.

To win a copy of Beyond the Attractions and the Disney Encyclopedia of Animated Characters, you can enter below - good luck! Thank you so much to Lisa for letting me giveaway one of her books!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disney Wordless Wednesday Blog Hop ~ Joey's Disney Hats from His First Trip

noreply@blogger.com (Beth Doda ~ disneymom2jhe) — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 16:10:00 +0000

Today, I am joining in the fun of the Disney Wordless Wednesday Blog Hop hosted by Deb at Focused on the Magic. This week's theme is "Hats." Since I just did a flashback post about hats in Disney, I decided to look back at Joey's first trip to see what were some of his first Disney hats.

Joey's 1st Mickey Ears

(which he refused to wear in Disney)

February 2006

Joey's Favorite Disney Hat ~ Buzz Lightyear Cap

(if it still fit him, he would still wear it!)

February 2006

Joey's Patriots Hat

(he was wearing this when we had a chance meeting with Mr. & Mrs. Kraft one day in the Magic Kingdom ~ he wore this hat until it no longer fit him)

February 2006

Looking back at these photos, it is hard to believe my little Joey is now 7! We have all these hats packed away and maybe someday his little boy will get to wear them!

Make sure you head over to Focused on the Magic to link up your Wordless Wednesday post and see what everyone else had to share!

Destination Disney ~ Top 9 Characters

noreply@blogger.com (Beth Doda ~ disneymom2jhe) — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 19:47:00 +0000

Today I am sharing my top 9 Disney characters as a part of Destination Disney hosted by Heidi over at Heidi's Head. This was really difficult to pick just 9! Like last week's entry, this is a list of our family favorites and they are in no particular order:

Rapunzel, Flynn, Maximus and Pascal: We are all huge fans of Tangled. These characters are so funny, heartwarming and caring that how could we not love them? We listen to the Tangled soundtrack all the time and my children act out all the songs and scores from the movie.

Sleeping Beauty: Princess Aurora is Hayley's favorite Princess. She loves that Aurora dances with the animals in Prince Philips clothes. Even better, she loves the colors blue and pink, so what better princess than one who had a dress that was changed back and forth from pink to blue. Of course, it does make me proud when she asks why Sleeping Beauty toys are always pink when mostly in the movie her dress was blue.

Princess Tiana: Emily just loves Princess Tiana. She sings the songs from the movie all the time. But I realized how much she loved the movie one afternoon while she was playing with her kitchen and pretend food. I asked her what she was cooking and her response, "I am not cooking, I am mincing!"

Woody and Buzz: I cannot separate these two. They are Joey's very first Disney loves! From the first time he watched Toy Story, Buzz and Woody quickly became household favorites.

Lightning McQueen: As soon as Joey saw Cars for the first time, he was obsessed! We started collecting all the diecast cars from the movie, which we then used to teach Joey his colors (all the racers were different colors) and numbers (all the racers have their own numbers). To this day, Cars has a prominent theme in this house - Joey's room is a Cars theme and you can find several Cars around the house on any given day.

Belle: From the first time I watched Beauty and the Beast, Belle became my favorite princess. I loved that she stood up for herself and loved to read. Even better, she had brown hair, something no other princess had. Add to that being able to see people's inner beauty without judgement of what they looked like on the outside is a tremendous trait to have.

Make sure you head over to Heidi's Head and see what everyone else shared for Destination Disney ~ Top 9 Characters!

Growing Up Disney's Minnie Moms ~ Our Favorite Disney Photos

noreply@blogger.com (Beth Doda ~ disneymom2jhe) — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 14:19:00 +0000

The Growing Up Disney Minnie Moms are a group of moms who share their tips on planning and enjoying Disney vacations with their children. Each month we share our perspectives on a different topic. This month, we were asked to share a favorite Disney photo. To see which one I shared, head over to:

Growing Up Disney

Destination Disney ~ Top 10 Disney Attractions

noreply@blogger.com (Beth Doda ~ disneymom2jhe) — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 13:09:00 +0000

I am so excited that Heidi has brought back Destination Disney! Every Thursday she invites everyone to share a post on a particular topic. This week's theme is:

Top 10 Disney Attractions

Here is our family list in no particular order:

Pirates of the Caribbean: By far my favorite!
Haunted Mansion: I absolutely love this attraction! My kids have never experienced it, but Pierre and I wouldn't miss it!
Buzz's Space Ranger Spin: Another favorite of the entire family
Prince Charming's Regal Carousel: Hayley and Emily would spend the entire vacation on the carousel with maybe a stop or two to hop on It's a Small World
It's a Small World: Hayley has loved this attraction since her first ride through when she was two.
Rock N' Roller Coaster: Pierre's Disney vacation would not be complete without at least experiencing this once if not twice per trip!
Toy Story Midway Mania: The entire family loves this one!
Kilimanjaro Safaris: Hayley and I have the safari ranked a the top of our lists!
Tomorrowland Speedway: Joey rides this at least 3 times per trip!
Star Tours: Pierre and I love the update to this attraction!

I know that this list really could go on and on, but these 10 are things on our must do list every trip! What are your top 10 Disney attractions?

Make sure you head over to Heidi's Head to see everyone's top 10 lists!

We Pursued & Found the Magic This Week with Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party, a Splash Mountain First, Pocahontas le Spectacle and a Disney Flashback

noreply@blogger.com (Beth Doda ~ disneymom2jhe) — Sun, 18 Mar 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Another fun week here at Pursuing the Magic. I finally had the chance to start my posts about Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party and was able to join in a few Disney blog hops.

On Tuesday, I shared our Disney Splurge, which was the decision to purchase tickets for Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party.

On Wednesday, the Disney Wordless Wednesday Blog Hop theme was Frontierland. I shared photos from Hayley's first trip down Splash Mountain.

On Thursday, I shared a quick video I captured at Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party of the Headless Horseman.

Also, on Thursday, I shared my post for the 20 Days to 20 Years series over at DIStherapy. I discussed the Disneyland Paris debut of Pocahontas, le Spectacle.

On Friday, for the Flashback Friday Blog Hop hosted by Focused on the Magic I looked back over our trips and shared photos of a few times over the years we have posed for photos wearing all sorts of Disney hats.

Over on the Facebook page, we asked what Disney characters you would like to see host a character meal. Head over to the discussion on the Pursuing the Magic page and let me know your top choice!

Disney Flashback Friday ~ Free Fun with Hats Around Walt Disney World

noreply@blogger.com (Beth Doda ~ disneymom2jhe) — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 12:52:00 +0000

Today I am joining in on the fun of the Flashback Friday Blog Hop hosted by Deb of Focused on the Magic. I love this blog hop because we are always looking back through our trip photo albums and watching our vacation montages. It is funny what catches my eye.

One of the things that we keep an eye on the most while in Walt Disney World is Hayley overheating. It isn't that we do not worry about Emily or Joey, but Hayley very easily becomes overheated when it is barely 80. So in 2008, when Hayley was just 2, we were in the Magic Kingdom and she was giving us all the signs of a kid who was unhappy and about to meltdown from the heat. We originally made the decision to leave the Magic Kingdom and head back to the hotel for a swim, but she wasn't going to make it. We decided on our way past the Emporium that this would be our solution - an air conditioned place with lots of distractions, i.e. toys! But what we found that it wasn't the toys she loved, it was the hats! The Emporium has a section of all the Disney hats in bins. She could easily reach the ones she wanted to try on. This ended up being the perfect solution. She tried on every hat she could and within 20 minutes, she was cooled off and back to her happy self.

The Emporium ~ October 2008

This past trip, she didn't have an issue with overheating, but she did find another great spot to try on hats - in Frontierland! We were waiting to get a spot for the parade, and Hayley was excited to model the character hats. When she put on the Goofy one, she let out a loud "Gawrsh" that grab the attention of a few guests walking by. She put on quite a show!

Frontierland ~ October 2011

Since this is Flashback Friday, I decided to see how far back I could go and find pictures of us with different hats on throughout the parks. Here's one I found from October of 1988 - taken 20 years before the ones of Hayley in the Emporium!

Here's me at the ripe ol' age of 15! World Showcase ~ October 1988

Finding spots to try on these hats for Hayley is a lot free fun and can be a great way to cool off in an air conditioned shop!

Make sure you head over to the Flashback Friday Blog Hop to see what everyone else is reminiscing about!

The Headless Horseman at Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party

noreply@blogger.com (Beth Doda ~ disneymom2jhe) — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 12:00:00 +0000

During our 2011 trip, we attended Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party for the first time. I was really impressed with everything the party had to offer, though unfortunately, the night we attended was so busy that we missed out on many things we had wanted to see. It also just happened that my daughter got sick starting that afternoon, and by 8 that night, she was asleep on my husband's lap on the side of Main Street waiting for Hallowishes to begin. It was surprising to both Pierre and I because Hayley is our night owl. It was the other two we had been concerned about falling asleep, since both Joey and Emily barely make it to their 7:30 bedtime. But clearly, Hayley had a slight fever and we were only two days in of our 8 day vacation.

Luckily, all of us were able to see the Headless Horseman, who makes an appearance just before the beginning of Mickey's Boo To You Parade (which you will see in a future post has become my children's favorite part of the evening). I just happened to be able to catch a quick video of him:

I was excited to get a video of the Headless Horseman, especially since I was told before leaving to be ready because he comes and goes quickly, which was very true. I thought my kids may have been afraid of him, but not so! All three watched him ride by. Of course, I did field many questions the rest of the night and the next day about why he was carrying his head!