Fun Find: Disney 100 Disneyland Show Videos

Friends, it's Friday and we have almost made it to the weekend!  Today is Random Acts of Kindness Day so I thought I'd post a few fun videos that I found.  I originally wanted to write about these last week, but it seemed like I should wait another week to "be kind" and give everyone a chance to seek these out for themselves first.  (Plus, I really wanted to write about the Disney Fairy Tale Wedding Fashion Show last week!)

Photo Sources: Top and Bottom

But today, I figured it was time to be kind and share these!  It's been two weeks since the Disney 100 celebration started at Disneyland.  I was so excited to see the two new nighttime shows.  The shows are one of my favorite parts of a day at Disney, and these new shows at Disneyland were on my must see list.  Eliot and I aren't sure if we'll be able to see them in person, so I made it a priority to watch them on YouTube.

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Last weekend, we tucked in and watched these while we were enjoying our breakfast brunch.  We're able to watch YouTube on our television thanks to our Roku, and I've been watching more of it now that we're able to see it on the big screen.  Both new nighttime shows were marvelous, and I definitely shed a few tears.

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First, we watched Wondrous Journeys- the new fireworks show at Disneyland.  These aren't the exact videos we watched... but I wanted to find some where you'd see all of the details.  This is a fantastic few of Sleeping Beauty Castle and all of the projections!

The other new show to celebrate Disney 100 at the Disneyland Resort is World of Color: ONE.  This show is over at California Adventure.  This first video shows you a great view of the overall show without tons of heads and cell phones in the way!

This second video of World of Color: ONE shows more of the projection details from a view on the other side of the water.  If you haven't been to California Adventure before, the viewing area of the show and water is quite expansive... so you have a different experience depending on where you are standing each time!

I thought these new shows are wonderful.  I'm glad that they included so many of the animated films for Wondrous Journeys.  (All of Disney's animated films are supposed to be represented in the show... but I haven't found them all yet!)  I also love how they included Star Wars and Marvel in World of Color: ONE.  It feels very appropriate to showcase those franchises as well since they're part of the Disney family too.. it's usually Disney and Pixar getting all the love.  I'm also a big fan of them including more of the recent movies!  Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love me some 90's Disney films and their incredible music, but I also love Moana and Encanto.  

I hope you enjoyed these fun videos!  I think these shows are spectacular and I hope Eliot and I are able to see them in person sometime!  °o°

California Adventure's Birthday

Hi friends!  Eliot and I have been super busy this week but I wanted to pop in really quickly to wish California Adventure a very happy 22nd birthday! 

It's hard to believe the park is already 22 years old since opening up in 2001.  My first visit was back in 2009 when I went with Eliot, his sisters and his father while out in California for Sara's high school graduation.  (That was my first trip to the Disneyland Resort, and my first time in California as well.)

The park has changed so much since then!  One of these days, I'll have to do a #tbt post about the park when we first went.  I have so many pictures from that first trip!

One of my favorite things back then, that still is one of my favorites to this day is the Fun Wheel.  I love Mickey's Fun Wheel... not riding it necessarily, but I love the look of it.  To me, it's distinctly a Disneyland thing.  And I'm 100% obsessed with it lit up at night... especially when it looks like a rainbow!!!  (We've even made ears of it!)

Of course, World of Color goes hand in hand with my rainbow Fun Wheel.  It's also distinctly a Disneyland thing... although I keep hoping they'll bring something similar to the east coast!  World of Color is a spectacular nighttime show!

Cars Land is another highlight   Walking down the street feels like you're really inside of the movie.  And Radiator Springs Racers is definitely one of our favorite rides!

My other favorite at California Adventure is the Animation Building.  I love going inside for a break.  It's the perfect place to sit and rest in the air conditioning.  Plus, the music and Disney films that are projected all around you is the coolest thing.  I could sit there watching it for hours... and I have spent quite a bit of time doing just that!  I love it!

Anyways, I've got to get back to work, but I had to stop by for this quick post!  Happy 22nd Birthday California Adventure!!!  May you have many more magical years!!!  °o°

Disneyland Trip Recap 4/30/16

Our second Disneyland day was allotted for California Adventure.  I had a harder time getting up this morning since I was still exhausted from our long day at Disneyland and Pearls in the Park the night before.  I got ready and put on my new Dole Whip shirt.

I was ready a little bit before Tara and Linda so I took my time going to their room.  On the way, I took a bunch of photos of the Disneyland Hotel hallway.  The carpet was so much fun!  I wanted to have pictures of it.

I met up with the girls and we headed out towards the parks.  On the way, we stopped to admire the Rose Court Garden where we had Pearls in the Park the night before.

After, we wandered through Downtown Disney and over to California Adventure.  We stopped at few places along the main entrance to take pictures.  I never saw the dedication plaque so I made sure to stop and read it.

We also stopped outside of Carthay Circle.  We had dinner reservations scheduled later that day, but we thought we'd get a few pictures now while it was quiet!

We slowly made our way into the park.  On the way, we saw a lot of booths for the California Food and Wine Festival.  We love the Food and Wine Festival at Epcot.  I really wish we'd had time to enjoy it!  I'm sure the food was amazing!

We headed over to get our FastPasses for Radiator Springs Racers since they run out so quickly.  As it was, all three of us got FastPasses for times 5 minutes apart even though we all got our tickets at the same time!

When we exited the line for the FastPasses.  We saw the entrance to Bugsland and "It's Tough to Be a Bug."  There was no line and pretty much no one even near that section of the park.  We decided to go see the show.  We literally were the only ones in line until right before the show started.  The cast member was really nice and told us a bunch of fun facts.  He even showed us where the Hidden Mickeys were!

After that, we headed over to Carsland.  The girls wanted to see it and we still had quite a bit of time before our breakfast reservations.

We decided to go on Mater's Junkyard Jamboree.  The line wasn't crazy long and it didn't look like something we'd want to be whipped around on after we ate.  I was a little bit anxious of how I'd do on it, but my stomach was fine.  Tara and I twirled around the track, waving to Linda every time we passed her.

After that, it was time to head over to Ariel's Grotto for breakfast.  Once again, we were some of the first people inside the restaurant.  We got a photo taken with Ariel before being seated inside.  I absolutely loved the decor.  I couldn't get enough of the little details.  I really loved the bubbles on the lights.

The food was delicious.  We were served a basket of croissants and muffins along with a tray of fruit.  After munching on that, we were served our meals.  I got the berry waffles.  We also got to meet some of the princesses.  Each was announced before making her way around the tables to great guests.  We ended up meeting Cinderella, Rapunzel, Belle and Tiana!  (We took photos but I have to get them from the girls!)

After breakfast, we had a bit of time to kill before our FastPasses for Radiator Springs Racers.  We decided to go on the Little Mermaid ride since it was along the way.

Then, we made our way to Carsland and Radiator Springs Racers.  This was my first time on the ride and I was a little bit anxious.  I also knew we'd just eaten and I hoped I would be ok.  Eliot told me it was a lot like Test Track, so I figured I'd be alright.  It was amazing.  All three of us absolutely loved it.  It was a lot more detailed than I thought it would be.  The outside part where you go fast was longer than Test Track, but so much fun.  They did a wonderful job with that ride.  No wonder it's always so popular!

After that, we made our way to Paradise Pier and walked along the boardwalk.  The line for Toy Story Midway Mania was pretty long so we decided to skip it.  Tara had planned to go on California Screamin' but she wasn't too excited about the loop.

Instead, Tara and I decided to go on Mickey's Fun Wheel.  Linda sat on a bench nearby to wait in the shade while we had an adventure.

Ironically, this was probably the longest wait we had the entire trip.  It took us about an hour to get on the ride.  And then, we were paired up with a mother and son since it was just two of us.  Luckily, we had a great time and enjoyed the view of Disneyland, California Adventure and Anaheim.  Linda also got a great picture of us waving to her!

We finished the loop and the rest of the boardwalk so Tara and Linda could at least see it even if we weren't going on any rides.  We decided to go over to do the bread factory tour.  After grabbing our free slices, we wandered about the bakery.  It was then that we realized we were starting to get hungry again.  We walked over to Ghirardelli's to get some ice cream.  Then, we sat in the shade, relaxed and talked for about an hour.

Next, we decided to head back towards the front of the park to see if Oswald was greeting guests.  We couldn't find him, but I did find an Ortensia plush that matched my Oswald plush at home.  I took a picture and sent it to Jeremy.  He told me his Oswald was lonely and wanted a girl friend.  I told him that if his Oswald could wait, I'd get him one when I was at Disneyland in June.  (Then, I'd have my 20% off AP discount!)

We decided to head towards Hollywood Land to explore the rest of the park.  We went over to the Animation Building, which is one of my favorite places.  I love sitting there watching the Disney movies.  We went to do the Animation Academy.  This particular time, we were doing an advanced drawing of Captain Hook!  It was more detailed than other classes I've done, but the three of us had a great time!

After, we went into the Sorcerer's Workshop to explore that.  We played around for a few minutes before heading back outside.

We realized we still had chunk of time before our dinner reservations so we decided to do a little bit of shopping along the main streets.  I didn't buy anything since I knew I'd have my AP pass the next trip, but I did take pictures of stuff I was interested in!

Once it was time, we made our way over to Carthay Circle.  We were given a short tour and explanation of some important pictures inside.  It was really cool.  Then, we were given a special menu for the World of Color package.  I ordered the salad, pasta and the lemon tart for dessert.  I also ordered the Pimm's Punch drink.  The food was so good- rich, delicious and I stuffed myself even though I wasn't even that hungry.

Before leaving, we were given our special FastPasses for World of Color.  We still had a little bit of time before we needed to get into our spots so we stopped at Carsland to see all of the neon lights.  This is the first time I've stopped to enjoy them.  It really feels like you're in Radiator Springs at night; the atmosphere is incredible.

After that, we went over to find our reserved spots for World of Color.  We were towards the right side at the very back.  However, the location wasn't bad since we were on a raised platform.  We got there early enough to position ourselves behind a bench that was there.  That way, no one could stand directly in front of us.  (People who got there later than us tried, and then got well acquainted with my elbows.)

After elbow wrestling for what seemed like forever, the show was finally starting!  Our view wasn't the best I've had, but it was good.  My big complaint was that one of the light poles was right in the center of our line of vision.  Nevertheless, I was just thankful to be there and I really enjoyed World of Color: Celebrate!

Tara and Linda enjoyed the show too.  On the way towards Downtown Disney, we all talked about how much we loved California Adventure.  It's so different than a lot of things we're used to at Walt Disney World.  It's also a lot more relaxed.  While in Downtown Disney, we stopped at the World of Disney store so the girls could get a few souvenirs for their families.  Then, we made our way back to the Disneyland Hotel.

Walking back to the hotel, each step felt heavier than the one before it.  It was Tara and Linda's last night of our quick weekend trip and I was dreading saying goodbye.  I had such a great time with them.  I was really sad to see it end, though we made some incredible memories.  I walked them to their room where we talked for a few minutes while they packed.  Then, I gave them both giant hugs and wished them safe travels.

With a heavy heart, I headed down to my room.  I was greeted by a few fuzzy friends that the maids had left next to my pillow.  That cheered me up a bit.  Plus, I knew I had one more Disneyland day in store, and I was going to make it count.  °o°

Happy Birthday California Adventure

Today is California Adventure’s 15th Birthday!  California Adventure was a much needed addition to the Disneyland Resort.  Disneyland wasn’t the right home for some of the Walt Disney World attractions Disney planned to bring to the west coast.  Plus, with large crowds at Disneyland, it was clear that an expansion was necessary.

I personally love California Adventure.  It’s seen a lot of changes in it’s first 15 years, but I think it’s a great theme park.  There are a lot of unique shows and attractions there too!  Here are some of my California Adventure favorites:

While it’s no longer there, the Aladdin: A Musical Spectacular was a personal favorite of mine.  Frozen takes it’s place this spring, and while I’ll miss the Aladdin show, I’m looking forward to seeing what Frozen brings to the park!

One of my favorite rides at California Adventure is Grizzly River Run at Grizzly Peak.  I love water rides and this one is sure to get you wet!

Eliot had to make sure I included his favorite: California Screamin’.  I have not, and will not, go on it, but it does look like a fun ride for those who like roller coasters!

Mickey’s Fun Wheel is not only a great park icon, but it’s absolutely stunning at night time when it’s all lit up in a rainbow of colors.  Absolutely stunning.

Another fun ride that’s often overlooked is Monsters Inc.  It’s another dark ride, but it’s really cute.  I love the Monsters Inc storyline and it’s cute to go on.

The place I could sit for hours and be content is the Animation Building.  I love watching all of the screens with Disney movies showing while music from the movies plays.  This is also the only place I can go take an animation class now that Hollywood Studios closed.  I love this place!!!

The best themed section of the park has to be Cars Land.  You literally feel like you’re walking through the movie at night when all of the neon signs are lit up.  We didn’t spent much time there last trip and I’m looking forward to exploring Cars Land a little more next time!  I'll be sure to take more photos too!

Last, but certainly not least, my favorite part of California Adventure is definitely World of Color.  I finally saw it for the first time this past trip to Disneyland in September and it was incredible.  The rainbow of fountains, projected images and music created an amazing show.  I'm not going to lie; it's so wonderful that I cried.

Happy 15th Birthday California Adventure!  To many more adventures!  °o°

Fun Find: Genie's Jokes from Aladdin

As many of you probably know, Disney's Aladdin- A Musical Spectacular is taking it's final bow this weekend at California Adventure theme park.  The 45 minute musical production has been around for about 13 years.  It premiered at the Hyperion Theater on January 16, 2003.  It's filled the 2,000 seat theater many times over the years.  It's final production is this Sunday the 10th, before it permanently closes on January 11th.

Photo Source: Disney Parks Blog

I loved the Aladdin musical from the second I saw it.  In fact, it's one of the things I remembered most vividly from my first trip to Disneyland in 2009.  Ironically, we were actually at Disneyland this past September when it was officially announced that the show would be closing to make room for a Frozen musical.  Elissa was so upset that she watched the show three times in a row the following day.

One of the best parts of the show were the Genie's jokes.  Not only were they hilarious, but they were witty and up to date with current events from our news and culture.  I recently discovered the Theme Park Extravaganza channel on Youtube.  They took videos of the live Aladdin show and edited Genie's jokes from the past few months so I wanted to share them with you for today's fun find.

Note: Please use caution when/if showing your children these videos.  Some of these jokes are more for adults than kids. They'll probably be over their heads.  Don't fret, there are always plenty of children in the audience; I just want to give you a heads up!

These were some of the jokes we heard while we were at Disneyland in September.

Genie is always so over the top.  It's hilarious!  "Superstar!"

Of course, there's a few Kardasian jokes.  And you can't forget the hashtags.

And Eliot's family enjoyed the ones poking fun of my beloved New England Patriots.

No selfie sticks!!!  Don't forget the dress- black and blue or white and gold.

There were One Direction, Abercrombie and Fitch, Justin Beiber, Twitter, and Facebook jokes.  I'd have to say that the Disney themed ones were my favorite though!

This was definitely a wonderful show.  I'm glad someone took video of all the jokes from Genie so they'll always live on.  Thank you Aladdin-A Musical Spectacular for all of the memories over the past 13 years!  You'll always be a prince to me!  °o°

Fun Find: Disneyland 60th Anniversary Diamond Celebration

Hey guys!  It's been another busy week around here.  We've been getting pummeled by snow up here in the Northeast.  We had another storm today and more snow is on the way next week!  (Alright... who upset Elsa this time?)  It's been a good week to cozy up inside and to surf the internet!  Thus, I have another fun find for you- the big announcement for Disneyland's 60th Anniversary Diamond Celebration!

Photo Source: Disney Parks Blog

This year Disneyland is pulling out all of the stops for it's diamond anniversary.  You could actually follow along via their Twitter account Wednesday night to hear about the new experiences that will start May 22nd!  However, if you weren't able to follow along, fear not, I've gathered up some photos to share with you!

Photo Source: Disney Parks Blog

The first thing that stuck me was the renderings of the decorations on Sleeping Beauty Castle and Carthay Circle.  I'm a sucker for renderings and I'm pretty excited about what I see!  Both buildings will be encased in diamond decor and festive banners in blue.  This will surely be a sight to see!

Photo Source: Disney Parks Blog

Along with decorations around both parks, Disneyland will also be adding a few new shows to celebrate their diamond anniversary.  Starting May 22nd, World of Color will have a special edition called "World of Color- Celebrate!  The Wonderful World of Walt Disney."  Mickey Mouse hosts the show and it will feature Walt's dream of creating Disneyland.  I'm sure that this will not not be beautiful, but a powerful and emotional experience for Disney fans.

Photo Source: Disney Parks Blog

Another new addition to the celebration is the new "Paint the Night" parade.  The parade will feature innovative floats, special effects, new music and over 1.5 billion LED lights!  Disney fans will get to see familiar characters from The Little Mermaid, Cars, Monsters Inc, Toy Story, Beauty and the Beast, Frozen and more!  I am so excited for this!  I've been wanting to see a new nighttime parade ever since Walt Disney World retired the SpectroMagic parade!

Photo Source: Disney Parks Blog

I've saved the best new entertainment for last- the "Disneyland Forever" fireworks display.  They've definitely done it again with this piece of perfection that only Disney could create.  "Disneyland Forever" not only features fireworks, but it will transform Sleeping Beauty Castle, Main Street, the Matterhorn and other locations into a canvas. Through projection mapping, guests will literally be immersed in their favorite Disney movies.  (This is the largest projection mapping installation in a Disney park thus far.  I hope that means more is to come in the future!!!  Projection mapping is my hero.)

Photo Source: Disney Parks Blog

"Disneyland Forever" also features two new original songs: "Live the Magic" and "Kiss Goodnight" which was written by Richard Sherman.  I watched a media video from the event that featured a snippet of the show with "I See The Light" from Tangled and I was already tearing up.  This show is sure to be spectacular!

Photo Source: Disney Parks Blog

Finally, you can't have a Disney anniversary celebration without merchandise to commemorate the occasion!  Disneyland is going to have over 500 new items from a few new collections to celebrate it's 60th anniversary.  The first collection is the "Character" collection which will feature our favorite Disney characters and the iconic Disneyland attractions.  The coolest part of this design is that each of the four "sections" of the design feature a 15 year timespan in the parks history.  (You'll note that it starts out in black and white and moves to bright vivid colors.  Cool!!!)

Photo Source: Disney Parks Blog

Next is the "Castle" collection which will include the silvers and blues the park will be decorated with for the celebration.  Of course, Mickey and Minnie are in the design!  I love blue and silver together and I can't wait to see what this collection looks like!

Photo Source: Disney Parks Blog

Last, the "Diamond" collection is a stunning nod to the 60th anniversary.  The design of these products will feature simple black, gray and silver tones.  I love how Sleeping Beauty Castle is encased in the diamond design.

Photo Source: Disney Parks Blog

Disneyland has also released a few new designs as a preview of their anniversary merchandise.  These pins will be released each month from January to July.

Photo Source: Disney Parks Blog

I've saved my personal favorite for last... the Mickey balloon popcorn bucket!  I haven't ever collected popcorn buckets, but I think this is a must have!  It comes in red, purple and blue, and they would look lovely on top of my desk!  I've always wanted an actual Mickey balloon.  Now I can have one that will never deflate!

Photo Source: Disney Parks Blog

Finally, here's a quick video to recap the big Diamond Anniversary announcement!

And there you have it!  Disneyland's 60th Anniversary Diamond Celebration looks like it's going to be absolutely amazing.  (I can already picture myself as a sobbing mess of emotions.)  I wasn't planning on going back to Disneyland until May of 2016 for the Tinker Bell race weekend, but I really have to see those new shows and there isn't a date for when the anniversary celebration ends.  Eliot and I are already looking into a few possibilities for a visit... stay tuned!!!  °o°