The Many Adventures of Eeyore

Well, this week has been an interesting one.  Mr. My Disney Life has been having a lot of pain in his teeth and we found out today that he needs to have a root canal early next week. He stayed home from work today after he got back from the doctor's office. Now that he's got some antibiotics in him, he's finally sleeping peacefully after a sleepless night.

You'll notice that he's curled up on the bed with a furry friend.  You might not be able to tell from this angle, but that's Eeyore.  Eeyore has been a friend of Eliot's for a long time, as long as I've known him anyways.  Everyone has a teddy bear or stuffed animal that's special to them right?  Well, Eliot's friend is Eeyore.  And Eeyore goes everywhere with us.  He's basically like a mascot.

Now, I know what you're thinking.  Some of you might think that it's weird to still have a plush that you bring around with you when you're an adult.  I have my own plush dog named Corky.  He's one of those larger Ty beanie plush.  I stopped bringing stuffed animals with me probably in middle school. (You know, when you're "too cool" for that stuff.) Then high school happened.  My sophomore year, three girls in our high school died in car accidents.  It was the first time that I ever had to deal with some thing like that, and I couldn't sleep for awhile.  So after many restless nights, I started to curl up with Corky next to me, and after a few weeks, it got easier.  I guess now I'm superstitious, because Corky travels everywhere with me.  He's been to Disney World, Disneyland, France, Italy, Greece, Las Vegas.  He's a well traveled plush.  He usually hangs out in my suitcase, but he's still there.  And when we're home, he hangs out on the dresser near our bed.  I don't sleep with him anymore, but having him nearby makes me feel better.  (Plus, I'm half convinced that the world might just end if I forget him...)

This is Corky in my Harry Potter tie while in Las Vegas in 2006.

Anyways... now that you know the backstory, I can tell you the real reason for this post!  As most of you know, Eliot went to California at the beginning of September to visit his family. Of course, while he was there, they went to Disneyland.  Eliot brought Eeyore with him, so he and his sister Elissa decided to bring Eeyore to Disneyland.  They took some photos of him and it looks like he had a good time.  In fact, now the plush donkey has seen more of Disneyland than I have!  Ha!

I promised Elissa that I would document Eeyore's travels through Disneyland, California Adventure and Sea World.  And we're decided to dub it the Many Adventures of Eeyore. So here we go!

Photo credit: Eliot Cady

Eliot sent me a text during his layover that I posted on my blog's Facebook page. During his first flight, the plane was basically empty so Eeyore had his own seat!

Once they got to California, Eeyore had to prepare for a day of theme park fun, so he borrowed Elissa's sunglasses since the sun was so bright!

Photo credit: Elissa Cady

Eeyore had a picture taken right outside the entrance since it was his first time there.

Photo credit: Elissa Cady

Of course, the trip wouldn't be complete without a photo with Sleeping Beauty Castle.

Photo credit: Elissa Cady

Eeyore also got to try his first Mickey Mouse pretzel.  Everything tastes better when it's Mickey shaped!

Photo credit: Elissa Cady

Eeyore also got front row seats to watch Mickey's Soundsational Parade.  (It's kind of funny to see the parade from his point of view.  All of the floats look so big!  I makes me wonder if that's how the parades looked to me when I was a kid!)

Photo credit: Elissa Cady

Speaking of shows, Eeyore also got to see Mickey and the Magical Map!  I'm super jealous!

Photo credit: Elissa Cady

No day at the theme park is complete without the rides!  Eeyore got to go on a bunch of them.  Here he is enjoying a few of them.  He went on: Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters.

Photo credit: Elissa Cady

Tarzan's Treehouse, where the leopard tried to eat him!

Photo credit: Elissa Cady

I think the ride Eeyore really wanted to go on was The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh. He also got his picture taken with a few of the characters afterwards.  Big Eeyore wasn't taking pictures that day, but he did get some with Tigger.  

Photo credit: Elissa Cady

A few of the ride and character pictures are on the PhotoPass and Elissa doesn't have them yet.  But I've been told that Eeyore also went on Splash Mountain, Space Mountain and Pirates of the Caribbean.

To ride around between Disneyland and Downtown Disney, Eeyore got to go on the Monorail.

Photo credit: Elissa Cady

Finally, after a busy day, Eeyore watched Fantasmic!

Photo credit: Elissa Cady

Eeyore also got to enjoy a second day of Disney fun at California Adventure.

Photo credit: Elissa Cady

He went on Mickey's Fun Wheel down at Paradise Pier.

Photo credit: Elissa Cady

He was in a few photos with Eliot and Elissa while waiting for the Pixar Play Parade.

Photo credit: Elissa Cady

He got to check out Cars Land and the Radiator Springs Racers ride... although I'm not quite sure if he technically reached the height requirement!  Ha ha. 

Photo credit: Elissa Cady

Finally, Eeyore ended the second day with World of Color. 

Photo credit: Elissa Cady

The last day, Eeyore got to enjoy Sea World.  And although it's not a Disney park, I had to share the pictures because they're pretty cute.

Photo credit: Elissa Cady

Eeyore got to watch the whale, dolphin and sea lion shows at Sea World.  He made sure to stay away from the splash zone.

Photo credit: Elissa Cady

He also got to watch and then take a picture with the Beluga whales.

Photo credit: Elissa Cady

Before Eliot and Eeyore had to fly back home, they went to the movie theater to see Planes.

Photo credit: Elissa Cady

It looks like Eeyore had quite the adventure!  I haven't seen Cars Land, the new California Adventure park entrance, Mickey's Soundsational Parade, Mickey and the Magical Map or the World of Color!  Eeyore's a better Disney fan that I am in the Disneyland category!

On another note, this is a fun way to document a trip if you're looking to do something completely different on your next vacation.  And it's not as crazy as it sounds. At one of my past jobs, we had a small gnome figure that everyone took on their vacations so the office has pictures of him all over the world.  (I took him with me to Italy and Greece too.)

Photo credit: Elissa Cady

If you don't want to bring a plush, you could do it with a small figure, a beanie baby, or even a popsicle stick.  (Remember Stick Stickly from Nickelodeon?)  It's just a fun way to get different pictures at the park.  It might even be a great way to get your kids willing to take more photos if they're not big fans of it!  Or you could make it into a game or fun scavenger hunt!  °o°

Note: No plush donkeys were harmed in the making of this blog post.

Another Note: Eeyore was throughly sprayed in Lysol upon his return to our house after sitting on every possible surface at the parks.  He now smells citrus fresh.

Holiday Decorations

Hey everyone!

I finally took the photos off of my iPhone this afternoon.  I wanted to share with you some of the festive decorations that Eliot and I have found in some of our local stores!  There's still a good amount of Disney items in our local Wal-Mart and Target, so maybe you'll find some at a store near you!

Wal-Mart Halloween

First, we found a lot of items in Wal-Mart towards the end of summer and beginning of the school year.  They had small figurines and snow globes, inflatable characters, Halloween cards, coloring books, stickers, treat bags and coloring books.  We ended up getting a Mickey and Minnie snow globe and the figurines.  And I actually already had some of the Halloween cards from last year!

Around mid-September, Wal-Mart really started to get all of their Halloween merchandise out.  We found these one night while we were walking by!  I love door greeters!  My brother got me a few for winter and Christmas a few years ago.  We absolutely fell in love with these!

I also found this really cute juniors shirt!  I haven't gotten one yet, but I'm going to check out what sizes they still have the next time we go to Wal-Mart!

After a lot of number crunching, we decided to go back for some of the door greeters.  Ok, maybe "some" is not a great word to describe our miniature shopping spree...

We ended up with Minnie as Tinkerbell and Mickey as Captain Hook for our front window. Then Eliot really wanted Mike and Sulley, so we got them to put in the entryway.  Then, I couldn't help it.  We had to get an extra Minnie Mouse and Mickey Mouse as gifts for some very special people.

My Dad is a volunteer firefighter in my hometown.  Eliot and I buy him pretty much anything and everything involving Mickey as a firefighter.  (He has quite the display in his office at home.)  So of course, we had to get him the Mickey Firefighter door greeter.  We gave it to him and my Mom a few weekends ago when they came down to visit.  This is Mickey all buckled up to ride to his new home.

Target Halloween

We also went to Target mid-September.  They didn't have as many Disney Halloween items, but we did find a Cinderella that you push in to a pumpkin.  I've never seen these before but I thought that it was kind of a cute idea.

We also found Minnie and Mickey Mouse pumpkin push-ins.  Minnie was wearing a pink and lime witch outfit... and my wedding senses were tingling.  We ended up getting Mickey and Minnie figuring that we could use them for many more years to come.

Wal-Mart Thanksgiving

One night in late September, Eliot went to Wal-Mart to pick up some dinner for us.  He decided to swing by the Halloween items to check out if they had anything new, and he found Mickey and Minnie Pilgrim door greeters!  One of my BIGGEST pet peeves is the complete lack of Thanksgiving stuff that is sold basically anywhere.  (It's like Thanksgiving doesn't even exist between Halloween and Christmas.)  There's a lot of items that could pass as Thanksgiving decor, but they're mostly fall themed.  And trying to find anything Disney and Thanksgiving... good luck!

Therefore, when he called me to tell me that they had 2 Mickey and 2 Minnie pilgrims, I told him just to get them.  The only Thanksgiving items we have that are Disney themed are things that I've found directly from the theme parks or Disney Store!  So now we have these cute door greeters.  I'm super happy with them and they are pretty cute!  (And the last time we checked the other day, Mickey and Minnie Pilgrim set #2 was still at Wal-Mart.  I guess we're the only ones thinking to get them ahead of time before they sell out!)

Wal-Mart Christmas

Although it's not even the end of October, the Christmas items are starting to make their appearance.  (See back to my comment about Thanksgiving barely existing in retail... it's not even Halloween yet and there's Christmas stuff out!  What?)

We went to Wal-Mart at the beginning of October, and the Christmas stuff was slowly making it's way to the shelves.  (In fact, I'm not so sure that it wasn't the end of September!) We found that they'd put out a lot of the outdoor decorations like the lights and characters. We found these adorable tinsel Mickey and Minnie Mouse outdoor decorations.

We also found a lot of these Mickey and Minnie outdoor inflatables.  We're thinking about getting these for our front yard. 

Target Christmas

We also went to Target this past weekend, and they had their lights and outdoor decorations out as well.  Eliot decided to took them all over while I was going through the Halloween items and he found this really cute tinsel Mickey Mouse.  Eliot likes him more than the Wal-Mart one.  I really like that he has a Santa hat and bunch of Christmas lights in his hands. Maybe we'll consider getting him, although he's $30 more than the Wal-Mart one.

We also found an inflatable Santa Mickey Mouse!  He's so cute!  He's also 5 feet tall compared to the Wal-Mart inflatables that are only 3.5 feet tall.  He's also on our wish list.

Finally, just when I thought that we'd seen all of the holiday decorations that were out, Eliot pointed out these light strands on the bottom shelf.  I love the Santa Mickey lights!  And the Princess ones with Cinderella and Ariel remind me of our wedding themes.  And Belle is Eliot's favorite princess.  These might eventually make their way to our house.  We do still have a Target gift card left over from our wedding gifts... 

I'm pretty happy that it's getting a lot easier to find Disney holiday items in our local stores. It certainly doesn't help my holiday decoration addiction... but it does make me smile when I'm doing something more mundane like grocery shopping.  What fun Disney holiday items have you seen while you're out shopping?  °o°

Halloween Activity Sheet

Hello Friends!

Today I wanted to share one of my projects that I've designed with you all.  Fall is in the air here in Maine, and the weather has been getting cooler.  Halloween is right around the corner!  I've been getting in the spirit by decorating our house with our new Halloween lights and eating pumpkin flavored everything!

I also made a few PDF files that I've been playing around with.  This one was actually designed last month one night while I was bored and wanted to play around with Illustrator.  I used to LOVE activity books when I was a kid.  In fact, I still do.  (I'm a sucker for Disney coloring books...)  So much so that once I test printed it, I just had to color it in...  You know, to make sure it worked out ok!

I thought that this would be a fun way to get kids excited about Halloween!  I don't have any little ones to share it with (yet) so I thought that I'd share it with you!

Here's the link!

I hope that you enjoy it!  It might be fun to bring to the parks to keep little ones (or big ones, I don't judge!) busy while waiting for the Boo to You parade?  °o°

Share the Magic

Hey Everyone!  I'm sorry that I haven't posted anything over the past few days!  Eliot and I were really busy this weekend and I've been busy trying to get everything organized for my new business adventure!

This weekend we started to put up some of our Halloween lights and were prepping the house for our decorations!  I'm really excited to get it all decorated!  It will be the first holiday that we've decorated our house (and yard) for!  Yay!  

We also got to take a bike ride on the trail nearby as part of our runDisney Half Marathon cross-training.  It's so beautiful with the leaves changing colors!  (On the ride over to the trail, we also saw a van with the license plate "Aulani" on it!  Cool!!!)

Today I took the first three of my 6 course training classes in the Disney College of Knowledge!  (The Disney College of Knowledge is a training program for travel agents.) It's been really informative and so much fun!  I wish all of the classes I've ever taken were this much fun!  I started my training with the three experiences that I haven't been able to do personally... yet: Adventures by Disney, Aulani and the Disney Cruise Line.  I learned a lot more about them!  Tomorrow, I'm planning to finish my training!  Woo-hoo!

I also wanted to take this opportunity to share a fundraiser with you.  One of my fellow agents is doing a Go Fund Me fundraiser for a boy named Jordan.  They are raising money to get Jordan, his sister and his mother to Walt Disney World for Christmas.  They have raised $1,900 so far but the goal is $3,975.  

If you are able to, please donate to this great cause!  Everyone should be able to experience the magic of a Disney vacation.  I'm sure that it will mean so much to Jordan and his family! To donate and read more information, click here.  Let's share the magic with this family!

Finally, I've been putting the finishing touches on some of my printables that I have planned for this month.  So stay tuned for those!  °o°

A Whole New World

Yesterday I told you all that I had a big dream that was in the process of coming true.  

Today..... it did (officially)!!!  Yay!!!   °o°

I am happy to announce that I am now a travel planner for Key to the World Travel!!! 

I've always wanted to be able to help others plan their trips to Disney.  I've helped my own family for a while now, so it seems like a natural progression.  I'm really excited about specializing in booking Disney Vacations because Disney holds a very special place in my heart.  I've already had many of my own Disney dreams come true.  Everyone should have a chance to go to Disney and I'd love to help other families make their vacation dreams come true!

Image Source: The Disney Travel Professionals Facebook page

Now, not only can I help people plan trips to Disney, but I can also help them plan trips all over the world.  And to other theme parks like Universal or Sea World.  And even to other cruise lines.  Wow!

The crazy part of all of this is the unexpected timing of it all.  

I had to leave my job when Eliot and I moved to Maine.  Since then, I'd planned to take a few months off to help us get all of our stuff moved, and to take a well deserved break after working 3+ years in retail.  It was really nice to take a break to move, unpack, get organized, and to re-connect with family and friends.

I've been looking for a job.  But I haven't been applying to anything and everything.  I've found the ones that have fit my skill set, and ones I thought I would enjoy doing.  I didn't want to jump into anything that I might later regret.  Eliot absolutely loves his job, and I've been trying to find something that I would love to do as well.  

Image Source: Pinterest

What I've known all along, is that I really want to run my own business.  As the months have progressed, I have become increasingly aware of my desire to be my own boss, to make my own living and to push myself to achieve my dreams.  Ideally, I'll be a jack of all trades, dabbling in a little bit of everything.  I love wedding planning, interior design, crafting, baking... well, you get the idea.  The big question was, can I turn what I love into a successful business?

Well, the jury is still out on that one.  But, I've made a lot of progress with my little crafting empire.  I'm in the process of launching a few things on Etsy, so stay tuned for that.  I've come to the conclusion that it is possible to make a career out of something you love doing. And I finally realized that I could, in fact, work doing something that involves Disney!

Image Source: Disney

A few months ago, I started looking into becoming a travel agent.  I've always loved to travel.  And I absolutely love Disney.  So, why not put the two together?  (Why it took me so long to come to this conclusion, I have no idea.  I guess the good news is that I got there eventually!)  

I researched a bunch of travel companies, found the Disney Travel Agent website, and started to follow other agents via Facebook.  I've tried to pick up some ideas from watching what others have done.  A few weeks ago, I finally applied to one companies on their website.  After three weeks, I still hadn't heard back from them, so I decided to apply to 2 other companies this past Wednesday night.

Within 2 hours of applying, I had gotten responses from both of them.  (What?!?!?)  After a few emails and phone interviews, both offered me a position as an agent yesterday!  I didn't expect it all to happen so fast!  Especially after waiting over 3 weeks for a response from the other company.

Image Source: Pinterest- No original source found.

After speaking with Key to the World, I knew it was the right fit for me.  I'm super excited to be a part of the team and I can't wait to get started!  (So much so, that I've already made my new business Facebook Page!  Feel free to come by, visit and "like" it!!!)

And, if you're planning a trip to Disney in the future, I can now officially say that I'd be happy to help you plan your vacation!  Further proof that all it takes is a little faith, trust and pixie dust.

Keep dreaming Disney friends!  You never know when your dream will come true!  °o°

The Power of a Dream

We all know that Disney teaches us to dream, to wish on stars and to believe that dreams come true.  All it takes is a little faith, trust and pixie dust right?  Right.

Today, a big dream of mine is in the process of coming true!  It's a dream that seemed like just that, a dream.  Something to have as a goal, but not necessarily something that I thought would actually happen.  But here it is, creeping up on me at the most unexpected time.

I'm not able to tell you all what it is... yet.  But I promise that I will once it's all official!

(And before we have any friends or family members jump to conclusions, there aren't any mini Melissa or Eliot's on the way!)

Anyways, I can't wait to share my news with you!  In the meantime, I'll leave you with my current uplifting Facebook status message:

"I can show you the world
Shining, shimmering, splendid
Tell me, princess, now when did
You last let your heart decide?

I can open your eyes
Take you wonder by wonder
Over, sideways and under
On a magic carpet ride

A whole new world
A new fantastic point of view
No one to tell us no or where to go
Or say we're only dreaming."

-From Disney's Aladdin 

Happy Birthday Walt Disney World!

Happy 42nd Birthday to Walt Disney World and the Magic Kingdom 

and Happy 31st Birthday to Epcot!!!

Happy Birthday to our favorite place, Walt Disney World!

October 1st is a very special day in Disney History!  It marks the park openings of both the Magic Kingdom and Epcot!  I thought that I'd share some fun facts to celebrate!

Photo from Life Magazine 1971.

On October 1, 1971- The Magic Kingdom first opened accompanied by the Contemporary Resort, the Polynesian and Fort Wilderness. Roy O. Disney dedicated the property and declared that it would be known as "Walt Disney World" in his brother Walt's honor. In Roy's words, "Everyone has heard of Ford cars. But have they all heard of Henry Ford, who started it all? Walt Disney World is in memory of the man who started it all, so people will know his name as long as Walt Disney World is here." 

Photo from the Disney Parks Blog.

On October 1, 1982- Epcot first opened. It is the second of the four theme parks built at Walt Disney World and is 300 acres, which is more than twice the size of the Magic Kingdom park. EPCOT is an acronym of Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow. It was originally called EPCOT Center until 1996.  

It's hard to picture Walt Disney World without all of the other resorts, entertainment, water parks, and other two parks.  My how it's grown!  I'm sure that Walt would be proud to see how many people come to Walt Disney World each and every day.  And many of us will keep coming back over and over for more Disney magic.  °o°