Mickey's Halloween Party Fun (and GIVEAWAY Tickets!)

Last Friday we had the chance to check out opening night of Mickey's Halloween Party at Disneyland and it was so much fun!  Each year Disneyland adds additional features to the event that really make it a unique experience for all different types of people. 

This year I really noticed a large number of dance parties with great music that had you wanting to get out there and dance with the characters!  One fun one we happened by was Pirate palooza located at the outside eating area of Rancho del Zocalo.  We saw Pluto rocking out dancing with toddlers and adults, it was somewhere I could have stayed all night!

There were many other dance parties and so much to catch during Mickey's Halloween Party, I think it is impossible to catch all of it!  With Ghost Galaxy (Halloween overlay at Space Mountain), Haunted Mansion Holiday (Nightmare Before Christmas), Halloween Screams firework display and more treat stations than you will have time to catch (but you don't have to go to many before your bags will be full of great candy!).

One of my favorite additions (not sure if it is new or just the first time I saw it!) was the light show set to music on the Castle, my favorite was the skeletons dancing up the side of the castle, but the Heffalumps dancing around were very neat too!

Mickey's Halloween Party is the place to be for Halloween fun!  Want to go?  I've got two tickets to the Mickey's Halloween Party on October 9th to giveaway to a reader!  It gains you entry to Disneyland at 3pm and until the event ends at 11pm!
 
I'll be picking a winner at 8pm Pacific time on Friday October 5th from the comments below this post (so I have time to get the tickets to you!).

Here's how to enter:  Comment on this blog post telling me why you are the biggest Disneyland fan!  I will count one entry per day per person, keep it original and keep it fun!

 

 Winner will be drawn using random.org and I reserve the right to draw another winner if I am not able to get mailing address information in a timely manner. Giveaway is only open to residents of the contiguous US. Please ensure I have a way to contact you to notify you if you have won (leaving a decipherable email address in your comment is a great way). I highly recommend you become a fan of OCMomActivities on Facebook as that is where the winner will be announced first.

 

Note:  My family was invited to attend the Mickey's Halloween Party to facilitate the writing of this post, but we are annual premium passholders and already LOVE Disneyland 8;o)

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Space Shuttle Endeavour over Disneyland - Life Bucket List Fun!

Watching a space Shuttle take off or land has been on my life bucket list for as long as I can remember.  Living here in California has made that a much harder box to check as complete, so when it was announced a few years ago that the space shuttle program was coming to an end I quietly moved that bucket list item to the section of wish I could have or maybe one day if they start the program back up again.

Then it was announced that the Space Shuttle Endeavour would be making it's final journey here to Southern California and making its home at the California Science Center. 

As a family we made a pact to go see it as soon as it arrived.  We were floored when it was announced that the shuttle would be piggy backed on a 747 and would make special fly-overs of California landmarks on its way to land at LAX.  Disneyland being one of the landmarks that it would fly-over sealed the deal and off we went to catch a glimpse.  The above picture is what I took that day looking up as it passed over us.

I admit it, I was teary eyed and beyond excited to be one of the millions who looked skyward last Friday to welcome Endeavour to its home on its final flight.

We can't wait to catch it on display at the California Science Center at the end of October!

Did you snap a great picture that day, either on its journey through Northern California or Southern California?  I'd love you to post it on the OCMomActivities fanpage on Facebook!

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Disney Magic at Night ~ Semi-Wordless Wednesday

With all of the excitement of the new Cars Land being opened at California Adventure, it's easy to let some of the classic favorites get overlooked.  So we decided we were going to focus on some of our favorites over the next few trips.  I snapped the above picture at the Dumbo ride and the below picture at the Mad Tea Party.  There is just a magic in the air in Fantasy Land at night...

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Best Spot for Dinner at the Disneyland Resort!

Cars Land at California Adventure has been open just a short time, but our family has quickly found our favorite location for our (almost) weekly dinners at the Disneyland Resort.  It's on the outside of Flo's V8 Cafe, along the Radiator Racers track. 

I absolutely love a good dinner, tucked in a quiet corner, and good scenery.  We've eaten there a number of times since the Cars Land opening and have enjoyed every time!  The meals are a great value (same pricing as most of the cafeteria style eating restaurants at the parks) and are so delicious! 

You won't find a burger or pizza on the menu.  What you will find is old-school diner themed to the max.  With Pork Loin, Roasted Citrus Chicken Breast, NY Strip Loin or Citrus Chicken Salads, the adults are sure to find something delicious and nutritious.  There are many sides to choose from that are all equally yummy and taste like they are straight from your family dinner table.  You can order delicious milk shakes and other beverages (including beer and wine).  The kid menu is delicious with chicken and roast beef sandwiches in addition to macaroni & cheese.   And don't get me started on the gravy options... Yum is all I can say!

Now what rivals the yumminess of the dinner is the ambiance that the outdoor eating terrace offers.  My favorite place to sit is along the railing with a view of Radiator Springs Racers.  It just can't be beat.

Every time we have sat there we've had several of our favorite Cars characters cruise by.  Love it!

Now I've heard there are fabulous breakfast options at Flo's V8.  Anyone tried them and want to guest post about it?  Love to share!

Now if you ever run in to us having dinner there, be sure to come say hi!

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Pirate Mickey Ears Birthday Cake!

I've had house guests for the last few days, it's been crazy but super fun!  Earlier this week was my godson's birthday so I took the chance to make him a themed fondant cake.

It's probably pretty obvious from my posts that we're pretty big Disneyland fans around our house and my godson shares this love of Disneyland.  He has also recently gotten in to the pin trading so my goal was to make a cake as similar to one of his favorite Mickey pins as I could.  This is what the pin looks like:

And this is how my cake turned out! 

What do you think?  (P.S. it was dark chocolate with Oreo cookie filling and it's actually about a foot in diameter!)  I handmade the fondant, cut the cake to the shapes and decorated it with shimmer edible color dust.  I'm pretty excited about how it turned out!

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We Have Disneyland Grass!!!

I know.  I know.  You are probably wondering why I am profiling a picture of grass in a blog post.  Well, this just isn't any old grass.  This is the newly laid sod in our backyard, which on it's own is very exciting, but what is even more exciting to me?  Well, the sod truck's first stop of the day was at Disneyland that morning.  We were stop number two.  And yes... that means we have Disneyland grass in our backyard now.  Or at least it's close right?  (Don't burst my bubble)

I'll be selling the grass clippings on eBay after we mow it for the first time.  Kidding.  Maybe.  We'll see.  (Any takers?)

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Mickey's Halloween Party Guide

Mickey's Halloween Party was so much fun!  Have you gone yet?  We go every year and one of the things I have found is that it is just like Disneyland - it's virtually impossible to see everything in one trip!  

Disneyland has added so many new features and things to do at the huge Halloween party that I was almost overwhelmed.  My recommendation is to make a plan before you go.  

Are you going to find some of the endless Halloween fun like these amazing carved pumpkins we found at the Big Thunder Ranch ?

Are you going to dance the night away at one of the amazing dance party hot spots like this one we found at the Jedi Training Academy?

Are you going to load up on candy (and oh man can you load up on candy!) at one of the dozens of trick or treat stations? Be sure to find the treat trails located throughout the park.  The lines move fast and you load way up on all sorts of yummy treats!

Are you going to ride Ghost Galaxy or Haunted Mansion that are all themed out for Halloween?

Are you going to watch the Halloween Cavalcade?

Or are your most excited to see the Halloween Fireworks extravaganza?  This one happens to be my absolute favorite.  

One of the things I love about the trick or treating at Disneyland is the availability of the healthier options like the below dried apple yumminess we got this year in addition to carrots, raisins and more.

My boys dressed up as the Ghost Busters and we spent lots of time pretending to capture the large Mickey ghosts around the park!

Whatever you go for, you are guaranteed to have a memorable night full of Halloween festivities.  But be sure to create a plan so you don't run out of time for the night and miss out on something you really wanted to experience.  And as for candy?  Yeah, you'll come home with tons of it without needing to try very hard, but in case you feel low on candy, there is always the last minute candy treat station at the exit. Our goal for the night isn't the candy, it's the other fun we have.

There are still several nights upcoming to go for the Mickey's Halloween Party.  Be sure to check availability and purchase special event tickets here.

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Mickey's Halloween Party - Are you going?

I know, I say it every year about this time, but I just absolutely LOVE this time of year.  To me the Halloween season kicks off my favorite time of year.  Yes, I love the summers here in Southern California, but there is just something about the chill in the air and fun that we are in for in the coming months.  Because we only have about two seasons here in Southern California, I like many turn to the subtle other cue's that the seasons are turning.  Disneyland is a magical place for our family and spending this time of year at Disneyland has built so many lasting wonderful memories for us.

A few years ago Disneyland started doing the Halloween Trick or Treating events which started at California Adventure and last year they transitioned to having Mickey's Halloween Party at Disneyland. It is so much fun for ALL ages, not just the little kids.  There are dance parties, crazy candy trick or treat stations (where you walkout with so much candy you can barely carry any more!) and a very special fireworks show.  Don't forget the Ghost Galaxy (aka Space Mountain with a twist) and the Halloween decked out Haunted Mansion.  Entrance requires a special event ticket (even if you are a passholder).  It's a great deal for non-passholders because you get admission in to the park for 3 hours before the event.  To find more out about tickets, dates, etc. you can go here.  Get your tickets now because it only runs during the month of October (except for the first day September 30th).

For past posts about Mickey's Trick or Treat fun you can read up here and here.  I'll post pictures from this years event once we go.      8:o)

Happy Trick or Treating!

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Tips for Disneyland Trips

Summer vacation is here and many are planning trips to Disneyland.  Here is a great guest post with some fantastic Disneyland trip tips!

I just returned from a spontaneous weekend trip to Disneyland with my husband and two daughters, ages 11 months and 3 1/2 years. Most of my friends thought we were crazy and, in hindsight, we may have been!

My oldest daughter had a great time touring Disneyland and she'll always remember meeting Mickey and Minnie Mouse. However, I learned a lot from this trip and the next time we make a visit to the "happiest place on earth," I'll spend more time planning. So to help other mothers plan a more perfect Disneyland getaway, I put together several tips based on the lessons I learned during this experience.

1. Character Dining
Make the most of your time at the park and skip the "Meet and Greet" lines for Disney characters. Waiting in the "Meet and Greet" lines doesn't always guarantee you'll meet your character of choice. Opt instead for Character Dining, where your child is guaranteed to get an up-close encounter with their favorite Character. You'll find these opportunities at:

• Disneyland Park - Plaza Inn Disney California Adventure - Ariel's Disney Princess Celebration
• Disneyland Hotel - Goofy's Kitchen
• Grand Californian - Storytellers Breakfast
• Paradise Pier Hotel - PCH Grill Breakfast

2. Best Time To Go
Crowds are overwhelming during school holidays and three-day weekends. The summer months are extremely busy as well, but the park is open longer and most of the rides and attractions are operating. Try Sundays, when the park is usually less busy.
January and February weekdays are the least busy times, but the park is open fewer hours.

3. Fast Pass and Rider Swap Tips
Every Disneyland ticket comes with the opportunity to receive Fast Passes for specified rides. A Fast Pass will give you a return-time window so you can skip the standby line and head to the front. If used correctly, Fast Passes allow you to maximize your time at the park. Usage is complex, however, so make sure you know all the rules before buying a pass.

4. Cheap Tickets
Discounts on Disneyland tickets are hard to find. If you purchase your tickets online in advance, you can save a couple dollars through travel sites like Priceline, Expedia, Orbitz and Disneyland.com.

5. Discount Disney Gift Cards
Before your trip to Disneyland, buy discount Disney gift cards on GiftCardGranny.com and save up to 10 percent at Disneyland's ticket counters, stores, restaurants and food stands.
If you're willing to take a risk, however, you might try buying tickets on eBay. Alternately, you can try hitting up a cast member for the complimentary passes they receive (make sure you tip) or ask patrons leaving the park if you can have their tickets. Look for the most expensive tickets that haven't been signed.

6. Time to Ride
People tend to head to the right side first when entering the park, so go to the left side of the park in the morning. The rides with height restrictions had smaller lines first thing in the morning during our visit. Another good time to ride is during parades and firework shows, but be aware that some will close. You also might check with your hotel to see if they offer extended Disney hours.

7. Strollers
Tie a brightly colored ribbon to the stroller so you can locate it more easily. You'll also want to write your name on a piece of tape and hide somewhere on the stroller for identification in case of theft.
Dont lock strollers to anything or leave them in one spot for an extended period, as cast members will remove them.

8. Baby Care Centers
The Baby Care Centers at Disneyland are located at the end of Main Street. At Disney California Adventure, you'll find it next to the Mission Tortilla Factory in the Pacific Wharf. The centers include rocking chairs, nursing rooms, filtered water for formula, changing tables, etc. There's also a kiosk that sells diaper-changing kits and such basic baby-care items as food and formula.

9. Save on Food
Even though there are plenty of food kiosks at Disney, you'll find most food is overpriced. Instead, pack food in a cooler and store it in a locker. If you're traveling from out of town, there's a Target less than a mile away from Disneyland where you can stock up on supplies. Be sure your hotel has a mini fridge, if you plan on storing cold food items during your stay.
If you're traveling with older children, buy a discounted gift card for them to use in place of cash when they're touring the park on their own.

10. Save on Pictures
Park photographers will give you a Photo Pass so you can view your pictures online and pay between $10 and $30 for prints. Instead, use the Photo Pass to view your photos, then download a screenshot.
To read the full story "How To Avoid Going Goofy At Disneyland" please visit here.

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Maisie Knowles is the founder of BestBabyStuff.com, a website reviewing only the best baby products, and co-founder of FreeShipping.org. She earned a B.A. in Communications from the University of Colorado in 2003 and currently spends most of her time at home with her two young girls while continuing to be involved in business operations for Kinoli Inc. in Fort Collins, Colorado.

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Star Tours Returns!

We're excited... Are you?

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A secret location in Disneyland

A secret spot in Disneyland. We've wondered about it for years and finally got the chance. Do you know where we are? Apparently... all you have to do is ask!

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A dubious honor at Disneyland Resort ...

Only one ride at the Disneyland Resort deserves this dubious honor. Who knows which ride I snapped this picture on?

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The Magic, The Memories and You! premiers at Disneyland

Did you see it?  

Tonight Disneyland started using the Small World as a canvas for 'The Magic, The Memories and You!'

Every night Small World will be full of the colorful display of photos, videos, animation and music.  There are thousands of photos and will include 500photos from guests at the park the very same day.  The presentation begins at sundown. 

As we know Disneyland always adds a bit of magic to everything, so of course you can expect magical effects and a small fireworks display. 

Have you seen it yet?  What did you think?

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I Found a New Delicious Menu Item at Disneyland!

You may or may not have noticed the Village Haus restaurant at Disneyland (in Fantasyland) was closed for renovations.  We happened to pop in last Wednesday to eat dinner on the re-opening day and check out this delicious flat bread pizza I ordered!  It was beyond delicious!  I think this is my new favorite dish at Disneyland!  (and HUGE kudos to the supervisor for checking the ingredient list for me to be sure there wasn't the dreaded oat fiber I'm allergic to in the pita dough!)

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Wordless Wednesday - Another Fab Disneyland Purse!

Wordless Wednesday... 

I had to share yet another gorgeous purse I found at Disneyland (this picture hardly does it justice).  Again this price tag is hard to beat coming in at below $30.  Yep, you read that right!

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Halloween Time at Disneyland - Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday...

This just makes me smile!

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A Facebook Halloween Villain App from Disney!

Halloween is almost here and I thought I'd share this fun Facebook Application directly from Disney:

Turn yourself into a villain

Disneyland -> http://apps.facebook.com/disney-villainize-dl/entries/new

DisneyWorld -> http://apps.facebook.com/disney-villainize-dw/entries/new

1. Select favorite Disney villain and scene
2. Add a photo (either from FB or uploaded)
3. Position the photo to fit in the image
4. Share your “villainized” self with friends and family

Be sure to comment on the OCMomActivities Facebook fan page here so we can all see your Disney Villain photo!

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Haunted Mansion at Disneyland - Wordless Wednesday

The Haunted Mansion at Disneyland

My favorite time of year has begun!  What's your favorite part of the Holidays?

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Mickey's Trick or Treat is a Fun Filled Night!

Trick or treating at the Disneyland Resort has become a tradition for our family. Every year the kids eagerly await the evening.  This year did not disappoint!  For the first time Disneyland hosted the Mickey's Trick or Treat instead of California Adventure.

Initially I thought they would be closing down Disneyland as they had with California Adventure on the evenings of the Mickey's Trick or Treat, but I soon found out that Disneyland has a very efficient system for ensuring those that don't escort the park are gently reminded it is time to leave. Everyone entering the park for Mickey's Trick or Treat is given a colored wrist band (Cast members will be checking that you have this a the trick or treat stations, ride entrances and other areas).

You're handed a cool trick or treating bag just after entering the park and it's just about guaranteed that you will go home with that absolutely full of candy by the end of the night (if you spend much time at the treat stations)!  Initially I was intimidated by the length of the lines at the first candy stations we found.  But what I quickly realized was that was apparently the first station everyone went to.  So if you see that line... just skip it and move on to the next!  Another HUGE trick we figured out is there are two lines going in opposite directions for each station (think cars on a two lane road), so if you see a long line on one side, check the opposite direction and I bet you'll see little to no line, so flip around and come at the candy station from the other way.  This is a particularly useful tip for the treat trails.  Everyone ends up in the same line... so by going in the opposite direction... let's just say you save a TON of time and can get more rides in!

One of the other things we LOVE about the Halloween Trick or Treating is the rides with less people in the park.  We walked right on to Pirates of the Caribbean and Indiana Jones.  We didn't have the time to ride it but also noticed very short lines at Finding Nemo.  Longest line we saw for the night was at Space Mountain - Ghost Galaxy, but I think that is to be expected with the ride only being open for a short time.

Mickey's Trick or Treat is also full of a number of super fun Dance Parties at different locations throughout the park, with special appearances by characters.  I must say I got a sneak peak at the New Orleans Square (Club Skellington at the French Market) dance party and the entrance that Jack Skellington made was like non other than I've seen!  We also saw Buzz Lightyear's Intergalactic Space Jam at the Tomorrowland Terrace and it looked really fun!

Many of your favorite dinning areas also offer special Halloween themed food.  You can also find a large amount of Character greetings set up throughout the park. Most of the treat stations also offer the "healthy" treat option of apple slices, craisins, raisins, carrots, etc. 

And of course you can't miss the Halloween Screams - A Villainous Surprise in the Skies Fireworks!!  We loved loved loved this special fireworks display hosted by none other than Jack Skellington.  Be sure to hug the right side of the viewing area on this one for optimal viewing.  I know it's easy to think that the center of main street is the best view, but in this case I promise you that you'll have a better vantage point if you are to the right hand side (Tomorrowland side).

For more information about hours, ticket prices, etc. you can go here. 

Have you been to Mickey's Trick or Treat?  What's your favorite part?

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The Happiest Race on Earth!

I'm so excited to share this guest post from Julie Campbell...

14,000 runners from all 50 states and 15 countries participated in Disneyland’s 5th Annual Half Marathon on Sunday, September 5th. The weekend kicked off with a Health Expo held at the Disneyland Hotel where participants picked up their packets including shirts and D tags for timing purposes.

My family and I drove over from Phoenix, Arizona to meet up with my sister’s family, my brother’s family and our extended family (about 30 in all) on Friday. On Saturday, our family explored California Adventure and then had an awesome dinner at Goofy’s kitchen at the Disneyland Hotel where Disney characters mingle and take pictures with everyone.  The food was great and it was very kid friendly!  I highly recommend it!

The morning of the race, I met up with my brother and sister in the hall of our hotel, Disneyland’s Paradise Pier Hotel at 4:45a.m. to walk to the start of the race near Downtown Disney. A lot of runners dressed up as Disney characters. Krisse and I dressed as Minnie (me)and Cinderella (Krisse). The race started at 6:00a.m. with Mickey and Minnie waving us on! Our brother, Matt, was in the first wave of runners, Corral ‘E’. My sister, Krisse, and I were in Corral ‘E’. We met a lot of really nice people and had such a great time! The course took us through Disney’s California Adventure Park, Disneyland, and the Anaheim A’s ball park. The crowd support was amazing! We even stopped along the way to have our pictures taken with Lilo & Stitch and Cruella DeVille.  With half a mile to go, Krisse and I spotted our families sporting their personalized Mickey shirts reading “Mom’s ChEAR Squad”.  The finish line was near Downtown Disney and everyone that finished the 13.1 miles in under 3 ½ hours received this awesome, commemorative finisher’s medal. 

I will definitely run the Disneyland Half Marathon again next year! It was so much fun that I’m trying to convince my sister to come with me to Florida to run the Walt Disney World Marathon in January . What do you say Krisse?

More about Julie Brock Campbell:

Julie went to the University of Arizona, where she studied Media Arts and Spanish. She is the co-creator/owner of Kids Love Spanish, the award-winning DVD series teaching children Spanish (check out her website here). She is business partners with her sister and best friend, Krisse Brock Kelly. Julie is the proud Mommy of four beautiful boys: Brock, Morgan, Hayden and Keegan. Julie resides with her family in Phoenix, Arizona.

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