Churros

We get churros almost every time we go to Disneyland.  Yesterday when we went to Disneyland, my husband pulled out his $3 and approached the Cast Member to request one of his favorite treats.  To his dismay and disgust, churros had gone up 50 cents since our last trip in late November/early December when he got one.  He refused to buy one.  He was even more disgusted when the very nice Cast Member called out to him as he walked away, "Sir, we take credit cards!"  He says he'll be sticking to Dole Whips from now on because they are only $2.60 which is a deal on getting a frozen treat of that size--even outside of the resort.

Just had to share.  Have you noticed price increases on any other items at the resort?

My New Treasures

As I posted on the Babes in Disneyland Facebook fan page yesterday, I was honored enough to be invited by a friend of mine from work to help go through her grandfather's personal collection of items acculumated during his very long career as one of Walt Disney's original prop masters.  Going through his belongings was like taking a magical trip back in time and touching and experiencing some of Disney's most famous movies.  I touched Flubber!!!!  Do I have a picture of it?  No.  Was it awesome and amazing to touch a prop from one of my favorite childhood movies?  Absolutely, yes.

I was fortunate enough to purchase a some great items from Mr. Russell's estate and I'm so happy to be able to share them with you. 

We got a number of old comic books, blow are some of the Disney ones.  They dae from the 1950s and 1960s. 

Below are Mickey Mouse Club Magazines (also known as Walt Disney's Magazine) from the 1950s.  They are lots of fun to read.

This is the newspaper that everyone was reading in the movie Splash.

Below is  a Phinney Walker Mickey Mouse metal clock.  It matches my boys' bedroom perfectly!

 

This clock is so cute.  At the bottom, Disney characters (Mickey, the three little pigs, and Dumbo among others) march from the castle into the circus tent to the Mickey Mouse Club March.  My kids are mesmerized by it!

Below is a framed piece that we can't figure out at all and would love some identifying.  It is on some sort of fabric.  I hate to take the frame apart to find out what it is.  Any ideas?  I posted a few up-close pictures.

The Babes in Disneyland Top 10 for 2010

2009 was a year to celebrate at the Disneyland Resort. Here are the top 10 things I am looking forward to at the Disneyland Resort in 2010.

1. Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln: If you love American history or even have a mild appreciation for it, "Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln is a must. In my opinion, this attraction should be a required visit for every child over eight years old who visits the resort. It is absolutely spectacular and recently underwent a massive renovation--including a new Abe with amazing, cutting-edge audioanimatronics.
2. Give A Day, Get A Day: I love when Disneyland gives discounts, so I love that the resort is offering the Give A Day, Get a Day promotion. Click here for more information.
3. CaptainEO: While I'm not a Michael Jackson fan (hate me if you must), I am looking forward to "Captain EO" returning to Tomorrowland and replacing "Honey, I Shrunk the Audience.
4. The Closure of Star Tours: Hear me out on this one! I know that lots of people love Star Tours, but have you seen the line for it lately? Probably not because there isn't one. Star Tours is a great concept, but it has really fallen behind the times. This year Star Tours will close and undergo a major renovation. Click here for more information.
5. Exploring California Adventure: This year I would like to spend a little more time exploring California Adventure. I know that there are places that I have not experienced with my kids yet. There is a play area near Grizzly Rapids that I want to experience with the boys. I also can't wait to check out the "featurette" of Toy Story 3 at the Animation Academy. (We seriously can't wait to see Toy Story 3!!!)
   
6. World of Color: World of Color is a new entertainment experience coming to the Disneyland Resort and I'm really hoping to be able to do some in-depth reporting on it before the baby arrives in late March/early April. (Note to Disneyland: Please have your media preview as soon as possible!)
7. Autumn at Disneyland: Disneyland in the fall is just gorgeous. I can't wait to experience it all over again this year! From the fantastic decor to the great Halloween fireworks, it's a great time of year. Oh, and for the record, the Halloween fireworks are better than the summer fireworks!
   
8. Disneyland at the holidays: There's nothing more magical than Disneyland at Christmas. If you are considering visiting Disneyland during the 2010 holiday season, check out my holiday posts here on my blog or my videos on my YouTube Channel for more information to help you plan your visit. If you are planning to visit during the holidays, you may (or may not) want to consider visiting the weekend of the Candlelight Procession. The Candlelight Procession is a two-night event that takes place during a weekend in early December. If you are looking for a weekend with without crowds, it is important to note that this event is a major draw and does increase attendance. If you are looking for a beautiful Christmas experience, then this just may be a really wonderful way to kick off your holiday season. For more than 50 years, Disneyland's Candlelight Processional and Ceremony has heralded in the Christmas season with the telling of the story of Christmas and beautiful chorus made up of local choirs and resort Cast Members. The presentation is absolutely gorgeous.
9. Making memories with my family: All of our trips to Disneyland really boil down to one thing and that's making memories with our children. I believe that our trips to Disneyland are very, very special. The trips aren't easy--pushing a stroller, changing diapers in public, dealing with the occasional tantrum, etc.--but they are worth it.
   
10. Taking our new baby to Disneyland for the first time: More than anything else, I am looking forward to visiting Disneyland with our sweet new baby boy for the first time. While I know he won't know what's going on and won't remember the day, I know that I will remember introducing him to a place that our family loves so very much. As he grows, I look forward to him falling in love with Mickey Mouse, his first trip around King Arthur's Carousel, and so much more.

2010 is going to be a great year! What are you looking forward to most? Leave me a comment and let me know!

Videos and Mr. Lincoln photo are courtesy of the Disneyland Resort.

Disneyland's 2fer is Back...In the Same Week as the Annual Pass Price Increase

Arriving on the heals of the Disneyland's increase in annual passport price increase, resort management announced on January 8 that they are bringing back the Southern California 2fer ticket.  With these tickets, guests can experience Disneyland or Disney's California Adventure on one day, and then come back on another day to play in the other park - for free.


The "Southern California 2fer Ticket" can be purchased now at Disneyland.com, The Disney Stores, Vons, Albertsons, Ralphs, Stater Bros, Toys R Us, Dearden's, Casa Ley, Korea Daily, Irvine Spectrum and other locations. The 2fer ticket, on sale through June 3, 2009, and are valid for Southern California residents within ZIP Codes 90000-93599 and Northern Baja California residents within ZIP Codes 21000-22999. Proof of residency is required for admission. Admission is valid for one park each day, but not for both parks on the same day. Tickets are valid 30 days from first use. First use must occur between now and June 3, 2009. Each day of use constitutes one full day of use. Guests may purchase up to 8 tickets per person per day with valid ID. Tickets may not be sold or transferred for commercial use. The offer may not be combined with other discounts or promotions. (Regular price of admission to a Disneyland Resort park is $69 for adults and $59 for children 3-11.)


Again, I come back to the question I posed in my post about the annual passport price increase.  Why decrease one-day admission and increase the cost of annual passports?  Certainly the resort makes more money on annual passholder's annual spending than regular one-day visitors.  Don't get me wrong, I'm ALL for making Disneyland admission more affordable, but does it seem a bit odd to increase admission for one type of visitor and offer a discounted admission for others all in the same week?

Win a Trip to Disney World

There is so much in life worth celebrating – from birthdays to reunions, true love to new beginnings.  In 2010, Disney is celebrating something new – the good things people do for their communities!  Disney Parks wants to inspire one million people to volunteer a day of service to a participating celebration.

 

To join Disney Parks in celebrating the good things that people do for their communities when they give back by volunteering, enter the “Celebrate You” sweepstakes for a chance to win a celebrations vacation at the Walt Disney World Resort – including a night’s stay in the Cinderella Castle!

 

Enter daily at Disney.com  and for an extra chance to win, text CELEBRATE to DISNEY (347639).  In addition, digital prizes will be awarded daily for everyone that enters.

 

The sweepstakes ends Sunday, January 31, 2010.

Free Steak Taco at El Polo Loco

I know this isn't the normal thing I post about, but I wanted to spread the word that El Polo Loco is giving away free steak tacos to celebrate their new sirloin steak menu. The new menu includes two different types of steak tacos, a sirloin steak bowl, and steak and three-cheese quesadilla. You can sample the new steak tacos with a Buy One Get One FREE coupon for a steak taco. Clicking here to print a coupon. www.elpolloloco.com/freesteaktaco

$10 Off Your First Purchase at Diapers.com

If you are looking for great deals on diapers and other baby products, check out Diapers.com.  The deals are great and they price match their diaper prices.  You can even mail them your coupons to get additional discounts off their already competitive prices!  All orders over $49 ship for FREE.  I don't know about you, but it's pretty easy for me to spend $49 on diapers and I really like the idea of not having to go to Target or Costco and lug that big box around.  Plus, if you enter the referral code "disneyland" upon checkout, you will get $10 off any order of $49 or more!

Disneyland's Prices Have Gone Up...Again

It seems like I just posted that Disneyland's admission rates increased. It was only six months ago when Disneyland raised the cost of their admission tickets and annual passports. Well, on January 5, the resort management raised prices on annual passports again. Here's how it breaks down:

	Prices before August 2, 2009	Prices as of August 2, 2009	Current prices as of January 5, 2009
Southern California Select Annual Pass	$134	$144	$169
Southern California Annual Pass	$174	$194	$219
Deluxe Annual Pass	$269	$289	$299
Premium Annual Pass	$389	$429	$439

Yikes! I'm speechless. Seriously, Disneyland folks? I mean, seriously? You know I love you, but this is pretty steep. Now I get that you (Disneyland) don't get an admission fee out of me every time I visit, but I know that annual passholders like me spend A LOT of money throughout the year at the resort. For goodness sake, I spent about $400 Christmas shopping at the resort, not to mention the $370 I just spent on my husband's birthday gift and the other hundreds we certainly spend on snacks, meals, and incidentals throughout the year. I would dare say that Disneyland makes more money on annual passholding freaks like me than your regular park guests and this is how we are thanked? A $45 increase within the span of a year for my Southern California pass? Ugh. I am sad to say I don't know how much longer we'll be able to keep purchasing passes. And yes, I do get it. The So Cal pass is very popular--so popular in fact that it greatly impacts park attendance on Sundays. I get it. But still...

It's been a long day for me. I'm exhausted, 27 weeks pregnant, worked all day, and ran to Costco. I don't have the energy to say much more on the issue except that I am very disappointed. Will the increase in ticket prices impact your future purchase annual passes for your family? I want to hear your thoughts! Please leave me a comment below. You never know who will be reading your comments.

Here are some of the comments I received on Facebook before I even posted this!

Once I posted this, I got even more comments on Facebook.  Thanks to everyone for commenting.  If you aren't already a Facebook fan, stop by and join in on the discussions.

Happy Birthday and a Disneyland Splurge

Yesterday was my husband's birthday and I surprised him with a very special present. Originally, I had it all planned out, we would arrive at Disneyland in the late morning and while my husband was on Star Tours with our older son, my little guy and I would go over to Fortuosity (formerly known as New Century Time Pieces) on Main Street to let them know we would be coming in to pick up the custom artwork watch and piece of art I commissioned back in early December. Then, after the big unveiling we would walk over to our reserved table for four at the Blue Bayou. I had played the entire day over in my mind time over time.

Well, nothing ever seems to go how I plan it, especially when it comes to birthdays. Ever. And in keeping with tradition my plans were foiled by the powers-that-be that my husband works for over at a big television network. He has been working about 16 hours per day, seven days per week with Sunday being his only day off until January 22. He is beyond exhaustion, which means he was not in the best of spirits to celebrate his birthday and certainly not up for a trip to Disneyland. Can you blame him?! They were even further foiled when he came home from work with a quarter of a sheet cake leftover from his little celebration with his colleagues, making the stuff I had bought to make his favorite German chocolate cake and the items I had purchased at the cake decorating store to make it look great really not necessary. I seriously can't win.

Anyway, after going to breakfast in the morning, we gave Daddy his gifts. Aidan had picked out a pen that "passes gas" he saw on clearance at Target. It was a huge hit. After a couple of other gifts, my big gift was up. I gave him the artwork first. He read the card on top. In the card I told him that I had commissioned this special piece of art for him to represent our many adventures with our boys, our partnership in raising our amazing kids (the slate says "Will and Lisa Productions," and most importantly the hard work and hours he puts into his career in order to provide us with a really great life. Will is really driven in his career and has found a way to perfectly balance his drive and determination with being a great dad and husband. And with that, he opened the framed artwork...and here it is.

Charles Landholm, the Disney artist who created this piece did an outstanding job. Is this beautiful or what? Will was speechless. He didn't know what to say. He had a million questions and didn't know where to start. He was completely shocked. I'm not known for my gift-giving prowess, so this was a major accomplishment for me. When he opened the watch that goes with the artwork, he was even more speechless. For most people, the art is the big draw to this service at Disneyland, but for us, the watch is the icing on the cake.

The watch has black band and silver bezel.

After much deliberation, my husband decided he wanted to hang his artwork in our hallway in a high traffic area so that everyone would see it when they come over.

I have wanted to be able to buy a piece of original Disney art and watch since this service opened at New Century Time Pieces back in the 1990s and I can't tell you how pleased I am that I was able to commission these two beautiful pieces for my wonderful husband. He deserves it. When I was first shown the art piece...I cried. It was far more fantastic than I could have ever imagined. What makes it even better is that the artist, put so much heart into creating the piece. It's not often that you find someone who puts so much passion into their work, and that is exactly what Charles did. I can never thank him enough for putting so much into this beautiful, one-of-a-kind piece that is now hanging in our hallway. It will forever be part of our lives.

If you would like to splurge on a lifetime Disney memento the next time you are at Disneyland, custom art watches and their accompanying pieces of art range in prices depending on the amount of colors selected and if it is an original piece or part of a small series. My piece cost $300, plus an additional $70 for the framing. Annual passport and Cast Member discounts cannot be applied to the $300 cost of the original art but can be applied to framing cost. Oh, and ask for Charles. He's amazing!

New Design

I just spent the evening redesigning my blog.  Nothing fancy, but it took me a while.  I finished and showed it to my husband.  He thinks it looks a bit "Christmasy."  I was just trying to give it a more cohesive look and coordinate with the picture of Minnie and my son, which isn't easy because of what she is wearing.

What are your thoughts?  Be honest!  Too "Christmasy?"

Oh, and I FINALLY figured out how to create a button.  If you have a blog, please add it to your sidebar for me!  I would really appreciate it!

My Favorite Disneyland Moments and Memories from 2009

The thing I love the most about writing about Disneyland all year long is the memories I create along the way. Here are just some of my most favorites and when applicable links to blog posts on them:

"it's a small world" Reopened at Disneyland: Love it or hate it, "it's a small world" reopened after a long refurbishment, cleaned and outfitted with some new Disney-themed additions. I am a huge fan of the artist's original work and while I don't hate the new editions, I can admit that my kids really like finding the hidden Disney-themed dolls as we cruise the happiest cruise that has ever sailed. Almost a year after it reopened, I'm still mixed on it.

Discovering Lightning McQueen and Mater at California Adventure: With so many character locations that seem to be more geared toward little girls, we were so pleased to stumbled upon our good friends from Radiator Springs in California Adventure back in January.

Playing Games with my Kids at California Adventure: Up until the spring of this year, I had always refused to play the games at Disneyland with the kids. I echoed a sentiment that may certainly be similar to that many of you have said to your own children: "We don't come here for me to pay for you to play games. We paid enough to get in already!"

The thing of it is that the boys have a lot of fun playing it and with the fishing game, everyone gets a prize!

Spending Quality Time with my Kids...at the Tiki Room: My kids really like the Tiki Room. My kids LOVE and ADORE the Tiki Room. We walk run to the Tiki Room first when we get to Disneyland...as though there are long lines or crowds for the show. The show performs every 15 minutes and I have to say that it is brought up about 15 times per day at our house. My kids are constantly singing the Tiki Room songs, asking to watch our Tiki Room video, commenting on anything even remotely tropical and saying that it somehow has to do with the Tiki Room, and so on. I even made my little guy a Tiki Room book on Shutterfuly for Christmas and got him one of the big parrot stuffed animals they sell at Tropical Imports in Adventureland.

First Fantastmic!: I shared Fantastmic! with my four year old for the very first time this summer. I felt like I had been waiting for that moment since before he was born. It was hard to hold back tears as he ooohed and aaahed at Mickey fighting evil. It was pure magic and what Disneyland is all about.

Other Special Memories with My Family: We visited Disneyland...a lot this year. I have more precious memories than I can possibly ramble on about. Here are (more than) a few pix of my favorite moments frozen in time. Say what you want about Disneyland and it's big corporate structure and high prices. The cost is all worth it when I think about the memories we created in 2009.

We celebrated Brandon's second birthday at Goofy's Kitchen at the Disneyland Hotel.

Watching holiday fireworks on Main Street

Our official Christmas card picture. Believe it or not, it is one of the only pictures we have with both boys actually looking at and engaging the camera.

This is my favorite picture of my son Brandon. He rarely smiles for pictures and this one really shows his true personality. And of course, it features my favorite bribe...the 48 cent sucker.

While my husband was gone to Tokyo for three months for work, the kids and I spent a lot of time at Disneyland. It really helped cheer us up while missing him so terribly.

Protective Head Gear at the Tiki Room

The birds had eaten "soft peaches" for dinner that night. Aidan wasn't completely convinced.

The Other Side of the Disneyland VIP Tour: I worked at Disneyland for five years and most of those years I spent as a Disneyland tour guide. I had always said that I would have "made it" in life if I ever got to take a VIP tour. Well, folks, this is the year that I made it! Please check out my post on my amazing and wonderful Disneyland VIP tour experience. Oh, and if you are a current or former tour guide reading this, I LOVE YOU!

Made New Friends: Through the variety of Disneyland events and my other Disney endeavors this year, I have made some great friends who have been so incredibly supportive of Babes in Disneyland. If you don't already read their blogs or support their businesses, please stop by, give 'em a read, and let them know you learned about them here!

• Alive in Wonderland (Suzanne Broughton)
• The Glamorous Life Association (Marcy Massura)
• Daytripping Mom (Aracely Vega)
• Jungle is 101 (Mike)
• OC Family
• The Anaheim Hilton
• The El Capitan Theater
• Nickelodeon Parents Connect

Below, Aidan and I are on a tour with a group of parenting bloggers, including Linda Perry from Peach Head and Liz Dwyer from Los Angelista. Also very happy in the background is Marcy from The Glamorous Life.

My Own Dreams Come True: This posting would not be complete without a big, big thank you to Michele Himmelberg and the entire Disneyland Public Relations team. Michele and her fellow Cast Members went above and beyond to give me unprecedented access to the Happiest Place on Earth. When I started my website a little over two years ago while breastfeeding my newborn (and yes, I am the ultimate multi-takser--breastfeeding, holding baby, and typing at once), I had no idea that it would grow into what it has--including the addition of this blog a little over a year ago and all of the experiences that have come with both of them. From inviting my family and me to blogger and media events to providing me with special and breaking news, photography, and video, Michele and her staff have been amazing. Back when I entered college, I was a broadcast journalism major. I later became a communication studies major so that I could have a slightly broader field of study for the job market. After a five year stint in public relations, I had always hoped to be able to do on camera reporting but life takes a series of twists and turns and it just didn't happen. And while I adore my job as a reading intervention specialist, I cannot thank Disneyland enough for the opportunity to report for my site and blog from the Disneyland Resort. (You can check out my videos on the Babesindisneyland Youtube Channel. Stop by and become a fan!) They have truly made my dreams come true. My experiences this year have allowed me to combine so many of my passions--writing, the spirit of Disney, spending quality time with my family, and the realizing one of my lifelong dreams...much after I though it was too late.

Thanks to everyone for making this a great 2009. Can't wait for all of you to meet our newest mouseketeer in 2010!

Merry Christmas!

I just wanted to wish all of the Babes in Disneyland readers a very Merry Christmas!  I had a great day with my family today--hanging out at home, baking up a storm (including Mickey Mouse gingerbread men), and eating at our neighbors' amazing Italian restaurant (Centanni)  in Venice, California.  We've been tracking Santa using the NORAD Santa Tracker.

I want to thank all of you for reading the blog and using the website.  I've said it before and I'll say it again, it's a labor of love.  Thank you to all of you who have contacted me directly with your questions, comments, and trip reports.  I've met some truly wonderful moms and dads.  I love hearing from you, so please be sure to leave comments here on the blog or over on the Facebook fan page.

I look forward to creating many, many more Disneyland memories in the 2010 and hearing all about your trips to the Happiest Place on Earth too!  If you missed any of my Disneyland holiday videos, I've posted all of them below.

It's Holiday Time at Disneyland, Part 9: Holiday Entertainment Wrap-up

Heading to Disneyland this week? If you are heading to the "Happiest Place on Earth" for the Christmas holiday, there's a lot of great entertainment. Here's a wrap-up and the final of my interviews. (For more information on the Princess Tiana Showboat Jublilee, click here.)

It's Holiday Time at Disneyland, Part 8: Haunted Mansion Holiday

Every fall, the Haunted Mansion closes down for a week or two and is transformed into Jack Skellington's Haunted Mansion Holiday.  For many Disneyland guests, especially "Nightmare Before Christmas" fans, this is an annual favorite.  It is very beautiful in a spooky sort of way.  Below is a quick video with Disneyland's Ambassador, Quinn Shurian and Sally and Jack Skellington on this holiday favorite.

LA Auto Show 2009

Looking for a way to get out of the rain today?  This is the last weekend of the Los Angeles Auto Show.  Rogers PR hosted us last weekend.  We had a great time and with the addition of a kids' zone, it makes the Auto Show a much more family-friendly experience.  My husband is a big auto show fan and goes almost every year.  This year in particular, we are in the market for a new car.  It was a great way to look at cars without being hounded by sales people.  We tired the boys out by taking them to the kids' zone before heading to the auto show floor.  Discounts are available on the Los Angeles Auto Show's website.

Here's a video of our experience.