We are off to Aulani today and I can’t wait!!! I’ve never been to Disney’s Aulani Resort let alone Hawaii so I am beyond excited to see what the most tropical paradise is all about. While I put together a guide of what I am packing for Hawaii to wear, I had to of course put together specifically a guide for just Disney merch perfect for Aulani! Naturally Aulani has a ton of exclusive merch at the resort but they also have some on ShopDisney.com, PLUS I have been stocking up on plenty of Lilo & Stitch goodies since they are from Hawaii! Can’t wait to share more about Aulani once I return!
My birthday is just a few weeks away and we are heading to Disney’s Aulani Resort in Hawaii but before we head to Hawaii we are doing a Disneyland day to celebrate my birthday a bit early! ICYMI – Disney is one of the best places to celebrate your birthday. Besides it being one of the happiest places on earth, they help make your birthday so special with fun experiences special for the birthday guy or gal!
1. Get Your Birthday Pin
At Disneyland and Disney World you can head over to guest services at the Disney Parks and with valid admission get a special birthday pin! I have even been able to get one with a fun postcard at Character Dining experiences at Disneyland and Disney World.
2. Have A Character Dining Experience
Every year I love making Disney part of my birthday celebration + one of the best ways to have my birthday dinner is with my favorite characters at one of Disney’s Character Dining Experiences! One of my favorite’s is Chef Mickey’s at The Contemporary Resort at Disney World and if you tell them (as I am guessing is the case with various character dining experiences) that it is your birthday they will sing you happy birthday with the characters + give you a birthday Mickey Mouse cupcake! Super Fun!
3. Snag Some Birthday Merchandise
The best way to celebrate your birthday in style at Disney is with fun birthday themed Disney merch! From plush toys to special pins to birthday ears, Disney does birthday swag better than anyone I know and I love stocking up on their birthday selects before heading to the parks.
Ya’ll I am SO excited because the best time of the year at Disney is just days away…Holiday Time! November 8th kicks off the Holiday Season at Disneyland + California Adventure! From tasty new treats, to festive decor to redesigned experiences to amazing holiday merch, Disney for the holidays is my FAVORITE place to be! Since I get right in the holiday spirit immediately after Halloween ends, I figured I’d get a jump start on my holiday Disney outfits like this one I shot at the park last week + round up some of the exciting happenings arriving soon!
Here’s a few things to check out at each park this Holiday Season:
✨DISNEYLAND PARK✨
Christmas Fantasy Parade
If you are like me you LOVE a good Disney parade, especially a Christmas themed one! The parade is about 40 minutes long + runs along Main Street and the Castle every night. With prancing reindeer, marching toy soldiers, dancing gingerbread cookies and more, it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas at Disneyland Park!
Believe…In Holiday Magic Fireworks Spectacular
My favorite part of every evening at Disneyland is a great fireworks display + that means I am beyond excited to see the Holiday fireworks display above Sleeping Beauty’s Castle which is decorated for the winter wonder season as well! Check for exact showtimes on the Disneyland app to make the most of your trip!
It’s A Small World Holiday Lighting
A magical moment I always love to watch is when ‘It’s a Small World’ lights up at night decorated with Holiday accents + twinkling lights!
Haunted Mansion Holiday
Jack Skelington from Nightmare Before Christmas takes over the Haunted Mansion at Disneyland to give it a Nightmare Before Christmas makeover with amazing decor + interactive elements!
Tasty Treats on Main Street
No trip to Disneyland is complete without some yummy treats on Main Street USA. Enjoy hot cocoa, holiday themed desserts, savory dishes + so much more!
Holiday Merchandise
Both parks have the best Disney Holiday gear from exclusive holiday Minnie Ears, to custom holiday ornaments, decor, apparel + more, you can step into a winter wonderland of Disney merchandise and fill up your stockings with all of the best goodies!
✨CALIFORNIA ADVENTURE✨
Festival Feasting
I always love California Adventure for their yummy dishes inspired by cultures all around the world and holiday time that experience is amplified thanks to the tasty offerings during Festival Feasting! From pastries to cuisine there is a little something for everyone!
Festival Of Holidays
California Adventure brings world cultures to live through their multi-cultural festival celebration which has a little something for everyone. This fun celebration also includes Disney Viva Navidad filled with delicious meals, spectacular performances and so much more!
Buena Vista Street Holiday Tree Lighting
One of my favorite parts of California Adventure during the Holidays is the gorgeous Christmas Tree in Hollywood Land on Buena Vista Street. It’s a hot spot for photos, character sightings + embracing the Holiday season in the most magical way.
World Of Color – Season Of Light
I always love the World Of Color show which takes place every night at California Adventure but I love their spin on it for the holiday season even more! It’s festive, fun + a great show for the whole family to experience.
Looking for what to wear to the park this holiday season?
Halloween is one of my favorite times of year, especially at Disneyland! As you may know by now, I am always up for a magical day at Disney (heading back again tomorrow) and one of the best times to experience Disney is during the fall season and especially October to experience all of the fun Halloween themed activities they have in store.
From limited edition merchandise to tasty treats to the spooky decorated streets of Main Street USA, Halloween is in full force at the most magical place on earth.
One of my favorite Disney buys for the spooky season has been this Mickey Mouse Pumpkin Backpack – it is a great size to wear to the park and I LOVE how on theme it is for the rest of the Disneyland park.
2. Spooky Decor, Updates + Shows
Disneyland goes all out for Halloween – like literally ALL OUT! There is so much to experience and see at Disneyland during the month of October, but here are a few decor, ride + show highlights to check out:
The Haunted Mansion Ride – Ya’ll I am so excited about this update for the spooky season because The Haunted Mansion Ride got a little Nightmare Before Christmas makeover for the spooky season. The entire ride has been taken over by Jack Skeleton + you will not want to miss this beautifully executed Haunted Mansion remake and luckily you have time! This redesign will be live from now till January 6th, 2020.
Main Street Pumpkin Festival – The first image in this post is from the absolutely amazing Pumpkin Festival on Main Street in Disneyland! Main Street is covered with pumpkins, jack-o-lanterns, fall decor + more giving you all the fall feels for a fun day ahead. I love the intricate details of the carved gourds + even Downtown Disney has some awesome themed pumpkin statues + decor throughout the area.
Spooky Shows – Both California Adventure + Disneyland have a few spooky nighttime shows that the whole family will enjoy. One of my favorite shows is at Disneyland park – Halloween Screams. It is a 10 minute show filled with fireworks, spooky projections + clips of your favorite Disney villains and songs from the movies (because hey why not embrace you evil side around Halloween time right? :p) At California Adventure you can experience the Oogie Boogie Bash which is a ticketed event but it’s well worth the price tag with an appearance from grave diggers, the headless horseman + so much more.
Haunted Happenings at California Adventure – Throughout California Adventure park you can experience Halloween takeover in Cars Land, the Guardians of the Galaxy ride + so much more! I love the spooky touches throughout the park because let’s be real…they are IG approved hehe :p
3. Tasty Treats
Halloween Popcorn Buckets + Reusable Cups – OK this is one of my MUST buys every time I head to the park, a souvenir popcorn bucket so naturally I HAD to get the new ones they have at the park this Halloween season. They have a few options from a Purple Cauldron to a Mickey Pumpkin – you’ll want to snag one before you leave the park…I love collecting them and displaying them around my place as fond memories of a magical day. I am also obsessed with this Poison Apple Mug available at both parks that can be refilled at various spots throughout your park stay.
Delightfully Spooky Desserts – From Coco Churros to Oogie’s Worm & Dirt Funnel Cake to a Mummy Donut, both California Adventure + Disneyland park will have your taste buds watering with these yummy treats throughout the end of the month!
Happy Sunday Funday ya’ll! I hope you all are up to some fun adventures!
Friday I had the opportunity to head to one of the happiest places on earth, Disneyland! From checking out some new rides, to enjoying some yummy dishes to viewing some amazing performances, Disneyland never disappoints + this summer, they have so many fun activities for you to check out + enjoy all season long!
If you are anything like me, you are a Disney lover + are always searching for the inside scoop on what to check out when you are at the park to maximize your trip, so today I am sharing some fun new happenings at both Disneyland + California Adventure specially for summer.
While everyone is talking about Galaxy’s Edge (and trust me it is AMAZING) I want to share just how much there is to do at Disneyland that the whole family will love! First up…a fun new theatrical performance at California Adventure, ‘Tale of the Lion King’ at the Palisades Stage!
The show is an all-new musical showcase inspired by everyone’s favorite Disney movie, The Lion King! Highly energetic performers depict an imaginative story that celebrates the spirit of Africa + the amazing movie highlighting our favorite characters Simba, Scar, Mufasa + more!
Next up?! California Adventure brought back a fan favorite ride, ‘Soarin’ Over California‘ in Grizzly Peak! From June 1st – June 30th, you can hop on this fun ride that brings you Soarin’ over iconic California landmarks like the Golden Gate Bridge, Malibu + more. Let me tell ya, this ride is a BLAST + being a Californian it is so fun to explore my surroundings in this fun, unique way.
I live for a yummy lunch break + one of our go-to spots is the Lamplight Lounge at Pixar Pier that has delicious new brunch dishes like avocado toast, french toast, potato flautas, yummy cocktails + more.
My personal favorite is their adult french toast, it is beyond scrumptious + is super filling for a long day at the park. Cocktail wise you can’t go wrong with their Cinnamon Toast Cocktail…it’s as if your favorite bowl of Cinnamon Toast Crunch was put into a bottle + it included a hint of vodka…SO GOOD!
I LOVE Toy Story + all things Pixar so that means you 100% need to play Midway Mania (a fun interactive shooting game at Pixar Pier that is a replica of Andy’s room from Toy Story), along with the Incredicoaster where you go on a wild rollercoaster ride to chase down JackJack (my fav)!
There’s also a new Toy Story themed ride at Pixar Pier for kiddos, Jessie’s Critter Carousel so you should definitely check that out if you have young ones!
I also love Cars Landso had to stop by to hang out with Mater + the gang because why not?!
Now off to Disneyland Park…where they refurbished the gorgeous Sleeping Beauty Castle making it as gorgeous as ever to have your magical photo moment!
The castle is just so iconic + it’s even more gorgeous at night during the newly returned, ‘Disneyland Forever‘ fireworks spectacular that takes place every night at 9:30pm.
I love Disneyland so much, I feel like there is magic behind every corner + because of Galaxy’s Edge opening, a lot of my old time favorite attractions have shorter lines or have been updated to pair with the Star Wars theme!
Anytime I head to Disneyland, I always go on the Haunted Mansion ride, It’s a Small World, Pirates of the Caribbean + Splash Mountain (you can’t go wrong with any of these)!
BUT one of my fav rides is over in Tomorrowland, Space Mountain which has been renamed Hyperspace Mountain + rethemed to highlight StarWars. You get to hurtle through Hyperspace while dodging furious dogfights during the high-speed adventure!
One of my favorite parts about heading to Disney is meeting all of my favorite characters like Winnie The Pooh, Tiger + more. What I love about Disney is that no matter what age you are, you can always be a kid + have a magical time at Disneyland.
Are you heading to Disneyland this summer?!
I am always happy to provide some fun tips + advice on where to go, what to see + what to do!