What Disney Gifts did Santa Bring?

Posted on December 28, 2013 by greenlisa9989@yahoo.com

We Disney fans have got to be, without a doubt, the easiest people in the World to buy gifts for – if it’s Disney, we love it! So, the very best thing about having Christmas behind me? I now get to enjoy the new Disney “toys” I found under our Christmas tree!

Confession time: While I was shopping Disney for The Fam, I did (I hope I’m not the only one who does this) buy myself a little something. Couldn’t help it – I love Mulan and the ornament was too cute to pass up.

My own purchase aside, I’ve got to say, I’m completely thrilled with the variety and thoughtfulness of this year’s Disney gifts.

Here are some of my most favorite:

The Haunted Mansion bottle stopper. Perfect for me since I love wine almost as much as I love Disney – Thanks, Megan!

Tea and cookies, anyone? If you happen to already have Mickey Mouse dinnerware and an “awning red” kitchen, then a tea-for-one set and matching cookie jar are perfect gifts, no?

Raymond continued Megan’s theme with some additional Disney kitchen items (mixing bowls and salad plates). Plus he booked a trip to Disney World for us all to take this spring – can’t wait!

I have been hinting for quite a while that it would be super cool to start collecting those new Disney shoe ornaments. Have you heard about them? The Disney Parks Blog as a great write-up about them with fab pics here. Anyway, someone (sweet Megan) finally took pity on me and got my collection kicked off with a perfect shoe – Tink’s – Check out the wings!

Finally, my very wonderful and thoughtful friend, Phyllis, took the time to make me a Living a Disney Life scrapbook. She wanted me to have a memento of how I turned my Disney obsession and a little free time into my very own blog. Posts and pages printed and adorably embellished with colorful Disney bling. Thanks, Philly!

What Disney gifts did Santa bring you?

Disney Cruise Ports – The Beauty of Key West

Posted on December 27, 2013 by greenlisa9989@yahoo.com

Disney Cruise Ports – The Beauty of Key West, Florida

Just about this same time of year in 2007 – we cruised with Disney to celebrate Megan’s Senior year of high school and ring in the New Year for 2008. On our Western Caribbean itinerary, the beautiful island of Key West, Florida was one of the first ports of call after sailing from Port Canaveral. Recently I noticed that the Western no longer visits Key West, but some of Disney’s cruises in the Bahamas do stop there now.

We’d heard about Key West and had high expectations. Let me just say, it’s one of the best places for living up to its reputation! It was absolutely gorgeous, pedestrian-friendly and true to what we’d been told, there really were chickens everywhere, key lime pie stores on every corner, and wonderful homes with fabulous gardens that made this town look like paradise. I’m only sorry we missed seeing one of the famed 6-toed cats!

Knowing that we had excursions booked in Grand Cayman and Cozumel, we decided to tour Key West on our own. The plan was to debark as early as possible, walk to the continental United States’ southernmost point, then take a leisurely stroll around town – taking in all the sights. The only important mission we had was to get back to the ship before all-aboard time.

Since Key west is only 4 miles long and 2 miles wide, we thought we could see quite a bit on foot. As far as plans went, it was simple and, as it turned out, perfect. Our time in Key West was as laid-back and relaxed as the town itself. We had a such great day that Key West is now near the top of the list of places we’d love to visit again.

Here are the highlights:

Key Lime Pie-on-a-stick! Frozen and dipped in chocolate, these delectable treats were a perfect way to sample one of Key West’s most famous foods. Key West is also know for its conch fritters – unfortunately, we did not get the opportunity to try any of those.

A stroll through the heart of Key West’s Old Town – from the enchanting Victorian mansions to the famous bars and restaurants on Duval Street, this was a walk through history – so much to take in! Great little shops with an eclectic assortment of wares and curb-side hat weavers were a couple of more notable offerings. We found a great tee-shirt shop where you could pick your design from a catalog and have a shirt printed while you wait.

The Southernmost Point in the U.S. – Cuba is

just 90 miles away! It’s a fun place to see/visit and a great place to rest for a few minutes and enjoy the view.

The Hogsbreath Saloon – on our way back to the ship, we just couldn’t help stopping in for a cold refreshment and a souvenir tee shirt. A great way to end one very enjoyable day.

Disney Pin Trading – Getting Started

Posted on December 26, 2013 by greenlisa9989@yahoo.com

If you’ve not tried Disney pin trading – It’s a great big bunch of fun! Disney pins make great (and affordable) souvenirs that don’t take up much room in your suitcase. Once you get the hang of trading, pins take on a whole new meaning – they’re not just souvenirs anymore! They become a vacation activity that allows you to meet new people, treasure hunt, and discover new and exciting things about Disney through the enormous variety of pins available.

Once upon a time The Fam and I were new to pin trading and at first we were a little intimidated – especially at our first pin trading event – there are some very serious pin collectors out there! If you’d like to give Disney pin trading a whirl, here are my top five tips on getting started:

It doesn’t have to be expensive. You’ll need some starter pins for trading, but you don’t have to buy them at a Disney store. There are several sellers on eBay and Amazon that offer pins in lots of 25, 50 and even 100 for very reasonable prices. As with any online purchase, you’ll want to buy from well-rated, reputable sellers. Pin purists may argue that you might end up with counterfeit, bootlegged, or “scrapper” pins, but there are plenty of authentic pins for sale on eBay and Amazon. I have also found the Disney pin guides on eBay to be very helpful. A great article here offers other tips for saving money on pins.

Lanyards are optional. A lanyard allows you to proudly show off some of your favorite pins and display pins you’re interested in trading. For little ones, it’s great to purchase a pin trading starter set – a lanyard and pins sold together. Wearing a lanyard is very convenient, but not absolutely necessary to pin trading enjoyment. Joseph’s a good example of someone who trades pins from time to time, but does not wear a lanyard. He just carries a few pins in his pocket so when he sees a pin he really wants, he’s ready for trading action.

Cast Members have some of the best pins for trading! If they are wearing a lanyard, it will have pins displayed that are all available for trading. You may need to be a bit patient if the Cast Member is performing some important job – there may be a wait for a moment when the pin exchange can occur, but it’s worth it. Cast Members often have unusual pins from other locations (like Disneyland Paris) that can add new variety to your pin collection. As long as you have an official Disney pin to trade that is not already on their lanyard, the deal is good! Disney World Cast Members wearing green lanyards only trade with children (age 12 and under) – take advantage of this if you have little ones!

Find and try out a pin trading event. Even if you don’t want to trade any pins, it’s pretty cool to see the collections of pins people bring to these meet-ups for pin trading superfans. You can find event locations, dates, and times at the Disney Parks Merchandise website.

Trading is not just in the parks! Pins available for trading can be found at Disney resorts – check with the resort’s main giftshop for information. Disney Cruise ships are also a fun place for pin trading and collecting – Cast Members have pins for trading, onboard pin events are scheduled, and the giftshops have pins to buy and for trading (ask at the counter). Finally, you can ask your resort bus driver if he has any pins to trade – you might be surprised at the great stashes of pins some of the drivers keep!

Resources:

Here are some great Disney Pin Trading articles and tips from others you may find helpful: