Photo courtesy of the LA Times and Disney

To help celebrate the 20th anniversary of Disneyland Paris, Disney has announced a new night time event that will take place in front of Sleeping Beauty’s Castle as well as a reimagined evening parade.

According to the LA Times, the new Disney Dreams show will basically combine parts of the Magic, Memories, and You and the World of Color at Disney California Adventure. The show will feature water screens, dancing fountains, projections onto the castle, pyrotechnic displays, and laser effects.

The Disney Dreams nighttime spectacular will be a show about courage and compassion that follows the adventures of Peter Pan’s shadow. The story will feature many Disney and Pixar films including Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Cinderella, The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Wall-E, Tron, Tangled, and Toy Story.

The current parade at Disneyland Paris will also be transformed. The daytime Once Upon a Dream Parade will become a nighttime parade called Disney Magic on Parade. It will have a theme of light and color as a part of the anniversary celebration. The opening and closing floats will be redesigned. Two carriages with carousel type horses will feature Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty along with their Princes. The finale float will have Mickey and other Disney characters in Sorcerers Apprentice costumes. There will also be all new music, costumes, and choreography.

I am wishing now more than ever that I could make a trip to Disneyland Paris this year.

Related articles

• Disneyland Paris to unveil new water show, revamped parade (orlandosentinel.com)
• Discover the Sights and Sounds of Disneyland Resort with ‘Disneyland Explorer’ for your iPad (chipandco.com)

In the next series of iPad apps that I’m reviewing, today I’m going to share with you my impressions of Disney Publishing Worldwide Applications app “Toy Story Showtime“, which is available for $4.99 at the iTunes Store.  Similar to Pooh’s Birthday Surprise, which I recently reviewed, the Toy Story app is an interactive storybook app, designed to help early readers develop some good reading skills while having fun at the same time!  The plot behind the story revolves around all of your favorite Toy Story characters, who are excited because Dolly declares that they should put on a Talent Show!  This excites everyone — except Buzz — who tries to think of all sorts of ways that he can impress Jessie.

What will Buzz do for the talent show?

In the scene above, a spotlight shines, and your child (or you, if you prefer) can move the spotlight around to the other characters, and when it lands on them, you’ll see what they are practicing for the show!

Look at Woody and Bullseye go!

As Buzz checks out what all the others are doing, and comes up with ideas similar to what they are doing (but with him in the scene instead of them), the talent show time gets closer and closer.  Finally, the time has arrived! However, as soon as the music is turned on, a funny thing starts to happen to Buzz.  He starts to dance!

Fortunately for Buzz, Jessie is there to encourage him, and he relaxes and starts dancing to the music!

Buzz takes a bow!

Being interactive, there are several scenes where you can do things with the characters in the book.  Anytime you see golden circles by a character, as illustrated in the image below, you can tap on one of the characters, and they will do a special move.

Touch the circles to see a special action take place.

At the end of the story, you are given a chance to play some special games.  In one of the games, you are told what move Buzz needs to make, and you tap the appropriate move on the screen, as you can see below in this screen shot.

Can you match up the correct dance move for Buzz?

In this next game, you are able to pick moves that you want to see Buzz perform, and then at the end, you press the play button to make Buzz perform your dance steps!

What Dance is Buzz going to perform for Jessie -- you pick the moves!

As with Pooh’s Birthday Surprise, this interactive storybook is for a younger reader, but it should provide plenty of interactive fun for them!

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• It’s Toy Story Showtime! New Disney Storybook App (chipandco.com)

Toy Story, 1995

#1 -  TOY STORY (1995)
Stars: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen
Director: John Lasseter
Rating: G

To put it simply – this one changed the animation game forever.  Disney/Pixar now has 12 feature films on their resume, with 2 more on the horizon (Brave and Monsters University).  With each of their releases, Pixar seems to elevate the digital animation bar even higher constantly topping themselves (and everyone else in the industry).  Much like our #3 entry (Snow White) changed the traditional hand-drawn, brush-stroked animation forever thrusting us into over 75 years of wonderful cartoons and animated films, Toy Story has done the same with digital or computer-generated animation.  As I already mentioned on this list, I had to limit myself from including more than 3 Pixar films, because if not they would have dominated this countdown.  I would say that at least 5 or 6 of their productions could’ve easily made my top 10 animated films of all-time – they are just that innovative and simply put, good.  Not only is Toy Story a trendsetter and mentor to anything that exists in digital animation today, but it is also a family friendly story of friendship that can easily be enjoyed by any generation.  As a kid, who didn’t talk to their dolls or toys, even if just to have a simple tea-party?  Well, what if those toys came to life at night or when we were gone?  I’m sure every child’s imagination has run in that direction, and with Toy Story we saw it come to life like never before.  With celebrity voices like Tim Allen (Buzz) and the legendary Tom Hanks (Woody) on board, as well as two sequels that are just as good (some may say even better) as the original, this animated giant is destined to remain one of the greatest animated franchises ever created.

We hope you enjoyed our Top 10 Countdown of Disney’s best movies.  Need a re-cap?  Just click HERE to view the entire Top 10 List at Episodes & Reels, and if you’re up for it “Like” us on facebook.

Watch the TOY STORY Trailer

On the back cover of the new Diamond edition Blu Ray you will find a quote from a Time magazine reviewer, “A winner that delights every new generation of children.”  Not only does Richard Corliss have it right, but I have yet to meet anyone that doesn’t like this movie young and old alike.  There is something magical about this movie even before it was remastered for the HD edition.

There are 2 different editions of this new Diamond Edition Lady & the Tramp, the 2 disc combo pack which comes with Blu Ray and DVD and the 3 disc edition that comes additionally with a digital copy of the film.

Let me start by saying this film looks stunning and sounds sensational.  Who would have ever thought that a movie almost 50 years old could have been remastered to look so magnificent.  You will have trouble seeing or hearing a single flaw, as Disney magic shines right into your living room.

As if the quality of this classic film weren’t enough there are tons of bonus features! It has a Disney Second Screen option with iPad and laptops as well as an optional introduction from Diane Disney Miller and audio commentary.  Additionally there is a really great featurette called “Diane Disney Miller: Remembering Dad” which you can watch on the DVD or Blu Ray and is a must for Walt Disney fans.  This focuses on Walt’s apartment over the Disneyland firehouse and Diane’s memories from when her father was working on this film.  The Blu Ray & DVD also both feature a children’s feature that is called PuppyPedia and helps identify the breeds found in the film.

The Blu Ray additionally has three deleted scenes (played out through storyboard), a never-before-heard song written during the original creation of the film called “I’m Free as a Breeze”. And as if these aren’t enough to have you spending hours watching this movie, there are additional featurettes about the making of Lady & the Tramp (specifically focusing on Lady and then Siamese Cats).

As if being an amazing copy of a classic film, have discs filled with special features and viewing options weren’t enough there are also lots of Sneak Peaks including the sequel’s upcoming Blu Ray release and other titles from the Walt Disney family of companies.

Related articles

• Lady and the Tramp: Diamond Edition on Blu-ray & DVD February 7, 2012 (chipandco.com)

Lady and the Tramp is coming to Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack on Tuesday, February 7th. If you have an existing copy of Lady and the Tramp (on either DVD, VHS or LaserDisc), you can enter that UPC code on the Disney Movie Rewards website to print a coupon for $8 off the Blu-ray/DVD/Digital Copy Combo Pack or $5/1 Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack.

Plus if you need Tangled, Beauty & the Beast, Dumbo, Lion King, Bambi or Winnie the Pooh, you can get a really great deal at Target:

Blu-ray/DVD/Digital Combo Pack Deal:

Buy Lady and the Tramp Blu-ray/DVD/Digital Combo Pack — $27.99
Buy either Tangled, Beauty & the Beast, Dumbo, Lion King, Bambi or Winnie the Pooh — $19.99
Save $8 instantly at the register when you buy both movies
Use the $8/1 Lady and the Tramp Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack coupon
Total: $31.98 for both movies!

Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack Deal:

Buy Lady and the Tramp Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack — $22.99
Buy either Tangled, Beauty & the Beast, Dumbo, Lion King, Bambi or Winnie the Pooh — $19.99
Save $8 instantly at the register when you buy both movies
Use the $5/1 Lady and the Tramp Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack coupon
Total: $29.98 for both movies!

Thanks Couponing to Disney!

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• Cinderella & Lady and the Tramp added to Disney’s 2012 Diamond Collection Releases (chipandco.com)
• Lady and the Tramp: Diamond Edition on Blu-ray & DVD February 7, 2012 (chipandco.com)

Boy meets Girl. Girl loves Boy. Girl & Boy have babies. Babies get bigger and Girl & Boy decide that “in order to be good parents” they must take Babies to Walt Disney World. Boy & Girl begin planning, obsessively looking at blogs and WDW maps and books. Boy & Girl design a plan of action for Disney World and then freak out when Babies go into complete and utter meltdown at the Disney Witching Hour of 3:00pm(15:00). Boy and Girl scream at Babies “we’ve paid a lot of money for this vacation and you are going to LIKE IT and we’re all going to have a GOOD TIME now GIVE MICKEY A HUG”. Babies heads spin around, Boy & Girl head’s spin around. They decide they are never going back to Walt Disney World again because they were all miserable. The End.

Perhaps you’ve heard this story from friends? Perhaps you have people look at you crazy when you say are going (back) to WDW(…again). Or you’ve had them take the “I had a 28 hour labor” (aka misery loves company) approach where they tell you every single thing that has ever gone wrong in the history of a Disney Trip and inform you that its “too expensive” and its “not all its cracked up to be”.

Blasphemy I tell you! As Walt says “All your dreams can come true if you have the courage to pursue them.” And courage MAY be exactly what you need to have this trip go well.

Walt Disney World IS a place where dreams come true every single day. There are tears that come from the magic of watching a “Make a Wish Foundation” child and family meet their wish-character. And there are tears that come from the sheer frustration of your children turning into little chucky dolls while your spouse (without mercy) drives the cattle of your family down the winding paths of Frontierland.

Two things happen on the extremes of most WDW trips:

1. People don’t plan at all and wander aimlessly through the streets, missing entire rides and waiting in 60-minute long lines.

2. People over-plan, do not allow any time for “moments” to happen and make everybody in their family utterly miserable.

So, obviously you are planning so no need to talk about #1, but there IS a need to talk about #2.

There is only one time I’m ok with you being a slave-driver. When you Make people get up early to get to the parks. Lets say you have a 7:45am Chef Mickey reservation. Well you need to leave the resort at 6:45am Which means (most likely) you all need to be up at 6:00am. Which in Disney Time is about 2 minutes before the “crack of dawn”. So yeah, make those people get up and get going in the morning, but take into consideration how late you will be up the night before in your pre-planning. If you’re staying for fireworks at 11pm it is unrealistic to ask your family to get up at 6am the next day. Especially if its day 4+ of your trip.

Plan cushion time into your days. Have a flurry of “must dos” then plan in “and we can do whatever until we decide to eat lunch”. We just planned our friends 6 day trip today and realistically they will have done everything that they really would want to do in about 3-days. Build in cushions like “Mike gets to pick what we do” but be sure to specify WHICH side of the park it must be done on. You don’t need to be crossing parks, you’re doing enough walking without hoofing it from Tomorrowland Transit Authority to Big Thunder Mountain.

We always leave the last day as a “whatever we feel like” day. That way if we missed something we can go back and get it. We schedule a meal in that day, but everything else is up for grabs. (unless touringplans.com says it’s a “park to avoid” that day, then its just too bad for whoever wanted to ride the ride.

And, of course, what is super key to not having your family want to stab you in the eye with some of their extremely overpriced collectable pins is the AFTERNOON NAP. Yes yes, I hear you complaining already, but let me tell you people. Its about quality of life not quantity of rides. Checking off another ride on your must-dos while your children try to figure out if their mickey mouse stuffed animal might serve as a good-enough voodoo doll for YOU is not quality WDW time. As a matter of fact it’s a bigger time-waster than not being in the parks at all.

So trust me, take a break. You’re NOT going to do every single thing in WDW in one week folks. If you could do you think you’d have “repeat-offenders” like me coming back 3-4 times a year? Disney is always changing, always growing. Even if you get it all done this time there will be all new stuff in 2 years (especially with the new changes being made in Magic Kingdom). Relax people, its supposed to be a VACATION. You’re supposed to be building memories, not torching relationships. If it doesn’t get done, so what?! Really, do you think you will be stewing on your deathbed “if we just could have done Jungle Cruise”….

QUALITY over QUANTITY + a 2 hour nap in the middle of the day is the REAL secret to (Disney) life.

And in the words of Forest Gump “That’s all I have to say about that”.

Love, The Disney Diva

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• Family Traditions at Walt Disney World (chipandco.com)
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While we were at Disney World last week which according to many websites like Touring Plans and from Travel Agents like Pixie Vacations it was going to be a low attendance or value week. I remember when I was in High School and going to Disney World all the time and there were day’s it was completely empty even on a weekend.

So with that information in hand we headed to the park in hopes of a relaxing uncrowded visit. Boy were we wrong.

As you can tell there were people everywhere.Has the days of having the parks all to yourself fallen of the map? Personally I believe Disney Free Dining and to much information has killed any semblance of a slow season. What do I mean exactly? I will tell you…

Free Dining – About 5 years ago is when Free Dining and Special Room rates starting popping up. That period coincides with what I believe when Disney jacked up their rates big time! How else would they give you such a deep discount if they didn’t raise their prices? This a common thing businesses do, they say this item is 75% off but they inflate the Retail Price so basically you are not really saving anything. So now we have Free Dining so conveniently when there is a slow season Disney can keep the parks to capacity at all times.

To much Information – I know I am partly to blame for this along with many other websites out there. We share tips and tricks on when the best time to goto Disney World is and essentially shooting ourselves in the foot by packing the parks out on those slow seasons.

Finally one last thing to look at is:

The sheer numbers of people out of country visiting Walt Disney World. Remember 2 weeks ago President Obama came to Disney World and spoke on how we are open for business. When we were at Disney World last week it looked like a sea of Brazilian Tour Groups. You can spot them by their identical bright color shirts.

So while not any one factor is to blame I believe all of these have led to an overcrowding of Disney World. It might be time for Disney to look at possibly expanding to another theme park. I hear Texas is nice, or heck Disney World Brazil might be nice too.

Whatever shift is happening I am not to happy with it. I am not huge on crowds of people and it is becoming hard for people like me to enjoy the parks. Don’t get me started on the heat either..Oy Vey!

I want to hear your thoughts and ideas in the comment box below. Is Disney World or even Disneyland becoming too over populated?

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If you’ve been to the Downtown Disney District lately, you’ve likely noticed the exciting changes underway. On January 3, La Brea Bakery Café began a significant refurbishment of its current location including expanding the restaurant’s footprint, creating a new exhibition bakery, adding a new kitchen in the express area, and placing an awning over the outdoor seating in the full-service dining section.

The remodel, as seen in this early concept artwork, also will allow La Brea Bakery Café to produce fresh baked items at the restaurant, which will include a selection of breads, pastries, sweets, flatbreads and foccacias.

The café will feature menu items inspired by La Brea Bakery’s founder, Nancy Silverton. From double-dipped French toast and fontina strata at breakfast to burgers, salads, panini and authentic Italian focaccias made fresh throughout the day, the focus will be on fresh, healthy and flavorful foods.

La Brea Bakery’s full-service restaurant remains open during the refurbishment through mid-March. The restaurant will reopen its doors with a fresh new look in April.

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How would you like to win a copy of Passporter’s 2012 Walt Disney World Guidebook? For me this Guidebook is a must have if you are planning a Disney World Vacation. Our good friends at Magical Mouse School House is hooking us up with a copy to Giveaway on the Chip and Company site!

To enter just use the Rafflecopter form below. Try to do everything on the checklist. You can tweet and share this post on your Facebook wall as many times as you like! The more you share the more entries you receive!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Contest ends on 12:01am on Saturday February 4th. I will pick a winner that morning and notify them via Rafflecopter that they won. The winner has 24 hours to respond or I will pick another.

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• Family Traditions at Walt Disney World (chipandco.com)

Sometimes the sound of the mail slot makes me cringe…it’s normally bills or junk mail. But when I hear a package go into the door it’s sheer excitement, especially when I know it’s my 2012 Walt Disney World PassPorter Guidebook!

The folks over at PasspPorter press have done it again with the must have guidebook for all of your Walt Disney World needs. Yes, there are other guidebooks and “official guides” for Disney World but I assure you, I’ve read all of them and none are nearly as good, or as user-friendly as PassPorter.

This spiral bound guide is printed in color and boasts “350+ pages of advice, maps, photos of resorts, restaurants and theme parks plus our famous organizer pockets”.

If you are looking for a hoity-toity, fancy-schmancy guidebook that looks impressive on a bookshelf but is of absolutely no use at all, get one of those “other” guide books. If you want the most complete, up to date, user-friendly trip planning and reference guide, then you want the PassPorter. That was a mouthful, but it’s not nearly enough adjectives to describe the magic of PassPorter.

If you’ve never experienced a PassPorter guidebook here is what you’re missing.
Honest opinions: the missing “official guidebook” stamp means that these are people just like us; they are Disney travelers. They can give an honest opinion about what they see and experience instead of giving you the “real estate” review : “quaint accommodations in a charming atmosphere”,when it should really read “rooms so small you can’t express an emotion and don’t look outside”.

• Travel equals: These folks travel just like you and I. They don’t squeak in on VIP treatment, free passes etc. They stay in the rooms we stay in and hunt for the same deals that will benefit you and I. They gather information from their own experiences and from fellow travelers in the PassPorter Community.

• Beyond a guidebook: This is more than a guidebook, this is a planning guide. The planning doesn’t start when you want to book your vacation, it starts far before. It starts at the conception of your vacation thought and encourages you to immerse yourself in the Disney experience prior to your vacation. Participating in forums, learning from other travelers, ordering vacation planning video’s. etc. are all a part of the planning process and PassPorter will show you how to do it all. The book is designed to be personalized with spots to make notes, interactive planning pages you can access online, and “Passpockets”-the one page folder that holds all of your day-to-day details (confirmation numbers, notes, tips, etc.) and also serves as a folder to store your receipts.

• Worksheets: There are budget worksheets, planning worksheets, transportation worksheets, lodging worksheets, packing lists and more. These folks know what you need to plan, even if you don’t!

• All inclusive information: The PassPorter breaks down into eight main categories: planning, getting there, staying in style, touring, feasting, making magic, index, notes and more. You’ll find everything you need to know within these categories. For example, the “staying in style” section outlines each resort and includes the following: ambiance, resort layout and rooms, eating and drinking, playing and relaxing, getting about, tips, notes and ratings. Then there’s the mini resort maps (in color of course!), best locations, rates and info. Whew. I’m exhausted and that’s just one category!

Passporter is your one stop shop for any question you may ever have about Disney World and is great to keep on hand for reference; even for us veterans! I know what you’re thinking, “why should I invest in this guidebook when things are constantly changing?” Well, the folks at PassPorter have already thought about that! Their books are being updated in real-time with PassPorter articles on their website, questions and answers in their forums and the free book updates you can get online.

You can find me on Passporter Boards, if you book your vacation with me and mention Passporter I’ll give you a $25 Disney gift card to spend on your trip!

Michele@PixieVacations.com for your free quote! Don’t forget that all of my services as your Authorized Disney Travel Planner are FREE!

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Beauty and the Beast, 1991

#2 -  BEAUTY & THE BEAST (1991)
Stars: Paige O’Hara, Robby Benson
Directors: Gary Trousdale, Kirk Wise
Rating: G

As far as the “Princess” storyline goes, Beauty and the Beast may be the all-time best.  Belle is a beautiful, yet simple girl who never really dreamt of becoming a Princess, but rather of falling in love.  Of course, it helps when the person that you fall in love with has a brutal curse that can only be lifted by love, thus turning him back to a Prince.  Disney’s reimagining of this classic French fairy tale from the 1700s is timeless.  It features some of their most memorable characters, which not only include Belle and the Beast, but also the Beast’s servants around the castle that have been turned into furniture and trinkets – Lumiere (the candlestick), Cogsworth (the clock), Mrs. Potts (the teapot) and Chip (the teacup) just to name a few.  We also get one of the most conceited and often hilarious bad-guys in Disney’s sinister depot of villainous characters, Gaston.  The music in this one is just as much of a star as any of these characters.  Who can forget the title track “Beauty and the Beast” sung by “Murder She Wrote” star, Angela Lansbury (voice of Mrs. Potts), or “Be Our Guest,” which has become one of Disney’s most recognizable ensemble numbers, often used in advertisements for visiting their theme-parks.  Beauty and the Beast has just been released in theatres again, this time in 3D, so the timing has never been better to re-live this classic or to be introduced to it for the first time.

Watch the 3-D Verison’s Trailer

Come back tomorrow night when we finally reveal our #1 Disney movie of all-time, and check us out on facebook.

You’ve been to Disneyland. You’ve experienced every attraction, watched every spectacle, and sampled every delicacy the resort has to offer. Or have you? During your daylong Disneyland adventure, you will visit legendary locales seldom (if ever) seen by Disney fans—places that are, shall we say, off the map?

Included in your unforgettable visit will be a tour of Walt Disney’s private apartment above the Fire Station on Main Street, U.S.A. This quaint studio apartment was built during the construction of Disneyland so that Walt could sometimes spend the night and watch his beloved dream of Disneyland became a reality. Once the park opened, Walt and his family would occasionally spend the night—or just use the fully functional apartment (complete with shower and small kitchenette!) as a respite from the busy park below. Lillian would use the outside patio for afternoon tea and for entertaining guests while Walt would conduct studio business using the (still-working) Victorian-era rotary phone.

Interested in a grand circle tour of Disneyland? How about taking a ride in the Lilly Belle VIP parlor car on the Disneyland Railroad? Named after Walt’s wife, Lillian, this converted observation car from the early days of the Disneyland Railroad was actually built in 1928, making it as old as Mickey Mouse. For the park’s 1975-1976 celebration of the American Bicentennial, the car was re-christened the Lilly Belle, an elegantly furnished parlor car whose guests have included heads of state and legends from all corners of the worlds of the arts and sports. Now it’s your turn to be treated like royalty aboard the Disneyland Railroad!

Then it’s time for a dream come true. In 2008, The Disney Gallery above Pirates of the Caribbean was transformed into Disneyland Dream Suite. The space was originally intended as an apartment for Walt to entertain guests and spend the night, but he passed away before it could be completed. As part of the Disney Parks Year of a Million Dreams celebration, the apartment was brought to life by Imagineers, who not only stayed faithful to many of Walt’s original ideas for the space, but enhanced it with some truly magical touches that include a quintessentially Disney  “kiss goodnight.”

Of course there will be ample time to enjoy many of the park’s signature attractions, including Haunted Mansion and it’s a small world, but don’t fill up on churros. We will be meeting at 6 p.m. for a very special dinner (and drinks) inside one of the resort’s most unique restaurants.

With surprises, special gifts, and more than a little bit of pixie dust thrown in for good measure, we are confident this will be one D23 event you will want to put on your map.

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The folks at Disney Publishing Worldwide Apps have released several iPad apps, and today I’m going to review for you Pooh’s Birthday Surprise.  This app is for younger children, and the app itself is available at the iTunes store for both the iPad and the iPhone (or newer generations of the iPod Touch), and costs $4.99.

In the story, the narrator helps to guide you along in the story of Winnie the Pooh’s birthday, and the surprise party that his friends in the Hundred Acre Wood are planning for Pooh.  As you can see from the scenes I’ve captured, there is quite a bit to do to get ready for the party!

Tigger and Rabbit working together?

As you can see from the outline of the cupcake, this is one scene where your children can interact with the scene.  In this case, Tigger ate a cupcake (big surprise), so you have to match the correct sized cupcake with the rest of the cupcakes.

As for Piglet, he is helping Christopher Robin to wrap a present for Pooh.  Based on the shape of the present, can you tell me what object it might be?

They are wrapping a special present for Pooh. What do you think it is?

As for Roo, he has a big job to do as well — he needs to make the party hats!

Which color hat will come next in the pattern?

As you can see, there is a pattern that needs to be completed.  Can you tell me what color hat will come next (look for the dotted line to indicate where the hat needs to go.)

Eeyore has perhaps the hardest job!  It’s his job to get the balloons.  I do not like balloons, so I wouldn’t want this job at all!  Look at the trouble Eeyore had with them!

Are those balloons caught on Eeyore's tail?

Yep, the balloons have caught Eeyore!

Even Owl has a job to do — he needs to make a Birthday Card for Pooh!

As you can see, everyone works together to give Pooh a happy surprise birthday party!

As you can tell, this app is for a younger aged child, but it’s a good app, and one that your young child will enjoy.  There isn’t as much interaction as with the Beauty and the Beast app that I reviewed recently, but it is a nice app, and worth the price in my opinion.

Have you ever wanted to own a replica of Thor’s hammer Mjolnir? Well, eFX will give you this opportunity very soon. The hammer shown above is a replica of Thor’s beloved weapon from this summer’s highly anticipated film, ‘The Avengers.’ As of right now, these products are in production, so there isn’t a release date yet. But come around March, we should know more, as eFX will bringing their collectibles to preview at Wondercon this year. They also informed us that we should be seeing some videos soon of the hammer. Can’t wait to see how it looks.

Marvel’s ‘The Avengers’ will be released in 2D, as well as 3D and IMAX 3D on May 4, 2012. This isn’t the first time the Marvel heroes have leaped into the giant IMAX format, as both ‘Iron Man 2′ and ‘Thor’ both had runs in IMAX.  I can’t wait to see how it turns out!

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The largest-ever Disney front-entrance topiary and a stellar cast of HGTV design celebrities boost the flower power at the 19^th Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival presented by HGTV March 7-May 20 at Walt Disney World Resort.  Here’s a sneak peek of this year’s festival news:

• Disney’s gardening magic goes a long way when an eight-foot-tall floral Sorcerer Mickey topiary holds court in front of the park’s iconic Spaceship Earth.  Standing atop a 12-foot-tall floral mountain cliff, Sorcerer Mickey directs a riot of color in the manicured shapes of dancing broomsticks, buckets, mushrooms, hippos, alligators and elephants straight from the classic Disney film, “Fantasia.” The scene pops with pink geraniums, white poppies, violet petunias, blue delphiniums and pansies.
• Twice daily each Friday through Sunday of the festival, HGTV designers and hosts share their insights on landscapes and design with Festival Center audiences.  John Gidding of “Curb Appeal: The Block” kicks off the series March 9-11 with curb-appeal design tips for homeowners.
• Music fills each festival weekend when pop music hitmakers of the 1960s and ’70s rule the America Gardens Theatre stage with performances of their greatest songs.  Jose Feliciano ignites the Flower Power concert series March 9-11 with his treasure trove of tunes.  Two new festival acts are in store:  Chuck Negron formerly of Three Dog Night (April 27-29) and The Orchestra featuring former members of ELO and ELO Part II (May 4-6).

The front-entrance floral spectacle will welcome guests to a festival packed with new gardens and displays, featured speakers and hands-on fun for all ages, including daily gardening workshops with take-home projects for all who participate.

Thirty million blooms, 240 floating mini-gardens on two ponds, 700 container gardens of flowers, herbs, plants and vegetables, dozens of Disney character topiaries, 30 “flower towers” of impatiens and sweeping beds of original floral designs create a new tapestry of brilliant color across the 260-acre Epcot landscape.  It takes more than one year and 400 Walt Disney World horticulturists to plan and prepare for the 75-day festival.

Halfway through the festival, Disney gardeners remove the cold-hardy blossoms that thrive in March and early April to plant a new crop of flowers that flourish in spring’s warmer temperatures.  And throughout the event, dozens of gardening experts meet guests daily with fresh landscape ideas for 2012.  Daily workshops at the Festival Center let guests dig into projects they can take home at the end of the day.

Don’t Miss!

• The Festival Center- Guests can shop for festival merchandise, attend demonstrations and get ideas and tips from master gardeners.  In Future World between Universe of Energy and Mission:SPACE.
• Disney Gardening at Home presentations - Disney horticulturists and local experts like Robert Bowden of Harry P. Leu Gardens will share gardening tips and lead guests in a hands-on, take-home activity. At the Festival Center.
• Special Festival Weekend Celebrations - An Art in the Garden celebration of plein air artists is scheduled March 23-25; a Disney’s Animal Kingdom Specialists weekend presents indigenous insects that are part of our world; a Florida Federation of Garden Clubs gathering will be April 27-29; and a Fresh from Florida Farmer’s Market salute is slated for May 4-6.
• Bambi’s Butterfly House, three times the size of the festival’s original, is a-flutter with multiple species of brilliant butterflies.  At Imagination Walkway by Innoventions West.
• Pixie Hollow Fairy Garden - Fabulous Disney fairy topiaries alight to greet young fans who enter this whimsical garden designed with play structures for children ages 2-5.  At the Test Track Walkway.
• The HGTV Designers Stage presents HGTV celebrities each Friday through Sunday and nationally recognized garden personalities Monday through Thursday.  At the Festival Center.
• Flower Power concert series welcomes back 20^th century pop favorites this year when Chubby Checker and The Wildcats, Paul Revere & The Raiders, Davy Jones and eight other bands rock the America Gardens Theatre with their timeless tunes.  Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Performers and appearance dates subject to change.

More information about the 19th annual Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival is available by calling 407/W-DISNEY (934-7639) or by visiting disneyworld.com/flower.  The festival, including all gardening programs and exhibits, is included in regular Epcot admission.

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ABC Family, the Millennial-skewing network, continues its record breaking momentum as it grows its line-up of groundbreaking original programming. Michael Riley, president ABC Family, announced the first portion of the network’s programming slate today.  The network has given the greenlight to the new comedy series, “Baby Daddy,” which is the highest testing comedy pilot in the network’s history, and is jumping back into the reality space with “Beverly Hills Nannies.” Additionally, “The Secret Life of the American Teenager,” starring Golden Globe® nominee Shailene Woodley, was greenlit for a record breaking 5^thseason, taking it into over 100 episodes.

Tori Spelling and Tia Mowry have been tapped to star in “The Mistle-Tones,” the holiday movie which will anchor the network’s well known annual ‘25 Days of Christmas’ event. The movie begins production in Utah in February.

“We’re very proud of our deep bench of original content successfully built out over eight years of exceptional growth,” said Riley. “This Summer, we’re excited to continue to expand our content across key genres adding another season to our groundbreaking drama, ‘Secret Life,’ wonderful comedy and a return to reality programming as we continue to innovate with our ABC Family brand.”

Kate Juergens, executive vice president, Original Programming and Development, ABC Family added, “Our line-up continues to resonate with our audience and we believe that the new programming will become strong additions to our slate. This new crop of shows blends nicely with our current schedule and will continue to deliver on our promise to create shows that our fans find engaging, optimistic and relatable.”

ABC Family’s current crop of hit original series, “Pretty Little Liars” and “Switched at Birth” rank as the Top 2 scripted cable series of 2012 to date among the network’s core Millennial audience Females 12-34. Moreover, “The Secret Life of the American Teenager,” which returns in March 2012, ranked as the #3 scripted basic cable series of Summer 2011 in Females 12-34, behind only “Pretty Little Liars” and “Switched at Birth.”

“Baby Daddy,” the network’s highest testing comedy pilot ever, stars Chelsea Kane (“Dancing with the Stars”), Tahj Mowry (“The Game”) and Derek Theler (“90210”). From executive producer Dan Berendsen (“The Nine Lives of Chloe King,” “Sabrina, the Teenage Witch” and “Hannah Montana: The Movie”), the half-hour series is about a young man who becomes a surprise dad to a baby girl when she’s left on his doorstep by an ex-girlfriend. He decides to raise the baby with the help of his mother, his brother Danny (Theler), his best buddy Tucker (Mowry) and his close female friend, Riley (Kane), who is harboring a secret crush on him. “Baby Daddy,” a multi-camera comedy, will begin production in Spring and will shoot in front of a live audience in Los Angeles.

“Beverly Hills Nannies” is a docuseries following the lives of a group of nannies working for families in the most exclusive zip code in the country. Evolution Media, the production company known for “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” and “The Real Housewives of Orange County” will produce the series. The series will go into production in Spring.

Tori Spelling (“Tori & Dean: Home Sweet Hollywood”) and Tia Mowry (“The Game”) have been tapped to star in the new original Christmas movie “The Mistle-Tones” which will begin principal photography this month in Salt Lake City, Utah. The movie is set to premiere as part of the network’s annual “25 Days of Christmas” programming event. In “The Mistle-Tones,” Holly (Tia Mowry), blessed with an amazing singing voice, is all set to audition for the newly vacated spot in a legendary local Christmas group which was founded by her late mother years ago. Shocked and upset when the slot goes to the barely talented best friend of the group’s leader, Marci (Tori Spelling), Holly sets out to create her own musical group, The Mistle-Tones. After challenging their rivals to a sing-off on Christmas Eve, Holly finds herself on a journey to the real meaning of Christmas–with some new friends and a new love thrown in for good measure… “The Mistle-Tones” is executive produced by Maggie Malina (“Single Ladies”), from a script by Jed Elinoff & Scott Thomas (“My Super Psycho Sweet 16”), and directed by Paul Hoen (“Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam”).

“The Secret Life of the American Teenager,” a heartfelt one-hour drama from creator Brenda Hampton (“7th Heaven”), focuses on the relationships between families and friends, including how they deal with an unexpected teen pregnancy. The series cast includes Golden Globe® nominee Shailene Woodley, Ken Baumann, Mark Derwin, India Eisley, Greg Finley, Daren Kagasoff, Megan Park, Francia Raisa, with Steve Schirripa and Molly Ringwald. The series is picked up for a record breaking 5^th season, taking it into over 100 episodes – a first for the network. “The Secret Life of the American Teenager” will continue its fourth season with all-new episodes beginning Monday, March 26, 8:00PM–9:00PM ET/PT. Previously released key art featuring Shailene Woodley hints at a wedding – but ultimately, will Amy and Ricky make it down the aisle?

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Disney has just announced the Are You the Real John Carter sweepstakes! If you share your name with the character, you could win a trip to Peru in October!

Are you John Carter? Then head to TheRealJohnCarter.com and sign in with your Facebook account or enter your email address for a sweepstakes entry. You can also earn more contest entries by completing weekly missions, which began on January 23.

What if my name isn’t exactly John Carter? That’s perfectly okay — it doesn’t eliminate you from the competition! Acceptable forms of ‘John’ include: John, Jon, Jonathan, Jonathon, Jawn, Gian, or Juan. Acceptable forms of ‘Carter’ include: Carter, Cartur, Cartir, Karter, Kharter, Khartar, or Kartir.

All official contest rules and details can be found on the sweepstakes website. The contest begins January 20 and ends February 17.

“John Carter” hits theaters March 9.

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The magical sights and sounds of Disneyland Resort can now be discovered with “Disneyland Explorer,” the official Disney Parks app available for iPad. The free app invites parents and kids to explore some of the many thrilling and whimsical experiences that can be found at Disneyland Resort, a premiere, multi-day, family vacation destination in Southern California.

With “Disneyland Explorer,” users can swipe their way from Pirates of the Caribbean to “World of Color” to themed suites at the Disneyland Hotel, discovering more than 100 exciting things to see and do across the resort. Users tap beautiful images, animation and interactive touch points that represent experiences inside Disneyland park, Disney California Adventure park, Downtown Disney District and all three hotels of the Disneyland Resort.

Touch points within the photo-realistic carousel reveal photos, videos and special activities inspired by classic attractions and entertainment.  As users explore the Resort, day changes to night with spectacular colors, lights, and fireworks.

Animations are triggered as users scroll through the parks, hotels and Downtown Disney District, revealing surprises such as Dumbo in flight above Sleeping Beauty Castle. Users  discover items that are both fun and historical, from the Mad Hatter popping out of a tea cup to vintage video of Walt Disney dedicating Disneyland.

Users will:

• Tour the galaxy with Star Tours – the Adventures Continue
• Learn to draw their favorite Disney characters at the Animation Academy
• Create their own musical water show in “World of Color”
• Steer a Soarin’ hang glider over California, while collecting and sharing personalized postcards
• Bring the iconic dolls of “it’s a small world” to life and hear the classic song in five different languages
• Snap photos of the elusive Yeti as he roams across Matterhorn Mountain
• Take part in a raging sea battle in Pirates of the Caribbean

“Disneyland Explorer” is a free app, available exclusively from App Store on iPad (www.itunes.com/appstore). More of the fun and excitement at the Disneyland Resort will become available on “Disneyland Explorer” throughout the year.

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When people make their packing list for a vacation at Walt Disney World or Disneyland most people that I know just write “toiletries”.  This is fine for some people, but for me, I need “toiletries” to be listed out specifically!  If I just rely on my little brain to remember all the bathroom and toiletry needs for our family of 4, I KNOW I’d forget something.

I know Disney provides soap, shampoo and conditioner in each room but I always pack ours from home so we won’t run out and so I know how my hair will do! I also pack my own hairdryer even though some rooms provide one because I am familiar with my dryer!

So, here is a list of additional toiletry/ bathroom items for your next Disney vacation:

• brush/ comb
• razor
• toothpaste/ brush/ floss
• deodorant
• lotion
• make up
• cotton balls/ q-tips
• moisturizer
• mouse/ gel/ hairspray
• contact solution
• feminine products
• First Aid Kit: fever reducer, band aids, cold and sinus meds, antacids, prescriptions, Neosporin, thermometer, Benadryl, Dramamine, etc.

A few additional items I have added to my list are:

1. Pump soap to make hand washing easier in the room.
2. Lysol spray.  You can buy travel size cans in the travel toiletry section at Target.  It makes me feel better to use Lysol spray for smells and germs- especially if someone gets sick!
3. Dishwashing liquid- if you have a baby or toddler who is using a bottle or sippy cup or if you buy the resort mugs or a bucket of popcorn, it’s nice to be able to wash it out with soap while on your vacation!
4. Don’t forget potty training “stuff” if you will be potty training while on your vacation!  Bring the portable potty or a seat that sits on the big potty, if you can.  If you reward for using the potty, don’t forget to pack the rewards!
5. Bath Toys for your kids!  It makes bath time at night so much easier if they have familiar toys to play with in the tub.
6. A pop up or plug in deodorizer for the room.  This helps make your room smell fresh and when you return home you still have a smell from your trip to remind you of Disney!

What are some things you bring with you?

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Even if you’re a Disney vet, you can still make some newbie mistakes. Here are some of the top five mistakes to avoid.

1.  You didn’t make your dining reservations ahead of time. If you’re reading here you probably know that you can make your dining reservations 180-days prior to your arrival, but did you? Hmmm?  Good. But for the rest of you (and yes, Disney has a file on you) get those fingers moving and make those ADRs!  Even if you just make two or three for a week-long trip, you’ll be happier knowing that you have a few incredible meals waiting for you.

2. You didn’t get a discount. If you paid full-price for your Disney vacation, raise your hand. Now look around the room. Seriously, I am shocked at how many of you there are. Go ahead and put your hands down.  Next time, keep in mind that unless you’re traveling during the weeks of Easter, Christmas, or Thanksgiving, moving your trip around just a little bit can mean a big discount.  If you read here, you’ll always hear about the latest discounts the day they come out. Apply them to your existing reservation (or your travel agent will do it automatically) and relax knowing that you saved hundreds of dollars that you can spend elsewhere.  Like in the parks.

3.  You forgot to pack something important.  Sure, you can replace it on property, but it will cost a lot more and the selection is really limited. And yes, there are Targets and drug stores close by, but do you really want to spend precious hours on your vacation roaming around a super store looking for sunblock?  Make a packing list and start crossing off items as you go. You can do this weeks ahead of time.  Right before you travel, put a list on the back of the door you’ll be leaving out of on the morning of your trip. Do this for things like phone chargers and medicines, stuff you can’t pack until right before the trip. Then just cross those items off the list as you go. Before you leave, check your list one last time.

4.  You lost your tickets!  Actually, this is easily remedied and yes, we know because we do it all the time. If you’re a guest of Disney property,  just ask to have them replaced at your resort (or any resort) concierge desk or at guest services in the parks. If you’re not a resort guest or if you are but you bought your tickets separately and not as part of a package, make sure you’ve made copies of your tickets. I like to leave a copy back home with someone who can get to them easily and take a copy with me.  Most of the time tickets bought directly from Disney will be in the computer and can b easily replaced, but this isn’t always the case.  This is especially important if you bought a discounted ticket as part of one of your benefits of running a Disney half-marathon. These tickets are very difficult to replace for some mysterious reason I am not privy to.  But I think it has something to do with elves.

5. You bought a park hopper that you didn’t need.  When someone who makes a commission selling you something tells you not to buy it, you know she’s telling the truth. Not everyone needs a park hopper and at $58 per ticket, not everyone can afford one on top of an already expensive vacation.  I always park hop, but if you are unsure, wait to add it. You can always upgrade a ticket by adding extra days or options like the park hopper once you get on property, just make sure you have at least one day left on the ticket.

Chris writes here and at Everything Walt Disney World. She’s also a travel agent and a member of the Mouse Chat podcast.  Contact her at  ChrisW@pixievacations.com or call 919-889-5281 for free Disney trip planning and information on how you can get free Disney gift cards and onboard credits when you book your next Disney vacation.

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