Pandora – The World of Avatar is an all new land, coming to Disney Word’s Animal Kingdom Park. Pandora will transport guests to a mystical world of bioluminescent rainforests, floating mountains and soaring banshees.

Photo credit: Kent Phillips

In collaboration with filmmaker James Cameron and Lightstorm Entertainment, Disney is bringing to life the fantasy world of Pandora, inspired by Cameron’s epic film AVATAR. We learned about Avatar Flight of Passage – where guests will fly above the jungles of Pandora while riding on a mountain banshee. While it may sound like Soarin – in Epcot, it’s much different. I can’t wait to see it the next time I’m at Animal Kingdom! 

Another experience is the Na’vi River Journey, where guests will board reed boats for Na’vi River Journey, a family-friendly excursion down a rainforest river to see the Na’vi Shaman of Songs.

Photo courtesy of Disney

And yes, you can use your Fast Pass+ for both experiences. 

Check out the Valley of Mo-ara —  all around its enormous floating mountains, you’ll quickly uncover the valley’s one-of-a-kind dining and shopping experiences—along with sights, sounds and experiences that include:

• Exotic plants that come to life with beautiful bioluminescence each night
• A Na’vi-built drum circle, containing instruments playable by all
• Na’vi totems and other cultural items found throughout the land
• Brand-new Wilderness Explorers challenges and badges to collect

You may even come across tour guides from Alpha Centauri Expeditions (ACE), scientists from the Pandora Conservation Initiative (PCI), or even an eclectic expat or two!

Dine at Satu’li Canteen, where you can tuck inside the Quonset-hut structure —long ago an RDA mess hall, now a peaceful dining facility adorned with Na’vi art and cultural items. It’s a fast, casual restaurant and you will be able to use some of the Disney Dining Plans. Make reservations here:

Make sure to stop in Windtraders, a marketplace where the walls have long since been overtaken by natural root structures—which nowadays serve as still-growing displays for a variety of mementos and take-home treasures.From Na’vi cultural artifacts and animal toys to science kits and Alpha Centauri Expeditions (ACE) apparel, you’ll find something exciting for every member of the family here.

Also at Animal Kingdom, don’t miss the dazzling new after-dark show, Rivers of Light, which treats  guests to a celebration of nature in an experience that features water, floats, projections, fire and light choreographed to an original musical score. You can see our video below, we were at Disney in early February. 
 

At Disneyland Resort in California, also opening on May 27 is Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT! at Disney California Adventure Park.The chaotic and hilarious adventure combines a breathtaking free-fall sensation with all-new visual and audio effects, plus the attraction’s “awesome mix tape” of music inspired by the films’ soundtracks. Guests will board a gantry lift for multiple, random ride experiences in a pulse-pounding rise and fall as they join Rocket, one of the most unusual heroes a guest will encounter, in a daring plan to free the captive Guardians from The Collector’s Fortress. Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT! is the cornerstone of the summertime celebration, Summer of Heroes, where guests will enjoy Super Hero encounters; an awesome dance-off featuring Star-Lord and Gamora; and, for a limited time, a challenging “Avengers Training Initiative” for young recruits.

Also coming to the Disney World Parks this summer:

• • A new nighttime experience premieres at Disney’s Hollywood Studios May 26. A full orchestra will provide the soundtrack for a 40-minute visual journey into The Music of Pixar LIVE!
  • Additional movie replicas from Rogue One: A Star Wars Story welcome guests to Star Wars Launch Bay at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
  • A new family-friendly raft adventure, Miss Adventure Falls, recently debuted at Disney’sTyphoon Lagoon water park.
  • A May 12 opening is set for “Happily Ever After,” the most spectacular fireworks display in the history of the Magic Kingdom.
  • Disney Springs rocks out with more new, food and beverage locations to complete its transition from Downtown Disney. See our review and video of The Boathouse at Disney Springs here or click the video below. 

Extended Theme Park Hours 

For a limited time from May 27 to July 4, 2017, Disney’s Animal Kingdom park will be open from 8:00 AM to 11:00 PM, giving you more time than ever to explore Pandora – The World of Avatar.

“Extra” Extra Magic Hours
In addition, Guests staying at select Walt Disney World Resort hotels will have the chance to enjoy “Extra” Extra Magic Hours—available exclusively in Pandora – The World of Avatar from 11:00 PM to 1:00 AM, May 27 to July 4, 2017.

Please note: this benefit is in addition to the Extra Magic Hours already available to Disney Resort hotel Guests at Disney’s Animal Kingdom park.

Planning Ahead with FastPass+ 
And finally, don’t miss out on the exciting expeditions this all-new land has to offer! Be sure to book FastPass+ selections for Avatar Flight of Passage or Na’vi River Journey long before you arrive.

I was not compensated for this post, I was invited to a luncheon and given a swag bag. Pandora – The World of Avatar Comes to Walt Disney World’s Animal Kingdom Park

The post Pandora – The World of Avatar Comes to Walt Disney World’s Animal Kingdom Park appeared first on The Mama Maven Blog.

It was so amazing to go through the entrance!

We made our way to the Port Orleans resort, where we were staying. I loved staying at the Yacht Club last May for Disney SMMC, so I was confused when the lovely gentleman in front of the resort drew us a map to where we were staying (Building #82). So we drove what seemed to be another 1/2 mile to Building 82. Which looked adorable, but if you wanted to use the elevator, like with luggage, you had to walk ALL THE WAY AROUND. Plus, I didn’t see any sort of lobby (you had to go the 1/2 mile or so back to the main building for that). 

I liked our room, it was a good size and the bathroom was immaculate (which is always important to me). However, I would have liked closets — we had a bench to store luggage and an area by the left of the sink. There was a curtain to separate the double sinks from the best of the room (and the bathroom had a toilet and a tub), but I didn’t love this layout. 

The bus stop to the Parks was really close by. There are three stops for the parks at the Disney Port Orleans Riverside Resort. If you want to go to the main building lobby, hop the bus and ride it to the 2nd stop (or walk) or drive. 

After we brought everything to the room, we quickly headed to Disney’s Hollywood Studios by catching the shuttle bus from the North Depot stop. 

I love that the bus times to each park or place is clearly marked. 

We used a Fast Pass for the Aerosmith Roller Coaster — wow! It was amazing. Remember to keep your head right in the headrest. Note: if you have any sort of neck or back issues, this is not the ride for you. It was exhilarating but did leave my mom with a bruise on her face. My daughter and I were fine and enjoyed it. 

We went on Star Tours, which was amazing. One of the best simulator rides that I’ve ever been on.

We also caught the Beauty and the Beast Live Show. Tip: Do not use a Fast Pass for this. We were able to get into a show and even though we were far back, we saw everything. 

We used a Fast Pass for Tower of Terror. My daughter, who is 9, was freaked out afterwards. It’s about the Twilight Zone and frankly, done brilliantly. It’s worth the Fast Pass.

Our afternoon at Disney World’s Hollywood Studios was amazing. 

Since we had dinner reservations at Disney Springs, we went right from Hollywood Studios to Disney Springs (the bus will take you). We enjoyed a delicious dinner at the BOATHOUSE Restaurant.

Check out my video:

Or read my review: http://www.themamamaven.com/2017/03/12/disney-world-dining-the-boathouse-restaurant-at-disney-springs

Stay tuned for the first day of Disney SMMC! 

Read my recap of our trip down to South Florda.

http://www.themamamaven.com/2017/03/22/disney-social-media-moms-2017-recap-going-down-to-florida-days-1-2/

I was not compensated for this trip, but I did receive perks and paid a reduced price for the conference. 

Disney SMMC Recap: First Day at Disney’s Hollywood Studios

The post Disney SMMC Recap Day 3: Visiting Disney’s Hollywood Studios appeared first on The Mama Maven Blog.

We had a great flight on Delta and flew into Fort Lauderdale. 

After a dinner of Sushi and Pad Thai, we went for ice cream (and they had dairy free — yeah!!) and called it a night. 

Day 2 – Morning in Boca

We drove 2o minutes to see my Aunt C. and Uncle B. in Boca Raton – I had never been there before. They have an amazing condo on the beach and the cutest dog named Ollie. 

My daughter loved playing with Ollie and then playing on the beach. Next, my aunt took her swimming in the pool and gave her some lessons. 

We went to Parkland to meeting my cousin, his darling wife, and their two girls for a delicious Italian Lunch at Pizza Time Caffe. The food was excellent and I loved seeing my family! While I am not going to post a picture,  I was thrilled to see them. 

Read on for days 3 & 4!

Disney SMMC: Land and Sea 

Disney Social Media Moms 2017 Recap: Going Down to Florida (Days 1 & 2)

#DisneySMMC

The post Disney Social Media Moms 2017 Recap: Going Down to Florida (Days 1 & 2) appeared first on The Mama Maven Blog.

You know the story. Smart, bookish girl in France, Belle (played by Emma Watson) fends off the lecherous Gaston (Luke Evans). Then her father tries to steal a rose from the Beast, the Beast wants to keep her father captive forever because of that and she takes his place. There are talking teacups, a clock and a candelabra, all who want Belle to fall in love with the Beast so it ends their spell. Slowly, the Beast and Belle fall in love and Gaston attacks The Beast to get her back for himself. The Beast is injured during this fight and because Belle loves him, he goes back to his human form. Then they live happily after.

Gaston’s best buddy is LeFou (played by Josh Gad) and frankly, he and Lumiere (Ewan McGregor ) steal the show with their quick wit. 

Mrs. Potts (Emma Thompson), Cogsworth (Ian McKellen), Madame Garderobe (Audra McDonald) are delightful.  The musical numbers “Be Our Guest” and the “big fight scene” were pretty terrific and yes, Emma Watson can SING!!

Belle’s father is sweet (played by Kevin Kline) and we get a glimpse of his close relationship with Belle. We also learn what happened to Belle’s mother (but you’re not getting that out of me). 

Josh Gad is terrific as LeFou and he was as adoring of Gaston as the 1991 animated version. Now about the supposed “controversy.”

Spoiler Alert: All the moments that people have talked about in the film are quick and most kids aren’t going to notice anything. I do support LGBT rights and have family members and friends that are gay — and I think it’s terrific that there’s a gay character in a Disney movie. If it hasn’t been all over the media, I wouldn’t have been aware that LeFou is gay. In the 1991 version, I only remember LeFou as Gaston’s henchman. While LeFou crushes on Gaston in this new movie, kids may think he’s just a huge fan, not that it’s romantic on LeFou’s part. The two tweens I was with didn’t notice anything and didn’t question it afterward. There is a quick part of a scene when a ruffian, Stanley (played by Alexis Loizon), is forcibly dressed in women’s clothes byMadame Garderobe and likes it. He ends up dancing with LeFou at the end and while I was hoping there would be a kiss, there wasn’t one. Why shouldn’t LeFou and Stanley have a romance?

As Anthony Breznican says in EW.com says it perfectly, “Yes, some boys like boys. Some girls like girls. When you’re older, you can love whoever makes you happy. I’ll love you no matter what.” Read the rest of his post here: http://ew.com/movies/2017/03/03/beauty-beast-lefou-gay-character-dad/.

But I’m also going to mention this –  instead of being so concerned about a gay character, shouldn’t people be more concerned that Gaston won’t take no for an answer from Belle or that the Beast takes Belle captive and holds her against her will? Luckily the Beast changes his way of looking at things and decides to release Belle because he truly loves her, but still, it’s unlawful imprisonment. And no one is outraged about that? 

Are there any scary parts? 
Yes, there are two parts where there are wolves attacking. If you have a child that’s frightened easily, wait for this to come out on DVD and fast forward. There is a fight scene at the end that’s mostly funny, however,  Gaston shoots the Beast several times. 

Verdict:

Go enjoy Beauty and the Beast! I did. I’ll be seeing it again. Disney, take my money!

Here’s a clip of “Something There”, courtesy of Disney. 

Beauty and The Beast Printable

Beauty and The Beast Printable – Download

MrsPotts

Are you going to see Beauty and The Beast? 

#BeOurGuest

#BeautyAndTheBeast

Beauty and The Beast Live Action Film Review: A Tale That Holds Up in Time

The post Beauty and The Beast Live Action Film Review: A Tale That Holds Up Through Time appeared first on The Mama Maven Blog.

The first night we were in Orlando, I made a reservation at the BOATHOUSE. Being that this was the only night we could go to a restaurant at Disney World, I wanted something special (we were going to have plans for the rest of the nights). While I was browsing the Disney World Website, I kept on coming back to the BOATHOUSE. I had wanted to check out Disney Springs and the menu looked like it would appeal to us. I was a little nervous to make a reservation since I had no knowledge of the restaurant (it’s new) — but it turned out to be a wonderful place to dine.

It was amazing. There are three beautiful, nautically themed rooms and 2 private dining rooms that seat up to 600 Guests. I loved the decor – you can sit in part of a boat made into a booth. But more importantly, the food was delicious, and we were very pleased with the service. My mother and I both had the salmon on a cedar plank entree and it was probably one of the best pieces of salmon that we ever had.

The one thing is that the portions were smaller and they didn’t give you much of a side dish. For the prices that we paid, I wanted more veggies. So we ordered a side dish of asparagus and that did round it out. Note: They do take some of the Disney Dining plans.

There’s fresh seafood,  a raw bar, premium steaks, chops and a kids’ menu. The serving day-boat, line-caught seafood and USDA-Certified Gibsons Blue Star Heritage Angus Beef. If you want a more casual menu, ask to sit outside and get the outdoor menu with an emphasis on sandwiches, burgers and lobster rolls! My daughter’s portion of fried shrimp was delicate and tasty and a generous portion. While we didn’t eat dessert, the kid’s meals came with a sundae.

There are 3 bars: the Captain’s Raw Bar, the Admiral’s Club Bar or the Dock Bar, built overlooking the water and 300-plus feet of boardwalk connecting all areas of the restaurant. 

Check out our video. 

The Boathouse is managed by the award-winning Gibsons Restaurant Group.

Reservations
Reservations are recommended and can be made up to 180 days prior to your visit. Book online or by calling (407) 939-BOAT.

This is not a sponsored post. Disney World Dining: The BOATHOUSE Restaurant at Disney Springs

The post Disney World Dining: The BOATHOUSE Restaurant at Disney Springs appeared first on The Mama Maven Blog.

The story was presented very differently, with traditional technique and modern technology- like projected snowflakes and special effects. I’ve seen a lot of shows on Broadway, but I’ve never seen the technology used to make a show sparkle like this.

Photo by Matt Stroshane

“Frozen, A Musical Spectacular” tells the story of princesses Anna and Elsa as they navigate the meaning of sisterhood and inner strength, as well as true love. You’ll love seeing Olaf (this actually stole the show for me), Sven, and sweet Kristoff. 

According to Disney, “The show features dynamic costumes and sets, remarkable special effects and spectacular production numbers that delight Disney Cruise Line guests in new and surprising ways. The creative disciplines blend to create a seamless environment – blurring the lines between costume and scenic, set piece and video, puppet and puppeteer – and expand upon the most imaginative elements of the film.”

Photo by Matt Stroshane

Songs like “For the First Time in Forever” and “Love is an Open Door” are expanded into ensemble pieces, while the film’s wintry wizardry are realized in lavish production numbers of “In Summer” and “Fixer Upper.”

Photo by Matt Stroshane

“Let it Go” is amazing — With transformative scenery, snow flurries and state-of-the-art video technology – this show stopping number brings Elsa’s enchanted icy blasts to reality like never before.

“Frozen, A Musical Spectacular” is based on the Walt Disney Animation Studios “Frozen,” which is the No. 1 animated feature of all time. The acclaimed film earned two Academy Awards (2014) for Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song.

Photo by Matt Stroshane

This is entirely separate from a two-act Broadway production of “Frozen” that is being prepared by Disney Theatrical Productions and is slated to join Disney Theatrical’s New York productions of “Aladdin” and “The Lion King” for spring 2018 at the St. James Theatre. It will have a pre-Broadway engagement starting in summer 2017 in Denver.

If you are sailing on the Disney Wonder, don’t miss “Frozen, A Musical Spectacular”.

I was invited to the Disney Social Media Moms Conference (Land and Sea) and paid my conference ticket, and additional tickets for my family members, plus flights and travel to and from the airport. I received perks and discounts and had the time of my life. All opinions are mine and mine alone. 

The post Seeing “Frozen, A Musical Spectacular” on the Disney Wonder appeared first on The Mama Maven Blog.

Our reservation was at 8:10 AM. We were staying at Port Orleans Riverside, so we were told to take the bus to the Magic Kingdom and tell our driver we needed to stop at the Contemporary. I took this to mean that they would stop at the Contemporary for us, but we were dropped at Magic Kingdom and then took a short bus ride to the Contemporary Resort. The buses had shown up to take us there pretty quickly, but I was glad that we built in plenty of time. We left on a 7:15 AM bus from our hotel and we were walking into at the Contemporary Resort by 7:45 AM. I went upstairs to Chef Mickey’s and I just told them we were 25 minutes early for our reservation. They gave me a little beeper thing and after we took our photo with the Mickey Statue, it buzzed and were seated within minutes. The place was already busy and packed. I guess everyone gets up early at Disney World!

There was a huge selection of foods for brunch. If you have a picky kid, there was literally everything under the sun. At this brunch, there was a lot to choose from. It’s $40 for adults and $24 for children. While I still thought the brunch was pricey, it was an experience that I enjoyed and my daughter had a great time. Everyone had the characters visit their table for several minutes and every child there was happy — which, was no small feat. We had Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy, and Pluto visit our table. Every child and adult felt special.

The huge smile on my daughter’s face made it completely worth it. My mom had a great time too.
Check out my video – which shows the full buffet.

Seeing that brunch was costing me $40 for the adults and $24 for my daughter, we all ate big breakfasts, knowing that was going to have to last me most of the day. Disney Dining plans are accepted but don’t count towards the tip. 

The Disney Characters were very friendly and gave hugs, posed for pictures, and they signed loads of autograph books. While the brunch was pricey, I felt we got a lot of value for our meal and my daughter was thrilled. We were not rushed out and our server, Barbara, made sure I had a tea that I liked. Chef Mickey’s — you were amazing. Note: I paid for this myself. We were on a reduced price trip with the Disney Social Media Moms Celebration, but not all of our meals were covered. I felt that this was going to be a wonderful experience for my child and it was worth it. 

When we were done, we paid the check, and then hopped onto the Monorail, right from the Contemporary Resort. 4 stops later, we were at the Magic Kindom to start our day!

The post Chef Mickey’s Character Meal Breakfast at Disney World appeared first on The Mama Maven Blog.

When you come in for the show, you sit in a beautiful amphitheater, right on the Discovery River. According to Disney, “Continuing the grand Disney tradition of innovative, after-dark entertainment, “Rivers of Light” combines live performance, floating set pieces, a soaring musical score, fountains and more in a celebration of animals and nature. The story magically unfolds on the broad natural stage of the Discovery River, conveying the uplifting spirit of an ancient and timeless lantern ceremony and filled with symbolism, storytelling and plenty of heart. The show celebrates the magic of nature coming to life and starts with an ancient lantern festival that draws out four Animal Spirit Guides – an Elephant, Owl, Tiger and Turtle. These animals take shape as larger-than-life lantern floats, some of which measure 15-feet-tall and 30-feet-long, and were designed to look as if they were created centuries ago.”

Check out my video — I did cover the music so I didn’t run into music copyright issues. 

Preview: Disney’s Rivers of Light at Animal Kingdom

The show officially opens to the public on February 17 and it’s a must see. 

The Disney Parks Blog also recommends to “make dining or FastPass+ reservations for this new show, visit MyDisneyExperience.com or the My Disney Experience app. And don’t forget that the next step in the expansion of Disney’s Animal Kingdom – the grand debut of Pandora – The World of Avatar – will take place on May 27, 2017.”

For more information about Rivers of Light, check out the Disney Parks Blog — https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2017/02/rivers-of-light-officially-opens-february-17-at-disneys-animal-kingdom/.

I was invited to the Disney Social Media Moms Conference (Land and Sea) and paid my conference ticket, and additional tickets for my family members, plus flights and travel to and from the airport. I received perks and discounts and had the time of my life. All opinions are mine and mine alone. 

The post Disney’s Rivers of Light Show at Animal Kingdom [VIDEO] appeared first on The Mama Maven Blog.

With continuing their ever growing standard in creating timeless children’s classics, Disney’s Moana was born with this purpose in mind to bring yet another classic to adoring fans. Considering this fact, the artistic and musical vision have to be very authentic and true to the island culture that Disney wants to convey to the audience of people who grew up with prior films and hooking the newer generations of children for years to come.

It was a pleasure to attend the Behind the Animation of Disney’s Moana, presented by Disney’s creative executive, Jessica Julius.

With expressing endearing thoughts about the 5-year journey into bringing this film together, Julius compiled amazing processes of some of the characters, casting, and animation, giving a very candid look into the inner workings that the average movie goer might take for granted.

Julius spoke about when she coordinated trips to the Polynesian islands with directors Ron Clements, John Musker and Don Hall to sketch out the basis for Moana. There had been certain ideas sketched out before they ventured out, but were completely changed once they were able to cohabit on these gorgeous islands. Ideas fleshed out more when they relied heavily on the citizens the directors called the “Oceanic Story Trust,” which included people such as tattoo artists, musicians and a plethora of townsfolk. Researching how the Polynesians were nomads thousands of years ago and then mysteriously stopping for a thousand years, set the tone they needed for Moana.

When showing the animation, Julius expressed that by no means were these completed graphics, but were presentable enough. I was completely fooled because the textures looked so polished, even down to the skin and the water itself. There was even an artist that was able to hand draw 2D animation on the demigod Maui for animating his many tattoos on 3D textures. A particularly compelling scene comes to mind, which captured the heart and beauty of what Moana would become in the future. She must’ve been at least 18 months old playing by the sea when the sea literally calls out her. While parting the way for Moana, the sea embodied true human characteristics, displaying affection, endearment, and even playfulness  with toddler Moana. Just by watching this small clip, a viewer would be able to see just how much extensive research paid off, all the while making a scene that made it so hard to have a dry eye in the house.

When Clements, Musker and Hall were casting for Moana, the concern was finding an authentic actress who could be strong, act and sing all at the same time. Especially because Dwayne Johnson would have a huge presence bringing Maui to life, this actress needed to hold her own. With the talent search, they finally hit gold with up and coming actress, Auli’i Cravalho, who hails from Hawaii. Even though Cravalho is just 15 years old, the casting agents saw a certain matureness and sweetness that would carry this new Disney princess a long way.

Julius pointed out that facets of the actors tend to come through in the CG characters they portray because the sessions are filmed so the animators can pinpoint certain expressions and nuances in the dialogue given. So, just like Cravalho herself, the animators even gave Moana’s hair a similar embodiment. Even down to the dimples on Dwayne Johnson for Maui, the animators made it so much easier to connect with these characters with bringing out the natural expressions, creating a more solidity to their personalities.

Nothing can set the mood better than perfect musical pieces. In order to have the music fit precisely, the musicians and composers must know the story as it flows to create just the right feeling for the audience. In the search for bringing out the soul of Moana, Ron Clements, John Musker and Don Hall chose Opetaia Foa’i, Mark Mancina, and Lin-Manuel Miranda. All of their styles brought about an intricate meld of traditional island music with the modern. All the while, these composers were collaborating from different parts of the world daily to create music to make the audience swell with happiness or even fill with tears of joy when we needed to.

Behind the Animation of Disney’s Moana made me have huge anticipations for going to the theater with my 5-year-old. I truly cannot wait to see this story about this Disney princess coming of age to search for her true meaning in life and to bring hope to her people. Moana seems like the perfect recipe for another classic brew, solid story complete with visually stunning effects and enriching music to match.

Disney’s Moana is in theaters now.

Disney’s Moana: Behind the Animation

The post Disney’s Moana: Behind the Animation appeared first on The Mama Maven Blog.

My daughter loves to do crafts and she wants be a fashion designer when she grows up. When Seedling contacted me and asked me if I wanted to check out their new Disney Kits with my daughter, it was a no brainer to say yes. 

Seedling recently launched their own Design Your Own Disney Kits and we couldn’t wait to check them out. They sent us two of the Little Mermaid Kits and I’m going to share the tutorial and video we did with Disney’s Little Mermaid Design Your Own Fintastical Mermaid Tail Kit first.
 

Seedling’s Design Your Own Fintastical Mermaid Tail retails for $39.99 and inspired by Disney’s The Little Mermaid. Mermaid tails are in! With this kit, your child can become a mermaid and make a splash with their own glittering tail—just like Ariel! With tulle, glitter glue, shells, stars, and more, this easy to make DIY kit has everything you need to design your own magical mermaid tail.

I was very impressed that practically everything was included. I didn’t have to hunt for materials – it was all together. 

Everything was planned out well — do you see the “Ariel” on the bottom of the mermaid tail?

My daughter learned how to make a tutu with fastening netting and tulle on the top of the ribbon on the mermaid tail.

She added the felt appliques using glitter glue. We probably should have used regular glue for that and saved the glitter glue for decorating, however we were still able to have a lot of glitter glue left to decorate the mermaid tail. 

It was fun to decorate the mermaid tail!

Check out our tutorial:

How adorable! Ariel would be proud.

We really loved how this came out. My daughter was able to make it her own and add her personality!

Then we put togethertheir Disney’s The Little Mermaid Design Your Own Ocean Crown by Seedling – because every mini mermaid needs a crown. 

 This easy to make DIY kit comes with pearls, starfish, and The Little Mermaid charms. Kids can design and wear their crown, then imagine their own undersea adventures.

The Design Your Own Disney Kits by Seedling offer a fresh, exciting way to dream and design the stories you know and love.

Loved by children and trusted by parents, Seedling’s creative activity kits give kids the materials to craft and design their own toys, costumes, and beyond! Seedling’s award winning products are designed to help families put the child in control of the experience, and to encourage them to make their own creations that can be played with again and again. Visionaries aren’t born, they’re nurtured!

Go here for more info: https://www.seedling.com

The post Getting Creative with Craft Kits by Seedling appeared first on The Mama Maven Blog.

This is a vlog I made right after I was offered this trip. I was completely overcome by emotion when I made it. I will share soon what happened the day before this trip — we had been going through something big with my daughter, A.

It meant a lot to me that I was picked for Disney SMMC and that I was able to take my family, including my inlaws. It is a large financial commitment and I was grateful that we had the money. We paid for the conference for me and for each family member we took + flights and expenses. However, we received INCREDIBLE value with the room we stayed in, the amazing conference, and special meals with spectacular entertainment. We also got a lot of extras that we wouldn’t have gotten otherwise.

With two out of my three kids with ADHD, and one of them being really difficult —  I don’t think that we could have managed without my in-laws to help. Unfortunately I got sick on the way down, I was really hoping it was just the dust allergies I had been suffering from but it turned out to be a bad sinus infection. While I wanted to hug everyone, I had to refrain because I wasn’t sure if I was really sick. I still managed to have an amazing time, but I couldn’t do the parks justice on Saturday and Sunday. I am hoping that we return someday so I can see everything I really wanted to. However, my children had such fantastic experiences. They got to go on tons of rides and really have a wonderful time. They got to really explore the Magic Kingdom and Epcot, but they would have liked more time at the Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios.

The Journey: 
We had my oldest child, B, sleep at my in-law’s Queens apartment the night before so he could meet us at the airport the next morning. He had guessed where we were going already, but I asked him to keep it quiet for my two younger children (A & S).
Here’s the video of how I revealed out trip to my kids. My daughter didn’t react the way I thought she would.

We flew down pretty painlessly to Orlando to NY, but my daughter had a tantrum because she didn’t get the window seat. So my easiest kid turned into a pouting diva. Was not expecting that, but things rarely go the way we think they will. Surprisingly, my youngest (and most difficult child) was pretty happy. Thank you Delta for free movies on our flight! After we landed, we got our large suitcase and headed to catch the Magical Express.

Did you know that if you are staying on property, you can take the Magical Express Bus to your hotel for free? You must make a reservation before (and they’ll mail you luggage tags and a confirmation sheet with a bar code).

Note: Leave yourself a good hour or so to travel from the airport to your hotel, you may have to wait for the Magical Express.

We had to wait around 10-15 minutes for the bus to come and it took us around 40-45 minutes to get to the Yacht Club (we were the 3rd stop). If you need to get there quicker,  ordering a car service or taxi may work better (but it may cost you up to $60). They show cartoons on the bus and it’s pretty comfy, and the price was right (free), so the Magical Express was great for my big family.

The Disney Magic
Disney World is truly magical. Every single cast member we encountered was so sweet and helpful. There were little special touches everywhere that just blew me away. Growing up, we always stayed at budget motels, so to be able to stay at the Disney Yacht Club with my family was amazing. Here’s our room tour.

I loved the nautical decor and even how the housekeeping staff set up our Mickey Plushes on the bed to welcome my kids after a long day in the parks. The lobby is warm and inviting, with a large globe that you can spin and plenty of places to sit. There’s even a TV that shows Mickey Cartoons with kid-sized chairs. This was a big draw for my kids. The front desk was helpful too. My 5 1/2 year old wet the bed the second to last night we were there. I was able to clean him and the bed up and then put him in my bed to sleep. But I was worried that it would happen again. My husband spoke to the front desk and they sent up a shower curtain in a sealed package to line his bed with and sheets to put over it. Genius! I aired out the shower curtain for a while and then made his bed up. Luckily he didn’t wet it again, but it was protected. Note to self: Bring a Huggies Goodnights Disposable bed pad next time.

The Disney Social Media Moms Celebration:
After we dropped our stuff in  our room, I sent my husband, kids, and in-laws off to the parks. They went straight to Hollywood Studios on the boat.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We finally arrived at Disney World Resorts. @disney #disney #vacation #travel #fun #DisneySMMC #DSMMC #disneyworld #happy #blessed #love

A photo posted by Nancy Johnson Horn (@themamamaven) on May 5, 2016 at 12:50pm PDT

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I headed over to the Yacht Club Convention Center, which was right next to where were were staying. 

I’ll totally admit that I felt magical as I walked the halls. 

While I wasn’t feeling up to the Mickey Meet and Greet (I would have felt really bad making Mickey sick), I checked out the fab American Tourister Luggage on display. I love the Minnie Suitcase that American Tourister sent — check out my IG pic. 

 

 

 

 

Can’t wait to meet Minnie Mouse with my fancy new luggage from @amtourister! Thank you so much! @disneymoms #dsmmc

A photo posted by Nancy Johnson Horn (@themamamaven) on May 3, 2016 at 1:58pm PDT

 

 

 

That night we headed over to the Animal Kingdom for our dinner event.

We had a delicious dinner served buffet style. Luckily my youngest behaved as we waited our turn to get food. Then we headed over to Asia for dessert.

We had a stroller coming early Friday Morning, so my husband carried him to Asia and then ended up carrying him when he fell asleep on our way out.

Dessert was looser– tables of mini tarts, cotton candy, cream puffs, Mickey Ice Cream Bars (did you know they are dairy kosher), and fruit bars. The most exciting part was that we were able to ride Expedition Everest as many times as we wanted. I rode it twice and it was AMAZING.

We took the bus back to our resort and put everyone to bed. Thanks for reading our day 1. Days 2-4 coming soon! We Dreamed Big at Disney World #DisneySMMC

Take a look at my Disney SMMC Recap Video

Read our 2nd day recap by clicking on the picture below or here.

I was invited to the Disney Social Media Moms Conference and paid my conference ticket, and additional tickets for my family members, plus flights and travel to and from the airport. 

The post We Dreamed Big at Disney World: Day 1 Recap #DisneySMMC appeared first on The Mama Maven Blog.

Here's our reveal.

Huge thank you to the organizers of Disney Social Media Moms Celebration for making our trip possible. 

Let me know how your kids reacted to Disney World!

Our Disney World Reveal To Our Kids #DisneySMMC

The post Our Disney World Reveal To Our Kids #DisneySMMC appeared first on The Mama Maven Blog.

What’s Inside:

• Activities, Games and Coloring Pages
• Over 20 Autograph Pages for your favorite characters
• Ride Lists for each ‘land’, plus height requirements
• Scavenger Hunts – one for Disneyland and one for California Adventure
• Questions and fill-in-the-blanks to really personalize your book & keep it as a wonderful memory
• Quotes & Sayings from popular Disney movies
• Joke & Riddles
• And Much More!

No more boring lines at Disneyland – grab this 2016 ‘Unofficial’ Disneyland Activity & Autograph book to keep the kids happily entertained! For this product, you can purchase a downloadable pdf so you can print it yourself (each purchased download is good for ONE immediate family ONLY, for personal use. No printing for others, sharing the download for cost or free, re-distributing and/or selling of any kind.)

Each page is designed to be printed 6×9 in size – or you could print 2 per page, double sided.

Get the 2016 ‘unofficial’ Disneyland Activity & Autograph Book by BusyMomsHelper.com

About the same cost as a regular ol’ Disneyland Autograph book with blank pages!

PDF for $4.99: https://gum.co/dwImr

Printed for $8.99 plus shipping: http://amzn.to/1T86gTG

Danielle is graciously giving one printed book away. Enter below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: This post contains an affiliate link (meaning I get a tiny percentage if you order through Amazon). 
Disneyland Activity Book

The post Heading to Disneyland? Order the 2016 Unofficial Disneyland Autograph & Activity Book appeared first on The Mama Maven Blog.

Directed by Andrew Stanton (“Finding Nemo,” “WALL•E”) and produced by Lindsey Collins (co-producer “WALL•E”), the film features the voices of Ellen DeGeneres, Albert Brooks, Ed O’Neill, Kaitlin Olson, Ty Burrell, Eugene Levy and Diane Keaton. “Finding Dory” swims into theaters June 17, 2016.

Here’s the new trailer and poster for DISNEY•PIXAR’s FINDING DORY.

The post Finding Dory Coming This June appeared first on The Mama Maven Blog.

The Frozen phenomenon is still going strong in our household with no sign of letting up anytime soon. My eight-year-old daughter owns Frozen clothes, pajamas, dolls, toys, books, a sleeping bag and a million other things! Her two younger brothers love joining her in watching the movie, sing-alongs and pretend-play games that are based on the movie. Now that’s she’s older she’s beginning to show interest in technology so I’ve put together a list of cute tech products that are all about “Frozen”.

The Frozen soundtrack is a hit with kids and adults alike. Having a Karaoke machine is a lot of fun but young kids tend to roam around when they sing and can’t always deal with the mic cord. The Cool Tunes Sing Sing Along Boombox is shaped like a handbag so you can carry it on your wrist and sing with the attached microphone in every room of the house. The songs that come with it are Let it Go (by Demi Lovato), For the First Time in Forever and In Summer. You can also connect your ownMP3 player so you can sing to your own songs. $29.99

Carry your tablet in style with the Frozen Universal Tablet Tote. This tote comes with a zipper for extra security and a padded shoulder strap. $19.99

What could be more fun than listening to Idina Menzel belting out “Let it go” on your headphones!? Listening to it with Frozen Headphones of course! The headphones have soft ear cushions and a built-in active circuit protective hearing. $19.99

An alarm clock is an easy and fun way to get kids to learn time and to also teach them responsibility. Who wouldn’t want to wake up in the morning to a Frozen Musical Alarm Clock? It features a built-in nightlight with a sleep-timer. $19.99

For kids who love pretend play, the Chill N Chat 2-Way Radios are a fun way to interact. Perfectly sized for little hands, these walkie-talkies will get Anna, Elsa, Kristoff and Olaf chatting and giggling in no time. $24.99

Visit eKids to learn more and view other products.

I was not compensated for this post. I received a sample.

————————————————————————————————————

Senior Reviewer Maytal Wichman is the owner of Mama’s Bites and has also written for The Huffington Post. She has been living in New York City for fourteen years and holds a Bachelor’s Degree in English Literature as well as a Law Degree, but blogging is her true passion. Maytal is a stay-at-home mom to three kids (ages 8, 5 and 2) and loves finding great products that make her family’s life easier.

The post Cool Tech Gifts for Frozen-Obsessed Kids appeared first on The Mama Maven Blog.

“Have you ever had a terrible day? A day that makes you wonder why you even try?

I was given the opportunity to preview the movie Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, NO GOOD, VERY BAD DAY and it made me think. It is definitely a movie for the whole family. It has a great message and it’s funny.

The movie starts off with Alexander who always has a horrible day. He makes a wish for his family, who is the closest to perfect possible, to have a horrible day just like him. In true Disney fashion, his wish comes true and everything that could go wrong, goes wrong.

I don’t want to give too much away, but the mom and the dad (the Coopers) both have trouble at their jobs. The daughter gets sick, the oldest fails his driving test and the baby eats a marker. It is just a recipe for disaster.

There are many moments of the movie that stay with me. When Alexander claims that you need to have the bad days so you can appreciate the good ones more and when the teenager tells his girlfriend that he rather stick with his family. I think kids need more messages like these. The movie is full of positivity and wholesome teachings for all the members of the family.

I do wish the movie was a bit longer. Because it was funny and enjoyable. I was left wanting more from this family. This is one of those movies that will have families laughing at the theater. It is also the kind of movie you can watch multiple times and not be bothered because it’s good.

I have to point out that the acting is spectacular. Jennifer Garner is lovely and as real as can be. You can imagine her living down the block from you. Same goes for Steve Carell. He is beyond hysterical. My favorite scene in the whole movie is actually pretty unexpected was when they walk into the house to find a very exotic house guest.

This movie is a must for families. It brings a message of positivism, togetherness and family unity. These characteristics are so important in families. They are values that keeps the family together and make the Coopers who they are.

So, what was your worst day with your family?

The post Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, NO GOOD, VERY BAD DAY Review appeared first on The Mama Maven Blog.

Disney’s new Tinker Bell movie is out now on Blu-ray/DVD and is a delightful movie for young kids. Both boys and girls will love watching Tinker Bell and her fairy friends as they confront a “rogue” fairy who has become a pirate in the movie “The Pirate Fairy”. My two older kids and I recently attended a screening and thought it was adorable. Both my kids immediately wanted to watch it again!

Zarina, a dust-keeper fairy, is very inquisitive and makes experiments with fairy dust. She gets caught and ends up leaving Pixie Hollow only to return a year later as a pirate fairy who is a captain of a pirate ship. She steals Blue Pixie Dust in order to make fairy dust which will make the ship fly. Tinker Bell and her fairy friends go after her to try to get back the Blue Pixie Dust.

The movie isn’t particularly scary, although it does have “bad guys” and drama to keep things interesting. My kids (ages 7 and 5) didn’t think the movie was frightening but were a little on the edge of their seat at times.

Here’s the trailer:

Trailer – The Pirate Fairy on Disney Video

The Pirate Fairy is out on Blu-ray/DVD + Digital Copy. You can buy it on Amazon for $22.99

I was not compensated for this post. I attended a screening of the film.

———————————————————————————————————————————————-

Senior Reviewer Maytal Wichman is the owner of Mama’s Bites and has also written for The Huffington Post. She has been living in New York City for thirteen years and holds a Bachelor’s Degree in English Literature as well as a Law Degree, but blogging is her true passion. Maytal is a stay-at-home mom to three kids (ages 7, 5 and 1) and loves finding great products that make her family’s life easier.

The post The Pirate Fairy: The New Tinker Bell Movie from Disney Now on Blu-Ray/DVD appeared first on The Mama Maven Blog.

In this original storyline, Mickey and Minnie lead the audience on an exciting adventure that will have families rooting for their favorite pirate Jake and Disney’s first little girl princess Sofia. Disney Junior Live On Tour! Pirate and Princess Adventure begins with a special interactive pre-show featuring the loveable 6-year-old doctor to toys and stuffed animals, Doc McStuffins. Children and their parents will sing “The Check-Up Song” along with Doc.Audiences will then embark on a journey to the magical world of Enchancia, where Sofia, her step-siblings Amber and James, and the entire kingdom are preparing for the annual friendship festival. Sofia has the honor of delivering the perfect gift to her royal subjects at the celebration, and the one-and-only Cinderella visits the castle to help Sofia in her mission to find just the right present.

The excitement continues when families cast away to Never Land where Jake and his Yo Ho pirate friends Izzy and Cubby are in a race against time to locate a mysterious treasure-filled volcano. Danger, thrills and adventure lurk around every turn when our swashbuckling friends battle Captain Hook for the ultimate prize. Peter Pan makes a special appearance, aiding the team in their heroic quest, and with the help of Tinker Bell’s pixie dust, Jake and his crew fly above the stage in their journey.

To find out more about Disney Junior Live On Tour! Pirate and Princess Adventure and to purchase tickets, visit disneyjuniorlive.com. Find them on Facebook at Disney Live! and follow them on Twitter @Disney Live!

Performance Schedule and Ticket Prices:

Nassau Coliseum (April 3-4):

Thursday, April  3 – 7:00 PM

Friday, April 4 – 4:00 PM, 7:00 PM

Ticket prices start at $35.00.

IZOD Center (April 5-6):

Saturday, April 5– 3:00 PM, 7:00 PM

Sunday, April 6 – 1:00 PM, 5:00 PM

Ticket prices start at $35.00.

Westchester County Center in White Plains, NY (April 10-13):

Thursday, April  10 – 7:00 PM

Friday, April  11 – 7:00 PM

Saturday, April 12 – 11:00 AM, 3:00 PM, 7:00 PM

Sunday, April 13 – 1:00 PM, 5:00 PM

Ticket prices start at $25.00.

The Theater at Madison Square Garden (April 17-21):

Thursday, April 17 – 1:00 PM, 7:00 PM

Friday, April 18 –  11:00 AM, 3:00 PM

Saturday, April 19 – 3:00 PM, 7:00 PM

Sunday, April 20 – 1:00 PM, 5:00 PM

Monday, April 21 – 11:00 AM, 3:00 PM

Ticket prices start at $35.00.

To purchase tickets log on to www.ticketmaster.com, call (800) 745-3000 or visit the box office. Additional facility fees, service charges and handling fees may apply.

Disney Live will be providing me with complimentary show tickets, no other compensation was received. 

The post Upcoming NYC Area Show: Disney Junior Live On Tour! Pirate & Princess Adventure appeared first on The Mama Maven Blog.

As a longtime Muppet Fan, I was so excited to see this movie. As usual, there are the sight gags, cameos, and jokes that parents and kids will appreciate it.

Plot: After the Muppets got back together (re: the last movie), they meet Tour Manager Dominic Badguy  (played by Ricky Gervais, he tells them it’s pronounced the French way, “Bad -gee”). He offers them an opportunity to go Europe by  and perform. Check out his super official website here https://www.badguytalent.com/.

The Muppets seem happy to be together again and have a lot of ideas for acts. Like usual, Kermit is on top of the situation and says no (more than yes) to their crazy ideas for acts for the show (important). New muppet Walter is there with them (no Jason Segal or Amy Adams in this one).  

The shows in Europe are really a scheme to switch Kermit with Constantine (The Most Dangerous Frog in the World), so Constantine and Dominic Badguy (get the name?) can go after a treasure. Poor Kermit is mistaken for Constantine and is sent to the Siberian Gulag that Constantine had escaped from.

Tina Fey plays Nadya, the Prison Warden who also ends up crushing on Kermit.

The Muppets are all fooled by Constantine’s impression of Kermit, until a few of them figure it out and go off to set things right. Will everything be okay? You’ll have to check out the movie to find out!

Muppets Most Wanted features celeb cameos (like usual). Danny Trejo (from Machine Kills), Jermaine Clement from Flight of the Conchords, and Ray Liotta are very funny as prisoners in the Siberian Gulag (and almost stole the show). Salma Hayek runs with Gonzo and the bulls, P. Diddy and Lady Gaga show up,

The Muppets also make fun of themselves very well. In the beginning of the movie, there was a bit about how the sequels usually aren’t that good.. and a song about that laments other characters’ loss of screen time (like my daughter’s favorite muppet, Robin). Muppets Most Wanted is definitely worth seeing!

Check out the trailer.

My  8 year old’s favorite part was when Miss Piggy settled the score at the end of the movie.. Say what you want about her, but she is definitely assertive.

Like The Muppets on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Muppets

Follow The Muppets on Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheMuppets

Follow Miss Piggy on Twitter: @RealMissPiggy

 Follow The Muppets on Tumblr: http://themuppets.tumblr.com

Follow The Muppets on Instagram: @TheMuppets 

Visit the Official Site: http://disney.com/muppets

Thank you to Disney for inviting us to a sneak peek. No compensation was provided. 

The post Muppets Most Wanted Movie Review #MuppetsMostWanted appeared first on The Mama Maven Blog.

Disney On Ice never disappoints. My children always love it and my husband and I always enjoy seeing the joy on their faces!

The show starts off with Mickey & Company finding a magic lamp under a zamboni (yes, Donald drives one).. which led into a funny scene with Aladdin, Genie and a whole bunch of duplicate genies..

Then it segues into “Finding Nemo”. The costumes were really spectacular — though little ones may be a little scared of the shark part though.

Next is Beauty and the Beast, the castle is lit so beautifully.

And then the princesses all came out and danced with their princes. This was my 6 year old daughter’s favorite part.

Then the first act ended with “It’s a Small World”. This was done fantastically and my favorite part in the show.

After the short intermission, we saw scenes from Pinocchio, Mulan, the Incredibles, and the Lion King. Which then led into the finale. Kids were happy – another wonderful time at Disney On Ice!

To discover more about Disney On Ice, go to www.disneyonice.com.

Disney on Ice will be provided my family with tickets. 

The post Recap: Disney on Ice – 100 Years of Magic appeared first on The Mama Maven Blog.

Anyone who’s ever read Hans Christian Andersen’s classic story, the Snow Queen knows what it’s like to be transported into a faraway land of ice and bitter cold, even if it’s only in the mind. Frozen, Disney’s new 3D film that’s loosely based on the Snow Queen takes you on a ride in the deep, frosty snow and up atop of milky-white mountains.

In order to make this believable the art production crew of Frozen has done some extensive research. They walked through snow in Wyoming; they observed how light reflects and refracts on snow and ice in Quebec; And in Norway they got to see the scope and scale of the ice, the fjords and the mountainous regions. Clearly, it paid off – the film is a celebration of anything snow or ice-related.

But that’s not everything. In the background there is a beautiful story of sisterly love: Princess Elsa, the oldest, has magic powers to turn everything she touches into ice and runs away from her family to protect those she loves. And Princess Anna, her younger, hopelessly optimistic sister is determined to find her, bring her back and save the kingdom from an eternal winter that was caused by Elsa. Anna journeys through snowy mountain peaks and must overcome obstacles such as life-threatening icy conditions, as well as Elsa’s resistance.

The film is enhanced by fantastic acting by Idina Menzel and Kristen Bell as the voices of Elsa and Anna, respectively and includes fun, catchy songs and a somewhat-surprising (but very fulfilling) ending. My kids (ages 6 and 4) sat glued to their seats and they loved the film (although they held my hands tightly during a couple of somewhat-scary scenes). I had some concerns about whether is was inappropriate for my 4-year-old but there was really nothing to be concerned about. It’s simply a stunningly beautiful movie that’s pure entertainment.

Frozen is rated PG and coming to theaters on November 27th.

Editor’s Note: We loved Frozen. As an FYI, the scary scenes were with the snow monster, who is talked about as he appears (2 times). Elsa and Anna’s parents die in the beginning, but it’s done with subtlety, and most kids will not realize what’s happening (they do down in a sea storm) When I saw the snow monster appear, I made fun of it to my kids, saying “That’s so silly”. It actually helped them calm down. While I hate to spoil plot points, here at The Mama Maven, I want to make sure you have all the info so you can decide whether or not a movie is right for your child. 

I was not compensated for this post. Thank you to The Moms and Samsung Galaxy for providing tickets..

———————————————————————————————————————————————-

Senior Reviewer Maytal Wichman has also written for The Huffington Post. She has been l been living in New York City for twelve years and holds a Bachelor’s Degree in English Literature as well as a Law Degree, but blogging is her true passion. Maytal is a stay-at-home mom to three kids (ages 6, 4 and a baby) and loves finding great products that make her family’s life easier.

The post Disney’s Frozen: A Stunningly Visual Celebration of Ice, Snow & Love appeared first on The Mama Maven Blog.

Make an ordinary day extraordinary when Disney On Ice presents Let’s Celebrate! brings more than 50 Disney characters to your hometown for one colossal party on ice! This action-packed, all-new show features a magical montage of celebrations and is set to a blend of contemporary music and favorite Disney songs.

Join Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse as they celebrate a Very Merry Unbirthday Party with Alice and the Mad Hatter; Mardi Gras with Princess Tiana and Prince Naveen; a Royal Valentine’s Day Ball with the Disney Princesses; a Hawaiian luau with Lilo & Stitch; a winter wonderland with Woody, Jessie and Buzz Lightyear; a Halloween haunt with the Disney Villains and more in the celebration of the century. Disney On Ice presents Let’s Celebrate! will be a memorable and uplifting experience for the whole family!

Nassau Coliseum Show Times:

Tuesday, November 5^th          7:00pm

Wednesday, November 6^th      7:00pm

Thursday, November 7^th         7:00pm

Friday, November 8^th              7:00pm

Saturday, November 9^th          11:00am, 3:00pm & 7:00pm

Sunday, November 10^th          11:00am, 3:00pm & 7:00pm

Barclays Center Show Times:

Tuesday, November 12^th        7:00pm

Wednesday, November 13^th    7:00pm

Thursday, November 14^th       7:00pm

Friday, November 15^th            7:00pm

Saturday, November 16^th        11:00am, 3:00pm & 7:00pm

Sunday, November 17^th          11:00am & 3:00pm

Prudential Center Show Times:

Wednesday, November 20^th    7:00pm

Thursday, November 21^st       7:00pm

Friday, November 22^nd           7:00pm

Saturday, November 23^rd        11:00am & 3:00pm

Sunday, November 24^th          1:00pm & 5:00pm

IZOD Center Show Times:

Tuesday, November 26^th        7:00pm

Wednesday, November 27^th    11:00am & 7:00pm

Thursday, November 28^th       11:00am

Friday, November 29^th            11:00am, 3:00pm & 7:00pm

Saturday, November 30^th        11:00am, 3:00pm & 7:00pm

Sunday, December 1^st             7:30pm

To discover more about Disney On Ice, go to www.disneyonice.com, or visit them Facebook and YouTube.

To Enter our Family 4 Pack Giveaway for Opening Night, Tuesday, November 5th at 7PM:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The post Disney on Ice: Let’s Celebrate! is Coming to the NYC Area! (+Giveaway) appeared first on The Mama Maven Blog.

Should you take your kids to see Monsters University, opening today?

Trailer

The Story:
This is a prequel to the Monsters Inc and I think your family will love it just as much! Mike Wazowski enrolls at Monsters University (he always knew he wanted to be a scarer) and meets James “Sully” Sullivan. They don’t have an easy path at the school and aren’t friendly until the latter part of the film. It sets up a lot of details for the reasons why they become such good friends. Younger kids who know that Sully and Mike are friends may be confused when it’s shown that they don’t like each other for a good part of the movie. There are many lessons in the film; don’t judge a book by it’s cover; keep trying for your dreams; you have to work as a team, not just as an individual…. My favorite part is seeing how Mike and Sully’s relationship changes, going from adversaries to friends.

The Scare Factor:

This is a movie about monsters — and even though it’s Disney, there are some scary parts. My 5 year old daughter was fine, but I kept my arm around her and kept checking in with her. My 7.5 year old son, who is usually never scared while watching movies or tv shows, was scared during one part and grabbed for me. I’d recommend the movie for kids over 6 (I was going to recommend it for kids over 8, but I changed my mind). Just keep checking in with your child  to make sure they can handle it.

Check out the Monsters University website’s message from the dean!

Verdict: Parents and kids are going to like this movie.

Thank you to Disney for inviting us to a screening.

The post Monsters University Review #MonstersU appeared first on The Mama Maven Blog.

Like most six-year-olds, my daughter loves the Disney princesses, but she’s still into Mickey & Minnie and loves watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse with her younger brother. I recently found out about chapter books and magazines for young girls that are all about Minnie and Daisy. Since we try to encourage reading over watching TV, they are the perfect incentive to turn off the television.

These chapter books are called Minnie & Daisy BFF Chapter Books and include “Much Ado About Juliet”, “The Pesky Pet” and “School Dance Madness”, with two more books coming out in July. In the series, Minnie and Daisy are school girls who deal with issues most tween girls can relate to. There is no mention of Mickey or Donald as this takes place before they met them, when they were young. Although the books are about issues for older girls, they are a light read. My daughter read them both in a couple of hours and loved them, although I’m not sure she was able to understand the concept of having a crush on someone (as Minnie does in “Much Ado About Juliet”) or get the Shakespeare references, which most tweens will probably not get either. But the short chapters, the cute, colorful drawings on every page and the random sentences highlighted in colors make the book even more accessible and easier to read and I’m sure pre-tweens (if there is such a thing) will be able to read them with no assistance. This is a great transition from reading the level 5 “easy readers” into chapter books.

The magazine is great to take on the road if reading long books gets too difficult for your child. The magazine has comics, but also fun quizzes, puzzles, games, crafts and also tips, such as how to care for a pet and also include a free poster.

You can purchase the books for $6.99 each on Amazon or wherever books and ebooks are sold. The magazine is $4.99.

I was not compensated for this post. I received samples.

———————————————————————————————————————————————-

Senior Reviewer Maytal Wichman has also written for The Huffington Post. She has been l been living in New York City for twelve years and holds a Bachelor’s Degree in English Literature as well as a Law Degree, but blogging is her true passion. Maytal is a stay-at-home mom to three kids (ages 6, 4 and a baby) and loves finding great products that make her family’s life easier.

The post Disney’s Minnie & Daisy BFF Chapter Books Review appeared first on The Mama Maven Blog.

If you’ve been following The Mama Maven blog in the past month or two you’ve probably read about my Disney Paint project in which I shopped at Walmart for Disney Paint by Glidden and painted a wall in my kids’ room. And now comes the big reveal of how the wall painting and redecorating turned out and also a re-cap of the princess party I threw for my daughter and her friends. (Read more after the jump)

First things first, here is what my daughter’s side of the bedroom that she shares with her brother looked like before: (as you can see it’s painted yellow and is full of stickers she got for brushing her teeth as a toddler)

After painting a coat of color (“Fairest of Them All”) and a finish of glitter (“All that Glitters”), both from Disney Paint by Glidden and available only at Walmart stores, here is the result: (note: it’s pink; the purple on the bottom is just a shadow)

Here’s a close-up of the glitter finish: (the entire wall sparkles when the sun shines on it)

The Princess play date was a huge success! We had lots of beautiful princesses. Here’s the tally:
1 Aurora
1 “just a regular” princess
1 Snow White
4 Belles

Everyone oohed and ahhed at the painted wall on my daughter’s side of the room. Some of the moms were asking if the painting was easy and whether the glitter came off. Others mentioned they had read about the Disney Paint online. The moms agreed that the color we picked for the paint went well with the yellow on the other walls in the room as it is a subtle pink shade. The girls thought the wall looked cool with the glitter.

Everyone enjoyed great food: pizza bagels, fruit skewers and candy from UNREAL (check out my review of them here).

The girls had a blast making crowns:

They burned off the candy with lots of dancing to Disney songs:

Mia’s mom won a Walmart gift card. All in all, everyone had a a great time!

Compensation and products for review were provided by Glidden via MomTrends. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions of Glidden.

———————————————————————————————————————————————-

Senior Reviewer Maytal Wichman is the owner of Mama’s Bites and has also written for The Huffington Post. She has been living in New York City for twelve years and holds a Bachelor’s Degree in English Literature as well as a Law Degree, but blogging is her true passion. Maytal is a stay-at-home mom to three kids (ages 6, 4 and a baby) and loves finding great products that make her family’s life easier.

The post Disney Paint’s Kids Room Project: Part III – the Party & the Big Reveal! #DisneyPaintMom appeared first on The Mama Maven Blog.

A couple of Saturdays ago my kids came rushing into my bed at around 6AM and started pulling my covers and yelling in excitement “we’re painting today! Come on!” My husband and I blinked a few times, then stared at each other and realized: ‘we have no choice. We have to paint this morning’. As I mentioned before in my previous post, we’re painting my daughter’s side of the room that she shares with my son since she’s going into first grade next year and needs her own little area that looks a little more mature and fitting for her age. We went to Walmart a few weeks ago and got Disney Paint and Finish. The Paint was “Fairest of Them All” in an eggshell base and the Finish was “All that Glitters”. We also got some tools and so on an early Saturday morning we set out to paint the wall. Here’s what happened: (Read more after the jump)

Just as we were about to start (and when I say “we” I mean my husband, who did 99% of the painting, prep and cleanup) we noticed two small holes in the wall that were made by dents from the door handle. We didn’t have spackling paste so we used toothpaste and it worked like a charm. Here’s how it looks before we filled in the holes:

The kids loved helping out:

Making sure all the nooks and crannies were covered:

For the “All that Glitters” finish we watched a video that demonstrates exactly how to do it: (It’s important to watch the video to see how to do it)

Applying the glitter finish:

Overall, it was a great experience. Painting was pretty easy. The paint itself didn’t have a bad smell but we opened the window just in case, to air out the room. At one point my 7-month-old somehow dipped his little hand in the paint tray so it was a relief to find out that the paint comes off easily with just water and soap. Also, it was helpful to have a special paint can opener (.45 cents at Walmart).

Now that the room is ready, we’re in party-prep mode. The invites have been sent out:

The RSVP’s have been coming in and we’re getting excited! Stay tuned for my next and final post which will be all about the party and, of course, the big reveal!

Special thanks to my husband for doing this project.

Compensation and products for review were provided by Glidden via MomTrends. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions of Glidden.

———————————————————————————————————————————————-

Senior Reviewer Maytal Wichman is the owner of Mama’s Bites and has also written for The Huffington Post. She has been living in New York City for twelve years and holds a Bachelor’s Degree in English Literature as well as a Law Degree, but blogging is her true passion. Maytal is a stay-at-home mom to three kids (ages 6, 4 and a baby) and loves finding great products that make her family’s life easier.

The post Disney Paint’s Kids’ Room Project – Part II – the Painting appeared first on The Mama Maven Blog.

My kids loved it, especially my 2 1/2 year old, who squealed in glee just around every second. His favorite was Mickey and my little guy (who’s not very verbal) was able to yell “Mickey” just about every second Mickey was on the stage.

My 7 1/2 year old son was also completely engaged and loved the music and the action – the characters were so energetic. The concert was cool – Disney hits are remixed to contemporary music featuring hip hop, pop, swing, reggae, rock, country and more! The biggest song of the concert (for us) was the parody of “All the Single Ladies” called “All the Single Mermaids” during the Little Mermaid performance.

Characters featured include Mickey, Minnie, Donald and Goofy; Ariel, Sebastian and Ursula; Jasmine, Aladdin and Genie; and Woody, Buzz and Jessie. Expect your kids to dance around. Also – dressing up like a Disney Princess is totally encouraged.

The show length is short enough for little ones, it’s around an 90 minutes. There’s an intermission also — around 37 minutes in. Which is great for short attention spans. This is a much more intimate show than Disney on Ice, which we also saw recently – expect your kids to really get into it.

TIP: You may want to pack some snacks (although there are some healthy options at the concession stands). Bring your own glow sticks from the dollar store.

Find show locations and buy tickets here: http://disney.go.com/disneylive/tickets.html

How Much: Ticket Prices: $125.00 / $85.00 / $65.00/ $40.00* / $25.00*
Special Offers: *Kids Tickets $20

Thank you to Disney Live! for providing tickets for my family to attend the show and the giveaway tickets. As always, opinions are completely my own.

The post Recap: Disney Live Mickey’s Music Festival appeared first on The Mama Maven Blog.

Whether it is a one hour drive to Grandma’s or a long international flight, your kids need some entertainment and fun to pass the time. I searched high and low for an all in one ready to go kit to entertain my five year old when we went to Disney World last fall and I came across The Original Kid Kit on Etsy. (Read more after the jump).

My daughter quietly enjoying her Kid Kit on a plane

Each kit comes in a compact canvas bag and is filled with age appropriate reusable and replenish-able activities. The star of the kit for us was the Smart Sleeve, a plastic dry erase pocket that holds activity booklets filled with fun time consuming and educational activities. My daughter used this on the plane, in lines at the park, in the hotel and she is still asking for it at home. I was surprised how long this held her attention. She did drawing, word puzzles, matching and more, everything is well thought out, well designed and fun. if you get tired of the pages or need to go up an age level, more are available to purchase. It also came with a great dry erase marker with built in eraser.

Chalk up Charlie, the Smart Sleeve and Adventure Log

In addition to the Smart Sleeve the kit has a creative adventure log, shape stickers and pages that allow for lots of imaginative uses, a reversible chalk  and dry erase mat as well as Chalk up Charlie, a chalkboard owl with holes and yarn for lacing, two colors of chalk for drawing and even a popsicle stick that can be stuck on to turn him into a puppet then back again. As with the rest of the kit, Charlie is inventive and modern with sleek design and fun practicality.

Everything fits nicely into this cute canvas bag

The kit is available from www.theoriginalkidkit.com for $37.99 and is worth every penny over the bags of heavy crayons, dollar store throw away junk and other debris we tend to take on trips or around town. You can purchase replacements for most of the items in the kits or just order individual items like the Smart Sleeve! This is seriously the first thing I am packing for a Road trip later this month!

Many thanks to Kid Kit for providing us with a sample to review! As always, all opinions are my own.

The post Review: The Original Kid Kit – Fantastic for any type of travel! appeared first on The Mama Maven Blog.

Right now  I know of 8 families planning a trip to Disney World so it is probably a good time to share my experiences when we went for 7 days last October. I have given a few tips before but here are some very specific and hopefully helpful hints that parents can use. After you have done all of your research (you HAVE done some, right? Please do NOT just show up unprepared unless you like wasting a lot of time, missing wonderful things and getting grumpy) and hopefully used a great service like www.touringplans.com to help you chose what park to see on which day, you will be ready to get into some of the finer points of visiting “The World”. (Read more after the jump)

We made it! Just another 15 minutes to the parking lot!

My husband and I took our 15 month old son and 5 year old daughter and I can say that everyone had an absolutely amazing time — only one bad rain storm and a weird encounter with a footless crane caused us stress and neither was Disney’s fault. We had a rental car and stayed off property in a lovely time share, which we loved for the space and break from the mouse. You really can find any sort of accommodations  in Orlando from the Disney properties to cheap motels and huge resorts, you can even rent a condo, some of which have been decorated with  a Disney theme by the owners! If you have a large family, do yourself a favor and explore these off property options as you will get a lot more space for your kids to go bonkers in and you might even get some quiet for yourself. Hey, they say dreams really do come true don’t they?

Since our kids are young and we are up by 6:30 anyway we made our days “rope-drop to dinner time” for the most part.

First Day:

Our first day at the magic kingdom we got there about an hour before the park opened, so we were right up front for the opening show. They do a little singing, a train brings the characters, it is such a fun way to start the adventure. As I stood watching it, looking at the kids and knowing how hard we saved and planned to make the trip happen, I cried like a sap.

TIP: If there is anything specific you MUST do, or a big attraction you do not want to wait an hour for, know the map and head there immediately!  We found the official Disney World app, the Touring Plans app and a character tracker from www.kennythepirate.com extremely helpful through the entire stay. There are plenty of paper maps throughout the parks as well, which our daughter absolutely loved looking at!

No matter what you do, do not get yourself too caught up in plans, deadlines and preconceived ideas of what the trip will be. If the kids need a break, do not force them on another line! Nothing is worse than a crying kid and angry parents at Disney. If you feel your family is headed for trouble, get cooled off, find a drink or snack and take some time to relax.

Some of the best areas for kids to be able to run around and be goofy are:

• Magic Kingdom
• The playground at Thunder Mountain
• The rose garden by the castle
• Splash center at Storybook Circus (bring water shoes and a possible second outfit),
• Exploring the caves and buildings on Tom Sawyer island
• Water spraying Tiki gods and Aladdin’s camel in adventure land!

Best Gift Shop to have fun in:

The gift shop at the Pirates of the Caribbean ride is one of the most fun, we had a blast trying on hats, swords and rubber shackles.

Playing at the fort on Tom Sawyer’s island

Epcot:

• The area near the land and Nemo
• Playing with the ducks by the lake
• The movies they show for France, China etc. are nice for older kids, and the younger ones can run around the waiting areas on a non-crowded day.
• Kids love just watching the fountains in future world and exploring Innoventions.
• There is also a fun play area at the end of figment and mission space but you can access them without doing the rides! Lots of interactive technology and games for the kids.
• There is an indoor spot called Club Cool where you can try free sodas from around the world, that was a nice mini break for us as well.

Animal Kingdom:

• Excellent and cool playground and digging pit in Dino Land with lots of seating, watching and dancing with the musicians in Asia (India)
• Strolling around the tree of life trying to find all of the animals.
• There is also a nice area called conservation station where you can watch the vets do real work on animals (everything from checkups to live births! If anything may be scary they will warn you), learn about conservation and enjoy a nice petting zoo area.

TIP: This area is best accessed by the train but it can eat a lot of time, so go over if you have animal lovers or really need a peaceful break.

Digging in Dino Land. Don’t worry about getting dirty, the tiny smooth rocks slide right out of shoes!

Hollywood Studios:

• The Honey I Shrunk the Kids playground
• Muppets fountain
• Running around the not-currently used but open backlot areas.
• We grabbed an afternoon snack from Starring Rolls Bakery and sat outside on the wall to watch the Pixar parade. Not the best views but was a nice break and kids were happy.
• You can also find some space in the animation courtyard and building where you may find artists at work drawing characters for your kids to color!

Tip: the animation presentation talks about character development, leading our daughter to ask some questions about the characters she thought were “real”…so if you have a little one you may want to skip it.

Phineas and Ferb joked and played with my daughter..definitely a highlight of Hollywood Studios!

Just taking a ride on the monorail or the boats between worlds can be a nice break for everyone as well. You can go to the resorts and explore them a bit, I have heard the beach at the Polynesian is lovely and doing a bit of looking around in the contemporary is nice. Both resorts are a quick and easy detour from a long park day, all resorts welcome non-guests and have plenty of sofas and quiet spots to rest.

Shows: Often I hear people skip some of the older shows like Micky’s Philharmonic  but they are a great break from the sun, are comfortable and all of the shows we saw were a lot of fun!
The ones I would not miss: The Muppet movie at Hollywood Studios, Turtle Talk with Crush at Epcot and the Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor at Magic Kingdom.

All parks also have babycare centers where you can nurse, change and give your baby some quiet time. Every park is also filled with live performers and it is nice to just sit and enjoy the moment!

TIP: We brought lots of  frozen water bottles but because of the heat ended up buying some from the park on most days. Even though it was October, one day it was 95 degrees, we were pretty miserable and my daughter ended up getting heat sick all over the restaurant at her Dad’s birthday dinner. They sell Mickey water bottle topper straws at every fruit or snack stand in all of the worlds and I highly recommend you buy one. My daughter loved it so much from that point on she drank enough water and was never sick again. Best $3 we spent and we will definitely reuse it at home. You can also ask for free ice water from any restaurant.

If you had told me before the trip that she would love the second story Astro Orbiter, I wouldn’t have believed it!

I was surprised how many rides my daughter went on- do not make the mistake of assuming the child you knew before the trip will turn down haunted mansion or race cars, just show it to them and ask  — you may be surprised what they will do and love!

TIP: If anyone freaks out at the last minute the friendly Cast Members (employees) will let you leave the line.

Scary Rides?
Show your child a You Tube ride video of a questionable attraction. I did this for a few and it didn’t ruin her enjoyment, she felt more in control and knew it was dark etc. You can also do a baby swap on many rides which allows one parent to wait to the side with a child who is not riding, then get on the ride right after swapping the child with their partner. Disney is soon to be releasing two new programs called My Magic plus/fast pass plus and Magic Band ID bracelets which will completely change the way you wait for attractions and do your business in the parks so make sure to keep up to speed and know how to use everything before your trip.

Money, Money, Money:

We all know trips like these can have no limit to their cost but did you know there are some ways to make it more affordable? We bought our park tickets from www.undercovertourist.com and saved about $50.

Food & Drinks:

The parks allow you to bring your own drinks, snacks and meals so a quick stop to target after you arrive or having groceries delivered from www.gardengrocer.com to any resort is a great way to save on expensive meals. Anyone with dietary concerns can control their food best this way although Walt Disney World is extremely accommodating and if you tell them your needs they are happy to help. Some people find the meal plan to be a savings, some do not. Before you sign up for one take a look at exactly what it will give you and consider your eating habits. The portions are always large and you may or may not like the options. A great site to see the menus, prices and food reviews is www.disneyfoodblog.com. Adults can also order from kid’s menus at counter service restaurants  ad its usually a really good value. If you have a car check out restaurant websites and Orlando Groupon, we found great deals including a BOGO at the delicious Earl of Sandwich!

Souvenirs! Do you need them?

Around every corner there is a store selling everything you can imagine, and it can be hard to manage money with the kids. Our daughter started saving in May and by the time we left she had a gift card with $125 on it, it went pretty far and was a good lesson in handling money because once it was gone, she was done. We did buy both kids some ears and a few small things but overall I think we were all happy without spending hundreds of dollars. There is also a store in Downtown Disney where all items are under $10 so that may be worth a stop as well. There are great postcard selections at every drug store in Orlando at a fraction of the cost of the Disney shops and to be honest, they have much cuter design options.

At Epcot’s Mitsukoshi Store you can choose an oyster, they open it up and you see what kind of pearl is inside! You can choose settings there or do it at home yourself.

I hope this has been helpful if you are considering or planning a Disney trip! Want more tips? Check out Going to Disney World, Part Two here.

Our writer did not receive any compensation for this post from Disney World or any other entity. All opinions expressed are her own.

The post Family Guide to Disney World: Part 1 appeared first on The Mama Maven Blog.