I love Disneyland. My love for Disney reaches far beyond the park. I love anything that is connected to the name Disney. One can’t help but think happy thoughts when you hear the name Walt Disney. When there is anything Disney related I really try to check it out. Recently we decided to take a trek out to the Reagan Library in Simi Valley, CA. The Treasures of the Walt Disney Archives exhibit were there for a limited time and I had to see it before it was gone.
My kids are always on the lookout for Hidden Mickeys both in and out of the Disney theme parks; my youngest son even put a Hidden Mickey in the Easter decorations this year that we had to search for. If you’re out and about and spot your favorite mouse, send us a picture! You could be featured right here on the DDL! All we need is your picture, name and NDP number. Pictures can be emailed to hiddenmickeys@
With a website address that contains TheEnemyIsGood, a lot of people ask Connie M. which enemy is that? Connie laughs and points out how her blog started with a typo, she meant to nab “The Enemy is Food.” But with her new blog formally titled “Life is a Journey” in place, Connie was ready to blog, and embrace what she loved.
“The blog originally was started as a way for me to make a food diary but I gave up that idea when I realized that I am a sensory person and loved the sight, smell and taste of food. So…instead of trying to lose weight by dieting, I embraced my love of food but developed a new respect for it,” Connie said. “Slowly, I began to write less and less about food and now only occasionally include a photo of something I am enjoying on one of my little exploratory trips around Southern California. Or Disneyland!”
Photo Credit: Molly B. Mickey and Friends banner supplied by Discount Party Supplies, 2012 Mickey banner hand made and supplied by Kush Event Planning
Besides actually being in Walt Disney World for New Years Eve, I’m not sure if I can think of any better way to ring in the New Year, then to do it Disney Driven Life style, and throw a Mickey Mouse themed party for the little ones, celebrating the birth of 2012! I truly envy those of you who were lucky enough to be within arms reach of my favorite castle on the eve of 2012, but I guarantee you that our little soiree was just a tad less crowded. Probably just as noisy though!
I was recently asked by a fellow scrapbooking friend if she should go back and “fix“ or “re-do“ some of her original scrapbooking layouts? I told her that was a decision only she could make, but that I believed that my earlier attempts at scrapbooking were part of my own creative journey and that the changes I have made to my style on paper showed as much where I am from as the photos on the page.
With so many Disney related web sites out there, do you ever find yourself taking a quick peek at newly discovered ones without much investigation? I do, and after discovering Davelandweb.com I’m rethinking my web browsing indifference’s. Davelandweb.com contains a treasure of both new and vintage Disneyland photos. Along with an entertaining blog and some of his own artwork, Dave is proving that the art of truly great content is perseverance.
“My website started as a means to share my art and photography with others; sort of an online portfolio. The creation of my site began around the same time that Disneyland was celebrating its 50th Anniversary. As Imagineers began sprucing up the park and making improvements that hadn’t been seen there in years, I found myself going much more often and taking more photos. I stumbled upon a few blogs that posted vintage photos of the park and as a result, I started collecting those as well. As an additional way to share those photos with others, I began my blog. That’s when the runaway train left the station. It has been quite a journey since then. Over five years of blogging and countless amazing friendships and connections since, I have to say that I have been truly blessed with so many serendipitous moments.”
I was recently asked by a fellow scrap booking friend if she should go back and “fix“ or “re-do“ some of her original scrap booking layouts? I told her that was a decision only she could make, but that I believed that my earlier attempts at scrap booking were part of my own creative journey and that the changes I have made to my style on paper showed as much where I am from as the photos on the page.
When I first began putting my memories to paper, my DH and I had just celebrated our 2nd Wedding Anniversary. As a surprise, I booked us at the same hotel in Kissimmee that we stayed at for our honeymoon and even spoke to his boss about having the 5 days off for our trip. Our son was staying with his grandparents while we were away, so this was our chance for a 2nd honeymoon.
Photo Credit: Brian Fee
I love to walk around Epcot and discover new perspectives of the World Showcase pavilions. One of the best areas for me has been Italy pavilion. This image of the replica bell tower of the Campanile seems larger than it is in real life. I really enjoy walking to the very back of all the pavilions and working my way back to the front, all the while taking my time in the shops and looking at all of the specialty items they have for everyone to buy. Disney does such a great job of changing things ever so slightly that it’s almost like a game to figure out what is new or has moved. In this case I was looking for those changes and I found this awesome angle of one of the light posts and the Campanile.
Photo Credit: Molly Beckley
When I take my family to Walt Disney World, meeting the characters is a huge part of our vacation. I’m sure that will change as my children get older, so for now I am relishing it! Having a 5, 2 1/2, and 7 month old, I don’t want to have to do a lot of hunting around for characters, and it would be great if they could congregate all in one spot so that you can meet them all at the same time while only having to wait in one line. Oh wait! They do!
Photo Credit: Chris Ridgeway
Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park is a great place for small children. I also happen to think it’s an excellent park for adults, too, but that’s a different post. I’ll summarize that thought for now by saying this isn’t an “in your face” park. You need to slow down, take in the details, watch the shows, and not just run from ride to ride in order to appreciate this park.
Photo Credit: Molly Beckley
This Neurotic Disney Family is currently 10 days away from their much awaited vacation to Walt Disney World. The kids and I are completely brimming with excitement and yesterday the husband even quipped, “We’re 11 days away. I’m actually pretty excited.” Swoon! What music to a Neurotic Disney Mom’s ears! I have reached the end of my months of planning the annual journey to my homeland, and I am currently in the final stage. Packing. This is the 4th time I as an adult have packed for a weeklong vacation to Walt Disney World. The first time it was just me and my husband on our honeymoon. The last two times it was for my family of 4. The new addition of our little princess came in January so this is the first time I will be packing for a family of five, including three children under the age of 5, two of whom are still in diapers, and one on a baby food diet. This can be quite an overwhelming task unless you attack it with complete organization and the realization that you might not sleep much the night before you leave. This doesn’t bother me much as I know I can catch a nap while sitting in The Hall of Presidents. So here are a couple tricks of the trade I have picked up over the years that help packing go a bit smoother!
Photo Credit: Brian Fee
The hidden treasures of the Mayan-ruin themed Dig Site pool at the Coronado Springs Resort really come alive at night when the place seems all but deserted. When the family has gone to sleep and no one seems to be at the resorts, I find some of the most interesting sights. This really gives me the time to see what beauty the resort of my choice has to offer in way of photography. I happened to be walking around the resort with a little extra energy and found that when the water is turned off and no one was around, this place really caught my eyes. What seems to be just a pool with lighting for the people using it, turned out to be one of the best images from my trip. Resorts can often be one of the most over looked places for photography on property. I highly encourage everyone who comes to Walt Disney World to take the time to really explore and enjoy everything your resort has to offer.
Contributed by: JB Conway (NDD#27) JB is the DDL Poet. He is also the author of Mouse of Zen: Disney Inspired, Mouse-Sized Poetry. To have your Disney Parks vacation images treated with similar pixie dust, please visit our studios located at Knell StudiWorks!
Contributed by: JB Conway (NDD#27) JB is the DDL Poet. He is also the author of Mouse of Zen: Disney Inspired, Mouse-Sized Poetry.
As I take my photos I seem to plan out my layout in my head at that time. My kids are getting used to hearing “stand over there, this will make a GREAT scrap booking page. I have my paper and embellishments already planned as I pose them in their places. I also have my favorite photo places; both at home and in Walt Disney World.
My kids know that on the first day of school I always take their photo at the top of our staircase and outside under our big maple tree. In the same manner, I seem to always take photos of my kids in the same places at Walt Disney World. Yes, I need to get the (almost) mandatory photos from in front of Cinderella’s Castle, and with the Partner’s Statue, but my family has our own photo op places that are not necessarily marked with a “Kodak Photo Spot” sign.
Nighttime at the Wilderness Lodge brings great opportunities for great photography and a great place to walk around. The Silver Creek Falls just by the main pool has one of the most unforgettable sights at this resort. The flowing water and the lights from all of the on-looking rooms make this area of the resort so beautiful you’ll need to slow down just to see everything. The Wilderness Lodge has some of the best décor and back-story, which makes it a great stop for any Disney fan. Every time I make a stop at the Wilderness Lodge I make it a point to swing by the Carolwood Pacific room in the DVC area of the resort to see this remarkable room. This room pays tribute to Walt’s love of trains and has some unbelievable memorabilia that will show you just how much Walt Disney appreciated trains. Next time you are at the Wilderness Lodge take some time just to explore. There is no telling what you might find.
Photo Credit: Molly Beckley
I don’t know about you, but throwing parties for my children plays a big part in my Disney Driven Life. During the planning processes of these parties, my Neurotic Disney Mom tendencies come out big time. “What’s that you say? You don’t want a Disney related party theme this year. DS2? How dare you?!” I won’t get into the substance of the story of when my sweet little middle guy wanted a party with a character from the channel we do not name…
Contributed by: JB Conway (NDD#27) JB is the DDL Poet. He is also the author of Mouse of Zen: Disney Inspired, Mouse-Sized Poetry. To have your Disney Parks vacation images treated with similar pixie dust, please visit our studios located at KnellStudioWorks !
Not all of my scrapbook pages are started when I sit down at my scrapbooking spot in my house (currently my dining room table). No, many of my pages begin while I am taking my pictures. Many times my family and I will be somewhere and I will think “this would make a great layout for my album”! Last week I was at my local scrap booking store and noticed some adorable paper tags by “My Little Yellow Bicycle” that were shaped like ticket stubs. Some were printed and some had blank spaces for journaling. They would be a great addition to a lot of my pages, but I didn’t buy them because as my family knows, I save everything from our trips to add to my layouts.
My Disney Scrapbook albums are filled with receipts, ticket stubs, Keys to the World, napkins and park maps. In spite of the hundreds of photos I take and scrapbook for my layouts, I still buy postcards to add to my pages. Especially useful to me are postcards of the nighttime parades and fireworks as I still have not been able to take photos of them that are “scrapbook worthy.” My kids know I’m a collector of things to go in my scrapbooks and will gather mementos for me while we are traveling too. At the end of each day at the parks they will happily hand me any papers or stickers they have saved for me to put in my bag to take home and use in our albums. I will never forget one trip years ago when my son (then 9) and I were at the Magic Kingdom for park opening. We were near the front and one of the cast members handed him a handful of Mickey confetti to throw into the air after the countdown. He solemnly handed me some of the confetti for me to use in my scrapbook. I explained to him that I wanted him to throw it all into the air, but he was determined that I should save some of it. We debated back and forth for a minute until a kind lady beside us had finally had enough and said, “you know you can BUY the Mickey confetti in the park, don’t you?” We laughed and thanked her, and my son took back his confetti and had a magical moment throwing his sparkly Mickey confetti into the air. Of course, I took pictures and scrapbooked that moment when we got home.
