Wednesday, September 24, 2014

Photo Flashback! Disney Seasons

Today's blog hop theme is "seasons."  I started to choose four images, representing each of the calendar seasons but changed my mind.  Walt Disney World makes their own rules when it comes to seasons anyway.  Halloween decorations start appearing in August for crying out loud.

Some of the following may be attached to a time of year and others just looked like fun as I was going through old photos.

What's your favorite season at Walt Disney World?

Dancing Season

Bear Hunting Season

Gingerbread Castle Season

Tonga Toast Season

Birthday Season

Kilt Season
(Goodbye Off Kilter! You will be greatly missed.  Glad I have all your CDs.)

Growing Season

Luau Season

The Season of the Illusive Van Dyke Beard

Golfing Season

Wedding Season

Focused on the Magic

Wednesday, September 17, 2014

Photo Flashback! 'Ohana means Breakfast with Family

What is better than breakfast?  Breakfast with Family!  
'Ohana is a wonderful place for a family breakfast 
plus there are some pretty neat friends that stop by too!
 Breakfast at 'Ohana - November 2013

The girls love the Mickey Waffles!

Even with all the Friends who stop by

Breakfast is a winner!

and you get to visit with Lilo and Stitch!

Pluto and Mickey stop by too!
Of course any day Granddad gets to have breakfast
 with Family AND Mickey is good!
And the food at 'Ohana is good too!
--DisneyDad


This is really good!
Focused on the Magic

Wednesday, September 10, 2014

Photo Flashback! My Favorite View

I have been going to Walt Disney World ever since it opened in 1971.  My first trip was actually to the Preview Center in 1970 before the Magic Kingdom even opened.  My first view of the Magic Kingdom is still My Favorite View.  There is nothing like walking under the train station and walking out onto Main Street USA.  Looking down Main Street and seeing Cinderella Castle never fails to bring a smile to my face.

Main Street USA - May 2014
And, of course, there is probably nothing more photographed at Walt Disney World than Cinderella Castle.  The view from the walkway to Tomorrowland is one of my favorites.

Cinderella Castle - May 2014
And I have a new favorite view on Main Street.  My cute granddaughters.  Tink took her first steps on Main Street on her first birthday holding my hand ( see the GrowingUpDisney logo ). Minnie didn't make it on her first birthday, but for her first steps on Main Street I was holding her hand too.
Tink and Minnie on Main Street USA - May 2013

Mom and I will be going in October to Walt Disney World for the EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival.  This will be the first trip we have made since Tink came along 5 years ago without having our granddaughters along.
I already miss them.


--DisneyDad


My Favorite View
Focused on the Magic

Wednesday, September 3, 2014

Great New Disney Games: Review and Giveaway


There is an awesome new line of Disney-themed games available from Blue Orange.  When I was offered one to review (and one for YOU!), I knew we were going to love this.  Spot It! is a line of circular card games with many themes ranging in difficulty from age 3 through adult.  There are a couple of ways to play but the basic concept is that you are looking for matches between two cards.  For my girls, I chose Spot It! Words Disney Princess.

Seriously, what's not to love about this game?!? It's…

* Educational: The "Words"version of the game includes written words and images.  The match can be two words, two images, or the word and image for the same thing.  Spot It! Words Disney Princess is recommended for ages 6 and up.  Tink is 5 but the ability to match images on some card sets helped keep her interest as she quickly picked out two matching princesses on some hands and faced challenges with sounding out words on other sets.
*Low-tech: As much as I love my iGadgets, it's really nice to have a fun game that doesn't require me to keep it charged or maintain accounts, etc.  This is just a straight forward game offering parent and kid time.  Tink and I played it for the first time at our local library while killing some time before heading off to her dance class.
*Low-maintenance: If you lose a card, no big deal.  The game will still play just fine.  This is awesome because we all have games/toys in our homes that don't work because some small piece went astray.
*Small: The cards come in a nice tin that won't take up much room in your bag or your kid's backpack. This makes it a great game for on the go.  Perfect for that time while you are waiting for the next activity/class.  What a terrific way to keep children entertained at a restaurant!
*Disney: Enough said.









The other themes in the Disney Spot It! line are:
  • Disney Planes Spot it! Alphabet
  • Disney Frozen Spot it! Alphabet
  • Sofia the First Spot it! Alphabet
  • Doc McStuffins Spot it! Numbers and Shapes
  • Jake and the Never Land Pirates Spot it! Numbers and Shapes
  • Disney Pixar Spot it! Words
  • Disney Princess Spot it! Words 

Also available are story-telling card games.
  • Tell Tale Disney-Pixar Toy Story
  • Tell Tale Disney Princess

Since I haven't played the Tell Tale games personally, here's the description from the press release, "Imaginations come to life with Tell Tale, a creative storytelling game. Players weave wacky and whimsical stories using cards showing a variety of settings, characters, and objects. Players can choose from four storytelling guidelines or even come up with their own. Lay out a story board, build on another player’s tale, or improvise with random cards and watch the magic happen!"


Now it's your turn to get in on the fun, enter today to win your own Spot It! or Tell Tale.




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