Disney Gets Easier With Two New Features

Disney has been testing the new Magicbands and plans on incorporating fully soon.  This will eliminate park tickets, resort cards, and even your credit card if you wish.  No more swiping a ticket, signing the back, and taking your finger print.  Can't wait to see this tan line. 

The Disney Magicbands will be offered in different colors, yet it is unknown if this is color of choosing or random like the ticket faces.  The bands will be married to the My Disney Experience accounts. 

If you are not familiar with My Disney Experience, it is an online, via computer or app, place to make plans, reservations, and keep track of Meal Deals, character meet-and-greets, travel itineraries, and search for whatever else Disney has to offer.  There are also park and resort maps so you don't have to carry the paper map or try to find a new one once you've lost the first.  Reservations to restaurants and plans for parades, fireworks, and shows are all at your finger tips.  No needing to remember, check times on the map, or asking for assistance.  Just plan, save, and go when your phone chimes up.

My Disney Experience

The best part for families with independent teens venturing off on their own, or large parties, is you can include others in your reservations and plans.  Let's say you want to go the the 3:00 Celebrate a Dream Come True Parade in the Magic Kingdom, and you want your two teens to join you, your spouse, and your youngest, but didn't plan it before heading separate ways.  Simply open your My Disney Experience app, click my plans--parades--Celebrate a Dream Come True Parade at 3:00--and invite others.  They'll know when to be where.  Of course this app will need to be downloaded to each phone and all accounts will need to be married via My Disney Experience online, but once you've got everyone's avatar set up you'll be good to go.  It's all free, and only takes a few minutes to set up and sync. 

I'm not quite sure how the band will use the app, but it will interesting and most likely helpful to lessen the "chores" of seeing everything while in a Disney Park, especially if you are limited in time. 

Here is a Disney Blog about the Magicbands

And an update via Yahoo!



Pixie Hollow

Take a stroll down Disneyland's Main Street toward the welcoming statue of Walt and Mickey.  Just before you get to Sleeping Beauty's Castle take a right and head toward Matterhorn Mountain into Fantasyland.  There, nestled behind Tommowland's Astro Orbitor, is Pixie Hollow.  A place where you are shrunk down to the size of Tinkerbell and her fairy friends.  Discover the word through the eyes of the pint-size sprites and learn their secrets. 

It's not a large attraction.  There are no rides and no shops.  Just a small garden where you have the chance to meet the fairies of Pixie Hollow.  Make sure to bring a camera, and check times for meet-and-greets to make sure you're not missing a chance to see a fairy face-to-face.

My Next Project: Hair Piece Inspired by Disney's Ariel

I've been trying to come up with some way to make an outfit truly Ariel inspired.  Not to knock the color schemes of the movie, but purple (mermaid top) and baby pink (land dress #2) just don't do it for me.  Her blue dress is great, but I'd rather save those ideas for Alice, Wendy, or Belle. 

My idea has been a toned-down pair of green capri's with a slight flair at the bottom with a purple top; something tight across the bust with a slimming princess cut, wavy slightly past the waist, and a small shear, pleated sleeve.  The accessories I have so far are a teal beaded necklace with star fish and shells.....that's it.  This DIY video popped up in the Disney Homepage by Evelina Barry and I was in love instantly.  The best part is the "starfish" is clay and not the real dead animal pinned to the back of your head.  This makes it not so creepy, animal friendly, and not as fragile.   

The supplies needed are pretty common in any crafter's closet: craft glue, clay, mod podge, glaze, and beads or jewels or any pretties you may have that you think are aquatic and or Little Mermaid-esque.  I think I'll dig up pearls and crystals that match my necklace and maybe I can find a small fork and little red crab too. 

Here's the link:

DIY: Ariel Inspired Hair Pieces by Evelina Barry



Apps

I am a bargain shopper.  I research before making practically any purchase.  Being an educated cheapskate the only Apple product I own is a ipod that was a gift.  Things are about to change, and it's all Disney's fault.

My first Disney app letdown was in January.  I received an email for Pixel'd and thought to check it out.  As soon as I clicked the link, my enthusiasm was dashed.  iphone app only.  So I moved on.

The few months, my husband and I have discussed switching cell carriers.  We've looked at what phones were available with what packages...... again educated cheapskate.  He is as insistent on getting another iphone as I have been opposed to the single bottom contraption. 

...then... 

Bloggin'-about today I came across Disney's Insider How Will you Tell Your Story blog about a new app that recognizes pics and videos taken during the same event so you can share in bulk and make a "story."  The catch?  Only available for the iphone. 

This would have been fantastic a few weeks ago when I took 85 pics on my phone and had to upload each one . . . which I have yet to actually do.  Oh, and this weekend during Little Man's 3rd birthday party at the railroad museum, the story app would have been perfect.

Petty yes, but I'd also like to have a Disney phone case, usually only available for, you guessed it, the iphone.

...I caved...

Today on his break, my husband calls and I immediately inform him that we will be switching carriers and not only will he be keeping to his iphone devotion, but I am now a dedicated convert. 

...thanks Disney...

One more way to incorporate your franchise into the very skin of my livelihood.  But I'm not bitter.  Rather excited that I've got another way to live inside my Disney World. 

Free Tour and Free Food

Another reblog, but I had to.  I really think we could squeeze this in while we are there next time.  Nom nom nom!

Do it for the Zebra Dome

The Lone Ranger

Let me start by saying I'd love to hear what someone else thinks about Johnny Depp playing a Native American. . . . . .

Besides being torn about that--I'M SUPER PUMPED FOR THE LONE RANGER!  So I'm caving to the countdown. 

The preview is mind blowing.  I like a good action packed western with cheesy lingo and lots of dirt.  This looks like it has both.  Based on what the preview shows, I can picture this being to land version franchise of Pirates. . . . . but that might only be the way Depp makes it feel. 

So let's talk actors ^^^ these three actors.

Armie Hammer is so pretty.  His roles in big movies though always have him scrubbed in dirt.  OK maybe not in The Social Network, but do we have to count that?  Otherwise his roles have been the pretty boy on TV.  I've always pictured the Lone Ranger as more of a bad ass than a pretty boy, so hopefully it pans out for him.  Prince Alcott in Mirror Mirror is when I fell for Hammer because as a Disney Romantic you want the prince and the princess to end up together--and he was rather dreamy--dirt and all.

Johnny Depp.......oh beautiful Johnny Depp, From Cry Baby to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, your roles have been the most broad on the acting spectrum I have ever seen: and I love it.  As most women my age if it wasn't Cry Baby it was Edward Scissorhands that made us fall for you.  Even as Sweeny Todd or the Mad Hatter I couldn't get enough Depp screen time.  But as an American Tribal side-kick?  I don't want to point out the obvious lack of native looking skin color here, but the bad accent, or the lack of accent and the poor stereotypical bad-Indian grammar known eons ago in not-so-PC westerns, may not be Depp's best role.  We'll just have to wait until July to know for sure I guess. 

Helen Bonham Carter.  One of my favorite British actors, but probably my favorite British actress.  She of course plays a better bad guy than a good guy.  Other than that I really can't say anything about the upcoming. 

All in all, The Lone Ranger is going to go one of two ways.  It will either explode into instant popularity like the Pirates franchise or it will be another action packed flop like John Carter.  Let's hope it's not the latter.

New in Disneyland

I follow tons of Disney bloggers, both official and otherwise, who keep me up-to-date on everything Disney.  Today Disney Gals posted this on Facebook: New Show in Disneyland! 

I know it's a year away, but this will have to be a stop we make when we take Little Man!