Shutterfly Autograph Book

Yesterday, I shared one of my favorite Shutterfly photobooks. Today, I'd like to share one that I made to use as an autograph book. Bean took this one a few years ago during Star Wars Weekends at Hollywood Studios and got great interactions with all of the characters because of it. They all wanted to find a photo of themselves before they signed. It was wonderful! She had a great time telling them about her favorite trips and when she'd met each of the characters before. I will definitely be making another for our next trip!

Shutterfly Photobooks

Have you ever used Shutterfly to create a photo book of a Disney vacation? I have made several, and really enjoy it. I have been a traditional scrapbooker for years, but Shutterfly is a great way to try out digital scrapbooking. I have used Shutterfly's photobook creator in the past, but this book was created using layouts I made on my computer and uploaded as full pages. And it's always a good idea to keep one made up in your online account. I've actually received all of my books for free and have only ever had to pay for shipping. They also offer a variety of print sizes and finishes as well as mugs, pillows, magnets, and more.

In addition to being a great way to revisit a favorite trip, I like to use these books as autograph books. I'll share my favorite one tomorrow.

Photo of the Week

Can you tell it was our first time on Rock 'N' Roller Coaster?

Memorial Day

In honor of those who serve, please take a moment today to thank the members of our military, both past and present for the sacrifices they make to keep us safe. Many members of my family have served and continue to serve today. I am grateful for all that they do to protect our freedoms. As Walt Disney once said, "Tomorrow will be better for as long as America keeps alive the ideals of freedom and a better life."

Thank you to our military for keeping those ideals alive.

Let the Memories Begin

Disney

Disney has rolled out a new experience for fans of Walt Disney World. It's called the Let the Memories Begin Tour. This is a chance for everyone to experience the magic of Disney World without going to Florida.

Disney

By visiting one of the tour locations, guests can take virtual in-park photos that they can share. Photos are provided by Snapfish. Cast members will spread a little pixie dust at each stop, making this tour a magical experience. The tour kicks off in Chicago this weekend and travels around the country, ending in Puerto Rico in September. Here's a list of tour dates and cities.

5/30 - 5/31 Chicago, IL
6/5 - 6/6 Boston, MA
6/10 - 6/12 New York, NY
6/18 - 6/19 Washington, DC
6/24 - 6/25 Atlanta, GA
7/8 - 7/9 Dallas, TX
7/12 - 7/13 Houston, TX
7/19 - 7/20 Phoenix, AZ
7/26 - 7/27 Denver, CO
7/30 - 7/31 Salt Lake City, UT
8/5 - 8/6 San Francisco, CA
8/16 - 8/17 Portland, OR
8/20 - 8/21 Seattle, WA
8/26 - 8/27 Calgary, Canada
9/2 - 9/3 Toronto, Canada
9/23 - 9/24 Puerto Rico

A recent nationwide survey of U.S. and Canadian families found that vacation memories hold a special place in family history. Nine out of 10 parents said they planned vacations with the hope that they would result in a lasting family memory. In 2011, Disney Parks launched “Let the Memories Begin,” a year-long celebration of the family vacation memories created in Disney theme parks every day. You can view my previous post about this celebration here.

Is anybody out there?

Have you ever noticed that some of your favorite blogs may have thousands of visitors, but very few followers? I wonder why that is. I've recently started digital scrapbooking and have been considering creating a few freebies and kits of my own. Unfortunately, I'm not sure anyone would ever find them, as I only have 3 followers. So, I'd like to know what everyone else thinks. If I offered a few Disney accents, would you be interested enough to follow my blog? Would you comment and "leave love" if you downloaded? Please let me know. I'll put my first freebie up sometime this month, so keep an eye out and you may find something fun!

Mousescrappers 2nd Anniversary

Mousescrappers

Mousescrappers is celebrating their second anniversary this month. They are hosting several scrapbook challenges during the month of May including Speed Scraps, Cake Decorating, Hide & Seek and a Scavenger Hunt. I only recently joined Mousescrappers and am still learning how to digital scrapbook. I've been creating traditional paper scrapbooks for about 15 years, but don't have much experience with the new digital programs. I have been having a blast with the new challenges, learning about both the Mousescrappers site and digital creation. The layout above was my Cake Decorating Challenge creation. So whether you're a traditional scrapbooker or digital scrapbooker, check them out. You might just learn something new!

Confessions of a Disney Park addict

Someone recently asked me how many times I'd been to a Disney Park. The answer: "More times than you'd think!" I started adding up all of my trips there over the years and realized that the number is rather shocking, especially since I have never lived in Orlando or Anaheim.

My first trip was to Disneyland in 1984. I don't actually remember much about it, even though I was 7 years old at the time. My dad took my sister and I again a few years later, maybe 1988. I went again in 1995, and then again in 1998. That trip I stayed with my cousin Jennifer. She was working at the Gag Factory in Toontown at the time. We had a blast and I went to Disneyland nearly every day that week. They were getting ready to build California Adventure and all of the parking areas were a mess! When Jennifer had to work, I explored the park on my own, and even rode Splash Mountain alone, much to Jennifer's amazement. I attempted to move to California with the intent of working at Disneyland in 1999, but the move fell through.

In 2003, my mom, my sister and I went to Disney World for the first time. I immediately fell in love with the World and all it's spaciousness. Unfortunately, there was just two much to see in a three-day trip. I moved to Georgia when Bean was born and looked forward to experiencing Disney World through a child's eyes again. We took her to Disney World for the first time one day after her first birthday. We stayed on-site for the first time at Shades of Green. She loved It's a Small World and all of the bright colors, sights, and sounds of the park. She took her first steps over a bridge in the Magic Kingdom. It was truly Magical!

In 2006, we moved to California temporarily. Shortly before we had to return to Georgia, we took Bean to Disneyland. It wasn't the best trip, (Bean seemed to be allergic to everything she touched and broke out in hives!) but it was the first time any of us had been to California Adventure, which we loved. Bean's favorite rides were Monsters, Inc. Mike and Sulley to the Rescue, King Triton's Carousel and all of the rides in Bug Land.

In September 2007, we moved back to Georgia, unloaded the truck, and drove 8 more hours to Disney World. Yes, we're that crazy! Our friend had never been to Disney World before, nor had he been trick or treating, so we went to MNSSHP for the first time. We all loved it! We also caught the EPCOT Food & Wine Festival for the first time. This quickly became our favorite time of year to visit, even if it rained every day and I got stuck in World showcase in a flooded area with a stroller! This was the first time we saw Pixar's Block Party Bash at Hollywood Studios. Bean loved it! We stayed at Shades of Green again which was convenient for transportation into the parks.

In August 2008, we bought Annual Passes. It was a blast! We only spent 3 1/2 days that trip. Bean, my dad and I had just traveled across the country by train and then went to Disney World after meeting up with my sister. Since we now had Annual Passes, we drove down to Disney World several time over the next several months. We went to MNSSHP and the Food & Wine Festival in October. We got our faces painted at MNSSHP for the first time. We also got the clip-on reloadable gift cards for the Food & Wine Festival, which made trying everything much easier.

Our next trip was in November, a week before Thanksgiving. Then we went for 7 days in December and spent Christmas day at the Magic Kingdom & New Year's Eve at EPCOT. It was crazy crowded, but still a ton of fun. Both parks reached capacity by noon or so, but we didn't plan on leaving and coming back, so it was ok. Christmas day we watched Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Parade. We ended up staying for the fireworks because it was so crowded at the front that we couldn't get off Main Street. It worked out though because the snow and fireworks were great. Bean loved the snow and wanted it to last forever! On 12/27 we went to Hollywood Studios and saw the Osborne Family Spectacle of Lights, which were awesome! And it snowed again, which we loved, especially because it was about 75 degrees that day. On 12/28, we went to EPCOT and listened to several of the storytellers tell stories of Christmas in their homelands. We saw the Three Wise Men in Mexico, heard about the Nutcracker in Germany, saw La Befana in Italy (Bean was even selected to help!), Pere Noel in France, and the lumberjack Santa in Canada. We only saw part of the Daruma Doll Sellers story in Japan, and missed all of the others. On 12/29 we went to Animal Kingdom and watched Mickey's Jammin' Jungle Parade. It was a lot of fun. We went back to Magic Kingdom on 12/30 and it was much less crowded, so we watched the parade again. Then we spent our last night 12/31 at EPCOT. At EPCOT, the World Showcase countries each celebrate the New Year at the hour it occurs in their home country. It's so much fun! And if you stay all day, they hand out party hats and party blowers. The entire park sounds like it's full of crazed geese... And that's just the adults! It's hilarious!! We didn't stay until midnight, but we could see the fireworks from both Disney and Universal from the condo we'd rented. (We stayed in this awesome condo this trip. We got a great deal at $99 a night. It had 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, a full kitchen, dining room, family room, living room, all the furnishings, laundry room, a screened porch, and could easily have slept 12-15. Totally awesome for large family groups.)

We went again, spur of the moment in March for St. Patrick's Day. We were in EPCOT and bought green cotton candy and our friend bought green beer and green cider in England in the special Rose & Crown glass.

Our next trip was in September 2009. We went down for a quick 4 day trip. Our last day, we always try to spend at Animal Kingdom. They close the earliest and that way we can stay most of the park hours before we have to make the 8 hour drive home. Our next trip was February 2010. Bean was out of school for a few days, so we took a four day weekend and left. Strangely, we ended up at Hollywood Studios during ESPN Weekend. As a result, it was fairly easy to get on the rides, but the area around the sorcerer's hat was packed! EPCOT was just getting ready for the Flower & Garden Festival so we got an awesome preview of the topiaries. We played the Kim Possible Missions around the World Showcase, which my Bean finds fascinating. At Magic Kingdom, we met Tiana & Naveen for the first time and played on Tom Sawyer's Island for the first time too. We spent half a day at Animal Kingdom and watched Finding Nemo: the Musical and the Festival of the Lion King for the first time too. They're incredible! We spent the end of the day at Downtown Disney and Build a Dino at T-Rex Cafe. It has very cool ambiance.

Our last trip was in August 2010. it was a four day trip and we visited each park. This was the first time Bean and I rode Rock 'n' Roller Coaster. She was fine until we took off and by the end, my sister had to pry her hands off to get her out, poor kid! (I'm not sure if I'll ride it again anytime soon either!) Then we rode Star Tours a million times to make up for it. This was our last chance to ride Star Tours before it was closed for refurbishment, so we made the most of it.

I'm not sure when I'll make it back to Disney World, but I hope that it will be soon... I'm starting to go through withdrawals!

Annie Leibovitz Disney Portraits

I don't know if you've seen them, but Annie Leibovitz has been recreating great Disney scenes in photographs for the last several years. She's used well known stars in these recreations, from J-Lo to Julie Andrews and everyone in-between. These photos are fantastic and fun and I look forward to each new addition.

The latest three photos, released just last week, feature scenes from The Little Mermaid, Snow White, and Beauty and the Beast. To recreate these scenes, Disney has enlisted the help of Queen Latifah, Alec Baldwin, Olivia Wilde, Jeff Bridges, and Penelope Cruz. The photographs will appear in the March 28, 2011 issue of People, as well as the April issues of O - The Oprah Magazine, Real Simple, Essence, and InStyle. They are part of Disney's new Memories campaign. 

I have to say, I think my favorite of these new photos is Belle and the Prince with Jeff Bridges and Penelope Cruz. They look so sweet together and perfectly capture the "Moment of Beauty" Disney is advertising. Check them out for yourself and let me know your favorite.

Happy Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day, all! I hope everyone has a chance to spend the day with loved ones young and old. I love spending the day with young Bean, who thinks it's the perfect excuse to request gifts to show my love for her. It's fun to see all of the Valentines she has received at school and help her sort out her candy. This year she's getting a new Cinderella doll that sings. It was too cute and I just couldn't pass it up when I found it on sale. It only sings for about 30 seconds, but that's really all you can stand after about the 30th time, so in all, it's a fun toy. Anyway, enjoy the day, and if on no other day, remember to tell your loved ones that you care.

Disney Parks Memories Sweepstakes

If your family is like mine, you probably have lots of great memories of times spent in Disney Parks. Disney is celebrating these memories with a sweepstakes in the month of February. There will be four weekly drawings for family vacations in one of the Disney Parks. Weeks one and two offer 4-days, and 3-nights at Disneyland in California. Week three is 5-days, 4-nights at Disney World in Florida. The final drawing, in week four is for 7-days, 6-nights at ANY Disney Resort, worldwide. Each trip includes airfare, ground transfer, hotel accommodations, and park tickets. Winning any of these trips would be an awesome chance to create new family memories with Disney. Visit the site daily to enter the sweepstakes and to download that day's free daily digital download. The downloads so far have been super cute picture frames to display treasured Disney memories. You can also share your own memories on the site through photos, videos, and stories. Disney will share these memories along with others on the site.

Also, the parks will be celebrating guests' memories created within the parks. Most nights at either Cinderella Castle in Florida or It's a Small World in California, photos and videos taken by PhotoPass photographers will be projected onto the building as part of a new celebration called "The Magic, The Memories & You!" They will feature images captured in the Magic Kingdom or Disneyland that day celebrating all the fun and excitement guests have enjoyed. The photos fly by fairly quickly, so you might want to capture the show on video, just in case they've used a photo of your family. This new program sounds like it will be a lot of fun and should get people sharing their memories and creating new ones featuring Disney.

A Disney Obsession

I have been obsessed with all things Disney for most of my life. As a child, I watched every Disney film I could get my hands on. My first trip to a Disney park was when I was 6. My family drove down to California and we spent a few days at Disneyland. From then on, I was hooked. Although I didn't make it to the parks often in the beginning, (I think I went 3 additional times over the next 20 years), once I moved to Georgia, I began to travel to Florida more often to experience a little more of that Disney magic. In the past 6 years, I've been to Disney World 9 times. While that may not seem like a lot to some, I've made the most of every trip and have learned many tips and tricks to get the most bang for the buck. I've read many websites and blogs over the years and have come to realize that somehow, some of the little things I do to save money at Disney World have been overlooked by everyone else. How this happened, I don't know, but I want to share my ideas with as many of the Disney obsessed as I can, so that we can all enjoy more frequent trips to the Happiest Place on Earth.