Good Earth Day

Earth Day is quickly approaching. Disney is taking advantage of this day to its fullest to contribute to the need of saving the environment. For Disney, every day throughout the year they are trying to be green by recycling, using less energy, and giving back to the community. But this Earth Day you can do something individually to help this cause. One way is to bring in five plastic bags to any Disney Store. They will not only recycle these harmful plastic bags but YOU will receive a reusable bag to use the next time you go grocery shopping or are just picking up that new Disney shirt. This event brings awareness to the harm of plastic bags and the need to use reusable bags.

Another great way you can help out this Earth Day is to go see African Cats. Disneynature will contribute $0.20 per ticket to the African Wildlife Foundation for the Amboseli Corridor project for everyone who sees Disneynature AFRICAN CATS during the opening week (April 22-April 28) with a minimum of $100,000 pledged to this program. Also, Walt Disney Records will donate 20% of net proceeds received from the sale of the Jordin Sparks' single and music video "The World I Knew" to the African Wildlife Foundation for each single sold between April 12, 2011 and April 12, 2012 with a  maximum of $50,000 to be contributed to the foundation.

What are you going to do this Earth Day??

Ode to Disney

Sky of black, before the sun has risen

Two excited people awaken.

Unknowing of the new memories that would be made at this magical place

The two drive off to Anaheim at a rapid pace.

On arrival, cast members are stalked 

And the ones with lanyards are approached.

Rides follow and laughter and amazing memories are made.

Each land is invaded and they watch every parade.

The lines for the pin books are long and have an unwanted preference

But the people make all the difference.

And once that Holy Grail is found

A great hooray resounds.

Swishing and flying through London and Swiss Mountains,

Going up and down waterfalls and drinking of Goofy fountains,

Soaring high on an elephant and meeting up with happy haunts

Allows for any day not to be filled with taunts.

The day comes to an end and the lights magically scheduled.

Tears fill her eyes but another trip is always assured. 

Unforgettable memories are made with a want of a Disney employment

And time is spent with a vast amount of enjoyment.

Disneyland

Music from Splash Mountain, Aladdin, Toy Story, and even Space Mountain are heard playing above as my feet carry me to the gates that will lead me to a whole new world. Before we reach the green metal gates, an esplanade to the Hargrove family brick laid in the ground in front of Disneyland. The red stone inscribed with Tracey, Mike, Brian and Matt Hargrove is a blissful sight for my mom. As I walk through the gates and scan my ticket with the noise of magic following, I become excited with the anticipation to come. As usual I am trailing behind my mom because of her overwhelming excitement, but I am right on her heels. Mickey ears on the head of my mom are a beacon that allows me to keep track of her. I lose track of her sometimes because of the fast pace she keeps. The cobble stones under our feet are uneven as we walk to the bridge that allows entrance into the Magic Kingdom. The plaque above reads, “Here you leave today and enter the world of yesterday, tomorrow, and fantasy.”

At the passing under the bridge, the noise of obnoxious omnibus horns, the neighing of horses pulling carriages and clattering of street cars moseying down the cobble stone roads are heard. The bustling of people is like a day when everyone wears caffeine patches. An aroma of hot, fresh churros fills the air with a slight scent of buttered popcorn.  Before the two of us can continue our route down the street the reading of the dedication plaque must be read: “To all who come to this happy place - welcome. Disneyland is your land. Here age relives fond memories of the past and here youth may savor the challenge and promise of the future. Disneyland is dedicated to the ideals, the dreams, and the hard facts that have created America ... with the hope that it will be a source of joy and inspiration to all the world.” Strolling down Main Street, U.S.A. has the feeling of a previous era without troubles and no worries. The windows are filled with pristine Disney figurines and clothing stitched to perfection. Even the windows above the stores dedicated to men and women who were integral in the development and operation of Disneyland. 

The “Partners” statue in the center of the hub that leads to the lands of adventure, fantasy, frontier, and even tomorrow is a landmark that cannot be missed. Bronze colored miniature statues of Goofy, Dumbo, Pluto, Donald Duck, Minnie Mouse, and Jiminy Cricket surround the “Partners” statue. White and purple flowers and verdant trees with the view of Sleeping Beauty’s castle in the background create a picturesque moment while sitting on a bench in front of this place of placidity. To the right, Snow White’s wishing well and statuettes of the Seven Dwarves is viewed. The statuettes are positioned on a waterfall that leads to a pond where two white serene swans named Walt and Lily. During this time, the music of “I’m wishing…for my one true love,” is heard coming from the wishing well when a copper penny is tossed into the water below.

A sinuous path leads from Snow White’s area back to the castle’s draw bridge. Blue topped roofs, pink walls, and the crest of the Disney family present themselves at the foot of the castle. The sparkling carousel spinning round and round is one of the first sights seen while passing through the castle. Flying elephants, boats floating along the water in Storybook land and a white snowcapped mountain are found within Fantasyland. Even though “It’s a Small World” might be a little slow and contain an exasperating tune, it is a ride that cannot be overlooked. As we float on the plastic, hard backed boats the sights and sounds of various countries are seen and heard. A small Hawaiian doing the hula, an Eskimo fishing in the ice caps and the Dutch clogging all are in sync with the repetitive song.    

With the exit of “It’s a Small World” a little venture creeps into our system so we are off to Adventureland. The tiki masks placed on each side of the entrance into this audacious land brings on a sense of escapade. Icy, pineapple flavored Dole whips are a treat in the heat of the day and cools the body down for the upcoming exploration. Lofty jungle trees surround the land with vines hanging from various directions. The Jungle Cruise allows travel down the Nile on an African riverboat with a view of elephants bathing in the waterfalls, giant snakes ready to strike at any given moment, a pride of lions watching over a baby zebra sleeping, and even the backside of water. A Jeep tour through Indiana Jones is a bumpy, death defying adventure. The vehicle drives over a wooden bridge suspended over a pit of lava, hopefully no wrong turns are made. The ride concludes with a massive boulder approaching the jeep but at the knick of time the jeep makes a tight turn.

The land of tomorrow is intriguing and mindboggling. At the entrance, rockets soar in orbit round and round with small children, teenagers and even adults inside the golden Astro Orbitor. A vast white building shaped as if made to spin has sharp spirals protruding through the top. Lengthy lines of people are present in front of this immense building but this site should not be feared, we have fast passes of course. My mom and I amble to the front of the line and enter the building. The room we have just entered looks like a scene from NASA. A spaceship the size of Apollo 13 hangs from the ceiling with blue glowing walls surrounding us. Assisting us into our seats, the attendant tells us to hold on tight. Once everyone is seated…blast off! A sound of terror with a hint of thrill comes from my mom as we wind through the dark abyss of space. 

The day is coming to an end as we leave Tomorrowland but that’s okay because the lights have just turned on, like magic. Night at Disneyland is not like any other night. Shimmering lights are displayed throughout all the lands and along all the trees. Fireworks and new shows, even parades are present during the night version of Disneyland. Meandering through the crowd in front of the castle is where my mom and I find ourselves about an hour or so before the fireworks go off. Wall to wall people have the same idea as us, packed like sardines. Finally! A vacant spot with our name on it is seen so we rush over, bumping into a few people but we finally arrive. Five minutes before the fireworks begin a voice over the speakers announce only a short amount of time left. All the bustling of people comes to a dead halt when the music and fireworks begin. The sparkling blasts in the sky are synced to music from the rides. Tinkerbell soars above the castle as the finale begins. The only noise coming from people in the crowd during this dazzling show are oohs and ahs. Loud applause and a standing ovation occur at the finale and people finally stand to make their move to Fantasmic! One slow step at a time is taken as the heard of people travel to the next show. It’s like déjà vu, the same people are seen as we sit in front of the Rivers of America. Mickey emerges from no where in a film of smoke. The water rises and the motion picture of Pinocchio appears. We are sprayed in the face with the cold water because of our proximity to the river. Pachyderms dance onto the Rivers of America in a dream like appearance. Purple fills the air, at first no one knows what it is but finally a gigantic dragon appears. As it breathes flames onto the water and makes a lake of fire, the heat swarms to the faces of all in the audience. Mickey appears again and with more smoke filling the air he disappears and makes a switch of clothing.  

Dong! The strike of midnight signals the end of our day at Disneyland. We begin our journey back to the gates that allowed us into this wonderful land; our feet seem to not be going as swiftly as they were in the beginning of the day. The muscles in our legs we did not even know about feel as if they are on fire. The crowd of people leaving is like a school of fish trying to swim through a narrow passage. One last stop is required, Candy Palace. Candy galore is found within, a child’s dream. The thick chocolate filled with viscous caramel topped with pecans is my favorite. As a bite into this dream filled candy I become filled with chills. I would not have been able to saunter down the street any further without the little push from the sugar. We have finally reached the long stretch down Main Street, U.S.A. and we begin to exit the park. As my mom’s eyes fill with tears I remind her that there is always tomorrow.  

All About Pin Trading

      “It's no secret that we were sticking just about every nickel we had on the chance that people would really be interested in something totally new and unique in the field of entertainment.” - Walt Disney  Pin trading started 10 years ago at the Disney theme parks. The popularity swept throughout the Disney community. In the beginning I thought it was a crazy idea but I sort of had a desire to try it out. I mean what little kid wouldn’t want a shiny piece of metal with Mickey on it. Being a huge Disney fan, my family went on a Disney cruise and on that cruise I got my first pin. From there I was hooked. I was collecting every collection I could and the amount of pins I had started to grow. To be a proper pin trader the correct materials, the etiquette, and self-control are all needed.

Materials and terms are paramount in pin trading. They have many different types and styles of lanyards. The most common lanyard is the one that goes around your neck. But even those ones have different themes such as Mickey, Pirates of the Caribbean, Tinker Bell, Haunted Mansion, and others of the type. They now have a new kind which are called hip lanyards. Traders or scrappers are the pins that you are willing to give up for other pins that you want. These can be traded with cast members (Disney employees) and other pin traders. The process of this will be explained later. When you build up your collection you run out of space for them on your lanyards. When this happens you have a couple of options. They have books that you can put them in or you can get a cork board and put your pins on there so that you can look at them and enjoy them. These are what holds the pin to your lanyard or in your book. They have the Mickey head rubber stoppers and they also have metal ones that lock in place so that they for sure do not fall off the lanyard. LE are limited edition pins. They can be anywhere from limited edition of 1 all the way up to 5000 and sometimes even more.  AP pins are artist proof. There are usually only one of these pins because its the pin signed by the artist who created the pin. CM pins are only found on cast member lanyards. Well, that’s where they originate and then they are tradeable after they are found. Chasers are the mystery pins in a series that are not advertised but you find them after you buy enough out of that series. Purchase with purchase pins can be purchased when you buy $30 worth of pins and then can buy a pin for a $1. Hidden Mickey pins come out every year. There are about 5 different series for each Disneyland park and are found on cast member lanyards. They have a small Mickey head found on the pin somewhere.

Etiquette is also a very important aspect in this exhilarating hobby. You’ll be surprised but they are actually a lot of rules and formalities that go in to pin trading. There are some ways to determine whether or not a pin is tradeable. The pin should be metal and have “Disney” marked on the back of the pin. Also the pin should be in good condition. They shouldn’t be dirty or have scratches on them. The pin back should also be stable.  Pin trading should be a safe experience. To do this you should trade one pin at a time. Make sure you keep the backs on the pin when you trade the pin so you don’t poke the person you are trading with. When you trade with a cast member you can only trade up to two per cast member per day.  Don’t touch the pins or the lanyards of the cast member or guest because they might freak out. Some people are crazy and paranoid. That’s how addicting this can be which leads into my next topic.

Self-control needs to be present or this may get out of hand. This hobby is addicting. You may spend hundreds maybe even thousands of dollars on these little metal pins, such as my mom and I have done over the years. Pins are able to be bought on eBay, DisneyStore.com, and of course at the park. Some Disney Stores even sell pins. This can be a big problem because you’re money dwindles as you explore these different opportunities. My mom and I have driven to Disneyland just to purchase a limited edition pin. Wow. Talk about crazy people. 

Materials and terms, etiquette, and self-control all are parts of being a successful pin trader. “The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.” - Walt Disney.

Why You Should Go To Disneyland

There are numerous things and places that make people happy. Whether it be sports, music, movies and so on. Life satisfaction occurs most often when people are engaged in absorbing activities that cause them to forget themselves, lose track of time and stop worrying (Elias, 2002). What better place to do this than the happiest place on earth. “The Happiest Place on Earth” has been around for more than fifty-five years doing what it does best, making people euphoric. Disneyland is in four countries and has five locations: Anaheim, California, Orlando, Florida, Paris, France, Hong Kong, China, and Tokyo, Japan. By having those locations across the world, myriads of people are given the experience of being at the “Happiest Place on Earth.” This place is not just for kids, and anyone ranging from the age of 1 to 100 can call this park their laughing place.  Disneyland and the various locations are there to give people relaxation, solitude from the everyday world, and most of all the experiences that are not possible in any other place resulting in pure bliss.

To begin, Disneyland has numerous luxurious amenities as well as magic to provide relaxation. Downtown Disney offers marvelous restaurants, shopping to the extreme, diverse live music, and to top it off, a movie theater. Restaurants, benches, and parlors to people watch, eat, and just take a load off. 

One way to guarantee pampering is to stay on property. Hotels at the Disneyland Park have a world of their own, whether you want a day of relaxation at “Never land Pool” or want to drive remote control boats. Massage and spa options are available at the California Grand Hotel, which is also the most opulent of the three hotels.  Keeping guests happy is key for the cast members and they really do succeed. Relaxation is a key point while attending the park and you will indubitably enjoy yourself while in repose.

Furthermore, people across the world live hectic lives. The hardship of finding a place of solitude is exceptionally difficult. People need to stop stressing and be carefree every once in awhile. It is not healthy to be anxious all the time. “This can wear out the body's reserves, leave a person feeling depleted or overwhelmed, weaken the body's immune system, and cause other problems” ("Stress," 2011). The best way to relieve one self of this is to plan a trip to Disneyland. A new study conducted at Cornell University and reported in the January 2010 issue of Journal of Personality and Social Psychology found that experiences bring greater happiness and satisfaction than buying and owning possessions (Erin, 2010).

One of the five Disneyland parks is where one finds themselves in a place where they don’t have a care in the world. People who go to Disneyland find themselves feeling like a young kid all over again.  This is the place to have exceptionally phenomenal experiences with friends and family. Their imagination soars and when they walk on to Main Street, U.S.A. their hearts start beating with anticipation of what else is to come. A day at Disneyland is more relaxing than a spa to some people and more exhilarating then winning the lottery. Let me give you an example. My senior year of high school was overwhelming and finals were vastly approaching. I knew that when stress overcomes me, I do not complete tasks to my high standards. The weekend before my tests, I took a trip to Disneyland and that quick fix allowed me to finish off my senior year with straight A’s. 

Subsequently, at Disneyland all things are possible, whether it’s flying on an elephant or riding down a waterfall. Also, riding a rocket ship, flying through space, journeying through ancient mines, being enchanted by Tiki birds, and entering the world of ghosts is achievable at Disneyland. Exciting, adrenaline rushing rides end up actually causing a decrease in stress in every day life according to a study in 2003. Cortisol and epinephrine are called up during stress causing activities which later on allow for quicker reaction times in stressful activities and situations ("Adrenaline rush," 2005). 

Forty-five percent of children who are part of the Make a Wish Foundation, choose to go to Disneyland so that they are able to experience all the wonders one isn’t able to do without the help of Disney ("Disney wishes," 2011). Everyday, little girls dream of becoming a princess and are able to carry out that dream while attending the wonderful world of Disney. Little boys want to be pirates and that is possible on the Pirate’s Cove on the Rivers of America. Your dreams truly do come true at the Disneyland Park.

In conclusion, Disneyland opens up a whole new world to people who will accept the magic that Disney has to offer. All one has to do is open their minds and take the magic in. No matter which Disneyland someone is at, they are always able to be open-minded and imaginative. Disney is affecting our society every day and people are taking those affects in positive ways. It truly is the happiest place on earth. Disney is always there for the person who needs relaxation, some time away from the demanding world, or a refresher on what it’s like to be young at heart.

Long Awaited NY Trip Update

It's been three months, but I finally have time to talk about my trip to NY that took place in early January. My grandma and I took a four day trip to New York City and I was extremely excited. Not only was I going to be able to visit the Disney Store in Times Square, but we also got tickets to see Mary Poppins.

The Disney Store was first on my agenda. I was overwhelmed with excitement and could not contain myself, so my grandma knew that the Store was going to be our first stop. Since our hotel was five minutes from Times Square it wasn't hard to make it over there.

I saw the sign from across the street and my heart rate literally increased. The colors and pictures were exactly what you would expect from Disney. As we entered the store, there was a large Mickey figure to greet us. The first floor had large amounts of New York merchandise. They had the typical shirts, mugs, pens, hats, and plush. But they also had pins and Vinylmations which I was thrilled about. 

After the first floor was explored to its fullest we moved up to the next floor. This floor is where the magic happened. The trees were alive with animation and the castle towards the back was a beacon of Disney magic. There was merchandise for various different franchises. My favorite Disney movie was ironically playing in the small theater space, Mary Poppins, which leads into my next unforgettable experience.

While we were in New York we had tickets for two Broadway performances, one of them being Mary Poppins. This performance was truly amazing. Every actor and actress were right on cue and portrayed each character practically perfect. The story was altered and not parallel to the movie which made it an even better experience. If it had been the same I think I might possibly have been disappointed, but maybe not. I also bought merchandise here, four pins, a bag, and a program. 

It's official. They have offered me the job to stay on with the Disney Store. No more seasonal! Such a great day, I love my new Disney family. They're great and I'm so happy to be working for such an honorable company.

Also, only four more days till I leave for New York! Extremely excited to see the new Times Square store. My boss told me I will be in awe. Pictures will be up when I come back. Great tickets to see Mary Poppins are also in my possession. SO ready for this trip!