Tokyo Disney Sea – what Disney travelers call the best park in the world. And for very good reason.
Having only seen photos of the world famous Disney Sea, I couldn’t quite decide which character I wanted to Disneybound. There were so many choices. So many magical lands.
Then I saw it. Mermaid Lagoon. The colors looked so vibrant and the theming looked absolutely incredible, I knew in an instant that Ariel was it. So Under the Sea we went.
A few weeks ago, I went on the perfect Disney trip with mom – filled with laughter, music, food, conversation, and a whole lot of fun. Pretty much what I do on a regular basis with her, except with that added touch of Disney magic.
I’d always considered my family to be a Disney family. Dad and I enjoy re-watching the movies together on Sunday mornings after breakfast. My brothers and I always geek out over new releases from Pixar, Marvel, and Star Wars. And Disney music is pretty much the only genre of music we actually agree on as a family. But going to Disneyland? That’s for me and mom.
Ever since I was a kid, it was always my mom and I who enjoyed the same things in the parks. While the boys were off riding roller coasters, my mom and I would go on kiddie rides. When my brothers started to outgrow the Mickey shirts, my mom and I got into twinning outfits and Minnie ears. When my dad started to get bored lining up, my mom and I would look for every possible food cart we could sample. So this year, we talked about going on a little girls trip. We decided to dress up, take photos, eat, and ride all the kiddie rides we wanted. And for this very special trip, we decided to go to a park we’d never been to before – Tokyo Disneyland.
Our Main Mouse just turned 90! And he celebrated in true original style.
So I figured I’d celebrate in some Mickey style too.
Hey Mickey, just calling to say you’re so fine, and HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
“I only hope that we don’t lose sight of one thing – that it was all started by a mouse.” – Walt Disney
Just because there were only 2 day park tickets in our package, it didn’t mean we were only going to limit ourselves to two days of Disney fun! Since we took a late flight home, we decided to make ample use of our last day.
I made three sets of outfits for the three Disney resorts in Hong Kong Disneyland. Because by golly we were going to hang out in all of them!
When I made the itinerary for this trip, I took outfits into account because, well because that’s just who I am. I love dressing people up, and I love taking pictures of the clothes I’ve made and the outfits I’ve put together.
So if Day 1 was meant for rides, parades, and exploring every inch of the park, Day 2 was meant for Disneybounding, watching shows, and picture taking. And well, that’s exactly what we did.
Back in January, as I turned the big 3-0, I decided to do something a little different for my birthday. Since my debut, I had always done two things: a family gathering, and a themed party for friends. I had been throwing themed parties for 12 years, and I knew that it was time for a change. That and the fact that I practically do these parties for a living made me decide to skip the party this year, stick to the traditional family gathering, and go on a trip with my two best girls instead.
And if you know me well – or hey, if you know me even just a little, you know I’d choose to celebrate in the Happiest Place on Earth.
And let me tell you, that was the Best. Decision. Ever.
Here’s my beef with the new Disney movies coming out today – or at least with the people who say that “for once Disney is doing things right”. Sure Frozen was fun, Maleficent was… well Angelina Jolie did a good evil laugh, and Moana was powerful. But what’s the deal calling the old Princesses weak and pathetic? What’s weak about femininity, gentleness, and kindness?
Lavender’s blue, dilly dilly,
Lavender’s green
Obviously we get the “You can’t marry someone you met in a day” joke, but that’s why it’s called a fairytale. I don’t agree with this new lesson people want to teach their kids now, that the only way to be a strong person is to not need a man and to be outspoken and different. While those are all wonderful qualities and traits to have, and while I agree with all of them, there is also strength in choosing your battles, trying to see the very best in people, and quietly keeping your head high when times get tough. Disney of old still has some wonderful and beautiful things to say. Why can’t we listen to them too?
Belle is my favorite Princess for very obvious reasons. I relate with the fact that:
“A Beauty but a Funny Girl”
Since I’m heading to Hong Kong Disneyland in about 10 days time, I figured I’d show you what I take with me inside the Disney Parks. This doesn’t really change regardless of which park I go to, as I pretty much have my Disney routine down pat.
On my last post, someone asked me what kind of bag is the most practical choice for Disneyland. For me, it’s a crossbody. I don’t really like taking backpacks because you need to swing it in front of you every time you need to get something, and I sweat more when I have something stuck to my back all day. With a crossbody, you can choose to make it hands free, when you’re tired you can switch shoulders, or carry it on the crook of your arm or in your hands. Now depending on what I’m going to do for that particular day, I bring different sized bags.
For a ride day, where my only goal for the day is to finish all the attractions on my list, I bring a bag like this:
Loungefly
I love this. It’s a pretty decent sized barrel bag, and it’s enough to carry all my essentials without getting a locker. It’s quite sturdy as well so I know that it can survive a good long day inside the parks. Plus it’s Mickey Mouse. Need I say more?
Going to Disneyland is a major production. Everyone knows this. You plan it for months, spend a lot of money, and sometimes you get there and you realize that you’re flying blind. You end up wasting time on long lines for rides, character meet and greets, and on food, when you should be skipping along to your favorite Disney tunes and having the BEST. DAY. EVER.
So on my recent trip to Disneyland, I decided I’d come up with a list of things you should know before going on your magical adventure. As someone who isn’t a local (I live in the Philippines), but who goes to Disneyland as often as she can, I do have a few things up my sleeve I’d like to share.
*Just note, that this is for Disneyland, not Disneyworld. As my last trip to Orlando was in 2014, I’m not confident that my tips will be up to date. Continue reading
Katsie Llave 