My #DisneyMP Playlist.

Well we have made it my fellow Disney Moms Panel hopefuls. Next week we see the last full week of September. Which means round 2 is right around the corner. Yes that is right, we have reached the home stretch of waiting for round 1 to be done. I know it for many it has been the longest month of waiting.

As many may know I happen to love music, it is what drives me. I started a #DisneyMP theme song of the day last year as we waited. A tradition I continued in to this year. And since we have time, and you need a good distraction I thought I would share and provide you all with a couple of suggestions to pass the time.

My #DisneyMP waiting room playlist: 

If you believe-Mariah Carey/Whitney Houston

Hey Mickey-Toni Basil

Dream Big-South65

When You Wish upon a Star-any version but my favorite version is by Bryan White.

Fireflies-Faith Hill.

Don’t Stop Believin’-Journey

I Hope I Get It-A Chorus Line

Wishin and Hoping.-Dust Springfield 

Hanging On By a Moment-Lifehouse

You’ve got a Friend in Me.-Toy Story.

One Day More-Les Miz

Hold On-Wilson Philips

Have a little Faith in Me.

I can go the Distance-Hercules.

I Won’t Give Up-Jason Mraz.

Defying Gravity-Wicked

So Much Better-Legally Blonde

Seize the Day-Newsies

American Authors-Believer

Try Again-Aaliyah

Of course there are several other songs that come to mind, the possibilities are endless, and the list grows daily.  What matters is to find songs that speak to you, to give you faith and hope to carry you through while you wait.

A New Adventure; Contributor.

Image is not my own.

I have an announcement.

An exciting one at that. I have been holding off on sharing until I got the official notice. 

As many have known, I have been blogging for years. As a writer I enjoy it, maybe it doesn't pay me anything but that is not the reason I do so. I do it because I enjoy sharing my stories, my experiences with anyone who is willing to listen. Whether it is Disney related, hockey related or simply family related. 

I have never expected it to get me further in to anything other than my own happiness. 

That being said, a couple of weeks ago after blogging about the Disney Parks Moms Panel, I was contacted and asked if I would be interested in contributing to The Disney Driven Life.  Believe me I am so honored to have been asked, and of course I said absolutely I would.

For the moment, it will be at a once a month, but I hope to expand and grow on that once back to school routines get in order. I will admit to being a tad bit nervous on the same level. It is the same sort of excited nervous one often gets when starting a new adventure really.

I am excited for this opportunity to spread my love and my passion for all things Disney with so many others. It is in fact one of my favorite thing to do in all honesty. Just as much as I am excited to show off even more of my #Disneyside. While I realize my own blog does it and I will continue to share my experiences on my own, I love the fact that I can reach out to a broader audience as well.

I will make sure to do my best in keeping up to date when a post on The Disney Driven Life is published and invite you all to join my new adventure. My first piece will go live tomorrow, at which point I will actually be a contributor to the blog and I welcome anyone to follow along. 

And no need to worry, I will still be sharing stories, experiences and rambles on my own blog as well. 

So here is to new experiences, new posts and a lot of memories to share on both ends of the blogosphere.

So you applied to the Disney Parks Moms Panel, now what?

Image is not my own, I do not take credit for it.

So you submitted the application. With a hit of a button you moved from dreamer to moms panel hopeful.

You should congratulate yourself! But now what?

Yes what to do for the next five weeks (or somewhere around there) while you wait on your fate of round 2. I will not hide the truth, it is going to be a long five weeks. It will be on your mind a lot. You will go back-whether you have written your responses down and saved them or whether you have them memorized in your mind.-and think about your answers. Did you do them right? Should I have answered differently.

Believe me you could go around and around for hours and still not find the answer to it.

But what to do for the next several weeks. I am no expert but I am here to give you my thoughts.

1. Congratulate yourself: Whether this was your first time applying or your eighth, applying for something you believe in is a huge accomplishment. Its a step in the process. And you have now become a hopeful. You did. It. Breathe....

2. Enjoy it: It is like I have mentioned a long process, but yet it has so many rewards than just getting on the panel. Yes, becoming a panelist is all of our number one goals. This being said,  the process and the people involved in it, can be just as incredible.  You will meet so many friends along the way. They will help you in your success and they will share in your defeat along the way, and you will do the same. On the same sort of lines, enjoy the antics and the clues from Gary Buchanan (@Gary_Jerry) on Twitter. It is a great way to stay informed on the Disney News, but a great way to stay up to date on the process. Trust me, you have now entered a wonderful community. Welcome. Stay awhile.

3. Join us in the waiting room: There are plenty of us around social media these days, on twitter, on Facebook. Just as the suggestions above, we are all here for each other. Many already have joined this, but if you haven't, feel free to say hi,  ask questions and become friends with us.

4. Try not to think about it:  It is hard, yes it is. I will admit, the #DisneyMP process is on my brain during this time of year. But after you submit your application it is out of your hand. Trust the process, trust your self and realize that if it is meant to be, it will be. Life continues, football games, back to school nights, date nights. Bake cookies-especially if they are shaped in Mickey, Minnie and pixie dust! Yes, do all of these while you are waiting.

5. Read: Whether it is blogs, the latest thriller, or a Disney themed book. Or a Disney inspired blog-ahem,  Disney Parks Blog for instance. Go ahead you have plenty of time, could be good practice. Just saying.

6. Show off your #Disneyside: Absolutely. Show it loud and proud. Play a movie, dress like your favorite character. Give your nails a Disney style makeover. Whatever makes you feel that extra special magic that we all love and can't wait to share with everyone. Just show it, be proud of it.

7. And if nothing else DANCE because, well if nothing more, its fun to do.

There you have it, and for the next five weeks, we are all hopefuls.

Nailed it.

How do I prepare for vacation? Especially one to Disney World? Well lately along with the twelve bottles of sunscreen and the five sets of sunglasses I throw in my suitcase I have been preparing in a whole new way. I figure out how to paint my nails. I get it sounds sort of ridiculous because it should be easy and all. But come on, a simple manicure was so 2009. 

Yes, I have fallen for the Show your Disneyside it seems in the form of nail art. 

In true confession I do not know when the whole thing started really. It’s not like I woke up one morning and decided you know I think I will paint Mickey on my toes. Rather I believe it was out of boredom and the fact I needed something to do, and my toes needed a paint job. After all it was getting to be that time of year.

And  I just happened to have some bright red nail polish staring me in the face like hello please use me. So I did. This brings me to this week. As I find myself 11 days out-or 9 if you want to be technical-until I head back down. So while I have a million things to do before vacation, including work and packing and worrying about making sure laundry is done, bills to pay and mail to stop, all things I know I should be doing what am I actually finding myself doing?

Searching nail art options. Because clearly I have oh so much time on my hands.

Deciding what to do of course is not as easy as one would think, because obviously I am no professional. And b, considering I can’t use my right hand I need help. Thankfully I have some willing victims’ volunteers. Right, that is exactly what they are. And while I am not against doing the same design as I did in June I did in fact do a Mickey and Pluto the last time, so it is off to figure out what to get my hands on this time.

I am thinking the Castle would be perfect. But then look, there is the mad tea party design. Clearly this is the most important thing to figure out here, forget packing.

Well maybe I will just hold out I mean I have time right?

Seven Dwarfs Mine Train...I

I take no credit in the photo.

There has been a lot of buzz this week going around regarding the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train in Fantasyland. it has been long awaited and anticipated by many, including in my very own household.

And earlier this week, video was posted from a recent ride on giving many their first 'on-board' test. I admit I get excited, I am counting down till the annual summer vacation anticipating the very ride. But what I did not do was this. I did not and have not watched the video.

You may ask yourself why. After all, I am a huge Disney World nut. I live for news, and videos and anything with the word Disney in it. So why not check it out and see what its all about. But here is my reasoning.

You see I like the element of surprise on the first trip. I love not knowing exactly where every turn is going to be at, or what Dopey's face is going to look like. Or this and that. I sort of enjoy the thrill of finding this all out in person. What is the fun of knowing things ahead of time? Yes I get in today's time where we live on social media spoiler alerts, the need to see things right away has its appeal. And is so so tempting. But doesn't that take at least a little fun out of it? Wouldn't you rather be surprised and in awe over it than not?

Besides, isn't that truly what life is all about.

May the waiting force be with us. Keeping a secret may be harder than it appears.

This image is not my own, I do not take credit for it.

Usually by this point in our Disney vacation prep we are busy counting down the days, marking each sleep off on the calendar the moment we wake up.

By this point we are busy trying to figure out what rides we will go, have numerous amounts of discussions about whether we will hit up Star Tours or Buzz first. Little man will be busy planning out who he will ride with – inevitably it will be me, he decides.

But not this trip. He has no idea he is even going.

18 days from now.

So rather my husband and I busy ourselves trying not to think about things, steering him away from thoughts of Disney by counting down our August vacation – which surely feels like eons away to him now. All the while we are busy planning things to make the trip extra special.

Fastpass+ selections have already been picked and our meals have already been booked. No doubt about it the kid for the five days will be spending his time riding and eating at some of his favorite places around the world. And yes, Star Tours is booked, as is Buzz….

We received the Magic Bands a little over a week ago. Pretty sure we looked like complete lunatics opening up the package and examining the colorful bands that are our key to the kingdom so to speak. But this being a complete surprise to little man, trying to sneak in a box with Ms. Incredible on it is not exactly easy when he has super “Disney vision” powers in which he can spot anything Disney related in the house. It currently sits on top of the refrigerator far from sight – at least for the moment. I am looking forward to testing them out for the first time; I hope to have a review when we return in February.

I was able to order him the Star Wars Both Sides of the Force package from Disney Florist. We have used them before, but never for Logan. Considering you only turn 5 once, well a magical vacation he shall have. Though honestly I do not know who will find this cooler, Logan or Daddy. The force will definitely be with the two that is for sure.

18 days.

I am trying to figure out how I will keep this a secret from him. Even as I write I am sure he is going on about how much he misses Disney, how he wonders if Mickey has forgotten about him. Yes, he has asked and is majorly concerned that Mickey will not remember him due to the fact it has been absolutely way too long… I bite thy tongue when it is mentioned. I hide my countdown app, and thank the lord he has yet to master the fine art of reading most of the big words like vacation that is scribbled on our calendar. I smile as he talks about what he is going to ride next time, knowing full well that next time is just about two weeks away.

Now if only I could figure out how to tell him he is going once departure day does get here.

Wordless Wednesday: Place I would much rather be.

Should this surprise you??