Category: DisneySMMC

Planning for Disneyland.. again.

Post author By The Diaper Bag Confessions
Post date March 20, 2015
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We typically do Disneyland every 18 months, give or take. So far, it has been a fun gap between trips. Our children have a vastly different experience each time we go. They are a little older, a little braver.. a little taller. (this is important hahaha) Our most recent trip was last August/early September. On that trip, our kids were 8, 5, 3 and 4 months. Several people asked how we managed it with a small baby. (It wasn’t hard.. Rider Switch Passes are wonderful things!!) Often commenting things like “I had no idea there was much a baby could do there..”

That trip was so much fun! Each child managed to have a different experience from one another.. but all enjoyed it beyond what I had imagined. So much so, we are planning another trip.. much sooner than our typical 18 month gap. With the upcoming Disneyland 60th anniversary coming up and our recent #Disneyside parties we’ve hosted.. we have the Disney vacation bug and I’m excited to see how different it is going with less of a gap between trips.

It will have been about 9 months between trips when we go.. and I already know that it will be a bit different.. we will have a toddler instead of an infant, a preschooler instead of a toddler, and two very different children, who have both gained about an inch or more in that 9 month time frame. (Our 6 year old is hoping that this means he will be tall enough for the majority of the rides now. He was barely skating under the 42″ mark last time we went, and depending on his shoe choice.. sometimes couldn’t ride some that he really wanted to.)

Our biggest debate this time around is how to handle our 3 year old’s compromised ability. I hesitate to call it a disability.. but it is a struggle. Disneyland, which he thoroughly enjoys it, send his Sensory Processing Disorder into a mad spiral. The noise. The colors. The crowds. The characters. Add to that his muscle fatigue… and it can be a lot to handle for a little guy. His first time going, he was non-mobile so it wasn’t much of an issue. He was carried around anyway. This last visit, however, he was mobile and we had to think about how to handle his SPD (Sensory Processing Disorder) and his muscle fatigue. When we arrived, we spoke to the wonderful people at Disneyland’s City Hall and they suggested a “stroller as a wheel chair” pass for him.For the most part, it worked wonderfully. Occasionally the cast members either wouldn’t notice the pass or wouldn’t think to look and jump quickly to the “Strollers aren’t allowed here” remark before we could point it out. But when it worked, he was much happier. His stroller is his “happy bubble” – it keeps his legs rested and he can pull the sunshade down when he is feeling overstimulated. We did go in a large group, though, and there is a maximum number of people that can enter a ride with the “Stroller as a wheelchair” pass — so often part of our group would have to wait in a LONG line while the other part of our group got on rather quickly with the pass. It got to be somewhat chaotic. So, we are trying to decide if it’s worth using for him once again. As avid baby/toddler wearers, we are contemplating just carrying him around in our Lillebaby when he needs it.. which might just work out a little better. Then our group can stay together and he can rest his legs in that secure environment he needs.

We really want to strive to do the park in a way we haven’t yet. We have yet to do a character meal. (Which one do we choose?) We haven’t done much pin trading or hidden mickey spotting. (We tended to just run from ride to ride..) The candy shop, bakery and most of the stores got brushed over. (Again.. the rides!) All of this considered.. our goal is to do Disney differently this go round. That’s part of the fun of Disney, there are so many things to do and see, you can go hundreds of times and have a different experience each and every visit.

So now my question for you lovely people, in your opinion what should we strive to do? What is the most memorable part of Disneyland for you? Do you have any Disney traditions for your trips? Show me your #Disneyside and help us plan our next trip!!

Tags Disneyland, Travel with Kids, Vacation

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A Piston Cup worthy Disney “Cars” party

Post author By The Diaper Bag Confessions
Post date March 17, 2015
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I was honored, once again, to have been selected to host a #disneyside @Home party. This time around, we were chosen to host a “Cars” themed party, much to my children’s delight. What more does a house full of boys love than cars?

I decided to take the party a little healthier this time. Typically when we think about kid parties, they are usually full of candy and cupcakes and kids leave on an epic sugar high. While I did have a sweet treat (chocolate dipped Marshmallows!) the rest of the food was aimed towards balance. Thanks to Stonyfield Farm, the most popular snack was YoKids Organic Yogurt Squeezers. We also had berry muffins instead of cupcakes. Organic Fruit Leather instead of fruit snacks. And a simple chicken salad with pita chips — and by simple, I truly mean simple. Nothing more than rotisserie chicken, apples, grapes, and organic plain yogurt! While the kids enjoyed it, the adults really liked it.

Besides the food, the kids had a blast playing games. In our #disneyside box, we were sent a “Pin the smile on Mickey” game. It was so much fun for the kids. It was definitely most fun for the slightly older kids, but all of the children enjoyed the game very much. Also – what is better entertainment for parents than blindfolded children wandering around the room attempting to stick a smile on random pieces of furniture (or sometimes other children..)?

Another popular game that we were sent was #disneyside Bingo. Even the young kids were really good at finding the matches that were called. They also enjoyed eating the popcorn that they used to mark their spaces once the game was done.

I got creative for one last game. What else does one do with a room full of young kids? Help them burn energy while playing an easy to understand game! So, going with the “Cars” theme, we played “Lightening Says.” This also proved quite entertaining.”Lightning says… jump up and down!”

Pit Stop! It wouldn’t be a social media party if it didn’t include a place to take themed selfies. Starting kids off young, wouldn’t you know? Haha. We had two wall posters where they could pose with the “Cars” stars and hold the #disneyside chalk board. They enjoyed it more than I thought they would. The Radiator Springs characters were the favorite, for sure. The other poster had all of the “Cars 2” characters in it and it was not quite as popular as Lightning and Mater. Even the baby had to show his #disneyside!

Outside of organized games, the kids had fun playing with the Disney Cars we had out and the simple road way I created with Washi Tape on our kids’ table. Amazing how fun something so simple can be! (Naturally, they had to use it for Baymax to save the world, with a little help from The Hulk.) This was incredibly popular with the younger, preschool aged crowd. A place to play alongside one another.. and without all of the grown ups bothering them with instructions.

We ended our fun with some amazing parting gifts. Of course, a lot of #disneyside fun was included thanks to Disney and the #disneyside sponsors. We are all excited to start planning our next Disney Parks Vacation. My kids even filled out their luggage tags. The bags were made even better thanks to my friends at Mattel for helping brings some car fun along and Stonyfield for providing even more yogurt!

Note: This party was sponsored by Disney and the wonderful people at MomSelect, They kindly sent a party kit for this #disneyside @Home party. I was also provided product by Mattel and Stonyfield Farm. All opinions expressed are my own and I was not otherwise compensated for this post.

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The Power of Moms.. On the Road – Part 2

Post author By The Diaper Bag Confessions
Post date June 29, 2013
1 Comment on The Power of Moms.. On the Road – Part 2

Now that I’ve hit you all with the emotionally driven Part 1 of my Disney Social Media Moms: On-the-Road adventure.. I’m going to attempt to fill you up with some useful information. You may be wondering why Disney does these events? Why is the blogging community so important to them? Why moms?

We were warmly welcomed by Maria Bailey taking the stage. If you’ve never heard of Maria, you should look her up. She’s an author, a radio host, an entrepreneur and most of all — a mom. You may even venture to say that she is the expert on marketing to moms. Her credentials are mighty.. but her passion is mightier. She started out the event by giving us a few very interesting statistics about moms. Eye opening statements regarding why moms are such a critical market for companies. Obviously, running a blog about baby and children’s products, this intrigued me. How many of you, my readers, knew that moms — you — contribute 1.7 trillion dollars to the general economy? More than Spain, Portugal and Australia combined! Next time you see an ad targeted at you, I want you to remember that! Those companies know this statistic. They know that you are the market to hit. More than just marketing, though.. Were you aware that there are more than 5.5 million mom owned businesses today? So we aren’t just spending money, we are making money.

You, or should I say we, are having an impact larger than just on the economy, though. “When you follow your passion, your kids pick up on those behaviors..” Maria stated. This led into why Disney invests so much in this conference.. in moms and mom owned business. “They (your children) learn from you. That is the magic.. and Disney is here to support that.” We are setting a precedence for our children. Our passion? They see it. Our determination? They observe it. Our dedication? They learn it. This also means that our doubts? Frustrations? Priorities. They are witnessing.. absorbing.. all of that, too.

While we let all of this information sink in, Michele Himmelberg, Public Relations Director for Disneyland Resorts, took the stage. She wowed us with a fabulous look at all the new happenings at the Disney parks. From the newest expansion at Magic Kingdom, Fantasy Land, (which happens to be the largest expansion in Disney history) and the Art of Animation Resort to Disneyland’s recent Fantasy Faire and the one year anniversary of Car’s Land. Along with the new Fantasy Faire comes the Royal Theater with two new shows, Beauty and the Beast and Tangled. I guarantee, about 10 seconds into this video presentation, that entire room of women.. moms.. were plotting out their next Disney Park vacation. Disney wants to know what we want. They want to empower us. They want to support us. Let us realize our potential. It was made clear in those moments, that while yes, Disney has an amazing marketing department.. they honestly saw us as more than just 1.7 trillion dollars. That is why they put together these invitation-only conferences.

Michele was followed up by Mindee’s presentation that I spoke about in Part 1.. and then Maria took the stage again. She said one thing that really jumped out at me (and no, it wasn’t just that my contact info should be easier to find..) Remember, I told you that our role as moms and business women.. it’s about more than our success, but the behaviors that we are instilling in our children. Right? Maria said “The next time your child is talking to you and they ask you a question.. see if you are looking at the whites of their eyes. If you do that, it will start to bring you around to being really present.” I always try to look at my children when they speak to me.. but the whites of their eyes.. that’s hard. Try it.. you’ll be amazed at what a difference it makes. You connect differently. Being present for your children – that is ultimately the most important part of being a mom.

After we were all blown away by Maria, Michele and Mindee (I just realized they all have M names.. Just like Mickey Mouse! Haha!) and desperate for a Disney Parks vacation, they introduced a panel of inspiring ladies. I told you, Disney wants to empower us as more than just a consumer market.. this panel was 3 lovely moms. More so than that, they were three recipients of the Huggies Mom Inspired Grant. The Huggies Mom Inspired Grant is a $15,000 grant awarded to mom inventors. (They happen to be taking applications now!!) Our panel consisted of Erin Kelly – Owner and creator of Hulabye Happy Changer, Alma Moussa – Owner and creator of Babee Covee 6-in-one blanket, and Romy Taormina- Owner and Creator of Psi Bands.

Maria asked them a series of very helpful questions.. it was quite inspiring to hear their stories. Moms who saw a need for something, took a leap and made something of it. They, like Mindee, spoke of both the highs and the lows and kept the journey of a mompreneur honest. The infamous work/life “balance”? Some are still working on it. While we learned a lot and had several “oh!” moments.. there was a quote from Romy that jumped out at me. I think it hit me because it applies to more than just business. As a blogger, as a mom, as a person.. We all experience rejection. Maria asked “How do you deal with rejection?” and Romy replied “Unyielding passion. It may be a no today, it may be a no today and tomorrow, but it may not be.”

At this point, we were all inspired. All of these amazing moms, just like us, who followed their passion and made an impact. Then Maria introduced the final presenter. Another “M” name.. (I’m beginning to think they planned this! Haha!) Michelle Stepney – The Public Relations Director for Global Content Development at Disney. She spoke to us about the media and how to conduct yourself around them. While you may think “Why do bloggers need to know how to deal with the media?” – it was extremely helpful. Several bloggers do media consultations, and honestly.. even those who don’t, you are still portraying yourself in the public eye. You don’t want to do or say something that will always be there to haunt you. Michelle showed us some hilarious “what not to do..” video clips that had the room laughing hysterically. My goal is to ultimately never be that person. Haha. She gave us a little glimpse into the media training they give the Disney cast members and provided such fabulous advice. She was such a pleasure to listen to!

I learned so much in this short 1/2 day event. It made me yearn for more. Most of us left going “Just one more day! Pleeease!” The knowledge and advice from those women was unbelievable. I walked away knowing that I may just be one mom, you may just be one mom, but like the wave at a sporting event.. it just takes ONE person to start something big.

Thank you, Disney. You have proven that you care. That you notice. Your drive for empowerment. Support. We appreciate you and look forward to many family vacations full of your magic. Thank you Maria Bailey and the M-Squad (That’s what I’m going to call you all.. yep!) Mindee, Michele and Michelle. You’ve inspired us all and we will never forget this gathering. Last, but not least, thank you to the Huggies Mom Inspired panelists. As a baby gear guru, I am extremely excited to have had the chance to experience your products. (Especially those Psi Bands.. can you say Tea Cup Ride??)

For my readers.. Thank you. It’s because of your support that I was given the opportunity to experience this event. I am now armed with an artillery of knowledge on how to be the best I can be in all my fields. Mom, Blogger, Consumer.

“Do what you do so well that they will want to see it again and bring their friends.” – Walt Disney

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Magic.. On the Road – Part 1

Post author By The Diaper Bag Confessions
Post date June 27, 2013
12 Comments on Magic.. On the Road – Part 1

If you read my previous post, you saw that I was stressing out over leaving my children and going to Disney Social Media Moms Celebration. You’ll be happy to know, I did it! I survived leaving my kids for the first time. Sure, the night before I left I cried a river full of ugly tears.. but we’ll keep that between us. What matters is that I came away from this not regretting a single thing. My children got to have two amazing days of fun with their daddy and I got to experience the most amazing opportunity with a room full of women I will never forget. The Disney Social Media Moms Celebration On-The-Road was more than I could have imagined.

If you’ve ever been to a Disney park, you know that Disney doesn’t fail at delivering magic. This event stayed true to that, not necessarily in a “Disney Magic” sort of way.. (though, they did provide that too!!) this magic was different. The energy alone resonated throughout the hotel lobby before the conference had even started. Picture the smile on your child’s face when you first spot the gates at Disneyland. That look was plastered on the faces of each and every woman waiting for those doors to open. Okay.. maybe it was more that look, accompanied by a little sleep deprivation and a deep need of coffee.

Registration opened. We each obtained our lanyard with name tag and our gift bag.. and immediately went to socializing. This is a social media event, after all. Even the shy and reserved moms were chatting up a storm with the women around them. Several of us had been communicating on a Facebook group for a few weeks prior to the event, so we set out to find one another. I already feel a connection to so many of these women. We entered the room, interacted more.. then we took our seats to experience the most amazing ride. It is Disney, after all.

The 6-ish hours I experienced at this event are going to take more than one post to share with you. Even then, I likely won’t even get to touch on everything. However, in this post I am going to focus on the keynote speaker, Mindee Doney. (You all may know her as “The genius creator of Boogie Wipes!”) While the entire event had a profound impact on me.. the time she was standing on that stage resonated with me the most.. and if you look at twitter (#DisneySMMoms) you will see I am not alone.

I struggle to put into words the impact she had on that room and I’m a blogger.. words should not be hard to come by! From the moment she was introduced, she had engaged the room. Her energy, her emotion. All of it came through so clearly. She began by talking to us about what most of us knew of her.. Boogie Wipes. What mom hasn’t heard of Boogie Wipes? My household even has several of those little “Boogs” stuffed booger creatures floating around. She explained how she came about creating the amazing product and led us on her journey. She took us through the highs.. and ultimately the low. More than the journey of business.. she spoke to us about motherhood. How the two areas of life played with one another. Or, perhaps how they battled one another? To say she was honest doesn’t even explain it. She didn’t sugar coat anything. She didn’t hide anything, either. I’m almost certain that the honesty and transparency is what hooked us all. Her message was loud and it was clear. Embrace, Empower and Accept. I can say those words over and over in my head and hear her declare them so passionately.

To embrace you and what you do
Accept your responsibilities
Rock your talents
Believe in the big picture

Empower yourself and empower others. HELP is not a 4-letter-word
Know when to say no
Nurture what resets you
Ask for help.. specifically and honestly
Believe in your village.. their way works too

To expect life will go on
Cherish the highs, be in the lows
Set regular goals according to your chapter
Choose a pace that balances needs versus wants

She ended her presentation with as much energy as she started with. Her message will continue to inspire us all. In fact, this post has taken me days to write because she showed me that I can walk away from work. Work can wait. “Know when you can walk away from it. Don’t go back to it. It will be okay.” The schedule I put in place today sets the expectations for the schedule I live tomorrow.. a year from now.. five years from now. “Start as you mean to go. If you don’t want to be working the way you’re working in 5 years.. you don’t need to be working that way right now. The way that you work. The attitude that you work with, should be the same.”

“There is no pause button, rewind or fast forward when it comes to the journey. Peace hangs out in our scrapbooks, itineraries and gratitude. When we choose daily to embrace life and empower potential, we can easily expect our journey to be happily ever after.”

At the end of her presentation, that room full of social media moms (all of which were glued to some sort of electronic device.. typing, tweeting, posting, facebooking, instagraming..) dropped the device in their hand and stood up with applause. Have you ever seen a room full of bloggers not have a device in their hands?? It was surreal. And deserved. I wish I could have recorded every moment of her presentation to relive it over again.

Please do me a favor. Go to Mindee’s blog “Get your OWN Juice Box“, “Like” her on Facebook and follow her on twitter to experience a little bit of what I had the opportunity to experience. I feel fortunate to have been included in this event and to have the ability to share so much of it with you. I can’t wait to share more!