Image from Disney Food Blog

Star Wars Weekends have come to Disney’s Hollywood Studios. If you are a mega Star Wars fan you won’t want to miss these fun events where you can meet various film and voice stars from the movies and cartoons. There is special merchandise and special food. However, beware the Darth Vader cupcakes.

Remember when your parents told you not to play with your food. Well, if you have ignored that advice then you can work for Disney. In honor of Star Wars Weekends they have created a short featuring the Darth Vader cupcake. There is a reason that they call it Devil’s Food cake. Check out the making-of video and then enjoy the short. It will make you think twice before buying a cupcake. I might try the Olaf cupcake instead. Happiness squared.

Goofy Tip: If you do not love Star Wars then check out the schedule and plan to avoid Disney’s Hollywood Studios on those weekends. You can enjoy the parks on those days but why bother with the crowds when you could be at the Magic Kingdom. On the other hand, if you like Star Wars but don’t plan on joining in the fun this could be a good time to visit Disney’s Hollywood Studios just to people watch and soak up the Force. Your choice.

Image from Disney Parks Blog

I love projects that are easy, inexpensive, and useful. Add memory-making and I think it is the perfect craft idea. These magnets from the Disney Parks Blog are all these things. Disney suggests using the park map for your pictures. This is an awesome idea. I would bring home two maps so you can cut one up and save one for planning your next trip. However, any paper souvenir or photo will work. These are easy to make and would make great gifts. Plus, magnets are super-useful and you don’t have to dust them.  All in all this might be the perfect Disney craft. Happiness squared.

Goofy Craft: These magnets have endless possibilities. Kids can make them at a Disney themed birthday party. You could make them and give them to each person in your group with a save-the-date note they can put on their refrigerator. You could include them with a large photo from your trip as a way to remember your Disney vacation. You could theme them to match a person’s favorite character or ride and give them as a birthday present. What would you do with these fun magnets?

Now, my hearing is okay, but things like Bose Wave radios and other high end music systems are wasted on me. I guess that is why I never thought to work in the audio world. But there are people whose job it is to make the music come to life in the parks, not just the overall park music, but at the parades and other live shows that happen every day. Disney Parks Blog has a fun interview with one of these stage technicians. I was amazed at how much fine tuning they do for each event. It looked like a fun job.

As you walk through the parks it is easy to admire the buildings and landscaping that makes each land special. Next time you are there take some time to listen to the music. It is chosen as carefully as the color of the paint on a door. Happiness squared.

Goofy Tip: If you want to entertain your ears, your eyes, and your whole body then check out the best show in all of Walt Disney World. Of course I am talking about Ye Haa Bob! at the River Roost Lounge at the Port Orleans Resort – Riverside. It is a spectacular treat to listen to and I can’t wait to hear him again.

Every once in a while the Disney Parks Blog makes a video called Every Role A Starring Role. In their most recent one they interviewed a Disneyland balloon seller. Disney balloons have changed a lot from when I was a kid, but there is still something magical about seeing a bunch of balloons being sold on Main Street. There are lots of jobs I’d love to have at Disneyland but this one may be my favorite. No one ever frowns when buying a balloon and it is a great memory maker.

I don’t buy balloons anymore because I fly to the parks but I think the next time I go I’ll buy a balloon to give to someone who can take it home. Balloons just make me happy. I hope this video brightens your day. Happiness squared.

Goofy Tip: I like the traditional Mickey balloons but if you want your balloon to last a long time then buy a Mylar one. When the balloon has lost its helium you can poke it at its base with a pin and deflate it. It will then fit in a photo album or it can be turned into a wall hanging or place mat.

Image from www.spoonful.com

Happy Valentine’s Day!!! As you know if you have read this blog for a while I think homemade gifts are the best.  So why not make something delicious for dessert tonight that tells your family how much you love them. There are 14 tasty ideas at spoonful.com from simple heart-shaped cakes to intricately decorated cupcakes. No matter your cooking skills you’ll give a gift that will be remembered long after the last crumb is devoured.

Goofy Tip: Would you like to give a friend a cool Valentine’s Day message on their Facebook page? Check out this post on the Disney Parks Blog to see how to create a fun and free image.

Image from Disney Parks Blog

Christmas is less than a week away but that doesn’t mean you can’t add more decorations. This one is fun, free, and festive. Plus it involves the Disney gang which means it also brings lots of smiles. So why not add some Christmas cheer to your computer with this wallpaper from Disney Parks Blog. I don’t know about you, but I change my desktop wallpaper with the season and whenever I feel like it. If I smile when I turn my computer on then I know that my wallpaper is a winner and this one hits the spot. Happiness squared.

Goofy Tip: Are you still looking for gifts for people? Some people are easy to buy for but others seem to have everything and say they want nothing. I suggest giving people food. These fudge recipes from spoonful.com are quick to prepare and make great gifts. I like to give festive tins of fudge to families, but even one or two pieces wrapped nicely make a much appreciated gift.

There are two ways to use this calendar. One is to look for the days you will be visiting and see what is going on. The other is to choose what you want to see and then plan to visit on those dates. I often have no choice in when I visit due to race dates or other people’s schedules and it is helpful to see what may be happening when I will be there. But someday I will go to one of the special Halloween or Christmas events and then this calendar will be helpful in knowing what dates I need to be there.

So add this link to your favorites list so you’ll be informed before your next trip to the Disney Parks. As I always say, knowing is half the battle. Happiness squared.

Goofy Tip: Above I mentioned that I saw the calendar on Facebook. This is a great resource for useful Disney trip information and fun Disney memes. If you type Disney into the search bar you’ll find tons of pages to choose from. Two of my favorite pages are from the Disney Parks Blog and Disneyland Today.

Judy enjoys a great meal before the fireworks

It is safe to say that the Disney parks have the best fireworks shows in the world. They are the most state-of-the-art, the most creative, and the most emotional shows I’ve ever seen. I never miss the fireworks shows at the Magic Kingdom. For me they top off an already incredible day.

It never occurred to me that planning the fireworks shows would be a full time job involving multiple people. That sounds like a great job. How rewarding would it be to create something that millions of people enjoy every year? Who does these jobs? Disney Parks Blog interviewed one of these people and he gave us a glimpse into how he brings the best fireworks shows to the park. Click here to see the page with the video. It is not long but it gave me new appreciation for the shows. The next time I see a Disney nighttime spectacular I will think of all the people who brought the show to life. Happiness squared.

Goofy Tip: Would you like to see the Magic Kingdom fireworks show from high above the park and enjoy an amazing meal in the same evening? Than make reservations for the newly re-opened California Grill at the top of the Contemporary Resort. Tell them that you would like to see the fireworks so that your reservation is for the right time. When the show starts you can watch it from a balcony at the top of the hotel. It is an amazing view. The music from the show is piped in so you get the whole experience. The fireworks were breathtaking and the meal was one of the best I have ever had in my entire life. Though it was extremely expensive it was worth every penny. It was a night I will never forget.

Image from Disney Parks Blog

Happy Father’s Day to every guy who is important to a child. I found a wonderful example of a good dad on the Disney Parks Blog. It has to do with my favorite primate, the siamang.

You can see siamangs at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. They live in the enclosure that looks like a ruined tower with lots of ropes just as you enter Asia. I could stand there all day and watch them swing around. They also make an incredibly loud noise that I like to imitate. (Usually people beg me not to.)

Check out this post to learn about Kenny, a male siamang, who cares for his two twin daughters, Violet and Veruca. The picture is very charming. You can also learn some fun facts about siamangs.

So to all the dads out there of any species, I say thanks for all you do for your kids. Happiness squared.

Disney Craft: Do you need a last-minute Father’s Day card? Do not go running out to Hallmark. Instead make one of these awesome cards that are sure to make Dad smile.

Pete’s Dragon. The Reluctant Dragon. The dragon in Fantasmic!. The dragons that were to habitat Disney’s Animal Kingdom. There is no doubt that dragons and Disney go together. But I was still surprised when Gary Buchanan, one of the bloggers at the Disney Parks Blog, wrote about a dragon that had nothing to do with Disney.

Now, I consider myself a bit of a skeptic. If you show me a picture, or film, of a ghost, UFO, or Bigfoot and I am going to assume it is fake. Disney magic? Fine. Real E.T.’s? I don’t think so. So when I clicked on this video I figured I’d be dismissing it immediately. But instead my heart soared. It looks like a flying dragon.

Now, before I lose my skeptics club card I want to say that it probably isn’t a dragon. I mean, really. The film is horrible and it’s very fuzzy (can anyone say Bigfoot photo). However, it looks just like what I would expect a fuzzy video of a dragon would look like.

So, I leave it up to you. This is a fun video by a crazy Disney guy. (That is a complement. Gary Buchanan gets filmed doing all sorts of bizarre things at Walt Disney World. I love his videos.) And who knows? Maybe dragons are real and we are finally seeing one. Either way, I’m going to watch this video again. I want to be wrong. Happiness Squared.

Goofy Trivia: Have you ever heard of Beastly Kingdom? Do you know where it was going to be built? If you need a hint look at the different park signs at Walt Disney World. One of them has a dragon on it. Can you guess? I’ll give you a moment. That’s right –  Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Originally the park was going to celebrate all animals, both real and imaginary. But Beastly Kingdom was never built and now we have to go to Disney’s Hollywood Studios to see a dragon at Fantasmic!