Image from www.spoonful.com

Summer is officially here. I always think summer starts June 1st, but the calendar puts it on today so who am I to argue. My thoughts have turned to vacations, Independence Day, and lazy fun. Soon I’ll be thinking of Christmas gifts (yes, I start early) but for now I want to do sunny crafts. Of course, the first place I look for ideas is at spoonful.com.

I really like these summer printables because they are very useful. From a three-month Phineas and Ferb calendar to help you plan your summer, to a summer wish list, these crafts will help you have the most fun summer ever. There are toys to make, pages to color, and lots of decorations that will remind you of the beach. These crafts are the perfect cure to the “I’m bored” complaint. No one should ever be bored during summer. School will be here way too soon. Happiness squared.

Goofy Craft: Monsters University is coming to theaters soon and Disney is celebrating a Monstrous Summer at the parks. You can also have a monstrous summer with lots of Mike and Sully crafts from spoonful.com. Any day is a good day to scare up some fun.

Monsters are coming to the Disney parks.

On Leap Day 2012 Disneyland and the Magic Kingdom were open for 24 hours. Everyone wondered if this wild and crazy event would ever happen again. Would we have to wait another four years? I am happy to say that the wait is over. With Monster University, the new Pixar movie starring the heroes from Monster’s Inc., coming out this summer Disney is celebrating with a Monstrous Summer event. To start this promotion with a bang three of the parks will be open 24 hours once again.

Disneyland, Disney California Adventure, and the Magic Kingdom will all be open from 6 a.m. on May 24 to 6 a.m. on May 25. For complete information click here. This event was wildly popular when it happened in February. I expect it to be even more popular since this the start of Memorial Day weekend. Below are some ideas on how to have a good time and not go crazy or lose your cool among the crowds.

5 ways to enjoy 24 hours in the parks.

1) Arrive early. One of the biggest problems is going to be parking. Avoid that headache by arriving very early, or staying at a resort the night before. You won’t be in a good mood if you have to fight to find a parking space.

2) Pace yourself. You have 24 hours to enjoy everything. There will be lines and lots of crowds. Don’t feel that you need to see everything in the first few hours. Use Fastpass. Eat often and remember that you will be walking for miles. It should be a stroll, not a race.

3) Take a break. Since the parks will be open for 24 hours the special times will be early in the morning and late at night. That is when you will be experiencing the park at a time you never have before. There is nothing special about 2 p.m. If you are staying at a Disney resort than take a break in the afternoon and come back once it is dark. You’ll have more fun if you are rested.

4) Plan something special. You have so much more time to see everything that this is the perfect day to do something special. Make reservations for a fancy restaurant. Get in place early for the shows. Stand in line for that special character meet and greet. Many one-of-a-kind events will be happening to celebrate Monsters University. Take the time to wait and you will enjoy unique memories.

5) Ride outdoor attractions at night. Big Thunder Mountain is always fun but it is a very different ride at night. You can ride dark rides like Pirates of the Caribbean any time but make sure to ride the outdoor attractions when they may be at their best. It is a way to make one more great memory.

24 hours at a Disney park can be a dream come true or your worst nightmare. One way to keep it from being a nightmare is to keep your group fed. People quickly turn from happy to grumpy when they are hungry and by the time you realize the problem it may be too late. So enjoy a Dole Whip or a churro and keep everyone smiling. Happiness squared.

Goofy Tip: How do you decide which attraction to go on next? Why not make it a game? With a Magic Kingdom Bingo Card you can try to fill in rows or columns. Why not make up teams and see who can fill the card first? This card is so versatile that you can use it any way you want as long as you have fun.

Limited Time Magic Update – Disneyland:  Celebrate Mardi Gras with the New Orleans Bayou Bash! Every weekend between now and Feb. 12 you can party with Princess Tiana, Prince Naveen, and the other fun characters from the Princess and the Frog. Along with delicious regional food you can enjoy some toe-tapping music from a variety of live jazz bands. Click here for more details.

The topic for today’s post came from my brother. He is a huge football fan and discovered this amazing bit of Disney marketing while watching a college football game. During the commercials different colleges advertise their campus hoping the fans will want to come attend their college. Along with Ohio State and USC there was an ad for Monsters University. It looked and sounded like all the other college ads, and for a moment my brother was intrigued. What was this Monsters University? Did they have a football team? It took a moment for him to realize they were advertising a movie, not a college. It was so true to form that he thought for a second this was some new college option.

Monsters University is a new Disney Pixar movie coming out Jun 21, 2013. It is a prequil to the popular Monsters, Inc. If you enjoyed watching Mike and Scully scaring all the childen then why not see where they learned it all. You can explore Monsters University before the movie arrives. Visit monstersuniversity.com and immerse yourself in the campus life.

This is an amazing website. It looks like every college website I have ever seen. It is difficult to tell that it is designed to promote a movie. Be sure to click on the store. I love the four sleeved hoodie.  If the movie is as detailed as their website it is sure to be a hit. Happiness squared.

Goofy Tip: If the website leaves you wanting more you can spend time with Mike and Sully at Monsters, Inc. Mike & Sully to the Rescue! at Disney California Adventure and the Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor at the Magic Kingdom.