Monthly Archives: August 2018

4 posts

The BEST time to Meet Characters in Toy Story Land

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Disney Family fun

If you are heading to Toy Story Land for the first time, I encourage you to check out my round-up of tips from bloggers, vloggers, and Moms.

Who can I Meet in Toy Story Land

Inside Toy Story Land you can meet:

  1. Buzz Lightyear
  2. Woody
  3. Jessie
  4. Green Army Men

We traveled to Toy Story Land in August of 2018, and here is where we found each of the characters.

Character: Buzz Lightyear

As you enter Toy Story Land you will be greeted by Woody with a large “Toy Story Land” sign. Directly after the welcome sign, the line forms to meet Buzz Lightyear. If you are coming to the land in the evening, he is in the same area just a little more into the land as there is better lighting for photos.

Our favorite Space Ranger, Buzz Lightyear is available for photos from park open to park close (weather permitting). We found that the best time to meet Buzz was right at the park opened. Many people rush to the rides and miss the opportunity for character interaction.

Characters: Woody and Jessie

Woody and Jessie can be found just a few steps beyond the new entrance to Midway Mania. The absolute best time to meet them is right as you enter into Toy Story Land. During the morning Extra Magic Hour, the line for Woody and Jessie was only about 15-20 minutes.

Watch our Meet and Greet with Woody and Jessie

Catch our latest Disney Vlog to see the amazing character interaction and hear my tips for meeting the characters with your toddlers.

Characters: Green Army Men (Green Army Brigade)

Walking around throughout Toy Story Land and interacting with guests you will find the Green Army Men. With the opening of Toy Story Land, they changed the name to Green Army Brigade in order to include women.  There are also opportunities for toys (guests) young and old to play games with them. As long as the Army Men aren’t participating in an activity, you can approach them for a photo and autograph. The Army Men were one of the most fun parts of the atmosphere of Toy Story Land, simply because it’s not a common occurrence for characters to walk around freely among the toys (guests). I loved it!

Best Autograph Books and Alternatives

For our visit to Toy Story Land, we opted to use a Canvas panel to collect signatures. This was so that we would be able to use the signatures as artwork in our children room. My blogger pal Keri, as a whole post of ideas on autograph books, if you are looking for more creative approaches to gathering signatures.

Shop for Autograph Supplies

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The Umbrella Sky Project, Coral Gables FL

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Family fun Mom Life

About the Umbrella Sky

Located in the heart of downtown Gables, Florida the Umbrella sky is certain to delight visitors of all ages. Created by the Sextafiera company in Portugal, the Umbrella Sky project began in 2012 and has been installed all over the world.  Coral Gables, Florida is one of only three cities in the United States to host this project.  (The exhibit was in Pensacola, FL in January of 2018).

According to the Facebook Page, the mission of this project is “Coloring Life and Making People Smile”. Mission Accomplished, this exhibit is adorable. You can’t help but see the connection with Mary Poppins in this exhibit, which brings such a fun Disney-inspired experience to South Florida.

One you won’t want to miss – and you better hurry. This exhibit leaves Coral Gables in September of 2018.

If you are interested in finding out about similar projects, check out their website. My favorite was the all pink umbrellas!

Where to Find The Umbrella Sky Project

Address

2349-2301 Salzedo St, Coral Gables, FL 33134

Parking

There is plenty of metered parking and garages throughout downtown Coral Gables. Just make sure to bring some change. We parked around the corner from the exhibit and parking was about 2.50 per hour.

How long did you stay? 

I went to the exhibit with my sister-in-law and a friend and we stayed about 1 hour inside the exhibit. We took our time taking tons of photos and really enjoying the atmosphere. You could definitely make this into a half-day or longer trip if you opted to eat in one of the many cafe’s under the umbrella sky.

My Philosophy on Encouraging Art Appreciation

As a mom of three young children with completely different personalities. I make every effort to expose my children to multiple experiences. I want my children to be well-rounded adults with an appreciation for the arts, nature and academics. Opportunities to get outside and experience beautiful art exhibits are the perfect way to show the beauty of art in a way that’s exciting for young children and toddlers.

So, if you want to encourage your children to love art, expose them to age-appropriate art exhibits from a young age. Encourage and foster the love for creativity!

Comment below: What are some art exhibits in your area, we love to travel!

Whimsical Photo Opportunities

The Umbrella Sky makes for some of the most beautiful and whimsical photos. Perfect for couples, families and children. We brought a blanket with us and snapped lots of fun photos with the girls. If you want to capture photos without too many people in the background, I recommend going around 9:30 or 10:00 in the morning. This is before the cafe’s open so there will be less traffic in the area.

What to Bring to the Umbrella Sky

If traveling with young toddlers or babies. Bring a snack and water. Under the umbrellas it does get a little warm, especially with the summer heat. I forgot our water bottles in the car, and my girls were quite thirsty.

You might also want to bring a blanket or any props you might want for your photos. We saw lots of people with brightly colored umbrellas. I went with the Mary Poppins inspired Disney Bound with my dress (found on Amazon).

Hurry, this exhibit leaves South Florida Soon!

This exhibit is set to leave Coral Gables in September. So don’t delay! Make plans to visit soon!

This is perfect for a Mom’s Day Out, Girls Brunch, Family Day, Date… Perfect for a fun outing! A Must-See in Coral Gables, Florida! Be sure to tag your photos with #umbrellaSky on social media and join the conversation!

The Meg – Movie Review (NO SPOILERS!)

Family fun

The Meg

The Meg releases to the public on Friday, August 10th, 2018. My husband and I were given the unique opportunity to watch the movie this evening before it is released to the public. Here are my (spoiler-free) thoughts on the new movie The Meg. (This is not a sponsored post, all opinions are my own).

About the Movie

The movie begins with an intense scene involving a rescue mission. This is where the film introduces Jonas Taylor, one of the main characters in the film.  The film then cuts to 5-years later and a research facility has found themselves in a situation where they need assistance from Jonas Taylor once again.

Throughout the film, there are several heart-warming moments, awkward tensions and of course a giant pre-historic shark to keep you entertained. I’d be lying if I didn’t say I shed a tear during one of the early introductions of the mother-daughter characters. My oldest daughter has recently been very interested in learning about sharks, so I felt a little connection with them.

The film moves rather quickly from start to finish and provided a fun evening out with my husband.

Is this Movie Family-Friendly?

Although there was only mild language and no nudity. There are parts of the film that are pretty intense and could be frighting for younger crowds. I wouldn’t classify this movie as a “horror” film, it just wasn’t that scary in my opinion. However, I wouldn’t bring young children to the movie theater to see this movie.

This movie should be considered the Jaws of our generation. There are plenty of thrills, relatable and lovable characters and enough humor to keep you entertained from start to finish.

You can read more about the film on their website (here).

Watch the Vlog

 

Final Thoughts

If you are a fan of Jaws or not-so-scary horror films, this movie is for you. If you really don’t enjoy this type of unbelievable aquatic life films, i’d saw skip it and wait for it to come out on DVD. I personally enjoyed the film, and was thankful for an evening out with my husband to see it before it releases to the public.

Preparing for your first visit to Toy Story Land

Disney Family fun

About Toy Story Land

Today Story Land is the newest addition to the Walt Disney World Parks in Florida. It opened on Saturday, June 30th, 2018. With the opening of Toy Story Land, there are two NEW rides for guests to enjoy. Both of these rides have height requirements, so that is something to keep in mind if traveling with young children. My friend Meg, had the opportunity to interview some of the Imagineers as well as the Entertainment Director for Hollywood Studios and has lots of great information on her blog. 

Toy Story Land Opening Day (Vlogs)

Grant and Jayme’s Perspective: Flying Elephant Apparel on YOUTUBE

Missy, Casey & Elijah’s Perspective: The Wayts World 

Stephanie and Corey’s Perspective: Cory Meets World 

Preparing to Go to Toy Story Land

My husband and I will be taking our oldest daughter to Toy Story Land in August. She will be going to Preschool towards the end of the month, and so we wanted to take her on a special trip. Toy Story Land was the perfect destination for our trip. The Toy Story movies really sink into your heartstrings with reminders to play, to create and to dream. It doesn’t matter if you are young or old, if it is your first time or one-hundredth time seeing the Toy Story Movies, the story is relatable to all generations. It’s that relatability that is the number one reason I believe the Toy Story Land was so heavily anticipated and has been loved by everyone who has gone.

I am so ready to PLAY BIG this summer at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. I have been soaking in as much as I can to prepare myself for the trip and I wanted to share all my knowledge with you!

Tips from people who have gone to Toy Story Land

Protect yourself from the Sun

In Toy Story Land everything is large, this gives the illusion that YOU are one of the toys in Andy’s backyard. Due to this design, there is limited shade. As we know, the sun is the most intense between the hours of 11a and about 2p. It is crucial for guests to protect themselves from the sun.

Ways to Protect yourself from the Sun

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Drink Water

FYI – Disney does provide cups of water to guests free of charge at most quick service locations. All you have to do is ask.😉  We like to take a water bottle and ask for ice – As it melts we have nice cold water to enjoy.

Sunscreen

My absolute FAVORITE sunscreen is Babyganics. I have used this sunscreen on myself and my three children exclusively for the last four years and we have not gotten a burn. Prior to finding this sunscreen, I’d typically get burned regularly during the summer.😱 I like to buy this at my local CVS using my 30% off coupon and extra bucks. It’s a little money saving tip for my Mama’s on a budget.

Fans

Taking a small hand fan or a necklace fan like my friend Jen talks about in this video can help so much! In the video, Jen brought up an excellent point, and that is that when standing in long lines it can be a little stuffy. A small hand fan or necklace fan (like this one) can really help keep you cool as you wait for rides in the parks.  We picked ours up from our local CVS Store, but you can definitely order them on Amazon. Be sure to order some extra batteries though. ☺

The *NEW* Rides!

There are two new rides in Toy Story Land. Both of these attractions have height requirements, so you will want to be sure to get an accurate measurement of your little Mouseketeers before traveling.

Slinky Dog Dash

Undoubtedly the most anticipated ride, slinky dog dash looks like an incredible experience. In order to ride this ride, you must be at least 38 inches. This is the same for the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train in the Magic Kingdom. So, if your toddler is able to ride this ride, they should be good to go for the NEW SLINKY DOG DASH.  

I have read several reports that claim this ride is much longer than you expect and April from Pixie Dust Savings gave this ride a thumbs up for plus-sized guests as well.  From everything I’m seeing, this ride is your number one choice for a Toy Story Land Fast Pass reservation.

If you aren’t able to score a Fast Pass for this attraction, my friend Jen (from Jen Lafforge on Youtube) said in her review of Toy Story Land that the lines went significantly down in the evening. Just a quick reminder, if you are IN LINE before the park closes, you will be able to ride the ride. Watch her review here. 

Alien Swirling Saucers

Our family has a Fast Pass for this ride when we go in August. However, many reports are saying  Fast Pass isn’t worth it. According to a few Disney Fans I follow on Instagram, this ride is a lot of fun it just goes too quickly. Since the ride is relatively short, the line moves fairly quickly. They recommend using your Fast Pass reservation for something else.

There is a height requirement for this ride of 32 inches.  Goofy’s Barn Stormer in the Magic Kingdom is 35 inches, so if your toddler can ride this ride. You are all set!

Instagram Worthy Walls

There are lots of “Instagram Worthy Walls” throughout the Disney Parks. Toy Story Land is no different. For detailed information on where to find the walls in Toy Story Land, check out Heather’s Blog.

Here are a couple fun photos of some of my friends in my Disney Fans Facebook Group! 

A post shared by M E G (@meg.for.it) on

Final Thoughts

From everything I’ve read, Toy Story Land is incredible. Walt Disney World captured the hearts of Toy Story fans young and old and I simply can’t wait to go PLAY BIG this summer with my daughter!

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