Disney4me

Christmas is just a few days away. Still have no idea what to give this holiday season? For most of my friends and me, a little something from Basin is always appreciated. I love the scent of practically everything in the store and whenever I stop in, I have to try out their latest sugar scrub. (I mean it. Every. Time.) I often buy Basin products as gifts for others, but I rarely treat myself. Want to put a smile on my face? I’ll take a few bath bombs or a custom soap, please! View the full article

On one level, the new historical dramedy "Saving Mr. Banks" chronicles the efforts of studio head Walt Disney (Tom Hanks) to persuade the cantankerous British author P.L. Travers (Emma Thompson) to allow her "Mary Poppins" children's books to be made into a movie. View the full article

Gather your favorite droids, nerf herders, walking carpets and scoundrels and make plans to attend Star Wars Weekends 2014. We’re pleased today to announce the dates for next year’s Force-filled special event. View the full article

As part of Limited Time Magic this week, I’m happy to share that merchandise featuring artwork selected by Disney fans earlier this year will be arriving at Disney Parks starting December 22, 2013. View the full article

There are so many wonderful places to photograph during the Holidays at the Disneyland Resort. One of my favorites is Sleeping Beauty’s Winter Castle, which is commonly photographed from the front. In some of my past Disney Parks Blog posts, I have talked about walking around a subject, looking at all the sides to see whether there may be angles that are more interesting. The photo below is one example; I took it from the left side of the castle, next to the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique. View the full article

Last week ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World played host to the 2013 Pop Warner Super Bowl and National Cheer & Dance Championships. Sixty-four football teams and more than 400 cheer and dance teams from across the country, including Hawaii, battled their way through regional competitions to experience their “I’m going to Disney World” moment and play for national titles. View the full article

Our latest Disney Parks Blog downloadable wallpaper celebrates a fun tradition of the holiday season - decorating a Christmas tree. In this one, Mickey Mouse and Goofy struggle to get the job done when Pluto has some fun with the lights. View the full article

Disney’s highly anticipated “Saving Mr. Banks” hits theaters across the nation tomorrow, and the excitement only gets bigger with the “practically perfect” Southern California: Disney Backstage itinerary from Adventures by Disney. This trip allows you to walk through and experience some of the locations where the movie was filmed. View the full article

There are dozens of holiday entertainment options here at the Walt Disney World Resort, from choirs to characters in costume, we have just about everything you could imagine! View the full article

On Wednesday night, we celebrated the 15th anniversary of ‘La Nouba’ by Cirque du Soleil with a special pre-show moment and balloon drop finale. Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse were joined Neil Boyd, Company Manager of La Nouba, Keith Bradford, Vice President of Downtown Disney, and 'Les Cons' to kick off the 7,124th performance of the show. The cast received a standing ovation and 15th anniversary balloons rained down on the crowd. Guests in attendance received a special-edition 15th anniversary print to commemorate the milestone. View the full article

LOS ANGELES Jason Schwartzman didn't realize until he was cast as songwriter Richard M. Sherman in "Saving Mr. Banks" how familiar he was with his work. View the full article

With new contract talks looming, two of Walt Disney World's largest unions said Thursday more than 7,000 of their members have voted in favor of a new contract proposal that they intend to offer to the giant resort. View the full article

When we invited well-known Internet personalities to “Show Your Disney Side” at our Social Media All-Stars #DisneySide World Premiere, a favorite was “Convos with My 2-Year-Old.” And this morning, we’re thrilled to share their latest video - a special “Convos with My 2-Year-Old” showing their Disney Sides at Disneyland park. View the full article

No pouting. No crying. Only pure holiday magic was allowed back in 1972 when Mickey Mouse borrowed Santa’s sleigh to bring Season’s Greetings to guests visiting Walt Disney World Resort. View the full article

WHAT: It's a holiday miracle: Members of the late, great Comedy Warehouse again arise from the ashes of Pleasure Island to put on a show — yuletide versions of their improv performances. Crowd participation is key here, and each show will be different but, Disney notes, family-friendly. The shows will be in the Premiere Theater in the Streets of America section of the theme park. View the full article

WHAT: It's a holiday miracle: Members of the late, great Comedy Warehouse again arise from the ashes of Pleasure Island to put on a show — yuletide versions of their improv performances. Crowd participation is key here, and each show will be different but, Disney notes, family-friendly. The shows will be in the Premiere Theater in the Streets of America section of the theme park. View the full article

Mickey Mouse attended Cirque du Soleil's "La Nouba" on Wednesday night to mark the Downtown Disney fixture's 15th anniversary. The occasion was billed by Cirque publicists as Mickey's first visit to the imaginative, high-flying show. View the full article

For the past two years, Amanda Ficili has been the Disneyland Resort panelist on the Disney Parks Moms Panel, answering all kinds of questions from people who are planning a visit. She offers a mom’s keen insights, tips on where to eat, fun ideas for all ages and lots more. I caught up with Amanda to get some holiday recommendations for Disney Parks Blog readers. View the full article

My fellow Disney Parks Blog author Jonathan Frontado has recently shared some great stories about the Disney Cruise Line. After reading them, I find myself daydreaming of tropical waves and warm sunshine (I really need another Disney cruise!). Since I have yet to move my office to a lounge chair on the top deck, I did the next best thing. I caught up with merchandiser Laura Caszatt in the Disney Cruise Line merchandise showroom at Disney Theme Park Merchandise headquarters. The room is lined with merchandise developed for the ships including a new line of women’s apparel called “The DCL Project.” Laura explained her inspiration for this new collection. View the full article

It’s hard to believe we’re just one week away from Christmas! Are you like me, wishing your family had taken that holiday cruise to get away from the busyness of it all? View the full article

This year, more than 15 miles of garland, 1,300 Christmas trees and 1,314 wreaths brightened up Walt Disney World Resort for the holidays - with one area, New Fantasyland at Magic Kingdom Park, decorated for the season for the first time. View the full article

As the year comes to a close, let’s take a look back at a few of the baby animals we welcomed in 2013. View the full article

Apple this week named "Disney Animated" its iPad app of the year. On Tuesday, Apple released its top picks for apps, movies and music for 2013. Calling "Disney Animated" an "enchanting tour of Disney's legendary film vault," Apple said the Disney iPad app "awes with a bounty of animated sequences, interactive character models and a spellbinding presentation." View the full article

Apple this week named "Disney Animated" its iPad app of the year.On Tuesday, Apple released its top picks for apps, movies and music for 2013. Calling "Disney Animated" an "enchanting tour of Disney¿s legendary film vault," Apple said the Disney iPad app "awes with a bounty of animated sequences, interactive character models and a spellbinding presentation." View the full article

Remember the days when the mainstream form of communication was writing letters? You’d wait all day for the mailman to stroll by your house in the hope that maybe you’d be lucky enough to receive one. But times have changed. Now we text, tweet, “Like” and instant message like crazy and the only letter I’ll be reading is if there is one posted to my wall. Even I’m speaking the lingo! View the full article