This is a sponsored post on behalf of Review Wire Media for Fox Searchlight. I received information to facilitate my review as well as a promotional item to thank me for my participation.
Chris Evans is one of my favorite actors – and I was lucky enough to interview him once. So when I first saw the trailer for Gifted, I was really excited about it because he stars in it. However, after watching the trailer a second time, I was really into the story. I think this is going to be an incredible movie. I can tell that it is going to bring out the feels though. Both of my daughters are pretty smart (not as smart as the girl in this movie, but they blow me away each and every day). This is a movie that my husband and I are planning to go see in theaters when it comes out April 7th. Our 5 year old has seen the trailer and has asked if she can see it as well. She was really interested in the smart little girl in the movie.
Synopsis
Frank Adler (Chris Evans) is a single man raising a child prodigy – his spirited young niece Mary (Mckenna Grace) – in a coastal town in Florida. Frank’s plans for a normal school life for Mary are foiled when the seven-year-old’s mathematical abilities come to the attention of Frank’s formidable mother Evelyn (Lindsay Duncan) whose plans for her granddaughter threaten to separate Frank and Mary. Octavia Spencer plays Roberta, Frank and Mary’s landlady and best friend. Jenny Slate is Mary’s teacher, Bonnie, a young woman whose concern for her student develops into a connection with her uncle as well.
To help celebrate the release of this movie, I am giving away a really fun prize pack – be sure to enter below. And make sure you head to theaters on April 7th to see Chris Evans in Gifted.
Enter to win a GIFTED Prize Pack using the Gleam form below. This prize pack includes includes a GIFTED Softside Thermal Lunchbox, Cat Keychain, GIFTED Pencil Case, and GIFTED Calculator. Retail Value is $25. While you are here, check out my other giveaways. GOOD LUCK!
Yesterday myself and some other pretty amazing bloggers had a Rogue One Viewing Party over on Twitter! We gave away some great prizes and had a blast doing it – all thanks to Disney and Roku! We were given a digital code for Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and a Roku stick to watch it on – as well as some other amazing Star Wars goodies. I had seen the movie in theaters, but it is a great film and I had been dying to watch it again. I even made some cupcakes to enjoy while watching it! I hope you joined us – it was a blast!
I just need to come out and say it – the Roku is amazing. We have had Rokus for years now! We got one when it first came out – and now have upgraded to the sticks for all of our TVs in the house. Well, I shouldn’t say that because we don’t need one for our Roku TV which is in my office. Roku makes streaming ridiculously easy! Combine it with Disney Movies Anywhere and I have tons of Disney movies at my fingertips! I love Disney Movies Anywhere because when I add my Disney Movie Rewards points, if the movie included a digital copy, it gets added right to my DMA account. Only having to enter a code once saves a ton of time!
After the Twitter party ended, I didn’t want the fun to end – so I pulled up the bonus features. That is another thing I really love about Disney Movies Anywhere! The fact that you can watch the bonus features without getting the disc first. These special features were incredible. I have always been a sucker for the extras. I enjoy seeing what happened behind the scenes and learning more about the characters. My favorite special feature for Rogue One was K-2SO: The Droid. It was a ton of fun to watch, and I highly recommend at least checking that one out – although they are all amazing!
Bonus features include*:
A Rogue Idea – Hear how ILM’s John Knoll came up with the movie’s concept – and why it’s the right film to launch the Star Wars stand-alone films.
Jyn: The Rebel – Get to know Rogue One’s defiant, resourceful survivor, and hear what it was like for Felicity Jones to bring her to life onscreen.
Cassian: The Spy – Diego Luna shares insights into his complex, driven character, who becomes a hero through selflessness, perseverance and passion.
K-2SO: The Droid – Explore the development of this reprogrammed Imperial droid, from initial pitch and character design through Alan Tudyk’s performance.
Baze & Chirrut: Guardians of the Whills – Go deeper into the relationship between these two very different characters, with Chinese superstars Jiang Wen and Donnie Yen.
Bodhi & Saw: The Pilot & The Revolutionary – Forest Whitaker and Riz Ahmed reflect on Saw Gerrera, the broken Rebel leader, and Bodhi Rook, the Imperial pilot who defects.
The Empire – Meet a dangerous new Imperial adversary…and cross paths once more with the most iconic villain of all time.
Visions of Hope: The Look of “Rogue One” – The filmmakers describe the challenges and thrills of developing a bold new look for the movie that can fit within the world of the original trilogy.
The Princess & The Governor – See what it took to bring the vibrant young princess of “Star Wars: A New Hope” – as well as one of her most memorable foes – back to the screen.
Epilogue: The Story Continues – Filmmakers and cast celebrate Rogue One’s premiere and look forward into the future, to the Star Wars stories yet to be told.
Rogue Connections – Uncover Easter eggs and film facts hidden throughout the movie that connect “Rogue One” to the Star Wars universe.
* Digital bonus offerings may vary by retailer.
Check out all my Rogue One interviews with the cast here:
This is a sponsored post on behalf of Review Wire Media for Sony Pictures. I received information to facilitate my review as well as a promotional item to thank me for my participation.
My daughters are very excited for the new Smurfs movie! They love those little blue guys – and OK, my husband and I do too! We grew up watching them and couldn’t be any more excited about the fact that our girls get to as well! I, personally, am so happy they are still around – and with new content coming out. In order to celebrate Smurfs: The Lost Village, we put together some fun cupcakes – and I am going to tell you exactly how you can make them too!
Step One: Bake Some Cupcakes and Cake Pops
Use a box, a family recipe, or whatever you want! Be sure to have some extra batter so you can make a handful of cake pops as well. You will need 3 per Smurf cupcake you plan to make. We have a Babycakes Cake Pop Maker that we just love!
Step Two: Make Marshmallow Fondant
My husband has perfected the perfect marshmallow fondant. Let’s admit it, fondant usually doesn’t taste that great, but this stuff is delicious! You can see our marshmallow fondant recipe here. You will need to make a few colors – blue (obviously), white, red (if you plan to make Papa Smurf), and yellow (if you plan to make Smurfette).
Step Three: Place Cake Pops and Cupcake as Shown Above
The cake pops are being used for the Smurfs’ feet and hats – so you need three cake pops per cupcake. You could use a small cake pop for the nose, but we prefer to use rolled up fondant. Place your cake pops and cupcakes as shown above for each smurf.
Step Four: Decorate Your Cupcakes as Shown Above
Cover each cupcake in blue fondant to create your Smurf. Cover the cake pops that are representing the feet and hat in white fondant (or red for Papa Smurf). Use the white fondant (or red again for Papa Smurf) to create the Smurfs’ pants. Roll some blue fondant into a ball for the noses of the Smurfs. Create the Smurfs’ eyes with a small amount of white fondant. For Papa Smurf, use the white fondant to create his beard and eyebrows as well. Use black gel icing to create the Smurfs’ pupils and mouths. If you are making Brainy Smurf, use the black gel icing to also create his glasses. If you wish to make Smurfette, use yellow fondant to make her hair.
DIY Smurf Cupcakes | #SmurfsMovie #Cupcakes
Super cute Smurf cupcakes! Great for a themed party or movie night!
Cupcake mix
For fondant:
16 oz of Marshmallows
2 lbs Powdered Sugar
1/4 cup of Shortening
1. Use a box, a family recipe, or whatever you want! Be sure to have some extra batter so you can make a handful of cake pops as well. You will need 3 per Smurf cupcake you plan to make. We have a Babycakes Cake Pop Maker that we just love!
2. Make Marshmallow Fondant
My husband has perfected the perfect marshmallow fondant. You will need to make a few colors – blue (obviously), white, red (if you plan to make Papa Smurf), and yellow (if you plan to make Smurfette).
3. The cake pops are being used for the Smurfs’ feet and hats – so you need three cake pops per cupcake. You could use a small cake pop for the nose, but we prefer to use rolled up fondant. Place your cake pops and cupcakes as shown above for each smurf.
4. Cover each cupcake in blue fondant to create your Smurf. Cover the cake pops that are representing the feet and hat in white fondant (or red for Papa Smurf). Use the white fondant (or red again for Papa Smurf) to create the Smurfs’ pants. Roll some blue fondant into a ball for the noses of the Smurfs. Create the Smurfs’ eyes with a small amount of white fondant. For Papa Smurf, use the white fondant to create his beard and eyebrows as well. Use black gel icing to create the Smurfs’ pupils and mouths. If you are making Brainy Smurf, use the black gel icing to also create his glasses. If you wish to make Smurfette, use yellow fondant to make her hair.
Perfect for a themed movie night or birthday party!
Smurfs: A Lost Village Synopsis
In this fully animated, all-new take on the Smurfs, a mysterious map sets Smurfette and her best friends Brainy, Clumsy and Hefty on an exciting and thrilling race through the Forbidden Forest filled with magical creatures to find a mysterious lost village before the evil wizard Gargamel does. Embarking on a rollercoaster journey full of action and danger, the Smurfs are on a course that leads to the discovery of the biggest secret in Smurf history!
While on the set of Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2 last May, I was completely blindsided with a Kurt Russell interview! We thought he would have already been wrapped from filming, but as we were finishing up lunch we were whisked away quickly with no idea what was going on. We were told to follow and that is what we did. We ended up in a blue room where filming was clearly going on – and then were told “you are going to be interviewing Kurt Russell in about three minutes.” What, did I hear that right? KURT RUSSELL? My fellow bloggers and I gasped and took about 5 seconds to freak out before we started wracking our brains for questions to ask a legend in the film industry.
Joining the MCU
The first thing we asked him about was his role as Peter Quill’s father and what made him want to take it on. “I was doing a publicity trip for Hateful Eight and suddenly, everybody was saying so are you gonna do Guardians of the Galaxy? I’d never heard of Guardians of the Galaxy. Are you gonna be Peter Quill’s father? Sam [Jackson] who’s done [Nick] Fury, he said that’s different stuff – he said this is big audiences. I said is it fun? He said oh, yeah, it’s fun. I started learning about [Marvel and Guardians of the Galaxy] from people. I never had been asked about a character before I’d done it as much as that and I suddenly realized that this movie must have been very popular and for some reason the audience cared about who his father was gonna be.”
“So I said well, gee I don’t know I’ll see what it’s like. I read the script and I said I need to see the [first] movie. I watched it for about eight or nine minutes – I was watching it with Goldie – and as soon as he kicked one of those things I [knew I would like to be in it]. I watched the movie and I got the feeling of what the Guardians of the Galaxy world is like. I get very much why I’d be a good person to play the dad with the script that I had so that was why I [took the role]. This is gonna be fun to do and it’s turned out to be a blast – really fun.”
“I’m [Peter’s] father and he’s a man of adventure – it’s a very full role. We get to explore a lot of Peter Quill’s past. You’ll learn a lot about where he comes from and why he is what he is. He’s coming from a position of having wondered about who his father was all his life. Chris [Pratt] is great and the whole cast is great. It’s fun to work with someone (meaning James Gunn, the director) who really knows what they want to do and what they want to pull off and try to create.” He mentioned Goldie y’all! I LOVE Goldie Hawn – and them together as a couple – so that was really cool!
How He Got The Role
Kurt explained that he, of course, doesn’t need to go in and audition anymore. He said the director will look at what he has done in past movies and see if there is something that makes him a good fit for the role he is looking to fill. Kurt found out in January 2016 that he was going to play Peter’s father and then started filming in March 2016 – meaning he had about two months to prepare. We asked him if he went back and watched all the movies, but he let us know that he did not. “I knew from talking to James what was important. We have rehearsal time which is really important but no, I knew what it was really. I knew why they wanted to do this.”
Music in the Film
In Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 1, music played a huge part – and from what we learned on set, music will be even more important in the sequel. The soundtrack to the first movie is set to the mix tape that Peter’s mother made for him. At the end of that movie, he unwraps a second mix tape – which will be the soundtrack of the second film. We asked Kurt if his character has any connection with music and his response was yes and that “it will be quite important. There’s a strong connection to music, particular songs. It’s a big part of this world and [James] continues that theme very, very strongly. ”
Not Too Fond of CGI
As I mentioned earlier, the room we were in was all blue. We asked Kurt what it was like to be in a room like this – and his response was great!
“You know, it’s funny. I was doing [what we call] wire gags and this [room] is where we were. You can see some of the wires that are left. Wire gags have always been the same ever since the 30s and 40s but the technology around the wire gag itself has improved so much and the wires have improved. They’re on computers now so you work out what you are going to do and they dial it in. You get much better precision. It used to be that you get a line around you and if you moved too much you would get a rippling effect – it wasn’t very good. I started doing those in the early 60s with Disney and they haven’t changed that much but having said that we’re getting further and further into this world where this will look completely different [in the movie]. It’s difficult. I’ve always been an actor – like many actors – who respond to their surroundings.”
“If you and I are playing the scene together and I see you have this [badge] and I’m talking to you and I kind of want to play with that. If you don’t have that on, I’m not kicked off to do that so the spontaneity is different. When we did Tombstone there was a scene where I was walking with Dana Delany. The wind was blowing that day a little bit and it was blowing some of the cottonwood around. One was going to blow on her face so I just picked it [out of the air] and it was part of the scene and it was very organic. That won’t happen [with this new technology]. So you have to invent that.”
“Chris and I did some stuff when we first got together and he really knows that he’s my son and that I’m his father and I know that he’s my son and we’re doing this really cool thing and there’s nothing there. He and I looked at each other and we were imagining things – but we were imagining the same things so that was fun to play with – so it will be fun for us to see that physicalized. That was fun because only he and I were knowing what was happening and it’ will be fun to see that brought to life. You’re just doing a scene and something happens. You might not even be right or wrong but it happens and you go with it. A tree falls down. Play the tree fell down and continue on or it stops and gives the scene a whole different feeling and meaning. I worry about that being lost. [But] in a movie like this you have to have [that technology] because it’s just so chalk full of things that don’t exist.”
What Should the Audience Get Out of His Character
I have a feeling that Kurt’s character is going to be a major player in Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2. We wanted to know what he wanted the audience to get out of his character.
“Good question actually. Number one, when you’re planning a character, you try to find things that’ll be entertaining and do the them in a way that’s entertaining [and] fun to watch. In movies like this it’s easy to be frivolous and just look at it as comic book venue. There’s two worlds where you can ask these big questions and one of them is westerns and one of them is science fiction. You can get away with asking big, American, political questions because it’s deeply ingrained in American persona, even in children. Cowboys are a certain thing to us. The women who are connected to cowboys are a certain thing to us. In science fiction you can ask is there a God? and what would you do if you could be invisible?”
“And [in regards to Guardians of the Galaxy], what if you were Peter Quill and this happened to you? This Marvel comic book world that Guardians of the Galaxy is and you never knew who your father was but, like real life, you have created in your mind someone who put on a pedestal. I think [this] is a very important thing to talk about when you talk about children who don’t know who their parents are – their father has left or their father never existed or their father was never in their life or maybe he was there for a short while and he left. Are you responsible for that?”
“All those are very real human things. So when you say what do you get out of that, hope to bring for the audience, I do hope to have all the entertainment value that you should get in movie like this – but underneath is the reality of the relationship that is important to that person that’s real, that has consequence, that’s not comic book, that’s not cartoon. It’s not funny even though some of it is gonna end up very funny but that’s life. So that’s why I think James Gunn wants to get Kurt Russell to play the part because I’m gonna go in there and do that.”
Kurt was so sweet and humble, and it was a real honor to meet him. Unfortunately we couldn’t have a photo taken with him because of his costume, but that 15 minute chat will be something I will never forget!
Oh, and one more thing – tickets are on sale NOW! Yes, as of this moment you can grab your tickets for what is sure to be the biggest movie of the year – Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2. I will be bringing you a lot more on the movie as I head to LA 4/18-4/21 for #GotGVol2Event so keep coming back. Obviously.
Last year I went on a Disney Cruise with my daughters and my mom. It was a short 3 days cruise but we had a blast. After talking to my husband about it, we decided to book a 7 day cruise – and we actually did this while I was still on board the Disney Dream. For us, the 3 day was such a tease – we wanted more! So I went in to the 7 day knowing that it would be a ton of fun, but I didn’t know how much I still wouldn’t want to leave after a week out at sea.
More Days at Sea
There are a few differences in a 3 day cruise and a 7 day cruise. On the 3 day cruise we only had one full day at sea and on the 7 day we got 3 days at sea. These were great because we got to check out the ship a lot more. We spent more time at the pool, more time participating in activities, and more time enjoying ourselves. With 3 full days at sea that meant we had more time to relax and take it all in. If you are planning a Disney Cruise for yourself, I highly recommend at least springing for the 4 day if you can afford it. That way you will have more time to discover all that the Disney ships have to offer. Having the extra time at sea also allowed for a full day of Star Wars fun!
More Performances
Another thing that I loved about the 7 day cruise was that you ended up with more shows! The Disney shows are truly of broadway caliber and we loved them all. Each night there was a nighttime show (two showings so that both dinner groups were able to see them). Four of them were broadway type performances but the other three nights were just as fun! One was a hypnotist, one was a showing of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, and one was a comedian. They were all fun for the whole family – and I think the shows were probably my 5 year old’s favorite part of the whole cruise! She was in awe of them!
More Islands
This may be obvious, but a 7 day cruise has more island visits than a 3 day cruise. We went further out than the last time and were able to visit Tortula, St. John/St. Thomas, and Disney’s private island, Castaway Cay. I loved being able to explore more islands with my family. They all had a lot of different excursions to choose from and so much to offer! The weather was beautiful for our whole trip and we had fun spending some time on a few islands.
Changing Menus
I admit it, the one thing I was nervous about was repetitive dinners. I knew that there were 3 restaurants on board the ship and that you rotate to a different one with your wait staff nightly. I knew that they offered delicious meals that I was pretty much dreaming of since the last cruise, but I was worried that I would end up eating the same thing a few nights. I had no idea that the menu changed each time you were at the restaurant. This had me super excited – and I got to eat a lot of mouthwatering dishes! I was pleased with the variety and I never felt like I was eating the same thing twice.
The truth is, on a 7 day cruise you are going to be able to experience a lot more. On the 3 day we felt like as soon as we were used to the layout of the ship, and the schedule, we were back home. On our 7 day we were able to check out pretty much all that the ship has to offer – from family activities, to the pools, to character meet and greets, to adult only activities, and so much more! We even had time to just sit on our verandah for about an hour and lookout over the ocean. On our 3 day cruise we honestly felt rushed – and like our vacation was over the second it started. Don’t get me wrong, if a 3 day is all that will work for you, it is still very worth it to go. But if you want a truly relaxing vacation, go with a 7 day Disney Cruise – you will not regret it!
My husband and I love to take my girls to see movies in the theater. We try to go once a month because we always have so much fun. It is a great bonding experience as a family and my daughters just love it. We recently went to see Sing in theaters and it was one of our favorite movies ever! So when we were offered a chance to throw a Sing party to celebrate the Blu-ray and DVD release – we jumped at it! This movie comes home TODAY (March 21) and I could not recommend it anymore! It is truly fun for the whole family! We loved watching all of the awesome bonus features as well – and honestly, this disc was packed full of them!
When we opened up our Sing party pack – we were all super excited! We got tons of goodies to help us throw the ultimate Sing Auditions viewing party. If you follow me on Snapchat and/or Instagram then you likely saw all the fun we were having in my stories! My girls literally jumped up and down when they saw that we now own Sing. This movie is a favorite of our entire family for several reasons – there is humor and lessons to be learned (like believe in yourself!) and not to mention the incredible cast. You can meet the cast in an earlier article I wrote here. There are many parts where we find ourselves singing and dancing along! In our party pack we received a huge SING stage cutout and the whole family had fun with it – it was like we were auditioning ourselves! My oldest has asked if we can set it up at her birthday party in June – and I think we just might!
Special Features
One thing that I love about home releases is all the bonus features. I always like to learn about the cast, see deleted scenes, and discover behind the scenes information. So many of Sing’s bonus features were hilarious and fun to watch! I can honestly say that I enjoyed all of them. The Best of Gunter is probably one of my absolute favorites (I love Nick Kroll who voices him!) – well it is between that and the Making a Music Video with Tori Kelly.
Also on this disc are three brand new mini-movies! These are fantastic and my girls totally loved watching them (and OK, my husband and I did too!). Gunter Babysits is so funny and was by far my favorite one – can you tell I love Gunter? They are all great though and alone make picking up the blu-ray worth it! You are sure to love them! My 5 year old’s favorite is Love At First Sight – she wanted me to tell everyone that they need to watch it first!
Here are all of the special features that are included on the Blu-ray/DVD:
The Making of Sing
Finding the Rhythm: Editing Sing
Character Profiles
“Don’t You Worry ‘Bout a Thing” Music Video
Making a Music Video with Tori Kelly
“Faith” Music Video
“Faith” Lyric Video
“Set It All Free” Lyric Video
Sing & Dance! – “Faith”
The Sing Network
The Best of Gunter
“Gunter Babysits” Mini-Movie
“Love At First Sight” Mini-Movie
“Eddie’s Life Coach” Mini-Movie
The Making of the Mini-Movies
About SING
From Illumination Entertainment, the studio that brought you THE SECRET LIFE OF PETS comes an animated comedy about finding the music that lives inside all of us. SING stars Matthew McConaughey as Buster Moon, an eternally optimistic koala who puts on the world’s greatest singing competition to save his crumbling theater; winner Reese Witherspoon as Rosita, an overworked and underappreciated mother of 25 piglets desperate to unleash her inner diva; Scarlett Johansson as Ash, a punk rock porcupine with a beautiful voice behind her prickly exterior; and Taron Egerton as Johnny, a young gangster gorilla looking to break free of his family’s felonies. SING is the musical comedy event of the year!
Sing is available on Blu-ray, DVD, & Digital HD Now!
My daughters are huge Kate & Mim-Mim fans. I cannot tell you how many times I have caught them spinning around in circles with their stuffed Mim-Mim singing “Kate and Mim-Mim, me and you, let’s sail away to Mimiloo!”. It is honestly adorable and I just want to freeze them in that moment so that they never grow up. My youngest got a Kate doll for Christmas this past year and she has been carrying it around ever since. We have several Kate & Mim-Mim DVDs and were really excited to learn about the release of the newest one, Musical Mimiloo. We were lucky enough to receive an advance copy and all three episodes included are great. They are a lot of fun for little ones because of all the music. This might be the best Kate & Mim-Mim DVD yet – available on DVD March 21, 2017.
About Musical Mimiloo
These three toe-tapping tales will have kids dancing and singing as they watch Kate and Mim-Mim solve problems and help their friends. In these three adventures, Kate leads a quest to fix Callie’s Mega Music Maker, an island-sized instrument, Kate and friends put on a trumpet flower concert for the Boom Chicka Queen, and Gobble uses his ability to sing to free the group from a cave!
“Mega Music Maker”
Kate is building a sand castle, but the wind chimes she places on top aren’t working. In Mimiloo, after Mim-Mim accidentally breaks a one-of-a-kind music recording, Kate, Mim-Mim and their friends head to the Singing Seas to visit Callie, a giant octopus. After learning that Callie’s Mega Music Maker is broken, Kate and the gang work to fix the island-sized instrument so they can re-record Callie’s wonderful tune.
“Boom Chicka Bees”
Kate can’t get the timing right to jump rope. In Mimiloo, Gobble has a case of the sneezy snorts and needs Boom Chicka Bee honey tea to feel better. In order to get the honey, Kate must lead a concert for the Boom Chicka Queen.
“Gobble’s Gift”
Kate and her parents are staging a talent show, but Mom is hesitant to perform. In Mimiloo, everyone is preparing for a dance party! While gathering crystals to make a disco ball, the gang gets trapped. Only Gobble’s beautiful voice can save them – but he’s too nervous to sing in public! Kate must show him there’s nothing to fear.
About Kate & Mim-Mim
Inspired by a real life little girl, “Kate & Mim-Mim” follows the fantastical adventures of 5-year-old Kate, who, together with her toy rabbit Mim-Mim, travels to the fantasy world of Mimiloo where Mim-Mim comes alive as a larger-than-life playmate. In each story, Kate and Mim-Mim and their group of friends discover exciting new places and set off on adventures, all in the hope of solving a puzzling problem Kate has encountered in the real world. Exploring themes of friendship, adventure, and problem solving, “Kate & Mim-Mim” encourages children to use their imaginations and work together, believing no problem is ever too big to solve!
Beauty and the Beast hit theaters this part weekend and is already getting rave reviews! I am excited to tell you about an amazing initiative and also a super fun giveaway related to this film. The Walt Disney Company and Dole are partnering for a multi-year healthy living initiative aimed at helping parents encourage their families to make healthier eating choices! Families can now purchase DOLE Bananas, Pineapples, Salads and Vegetables adorned with characters from Disney’s “Beauty and The Beast” to create delicious, nutritious Dole recipes inspired by the Disney film!
Disney and Dole are also offering “There’s Beauty in Healthy Living Sweepstakes” where participants can answer a character-inspired quiz for a chance to win one of the following prizes:
One (1) Grand Prize: One (1) travel package to the Orlando, Florida, area for winner and up to three (3) guests with roundtrip airfare, 5-day/4-night stay at a resort hotel, four (4) days of theme park tickets and four (4) days/nights of dining plans.
Five (5) First Prizes: One (1) 13-piece Patina Vie Beauty and the Beast plate and glassware package and five (5) Dole fruit or vegetable coupons.
Ten (10) Second Prizes: each winner to receive a $50 movie gift card.
I took the quiz – and it turns out I am most like the Beast! Plus, how awesome would it be to win a travel package to Disney! Speaking of Beauty and the Beast fun – download these new activity sheets for some fun for the whole family!
Enter to win an exclusive Patina Vie Be Our Guest Tray & Dole Fruit and Vegetable Coupons using the Gleam form below. Be sure to check out my other giveaways while you are here and GOOD LUCK!
This post contains affiliate links. These toys were provided by Disney in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Mickey and the Roadster Racers was an immediate hit for my young daughters. I knew that it would be after I was lucky enough to screen the first episodes and chat with the Executive Producers during the #MickeyRacersEvent! Fun fact: the debut was the #1 cable TV telecast in over one year among Kids 2-5 and Boys 2-5 – which does not surprise me at all. The show is genius! We were thrilled to receive some amazing gifts from Disney which included a whole new line of toys to support the show! My daughters were beyond excited (just watch our unboxing video if you don’t believe me!). These toys have brought hours and hours of fun to our home already – and I know there will be many more where that came from!
The new Roadster Racers toys are impressive – and there are a ton of them. I have highlighted some of my favorites below. Any little one will be thrilled to get these. Enjoy!
The series takes Mickey and the gang, along with their unique transforming vehicles, on humorous high-spirited races around the globe, as well as hometown capers in Hot Dog Hills. Off the racetrack, Minnie and Daisy also run their own successful business as Happy Helpers, solving problems for anyone in need of a helping hand. Geared towards kids 2-7, the stories are designed to impart social and emotional lessons about friendship, teamwork, optimism and good sportsmanship.
I have never run a race in my life. My husband was a runner in high school though, so he is no stranger to them. I have always wanted to do a 5K or 10K – especially with Disney – so I was thrilled to learn about the Castaway Cay 5K that I could run while on my Disney Cruise! As tough as it was, it was actually a blast – and I was so proud of myself after doing it. I finished in 36 minutes, which I think is pretty good considering I was eating cruise food and enjoying wine for 6 solid days before it! I enjoyed it so much that I think I caught the running bug! I am hoping to do a run at Disney World next – perhaps the Princess Run?!?
Here are the reasons that you should plan on doing the Castaway Cay 5K while you are on your Disney Cruise. Keep in mind, you don’t sign up until you are on the boat, so head to the service desk and sign up when you get on board!
A Great Workout
Admit it, while on a cruise you don’t exactly have healthy in mind. I sure didn’t! I have been working hard in 2017 to lose weight and get in shape – but I sure wasn’t going to deprive myself while on vacation. I mean, you cannot go wrong with Disney Cruise food! So on top of hitting the treadmill on the ship when I got a chance, I wanted to run the 5K on Castaway Cay! This was a great way to make sure I was staying active and getting in a good workout while on my trip. The running shoes you are wearing can make all the difference, read the full info here.
The Scenery
I will be the first to admit that I wasn’t exactly taking in all the scenery of the island towards the end of my run. I was more like just focusing right ahead of me to push myself to the end. However, the first half of the race, I was looking around at everything. The 5k really lets you see the whole island as it takes you down by Serenity Bay, the adult only beach, and around the bike path. I had been to Castaway Cay previously, but saw some new things during this run that I had never noticed before.
It’s Included in Your Cruise
All runs usually cost something to enter – even runDisney runs – but not the Castaway Cay 5k. That’s right – it is included in your Disney Cruise! That alone is the perfect reason to do it. You can try it out – walk it even if you want – at no extra cost. We met at 9am to head out on to the island too, so it isn’t even like you have to get up super early. If you have kids with you, no problem, they stop at Scuttle Cove (the on island kid’s area) so you can drop them off on your way to the starting line. There is no excuse not to do it!
The Medal
I am officially addicted to Disney races because of the medals. It has happened. This medal is amazing and boy, it felt great to earn it! I am a collector by nature – I collect Disney pins, comic books, Funko Pops, and so much more – and now I plan to add runDisney medals to my list of collections! Of course, I also picked up a Castaway Cay 5K pin and T-shirt while on the island – I couldn’t resist – and hey, I earned it!
The Accomplishment
I had never ever run a race in my life before. I am 32 years old and this was my first 5K. My husband was running (OK jogging for him) right along side me and motivating me the whole way. When I stopped to walk, he pushed me to job. I may have hated him in that moment, but I am so glad he kept me going. Finishing in 36 minutes was something I didn’t think I would be able to do. I thought for sure I was going to be finishing at around an hour. When we turned that last corner and I saw 35 minutes up on the clock, I pushed as hard as I could. I was overcome not only with a runner’s high, but with so much pride in myself. You will feel great when you finish!
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