Friday

Guest Star Day ~ Disney Donna Kay

It's Guest Star Day here at Focused on the Magic. That means I get to interview one very special Disney fan and ask them probing questions about their love of all things Disney. This is such a great experience for me because as well as I think I may know someone, I always learn something new and fascinating about each person. I hope you'll get know our guests through this interview and maybe you'll come to call them friends too.
So, grab a cuppa whatever it is that you enjoy and get comfy while we chat with my dear Disney blogging friend, fellow Magical Blogorail member, writer, blogger, party board stylist and Mom, Disney Donna Kay.
Disney Donna Kay ~ Guest Star, Focused on the Magic

Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday ~ American Adventure Santa

Focused on the MagicWelcome to The Disney Wordless Wednesday Blog Hop here at Focused on the Magic.com where each week we gather with other Disney Bloggers to link up our blog posts to share our Disney Wordless Wednesday or Almost Wordless Wednesday Disney related picture posts.

There is a theme each week that you can follow if you wish. "Celebrate" is the theme for this week. Go ahead and 
use your imagination to create a post to link up. You are welcome to link up Facebook pictures, Twitter, Tumblr, Reddit, Flickr or video posts. All Disney related pictures are welcome!



Epcot, American Adventure, Santa & Mrs Claus, Focused on the Magic

Time to link up...

Sunday

Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade

A Christmas Morning Tradition Sprinkled with Some Pixie Dust
One of our families favorite holiday traditions is gathering together to watch the Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade. It’s been a Disney Parks tradition for nearly 30 years and since we've been married 36 years, it's been ours as well. We got our Disney holiday fix in those early years with plenty of Disney gifts and decorations around the house and on the tree.
There are musical acts, favorite Disney characters and sparkling parade floats in a cavalcade down Main Street, U.S.A. at both Disneyland park and the Magic Kingdom park.



Tune in to the Magic on Christmas Morning!
The Annual Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade Airs December 25 on the ABC Television Network.

Music, magic and merriment come together when Disneyland Resort in California and Walt Disney World Resort in Florida present the annual “Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade” holiday TV special, airing December 25 on the ABC Television Network. 

T

Don’t Miss a Moment of the Magic!
 
Tune-in times are as follows, on the ABC Television Network (check local listings):
-Eastern Standard Time: 10 a.m.-noon
-Central, Mountain, Pacific Standard Time: 9-11 a.m.
The show also will air in Canada on CBC Network, and across the globe on the American Forces Network.

Viewers can visit disney.go.com/christmasparade for more Christmas News!


A Christmas Fantasy Comes to Life*characters/floats subject to change


From fairy tales to classic Christmas carols, Disney friends and holiday characters spread joy and good tidings through Disneyland Park in California and the Magic Kingdom Park in Florida with fanciful floats and colorful cavalcades. 

  • Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse show off their holiday best atop an ornate Christmas Tree float, accompanied by one of Mickey’s good pals, Duffy the Disney Bear (pictured at top of article on Main Street, U.S.A.);
  • Donald Duck, Daisy Duck and Goofy have a “soundsational” good time, following a drum line of merry musicians;
  • May the holidays be with you! Star Wars villain Darth Vader and his legion of loyal Stormtroopers land in the Disney Parks galaxy with a “Force”-ful parade march;
  • Disney Princesses Elsa, Anna, Tiana, Rapunzel, Mulan, Pocahontas, Cinderella, Snow White, Belle, Aurora, Jasmine, along with their charming princes, join the procession in regal fashion. 
  • It’s a “pirate-palooza” as Disney Junior stars Jake and the Never Land Pirates commandeer the holiday festivities with some help from the most infamous scallywags to sail the high seas, Capt. Jack Sparrow and Capt. Barbossa from the “Pirates of the Caribbean” film saga and theme park attractions;
  • How about a little Hunny and Pixie Dust to start your Christmas Day? Winnie the Pooh, Tigger, Eeyore lead the way on shiny sleds with Tinker Bell, her sister Periwinkle and a fleet of sparking snowflakes skating close behind;
  • -Viewers get a sneak-peek into Santa’s factory where “Toy Story” saga stars Buzz Lightyear, Woody, Jessie, Bullseye and Lotso spring to life in celebration of the season;
  • -Longtime ‘toon favorites Horace Horsecollar and Clarabelle Cow join everyone’s favorite chipmunks, Chip and Dale, and Duckburg’s richest resident, Scrooge McDuck, on a float of Winter Wonderland fun;
  • -Plenty more DisneyŸPixar pals join the party, including The Incredibles, Sully, Mike & Boo from “Monsters Inc.,” Dug, Russell and Carl from “Up,” and Remy from “Ratatouille.”
  • The famous Disney Parks Toy Soldiers and Gingerbread Men join enchanted elves, pretty paper packages and stuffed-to-the-brim Christmas stockings to let everyone know that the holidays are here;
And what would a Christmas parade be without The North Pole’s most famous red-suited resident? Holiday spirit is felt in every heart when Santa Claus and his reindeer make their holly jolly way down Main Street, U.S.A.



Source: Disney Parks InsidEARS News  
Images: ©Disney
For more information, please visit Disney Parks InsidEARS 
Twitter ~ https://twitter.com/#!/DisneyInsidEARS  



Wishing you and yours a Magical Christmas!






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Friday

Official Walt Disney World Pinterest Page Launched Today


Walt Disney World Resort unveiled its official Pinterest page today! 
Eight boards were launched with different categories including, “I’m Going to Disney World”, “Disney Parks Style” and “Taste of Walt Disney World”This is a great way to share and pin different photography, styles and ideas of different aspects of Disney.
Do you have a favorite board or pin on the new Walt Disney World Pinterest Page?
Mine favorite board is What's New at Disney World? 
My favorite pin of the day

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My #DisneyWishList


Thursday

Disney Living Winter Wish Pinterest Giveaway!

Disney Living on Facebook

To celebrate the magic of the holiday season through the New Year, the frostiest month of the year, Disney Living has launched its first ever Pinterest sweepstakes called 



If you dream it, you can pin it. 

This fun giveaway is for veteran pinners or newbies, the contest asks entrants to create a personal board of Disney-inspired dream products 
from D-Signed fashion apparel to Disney Baby essentials, and an assortment of the season's top Disney toys, including My Magical Wand Cinderella, Bounce Bounce Tigger and Wreck-It Ralph Talking Figures.

Spectacular prizes!
Themed Prize Pack giveaways are awarded once a week for seven weeks totaling $4,000. A new sweepstakes week begins every Monday, ending January 27, 2013. 
The prize themes are now live and include Disney Adventure, Tween, Marvel, Disney Princess, Disney Baby, Fashionista, and Disney Channel and Games. The final weeks' exciting Grand Prize includes Theo Kalomirakis for Walt Disney Signature Toccata Credenza (pictured below), Walt Disney Signature Neverland Collection Minka Lamp, and Walt Disney Classics Mickey and Minnie Mouse artwork.
20" Swampy Plush Prize #DisneyWishList#DisneyWishList Winnie the Pooh Heirloom Quilt
Toccata Credenza #DisneyWishList
Grand Prize: Toccata Credenza
Here's how to enter:
  • Follow Disney Living on Pinterest at www.Pinterest.com/DisneyLiving 
  • Create a personal Pinterest board titled “My Disney Living Winter Wish List” with the hashtag #DisneyWishList in the description. Re-pin at least five items from the Disney Living Winter Wish List boards. 
  • Once you have completed your board submit it to Disney Living’s Facebook tab. Disney Living Pinterest followers can enter once per day. One Prize Pack will be given away each week.


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Tuesday

Disney Wordless Wednesday ~ *Joy*

Focused on the MagicWelcome to this week's edition of The Disney Wordless Wednesday Blog Hop here at Focused on the Magic.com where each week we gather with other Disney Bloggers to link up and share our Disney Wordless Wednesday or Almost Wordless Wednesday Disney related picture posts.

There is a theme each week that you can follow if you wish. Joy is the theme this week and thoughts of sugarplums, Santa, a New Fantasyland experience, joyful music all come to my mind. What's your interpretation on the theme? You are welcome to link up Facebook pictures, Twitter, Tumblr, Reddit, Flickr or video posts. All Disney related pictures are welcome!


The theme for this week, 12/19 is    
*Joy*


Time to link up...

Holiday Shopping in Walt Disney World

Shopping for Christmas gifts in Walt Disney World is a year round activity for me. I enjoy slipping away from the group for some alone time to browse the shops or strolling and window shopping with the family, especially in The World Showcase at Christmastime. 

The decorations are beautiful with garlands, bows and lights on just about everything. The shop windows are decorated for the season too with seasonal themes and merchandise.
Perfect gifts can be found everywhere, like these "Precious Moments" Disney Princess dolls by Linda Rick (when I was there she was signing them) at Epcot in the American Pavilion for $40 each. Aren't they sweet?
Focused on the Magic Linda Rick Dolls
For the adults on the list, German Gluhwein? I just loved the decorative bottles

One of my favorite places to shop is in the German Pavilion. The quaint little shops are a great place to browse with a stop in Karamell-Kuche, of course. The Der Teddybar shop offers Steiff bears, toy soldiers and knights, candies and German crafted dolls. I just loved this bear on the tree, not one of the famous Steiff bears. They are up high on a shelf.Do you have a Christmas Pickle on your tree? The Christmas shop, Die Weihnachts Ecke is where I found my Christmas pickle. Tradition has it that the pickle ornaments in Germany are the last ornaments parents put on the tree on Christmas Eve. The bury it deep in the tree to hide it. In the morning the lucky child who finds the pickle receives an extra gift from St. Nicholas.
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Related articles

Saturday

$140 Amazon Gift Card Plus Magical Mouse Schoolhouse "Learn While You Play at Walt Disney World Resort"



Ready for a giveaway? We have teamed up with a great group of bloggers (listed below) in a Operation United Hearts Fundraiser to give one lucky winner a $140 Amazon Gift Card PLUS a copy of Magical Mouse Schoolhouse: Learn while you Play at Walt Disney Word Resort  book by Jodi Whisenhunt! Giveaway starts 12/15 and ends 12/22.
But that's not all! 
This is a very special giveaway as we aren't just giving away one gift card, we are also donating to help a single soldier/mother and her 3 young children who lost everything in a fire that also killed her neighbors (a dad and his 2 year old) on 11/19/12.
  • You can read more about the tragedy here http://wtvr.com/2012/11/21/911-call-released-in-deadly-ft-lee-fire/
All (not just military families) are welcome to enter and it's easy using the Rafflecopter form. Simply follow the directions and don't forget to leave a comment below when you've entered. 
Operation United Hearts $140 Amazon Gift Card Giveaway to Benefit Military Family
-------------a Rafflecopter giveaway ----------------------
    • Mail donations directly or donate by paypal (paypal is msmommyhh6@yahoo.com/for address to mail donations send an email tp msmommyhh6@yahoo.com)
    • Visit the participating blogs, share this giveaway on Twitter using this hashtag, #opUnitedhrts , and link up your blog posts that include an article about this family, this giveaway or giving back to the community.



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More giveaways CLICK HERE 

Thursday

Dreaming of a Disney Christmas


Personalized Mickey Mouse

While I was visiting with my friends over at Disney Parks InsidEARS I read about a new in-room celebration that Disney Floral & Gifts has created called “Dreaming of a Disney Christmas,” just in time for the holidays and coincidentally the theme for this week. 

It's Disney magic!

When you walk into your Disney Resort room, you enter a personalized surprise which feels as if Mickey and Minnie set it up for you and your family.
Jean Volante, Manager of Dream Making, Disney Floral & Gifts/DEG, gives Disney Parks Blog a peek into some of the goodies you can enjoy with this new in-room celebration. 

What’s your most memorable childhood Christmas? For each of us, the memories are different, but they all have one thing in common. Someone made us feel special and created an amazing experience that has lasted our lifetime. And now, because of that, we want to make our loved ones feel special and create wonderful memories for them. And why do we do it? It’s all about their smile, their reaction, their excitement… It’s just the best, isn’t it? So if you’re coming to the Walt Disney World Resort this holiday and looking for a new memory-making Disney experience, check this out. It’s a new in-room celebration from Disney Floral & Gifts called “Dreaming of a Disney Christmas,” which feels as if Mickey and Minnie set up a personalized holiday surprise for you and your family in the comfort of your resort room.
Imagine walking up to your resort room door to discover this banner, featuring a holiday wreath with your family name on it. Something magical took place while you were out!
Personalized Disney Banner
-Then, once you step inside your room, it’s clear that Mickey and Minnie created a personalized surprise just for you. There are glowing luminaries, there’s a large present from Mickey with special gifts and…

…there’s a gift from Minnie featuring a “Disney kiss goodnight” for the family. Take a close look at the copy on the pillow…and did I mention there’s lots of opportunity for personalization, too?

Personalized Disney Pillowcase

There’s also the Toon Town Times newspaper, featuring the story of your arrival for the holidays, along with a letter from our “first Family” welcoming you home. Speaking of home, Minnie Mouse also left you a cookie decorating kit to trim some of her delicious goodies while in your room.

Personalized Disney Newspaper

Is there more? Glad you asked. Check out the back-of-the-door banner – it’s a holiday tree with one-of-a-kind ornaments…

Personalized Disney Back of Door Tree

…all to create a one-of-a-kind memory while you’re here at the Resort! But the best part? When you go home, you can take it all with you.

So check it out. To learn more, visit our website, DisneyFlorist.com, or call a Dream Maker at 407-WDW-GIFT. It’s a magical holiday memory for the entire family to experience and cherish for years to come.

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Have you entered our giveaways today?

Tuesday

Wordless Wednesday ~ Cinderella Castle Dream Lights

Focused on the MagicWelcome to the latest edition of the The Disney Wordless Wednesday Blog Hop here at Focused on the Magic.com where each week Disney Bloggers gather to blog hop, link up and share their Disney Wordless Wednesday or Almost Wordless Wednesday Disney related picture posts.

It's a fun blog hop for sharing your Disney memories and pictures. There's a theme each week that you can follow if you wish. Facebook pictures, Twitter, Tumblr, Reddit, Flickr or video posts are all welcome. You can even email your pictures to me and I will be happy to add them to this page. 

The theme for this week, 12/12 is 
DREAM
As the daylight hours come to a close during the holiday season, Cinderella's Castle in The Magic Kingdom is transformed into a glimmering, shimmering winter wonderland castle during the “Cinderella’s Holiday Wish" stage show. The castle dream lights twinkle and dazzle as they change color throughout the night. Here they are is royal blue.

Time to link up...

Monday

Enter to Win $150 Disney Gift Card + Mickey Tote bag


Focused on the Magic $150 Disney Gift Card Mickey Tote Giveaway

This is the month for contests here at Focused on the Magic. There are so many overlapping, we put together a Holiday Guide for you to see all the contests in one place. The Stella & Dot Giveaway is still going strong as is the $200 HoliDaze Giftaway and the Pixie Vacations and Friends Prize Pack. Both of them have daily entries to increase your chances of winning. So, be sure to head over and enter again today if you haven't already.
Are you ready for another great giveaway?
I'm super excited to announce we have teamed up with a great group of Disney sites (listed below) to offer one lucky winner a
$150 Disney Gift Card & a Monogrammed Mickey Tote Bag ! 
The contest starts Monday, December 10th, 2012 at Midnight, and continues until Tuesday night, December 18th, 2012 at 11:59PM.
The Woodard Family was kind enough to share with us an example of what the tote bag would look like after it was personalized. If you're the lucky winner you could have it monogrammed any way you'd like.

Entering is easy!
To enter you need to follow the requirements on the Rafflecopter code below, and to encourage full participation and to help spread the word throughout the Internet, there are daily options for you to tweet about the contest and share the contest for more entries!  You can even leave a blog post comment for additional entries as well!


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Friday

Giveaway! Stella & Dot Fox Pendant!


Do you know someone who would love a trendy pendant as a gift? I'm super excited to have teamed up with The Dragyn's Lair once again to offer one lucky winner a

Stella & Dot Fox Necklace by Stylist, Heather Mizzi !

Enjoy it yourself or gift it!  


Stella & Dot Independent Stylist, Heather Mizzi, offers trend setting collections of fashion jewelry and accessories that can be purchased exclusively at home jewelry parties or online.
Stella & Dot utilizes award-winning designers to create couture style fashion jewelry for woman who enjoy style in their lives.

Many will enter, only one lucky winner will receive the Stella & Dot Fox Necklace.

This contest is similar to other Focused on the Magic contests we've run. Rafflecopter selects the winner from all the qualified entries. Winners will be announced on Sunday. Make sure you follow the directions, you don't want to be disqualified. It starts now and ends Dec 15th. Enter every day!


Do you have a Stella & Dot piece or is it on your wish list? If so, which piece is your favorite?


a Rafflecopter giveaway




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Have you entered our give other giveaways today?

Thursday

Disney Quote of the Day

The very things that hold you down are going to lift you up. 
~ Timothy Mouse ~ Dumbo (1941) 


Did You Know?

Initially Walt Disney was not interested in making Dumbo. To get him interested, animators, Joe Grant and Dick Huemer didn't initially submit a completed storyboard but storyboard installments. To peak his interest they had cliff hangers at the end of each "chapter". One "chapter" was left on Walt's desk every morning. Finally, he ran into the story department saying, "This is great! What happens next?"




Dumbo the Flying Elephant The original (paperback ) book $150.99
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