Tuesday's Tips: Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party

"It's the most wonderful time of the year..." Christmas carols are ringing, cookies are baking, and snow is lightly falling. Which sounds wonderful, except that it's November(isn't it too early to be celebrating Christmas?) we live in Central Florida(so, no real snow. Ever.), and it is too hot to be baking cookies(it was 85 yesterday). It all only means one thing: Christmas has come to the Walt Disney World Resort! And with Christmas comes one of the best nights of the year. Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party! 

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas.... 

Walt Disney World does two hard ticket events every year. One is the Halloween party, Mickey's Not So Scary. We had a fabulous time at that one last September, so naturally, when November came, and the temperatures dropped from 95 to 80, it was obviously time to celebrate Christmas! We attended Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party last Thursday, and it was a blast! Here is an overview of our experiences :)

Magical Moments: Princess Edition

I sat down to update my Facebook page last week, realized that my status update would be extremely long. After considering the pros and cons of a novel length status, I finally remembered I could update my blog instead! Last Tuesday was a truly magical day at work. It was a day I was dreading, because I have a bad cold and a headache. I knew it would take some serious magic and prayer to gat me though the day. Not only was my night truly magical, I had a wonderful time as well! So here is a recap of those magical moments :)

One last fall day at the Magic Kingdom before Christmas begins! 

Magical Moment #1: Knighthood
Sadly, we were completely out of stock of my favorite hat in the whole wide world: my Jessie hat. Without that fine and dandy red hat, I really didn't know what to do. My solution? Don a pink princess cone hat! With streamers waving down my back, a multicolored wand in my hand, and a Sleeping Beauty necklace draped around my neck, I was ready to greet the royal guests of my kingdom. So I placed myself at the Test Track facing door, and began my princess duties for the night. I decided to greet all the little boys(and the big ones, too) who walked in as knights . Most of them just turned red and bashful before smiling shyly at me. One boy, he was about 9 or 10, walked in my door. I greeted him with a "Why, hello Sir Knight!" He took off his hat and bowed to me. I curtsied and then he continued on his knightly adventures. It melted my heart.

Goofy taught me to hoedown :) He was awesome at it! 

Taking Magic For Granted

When I sat down to write this post, my mind was drawing a blank. I haven't written a magical moments post for a long time, but I hadn't realized it. And when I went to write this one, I finally recognized why: because lately, I have felt like the magic of my day to day life had been lost.

Sometimes. I decide to ride the Astro Orbitor with Merida hair ;) 

I went back and read some of my previous posts, and saw a common pattern. So often, those moments that I had deemed magical then, were everyday and commonplace to me now. I sew first time ear hats and hand out Mickey stickers everyday. Those moments that used to be magical have been woven in to the fabric of my everyday life, and instead of sparkling with color, they have become dull and lifeless.

To Everyone Who Has Been Cut From An Audition

Dear friends(especially my princesses, but definitely the princes too ;),

You have all been there. I was there a few hours ago. That moment when they call numbers 15 and 45, but you are number 33. The twist in your chest as you realize that once again, you weren't good enough. And now, they expect you to walk out of that audition room, through a crowd still waiting to go in, with your head held high as if nothing was wrong. I was there this morning. And as I was fighting frustration on the bus home, I was thinking of everyone around me, who was just as distraught and just as torn up as I was, if not more so. So, I want you to know: YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL.

Don't let a single audition determine who you are. I have been on 30+ auditions, each one the same. My cheekbones are too high, my nose is too big, I'm too fat, or too skinny, or my eyes aren't big enough. But ultimately, what does that really matter? Why do we let a Casting Director have the power to tell us we aren't beautiful, to destroy our self-esteem? They have the power because we let them.

Now, speaking directly to those of us whose biggest goal is to make magic. Guess what? Breaking News: you don't have to be a princess to make magic. I promise! You can make magic every single day of your life, even if you aren't wearing a ball gown. Believe me, I know. Put the same passion and heart that you put into auditions into every aspect of your life, and you will become a magic maker. You might not be followed by crowds of people begging for autographs and photos, but the one little girl who you took the time to sprinkle with pixie dust, she will remember you forever. You might take pictures with her, you might even sign her autograph book, and in that moment, you will do something you can never accomplish in entertainment: You made the magic simply by being you.

So, my dear friends, the next time you walk out of an audition dejected, remember. You are truly a princess(or a prince!). There is a King who loves you more than life itself, and that makes you a real princess. Don't let the enemies of greed and desire destroy your inner joy and magic. Take those sparkling qualities with you, and you will become the person that everyone wants to meet. Because you will truly be a Magic Maker.

Just my two cents ;)
Love,
Lizzie

Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party: Tips!

This might just be my favorite night of the year. Everyone gets to dress up and go to the Magic Kingdom. You just combined two of my favorite things, playing dress up and Magic Kingdom! But, if Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party is on your fright list this year, here are thirteen frightful tips to the have the scariest time imaginable! Believe me, it's a scream!

I decided to dress up as Ariel. It was so much fun! 

Tip #1: Scare up some good costumes.
Yes, even the grownups need to spend some time playing dress up! Moms and Dads, don't let your kids have all the fun on this one. Jump on in there! We were a group of all adults, and you'd better believe that every one of us dressed up! Some awesome families all dress in the same theme, such as Incredibles or Snow White and the Seven Dwarves(if you have seven kids, this is an adorable idea!). Whether you are matching your kiddos or everyone doing their own thing, everyone needs a costume. When else are you going to take pictures in front of a castle dressed as a princess and a space ranger? Never, is the answer ;) Which leads us directly to our next tip...

Follow me on Facebook!

Hello everyone! As you must know, sometimes I am terrible at updating my blog :) So, I created a Facebook page where I can post quick updates, such as tips of the day, live blogging, and my daily magical moments. I will still be updating my blog, it will be just the same as usual, the longer posts about my life and WDW tips. :) Check it out here: facebook.com/lizzieindisney
Hope to see you all there! :)

Magical Mondays: My Own Disney Character

I love working for Disney. I never want to work anywhere else ever again. There are a few things that can be changed, obviously, but as a whole, I get to work for a Mouse and my office is a theme park. Oh, and the fact that on my days off, I can visit the most magical kingdom in the world. But one of the coolest things about my job is that I can become my own character, create my own world of magic for the guests.