Eating Disney Magic At Home: Mickey Bars

I don't think I'm alone when it comes to missing the Disney parks.

There's a lot of unknowns to when the U.S. parks will open and what they will look like in terms of operation, until then there's a little Disney magic that can be eaten at home.  Chocolate covered Mickey Mouse bars with vanilla ice-cream.  They are so tasty.  Honestly, the ice-cream is really creamy.

I just realized something... bear with me.  When the lock-downs began last March my Mom managed to buy a box.  It said that it was a 90th Anniversary, limited edition.  I didn't even know Mickey Bars were available for home purchase (so, honestly, I haven't a clue how long they've been in grocery stores).  The above pictured box is from WinCo, the bottom from Walmart, both of which don't mention 90th anniversary or limited edition. [Edit: I was wrong, looking at this blog post again.  The WinCo box clearly has the 90th anniversary on it, whereas Walmart does not, so maybe they will stick around?  Limited Edition isn't printed on the Walmart box.]  Are these going to be a regularly available item?  I sure hope so.  Honestly don't know.

Individually the bars are $2.50 for a single and $6.48 for a box of 6.

If you're missing the Disney parks and love Mickey Bars it's worth checking out the freezer section of your grocery store to see if they have them.  Everything's been a little crazy due to so many things, so hopefully they're available, and hopefully they stick around.  These are my new favorite ice-cream snack.

(Apparently these have been out for over a year!!  I'm so late to the party!  Better late than never, right? :P )

Oh, Just My Parents Having a Ton of Fun at Disneyland's Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge, and other bits

 My parents just got done visiting the Disneyland parks in California.

Without the kids, both young and not-so-young! :P

They experienced Galaxy's Edge during the reservation period and just after with walk in ability.  In short, they really enjoyed this new section of the park.  My Dad didn't like how you get there and it's mainly shopping experiences.  The second ride hasn't opened yet, so that might help balance Galaxy's Edge.  My Mom didn't complain about this fact and just loved the ambience.  Everyday we got texts from them showing how much fun they were having.  So cute!

They built lightsabers and droids, waiting to do this after the reservation period, which wasn't crowded!  In fact, I've been noticing all these videos and blog posts in the last couple days commenting on the overall lightness of crowds between both parks.  My Mom said a Disneyland Cast member thought this might be because of blackout dates and raised prices.  My parents were texting us about this and how they were getting on all these rides.  Ironic, because my brother, sister-in-law, baby niece, Mom and I were originally going to visit Disneyland this June, but with the date changes to Galaxy's Edge we moved the trip to April.  And, low and behold, the crowds are crazy good this time of year!!  Is it the passholder blackout dates? Not having the second ride open?  All the discouragement with price hikes? Waiting for less crowds, assuming it would be crazy busy?  Who knows?

A lot of things are sold out at Galaxy's Edge.  Personality chips for the droids.  Extra crystals for the lightsabers.  With the light crowds how did these things sale out?  They over planned in some areas and under planned in others.

Disneyland California needs to lower prices.  They're the highest out of all the parks.  Right now I could get into Tokyo Disneysea for only $66.51 for a single park, current exchange, and $201.33 for 4 days, all year around.  And they have lowered after 3pm and 6pm prices.  And the Tokyo parks are amazing!!!!

Disneyland got greedy, plain and simple.  Right now, with Summer prices, it's $199 for single day park hopper, and $149 for non-park hopper.  You'd have to be crazy to pay that, but sometimes that's all you can do when planning a trip.  With hike in AP prices, seasonal ticket pricing, etc, Disneyland is pricing out families who should be their priority.  Walt Disney would be disappointed.  Not what he envisioned.

Still, I can't wait to go.  It will be interesting to see how crowded it is this Autumn.

(PS, my Mom just wants to note how kind, helpful, and friendly the cast members are.)

How Tokyo Disneyland Handled a Parade in the Rain

 In the American Disneyland parks a parade is canceled if there's rain.  Too dangerous for the dancers and other reasons.  My first day at Tokyo Disneyland had super cold, rainy weather.  I wanted to see the parade, but assumed it would be canceled.

But it wasn't!

They announced a short version of the parade with beloved characters would be coming down the route.  (And this must have been in English because I understood the message).  I was hanging around Western Land, Tokyo Disneyland's version of Frontier Land, when the parade came down the route.

Short but sweet.

All the characters wore see through rain protection covering.

The song that played is special for rainy weather, a really cute J-Pop song.  Really, it's so nice the Japanese parks have a way for theme park goers to enjoy the parade, despite the weather.

Super nice.

 And below was the parade on another day with much better weather.

It was more like a street dance party where the floats rolled out with the dancers, and they just stayed put in a single spot for quite a long time. I watched about 15 minutes, realizing I actually liked the shorter version much better, and left.  Still fun.

The New Disney Wisdom Quote Series from the Disney Store: Dumbo

 "The very things that held you down are going to carry you up & up & up!" ~ Timothy Q Mouse

 Disney Store's Mickey Memories was a rush.  Crazy.  I didn't find out about it until the end of April sometime, but it was still insane how popular this series became.

This year, on the third Saturday in the U.S.A (except in December when it's the second Saturday), Disney Store is doing Disney Wisdom, a series of plushes and merchandise with favorite Disney quotes.  Last year with Mickey the full set consisted of a plush, pins, and mug.  This year Disney Wisdom has the plush, pins, and mug, but also has a t-shirt, wall art, and journal.  The t-shirt and wall art are online exclusives.

Also, with the pins, last year they released a book where you can slip the pins into clear pockets for page flipping viewing.  This year I was hoping they would do a pin book again, but instead they released a canvas wall hanging.  I ended up getting the wall hanging, but funny enough I won't display Disney Wisdom pins, instead showcasing my favorite pins that I've collected through the years from the parks. I have so many, but will only showcase my favorites in a clean, balanced way.

As of today, January 23, 2019, only the mug, t-shirt, and Disney Wisdom canvas pennant trading pin holder is available.  Everything else is sold out.

Disney stores in the U.K. sold this set the day before the U.S. did, and interestingly enough the pins were the first to sell out.  Here in the States the Dumbo plush sold out first.  Also, the store I went to only got 12 plushes, so they were the first to go.

 Waiting in line.  What I got.  My Mom also got the mug.

 Dumbo: $26.95

So cute!!

I wasn't going to get Dumbo, as he's rather large, but I knew where I would display him and couldn't resist.  He really is adorable.  And I like the stitch work on the ears.

 Disney Wisdom Dumbo Pins: $16.95

I do like these pins, and the pins are the only thing I'm going to collect each month.  Because of the silver you have to have the light reflect on it just right to see the lines, but other than that it's nice.

 Disney Wisdom Dumbo Journal: $16.95

I'm not going to get all the journal's, only the ones with quotes I really like.  I really need to start journaling again.  I use to write all the time.  But I love this quote, and I love this design with the silver.  It's really nice.  Oh, I should have taken a picture of the binding, which says "Disney Wisdom Vol. 1" in blue.

 Disney Wisdom Dumbo Mug: $18.95

Rather expensive for a mug, but it's nice.

 Disney Wisdom canvas pennant trading pin holder: $19.95

And it came with a free pin with Walt Disney's quote:

"It's kind of fun to do the impossible."

I like the free pin.  And I do like the canvas holder, though I wonder how pins will look when I get my pins out and place them on this.  Will the weight affect the way it looks and hangs?  We'll see, but I'm not ready to tackle the task.

So, thoughts.  I like the first set.  I like the quote, which means a lot with what I'm trying to do with my life.  It's a good start of the year quote.  I will be getting the plush, pins, and journal next month as well, as the Mulan quote is one of my favorites.  From there I haven't a clue what I'll get each month.  I won't get all the plushes.  I will get all the pins.  I'm not sure I'll get all the journals.  We'll see.

Mickey Mouse Memories Come to a Close, and Disney Wisdom Gets Ready to Launch Next Year

This is the last month for Mickey Mouse Memories, a year long celebration the Disney Store did to celebrate Mickey for his 90th year.  Each month a different Mickey was sold with a decade theme.  I found out about this collection in May, just in time for the Mickey Mouse May 1950's atomic plush.  It's still my favorite.

The Mickey Mouse Memories set came with a plush, mug and pins, all sold separately.  I didn't collect any of the mugs, managed four plushes (May, October, November, and December), and seven pin sets (January, April, May, September, October, November, and December).

This morning I woke up around 1:30 am to get the plush and pins online.  The system was being super slow, spin-wheel of doom, but after 30 minutes the order went through.  Then I got to the mall by 7:00 am with my Mom and got a couple more plushes and pins, so this early morning purchase will be Christmas presents. 

As of this morning the plushes, pins, and mugs were still available.  And it wasn't too crazy at the mall.  Not too bad at all.

 

I love the quote on the bottom of Mickey's foot.

"It's kind of fun to do the impossible." ~ Walt Disney

Only the first and last Mickey in the series got Disney quotes on his foot.

 Really beautiful pins.

And we got a free gift!  Only available at the store.

Playing card sized cards with each of this years Mickey's.

 If you turn the cards over and put them together they show next years theme.

 Disney Wisdom.

Each month, on the third Saturday, there will be a plush, pin, mug, and journal.

 I'm interested in the pins and journal.

 Dumbo is pretty cute, don't know if I'll get him, but I'm interested in Mushu.

 June is the hardest quote to read.

There was speculation that 2019 would be Minnie Mouse, but I like the Disney Wisdom idea.  I won't be getting all of them, though I do want all the pins.

Pin collecting is my favorite.