Top 3 Snacks At Magic Kingdom

Welcome to those of you joining me from I Am A Mommy Nerd and those of you just hopping aboard. I am the 3rd stop on our Magical Blogorail.


It is hard to pick just three of my favorite 'must have' snacks at Magic Kingdom! There are so many amazing choices to choose from. However, my #1 'must have' snack has got to be the infamous DOLE WHIP!





1. The Dole Whip
The Dole Whip can be found at Aloha Isle in Adventureland. There are two ways to get a dole whip, as a soft serve ice cream or as a float. The soft serve dole whip is available in three flavors: vanilla, orange and pineapple. My favorite is the swirl version where guests can choose to mix the flavors. A soft serve swirl is $3.79. If it is a really hot day and you want more of a drink than ice cream I would highly recommend the pineapple float which costs $4.99. This float is available in three flavors also: pineapple, vanilla and orange dole whip which is my personal favorite.

This is the place to find a Dole Whip folks

Dole Whip Float *Picture credit Disney Food Blog*

2. Mickey's Premium Ice Cream Bar

The best $3.75 you will spend the whole week! My children love these things! They can be found throughout the park at the ice cream carts. This is a classic vanilla ice cream bar with chocolate ice cream on the outside shaped like Mickey! What's not to love? Caution-these are addicting!

My little guy enjoying a Mickey Ice Cream Bar

My daughter enjoying a Mickey Ice Cream Bar

3. Mickey Shaped Pretzel

Mickey Shaped Pretzel-Excellent snack choice with a side of icing to dip in

Here is the map of our Magical Blogorail should you happen to have to make a stop along the way and want to reboard:




1st Stop ~ Capturing Magical Memories
2nd Stop ~ I Am A Mommy Nerd
3rd Stop ~ Disney with Babies, Toddlers, & Preschoolers *You are here*
4th Stop ~ Two Moms And A Mouse
Final Stop ~ In The Mouse House

Thank you for joining me today. Your next stop on the Magical Blogorail Loop is Two Moms And A Mouse.

Genevieve Goings From Choo Choo Soul Releases First Single "My Telephone Number Is"

Genevieve Goings has spent 10 years teaching toddlers fundamental fun. From her

debut on Playhouse Disney as the hip singing train conductor on the educational

interstitials known as “Choo Choo Soul with Genevieve”, through her remaking Classic

Disney sing-alongs again with Choo Choo Soul, and voicing the learning bumpers

featured on the new Disney Junior network. Genevieve is now welcoming a second

generation of viewers and listeners with the release of her first solo album doing what

she does best - teaching and entertaining children.

“Do You know?” is a new presentation path for learning for young children age 2-7

year old. It features songs and videos aimed at helping preschoolers learn their phone

number, telling time, putting themselves to bed, and the more personal things like

hygiene and dealing with potty training in a dignified manner. This new inspiring set of

songs is fun for the whole family and will have you, as parents and teachers, singing

and dancing along.

Genevieve is releasing the first single "My Telephone Number Is" on April 22 from her

upcoming solo album "Do you Know?" scheduled to be released June 3, 2014. The

album focuses on teaching pre-school FUN-damentals in her funky, cool, kid-friendly

style.

Album release date is June 3, 2014. If you pre-order the album (available for pre-orders

in early May), fans will receive instant access to the albums next single “Gotta Do My

Business”.

Link to pre-order single “My Telephone Number is”:

https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/my-telephone-number-is.../id860252230

Link to download iTunes app for FREE:

https://itunes.apple.com/app/id805510066

Here is the link to the super cute you tube video. 

Twitter: @ChooChooGirl

Facebook: Facebook.com/GenevieveGoings

Instagram: Instagram.com/GenevieveGoings


*Disclaimer I was sent a complimentary single of "My Telephone Number is" by Genevieve Goings to review as a influencer with Entertainment New Media Network.  My thoughts and opinions are always my own.*

Disney Princess Birthday Party + Giveaway

My daughter celebrated her 7th birthday recently! She wanted to have a Disney princess themed party complete with her friends all dressing up as their favorite princess. The girls enjoyed some fun Disney themed crafts, games and pizza and cupcakes. We wanted to keep the party simple but fun because we will be at Disney World in a few weeks on my daughter's actual birthday. 

The princesses decorated these adorable foam door knob hangers with Disney princess foam stickers that I found at Hobby Lobby:

The birthday princess & the cupcakes

Birthday girl loved her new Anna & Elsa dolls

Tips for keeping a birthday party simple:

• Have a fun craft to keep the kids busy
• Choose at least two quick games for the kids to play
• Allow the kids free time to just play and have fun
• Have a backup plan if you're party is scheduled to be outside just in case it rains
• Ask all parents about food allergies before creating the menu
• Allow 20 minutes or more for the birthday girl (or boy) to open presents at the end of the party

Party Favors included Ariel themed pencils, mini notebooks & Ariel keychains. You can purchase the Ariel keychains at Disney For Fun Etsy shop. Another awesome party favor is this adorable Ariel pendant necklace. You can purchase the Ariel necklace at Pearls Pigtails Etsy shop for $19. 

One lucky reader will win this adorable Ariel necklace from Pearls Pigtails Etsy shop! To enter simply follow the Rafflecopter below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

How To Create A Disney Themed Easter Basket + Free Easter Printables

In three simple steps you can create a magical and memorable Easter basket for your little one. I always recommend keeping things simple at any holiday especially Easter. It can really add up if you have multiple Easter baskets to create for multiple children. My rule of thumb is stick to a simple guideline when choosing items for your child's Easter basket. Three items--one book, one dvd, one stuffed animal (if your child is older then you could always skip the stuffed animal and add some fun art kit) and candy. I try to avoid giving too much candy, if your child is 3 years or younger then I would recommend Gerber snacks which tend to have less sugar. Give the amount of candy based on the age of your child, for example, a 5 year old would get just 5 pieces of small candy in their basket. A 10 year old would get 10 pieces (a jumbo chocolate bunny does NOT count as 'one' piece of candy though folks). Here are some fun Easter themed preschool free printables.

---Book, DVD & Stuffed Animal

Make things fun, hide a small toy or sticker in the Easter eggs. This keeps things exciting and really gets the attention of children who are younger. Dye Easter eggs with your children and let them get messy! Don't be afraid to let them get food coloring on their hands, it is a great way to experiment. Just place a trash bag on the table to prevent messes and spills. Children won't remember what was in their Easter basket years from now, but they'll remember the memories you made with them. 

The First Years "What Would You Do With More Time For You" Contest

I absolutely love The First Years products! Ever since my first child was born I have been a big fan of The First Years. You can always count of these awesome sippy cups and rest assured that they won't leak. I am SO excited to share with my blog readers this amazing Facebook contest!

The First Years “What Would You Do With More Time For You” Facebook Contest

The First Years is here to help make life easier and solve parenting challenges. We know you must get tired of the time it takes to organize a drawer full of mismatched sippy cup parts. That’s why The First Years has more than 20 sippy cup designs that feature a spill-proof, super-easy-to-clean One Piece Lid that’s interchangeable across all of our soft spout, sippy and straw cups. We’ll drink to that, and to all the time it saves! So tell us, parents – with all the time these cups save, What Would You Do With More Time For You? Take a cooking class with a master chef? Indulge in a spa weekend? Plant a dream garden? Each week The First Years is giving away prizes, and on Mother’s Day three parents who enter this contest will receive a surprise they won’t soon forget: their wishes (valued up to $1,000) will be fulfilled! Visit The First Years Facebook page to enter. Contest runs April 1 to 30, 2014. See official rules for complete details.


*Disclosure-I received The First Years sippy cups in exchange for this review. However the review is completely my own opinions of the product.*

Tips For Packing The Toiletries

My "Must Have" Toiletries

• Bandaids
• Neosporin
• Swimsuit Cleaner
• Anti-Nausea medicine (you never know when this might come in handy)
• Sunscreen
• Ear Care (you never know when your children's newly pierced ear's might get infected)
• Kids Tums
• Shampoo
• Deodorant
• Razors
• Tooth Paste
• Tooth Brushes
• Dental Floss
• Benadryl Ointment (bug bites)
• Benadryl Liquid (allergies)
• Any vitamins your children or you take on a daily basis--remember to keep these in a child proof container, avoid packing these in the toiletry bag where your children might find them and think they are 'candy'. Never pack medicine in a ziploc baggie--ALWAYS pack in a child proof container

Be sure to pack your toiletries in a waterproof cosmetics bag in case something spills or leaks. One of my favorite cosmetics travel bags is the Hanging Organizer by Vera Bradley. I don't leave home without this bag when we go on vacations. It is great for hanging on the back of the bathroom door in a hotel too. 

Plenty of great compartments for various sized toiletries. Many cute patterns available. 

If you are going to be flying to Orlando remember you can not carry on to the airplane any full sized liquid containers such as mouthwash, shampoo, conditioners, etc. One of my favorite stores The Container Store sells leakproof bottles in various sizes which will be approved in your carry on. They are BPA free and very affordable. You can also purchase labels for the bottles so you know what is what. Each liquid in your carry on bag must be in a bottle or container with a maximum of 3.4 OZ.

photo courtesy the Container Store

Remember if you are staying on Disney property then you will find wonderful toiletries in your guest room. You can even request more each day from housekeeping. These are amazing and many people ask where can you find these? You can purchase them online at H20Plus. If you get a sunburn you can find relief with the H20 solar relief gel which I highly recommend. 

Disney World Resorts Toiletries (Photo credit Passporter Boards)

The Customer Rules Book Review + Giveaway

This review for The Customer Rules by Lee Cockerell is part of a Magical Blogorail sponsored campaign. Copies of the book were received free of charge for a review. Opinions are those of the reviewer and do not represent those of the author.  Your opinion may vary.

I recently read The Customer Rules by Lee Cockerell. I found The Customer Rules to be a great book and I am going to encourage my husband (who is in management) to read it and share it with his staff. Lee Cockerell is the former Executive Vice President of operations for the Walt Disney World Resort. He led a team of 40,000 Cast Members and was responsible for the operations of 20 resort hotels, 4 theme parks, 2 water parks and shopping and entertainment and the ESPN sports and recreation complex! Can you imagine the responsibility of that job?!

In the book The Customer Rules, Lee Cockerell describes 39 rules for delivering excellent customer service. These rules can be applied to everyday situations, jobs and really any human interactions. My personal favorite rule is rule #5 "What Would Mom Do?" in which Lee Cockerell describes examples of excellent customer service. Lee writes "Never ask for something without saying please", "Never tell a lie", "If you can't say something nice, don't say anything". Lee goes on to describe that employees should always consider what their own Mother would do when treating a customer or a specific situation.


Another rule that I really wish that everyone would follow is rule #25 "Treat Every Customer Like A Regular". I absolutely love when I visit a restaurant and notice the waitstaff talking with customers and asking how they're family is doing, how a surgery went, etc. This is great example of excellent customer service, the customers feel like the waitstaff really cares about them. It is great to feel welcome in a new store and be greeted by an employee. I visit new stores on occasion and if the employee on the floor does not greet me or ask if I need any help then I tend to feel unwanted and I will just leave the store. It is the worst feeling to feel ignored or unwelcome in a new place. I love going to my favorite coffee shop and having the barista recognize me, greet me and then remember the usual coffee that I order! This is a prime example of rule #25.

Here is a picture of Lee Cockerell and Mickey

I highly recommend this book and would encourage you to pick a copy. Enter below to win an autographed sign copy from Lee Cockerell. I wish that everyone in customer service would read this wonderful book and just think, if they each followed even half of these great customer services "rules" how great everyday service would be!

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This review of The Customer Rules by Lee Cockerell is part of a Magical Blogorail sponsored campaign.

Former Executive Vice President of Operations at Walt Disney World Resort, Lee Cockerell, shares his 39 Essential Rules for Delivering Sensational Service in his latest book  The Customer Rules. And if you want more from Lee Cockerell check out his first book Creating The Magic: 10 Common Sense Leadership Strategies from a Life at Disney.

Purchase the Book Here 

Enter to Win a Signed Copy of Your Own

If you would like a signed copy of Lee Cockerell's The Customer Rules please enter to win our giveaway below.  We will be giving away two signed copies. Please click here if the entry widget is not shown below.

Sing Into Spring Giveaway

Sing Into Spring giveaway 

Preschool Prize Pack includes the following cd's:

Doc McStuffins Soundtrack

DJ Shuffle (my 6 year old absolutely loves DJ Shuffle)

Jake and the Never Land Pirates / Yo Ho Matey-my 4 year old little boy loves this cd-he begs to hear every.single.day.

Frozen Soundtrack--My new favorite cd

Tween Prize Pack includes the following cd's:

Frozen ST

Austin & Ally: Turn It Up ST

DC Play it Loud

Teen Beach Movie ST

To enter simply use the Rafflecopter below

Preschool Prize Pack CD's

Tween Prize Pack CD's

Disclaimer:

I was sent a complimentary collection of Disney Music CDs by as part of Entertainment New Media Network.  Giveaway is sponsored through the network by Disney With Babies Toddlers & Preschoolers with prizes provided by Walt Disney Records.

a Rafflecopter giveaway