When was the last time you showed your Disney Side? Was it when your family entered the gates at Walt Disney World Resort or Disneyland Resort? Or maybe the last time you sang your favorite Disney tunes, or reminisced about your favorite Disney Parks attraction? Most everyone has a Disney Side – it’s that fun-loving, adventurous side that comes out to play when you’re feeling the Disney spirit!
Now you have the opportunity to join the Disney Side fun by hosting your own Disney Side @ Home Celebration for family and friends with an exclusive kit filled with party planning tools and Disney magic. (Excerpt from http://www.disneysidecelebrations.com/)
When I heard that applications were being accepted to host Disney Side @ Home Celebration parties, I knew that this was something that would be right up my Disney loving alley. Several years ago, I had been selected to host a Disney “red box” party and the guests and myself had a wonderful time. I wanted to experience that magical Disney party hosting excitement again.
The application process was simple but I was a tad discouraged when I saw the questions regarding how many Twitter followers I had, was I active on Instagram, Pinterest, Google+, did I wrote my own blog, etc. I’ve written trip reports on the Disboards for years and have pretty good numbers and I post on Facebook all of the time. But, I don’t tweet or post pictures on Instagram much. Google+? Not at all. Not one to let anything get in the way of my dreams, I submitted my application and waited along with the thousands of other applicants.
On January 5, 2015, I was doing the usual checking of emails and noticed that I had an email from Disney Parks & Moms Select. I always get excited when I see an email that relates to anything Disney. My fingers moved like greased lightning over the keys and when I opened the email, I read the following words:
Congratulations! You’ve been selected to be a host of a Disney Side @Home Celebration! You were selected from thousands of applicants and we’re so excited for you to participate and bring your love of Disney Parks to life. It’s almost time to let your Disney Side shine!
Oh my stars for the love of Liza! My application had been selected! They chose me! Little ol’ Lisa from small town, Louisiana! Some how, some way, my love for Disney had shone through the application process. Orrrrr, Disney could have done a little checking to see that, despite the fact that I’m not on all of the social media sites they had referred to, I more than make up for it with my constant Disney related posts such as “I wish that I were in Disney” or “I just updated my Disney trip report” or they could have possibly seen all of the pictures of us at Walt Disney World. They probably got my Disney drift.
Almost immediately after I found out about being chosen, I took to the internet to shout it from the Facebook and Disboard rooftops. I even remembered how to send out a tweet on Twitter. Since being chosen, I’ve joined the DisneySide@homecelebrations Facebook page and have become friends with several other hosts. It’s so neat to share the excitement with the others while we are awaiting receipt of our kits.
Many of us have tossed around and posted pictures of some of the ideas that we have regarding party themes, decorations and food items. The creative juices are flowing but because the boxes have only started making their way to the participants, many are waiting until they see the contents of their boxes before they set things in motion.
Patience is not my virtue and I simply could not wait on the box to arrive. I made a trip to our local Hobby Lobby and was instantly inspired by many of the things that I saw in the store. We live in a log home and I like to try to keep the decorations for my get-togethers on the simple, semi-rustic side. Burlap is a hot trend right now so I knew that I wanted to work it into the decorations somehow.
As I walked down the aisles, I picked up this and that and the “theme” became more and more clear to me. My mind has been racing every since and I’m more excited today than I was the day that I received notice that I would be a hostess. Sooooo, what’s the theme of my multi-generational DisneySide@homecelebration party?
We’re having a Disney carnival! Of course, there’ll be carnival foods such as hot dogs, popcorn, caramel apples and other goodies to nibble on. We’ll play bean bag toss Disney style, pin the tail on the Mickey (or pin the smile on the Mickey if I’m lucky enough to have that included in my kit as some others have) and a few other games.
I’ve started doing some crafty type projects while I’m waiting for my box to arrive. A roll of burlap, some acrylic paint and a little time was all that it took to make a runner for the dining table:
We have a garden every year so Mason jars abound in our household and have many uses other than just for storing our fruits and vegetables. This go-round, they are being used as utensil holders. A little red and yellow paint was brushed along the edges to brighten them up and black paint was used to make Mickey in the center. Once I put the finishing touch of a jute string bow around the top, this jar will be ready for the utensils.
A few years ago, my niece gave me three Disney stamps but I had never found the occasion to use them. Until, that is, I started making decorations for my Disney Side party. Again, burlap and paint were utilized. The picture below shows two strips of burlap. One has the yellow stars painted on it and the other has the Mickey Mouse profiles. Now that the paint has cured, I’ll cut those into triangles and make them into a banner. But, first, I’ll be making another set of triangles using white paint and the Mickey glove stamp.
Speaking of banners, these triangles will also become a small banner with the words #DisneySide spelled out on the pieces and then hung over the entrance to my living room or maybe on the side of the dining table.
The official logo of Show Your Disney Side is very similar to the one shown at the top of this post. Imagine my surprise when I found a chalkboard that was almost the same exact shape. It went into the cart immediately and I’ve started experimenting with the lettering on the board:
For those empty spots on the table that need a little “something”, these red, yellow and black Mickey heads, cut with my Mickey Mouse punch, will be just the right thing to fill up that space.
I couldn’t forget that this shindig is about showing our Disney Side so I’ll be making individual scrapbook pages using scrapbook paper, stickers and the Photopass pictures that we had taken during our May/June, 2014, Walt Disney World vacation. The Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Hollywood Studios and the Animal Kingdom will be featured as will Blizzard Beach, Typhoon Lagoon and Winter Summerland. There will also be a page dedicated to Disney Cruise Line using pictures that we took while on our Disney Dream cruise. Use your imagination please as I don’t have them complete yet but, again, patience isn’t something that I have much of and I wanted to show the cool “themed” papers and stickers to you guys and gals.
I’m making goodie bags, door prizes and game prizes for the guests. Some will be winning pixie dust necklaces and Disney vacation savings jars. As I said earlier, I have all sorts of ideas swirling and twirling around in my head and I’ll be doing lots more crafty projects in preparation for the Disney Side party. Maybe I’ll write another article once I’ve complete more party planning crafts.
My fellow Magical DIStraction team members, Caroline Whiddon Knowles, Christen Goff, Christen Williams Francis, Mary Spina, Renee D’Amato Virata, Anne Taetzsch Fitzgerald, Jennifer Earich Bauer and Rachel Horsley were also chosen to host DisneySide@HomeCelebration parties so I’m sure that many wonderful articles are coming up. You’ll want to keep an eagle eye on the Magical DIStractions site for those articles because you certainly don’t want miss out on any of the Disney Side fun!
Rachael Lorenz says
Yay Lisa! Perfect timing for your post! I am just starting to poke around to get ideas for my Disney World themed Birthday coming up. Its a tad tricky finding ideas for an adult’s party.
Deb Ragno says
Just a little bit excited? I wish I lived closer, I’d come to your party.
Carolyn J Chatham says
This is going to be one FANTABULOUS Event. Lisa is totally a Disney Fanatic! Can’t wait to see the creative decorations and goodies she will have at the event.
Kathi says
So creative, love it!
Patsye says
I LOVE all of your ideas. You are so creative! Everyone is bound to have a wonderful time, and I can’t think of anyone better to host it!
Mandy says
Such cute ideas with the burlap! I can’t wait to see/read more about it…you really are the perfect person to have one!
kathy says
i can’t tell you how much i loved this post! I have been an avid scrapbooker for nearly 20 years now and have accumulated hundreds (probably more than that) disney inspired papers, ribbons, punches, stamps, and embellishments. I have an IKEA Expedit (shelving unit) and Disney occupies more than its share of cubical space! Alas, I have only scrapbooked 2 of 6 disney trips. I’m so behind 🙁
Anyway, loved your post. I’m following your trip report at CBR from May 2014 right now and hope to be caught up on that very soon. You have inspired me to book a last minute trip in Sept/Oct of this year (I have never booked a trip inside of the 180 day mark….and pooh, several of our favorite ADRs are booked) ;/