Socal Mom by Donna Schwartz Mills

Halloween at Disneyland, a SoCal Tradition

Once again, I was an invited guest to Disneyland's annual Family Media Day, celebrating Halloween. And once again, I was there.

You may recall last year, when my husband was not able to attend with me and my teen ditched me so she could hang out with her friends. I was left wandering the park alone for several hours and came to the conclusion that without peeps, Disneyland is the Loneliest Place on Earth.

Photo: Donna Schwartz Mills.

So last week, when I learned that my husband would be unable to go with me, I got wise: I invited my sister and her family to join me. 

I've invited her before, but there has always been a reason why they weren't able to make the trip down from Northern California. This year, I was in luck: they were available. And instead of going solo, I was part of a party of seven. 

What's New This Halloween

Photos: Carly Starr

All my Halloween favorites are back: Space Mountain Ghost Galaxy and the Haunted Mansion Holiday. And the Park is festooned with pumpkins and other seasonal decorations.

Star Tours has reopened as Star Tours 3D -- which had me afraid that all the Park did was clean up the ride and re-do the video in 3D. 

Photo: Carly Starr

Thankfully, I was wrong.

The Star Tours 3D experience is all new, with an updated story that reflects all SIX Star Wars films and features appearances by some of your favorite characters: Darth Vader, Chewbacca, Ewoks, Princess Leia (who tells the audience we are her only hope!)... and Jar Jar Binks. (I guess it can't ALL be good).  And yes, the droids have been cleaned up and are positively gleaming now.

Getting Into the Holiday Spirit at Disneyland

I don't know why I'm always shocked at how busy it gets the last few months of the year. Once school starts, everything is a blur -- and the next thing you know, you're ringing in another New Year.

The days seem to be flying by even faster for me this year, largely due to the fact that I've been working on assignment over at CBS Digital Los Angeles. My latest post there is a rundown of some of the region's larger Christmas Tree Lighting events. And there are more holiday posts in the works.

Including this one. On Saturday, my family and I had the privilege of attending a Disneyland-sponsored mom blogger event at the theme park, and I'm happy to report that for me, it's once again the Happiest Place on Earth (unlike how I felt the last time I visited).

That's because this time, I had the necessary paperwork to allow our dog to stay at the Disneyland Kennel Club -- which means that my husband got to stick around for the fun. Also, my 21-year-old nephew came along for the ride, so my daughter wasn't as eager to go out on her own.

Holidays at Disneyland

This weekend was the kickoff for Disneyland's holiday celebration, which has always been special to me. As a Jewish kid in Los Angeles in the 1960's, Christmas Day was kind of a lonely time. One way to combat feeling left out of all the neighbor kids' celebrations was to pack up the family and have our own good time at Disneyland.

Both of the Disney parks sparkle for the holidays, with whimsical decorations throughout. I love the oversized lights and ornaments at Bug's Land in California Adventure, the Halloween/Christmas hybrid decor at the Haunted Mansion and the vast array of wreaths, garlands and trees that festoon all the shops and rides. (Over 100 artificial trees, including the 60' beauty in Main Street and 8,000 feet of decorated garland throughout the two parks.)

We tried to pack in as much as we could on our visit: we enjoyed the Haunted Mansion's annual holiday tribute to Tim Burton's Nightmare Before Christmas and the holiday makeover at It's a Small World (where the songs include upbeat carols like Deck the Halls and Joy to the World). We watched the 100+ live performers in the Christmas Fantasy Parade. At a mom blogger dinner that evening, we sampled the wonderful holiday gingerbread beignets served this time of year Cafe Orleans.

Fireworks and "Snow"

Most exciting was this year's fireworks show. I have to confess that for most of the years I've been visiting Disneyland (averaging once per year since 1961), I rarely stopped to watch the shows. After all, those huge audiences gathering on Main Street meant that there were fewer people waiting in the line for Space Mountain. But as a Disney guest, missing the show would be rude. (Besides, the park was kind enough to set aside a reserved spot for the mom blogging families in attendance.)

Now that I've gotten a few of these fireworks spectaculars under my belt, I have a new understanding: they change - ALL THE TIME. I guess I knew that the summer show was different from the Halloween and Christmas shows. But I did not realize that they produce a new spectacular EVERY YEAR. And I thought this year's holiday extravaganza was a lot more impressive than the one we saw last year.

For one thing, there was an effort to set the stage with extravagant winter lighting of the show's focal point, Sleeping Beauty's castle. According to Disney:

The nighttime Sleeping Beauty’s Winter Castle light show is divided into three “acts” over the course of the evening. Each one begins at the Castle and travels the length of Main Street, U.S.A., finishing at the Town Square Christmas tree. Each act features a magical snowfall, and the final act concludes with “Believe…in Holiday Magic” fireworks.

Magical snowfall. If you are not a native of this climate, you have no idea of the delight that brings to our kids. The whole idea of snow is magical out here (I never saw real snow fall until I was 30). The stuff they spray at Disneyland appears to be really tiny soap bubbles - but it feels and looks like the real thing - and the effect truly does seem magical.

Off the Beaten Track

This Disneyland visit, we availed ourselves of some of the park's lesser-known services. The first was the Disneyland Kennel Club, which afforded us a place to keep our big Collie-Shepherd mix. It's not a free-range full-service kennel, so you wouldn't bring your pet there for a three-day stay. But it's perfectly adequate for a day trip.

We were able to enjoy the park with peace of mind that Mac was being fed and watered. All we had to do was take a break every few hours to visit with him and walk him (they have a fenced-off area with a couple of benches and even a prop "fire hydrant"). For a fee of $20, I think it's a great deal.

Mid-afternoon, my husband complained of a headache. We could not find any analgesics for sale in any of the shops, and I was afraid he would just have to wait for it to go away. Then, I remembered seeing a First Aid station tucked away at the far end of Main Street, behind the Kodak Photo shop.

We walked in and were greeted by a man whose nametag identified him as a registered nurse.

"Do you sell Tylenol?" I asked him.

"No. But I can give you some," he said. "I can also give you aspirin or ibuprofen, if you prefer."

He handed us a packet of ibuprofen - but only after we assured him that Gareth had eaten within the last 40 minutes. (Duh. We tend to spend the whole day eating when we go to Disneyland.)

Who says you can't get anything free any more? Twenty minutes later, the headache was gone and we were enjoying another ride.

DISCLOSURE: My family and I attended Disneyland and California Adventure as guests of the Disney Parks. I received no monetary compensation for this post, nor did I make any promises about the content of this post. I can't wait to go back.

Halloween at Disneyland 2010

Disneyland has always been my family's special place. My mom and dad were married in August, 1955 -- just a few weeks after the park opened its castle gates for the first time. They visited on their honeymoon -- and as they were still kids themselves (19 and 21), it was a magical spot. They brought me there for the first time when I was four... which means I've been visiting the park now for 50 years.

We've celebrated many an anniversary there... as well as birthdays, Christmas, and Halloween.

I've written again and again on my blogs about Disney's grand holiday celebrations... so what's one more post?

My family and I were guests of Disneyland on Saturday for "Family Media Day," which gave us an opportunity to enjoy this year's Halloween-themed fun.

I suppose it's not surprising that Walt Disney first made his mark as an animator and film producer. In a way, Disneyland is just one big Hollywood movie set and it employs scores of designers, performers and technicians - who work year-round to make the Happiest Place on Earth the most festive one, too.

They begin setting the mood when you enter the park at Main Street, which is festooned with autumn flowers and pumpkins and Mickey-themed Halloween decor. I love the orange and butternut colored banners and bunting and all the "pumpkins" displayed in the shop windows.

The fun continues on the rides themselves, many of which are re-engineered for Halloween: Space Mountain riders are menaced by a fiery "ghost" which seems to chase their cars through the even darker-than-usual roller coaster. The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror (over at California Adventure) is ALWAYS frightening - and is also decorated for Halloween. And of course, the Haunted Mansion is once again re-configured with characters from Tim Burton's Nightmare Before Christmas (and will remain in that mode into the New Year).

And, of course, you can commune with all the Disney Villains, as I did during the Media Family Day reception:

Guests with young children may prefer to visit the park for "Mickey's Halloween Party," which began on Friday and will be running every Tuesday and Friday through the end of the month (culminating one last time on the 31st). According to Disney's own parks website, guests can explore eight "hide-and-go-treat trails," where they be able to pick up goodies at about 50 different stations (both candy and healthy treats). I definitely would have been there if they had held this when my daughter was little.

 I was disappointed that California Adventure did not display similar Halloween decor this year (some of my favorite photos from last year's visit were taken there). Instead, there was a big electronic billboard touting the new ElecTRONica party that will be held there in conjunction with the opening of Tron:  Legacy. As one who really loved the original Tron movie when it first opened, I'm looking forward to this. Maybe on my next trip to the park...

DISCLOSURE: I was comped tickets to attend Family Media Day at Disneyland. I have no business affiliation with the Walt Disney Company. I received no monetary compensation for this post, nor did I promise that it would be positive.

Multi-Generational Fun at Kew Gardens

 

 

Several years ago, we decided to check out the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew. I'd seen photos of the famous Victorian glass houses and wanted to see them first hand.

The surprise was how much the entire family enjoyed the excursion - especially my husband, who knows a good spot for a photo op when he sees one.

He is also a very considerate son.

He knew that his garden-loving mum had never been to the 300-acre site that's been a center for the study of plants since the 17th century (even though she's lived just 130 miles away for her entire life). And so when we planned their Wimbledon visit, we decided to stay on in London so we could take her there.

But we had not planned for the London weather. 

I'm an LA native and have lived in the San Fernando Valley for nearly 50 years, so I can handle a little heat. But my mother-in-law (who turns 81 next month) has spent her life in Britain, and until recently has had little experience with temperatures that get close to the 90°F mark.

And I don't think anyone enjoys humidity.

The day we visited Kew, it was sweltering. The place is huge, and while there are plenty of trees (it is a botanical garden, after all), you had to walk along a lot of hot, shade-free asphalt paths to get to them.

We were cranky and eating the lovely picnic lunch we'd brought did not put us in a better mood.

Then I noticed that it was possible to tour the site on a nice, covered tram. The Kew Explorer is a 40-minute hop-on, hop-off service complete with tour guide. It costs £4 for adults and £1 for children -- and on the day we visited, I thought it was well worth it.

Family Activities

I knew that my mum-in-law would enjoy the gardens at Kew -- but was surprised at all the facility has to offer for children (even an adolescent like my 14-year-old).

We hopped off our tram to admire a large lily pond and noticed a banner for PLANTastic Play: a playground in the form of a giant plant, designed to introduce youngsters to the concept of biodiversity (yes, as beautiful as Kew is, it's primarily an educational facility... and they aim to teach people of all ages).

This installation appears to be part of Kew's "Summer Festival," which also includes a guided biodiversity tour and a fabulous exhibition of live butterflies in the Princess of Wales conservatory (which enthralled our entire party).

I was surprised to learn exactly how many kids' activities are on offer at Kew all year round: there's an indoor playground, a treetop walkway, and an aquarium. The different glass houses are architectural gems; many of them are designed with stairways that allow visitors to climb right up into the trees. And if you visit during London's usual chilly weather, it's nice and warm inside.

The Royal Botanic Garden has an extensive website, with so much information it could take you hours to get through it all. Suffice it to say, if you're planning to visit Kew with children, you'll want to read their Parents' Survival Guide here.

Disclosure: I was not compensated for this post.

See the rest of my London photos on Flickr, here.

Hollywood By the Thames

 

I never think about SoCal's geographical latitude... until I've gone somewhere quite a bit north of Los Angeles. That's when you notice how short the days are in winter...

...and how long they are in summer.

Here in LA, the variation is noticeable, but not dramatic.

But while in the UK the last two weeks, we could not get over the fact that the sun didn't set until after 10:00 PM. I think that's how Megan and I managed to stay awake as long as we did that first Saturday. Without the visual cue of darkness, it was easier to forget our jet lag and keep on going.

This is a good thing, because Gareth's day at Wimbledon lasted past sunset, and I found myself meeting him for dinner at a place called Garfunkel's, where we managed to seat ourselves just before it closed at midnight. But the long day meant that I also had to decide what to do with Megan after we'd finished our shopping excursion in Camden Town... and she was feeling jet lagged and cranky. 

The muggy London weather wasn't helping. It was like walking around in a steam bath.

"It's hot. And my feet hurt," she complained. "Can't we go somewhere cool?"

This seemed like the perfect opportunity to catch a movie. My friend Catherine had other places to go, so she helped us navigate the Tube system to Leicester Square, which is home to several bars, clubs, restaurants and about a half-dozen cineplexes. And - unlike most of the shops and restaurants we'd been visiting so far - they're air conditioned.

This is the site of many a movie premiere in the United Kingdom, and someone involved in city planning has taken a page out of Hollywood's PR book, by embedding bronzed handprints of some of the celebrities who have opened films there. The result is a kind of cross between the Chinese Theater and the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Megan didn't recognize many of the stars commemorated on the pavement... until I found one for Ralph Fiennes.

"Hey, Megan - Those hands there belong to Voldemort," I told her.

I took several shots of her posing with his hand prints.

We had been hoping that the next Harry Potter movie would be opening in the UK during our visit (because it would be kind of cool to see it where it was filmed), but were disappointed to learn that this one is reverting back to a November release. So in true teenage fashion, my little girl announced that the only film she wanted to see was "Get Him to the Greek."

Yes, I know it is rated R, and I know that indicates a comedy that would make me wince with her beside me. But I was just as hot and tired and jet lagged as she was and didn't feel like fighting that particular fight at that particular moment. So we walked into the theater where it was playing and attempted to buy two tickets.

"How old is she?" the cashier asked.

I answered truthfully: Megan is 14.

"I'm sorry, I can't sell you the tickets. It's rated 15; no one under that age can enter the theater."

Not even with a parent.

Way to go, Britain!

"If I had known, I would have told them you were 15," I told my daughter. But secretly, I was relieved.

We ended up at a showing of the more age-appropriate "Letters from Juliet." This one had been on my daughter's list too, and it was actually a perfect choice for a mother-daughter movie date. Total chick flick; romantic and sweet.

We walked a long way back toward the Hyde Park area where our hotel was located before finally grabbing another subway at Tottenham Court Road.

It was a good first day.

Disclosure: I was not compensated for this post.

See the rest of my London photos on Flickr, here.