Knott’s Spooky Farm is back at Knott’s! This annual daytime, family-friendly Halloween celebration, takes place weekends through October 29 and Halloween Day. 
This kid-inspired “spooky” celebration will feature activities for ages 3-11 including trick-or-treating, a live show and costume contest with the Peanuts gang, and a Dia De Los Muertos Celebration.
Kids ages 3 -11 can participate in Trick-or-Treating throughout Ghost Town, and interact with an array of spooky but friendly Shopkeepers. New this year, Stanley Scarecrow has opened the Livery Stable for guests of all ages to get close and personal with the Creepy Critters of Calico.
The Grand Sierra Railroad in Camp Snoopy transforms to a one-of-a-kind experience which takes riders on an adventure, along with the Peanuts Gang, to Camp Spooky with added special Halloween theming effects.
Come to Camp Snoopy Theatre to show off your best Halloween costume at the Peanuts Costume Contest and afterwards, join Peanuts characters in a Peanuts Dance Party!. Additionally, families can watch the Peanuts Gang in The Monsters Are Coming, Charlie Brown, where they’ll have guests of all ages singing and dancing along to classic Halloween tunes.
This Halloween season, the Timber Mountain Log Ride mystically converts into the Halloween Hootenanny by adding a new family friendly twist to a park favorite. Every year the citizens of the Timber Mountain invite the mysterious creatures that live out in the woods and caverns of the area to join them as they celebrate the season at the Halloween Hootenanny. The ride’s interior will feature new fun surprises as guests venture past the Calico Coffin Creeper band, the town’s green witch and splash down Skull Mountain through a labyrinth of jack-o-lanterns. The seasonal ride will also feature an original song performed by Krazy Kirk and the Hillbillies. Open for day and night guests, this is the perfect family experience for all to enjoy this Halloween season.
In Fiesta Village, join the Dia de Los Muertos Celebration in the Fiesta Stage area for an interactive, non-scary, educational celebration of the season. The themed area offers a walk through village filled with photo ops, educational activities and face paintings at a nominal fee.
Then visit the Ghastly Gallery in the Boardwalk Ballroom for a slate of entertaining activities including a live show and opportunities for your little ghouls to participate in drawing their best “monsterpiece.”
A 2018 Season Pass is the best way to experience Knott’s Spooky Farm. With a 2018 Season Pass you will get to enjoy all of the Seasons of Fun next year but will also receive one free admission to use in 2017. You can get your Season Pass now at the Best Offer of the Year! A Regular Season Pass includes unlimited admission in 2018 to Knott’s Berry Farm with no blackout dates, and a Gold Season Pass includes unlimited admission in 2018 to both Knott’s Berry Farm and the newly expanded Knott’s Soak City Waterpark with no blackout dates. Regular passes are just $92 or nine easy payments of $10.22 and Gold Season Passes are $110 or nine payments of just $12.22. These offers end October 29, 2017. Applicable taxes and fees apply online. Payment plans are only available at knotts.com.
Knott’s Spooky Farm runs weekends September 30 – October 29 from 9:00am to 4:00pm, Halloween Day from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm, and is included with regular park admission. For more information on all the exciting things that are going on at Knott’s Berry Farm, visit knotts.com and follow the conversation using #KnottsSpookyFarm.
SoCal Fun
Brick-or-Treat Party Nights Return to LEGOLAND® California Resort Sept. 30
Awesome Awaits at the Park…after dark! Brick-or-Treat Party Nights at LEGOLAND® California Resort are back for more Halloween excitement! 
The entire Park is open for Party Nights Saturday September 30, and every Saturday in October. The home of Halloween fun is filled with…
- Live entertainment + new shows!
- Character Meet and Greets
- Costume Contests: Group, LEGO® Theme, Most Creative
- Treat stations with more than one million pieces of candy
- Heartlake City Fall Festival with Pumpkin Patch Build and craft time with the LEGO Friends
- The AstroBash Dance Party
- Brick-or-Treat Party Nights Pop Badge Challenge
Also, don’t miss candy,decorations and your fishy friends at SEA LIFE® Aquarium included with your Party Nights ticket.
Brick-or-Treat Party Nights is a special event and admission can be purchased for as low as $49 if purchased online in advance. New this year, guests can purchase a full 2nd day Resort Hopper ticket to enjoy LEGOLAND California, SEA LIFE aquarium and LEGOLAND® Water Park.
We’re really excited to share more about Brick-or-Treat nights when we attend later on in October. For more information about Brick-or-Treat Party Nights at LEGOLAND® California Resort or to purchase tickets, go here.
Tickets Now on Sale for The Queen Mary’s Dark Harbor Opens September 28
A new voracious resident spirit has risen from the depths of the Queen Mary’s Dark Harbor, Southern California’s most authentically terrifying haunt, opening September 28.
Chef and his long-forgotten legend have resurfaced and will be brought to life through FEAST, the new horrific maze onboard the ship venturing into previously unrevealed areas of the Queen Mary’s Dark Harbor. Chef and his carnivorous kitchen staff have resumed their deadly duties, collecting new victims for Chef’s latest recipes. All who dare will swelter with fear as they crawl their way out of Chef’s scorching oven to reach their final destination…Are YOU ready to be served?
The Story Behind FEAST
For the first time in Dark Harbor history, FEAST will be the 4th maze onboard the legendary vessel. FEAST tells the tale of Chef, a legendary spirit of the historic R.M.S. Queen Mary. As the tale goes, During WWII when the Queen Mary was in service as a troop transport ship, an enlisted military man serving in the ship’s kitchen quickly moved up the ranks to become a highly-decorated Chef. Unbeknownst to the soldiers traveling aboard, Chef had a dark side. Quietly he would sedate soldiers in the middle of the night to prepare them as ingredients for his latest dishes. Eventually caught, the Chef was thrown into one of his own ovens and cooked alive. Loyal to their leader Chef’s dutiful kitchen staff sacrificed their lives to become his evil henchmen, burning themselves in the same oven. The spirits of Chef and his evil crew went into hiding aboard the ship for many years. Now, these long-time stowaways have resurfaced to resume their deadly duties of collecting and preparing victims for Chef’s latest concoctions.
Try Out the All-New Ice Bar Experience: The Meat Locker
Enter the frozen depths of Chef’s Meat Locker where he keeps his latest victims on ice. This one-of-a-kind ice bar experience will take you into a 7-degree environment for up to 20-minutes! Choose from a curated selection of flavored vodkas to create your custom tasting flight, but keep one eye open for Chef to make sure you don’t end up in his next recipe. (Up to 20 Guests per Session).
FEAST and Chef will make their horrific debut as Dark Harbor returns to the Queen Mary on September 28. Southern California’s most haunted Halloween event will welcome MORE monsters, MORE nights, and MORE mazes than ever before. Offering the most authentically frightening experience available, Dark Harbor tells the truly haunted, historic tales of the Queen Mary. The infamous spirits of Chef, Iron Master, Captain, Samuel the Savage, Graceful Gale, Half-Hatch Henry, Scary Mary, Voodoo Priestess, Ringmaster, plus hundreds of their bloodcurdling henchmen await to tempt your fate.
Live your nightmares aboard the Queen Mary with these newly intensified, darker than imaginable, and evermore twisted mazes:
- Soulmate
- B340
- Mazes Circus
- Intrepid
- Deadrise
- Lullaby .
With 7 mazes and 13 bars, fire shows, aerialists, sliders, Michael Jackson’s Neverland Ranch’s Sinister Swings, monster DJs, Voodoo House Bar & Tasting Room, R.I.P. Lounge, and much more, Dark Harbor is a freakishly fun time.
The annual haunt opens its gates on September 28 and continues to scare those who dare on select nights through November 1. General admission ticket prices start at just $20 online, with Fast Fright, VIP Passes, Creepy Cabanas and lodging packages available. For more information or to purchase tickets online, visit http://www.queenmary.com/dark-harbor.
Parking for The Queen Mary
Queen Mary General Parking is $30. Arrive early if you want to park onsite. The Queen Mary parking lots SELL OUT EARLY NIGHTLY. Allow at least 30 minutes to park and arrive to the gate. Pre-Paid Parking is $20 Online. Offsite parking is $15 (CASH ONLY) and is available Thursday – Sunday after 8PM. Off site lots are just across the water in Downtown Long Beach at the Long Beach Courthouse, 101 Magnolia Ave, Long Beach. Shuttle service will be provided during Dark Harbor, begin departing at 8PM. The last shuttle departs Dark Harbor one hour after closing.
The Queen Mary is located at:
1126 Queens Highway in the Port of Long Beach
For more information, call (800) 437-2934.
{Giveaway} “Odysseo” by Cavalia to Premiere in Ventura County Starting November 11 + Enter to Win
After stunning one million California spectators in Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Jose, San Diego and Orange County with its original show Cavalia and its second theatrical adventure Odysseo, the internationally acclaimed entertainment company Cavalia Inc. is thrilled to announce the first visit of Odysseo to Ventura County. The world’s largest touring production will be presented under its signature White Big Top in Camarillo, 
Performances will start Saturday, November 11, and Odysseo will call Ventura County home through Thanksgiving with matinee and evening shows scheduled until November 26 and will be at Under the White Big Top in Ventura County * US 101 at Santa Rosa Rd (Exit 52) at 5230 Camino Ruiz, Camarillo, CA 93012. Tickets for matinee and evening performances of Odysseo in Ventura County are now on sale and can be purchased online. Please see below for ticket purchase info, discount code, and also to enter my ticket givwaway! 
The $30 million equestrian and acrobatic extravaganza expands the definition of performance into an epic, yet soulful theatrical experience. A show unlike any other on the planet, this awe-inspiring production features 65 magnificent horses and 50 talented riders, acrobats, aerialists, dancers and musicians. Odysseo is the masterpiece of Normand Latourelle, creator of Cavalia Inc. and renowned for combining different forms of artistic expression and reinventing the scenic space.
Here’s a synopsis of this beautiful production:
Odysseo is a heart racing live performance, filled with mesmerizing visuals and live music. Through the magic of digital projection, audiences of all ages will be transported on an epic journey to some of nature’s greatest wonders including the Mongolian steppes to Monument Valley, the African savannah to Nordic glaciers, and from the Sahara Desert to Easter Island. Odysseo’s mindboggling theatrical effects are as spectacular as they are numerous: a state-of-the-art video screen three times the size of the world’s largest cinema screens; a three-story mountain for dazzling perspectives; décor both intricate and grandiose that seems to pull the audience onto the gigantic stage, and a real lake made of 40,000 gallons of recycled water which magically appears for a splashing finale. In sum, the show creates places no one has ever seen before – places where one can feel the deep connection between horse and man.
Odysseo’s horses play in complicity and with freedom, in a respectful relationship with their human counterparts, creating a moving artistic and emotive partnership. A liberty number, in which purebred Arabian horses are directed only by the soft murmurs of their trainer, and a fabulous caravan act that comprises people and horses too numerous to count, are amongst the breathtaking scenes that will leave every spectator captivated and touched.
Buy tickets now and enjoy“PRESALE” prices! For a limited time only, up to a 15% discount is applied automatically for online and phone transactions for ticket purchases. Presale ticket prices range from $29.50 to $119.50 + applicable fees. For a memorable outing, The Rendez-Vous Package offers the best seats in the house, a full meal buffet dining before the show, open bar, desserts during intermission and an exclusive visit to the stables after the show. This unique VIP experience takes place in a tent alongside the White Big Top. The presale RendezVous package prices range from $129.50 to $234.50 + applicable fees. Special pricing and packages are also available for groups of 12 spectators and more. Tickets for Odysseo are available at http://www.cavalia.com or by calling 1.866.999.8111.
I’m also hosting a giveaway for one of my lucky readers to win a family 4-pack of tickets to see Odysseo on November 11 at 2 p.m.Under the White Big Top in Ventura County. Winner must be able to attend and pick up tickets at Will Call prior to the performance on November 11. No substitutions will be available. To enter, complete the Rafflecopter below. Good luck everyone! Thanks for reading!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
LEGO® Ninjago® Days at LEGOLAND California Resort
In celebration of the new film, The LEGO® NINJAGO® Movie™ LEGOLAND® California Resort is having LEGO Ninjago Days on September 23rd & 24th! 
LEGO® NINJAGO® Days are new for this year and guests will be able to join their favorite ninjas – Lloyd, Jay, Kai, Cole, Zane and Nya – to experience LEGO NINJAGO attractions, meet LEGO NINJAGO characters, and celebrate the September 22 opening of Warner Bros. Pictures’ all-new big-screen animated adventure THE LEGO NINJAGO MOVIE! With unique building activities, giveaways and more, you won’t want to miss out on the fun! Have you watched the trailer yet? Here it is:
Guests at LEGOLAND California Resort will have the opportunity to “become a ninja” with fun activities throughout the day! Here’s what you’ll find:
THE LEGO® NINJAGO® MOVIE™ Character Meet & Greets
Meet the stars of the movie in LEGO® NINJAGO® World!
Mystery Mosaic LEGO® Build -Work together to build a LEGO mosaic and check out the LEGOLAND Calfiornia Facebook page to see it completed! Please note: This activity will be available on a first come, first serve basis.
Miniland Scavenger Hunt- Join in on the hunt to find the ninjas in Miniland U.S.A! . Complete an entry form for a chance to win a LEGO® NINJAGO® prize pack!
WB Family GameSpace featuring THE LEGO® NINJAGO® MOVIE™ Video Game – Master new skills and upgrade your weapons in your training to find your inner ninja in this brand new video game. The LEGO NINJAGO Movie Video Game will allow players to delve into the world of the new big-screen animated adventure The LEGO NINJAGO Movie. In the game, players battle their way through waves of enemies with honor and skill as their favorite ninjas Lloyd, Nya, Jay, Kai, Cole, Zane and Master Wu to defend their home island of Ninjago from the evil Lord Garmadon and his Shark Army. To do so, they must master the art of Ninjagility which allows them to traverse Ninjago by wall-running, high-jumping and battling the foes of Ninjago to rank up and upgrade the ninja’s combat skills. Players can harness the power of Spinjitzu combat to defend Ninjago together.
All of the activities available during LEGO Ninjago Days are included with the price of a regular park ticket. For more information or to purchase your tickets ahead of time, please go here.
Disney Social Media Moms Celebration “On-the-Road” at Disneyland Resort
Pixie Dust landed in my inbox a few weeks ago, in the form of a magical invite to the Disney Social Media Moms Celebration On-the-Road at the Disneyland Resort. Just the mention of anything Disney, brings a smile to my face and warms my heart so I was giddy to share this news with anyone and everyone who would listen!
So grateful for the invite to #DisneySMMC on the road! You never get used to #PixieDust in your inbox! Thank you, @DisneyMoms! MAGICAL day! pic.twitter.com/u72NJEOH2n
— ✨Wendy✨ (@OverthetopMommy) July 25, 2017
After I shared about my wonderful invite on my social channels, I received a few questions asking what exactly Disney Social Media Moms Celebration is? So let’s just start there.
Disney Social Media Moms Celebration is a multi-day conference that began over 7 years ago at the Walt Disney World Resort. This annual event put on by the Walt Disney World Events Team, is by invitation only and is extended to a couple hundred social media moms (and dads) and their families each year. Attendees participate in a conference and also get to spend to time in the Parks with their families during their stay. Last year, I had several friends attend and have the opportunity to experience the very first “Land and Sea Celebration” where they sailed aboard the Disney Wonder! (Read about my friend Gayle’s experience here.) How magical does that sound? A Disney cruise is definitely on my family’s travel bucket list! Have you been on one before?
The Walt Disney World Events Team took the Disney Social Media Moms Celebration out “On-The-Road” a few years ago, creating a half-day “mini” conference, making several stops across the country, and even in Canada. I was lucky enough to attend the “On-The-Road” conference last year, when it was held at Paradise Pier at Disneyland Resort.
Whether you’re invited to the regular Disney Social Media Moms Celebration conference or one of the “On-The-Road” locations, you’ll have the chance to learn about the latest Disney news, including the happenings at the parks, with Disney Cruise Line, at Disney Aulani, with the Disney Parks Moms Panel Search, and with Disney Vacation Club. You’ll also receive social media tips and tools and gain valuable insight from speakers at the conferences
Disney Social Media Moms “On-The-Road” at Disneyland Resort was held this year in Disney California Park, inside Stage 17. It was a jam-packed morning and I want to share all about my experience with you. (To read what I did to get ready for this big day, go here.)
Upon arrival at the conference, we were each given a Disney pin so we could participate in some pin trading with the other attendees as we enjoyed a delicious buffet breakfast. 
Have you ever done pin trading in the Parks? It’s so much fun. I LOVE my new Minnie Mouse pin! She’s adorable! It was fun to pin trade and get to know some of the other Disney Moms in the room.
What followed was a lineup of wonderful speakers, each one sharing either exciting news about Disney or an inspirational story. Lisa Mendillo, Managing Editor at Walt Disney World Resort, grabbed our attention immediately as she began with one of the most magical giveaways you might know of right now: a raffle to win a pair of (highly sought after) Disney Rose Gold EARs! 
I don’t think I’ve ever heard a room get that quiet in such a short time! We were all crossing our fingers and hoping to be chosen! Although I wasn’t one of them, I was excited to know one of the winners, Tania of Latina Mom TV.! It’s always exciting to see your friends win something! 
Lisa also touched on some of the latest happenings at the Disney Parks, Disney Cruise Line, Aulani, and the Disney Parks Moms Panel Search.. Here are just a few of those updates:
- The World of Pandora – New to Disney’s Animal Kingdom, the World of Pandora brought a whole new element to the Park and features.
- Rivers of Light – Also new to Animal Kingdom, this past February was the nighttime show “Rivers of Light” which combines live performance, floating set pieces, a soaring musical score, fountains and more in a celebration of animals and nature.
- “Happily Ever After'” Fireworks Show – Catch this nightly show in the sky above Cinderella Castle is the most spectacular fireworks showcase in Magic Kingdom history. It starts with a dream…and takes you on an unforgettable journey that captures the heart, humor and heroism.
- Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT! opened at the end of May inside Disney California Adventure Park at Disneyland Resort. This thrilling attraction takes guests. New for this year at Halloween Time, read about the nightly transformation this attraction will undergo just for Halloween!
- Disney Junior Dance Party – This summer, an all-new Disney Junior Dance Party debuted at Disney California Adventure Park. This high-energy, live show experience that takes its inspiration from the most popular Disney Junior shows on TV, including the new series “Mickey and the Roadster Racers,” as well as “Doc McStuffins,” “Sofia the First” and “The Lion Guard.” The show is set to include live appearances from some of your favorite characters, fun music from Disney Junior and much more.
- Disneyland Railroad and Rivers of America Attractions – The Disneyland Railroad and the attractions along the Rivers of America (the Mark Twain Riverboat, the Sailing Ship Columbia, and the Davy Crockett Explorer Canoes) reopened at the end of July, after a complete refurbishment, which made room for the upcoming Star Wars area. The scenes along the Rivers of America, which are backdrop for Disneyland Railroad’s route, portray scenes that were inspired by Walt Disney’s true-life adventure movies,
- Disney Cruise Line – Marvel Day at Sea features exclusive character interactions where you’ll have a chance to meet astounding Super Heroes and a very extraordinary Villain.
- Disney Parks Moms Panel – The 2018 Disney Parks Moms Panel search will begin this year on September 6 as the application period for Round 1 will open.
It seems like there’s always something new and exciting coming soon at either one of the Disney Parks or with Disney, in general. 
Did you know that the Disney Parks Moms Panel search will begin this year on September 6? The application period for Round 1 of applicants is only open through September 13. If you aren’t familiar with the panel or are still on the fence about applying, here are 3 reasons why I think you should apply this year. Although I’ve never been chosen for the panel, I have applied for it twice before and can tell you what it’s like to apply. It’s a great opportunity for any Disney Mom (or Dad) to pursue. 
Since I am a huge fan of the Disney Parks Blog, I was really excited when we heard from Erin Glover who is the Editorial Content Director of Disney Parks Blog! She is so knowledgeable about all things Disney and shared some great tips with us about the best ways to share our content from our blogs to social channels.
Just as soon as Erin was finished speaking, a familiar tune started to play in the room. It was “Baroque Hoedown” and if the name still doesn’t ring a bell, that’s the theme song for Disney’s Main Street Electrical Parade. We had our own personal performance at the conference that day as 2 royal couples danced in the front of the darkened room, wearing their beautifully lit-up costumes from the actual parade.
The Main Street Electrical Parade originated inside Disneyland Park in 1972 and just recently returned to the Disneyland Resort this past January for an encore performance which ended on August 19. I’d have to say that this was my most favorite parade of all time, mainly because of how much it reminds me of my childhood. 
The conference attendees were delighted to be introduced to.Stacia Martin, a Disney Artist and Historian. Ms. Martin has been with the Company for 39 years and as she stood in front of the crowd, up on the stage, she talked to us about so many interesting topics and facts she knew and had come to learn all of these years, while she sketched away, making it look like it was effortless.
She first sketched Tink as she talked. Next, she called up my friend Caryn (from Rockin’ Mama) to the stage to sketch her favorite character. What an exciting thing to be called up for! We all watched in awe and as Ms. Martin finished the sketch of Winnie the Pooh. 
We then learned that Ms. Martin had also sketched a personalized rendering for each of us and that we’d be taking ours home that day! Here’s the one I got to take home. I will treasure it forever!
As soon as we were asked to turn off our cell phones and put away any device at the conference, I knew something good was coming next. Sure enough, we got to see a never-before-seen clip from “Olaf’s Frozen Adventure” which is a 22 minute animated short from Disney Animation Studios. The short will be shown in theaters this holiday season when it precedes the full length animated feature “Coco”, due to release nationwide on November 22. I don’t want to spoil anything but I am happy that the original (voice) cast is returning for this holiday adventure. Here’s the official trailer:
After the sneak peek we also got to have a Q & A with the directors of this featurette, Kevin Deters and Stevie Wermers. Can Thanksgiving hurry up and get here already?
Leanne O’ Regan, Director of Content Relations for Disney Parks, introduced the surprise keynote speaker, Amy Robach of CBS’ Good Morning America. Amy is an amazing journalist and news anchor and sat down on stage with Leanne to share about her journey and her battle with breast cancer.
Amy featured a live mammogram on her show, Good Morning America, as a way to encourage viewers to get their own mammograms done. Shockingly, she received devastating results of her mammogram afterwards, as she was told she had breast cancer., Amy shared that it was one of the most eye-opening and shocking events of her lifetime!
“I started surviving the day I got the diagnosis.” – Amy Robach.
All I could do was sit and listen to her story and quietly wipe tears from my own eyes. She is amazing and positive and inspiring and reminds me of a very good friend of mine who is currently battling cancer. 
Attitude is everything in situations like theirs. It seems like the more positive energy you exude, the more positive outcome you will get!
Disney Social Media Moms Celebration “On-The-Road” included such a wonderful collection of presentations and speakers and Disney magic and was nothing short of a memorable experience for the attendees.
I got to connect with influencer friends, many of which I usually only “see” online. There’s really nothing like the community of Disney Moms and how much they support each other and to be in a room filled with many of them that day, was definitely My Happy Place. 
The conference portion of the day ended at noon but the day was far from over because we were then hosted to play in both Parks until closing time. We were also lucky to be given a pre-loaded FASTPASS to experience the all-new Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT! and enjoyed the perks of having MaxPass on our Park Hopper tickets that day, which included PhotoPass.(The park photographers are amazing!) I highly recommend trying out MaxPass on your next visit! It is so convenient! 
It was such a wonderful day and I was so grateful to have been invited this year’s Disney Social Media Moms Celebration “On-The-Road”. A special thank you to Leanne, Courtnee, Lisa, and the entire Walt Disney World Resort Events Team for including me. 
You can join in on the conversation by following the hashtag #DisneySMMC on Twitter and Instagram. I also recommend you follow @DisneyMoms on Twitter, too, so you can keep up with the latest announcements regarding the Disney Parks Moms Panel and other exciting events up and coming with Disney Parks.
27th Annual CHOC Walk in the Park at Disneyland Resort Raises over $2.3 Million
On August 27, 2017, CHOC Walk in the Park, presented by the Disneyland Resort, brought more than 12,000 walkers together to raise funds for CHOC Children’s. This year’s super heroes-themed walk raised more than $2.3 million in support of health care programs, education and research for Southern California’s kids which is absolutely amazing!
I was so honored to be able to be there with my daughter and be a part of CHOC Walk in the Park. It was our 3rd time participating and this year was, by far, the best one yet! It’s such a thrill to be inside Disneyland Park in the wee hours of the morning, before the sun is even up. 
Each year, an ambassador is chosen for CHOC Walk. Each ambassador has a special and amazing story, relating to CHOC Children’s. This year’s ambassador was nine-year-old stood up on the stage in front of the entire crowd to talk a little bit about her story and helped kick off this year’s CHOC Walk!Jordin Jackson. 
Jordin was invited to the stage along with her family where she spoke to the crowd and shared a little bit about her own condition. She is an amazing little girl! You could feel the love there on Main Street, U.S.A., as thousands of CHOC Walkers watched and listened to her story.
Jordin has sickle cell disease, a disorder that means her red blood cells are misshapen, leading to reduced blood flow to parts of her body and frequent hospital stays for pain management. But with her control, it’s become an opportunity to raise awareness of sickle cell disease and fundraise for CHOC. Jordin’s history with CHOC Children’s Hospital runs deep and began when she was just 3 years old. Watch her story:
After a few of everyone’s favorite Disney characters joined Jordin and her family on stage, the CHOC Walk kicked off with a bang of confetti and the walkers were off! 
It’s so heartwarming to be there walking among so many groups of people, many even on “teams” who are walking for someone. Some of the teams have matching gear and/or carry custom signs. You can just feel the energy and support as you proceed through both parks at Disneyland Resort and end your walk in Downtown Disney.
One of the fun parts about participating in CHOC Walk is that you get to see a bunch of characters all along the route. 
Some of the characters might even be ones that aren’t normally out in the Parks during most days. You are welcome to stop and take photos all along the way if you choose. It’s just a wonderful experience,overall, and all for a great cause.
Here are some fun facts I learned about CHOC,during the walk, from signs that were posted along the route:
- CHOC is partnering with primary and specialty care pediatricians to improve health outcomes for kids.
- CHOC’s new neonatal intensive care unit, which opened this past July, features 36 private rooms and enhanced family amenities.
- CHOC has the only trauma center in Orange County exclusively dedicated to children.
- CHOC is a Leapfrog Top Hospital for safe, quality care.
- CHOC’s Small Baby Unit is improving outcomes for the tiniest and sickest of preemies.
- CHOC is a Magnet facility for nursing excellence.
- The CHOC Children’s Mental Health Center, opening next year, will offer Orange County’s first inpatient program for children under 12.
- Since its inception, the CHOC Walk has raised more than $30 million.
If you didn’t have the opportunity to participate in this year’s CHOC Walk in the Park, I highly encourage you to do so next year. It was a lot of fun and an experience that had me leaving the event with a full heart afterwards. 
Also, if you aren’t able to make the event at all, you always have the option of registering as a “Sleeping Bear”, which means that you are a registered walker but are virtually walking on the day of the event, from the comfort of your own bed.
Won’t YOU consider joining in and walking with us next year? I sure hope so! Every participant makes a difference for these kids! 
For more information about CHOC Walk in the Park, please visit here. Connect with CHOC Walk on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
More Halloween Time Fun at Disney California Adventure Park
I’ts almost Halloween Time at the Disneyland Resort and the latest news is that this year, more spooky fun will expand into Disney California Adventure Park! Halloween Time will kick off on Friday, Sept. 15 and go through Tuesday, Oct. 31, 2017. It’s truly a time of year you won’t want to miss out on experiencing!
Just last week, exciting news was released about the special nighttime overlay for Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT! and how it will be transformed nightly into Guardians of the Galaxy – Monsters After the Dark! I can’t wait to ride it! To read more about that, please click here.
Guests visiting this year during Halloween Time will be able to experience Halloween for the first time in Cars Land in Disney California Adventure, as it’s transformed with a special HaulO-Ween makeover.
The citizens of Radiator Springs will don Halloween costumes and decorate their respective homes for the season. Lightning McQueen, Mater, Cruz, Red and DJ will be all dressed up–as a super hero, a “van-pire,” a pirate, a clown and a punk rocker, ready to go “trunk-or-treating.”
Attractions will be transformed, too, with Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree turning spooky as the Graveyard JamBOOree, and Luigi’s Rollickin’ Roadsters getting a seasonal twist to become Luigi’s Honkin’ Haul-O-Ween. 
Scary the Scarecar will stand guard over the entrance to Route 66, a preview to the Haul-OWeen transformation awaiting guests in Cars Land. With Fillmore’s Jack-Oil Lanterns, the web spun over Flo’s by a Spider-Car, and the Cozy Cone dressed up in car-stumes, the townsfolk turn Radiator Springs into Radiator Screams.
Oogie Boogie will appear for the first time at Disney California Adventure, too, taking over with his twisted tale of a forever Halloween, inspired by “Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas.” Oogie Boogie’s oversized silhouette beckons guests through the main entrance of the park and he brings to life a swarm of bats around Carthay Circle Restaurant and Lounge. Guests walking down Buena Vista Street will also be greeted by a new 10-foot-tall statue of the Headless Horseman of Sleepy Hollow, holding his jack-o’-lantern head up to the sky!
Disney California Adventure also will be featured for the first time as part of the pre-party mix-in for Mickey’s Halloween Party, a separate-ticket event that features special entertainment, Disney characters in their Halloween attire, and trick or treating at locations throughout Disneyland. 
This year, a ticket to Mickey’s Halloween Party has even greater value as guests will be able to visit Disney California Adventure as well as Disneyland during the three hours prior to the beginning of the party in Disneyland.
Tickets for Mickey’s Halloween Party went on sale July 17 for Annual Passholders, Disney Vacation Club members and Disney Visa Card holders and on July 24 for the general public so you should purchase yours before they sell out. For more information about Mickey’s Halloween Party, including dates, read the post I wrote about hit here. Party tickets may be purchased online and on mobile devices at http://Disneyland.com/party as well as at the Disneyland Resort main gate and by phone at 714.781.4400.
What are you most excited about this year during Halloween Time at Disneyland Resort? Share with me in the comments!
New for Halloween Time at Disneyland Resort: Guardians of the Galaxy – Monsters After Dark
As if Disney fans weren’t already thrilled enough when Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT! opened back in May at Disney California Adventure Park…, now they’re in for a scary Halloween treat as the attraction is transformed nightly into Guardians of the Galaxy – Monsters After Dark! 
The creepy chaos of creatures on the loose and Rocket scheming to save Groot adds to the high-energy action, only during Halloween Time at the Disneyland Resort, Sept. 15 – Oct. 31, 2017!
In Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT!, Rocket finds his Guardians of the Galaxy pals trapped in the Fortress of The Collector, Taneleer Tivan, and guests assist him with a daring escape plan. The Monsters After Dark transformation picks up moments afterward, as Rocket discovers that in the hurry to free his friends, they have inadvertently left Groot behind. Now Rocket needs to distract all the monsters he has unleashed inside the Fortress, and he enlists the guests to help while he rescues his little friend.
“The Monsters After Dark story hinges on irreverence, on top of the irreverence that’s already in the attraction. “It’s creepy, chaotic and very funny.” – Joe Rohde, creative executive for Walt Disney Imagineering.
The attraction transforms from Mission: BREAKOUT! to Monsters After Dark each evening. The Collector’s Fortress goes dark, alarms sound and all-new lighting on the exterior of the Fortress alerts guests that something inside has gone awry. As guests enter the Lobby of the Fortress, they may be startled by flashing alarms and creepy sounds – warning signs that creatures have escaped their vitrine cages and all kinds of chaos is erupting. The Collector’s ever-resourceful assistant Apheta tries to keep calm by reassuring guests that all is in order, and this is just a momentary setback.
In keeping with the dark humor of the experience, all-new 1970s-style punk rock song,
“Monsters After Dark,” enhances the thrill of the experience. The song was written especially for this attraction by Tyler Bates, composer for the “Guardians of the Galaxy” films.
Guardians of the Galaxy – Monsters After Dark is only available during Halloween Time at the Disneyland Resort.
To check park time guides or the timing of this nightly transformation, visit http://Disneyland.com. You should also keep your eye on the Disney Parks Blog for more information about Halloween Time at the Disneyland Resort.