I was invited to a media event in order to facilitate this post. All opinions are my own.
The countdown to the 2019 CHOC Walk in the Park has started! This very special annual event will take place this year on Sunday, August 11, 2019 at the Disneyland Resort. 
The CHOC Walk in the Park is the only walk of its kind which takes place inside of the Parks, allowing participants to experience Disney® as never before. Did you know this is the 19th year in a row that the Disneyland Resort has hosted this wonderful event as the presenting sponsor? 
I was invited to a very special CHOC Walk in the Park kickoff event, held at Disney’s Grand California Hotel. The event was filled with information about this year’s walk and pre-walk FUNdraising events. 
At the kickoff event, we also got to learn about the 2019 CHOC Walk Ambassador, Ella Boyle. Ella’s mother, Lizzie, spoke to us all about her journey at CHOC Children’s.
Ella and her family have a giant team that walked last year known as “Team Brave Boyle“. Watch this video narrating Ella’s story:
Last year, with the help of friends, families, and sponsors, the 2018 CHOC Walk raised $2.9 million dollars! All proceeds from this magical event benefit the health and well-being of Southern California’s kids. This year, they’re reaching for an even higher goal and you can help out! 
My daughter and I have had the opportunity to participate in the CHOC Walk in the Park in prior years and it is definitely an experience that will touch your heart. I highly encourage you to get involved with this wonderful event this year. 
There are a few different ways to get involved with the CHOC Walk in the Park:
Register to Walk – CHOC Walk Participants can create teams, earn prizes, and raise funds for CHOC. We encourage Walkers to fund raise for their participation or they can make a personal donation. Register now to create your own Personal and/or Team Fundraising Page.
Donate – If you aren’t to walk, you always have the option to donate to an individual’s page or even towards the CHOC Walk in general. For more information about donating, please go HERE.
Support pre-CHOC Walk fundraising efforts – In the months leading up to the CHOC Walk in the Park, there’ll be several great opportunities to support different fundraisers that directly benefit CHOC Children’s including Chick-Fil-A CHOC Walk Wednesdays and more. Keep your eye on CHOC Walk’s Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for more details.
For more information about this year’s CHOC Walk in the Park, please visit their official site HERE. I hope to see you at the event!
Some images are property of CHOC Walk and used with permission.
More than 30 families from the Southern California and San Diego chapters of Ronald McDonald House Charities® joined the opening ceremony festivities and were treated to a fun-filled day at LEGOLAND® California Resort. Kids were outfitted in train conductor hats and received commemorative buttons as they boarded the LEGO® locomotive which for many was their first ever theme-park ride! As part of the opening event, LEGOLAND® California donated $80,000 to Ronald McDonald House Charities, benefitting the San Diego and Southern California chapters.
Throughout April, the family-friendly indoor water park resort will offer a blue version of the brand’s signature wolf ears, available to guests for a minimum $5 donation to Autism Speaks. A limited-edition collection of 10,000 blue wolf ears were made for this event and will be available for purchase at all 16 of the company’s U.S.-based resorts.
All proceeds from the Blue Wolf Ears campaign go directly to Autism Speaks, with a goal of raising $50,000 to support its mission of enhancing lives across the spectrum at every stage of life. Last year alone, the non-profit aided more than 1 million people through Autism Speaks-funded programs and resources.
To increase understanding and acceptance of people with autism, Great Wolf Lodge is launching a social media campaign in conjunction with the Blue Wolf Ears effort. The company encourages guests to post a photo on social media of themselves or a family member wearing their blue wolf ears, using #GreatWolfCares. For each post using this special hashtag, Great Wolf Lodge will make an additional $5 donation to Autism Speaks, up to $20,000. 
For more information on Great Wolf Resorts and its brands of indoor water park resorts, please visit 
The Pet Expo will also debut “Kids’ Pet Care Course.” Led by licensed dog trainers, Kid Camp is an immersive experience where kids age 6-12 can learn how to care for their pet and will Earn a responsible pet ownership certificate. In 2018, there were more than 698 animal adoptions including dogs, cats – and even a few guinea pigs who found forever homes during the three-day event which drew approximately 50,000 attendees.
Coming this year to America’s Family Pet Expo is the Instagram sensation “Moshow the Cat Rapper” (@iAmMoshow), who boasts nearly 223K followers and more than 1M video views. Known for rapping about cat care and his passion for “cat ladies and cats,” he will be rapping on stage along with meet and greets at the TICA Cat Show twice daily, all weekend.
The “All-Star Stunt Dog Show” will be entertaining at the Pet Expo. Founded in 1999, the canine agility-show features high-flying, fearless and air-defying canines as they try to out-trick, flip and out jump one another. Audiences will be mesmerized by their talent and boundless energy.
The 2019 Expo will be the “Cat’s Meow” as the The Catit Playground and TICA, The International Cat Association, returns. From rare breeds to household domestics, TICA will offer continuous opportunities for owners to showcase their prize-worthy felines for best in show categories. Alongside TICA, the Catit Playground will provide a close-up view for guests to watch adorable, adoptable cats and kittens and see how they interact with different toys and people.
Returning favorites to the Pet Expo include Repticon, Reptile Show andSale, offering hundreds of common and rare species of reptiles in all shapes and sizes, such as lizards, snakes, and spiders. Plus, the ever-popular Splash Dogs will also be on hand offering a “splashing” good time as these dogs compete at dock jumping.
In advance of America’s Family Pet Expo, kids can design and create a 10-gallon aquarium in the Kid’s Aquarium Contest sponsored by Tetra/Marineland. Continuing this year is the America’s Family Pet Expo Hobbyist Aquascaping contest sponsored by FLUVAL. Plus, the ever-popular Splash Dogs sponsored by CANIDAE will also be on hand offering a “splashing” good time as these dogs compete at dock jumping. There will also be the Butterfly Walk-Through, Police and Protection Dog Demonstrations, an Aquatic Touch Tank, Tortoise Petting Exjbit and The Free Flight Bird Show as added features.
Doggie makeovers and pet adoptions will be handled onsite for those looking for that perfect animal addition to the family. There will be hundreds of animals hoping to find their “fur-ever home” from local community partner organizations at the Pet Expo.
Thrill to high-speed stunts and high-octane fun, as Lightning McQueen, Mater and the crew of Disney•Pixar’s Cars race across the ice. Dive into adventure with Ariel from Disney’s The Little Mermaid, as she explores her undersea kingdom. The toys are back in town with heroic action when Buzz, Woody, Jessie and the Disney•Pixar Toy Story gang escape Sunnyside Daycare in a daring adventure to get back to Andy’s room. Plus, enter the wintery world of Arendelle with sisters Anna and Elsa and pals Olaf and Kristoff from Disney’s Frozen as they learn that true love comes from within.
Plus, get warmed up for the show right in your seats with exclusive dance moves taught by the mouse that started it all during Mickey’s Dance-Along Pre-Show Party, as the Disney On Ice skating athletes remind everyone that getting active can help you be your best! Then you’ll be ready to enter a dazzling world of Disney magic to see some of your family’s favorite Disney moments come to life in Disney On Ice presents Worlds of Enchantment, with dazzling skating, special effects and timeless characters certain to create a lifetime of memories.
Long Beach Arena – Thursday, April 18- Sunday, April 21
I’m also hosting a giveaway for one (1) of my readers to win a family 4-pack of tickets to their choice of opening night at either the Long Beach ( (4/18 at 7:30pm) or the Ontario (4/25 at 7:00pm) location. To enter this giveaway, please leave a comment on this blog post telling me why you’re excited to see Disney on Ice. I will accept comments as entries through 11:59 p.m. on April 15, 2019. Giveaway is open to U.S. Residents 18 years of age and older. Prize has no cash value.
Guests will have the opportunity to indulge in a tantalizing line up of dishes ranging from savory foods with a boysenberry twist to one-of-a-kind specialty desserts and drinks that can only be found at Knott’s Berry Farm during this time of the year. In addition to the numerous food and drink offerings, the Knott’s Boysenberry Festival offers a wide selection of local crafters, live music, musical stage shows and fun activities for guests of all ages to enjoy.
This year’s Boysenberry Festival runs 31 days starting March 29, operating daily through April 28, 2019. This year’s lineup will introduce several new food items including:
Knott’s Boysenberry Tasting Cards 
Boysenberry Festival Merchandise
The Knott’s Berry Market (located in the Marketplace outside the Park) also features signature boysenberry items like the delicious boysenberry BBQ sauce or the classic jams and preserves.
The Knott’s Berry Farm Boysenberry Festival is included with admission to Knott’s Berry Farm. Additional costs apply for food tasting experiences within the event. Knott’s will have extended hours on select days March 29 – April 28, allowing guests extra time to take advantage of all of the limitedt-ime offerings.
The best way to savor every day of the Knott’s Boysenberry Festival and all of the other Seasons of Fun is with a 2019 Season Pass. A Regular Season Pass includes unlimited admission in 2019 to Knott’s Berry Farm with no blackout dates, and a Gold Season Pass includes unlimited admission in 2019 to both Knott’s Berry Farm and Knott’s Soak City Waterpark with no blackout dates. Regular passes are just $98 or five easy payments of $15.50 after an initial payment and Gold Passes are $118 or five easy payments of just $18.50 after an initial payment. These offers end April 28, 2019. Applicable taxes and fees apply. Payment plans are only available at 
For more information about Knott’s Berry Farm please visit 
This year the Easter Eggstravaganza, where you’ll find The Easter Bunny, starts on Saturday, March 20 and will go through Saturday, April 20. Not only is The Easter Bunny there, visitors will also find an array of family friendly activities to enjoy including:
Irvine Park Railroad’s Easter Eggstravaganza also holds Easter egg hunts that begin daily at 10:00 a.m. Tickets may be purchased and exchanged for a wristband to participate in an egg hunt at a specific time. Please bring an Easter basket for each child that will be participating in the Easter egg hunt. Irvine Park Railroad will also offer Easter baskets for sale. 
Tickets must be purchased on the day of the event to receive a wristband for the Easter egg hunt. Please visit
The Easter Bunny will be available for photo opportunities through Saturday, April 20. For the cost of $12.00, children can meet and have their photo taken with the Easter Bunny. The cost includes a complimentary photo that will be taken by Irvine Park Railroad staff. 
Each additional print of the same photo is $6.00. Photos will be printed in a few, short minutes at the Easter Bunny booth. It’s a great keepsake to commemorate this fun occasion and save for your child’s baby book or scrapbook.
I’m also hosting a giveaway for one (1) of my readers to win:
The 2019 Orange County Cherry Blossom Festival expands on this tradition and celebrates the food, drink, crafts, music, and dance of Japanese Americans and the rootedness and hybridity of this culture in SoCal. The Festival provides the broader community with an opportunity to see and hear traditional elements of Japanese culture as well the many contemporary and hybrid forms that have emerged in the United States. Whether it is taiko drumming, folk music, classical dance, jazz, cosplay dance troupes, symphonic rock, DJs, crafts, Asahi, sake, Nintendo Switch tournaments or the 20+ food vendors, the festival is sure to offer something for everyone to enjoy.
This free event features more than 50 vendors and 27 different performing groups. The Festival will for the first time include two evening events, the Sakura Night Market, spanning two evenings Friday 3/15 and Saturday 3/16 where the whole park will be lit up with excitement, food, drink, and entertainment. 
Now in its sixth year, the OC Cherry Blossom Festival is a beloved annual event that was inspired by and honors Huntington Beach’s very own sister city, Anjo, Japan. The festival also raises the funds to run a youth exchange program, sending local students to Japan to experience the culture of Anjo first-hand. In return, local families host Japanese students who gain a better understanding our local community and way of life. Huntington Beach’s connection to Anjo, Japan dates back to 1982 and the Sister City program was officially incorporated in 1992, forever connecting the two cities and their traditions.
The “Dark Arts at Hogwarts Castle” will illuminate Hogwarts castle and “The Wizarding World of Harry Potter” nightly from April 13 – 28 at Universal Studios Hollywood then return from May 25 – 27. Universal Orlando Resort’s experience will debut later this year with dates to be announced at a later time.