Possible Event Space for 2020 Presentations

I'm looking at doing multiple events in 2020 and fell in love with this location near Geist. Daniel's Vineyard is a great space and offers a terrific tastings menu, let alone their Cellar Club. If you're local to the Indianapolis area and need a venue for a cool corporate outing or event, you should check them out and their fun menu of event options. Or just grab some friends and go relish an evening of enjoyment together. #danielsvineyard #wine #winery

It's Mardi Gras

Happy 

Mardi

Gras! 

Today in Disney Parks and Resorts History - Candlelight at Disneyland

December 21, 1958 – Disneyland – Anaheim, CA

Disneyland presents the very first  Candlelight Processional Parade. Hosted by actor Dennis Morgan, it is performed on Main Street, U.S.A. and in Town Square. The event was conceived by Dr. Charles Hirt of the University of Southern California School of Music and features a large choir from schools invited from around Southern California to proceed down Main Street while singing Christmas carols prior to the re-telling of the birth of Jesus in front of the Train Station in Town Square.  (This event will become a Christmas-season tradition at the park, and later be copied at Walt Disney World in 1971, where it would also become a Christmas-season tradition).

Featured Foto Friday - Osborne Family Lights

Tuesday Trivia - it's a small world holiday

Since 1997, Disneyland has been delighting guests with the super popular seasonal transformation of the quintessential Disney theme park attraction, it's a small world with it's a small world holiday.  The overlay isn't just to the exterior as seen above however - but is completed on the inside as well, including a specially modified soundtrack incorporating "Jingle Bells" and "Deck the Halls" into the traditional it's a small world melody.  Now into it's 16th season, this park tradition is a more than just a fan-favorite, it's definitely a reason to visit the park!  Below enjoy some fun facts and a video that were originally shared & published on the Disney Parks Blog last year on December 7, 2011. 

it's a small world holiday fun facts, 

as originally published and shared on the Disney Parks Blog, Dec. 7, 2011

• “it’s a small world” Holiday – The holiday version of this Disneyland classic debuted in 1997. The original attraction was inspired by Mary Blair’s storyline: a group of housebound kids on a rainy day create an international art project using all their dolls, toys and decorations.
• All That Glitters – Each holiday season, an estimated 50,000 Christmas lights are installed on the façade. The breathtaking and intricate lighting design calls for six brilliant colors that interplay with clear twinkling lights. The nighttime splendor comes aglow with more than 300,000 watts of light.
• Yuletide Treats & Merry Surprises – As you float along the canals of Europe, the scent of freshly cut pine lingers near a 20-foot Christmas tree in a scene that pays homage to “The Nutcracker.” The sweet smell of candy canes will tantalize as you pass by Italy’s hanging candies. (Both are enhanced aromas, added to the attraction.) Merry bubbles float down as you voyage through the South Seas, where a plate of fish has been left out “for Santa” (by Ariel and the mermaids).
• A Sparkling Seasonal Wish – Wishing you “Happy Holidays” in the attraction’s final scene is a 14-foot sparkling snowman, dressed in his wintery best with a gold top hat, golden scarf, and hundreds of twinkling lights. A frosty snowflake mobile twirls over his head, flickering with an icy translucent glow. The snowman’s “Happy Holidays” sign is a jolly sight, too. It’s sculpted out of ice that changes color.
• Storage Space – 100 percent of the holiday overlay props and scenic elements used are actually stored inside the attraction all year ‘round!
• Up On The Housetop – Santa’s reindeer can fly to the top, but the elves that make holiday magic at “it’s a small world” Holiday use four high-reaching lifts, including one that stretches to 80 feet into the air. Riggers repel off the back wall using special safety rope access.
• Secret Elf Society – It takes 12 Technical Services cast members 5 nights a week for 7 weeks (35 days!) to install the glittering yuletide façade. Inside the attraction it takes more than 20 Technical Services cast members 18 days in a row to decorate the holiday attraction’s dazzling interior!
• “Fa La La La La” – The attraction’s soundtrack is a merry mix of “Jingle Bells” and “Deck The Halls” in counterpoint with the classic “it’s a small world” tune. Children’s voices sing along in English, French, Italian, Spanish and Scandinavian languages. If you listen closely, you’ll hear the South Seas Mermaids singing their own holiday carol: “Jingle Shells.” Holiday greetings in many other languages – French Canadian, Dutch, Chinese, Asante (of Ghana) and Hawaiian to name a few – can be discovered on banners and signs throughout the entire attraction.

as reprinted from the Disney Parks Blog © Disney

Featured Foto Friday - It's a Small World Holiday

It's a Small World Holiday at Disneyland.  This seasonal overlay has been delighting guests for 16 years, with hundreds of thousands of sparkling lights and a specially customized revised soundtrack to the Sherman brothers classic song, It's a Small World After All, updated with Jingle Bells and Deck the Halls.  

Tuesday Trivia - Candlelight Processional

The Candlelight Processional first premiered at Disneyland in December 1958.  This parade of of carolers illuminates the Magic Kingdom with the glow of a thousand candles and the music of a thousand voices, as the performers process down Main Street, U.S.A. to then mass in front of the Train Station, with the "Living Chistmas Tree" at the center (made of participants from the Disneyland Employee Choir). 

© Disney

Seasonal Tickets Now On Sale

Tickets to these cool seasonal special events are now on sale.  If you need some help purchasing them, just let me know - I'd be happy to hook you up with some!   855.776.1733  or visit the website

Today in Disney Parks and Resorts History - It's a Small World

May 30, 1966 - Disneyland

Walt Disney and Disneyland honor both Memorial Day, and the park's newest Fantasyland attraction - "it's a small world".  Walt presides over a Grand Opening celebration for the attraction that was first built for the 1964-65 World's Fair in New York. (The original flume and attraction components - the more than 500 "singing and dancing" dolls - have all been installed at the park in Anaheim).  During the celebration, appropriately costumed children representing nations of the world, join Walt Disney in pouring waters from the seven seas into the flume. The attraction features the well-known song of the same name, composed by Richard & Robert Sherman. (Since it premiered in 1966, more than 256 million guests have experienced Disneyland's "it's a small world" attraction.)

'it's a small world" decked out for
the Christmas season by day - 2008

and by night, when it is seasonally transformed
 into "it's a small world holiday" - also 2008

Featured Foto Friday - Disney's Hollywood Studios

Storm Troopers watch over the entrance to DHS.

Welcome to the new "Featured Foto Friday" blog post.  This "featured photo" will appear on Fridays, in addition to other possible entries - and is effectively replacing the original "Wordless Wednesday" photo feature that I've been running.  As you might have guessed, I enjoy using a play on the name of the days of the week in my blog post titles, and I have a bigger (and hopefully better) feature that I would like to start running on Wednesdays.  SO - I decided it was time to mix it up, and try to keep it fresh, and fun.  The new foto feature will also, from time to time, expand beyond my beloved Disney parks.  But for now, here's a look at Disney's Hollywood Studios, from and a visit to Star Wars Weekends with my sons.  

Tips on Thursday - Five Great Winter Events

Sure it’s gotten cold outside but the following five events will get you going!  Why stay cooped up inside when there’s so much out there!  Once you're done reading about them, give me a call at 855.776.1733 and let's start planning one!

Superbowl XLVI
Location: Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, Indiana

February 5th 2012 is the date of the 2012 NFL Superbowl. Lucas Oil Stadium is the home of the Indianapolis Colts and one of the game’s greatest players, Peyton Manning. The Superbowl is the final game of the NFL season and one of the most, if not the most, important sporting event in the United States. However, this is not a vacation opportunity simply for one day or for the fans of the two teams playing. There will be events for the ten days leading up to the Superbowl in downtown Indianapolis for fans of all 32 teams. This is an event for the avid sports fan or a family looking for a fun week of sports and other great festivities.

Mardi Gras
Location: New Orleans, Louisiana

The weekend beginning February 18th and leading into Tuesday February 21st 2012 is the best time to visit the city of New Orleans. Let us make your travel plans now because finding a place to stay is not as simple as the “Big Easy” nickname would have you believe. Mardi Gras is a celebration which comes right before Lent and culminates on Fat Tuesday. It is one of the most fun events a person can attend because it includes floats, costumes, parades, and so much more. Be prepared while in the crowd and try and catch a “throw” which could be anything from beads to stuffed animals.

Carnival
Location: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Although Carnival is celebrated throughout the world, the widely accepted Carnival Capital of the World is Rio. In the peak of the warm and gorgeous Rio summer, you can enjoy the celebration that is Carnival. The same time as Mardi Gras, running the weekend of February 18th and finishing up on Tuesday February 21st, Carnival provides a South American experience in the final days before Lent. Carnival attracts upwards of 500,000 foreigners alone to this spectacular event. The main attraction of the parade is the Samba Parade, also known as the Rio Central Parade, which is filled with wonderful costumes and put all together with the beautiful Brazilian Samba music.

Food Network’s South Beach Wine & Food Festival
Location: Miami, Florida

This four day wine and food showcase begins on February 23rd and ends on February 26th. The event is hosted by Southern Wine & Spirits of Florida and Florida International University (FIU). In 2011 there were over 55,000 guests and they were able to raise $2.4 million for FIU’s School of Hospitality and Tourism Management. This is the perfect place for any wine or food lover because not only is it located at beautiful South Beach but it also boasts some of the biggest names in the food industry such as Rachael Ray, Emeril Lagasse, and Bobby Flay.

New Year’s Eve in Times Square

Location: New York, New York

On December 31st there is no better place to be than Times Square. Over a million people come to Times Square to watch the ball drop and celebrate the end of one year and the start of the next one while billions of people nationwide watch their televisions closely to watch that exact moment when the ball drops and the clock strikes midnight. Filled with stars from all over the world this confetti filled event is a must visit at some point in a person’s life. People from all over the world flock to New York City and wait days in advance to get the best possible spot to watch the festivities take place. I realize that we just celebrated New Year's Eve a few nights ago... but honestly, hotels in NYC fill up early, so let’s start planning now for next New Year's Eve!

At Cruise Planners ~ Neverland Adventures Travel...  we're not just about cruises!

Celebrate One More Disney Day!

ONE MORE DAY AND NIGHT OF DISNEY MAGIC, FREE!

You can enjoy one more day and night of Disney magic FREE when you buy a 3-night, 3-day non-discounted room and ticket package at select Walt Disney World® Resort or Disneyland® Resort hotels before Jan. 31, 2012 (for arrivals most nights Feb. 26 – March 10, 2012). Call me at 855.776.1733 or visit the website for more info.  I'd love to help you enjoy this special Disney offer!

Wordless Wednesday - It's a Small World Holiday at Disneyland