A Giveaway for Giving - Donate to Sophie and Madigan's Playground

Today is Giving Tuesday (as I write this), so I'm sharing with you a way I'm helping to give, and a way you can give to others. I recently announced that for the Dopey Challenge at Walt Disney World this January, I'll be running for a charity: Sophie and Madigan's Playground. When I announced my working with the charity, I offered up some additional reasons to donate, some perks for your donations. I also mentioned that I was working on a giveaway. I'm happy to now share that giveaway with you.

A quick bit about the charity

Sophie and Madigan's Playground is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization created to honor the lives of Sophie and Madigan Lillard. Their mission is an uplifting one, but not without a heartbreaking background.

On January 31, 2013, the Lillard family of Myersville, Maryland was struck by unthinkable tragedy when a horrific house fire claimed the lives of their daughters Sophie and Madigan, killed the family's four pets, destroyed their home and virtually all the family's possessions, and hospitalized the surviving family members.

As Sophie and Madigan's parents struggled to cope with the loss of their daughters, they looked for a way to honor the memory of Sophie and Madigan and pay tribute to the joy Sophie and Madigan brought their family and friends during their too short lives.

Having lost all their possessions, the Lillards were left with no physical reminders of Sophie and Madigan...none of the toys Madigan and Sophie played with, the clothes they wore, their hand drawn pictures and art projects, their favorite books, handmade jewelry...the list goes on and on. The Lillards were struck by the harsh reminder of how important memories are, especially those memories that a family creates together.

At the same time the Lillards were coping with this horrible loss, they were touched by the outpouring of support provided by the greater Frederick County, Maryland community that was rocked by the tragedy.

The Lillards realized that by creating a memorial park and themed playground, they could create a place that honors Sophie and Madigan in a way that reflects their personalities and spirits, while at the same time provide the community with a place where children and their families could build memories together that last a lifetime.

The Lillards created Sophie and Madigan's Playground in June 2013 to honor the lives of Sophie and Madigan by providing opportunities for children and their families to play, learn, and create lifelong memories together.

Having two children of my own makes the mission of this charity personal to me. I think giving other children and families happiness is a great way to honor the memory of Sophie and Madigan.

The Fundraising

In racing for Sophie and Madigan's Playground, I have a fundraising goal for $1,100. You can help by donating on my runner page. While the good this money will do for the mission of the organization is reason enough to donate, I'm going to offer you additional incentives, in a Kickstarter "perks"-like fashion. Based on levels you donate, I'm going to offer you some extra rewards as my personal thank you.

Every $5 == Giveaway Entry
First and foremost, I'm offering a giveaway to any donors of at least $5. For each $5 you donate, you'll earn an entry for a giveaway package, to be drawn in conjunction with Walt Disney World Marathon weekend. That means $5 gets you 1 entry, $10 gets you 2, and so on (maths people). Here's what you can win so far:

BibRave Trucker Hat + BibRave Tattoos
I'll start you off with the first items donated to me, from the team at BibRave. As you know, I'm an ambassador for BibRave and BibChat as a BibRavePro. I've had a lot of great opportunities teaming up with this fantastic group of people. They were the first to offer up items for my raffle. Thanks to the BibRave team, you can be sporting this awesome BibRave Trucker Hat as well as some BibRave temporary tattoos. (Image from https://squareup.com/market/bibrave/item/bibrave-trucker-hat-limited)


XX2i Gift Certificates
Next up, one of my favorite brands, which you've seen featured many times on this blog: XX2i. This awesome eyewear brand has given me several gift certificates good for a free pair of sunglasses of your choice! Pick the frame and color you want most. Since I have several of these, I may use some as early giveaways as we build towards our giveaways, so the earlier you donate, the more chances you'll have to win a pair. You could choose from many that I've written about (shown below): France1, USA1 (my wife's favorite), Bermuda1, Australia1 (my goto running glasses), Brazil1 (my goto everyday), or one of the frames I haven't personally tried out yet.

AfterShokz Trekz Titanium

Another of my favorite products that I use almost every run are my AfterShokz headphones. I love these headphones because they give me my music (without wires) on my run but also keep me safe with their unique, advanced, open ear design. You can read my full thoughts from my review written earlier this year but the tl;dr version is best way to have your music without compromising your safety. AfterShokz has provided me a pair to give away to you, in the same color I rock regularly: Ivy (green / black). Plus, they're bluetooth, so if you have a phone that ditched the headphone jack, they've got your back.


The Square: Clean Bottle

The next product I have for you is pretty unique in that you can't currently buy it, only back it on Kickstarter. It's The Square. It's a large, 32 oz bottle. It's square, so it won't go anywhere if it falls. It's got a convenient handle built into the top. Plus, one of my favorite features, the bottom also screws off for easy cleaning. I hate trying to get the bottle of a water bottle clean. It's even BPA-free and comes with a lifetime guarantee. You can win one here with your donations to Sophie and Madigan's Playground or go back the Kickstarter right now. Or do both. (Image from https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1793909617/the-square-bottle-32oz)


Donated by Me:

Nuun
I wanted to throw in a couple items myself to the raffle, to share with you more of what I love. To start, I'm going to throw in some of my hydration of choice: Nuun. I'll be giving you an assortment of 4 different tubes, including a tube from my stash of can't be bought Kona Cola. I'll also throw in an individually packaged trial of Plus for Nuun, great for adding some carbs to your hydration for your longer runs.


Walt Disney World Mystery Item
Lastly, I'll be giving you a little something from the Disney Parks. While I'm in the magical happy place of Walt Disney World for the races, I'll also pick up one last item to add into the raffle. What will it be? You'll have to wait to find out.


Want to win? Go donate now!

The Other Perks

I've already written all about the perks you can get for your donation. These are little ways for me to say thank you to everyone, since only one person can win the big giveaway. Below is the quick version, or read the full post.

$1: Website Thank You
Every donation will come with a heartfelt thank you on my website.

$10: Social Media Shoutout
The next reward is also electronic, but I'll shout my thanks to the internet beyond my site and into the world of Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and even reddit if I need to!

$25: Disney Trading Pin
I'm going to offer you one of my own assorted pins, as a thank you for a donation of $25.

$40: Postcard from Walt Disney World
For the next level of donation, I'm going to offer you one fun bit of mail, a postcard direct from Walt Disney World, sent with my personal handwritten thanks.

$150: Pick a Race Costume (first 2 donors)

One thing I love about runDisney is the number of race costumes. For this perk, you pick what my costume will be and I'll find a way to make it work. This offer is up for grabs for up to 2 people who donate at least $150. Of course, I'll also throw in ALL the other perks above and plenty of thanks (and photographic evidence!).

How to Donate

Donating is easier than obtaining a FastPass for Frozen: Ever After! All you need to do is head over to my runner's page and selecting "Sponsor Me". Then, all you have to do is fill out your information and decide how much you want to donate. Submit and you're done! You've helped me and, more importantly, you've helped out Sophie and Madigan's Playground.

Now, some of my perks require me sending you a little something or needing your social media account. So, for all of these, you'll need to drop me a line. You can choose to send me a message via Twitter, Facebook, or an email via john at rungeekrundisney.com. Since I don't control the page you donate through, this is the easiest way to ensure I get your information.

Thank you for reading all the way through and thank you so much to all of you who donate!



UPDATE: I'm also linking up with Running with SD Mom and Erica Finds for the Wednesday Giveaway Round Up, so go check out their other giveaways for chances to win.

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Running for Play - Donate to Sophie and Madigan's Playground

I announced some time ago that I'd be running the Dopey Challenge this year. When I decided I was going to run this four race challenge, I also decided I wanted to try and make a difference by running for a charity. When looking over the charities partnering with runDisney during the Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend, I found one that felt personal to me: Sophie and Madigan's Playground.

What's the charity all about?

Sophie and Madigan's Playground is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization created to honor the lives of Sophie and Madigan Lillard. Their mission is an uplifting one, but not without a heartbreaking background.

On January 31, 2013, the Lillard family of Myersville, Maryland was struck by unthinkable tragedy when a horrific house fire claimed the lives of their daughters Sophie and Madigan, killed the family's four pets, destroyed their home and virtually all the family's possessions, and hospitalized the surviving family members.

As Sophie and Madigan's parents struggled to cope with the loss of their daughters, they looked for a way to honor the memory of Sophie and Madigan and pay tribute to the joy Sophie and Madigan brought their family and friends during their too short lives.

Having lost all their possessions, the Lillards were left with no physical reminders of Sophie and Madigan...none of the toys Madigan and Sophie played with, the clothes they wore, their hand drawn pictures and art projects, their favorite books, handmade jewelry...the list goes on and on. The Lillards were struck by the harsh reminder of how important memories are, especially those memories that a family creates together.

At the same time the Lillards were coping with this horrible loss, they were touched by the outpouring of support provided by the greater Frederick County, Maryland community that was rocked by the tragedy.

The Lillards realized that by creating a memorial park and themed playground, they could create a place that honors Sophie and Madigan in a way that reflects their personalities and spirits, while at the same time provide the community with a place where children and their families could build memories together that last a lifetime.

The Lillards created Sophie and Madigan's Playground in June 2013 to honor the lives of Sophie and Madigan by providing opportunities for children and their families to play, learn, and create lifelong memories together.

Having two children of my own makes the mission of this charity personal to me. I think giving other children and families happiness is a great way to honor the memory of Sophie and Madigan.

The Fundraising

In racing for Sophie and Madigan's Playground, I have a fundraising goal for $1,100. You can help by donating on my runner page. While the good this money will do for the mission of the organization is reason enough to donate, I'm going to offer you additional incentives, in a Kickstarter "perks"-like fashion. Based on levels you donate, I'm going to offer you some extra rewards as my personal thank you.

Every $5 == Giveaway Entry
First and foremost, I'm offering a giveaway to any donors of at least $5. For each $5 you donate, you'll earn an entry for a giveaway package, to be drawn in conjunction with Walt Disney World Marathon weekend. That means $5 gets you 1 entry, $10 gets you 2, and so on (maths people). I'm still reaching out to some brands, but I'll be giving away a combination of items donated by companies and ones donated by myself. I am hoping to have some goods from many of my favorite brands to share with you, plus a little something from Disney, to put together the best giveaway I can. But even if you don't win, you'll have helped Sophie and Madigan's Playground, so that is a guaranteed win.

$1: Website Thank You
Every donation will come with a heartfelt thank you on my website. A little electronic piece of long lasting thanks in 1's and 0's. An electronic monument to your generosity. A little corner of the internet that says "All these people here are good people helping others". Who doesn't want that?

$10: Social Media Shoutout
The next reward is also electronic, but I'll shout my thanks to the internet beyond my site and into the world of Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and even reddit if I need to! I'll tell the world of your good deeds and of my gratitude, shouting from an electronic rooftop with @'s and #'s and missing punctuation in order to stay below arbitrary character limits.

$25: Disney Trading Pin
One fun thing I love about Disney is all the trading pins they have. I love collecting pins for Disney hotels I stay at, ones with my favorite character (Goofy), and attractions I love. When you have Disney Trading Pins on property, you can actually trade pins with cast members throughout the parks and resorts (hence the use of "trading" in trading pin). You can take any pin of yours that you're willing to part with and trade for any pin from the cast member. I'm going to offer you one of my own assorted pins, as a thank you for a donation of $25.

$40: Postcard from Walt Disney World
Who doesn't love getting mail? Well, real mail, not junk mail and bills and 95% of the crap you actually get in the mail. For the next level of donation, I'm going to offer you one fun bit of mail, a postcard direct from Walt Disney World, sent with my personal handwritten thanks. Mail, fun. Postcard, fun. Mail and Postcard from Disney, FUN. (Wife interjecting here, since he asked me to proofread this....there is *no* guarantee you will be able to read said postcard! xoxo)

$150: Pick a Race Costume (first 2 donors)

One thing I love about runDisney is the number of race costumes. Yes, other races have people who dress up to race, but not to the same extent and fevor of those at runDisney races. I plan to dress in some version of a costume for all 4 races. Granted, longer races require less "costume" and more "inspired by" or Disney-bounding style outfits, but I still plan to do all that I can do. I'm going to offer up this to any potential big donors: you can have the opportunity to pick who I race as for a race. The preference is, of course, to do Disney first, but exceptions can be made. You pick what my costume will be and I'll find a way to make it work. That means I will pick the actual outfit for what works for me, meets the race guidelines, and in good taste (that does not mean no princesses, just that I'm not running in a bikini). Not sure what to choose? I'll gladly throw out some options as idea starters, as I keep a running list of ideas. This offer is up for grabs for up to 2 people who donate at least $150. Of course, I'll also throw in ALL the other perks above and plenty of thanks (and photographic evidence!).

I've listed the rewards here in increasing value, but they do stack. That means if you donate enough for a postcard for yours truly, I'll also send you a pin, call you out on social media, and list you here on the blog. This is about showing my thanks to you and hoping you'll consider to donate to this great charity.

How to Donate

Donating is easier than obtaining a FastPass for Frozen: Ever After! All you need to do is head over to my runner's page and selecting "Sponsor Me". Then, all you have to do is fill out your information and decide how much you want to donate. Submit and you're done! You've helped me and, more importantly, you've helped out Sophie and Madigan's Playground.

Now, some of my perks require me sending you a little something or needing your social media account. So, for all of these, you'll need to drop me a line. You can choose to send me a message via Twitter, Facebook, or an email via john at rungeekrundisney.com. Since I don't control the page you donate through, this is the easiest way to ensure I get your information.

Thank you for reading all the way through and thank you so much to all of you who donate!

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Five Foods of Disney | #FridayFive

I'm back with another post for the Friday Five linkup. This week's topic is food and drink, a subject I very much enjoy. I recently took a trip to my favorite place, Walt Disney World. While I haven't had a chance to post anything on the blog yet about the trip, I thought I'd take the time to share 5 quick pick of Disney food and drink this week. Enjoy!

1. Giant Jar of Soda - Whispering Canyon Cafe

I'll start with a little something to drink. Ok, maybe not so little. If you ever get a chace to, Whispering Canyon Cafe at Disney's Wilderness Lodge is a very fun time. Our server thought I "looked thirsty" so I got this giant mason jar of soda. I of course took it as a challenge, so pushed through and finished it, of course. If you do dine here, be sure to ask for ketchup.

2. Chicken Tikka Masala - Yak & Yeti Restaurant

Next, I'll share my dish from a restaurant from Disney's Animal Kingdom that I feel is sometimes overlooked, but delicious: Yak & Yeti Restaurant. I always love the Thai Chili Chicken Wings as a starter. This time, for my main dish I went with the Chicken Tikka Masala. It was fantastic. It had a bit of a kick (but in a way I liked) that goes great with the naan bread.

3. Dinner and a Show - Teppan Edo

If you'd like some tasty food cooked right in front of you, I recommend checking out Teppan Edo in the Japan pavilion of Epcot. It's your traditional hibachi grill, so you get some great food cooked by the chef at your table, with a little flair. They'll have a little fun when they cook, depending on what you order you might get the dancing chicken or the shrimp in the hat. I went with the beef & chicken combo, which provided a lot of food for a good price. My usual favorite is a grilled swordfish steak, but wasn't available this trip.

4. German Feast - Biergarten Restaurant

One place I've wanted to eat for a while is Biergarten Restaurant in the Germany pavilion at Epcot. It usually just works out that it's not something that interests the group. This trip, that didn't matter as my father-in-law and myself decided we would go anyway just the two of us. Biergarten offers a buffet of traditional german fare, including bratwurst, pork schnitzel, spätzle, apple strudel, and a surprisingly good lemon cheesecake. As you can see, I tried a little of it all, much more than I listed here. I paired it with a flight german beers, which I followed with another stein to go with it.

5. 10 o'clock Ice Cream - Everywhere

Lastly, we have to finish with a family tradition I talked about on the DisDads podcast: 10 o'clock ice cream. It goes like this: you're on vacation, so at 10 am, you can have ice cream. Simple. Direct. Delicious. The key is finding the ice cream carts that are open, but the important part is there are ones open to get your Mickey Premium Ice Cream Bar on. As you can see, a tradition loved by all.

What do you like to enjoy on vacation?

Linking Up

Check here for some links out to others sharing, staring with our three lovely hosts: Courtney, Cynthia and Mar. Check their posts (Eat Pray Run DC, You Signed Up for What?! and Mar on the Run to see the full set of links). I will add some others, usually randomly, as I read them to share the love. Go visit and keep reading!

Our hosts:

You Signed Up for What?!

Mar on the Run

Eat, Pray, Run DC

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Be Dopey With Me: WDW Marathon Weekend Registration Today

It's that time again. Time to register to runDisney. Today, Tuesday April 26 at noon EDT registration opens for the Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend.

I've written quite a bit about marathon weekend. It's my personal favorite, for the number of events they offer and because it was my first half marathon. Also, being in the northeast, hard to beat running away to Florida in January. Special this year, the half marathon is celebrating the 20th anniversary, which always means extra special bling, shirt, and fanfare.

You can read a great description about the weekend and all the events on my past post about the runDisney schedule. You can also read my recaps of the 5K and half marathon or read up about the expo. The weekend offers 4 races, 2 challenges and the opportunity to earn 6 medals. That's a lot of hardware: 5K, 10K, half marathon, full marathon, Goofy Challenge and Dopey Challenge. You can also follow up the weekend with a cruise to land the Castaway Cay Challenge. Not to be left out are the little ones, with a wide range of kids races. All the prices (but also add in some fees for Active.com) can be found but clicking on the registration menu on the WDW Marathon page. Sometimes it feels hard to find. Here's a screenshot from a runDisney email listing them as well.

This year, I will be running the full Dopey Challenge. That's right, I'll be doing all 4 races across 4 days. I'll actually be running with a charity, Sophie and Madigan's Playground, but more on that to come. You should join me! Whether it's one race, all the races or something in between, it's a fun time. I'll be running with my cousin Derek for all 4, my running buddy Oswald for the half, and I may have even suckered in my friend Derek as well for all 4 races.

If you're looking to run at Walt Disney World next January, set yourself a reminder. runDisney races have been going a little slower lately, but the big challenges still go quick.

Have your run WDW Marathon weekend? Will you be running at Walt Disney World in 2017?

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Summertime Entertainment at Walt Disney World | #MagicalMickey

Summertime at Walt Disney World can be a busy time with crowds, but that also means maximum entertainment options for all those people. If you're not one to be turned away by the Brazillian tour groups, there are a whole slew of huge entertainments available this summer time.

Disney's Animal Kingdom

Let's first start the largest new addition, the "Rivers of Light" show at Disney's Animal Kingdom. On April 22nd, Earth Day, the first nighttime show at Disney's Animal Kingdom will debut. It will feature "illuminating musical experience celebrates the magic of animals and humans and the natural world with a blend of performers, floating lanterns and theatrical animal imagery."

The new show is not all for the traditionally daytime park. The Tree of Life will come to life as magical fireflies bring forth the animal spirits. With the park open late, you'll be able to enjoy more than just the tree and waterside. Kilimanjaro Safari will offer it's first nighttime adventure, with special lighting so guests can continue to enjoy the animals. If the safari isn't quite your speed, you can trek across the park for Expedition Everest, DINOSAUR, or Kali River Rapids into the night.

Magic Kingdom

 The time has come for a new stage show at Magic Kingdom on the Cinderella Castle stage. For the first time Tiana and Rapunzel will be joining Anna, Elsa, and the classic characters for Mickey's Royal Friendship Faire. While I enjoy the current show with the classic princesses, I'm happy to see Tiana and Rapunzel getting a chance on the stage. I love the music from both of their movies, so I'll be excited to check this out on our next trip this summer. Of course my youngest is currently in love with Elsa, so he'll be having a good time as well.

Epcot

Epcot will have a couple of changes this summer. First is of course the changes to Norway, where you can step in Arendelle aboard the Frozen Ever After boat ride. The ride will feature new advanced Audio-Animatronics, a "Summer Snow Day", the ice palace, and of course music from the movie. The ride is not the only change to the Norway pavilion. You'll be able to visit the Royal Sommerhus where Anna and Elsa are greeting guests. I'll be happy to see the Norway pavilion ride reopened, though I'll miss Maelstrom, I'm happy to have something back. Plus, as previously mentioned, my son adores Elsa.

On the Future World side of the park, there will be two main additions. Soarin' will see the addition of a third theater, digital screens and projectors, all to give you the U.S. debut of Soarin' Around the World. I'm excited for the new show, as Soarin' is such a unique and awesome experience. Lastly, in early-May "Turtle Talk with Crush" will be receiving some additions with characters from the upcoming "Finding Dory". Turtle Talk with Crush is a fun little show, but can definitely do with some additional characters and content. I'll be interested to see what they add, and to see the new movie this summer as well.

Disney's Hollywood Studios

One of the the additions to the parks I'm most excited for will be the Star Wars additions to Disney's Hollywood Studios. Now, while we may have to wait for that to come to fruition, but there will be some Star Wars-themed additions coming sooner. This summer will see the "next-generation of the Star Wars-themed fireworks shows," Star Wars: A Galactic Spectacular. Fireworks, lasers, video projects, and the iconic score from the films, what's not to love?

April 4th will see the debut of the live stage show "Star Wars: A Galaxy Far, Far Away", celebrating the iconic moments of the saga. The recently opened Star Wars Launch Bay will see the addition of the March of the First Order Stormtrooper procession, from the launch bay to the Center Stage, led by the shiny Captain Phasma. You'll also be able to find the update Jedi Training: Trials of the Temple as well as the updates to Star Tours - The Adventure Continues for the Force Awakens.

Do you do Disney in the summer, or avoid the crowds?

The Linkup

As you may have noticed, the #MagicalMickey linkup has been on a bit of a hiatus. I could go into a long winded bit about the craziness of life and strains on time, but that's not really the point. I plan to keep writing about Disney, because I love Disney, and have a lot to share. However, for now the linkup will be on hold. I may not have a post every week, but I'm going to keep my contributions coming. So I hope you enjoyed this #MagicalMickey post.

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Mr. Gold's Pawnbroker & Antiquities Dealer | #MagicalMickey

Any of my readers out there watch Once Upon a Time? I enjoy the show, though I've fallen behind in the past season. We used to watch it every week on Hulu right as it came out, but now only my wife tries to do that. I've fallen into the binge watching mode on OUAT. I do like the twists they put on characters and back stories. I've actually gotten to meet a couple of the actors on the show, but that's not what this week's #MagicalMickey post is about.

If you know the show, you know the name Mr. Gold. He's actually been one of my favorite characters from early on. Frankly, it takes a great actor and great writing to make a villain you hate. The more you hate him, the better the job they did. But he's also a complex character, that even when he was bad, I still liked him, but I digress. If you know the show, you'll recognize this sign.

That is the sign for Mr. Gold's shop, but it's not from the movie set (though my guess is the Christmas lights gave it away). That is the storefront set up in Disney's Hollywood Studios, back in the Streets of America near Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show. Imagineers has transformed one of the windows from a New York City storefront into one out of Storybrook. In the window, you'll find a plethora of items from the show, from the book, to the dagger, to a pair of glass slippers. It's very cool if you're a fan of the show to see what you can find. I'll leave some pictures for you to see what you can see, though these only scratch the surface and hit some of the big items.

This is one of the things I love about Disney-MGM Studios growing up, all the things you'd see from TV and movies. You can still see some, such as in the Great Movie Ride, but not as much as you used to.

Now, our pictures were taken as the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights was being set up, sadly for the last time. Of course, now that it has finished, attractions in this are may start to close in the near future to make way for Star Wars Land. If are a huge fan and want to see this, I'd make it sooner rather than later.

Do you watch Once Upon a Time? Would you like Hollywood Studios to have more things like this?

Onto the Linkup

Here are the guidelines:

The post just needs to be about anything Disney related. There have been posts on runDisney, on the parks and even on the Moms Panel, so just give it some Disney and count it.

New posts are fantastic, but for now, if you have a great old post you want to share, drop it on in.

Try to visit as many of the posts that you can as time allows. The point of this is to share and support each other.

If you're going to be a regular, please link back to the host posts. It's just good etiquette and frankly, that's how others will get to your fellow Disney lovers content. Without that link back, they can't find the linkup and therefore the other blogs. Help me help you.

You also have the option to add the linkup code to your post if you'd like. It is not required, just another option. If not, please follow the above link back guideline. Get the InLinkz code

An InLinkz Link-up

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Shoes that Fly: First Look at runDisney Dumbo New Balance

Monday, I shared with you the official New Balance unveiling of the 2016 runDisney shoes. Today, I have something special to share with you, a real hands on first look at the Dumbo edition shoe.

The Dumbo edition is a version of the New Balance Vazee Pace, a neutral cushioned shoe. This shoe is lightweight, features a 6mm drop and a foam midsole cushioning. Of course, that's all the Vazee Pace stuff. What you really care about is, what makes it Dumbo?

Let's start with a video hands on to answer that, as I take my first look at it out of the box.

Now, let's get some glamour shots. We can't start without first taking it out of the box.

First note the colors, your elephant gray body, yellow heel for his hat, red on the sole for his neck ruffle, and touch of black for the feather that helps him believe he can fly (spoilers, sorry). Inside, we get the tan of the inside of his ears to match.

You get all the Disney touches, his signature on the tongue, his portrait on the back, and of course a hidden Mickey.

But where would Dumbo be without Timothy the mouse?

I tried the shoes on and they were quite comfortable. I may have worn the around the house immediately after shooting the video, including as I edited the video and wrote this blog.

To get theses shoes (or one of the other models), you'll need to go to the expo, but they offer a great virtual queue system so you don't have to wait in line and they can let you know when it's your turn. It's a really good system, in my opinion. Get the full details at nbvirtualqueue.com

I just wanted to give a special thanks to Sarah for sending me this pair ahead of time. While I was given the shoes as a gift, all opinions are my own (like I would ever give you anything else).

Magical Mickey Linkup

An InLinkz Link-up

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New Year, New runDisney New Balance | #MagicalMickey

It's the new year, and the new year means it's almost time for my favorite race weekend of the year: Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend. This is the biggest runDisney event of the year, the only one offering a full marathon and offers the most races you can run at one runDisney event. It also holds a special place for me, as it was the location of my first half marathon in 2014.

There are many awesome things about marathon weekend. One of the coolest non-race thing to me is the partnership between Disney and New Balance. Each year, at marathon weekend, New Balance release new, exclusive runDisney designed models of their shoes. They usually offer two models of shoes, in a men and women variety, each with their own character theming. Last year, they released some extra models during the year at other events, but every January is "the big one". I already own the Goofy model (my favorite character) from 2014. Today, New Balance unveiled this year's models.

This years models being offer are the Vazee Pace and the 860v6s. For the neutral cushioning Vazee Pace, you'll find Dumbo for the men's and Ariel for the women's. Both offer the details that have become standard in Disney shoes: elements of the characters throughout, hidden Mickeys, and special touches.

The stability and motion control 860v6s will offer this year's Mickey and Minnie design. This year, they're taking to the red carpet with their formal wear. While I've been given images of the others, I don't have any good images of the Mickey shoe, though it looks pretty good to me in their video. I'm actually a fan of the Minnie, though it looks more like a Belle design to me than a Minnie Mouse design.

To get theses shoes, you'll need to go to the expo, but they offer a great virtual queue system so you don't have to wait in line and they can let you know when it's your turn. It's a really good system, in my opinion. Get the full details at www.nbvirtualqueue.com

While this is the official unveiling, come back tomorrow, and I may just have some more to share with you about these shoes. That's all I'll tease for now.

Do you own any runDisney New Balance shoes? Do any of these models interest you?

Onto the Linkup

Here are the guidelines:

The post just needs to be about anything Disney related. There have been posts on runDisney, on the parks and even on the Moms Panel, so just give it some Disney and count it.

New posts are fantastic, but for now, if you have a great old post you want to share, drop it on in.

Try to visit as many of the posts that you can as time allows. The point of this is to share and support each other.

If you're going to be a regular, please link back to the host posts. It's just good etiquette and frankly, that's how others will get to your fellow Disney lovers content. Without that link back, they can't find the linkup and therefore the other blogs. Help me help you.

You also have the option to add the linkup code to your post if you'd like. It is not required, just another option. If not, please follow the above link back guideline. Get the InLinkz code

An InLinkz Link-up

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DisneyIG - Disney Instagrams to Follow | #MagicalMickey

Welcome to another #MagicalMickey linkup. Things have been a little crazy around here with the holidays and work. Though I'm sure many of you know the feeling. It's been good, but the blog has taken the hit, because the time has to come from somewhere.

This week I thought I'd keep it simple. This week I'm going to share with you some accounts to follow on Instagram, to get some great Disney content. Some of them I know personally, some just have great pictures.

disney_dom

Disney Dom is the account of Dom Hunt, a cast member I know. He's not only is a fun guy, but puts up some great pictures featuring some Disney magic.

LOVE is spelt • D I S N E Y • ✨ #WDW #WaltDisneyWorld #Disney #disgram #disneydom #DisneySide #DisneySideCast #disgram #disneyig #disneyigers #disneymagic #disneyparks #dislove #disnerd #disneyaddict #mydisneyside #igers_wdw #disneyworld #DisneyColors #HollyWoodStudios #Christmas #ChristmasInDisney #ChristmasCastle #SleighinJustSayin

A photo posted by Dom Hunt (@disney_dom) on Dec 16, 2015 at 7:46pm PST

disneyworlddelights

Disney World Delights is the account of Giana Beverly Austin. She is a fantastic photographer that gets some amazing shots at the parks. You'll find pictures of the parades and shows that are hard to match.

A photo posted by Giana Beverly Austin (@disneyworlddelights) on Dec 28, 2015 at 11:59am PST

disneyphoto_mg

Disney Photog MG is the account of Mike G, a WDW photographer who takes some great close up shots of the characters.

Any Ariel fans out there? 😍🐠🐳🐙🦀#MermaidMonday #Ariel #TheLittleMermaid #DisneyPrincess #FestivalOfFantasy #MagicKingdom

A photo posted by Ⓜ️ike G. (@disneyphotog_mg) on Dec 28, 2015 at 7:09pm PST

disneyphotosnapper

The last account I'm going to share with you is Disney Photo Snapper. He's a Disney fanatic who takes lots of great pictures. What I like about the account is there are a lot of pictures of the actual park, the Christmas lights, and the fireworks.

Even Ariel loves Wishes! View the full versions of my photos at www.Disneyphotosnapper.com

A photo posted by Disney Photo Snapper (@disneyphotosnapper) on Dec 23, 2015 at 8:23am PST

Do you follow any Disney accounts you love?

Onto the Linkup

Here are the guidelines:

The post just needs to be about anything Disney related. There have been posts on runDisney, on the parks and even on the Moms Panel, so just give it some Disney and count it.

New posts are fantastic, but for now, if you have a great old post you want to share, drop it on in.

Try to visit as many of the posts that you can as time allows. The point of this is to share and support each other.

If you're going to be a regular, please link back to the host posts. It's just good etiquette and frankly, that's how others will get to your fellow Disney lovers content. Without that link back, they can't find the linkup and therefore the other blogs. Help me help you.

You also have the option to add the linkup code to your post if you'd like. It is not required, just another option. If not, please follow the above link back guideline. Get the InLinkz code

An InLinkz Link-up

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Meet the Tremaines | #MagicalMickey

Welcome to another #MagicalMickey linkup. The past two weeks, I've been sharing video post. This week I'm going to take a break from that, though there are more videos still to come from this trip. But don't worry, there will of course be pictures. I'm going to share with you a fun character meet-and-greet in Magic Kingdom

You'll find the Tremaines in the area right between Fantasyland and New Fantasyland. Actually, the best time to find them without line is also a time to get a special view of the characters. Early after park open, if you're lucky, you might be able to catch a ride on Prince Charming Regal Carousel with Lady Tremaine and her two daughters, Anastasia and Drizella. After their ride, they'll lead the way to where you can join them for pictures at their meeting area. It does at times move slightly, but is generally along the back castle wall of Fantasyland.

Like so many of the characters, they do an excellent job in being in character. Face characters like them have to go that extra mile, and they do it perfectly. Whether it's trying to marry off her daughters to a handsome prince that comes along, or the goofiness of Anastasia and Drizella, they are a lot of fun to meet. They'll even break out a jealous stink face, if the situation so warrants.

We were there right as they took their ride one morning, so jumped in line to meet them after. Below are some of the Photopass pictures. This is why we fork out the money for Memory Maker.

My son was ready to go and meet the ladies.

My daughter was less sold on their rehabilitation, and kept her distance.

Seriously, that stare by Lady Tremaine though...

Lady Tremaine was happy to keep him there all day. Note, mesmerizing him with the ring.

Have you ever ever met the Tremaines?

Onto the Linkup

Here are the guidelines:

The post just needs to be about anything Disney related. There have been posts on runDisney, on the parks and even on the Moms Panel, so just give it some Disney and count it.

New posts are fantastic, but for now, if you have a great old post you want to share, drop it on in.

Try to visit as many of the posts that you can as time allows. The point of this is to share and support each other.

If you're going to be a regular, please link back to the host posts. It's just good etiquette and frankly, that's how others will get to your fellow Disney lovers content. Without that link back, they can't find the linkup and therefore the other blogs. Help me help you.

You also have the option to add the linkup code to your post if you'd like. It is not required, just another option. If not, please follow the above link back guideline. Get the InLinkz code

An InLinkz Link-up

Read More

Podcastable Me | #MagicalMickey

Guess who just appeared on his first podcast? Me!

Today, you can find me on the latest episode of the DISdads podcast. I got a chance to sit down with Aaron Rittmaster for The DAD Show and talk about our recent trip to Walt Disney World. I talked about surprising our daughter with the trip, the Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party, the Epcot International Food and Wine Festival, and all the rest of our trip.

Go have a listen now. Then, if you enjoy it, subscribe as well.

You can also see some of what I talked about on some of the recent posts, including the surprise reveal and my daughter seeing Cinderella Castle for the first time. Warning, cuteness ahead if you click those links.

Have you ever been on a podcast?

An InLinkz Link-up

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First View of the Castle | #MagicalMickey

Welcome to another #MagicalMickey linkup. This week I have another fun post to share with you. Last week, I showed you the reveal with my daughter for her birthday trip to Walt Disney World. That video had a high level of cuteness, in my opinion. That, however, was not where the cuteness ended. Just like the trip, that was where it began. The next moment was shortly after that, when we arrived at the Magic Kingdom.

For anyone looking for the set up, especially if you're looking to do this yourself, read on. If you're just looking for cuteness, skip ahead to the video. We knew we wanted to keep the view of looking down Main Street U.S.A. for a special moment with her. We started by taking the ferry across, as the monorail offers a view of the castle as you come around to the station. Second, we entered and hugged the left hand side after entering. This was two fold. On the left, you can get your visit buttons at City Hall, such as her Happy Birthday button or a First Visit button. Just after that, are some rest rooms, important when you have a small child who has been on the road for a while. We then took her to the corner of the Emporium, where my wife covered her eyes and I waited in the center of the street with the camera.

After that, the magic ensues.

Enjoy!

Have you ever done a surprise trip?

Onto the Linkup

Here are the guidelines:

The post just needs to be about anything Disney related. There have been posts on runDisney, on the parks and even on the Moms Panel, so just give it some Disney and count it.

New posts are fantastic, but for now, if you have a great old post you want to share, drop it on in.

Try to visit as many of the posts that you can as time allows. The point of this is to share and support each other.

If you're going to be a regular, please link back to the host posts. It's just good etiquette and frankly, that's how others will get to your fellow Disney lovers content. Without that link back, they can't find the linkup and therefore the other blogs. Help me help you.

You also have the option to add the linkup code to your post if you'd like. It is not required, just another option. If not, please follow the above link back guideline. Get the InLinkz code

An InLinkz Link-up

Read More