Hey gang, Daddy Shutterbug here. While Star Wars/Disney mash-ups are all the rage right now, it's always fun to see Disney mashed up with other properties. In my spare time I enjoy Ghostbusters cosplay (yes, I'm a nerd, but having a proton pack is really cool.) So it's always a treat when you can find some really neat art like these from artist Dave Alvarez:
How cool is that, seriously?
The best part is you can get this print from Mr. Alvarez's website: http://dalvare6.wix.com/the-art-of-. Mr. Alvarez also did a second print this time encorporating the colorful uniforms from the Real Ghostbusters cartoon as well as the Slimeblowers from Ghostbusters 2.
Donald still looks thrilled doesn't he?
Both prints are available through Mr. Alvarez's site.
So if seeing your favorite Disney characters as Ghostbusters wasn't cool enough, how 'bout this:
Beware of Hitchhiking Ghostbusters...
This print is the work of artist Sam Carter. It's a fun mashup of one of the great attraction posters. See the original side by side with the GB themed:
The attraction posters are one of my favorite things at the park. I'd love to have a gallery with all of them:)
*NOTE - Mr. Alvarez's site does contain some more grown-up artwork. Also this post is in no way sponsored by Mr. Dave Alavrez or Sam Carter. I'm just a huge Ghostbusters and Disney fan and loved the mash up.*
I hear this questions all the time..
What is the best age to take my child on a Disney vacation?
I'm not sure there is a right or wrong answer to this question. I believe it's more of a personal preference for you to make based upon your family vacation style.
I personally took my first Disney vacation at eight years old and have many fond memories of my trip. I remember Chip and Dale terrorizing me at the now Cape May Cafe character breakfast and my dad humming "It's a Small World" the entire trip.
As a parent, I took my son on his first trip to WDW at 23 months old. I was met with many negative comments about taking him because he wouldn't remember it or he wouldn't be able to ride anything. We went again when my son was about 3.5 years old. He was tall enough to ride almost everything and we had another great trip. We are now planning his third trip for his 5th birthday in January.
As you can see, we are not the typical Disney vacation family. My husband and I both love Disney and learning new things about the parks. We have both been many times and always find something new or interesting. We have passed this love to our son and he is already a Disney lover at the age of 4.
So here are some of the pros and cons as I see it on taking a toddler or pre-schooler on a Disney vacation.. PROS -You get to experience Disney in a whole new light. Seeing the joy on their faces as they meet their favorite character is priceless.
-Let's face it.. Disney is made for families. If you have a kiddo in diapers or run out of baby food, they have great baby care centers in each park.
- They are free until they turn 3! My son's first visit was free other than souvenirs. He rode on the plane for free since he was under two (barely!) and he was able to eat off of our plates at many of the restaurants.
- Kids can really ride a lot of ride! Many rides don't have any height restrictions at all. If your child isn't tall enough to ride parents can do a rider swap where one stays with the kid while the other rides and then switch. CONS
- Naps are necessary! You might not be able to get as much done as you like.
- Meltdowns happen..
- Hauling lots of extra stuff like a stroller, car seat and other baby supplies.
- You may have to enjoys rides on your own.
As I said before, it's really a personal preference that is for you to decide. I can't put a magic age out there that will be perfect for your family as everyone is different. If you are the type to go to Disney multiple times, I say take the kids at any age. If you are the one and done type, I would wait it out.
Regardless of your opinion, keep it to yourself at the parks! On my last trip I was encounter by a very rude woman at the Animal Kingdom who said that kids shouldn't be allowed in the parks if they need a stroller. Seriously? My son was enjoying his popcorn while we pushed him along and her kids were running to keep up with her. I just have to wonder who will have fonder memories of their family vacations..
Plus you get adorable vacation pictures like this. I plan on getting a picture of my son with Mickey at O'hana as long as he'll let me.
Planning any vacation can be stressful. Add in all the choices that Disney has to offer it can be downright overwhelming. When you use a travel agent, they take all the stress out of planning and let you have all the fun. And the best part about using a travel agent is that their services are FREE!
Here are my top 5 reasons for using a travel agent..
1. They make all the reservations for you. Hotels, ground transfers, tickets, special events, dining reservations and more. You don't have to pick up the phone and wait on hold (even though the Disney music is an added bonus)!
2. Personalized Itineraries- They can plan as much or as little as you want for your days at Disney. You can know before you enter the park the daily hours, parade times and even what attractions to head to first based on the needs/wants of your family.
3. Staying up to date on special offers and promotions. After you book you vacation, if a discount becomes available, they will make the changes for you and have it applied to your trip. This can be a big deal especially when offers like free dining are announced.
4. Someone there.. If you have any questions before, during or after your vacation they are just a call, text or email away.
5. They love Disney! Planning Disney vacations is their passion. They can be a wealth of knowledge and can provide information from the training they received or from personal experiences.
Shannon is an Independent Travel Agent with Enchanted Ears Travel. Keep up to date on current Disney specials and promotions by liking Buttons and Gloves Travel on Facebook or emailing Shannon.
Hello, fellow Disney-philes! Daddy Shutterbug here with the first of, what we hope will be recurring column here on Buttons and Gloves, a look at Disney from the past, be it movies, TV shows, park attractions, even food!
For my first wayback column I decided to delve back to how I spent many afternoons in my childhood...The Disney Afternoon!
The Disney Afternoon began in September of 1990 and ran for nearly 7 years, ending it's run in August of 1997. This type of programming was unique because it was created especially for syndication. The original lineup laid the groundwork by featuring:
Disney's Adventures of the Gummi Bears
Ducktales (woo-oo!)
Chip N' Dale Rescue Rangers
Talespin
Gummi Bears was already a huge success for Disney syndicated television. The fantasy, sword and sorcery setting followed the Gummi Bears of Gummi-Glen, the last of an ancient race. They brewed Gummiberry juice that gave the the bears the ability to bounce to crazy heights and gave humans super strength. Much of the series followed the failed attempts by Duke Igthorn and his band of trolls to uncover and exploit the Gummi secrets. And seriously what about this theme?
Disney was on a roll now and Ducktales proved to be an even bigger success than Gummi Bears! Ducktales was colossal!!! Following the globetrotting adventures of "The Richest Duck in the World", Scrooge McDuck and his nephews, Ducktales was like watching an Indiana Jones show every afternoon! I dare you to resist the urge to sing along to the show's theme that surprisingly reminds me of Hall and Oates " You Make My Dreams" lol
Rescue Rangers was an awesome show. Following the exploits of Chip and Dale, you might remember them as the chipmunks that drove Donald Duck insane, who along with Gadget, a female mouse who's a genius with contraptions and Monterrey Jack, a strong mouse with an affinity for cheese along with his best pal Zipper the Fly (not the most appropriate name looking back) fought crime and solved mysteries both big and small. I always loved the vehicles Gadget made from household items
Rounding out the original lineup was Talespin. Talespin reimagined the cast of the Jungle Book and put them in a 1930's serial setting. Good Ol' Baloo was now a bush pilot, King Louie owned a tiki bar and Shere Khan was now a powerful business man in the port city of Cape Suzette. Talespin was a fun throwback to the old adventure serials and featured a lot of great aerial action sequences. Plus who didn't want one of those air foils that Kit Cloudkicker had?
As great as the original lineup was, in this bloggers opinion, the second lineup was the one that most people remember when they think back about the Disney Afternoon. As Gummi Bears rotated out, the afternoon got a little more "Dangerous" with the inclusion of Darkwing Duck!
HOLY COW, DID I LOVE DARKWING DUCK!!!! Ok, now that i have that out of my system...
The second "season" of the Disney Afternoon broke down like this:
Ducktales
Chip N' Dale Rescue Rangers
Talespin
Darkwing Duck.
With all seriousness, was this not one of the best toon lineups? Darkwing Duck proved to be a hit not just with kids but adults as well. Cleverly spoofing comics (Batman in particular) as well as spy films, DWD was a smart well written show that took all the superhero/spy tropes and lovingly poked holes in the cliches'. This lineup was the one I remember the most fondly as do must people when you bring up the Disney Afternoon.
Unfortunately, after Ducktales rotated out of the line up I started to lose interest because to me Ducktales was the anchor that the whole afternoon built on. As the other 3 shows slid down a timeslot, Goof Troop filled out the block. Goof Troop brought Disney All-Star Goofy back to the small screen, this time re imagining him as a widowed parent to son Max. the show sound it's humor from the situations of Max trying to be cool despite his father and Goofy doing, well, What makes him Goofy!
Goof Troop was part of the last incarnation that I actively watched. But the Disney Afternoon continued on for 4 more line up changes adding shows like Gargoyles, Bonkers, Aladdin and Timon and Pumbaa in and out of rotation but Ducktales and Chip N' Dale were never rotated back in after the third lineup.
So there you have it, The Disney Afternoon. It truly showed the power that Disney Animation had at the time. And surprisingly these type of shows have never been duplicated on current Disney networks which made these programs more special to those of us who tuned in every afternoon after school.
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