I'm a Pledge Ambassador!

I participated in an Ambassador Program on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Pledge. I received a product sample to facilitate my review and promotional item as a thank you for participating

I love hardwood floors.  The house I lived in growing up had hardwood floors, and I have fond memories of lying sprawled on the floor, reveling in the shine of the wood and its coolness against my skin (hey, it's hot in the Philippines!).  The home we live in has hardwood floors in every room except the bathrooms and laundry room.  Wood is so beautiful and it's so easy to clean, and with proper care, it can last almost a lifetime.

Of course, the key words are "proper care"!  With three active kids, it's only a matter of time before food, paint, dirt, grass, dirt and grime find their way onto our beautiful wooden floors.  In fact, some of our older wooden floors aren't so pretty any more; over the years, they have lost some of their shine (you have no idea how soccer cleats and music stands and cello end pins can scratch wooden floors!).  Scrubbing wooden floors with the wrong cleaning products only makes it worse.

That's why I'm proud to announce that I've been chosen as a Pledge Ambassador by Mom Central Consulting!  I've been given samples of Pledge's FloorCare Wood line of products, and I'll be using them to care for our hardwood floors over the next month.  I have every confidence in Pledge; I have used Pledge Lemon Clean furniture spray to dust and polish all my wooden furniture for years.  If anyone knows how to care for wood, it's Pledge!

Here's more information about Pledge's FloorCare Wood line.  You can also find out more at Pledge.com.

With trusted products from Pledge®, families can have the confidence to clean their wood flooring
while protecting its timeless and natural beauty. Pledge® FloorCare comes in four distinct product
options, including: Pledge® FloorCare Wood Concentrated Cleaner, Pledge® FloorCare Wood
Squirt & Mop, Pledge® FloorCare Wood Trigger and Pledge® FloorCare Wood Finish. Now
everyone has the freedom to enjoy bright and beautiful floors because Pledge® FloorCare goes
beyond removing dirt to clean, shine, restore, and protect precious wood floors.

USES:
• Pledge® FloorCare Wood Concentrated Cleaner gently removes dirt and grime while
restoring floor’s natural shine. It’s made with almond oil to moisturize wood and restore its
natural beauty, and it leaves a fresh scent behind. The concentrated formula makes up to
16 gallons of cleaning solution.

• Pledge® FloorCare Wood Squirt & Mop is a ready-to-use formula requiring no dilution
before use. Its advanced formula removing dirt and grime that builds up over time to
maintain a floor’s natural finish with no dull residue. It reveals wood’s natural beauty and
leaves a fresh citrus scent behind. Also available in gallon size.

• Pledge® FloorCare Wood Trigger is a ready-to-use formula designed specifically for spot
cleaning. Its advanced formula cleans, shines, restores and protects—with no dulling, oily
residue—leaving a fresh citrus scent behind.

• Pledge® FloorCare Wood Finish goes beyond what you get from other floor cleaning
products—this premium finish provides a beautiful, transparent, long-lasting shine and
stands up to the wear of heavy traffic without yellowing. It can protect hardwood floors and
help prevent dirt.


Disclosure: I participated in an Ambassador Program on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Pledge. I received a product sample to facilitate my review and promotional item as a thank you for participating. Product information (in italics) was provided by SC Johnson via Mom Central Consulting.  The views and opinions expressed here are my own.
Tweet this!

Women Driven to Success: You Can Have Your All, by Dr. Jane Goldner

This is a compensated post

Ever since I was a little girl, I've been told that I can have it all.  I was told that if I studied hard, I'd get into a good college, and if I kept studying hard, I would get a good job, and if I worked hard, I could make a good life for myself.  Somewhere along the way I'd meet my soul mate and we'd raise a family and live happily ever after.

Well, I studied hard and I worked hard.  I've got the soul mate.  I've got the family.  I've got the job.  But no one ever told me how DIFFICULT it would be! And I still don't know whether I have it all!  What does "having it all" even look like?  Should I be doing more?  Should I even want to?  It's an age-old discussion that women have everywhere.

Personally, I don't think women CAN have it all -- any more than men can have it all.  And that's okay! Everyone has to make choices in their lives and accept the outcomes of those choices.  That's why I love the concept of Dr. Jane Goldner's latest book, "Women Driven to Succes: You Can Have It Your All".  The book cover actually says "You can Have It All", but crosses out the "It" and replaces it with "Your" -- and that makes all the difference.  Success means different things to different people, and there are as many ways of defining success as there are ways to get there.  I haven't read the book yet, but it sounds great.  Check out the description below and see if you agree!

About the Book
"The 'real life' stories and the practical toolkit make this book one that you will want to keep, refer to and recommend to your spheres of influence!" Women today are being told by successful businesswomen that the key to 'having it all' is leaning in. Dr. Jane Goldner, on the other hand, believes that success is not a one size fits all concept. She states that women can "have it all," but poses the question: "What does 'it all' really mean?" Throughout the book, Dr. Goldner provides the answer that "it all" is different for each person, and discusses the paths women have taken to go from homemakers to "doing dishes, diapers, and million-dollar deals," with many choices in-between. A critical lesson is that before a woman "leans in," she needs to figure out "her all." 

Based on her own life experiences and those of 14 other highly successful senior-level professional women, Women Driven to Success provides examples of role models as well as a tool kit to help women define and live THEIR ALL. Among the many topics that Dr. Goldner covers in her book are: - The need for each woman to define her own CORE, her 'North Star' -Why being 'everything to everybody' is NOT the answer - Learning the skills of negotiation and confrontation - The important difference between taking personal time to stay healthy, and having to take time to be sick Dr. Goldner is a business consultant with nearly 30 years experience. She's worked with multiple Fortune 500 companies, the US Military and with some of the foremost executive leaders in the country. In addition, Dr. Goldner is both an adjunct professor at the Coles School of Business Kennesaw State University and in the Leadership and Organization Development Master's Degree program at PCOM.



Disclosure: This is a compensated post.  Product description (in italics) was taken from the Amazon website.  The views and opinions expressed here are my own.
Tweet this!

Giveaway: win an artisan necklace from World Vision Gift Catalog

When the holidays roll around, many people focus so much on Gift Giving Season that they forget to remember the Giving Season and the true meaning of the holidays.  Many parents want to teach their children values of compassion and kindness and sharing blessings with others, and there's no better time or place to do it than during the holidays.  World Vision Gift Catalog is sharing a few ways to do it:

*  Host a house party for friends and family and ask your guests to contribute to a share of a group gift such as a farm animal, winter clothing or school supplies to families in need, or even a water well. Make the selection of the item, how to raise funds for that gift, and the collection of the money a collaborative, group effort.
* After Black Friday and Cyber Monday holiday shopping, consider celebrating Giving Tuesday (12/3) and make meaningful, life-changing gift purchases such as medicine, mosquito nets or a fish pond.

* Be active in your giving -- volunteer at your local homeless shelter or senior living center; cook a meal or bake cookies for an elderly family member or neighbor.

* Organize a family giving night and have kids select charitable gifts from an organization such as the World Vision Gift Catalog. Talk with your children about how giving back changes lives of children and families living in poverty and that their efforts truly make a difference.

You can even incorporate the true spirit of giving into your own gift giving, with the World Vision Catalog.  When you shop for presents from the World Vision Gift Catalog, you're not only giving a present to friends and family, you're helping out families from all over the world.

I love the idea of leafing through the World Vision Gift Catalog with my kids.  The catalog has over 250 items that help fight poverty all over the US and the world.  It has stories of hardworking families from all over the world (including the US!) whose lives could benefit from your gift.  With a financial contribution, you can even select one of the 30+ Handcrafted Gifts that can be shared with a loved one and at the same time help a person in need.  World Vision Gift Catalog sent me the Colors of Africa jewelry set to check out:

This gorgeous Zakale jewelry set is handmade from recycled materials by Kenyan artisans reclaiming their own lives from poverty. What a beautiful way to make a difference AND treat yourself or a loved one to a holiday present!


Win a Colors of Africa Bracelet & Earring Set
One lucky Bonggamom Finds reader will receive a gorgeous Colors of Africa Bracelet & Earring Set

Required Entry
Leave a comment on this post and tell me how you and your family like to spread the true spirit of the holidays, or how you teach your children about the true meaning of the holidays.

Extra Entries
For extra entries, you can do any or all of the following. Please leave a separate comment for each extra entry with a way to verify the entry (i.e. tweet link, blog post link, Facebook id, Twitter id, etc.).

1) Follow bonggamom on Blogger (1 entry)

2) Follow bonggamom on Instagram (1 entry)

3) Follow bonggamom on Pinterest (1 entry)

4) Pin this giveaway on any of your Pinterest boards (1 entry -- you can use the "Pin It" button at the bottom of this page!).

5) "Like" Bonggamom Finds on Facebook and write this on my wall (1 entry):
I entered the World Vision Gift Catalog giveaway! http://ow.ly/qgwra

6) Tweet this (1 entry per day)
RT @bonggafinds Win a Colors of Africa bracelet/earring set from World Vision Gift Catalog! Enter by 11/16 at http://ow.ly/qgwra

7) Join any open giveaway on Bonggamom Finds (1 entry per giveaway you've joined)

The Rules
This giveaway ends at 11:59PM PST on November 16, 2013; I will draw a winner at random on November 17 and post their name after they confirm acceptance. Continental US residents only. For additional giveaway rules, click here.

Disclosure: I received a product sample to facilitate my review, but have not been paid to review the product or give my opinions. Product information (in italics) is provided by World Vision. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.
Tweet this!

Gourmet Gift Tower Giveaway from All About Gift Baskets

I can't believe how quickly time flies! The holidays are almost here, and this year I find myself completely unprepared.  At this time last year I already had my holiday cards printed out and my holiday gift list printed out, but this year I'm barely prepared for Halloween!  I'm going to need a quick and easy solution for gift giving -- but hey, I have standards, I want to give presents that make my friends and family's eyes light up.  A great one-stop shopping destination for holiday gifts is All About Gifts and Baskets -- they have unique gift ideas for everyone on your gift list! Here is the description for the amazing Holiday Gift Tower pictured at the top of this post:

Dressed up in black and silver and finished it with a "black tie" satin ribbon, our holiday tower is filled with a bounty of gourmet snacks! When they untie the ribbon, your recipients will find crunchy and sweet almond pecan honey corn (12 oz), jumbo California pistachios (4 oz), decadent cocoa-dusted truffles (4 oz), milk chocolate covered almonds (6 oz), deluxe mixed nuts (5 oz), and a dozen mouthwatering pecan turtles. It's a tower so delicious that no one will be able to resist!

Tower Dimensions: 7 3/8" x 7 3/8" x 9"

Wouldn't it be great to win one of those babies?  If you'd love a Holiday Gift Tower, I've got great news:  I'm co-hosting a giveaway for two Holiday Gift Towers from All About Gifts and Baskets!  Enter by November 10, 2013 using the Rafflecopter widget below.  Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway


The Rules
Simply enter using the Rafflecopter form above. Any of the options for entry are acceptable, and entries per person are limited to the number indicated in this contest form. Entries will be reviewed and any duplicate or incomplete entries will be removed.

You must complete the specified entry task in order to be eligible to win the contest. If you click the entry button without completing the task, your entry will be disqualified from winning.

This contest is open to all residents of the 48 Contiguous States and only to those 18 years of age or older.

Winners are picked randomly. The two lucky winners will receive the Formal Holiday Tower shown on this page - a $63 Value.

Prize will be fulfilled by the contest sponsor www.aagiftsandbaskets.com.

Winners will be notified via email, so please provide a valid email address. Winners must respond within three days of being contacted. If you do not respond within that time, another winner will be chosen.

The full list of rules can be found here.

Giveaway ends at midnight EST on November 10, 2013. The giveaway winners will be announced by November 17, 2013.



Disclosure: I did not receive a sample or monetary compensation for this post. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.
Tweet this!

Giveaway: Pampers Baby Wipes + $25 Albertsons Gift Card

Great news for loyal Pampers diapers customers!  Their Pampers Swaddlers line is now available in a size 3 and 4 at Albertsons, so even when your baby gets a bit bigger, you can still keep them clean and comfy in the same brand of diapers they came home from the hospital in.  That's not the only change Pampers has made: they've been making some improvements to all their diaper lines to keep babies dry and moms happy.

Pampers Swaddlers, the #1 choice of hospitals, a trusted favorite of many new moms, is now available in size 3 & 4 at Albertsons. Swaddlers 3 and 4 will include both the wetness indicator and absorb-away mesh liner that moms have come to love in the smaller Swaddlers sizes. In addition, Pampers wants to provide mom visual cues of comfort and protection, therefore we are adding an umbilical notch on Size 1 & 2.

Pampers Cruiser continues to provide the freedom to play with our Best Dryness and Fit. Pampers is going to add more of what mom already loves about Cruisers. Pampers is significantly increasing the absorbent gelling material. In addition, Pampers is still focused on offering our BEST FIT with Cruisers; Pampers is introducing a new leg cuff material to offer a better barrier against fluid while keeping the cuff material breathable.

Pampers has also made changes to their Baby Dry line to help moms and their babies have the perfect night’s rest. Pampers Baby Dry now features a longer, blue tinted absorbent area, more absorbent materials making it 15% more absorbent and new and updated Sesame Street designs that moms love.


Win a Pampers Prize Pack
One lucky Bonggamom Finds reader will receive
· Pampers Wipes Baby Fresh 20ct.
· A $25 gift card that can be used at Albertsons, Jewel-Osco, Acme, Shaws, Lucky, Cub Foods, Farm Fresh, Shop’n Save, Hornbacher’s and Shoppers.

Required Entry
Leave a comment on this post telling me which feature in the Pampers Swaddlers, Cruisers or Baby Dry diaper you like best.

Extra Entries
For extra entries, you can do any or all of the following. Please leave a separate comment for each extra entry with a way to verify the entry (i.e. tweet link, blog post link, Facebook id, Twitter id, etc.).

1) Follow bonggamom on Blogger (1 entry)

2) Follow bonggamom on Instagram (1 entry)

3) Follow bonggamom on Pinterest (1 entry)

4) Pin this giveaway on any of your Pinterest boards (1 entry -- you can use the "Pin It" button at the bottom of this page!).

5) "Like" Bonggamom Finds on Facebook and write this on my wall (1 entry):
I entered the Pampers giveaway! http://ow.ly/qgvn2

6) Tweet this (1 entry per day)
RT @bonggafinds Win a pack of Pampers Baby Fresh Wipes and a $25 Albertsons gift card! Enter by 11/18 at http://ow.ly/qgvn2

7) Join any open giveaway on Bonggamom Finds (1 entry per giveaway you've joined)

The Rules
This giveaway ends at 11:59PM PST on November 18, 2013; I will draw a winner at random on November 19 and post their name after they confirm acceptance. Continental US residents only. For additional giveaway rules, click here.


Disclosure: Procter & Gamble provided the prize pack for the giveaway winner as well as a second prize pack for me. Product information (in italics) was provided by Procter & Gamble via Blue Chip Communications. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.
Tweet this!

Giveaway: Fall Fashion with Ross Dress for Less

Fall has finally hit Northern California, and we're all enjoying the crisp, cool weather -- and the return to fall fashion!  Warm colors, layers, snuggly sweaters and wraps, boots, caps.... there are so many ways to look great for the season!  There's no better time to build a great fall wardrobe, and there's no better place to do it than at Ross Dress for Less.  You can really get some amazing bargains at Ross, if you're willing to look.

Ross sent me a $25 gift card and challenged me to create a fall look with it.  Now that's a mission I can easily look forward to!  Every visit to Ross is like going on a treasure hunt -- it even says so in their stores!

I had to start with a sweater, of course.  After just 5 minutes, I was able to come up with this beauty.  Retail price was over $30, but here at Ross it cost just $14.99.  I fell in love with it, but for the purposes of the $25 challenge, that left me with just $10 for the rest of my outfit.

$10 for a top and a bottom?  Is that even possible?  It is if you shop at Ross!  This basic black tank top was on the clearance rack for $3.99...

... and these basic leggings were just $5.99.  I was able to put together a great fall outfit for $25!

If I had just one more dollar in my budget, I could have swapped the leggings for this cheetah-print skirt ($6.99)  and ended up with an outfit with just a bit more pizzazz.  So of course, I ended up getting both!  I justified it by telling myself that layering is super important in the fall :)

Of course, if you've already gotten your fall wardrobe, check out Ross for their awesome (and awesomely priced) Halloween decor items, housewares, kids' toys, shoes and accessories.

Win a $100 Ross Dress for Less gift card on Facebook
Head over to the Ross Fall Trend Hunters promotion on their Facebook page for the chance to win  one of three $100 Ross gift cards every week! Just vote for your favorite look from Ross’ top three fall trends presented by our trend hunters – Black and White, Leather Details and Denim-on-Denim -- and you're entered.  Good luck!

Win a $25 Ross Dress for Less gift card
One lucky Bonggamom Finds reader will receive a $25 gift card from Ross.

Required Entry
Leave a comment on this post and tell me what fall fashion item you would buy with your $25 Ross Dress for Less gift card.

Extra Entries
For extra entries, you can do any or all of the following. Please leave a separate comment for each extra entry with a way to verify the entry (i.e. tweet link, blog post link, Facebook id, Twitter id, etc.).

1) Follow bonggamom on Blogger (1 entry)

2) Follow bonggamom on Instagram (1 entry)

3) Follow bonggamom on Pinterest (1 entry)

4) Pin this giveaway on any of your Pinterest boards (1 entry -- you can use the "Pin It" button at the bottom of this page!).

5) "Like Bonggamom Finds" on Facebook and write this on my wall (1 entry):
I entered the Ross Dress for Less Fall Fashion $25 giveaway! http://bit.ly/18uKMYw 

6) Tweet this once per day (1 entry per day)
You could win a $25 Ross Dress for Less giftcard! Enter by 10/31 on @bonggafinds http://bit.ly/18uKMYwy 

7) Join any open giveaway on Bonggamom Finds (1 entry for every giveaway you join)

The Rules
This giveaway ends at 11:59PM PST on October 31,  2013; I will draw a winner at random on November 1 and post their name after they confirm acceptance. Continental US residents only. For additional giveaway rules, click here.



Disclosure: Thanks to Ross for providing a $25 gift card to give away and a second gift card for me. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.
Tweet this!

Holidays at the Disneyland Resort

The Disneyland Resort is only halfway through its Halloween Time festivities, but they are already gearing up for the holiday season!  There are so many things in store for guests, including 2 all-new surprises, that I just had to share a quick list of everything that's going to turn the Happiest Place on Earth into the Merriest Place on Earth:

New for 2013: ¡Viva Navidad!

photo courtesy of the Disneyland Resort

It was just announced today that the Disneyland Resort is adding a Latino holiday celebration called ¡Viva Navidad! ,which will be held at Disney California Adventure's Paradise Garden area.  The celebration will feature:

*  Traditional "papel picado" decorations
*  Performances by traditional mariachi, Norteño, and folklorico groups.
*  Special holiday menus at select dining locations, including pozole, champurrado, sweet tamales, buñuelos, and choco flan
*  Crafts and face painting
* A “Disney ¡Viva Navidad! Street Party” with Mexican folklorico dancers, samba dancers and drummers, the Three Caballeros, Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse.

photo courtesy of the Disneyland Resort

New for 2013: World of Color ­- Winter Dreams

photo courtesy of the Disneyland Resort

The World of Color nighttime show is getting a holiday makeover!  World of Color - Winter Dreams will feature holiday music and new animation.  Nearly 1,200 fountains will blast into the air and create a huge projected water screen, where guests will see winter scenes from Disney films like "Bambi", "Fantasia", "Toy Story", and their newest film, "Frozen".


Holiday Decor

Below is a list of areas around the Disneyland Resort that will be specially decorated for the holidays.  Personally, I've never seen Cars Land decorated for the holidays so I'd love to drop by and see Mater with his Santa cap!

* Sleeping Beauty's Winter Castle
* Main Street USA (including the famous snowfall!)
* Cars Land
* A Bugs Land
* Buena Vista Street
* Paradise Pier


Haunted Mansion Holiday

Jack Skellington's kooky, spooky Halloween-Christmas mashup started at the beginning of Halloween Time and continues through the holiday season!


It's a Small World Holiday

Each holiday season, the It's A Small World attraction gets a holiday makeover inside and out.  An estimated 50,000 Christmas lights are installed on the façade, which glow in different colors at night.  Holiday decorations and holiday themes from around the world are incorporated into the animatronic displays, such as leaving cookies under the chimney, christmas trees, candles, and holiday greetings in dozens of languages. The regular It's A Small World theme is mixed in with Jingle Bells and Deck the Halls.


A Christmas Fantasy Parade

Disneyland's annual holiday parade includes dancing snowflakes, toy soldiers, holiday themed floats (my favorite is the ice rink where Minnie and Mickey are "skating"), and of course, Santa Claus


Believe…in Holiday Magic Fireworks
Disney's "kiss goodnight" is set to holiday music and it's a magical way to end your day at the parks!

Seasonal treats
Better do an exra lap around the track on your workout days, because it's treats are part of the season, and Disneyland Resort treats are extra irresistible!  Be on the lookout for these nommies:
* Snowman apples
* Snowman and peppermint marshmallows
* Candy canes
* Gingerbread beignets
* Peppermint break-up


The Disneyland Resort will be in holiday mode from November 15, 2013 through January 6, 2014.


Disclosure: I did not receive a sample or monetary compensation for this post. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.
Tweet this!

Beasty Buddies: Handcrafted Fleece Monster Hat & Plush Dolls

Today was the first day I felt really cold in the morning.  I know there are blizzards and snowstorms already raging in the Midwest, but hey, this is California!  So we're reluctantly dusting off our cold-weather gear and consoling ourselves that our expanded opportunities to make fashion statements outweighs the misery of feeling cold.

Here's a new clothing line that's sure to warm the body and soul:  Beasty Buddies fleece hats.  These monster hats have got it all:  warmth and style, personality and soul.  Each one is based on a magical Beasty Buddy character, each with his own unique back story and personality.

We were sent the Zorlag pirate monster hat (and matching plush keychain) to review, and it is so cute! The hat is bright, colorful, and a bit zany.  What kid wouldn't want to be sporting horns and a fauxhawk?

The other monster styles look just as cute.  Don't worry, ladies, there are Beasty Buddies styles for girly-girls as well as fierce females! I especially love the Viking horned helmet and Valkyrie winged helmet, both with long braids!  Don't worry, none of the helmets (or any of the hats) will cause any concussions: they're made from soft, comfy plush.  They come in 3 sizes so everyone from toddlers to adults can get in on the fun.  Hopefully these monsterrific hat will make it a bit easier to convince my sons to wear a warm hat when it gets cold!

About Beasty Buddies
Beasty Buddies fleece hats are the softest, warmest, fuzziest, and most original hats on Earth! Uniquely designed in the USA and lovingly made by hand with the finest materials found on Earth, Beasty Buddies Hats are sure to make you stand out from the crowd! With a complete size range, everyone from toddlers to adults will wear ‘em. The myths and legends of Beasty Buddies Monsters, Dragons, Creatures, Vikings & Woodland Elves have come alive in a fantastic and fuzzy form of head ware.


Disclosure: I received a product sample to facilitate my review, but have not been paid to review the product or give my opinions. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.
Tweet this!

Pink Posts: Curvey Couture pink bras

During the month of October 2013, Curvy Couture will donate 10% of sales from any pink bra available at CurvyCouture.com in support of The Pink Heals Tour.

Since 2007, the Pink Heals Tour has been bringing its pink fire trucks to communities from coast to coast. Its goal is to raise cancer awareness and to honor and support those who are battling cancer. The Pink Heals pink fire truck tour is fully supported by volunteers, firefighters, and police officers that donate their time and effort toward fundraising for local charitable support.



Disclosure: I did not receive a sample or monetary compensation for this post. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.
Tweet this!

Once Upon a Zombie Dolls

Every time I pass by the doll aisles in a store, there seem to be more and more monster dolls popping up.  It's scary how quickly they have taken over!  In fact, I'd say the monster doll craze is catching up in popularity to princess dolls -- so it was only a matter of time before someone combined the two.

Once Upon a Zombie dolls are zombified versions of your classic fairytale princesses.  They're based on the Once Upon a Zombie children's book and web series, which follows the adventures of Caitlin Rose Fletcher as she tries to figure out why the Fairy Tale Universe is turning into Zombie Land.  The characters are exquisitely drawn, and the six dolls based on the book  -- Snow White, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Rapunzel, The Little Mermaid, and Belle -- really do a great job of bringing their characters to life.  Or should I say afterlife?

We had the opportunity to review Zombie Rapunzel, and I have to say, the undead have never looked so pretty.  The Pea is really into dolls, and she thinks Zombie Rapunzel is to die for!  Zombie Rapunzel has light gray skin and violet eyes.  She has thick, coppery hair, twisted into a ponytail that reaches her ankles.  Her makeup and princess outfit are done in shades of violet.

One feature that is notably different from many dolls in stores is her feet.  Zombie Rapunzel isn't tippytoeing as high as she can go, so she can't wear those ridiculous, sky-high platform or stiletto shoes that most dolls seem to come with.  In fact, Zombie Rapunzel doesn't even come with shoes!  Not sure whether that's a good thing or not, but at least it's accurate: I doubt if zombies even care about shoes.

Zombie Rapunzel's face is beautiful, with just the right mix of sweetness and goth.  I love how she still has a wide-eyed, innocent look, not a bratty, pouty, self-entitled, smug look that so many dolls seem to have these days.

No detail has been spared, down to the rips and tears in Zombie Rapunzel's dress or the stitches on her mouth, forearms and legs.

Zombie Rapunzel is fully articulated, with joints in her neck, shoulders, elbows, wrists, hips, and knees (note: her waist and ankles do not move).  She comes with a doll stand so you can style her in your favorite zombie pose.  The Pea likes to change her pose every day!

Zombie Rapunzel is a beautiful, collectible-worthy doll, and from what I can see, so are the rest of her undead friends.  It's almost impossible to believe that Zombie Snow White would prefer brains to apples, or that Belle should technically be more scary than her Beast!  These Once Upon a Zombie dolls are priced on the lower end of collectible dolls ($19.99-$24.99), and in my opinion, the price is totally justified.  So far, I've only seen her and her fellow zombie princesses for sale on Sears.com, the Wowee online store and Amazon.com -- but I'm hoping that more and more stores carry this line!


Disclosure: I received a product sample to facilitate my review, but have not been paid to review the product or give my opinions.. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.
Tweet this!

Happiest Haunts Tour at the Disneyland Resort

If you've been to the Disneyland Resort before, you might think you've experienced everything the place has to offer.  But Have You?  There's a reason people keep going back to the resort time and time again, and that's because there is always something new to enjoy!  If you want to see the Disneyland Resort from a completely different perspective, check out their Happiest Haunts Tour.  It's a special tour that runs during Halloween Time that showcases the spooky side of Disney.  The kids and I had the opportunity to experience the Happiest Haunts tour a couple of weeks ago, and it was one of the highlights of our visit.

SPOILER ALERT -- The narrative that follows describes everything we experienced on the tour, so if you want to keep an element of surprise, stop here!  Skip the next section and scroll straight down to my Happiest Haunts tour wrap-up and tips. That being said, Disney does tweak the tour every year to keep it fresh and interesting, so next year's tour won't be exactly the same as the tour we took.

Our tour started at the Disneyland Tour Gardens kiosk to the left of City Hall, where we checked in and received a souvenir button to pin to our shirts and identify us as part of the tour.  Our tour guide was incredibly friendly and informative, and she started us off with some tour housekeeping details (2.5 hours long, bathroom break in the middle, etc..) and some fun facts about Halloween Time at the resort.  We then exited Disneyland Park and went into Disney's California Adventure.

Our first stop was the Tower of Terror, where our guide told us the story behind the tower and led us straight into one of the haunted elevators so we could enjoy my favorite ride in the entire resort.

As we exited the Tower of Terror, we were joined by a ghostly gentleman named Gracie, who hails from the Haunted Mansion.  Gracie turned out to be our "ghost host" and stayed with us for the rest of the tour.  Throughout the tour, he regaled us with tales of the Headless Horseman, the origins of Halloween, how jack-o-lanterns and trick-or-treating began, and other spooky stories.  I love how he stayed in character throughout the entire tour.

Next, we stopped by the Trolley Treats candy shop in Disney's California Adventure, where we were given a sample of their Holiday Marshmallow Treats.  These marshmallow pops are coated in a layer of caramel and a layer of chocolate, then rolled in candy sprinkles, and they are absolutely delicious!

With our sugar levels restored, we made our way back into Disneyland Park, down Main Street (where our guide showed us where some of the coolest pumpkins were hidden!), and into Tomorrowland.  Gracie led us to Space Mountain Ghost Galaxy and told us the legend behind the scariest ghost in the galaxy.  He used his ghostly powers to float us past all the lines and board the ride from the exit side (we've never done that before, we felt like such VIPs!) with zero wait.

Our third ride was a big surprise: the Matterhorn!  I was expecting Pirates of the Caribbean because of the undead skeletons, and the Matterhorn was not on my radar at all -- but when you think of it, it makes total sense because the Yeti is a monster too :)  The kids and I were so excited, because the past two times we visited the Disneyland Resort, the Matterhorn had been closed, and the lines were super long, so we were debating whether to brave the lines or miss out on the ride for our third consecutive visit.  As members of the Happiest Haunts tour, we were given the privilege of skipping the lines. How's that for an eerie-sistible perk?

After the Matterhorn, we made our way into Frontierland, where we stopped to admire the Dia de los Muertos displays at the Rancho Zocalo and listen to Gracie's stories about the Mexican holiday. I love how this tour makes it a point to show guests all the little Halloween Time details you might miss if you're rushing around the park.  For example, I would never have known about The Halloween Tree, which is Disney's tribute to the 1972 Ray Bradbury novel.  Now I'm going to look for it every time I visit during Halloween Time.

Our final stop was, of course, The Haunted Mansion, which had been transformed into Haunted Mansion Holiday for the season.  Once again, we got to hear lots of fun trivia about the mansion, including an inside scoop on the secret surprises that the Imagineers have hidden in this year's decorations. It was a fitting end to a wonderful tour -- and to top things off, as we rode away in our Haunted Doom Buggies, we saw Gracie waving good-bye to us from the side!

At the end of the tour, each guest received a sugar cookie shaped like a candy corn as well as a collectible souvenir pin. The pin is not available for purchase, and it changes every year ("2013" is engraved on it), so it's quite a keepsake, and a great reason for Disney pin afficionados to join the tour.

The Bottom Line

Is the Happiest Haunts tour for everyone?  No.  If you or your children don't like any of the rides on the tour (and remember, one or two of the rides may change each year so there's no way to tell in advance), or if your children don't meet the height requirements for the ride, you'll have to sit it out -- which means you miss out on one of the key benefits of the tour, namely the chance bypass the standby line and the Fastpass line on some of the parks' most popular rides.  You'll get the most out of your ticket price if you are able and willing to go on any ride in the park.

Also, if your goal is just to hit as many rides as possible, this may not be the tour for you. With the help of a Fastpass, you could probably do more than 4 rides in 2.5 hours (although maybe not the same rides -- there are no Fastpasses for Matterhorn and Haunted Mansion, and those lines were LONG!).  I would describe the pace of the tour as leisurely at best, which is great if you've been to the parks before, but maybe not ideal if this is your first visit, or if you only have one day to spend in both parks.

But if your goal is to take a step back and truly appreciate everything that Disneyland Park and Disney's California Adventure Park have to offer during Halloween Time, the Happiest Haunts tour is to die for. It's such a unique experience -- and since they refresh it from year to year, it's a wonderful Halloween tradition you can start for your family every year!


Tips for enjoying the Happiest Haunts tour
* Make a potty stop before the tour starts
* Buy a bottle of water and snacks before the tour starts, just in case you get hungry
* Wear comfortable walking shoes
* If you plan to stick around for Mickey's Halloween Party, consider renting a locker to stash your costume, treat bags and sweaters
* Bring a camera to capture the beautiful scenery that the guides point out to you.
* Have fun!

Disclosure: Disney provided tickets and accommodations so my family could experience Halloween Time, including the Happiest Haunts Tour, at the Disneyland Resort. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.
Tweet this!