Day 1059: The Good Dinosaur

I've been on a roll this year with seeing Disney films on opening day. Earlier I saw Tomorrowland and Inside Out on opening day, and when I had a chance to see The Good Dinosaur, it felt like the right option!

Overall, I thought The Good Dinosaur was a pretty good (haha) movie, although it's certainly not my favorite of the Pixar films. In fact, without giving away any spoilers, I kind of felt like it was the same movie as Inside Out, just for a different group of people. After all, so many of the same themes were present and it just felt like Inside Out...with Dinosaurs.

Either way, I thought the animation was brilliant, and the characters were definitely unique. That's actually one of the things I love most about Pixar - their ability to take characters we think we know and flip them on their heads. That certainly happens multiple times in this film, whether it be with Spot or a T Rex.

Honestly, I don't want to give too much of the film away if you haven't seen it yet, so let's just finish with the trailer for the movie!

I'm also in love with the music in this trailer, which is pretty usual for me haha! Disney does a spectacular job with soundtracks, especially in their trailers! 

If you haven't had a chance to see The Good Dinosaur yet, go as soon as you can and see the magic for yourself! 

Have a magical day! 

(Note: This blog post was written on December 26).

Day 1058: A Little Bit of SSE

Twitter is probably the most dangerous place for a Disney fan. After all, when your fellow Disney fans get new Disney things, all you want to do is get them too...especially when they're absolutely necessary for your collection. I mean, it's not everyday you find a travel mug that happens to resemble your favorite Disney attraction:

I happened to see this new Starbucks Tumbler on Twitter and knew I had to find one of my own. So, later that day, I set out on a mission to find it. Luckily, I didn't have to search long before locating my own Spaceship Earth Tumbler (even if it's not technically Spaceship Earth). Either way, it's a pretty amazing little tumbler and, in fact, I'm using it today! 

And so, yet again, Disney appears in the world in the most random of ways...and I got a new addition to my Spaceship Earth collection!

Have a magical day!

(Note: This blog post was written on December 26).

Day 1057: Zootopia

I haven't been this excited about a Disney movie in a long while, but there's just something about Zootopia that has me eagerly awaiting the release (although I'l have to break my streak of opening day films since I'll be out of town that week). Maybe it's the fact that Ginnifer Goodwin is voicing a main character, or maybe it's the sloth, but Zootopia is certainly on my must see list:

The funny part is that, as Disney fans, we almost treat these films the same way other people treat Harry Potter, Twilight, or the Hunger Games. We can't wait for them to come out every single time. And the best part? They just keep coming! There's always a new Disney film on the horizon, and because they're all unique, you never quite know what to expect next. 

Ok, and also I need a GIF of the smile the sloth gives...hey look! I found one! 

Are you excited to see Zootopia? Let me know in the comments! 

Have a magical day! 

(Note: This blog post was written on December 26).

Day 1056: Tickets Secured

When Star Wars tickets originally went on sale and the Fandango website crashed, I was indeed one of those unlucky people who wasn't able to score tickets. I did, however, happen to randomly check a few weeks later and happened to find opening night tickets...in 3D...in recliners. So yes, Star Wars tickets have been secured like the plans to the Death Star.

I do find it sort of humorous though, the fact that a midnight premiere doesn't really exist. A number of years back I wasn't a part of any fandom that I would consider sitting out in the cold for just to see the movie as soon as possible. I liked Harry Potter of course, but I was more of the person who'd go and see it weeks later, after the rest of the crowds calmed down. And yet here I am, with tickets for opening night of Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens.

And now tickets are easier to get than ever too. All you have to do is head online and, with the recliners at my local theater, you can even reserve specific seats. Then all you have to do is pick up your tickets from the box office and head in. No hassle required!

Does this mean that I'll probably end up seeing Star Wars more times than I can count over the next few months? Probably. But does it make me feel like Kermit in the following GIF? Absolutely.

I'M GOING TO SEE STAR WARS EVERYONE! LET'S AWAKEN THE FORCE!

Have a magical day!

(Note: This blog post was published on December 26).

Day 1055: The Pied Piper

For my Literary Theory and Writing class we worked on a New Historical Essay, which just happens to be my favorite theory to work with. I love history, and I've always loved history, so having the opportunity to go in depth with the history of a particular story is pretty amazing. This time around, I decided on the tale of The Pied Piper of Hameln, and I actually found a couple of really awesome Disney references!

First, let's head back to 1933, September 16 to be exact, when Walt Disney released "The Pied Piper" as a part of his Silly Symphonies. From 1929 to 1939, Walt Disney Productions created a series of animated short films. These 75 Silly Symphonies were used to experiment with different processes, techniques, and other technologies in the world of animation, which would eventually lead to the first feature length animated film, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, which was released in 1937. You can watch Disney's 1933 version of "The Pied Piper" right here!

As you can probably tell, the story of the Pied Piper is the tale of a man who comes to the town of Hameln to rid the residents of rats. He does so, but the town refuses to give him the debt he is owed, so he takes their children instead. When I first came across this story, I actually made the connection to Once Upon A Time right away, and that's how I came to connect the story with fairy tales long before I realized the many other connections it has. In Season 3 of OUAT, the creators mix and matched two stories to created their own version of "The Pied Piper." Robbie Kay portrays the series' Peter Pan, who collects boys to bring with him back to Neverland by playing a tune on musical pipes. However, the twist is that only boys who feel unloved are able to to hear and are drawn to the sound. Of course, Pan never helps the town in the first place, only arriving to steal the children, but regardless, he is indeed The Pied Piper of Once Upon A Time. 

This story, of course, has many different versions as well, and I'm certain that there are several other references out there in pop culture and maybe even in the Disney universe. Plus, who knows if the story actually had an influence on J.M. Barrie and Peter Pan! 

Have a magical day! 

(Note: This blog post was written on December 26).

Day 1054: Done and Over

It can probably go without saying that music performance majors tend to perform a lot. In fact, I sort of get lost when trying to count the number of performances that somehow work their way into every semester, but there are a few that matter a bit more than others. A Junior Recital is one of those.

After months and months of preparing and more than just a few freakouts on the topic, my recital is, however, finally finished, and it feels like a huge weight has been lifted from my shoulders. Sort of like the feeling you have when you finally head to Disney. It's complete calm and relief.

Per usual, however, Disney did make its way into my recital in the form of the final piece, which I thought you guys might like to enjoy...so here's a video all about my recital!

When You Wish Upon A Star just fits here, don't you think? 

Have a magical day! 

(Note: This blog post was written on December 26).

Day 1053: A Different College Campus

I talk all the time about how Disney pops up in my own life, but really Everyday Disney is about how the magic is a part of all of our lives. November 19 is, of course, the birthday of our favorite mouse, and it seems that another college in my area is all about celebrating Mickey! I woke up to a bunch of texts from my friend Ashley about how her college was making Mickey's birthday a big thing, and I asked her if I could share some of it here on the blog!

As you can see, Mickey was definitely the theme of the day at Marian University, and I'm so glad that Ashley was able to share these pictures with me so I could share them with you! How awesome is it that her college did this!?!

If YOU have a special reference to Disney in your life that you think fits with the idea of Everyday Disney, let me know! I'm working on the idea of some guest posts in 2016, so I'd love to hear how Disney has infiltrated your everyday life too! 

Have a magical day! 

(Note: This blog post was written on December 26).