Ban on Smoking at Beaches in Honolulu coming 2014

After January 1st, 2014, smoking at beaches, parks and bus stops on Oahu will be officially be prohibited, making Oahu the latest tourism spot to ban smoking.

For many families vactioning, this will be a welcomed new bill.

Is this truly feasible?

In May of 2011, New York City's parks, beaches and pedestrian plazas were banned from smoking.

Pixie Diane

Collectible Cars Land Pin, Lanyard & Luggage Tag

If your planning a 2013 visit to Disneyland Parks & Resorts contact Pixie Diane  for your complimentary personalized planning quote.  Pixie Diane is offering each booked guest a Collectible Cars Land Pin, Lanyard and & Luggage Tag when you book a vacation package.

But wait, that's not all --  Your family will receive one (1) 5 x 7 attraction photo and a digital download of the same photo to share with family and friends.  Which attraction would you choose?  Splash Mountain, Space Mountain, The Twilight zone tower of Terror, Screamin or  Radiator Springs Racers?

Want more?  I will even arrange for a special Disney character call to "Welcome" you to the resort during your stay.

Ask me about how your children (ages 8+)  can participate in an education program during your stay.

Pixie Diane

New & Improved Fantasy Faire now open

Farewell to the Carnation Plaza Gardens, and "Hello" to Fantasy Faire.

Princesses and Princes will meet some of their favorite characters in this new Royal setting with opportunities to have conversations and take photos.

The Faire includes a  Royal Theatre and Courtyard.  These venues will host two 20 minute vaudeville-style shows daily.

The shows are based upon "Tangled" and "The Beauty and the Beast".

Pixie Diane

Disney Launches Cosmetic Line

Looking for a "Magical" choice when it comes to picking out eye shadows, lip and nail colors?

A new private label cosmetic line "Beautifully Disney" recently debuted in the Disney Vault 28 at Downtown Disney in Anaheim, and for our friends in Orlando at the Trend-D shop.

Designed specifically for women, Beautifully Disney will offer new products throughout the Season, limiting your desire to find the same product at a later date.  At present, the spring collection is called "Wickedly Beautiful" and features four princesses and their antagonists.

The Princesses collection will be lighter in color overall and the Villainesses are deeper and darker.

Will this Disney Fan purchase this product?  Of course, it will go beautifully with my daily routine of using my Disney Cruise Line shampoo, Disney's Grand Californian soap bar, and my Aulani hair conditioner products.

For information in planning your next Family vacation (land or Sea), please contact Pixie Diane.

Quality time with Family achieved while on Vacation!

A Disney-sponsored survey reveals New Trends for Family Travelers.

Quality family time not only increases while on vacation, but parents and children say they learn something new about one another during this time, as opposed to when at home, according to the new Disney Time Survey, a blind study commissioned by Disney Park and conducted by Kelton, a research firm. 

The survey queried more than 1,000 parents of children age 5 to 17 participated in the Disney Time Survey, which asked families to think about and share thoughts on quality time when at home versus when on vacation.

Ninety-one percent of parents reported that quality time is achieved when they learn something new about their child, while 84 percent of parents say quality time means their child learned something new about them. From favorite to least favorite activities and food, to details about their children’s friends, the survey found that parents saddled by hectic lifestyles are craving more time together with their kids.

Out of 52 weeks a year parents surveyed said that they have only 15 “free” weekends. 

In addition, 13 percent say they have no free weekends. Seventy-one percent of parents would love more time with their kids, specifically up to nine hours more a week. Ninety-six percent of parents would give up at least one thing for a year to spend just one extra hour with their children every week, including favorite television show/sports/game (78 percent); the Internet (74 percent); shopping (74 percent); sleeping late (69 percent); a favorite hobby (64 percent; and coffee (59 percent).

Perhaps not surprisingly, the survey found that vacations are a key way to cultivate family bonding and strengthen quality time. Ninety-seven percent of parents revealed that their children have discovered new things about them while taking family trips, including more about their parents’ childhoods (86 percent) or facts about other family members (74 percent). Almost one in two parents believed that out of all the time they spend with their children, only half of it, at most, could be classified as “quality time.” While on vacation, however, parents reported that 82 percent of time would fall in the “quality time” category.

When they did vacation together, the family was inclined to be more excited (77 percent), relaxed (75 percent), silly (68 percent), calm (54 percent) and even more affectionate (54 percent). Parents reported eating an average of 10 meals with their children in a typical week at home. When on a seven-day vacation, families said they almost double the number of meals they eat together (19 meals versus 10 meals) and 68 percent claim they would eat all 21 meals (three meals per day) as a family.

As part of the study commissioned for Disney Parks, parents were asked to share vacation habits and places of interest. Family travel is set for growth over the next five years, according to the findings. More than eight in 10 (82 percent) respondents who have taken family vacations reveal that they will take the same amount, if not more vacations in the next five years. Further, 94 percent of parents think it’s important for families to take vacations together on a regular schedule.    

When asked to pick one specific location where they felt their family would have the best time on vacation, top responses in terms of type were theme park, beach, cruises and camping, respectively. Parents also highlighted Florida, specifically Orlando, Hawaii and California as top destinations for family vacations.

 “We know vacations are important, but to have parents validate how important vacation time is to their families was insightful,” said Leslie Ferraro, executive vice president of global marketing for Disney Parks.  “As we’ve learned from families who participated in the survey, those moments of quality family time can feel fleeting in our everyday home lives.” Kelton conducted the Disney Time Survey between Jan. 8 and 21 among 1,004 American parents of children ages 5 to17 using random digit dialing of listed and unlisted numbers.

If you are thinking about planning your next Family vacation, please contact Pixie Diane, an Independent contractor for Pixie Vacations today to begin your Families personalized vacation package with courtesy quote.

Interaction with Crush coming to Children's Hospital of Orange County

A Fairy tale story coming true for Children at CHOC.

Earlier this year Newport Beach resident, Bill Homes made a $27 million gift to name Children's Hospital of Orange County new pediatric hospital tower schedule to open Spring 2013.

The new tower will feature the magic of Walt Disney Imagineering.  The named  "Aquatorium" area will feature a "Window of the Sea" talk with Crush, a sea turtle character from the "Finding Nemo" film.  Similar experiences and interactions are found at Disneyland, CA, Walt Disney World, Florida and on the new Disney Fantasy.

This little touch of Disney Magic will certainly brighten up a child's day during their stay at CHOC, as this familiar experience and positive interaction will be just what the Doctor ordered.

For information and expert planning of your next Family vacation, please contact Pixie Diane.

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad closed

First it was the Matterhorn Bobsled ride, now Disney has closed Big Thunder Mountain Railroad for a major makeover at Disneyland, California.

Officially, the ride closed on Monday, January 7th and should reopen Fall of 2013.

So what is Disney up to?

After three decades, Disney will replace tracks, install new ride vehicles and paint part of the mountain.  Improved lighting and sound will also be added.  But, the biggest news is a larger unloading and loading areas which should aid in time spent in line.

As some may remember, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad opened in September 1979 where Mine Train Through Nature's Wonderland used to run.  Going further back in time, guests rode mules throughout the area.

For additional information on Disneyland Parks and Resort, please contact Pixie Diane.