Disney Vacay | Style Blog | Canadian Fashion and Lifestyle News

What I Wore: Disneyland Paris

9 July, 2014 Nelia 2 Comments

what-to-wear-disneyland-paris-14

Last year was the first time I’ve ever gone to a Disney park, and it was everything I dreamed it would be and more. Both le bf and I had such an amazing time that we were itching to go back. So when the opportunity to visit Disneyland Paris presented itself, we couldn’t be more excited.

To kick off my birthday celebrations, we stayed at Disneyland Paris’ Sequoia Lodge for 3 nights while visiting Paris, and it was lovely. Surrounded by lush greenery, the lodge was tucked away in a quiet spot a brisk walk away from Disney Village and both parks. Staying this close really allowed us to take advantage of our time at Disneyland, and visit as many attractions as we could, while still being able to visit Paris every day (city center is only a 40 minute train ride away).

On our first day, armed with VIP Fast Passes (free if you stay at a Disney hotel), we made a dash for the Tower of Terror, before jumping on the Rock’n’Roller Coaster starring Aerosmith, Space Mountain: Mission 2, Big Thunder Mountain, and Indiana Jones™ and the Temple of Peril. After getting our thrills, we ran around the Alice in Wonderland labyrinth (so fun!), explored Agrabah, and just wandered around Main Street, USA, devouring ice-cream and feeling like kids again.

At night, we watched Disney Dreams! show, complete with fireworks, water fountains, fire, lasers, lights, and some of my fave Disney characters and songs, alongside hundreds of other visitors from all over the world. It was magical.

I couldn’t have asked for a better place to spend a few days in Paris – we had a wonderful stay at Disneyland Paris, and I am now determined to visit every single Disney property in the world. I still haven’t been to the ones in Orlando, Tokyo, Hawaii, Hong Kong…2 down, 4 more to go!

what-to-wear-disneyland-paris-12

what-to-wear-disneyland-paris-4

disneyland-paris-4

what-to-wear-disneyland-paris-2

More after the jump!

[Read more…]

What I Wore: The Happiest Place on Earth

24 September, 2013 Nelia 4 Comments

disneyland-last-day-7

After 5 magical days in California, our Disney Vacay was over and it was time to say good-bye. On our final night, we had one last superb gastronomic experience, this time at the swanky Carthay Circle Restaurant, where we devoured Fire Cracker Duck Wings and delicious Fried Biscuits, and shared our favourite Disney moments. It had been such a wonderful experience travelling with some of Toronto’s loveliest people, that le bf and I truly did not want to leave.

After dinner, we had 40 minutes before the famous World of Color show, so we decided to do one final run on The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror. While in line to get on the ride, I may or may not have made a joke about getting stuck on the ride, and what do you know?! WE GOT STUCK! Well, not actually stuck, but stopped for safety reasons before we could even go up. But no matter, after about 20 minutes, we were ushered into another lift, and we still had a blast, and made sure to pose at the top for a very memorable pic…and we even got strangers to pose along with us! Without a doubt, the Tower of Terror was my favourite ride in the park…some people in our group even rode it FIVE times!

twilight-zone-tower-of-terror

After our terrifying (not really) experience, we literally ran back as fast as we could (heels and all) to watch the World of Color, and to be honest with you, there was no better way to end our trip than with that beautiful show. There were animated characters illuminated on fountain streams, songs that we all knew and loved, and even FIRE! It felt like the Bellagio show on steroids, mixed with our favourite Disney films, and it was spectacular. Definitely a must-see!

Still in awe from the show, we went on a few more rides, before walking back to our hotel and calling it a night. Our last day in Disneyland, just like the rest of the trip was nothing short of amazing…from our gorgeous hotel suite, to the unexpectedly gourmet food, to having breakfast with Chip and Dale, to running around like sugar-high kids from one amazing ride to the next – it was all so much fun, that le bf and I promised each other that we’ll have to come back again…and again to The Happiest Place on Earth.

disneyland-last-day-2

disneyland-last-day-6

More after the jump!

[Read more…]

What I Wore: Disney California Adventure Park

19 September, 2013 Nelia 3 Comments

california-adventure-park-disney-2

On the last day of our Disney Vacay, our blogger troop headed out to Disney California Adventure Park for an afternoon of rides and excitement. If Disneyland Park was all about nostalgia, reconnecting with my inner kid, and looking for the elusive Mickey Mouse, California Adventure Park was all about the adrenaline! Of course, there were more than a few child-friendly rides and attractions, but since we were all adults, California Screamin’ was first on our hit list.

Perhaps we shouldn’t have gone on that one right after breakfast, but it was still so worth it! With super high speeds, several high drops, and a loop, my heart was in my shoes for the majority of the ride, and I loved it! Once again, we took advantage of the Single Rider line and had to wait exactly ZERO minutes when we got to the front. Of course, that meant that each one of us had to ride with strangers, but who cares? It’s not like you’ll be chitchatting while screaming your lungs out.

california-adventure-park-disney-5

Once we were done Screamin’, we headed to Cars Land, where we floated on Luigi’s Flying Tires, spun at Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree, and best of all, raced and won at Radiator Springs Racers. Cars Land is a really impressive part of California Adventure Park. If you’ve seen the movie Cars, you’ll feel like you’ve been transported right into the animated film, Ornament Valley and all. For these rides, we picked up Fast Passes, and again spent very little time waiting in lines. Highly recommended!

california-adventure-park-disney-7

That day, we also walked through A Bug’s Land, where bathrooms were built inside a giant Kleenex box, enjoyed Goofy’s Sky School ride, got soaked on the Grizzly River Run, and went on Ariel’s Undersea Adventure (one of my childhood’s favourite animated films). And then there was the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror…which I’m going to get to in the next post.

Have you ever been to Disney California Adventure? Share in the comments.

california-adventure-park-disney-12

More after the jump!

[Read more…]

What I Wore: The O.C.

11 September, 2013 Nelia 1 Comment

doheny-beach-elephant-parade-111

The photo above pretty much sums up my feelings about The O.C. – the place, not the TV show. On our 4th day in California, we once again packed into a bus – this time a Lux one (with hardwood floors and electrical outlets!), and headed out to experience Orange County!

fashion-island-orange-county-4

Our first stop – Fashion Island. If I ever had to be stuck at an island, I would want it to be Fashion Island. With stores like Jonathan Adler, Kitson, Bloomingdale’s, Nordstrom, and so many more, we really had to hustle in order to shop our favourites in one hour, but we managed. I helped le bf pick up a couple of new pairs of jeans, while I got some cute knick-knacks from Kitson. And we still snuck in some time to take a million photos by the tiny Eiffel Tower replica – how’s that for efficient shopping?

fashion-island-orange-county-8

After our whirlwind shopping expedition, we headed to Dana Wharf for some R&R on a luxury catamaran, where we sampled delicious wines from The Organic Cellar. It was a perfect, (slightly) boozy afternoon in the beautiful Dana Point Harbor, complete with sea lion sightings and wind-blown hair. I felt like Beyonce.

dana-wharf-wine-cruise-2

After the wine cruise, we headed to Doheny Beach to end our night with a bonfire cookout, but not before stopping by to admire the Elephant Parade at Dana Point. Dozens of painted baby-sized elephant statues were on display to create public awareness and support for the cause of elephant conservation.

doheny-beach-elephant-parade-7

More after the jump!

[Read more…]

What I Wore: La-La-Land

9 September, 2013 Nelia 2 Comments

los-angeles-starline-6

After the first two fun-filled days of hanging out in Disneyland, we boarded a bus to LA to do some shopping at The Grove, The Original Farmer’s Market, and participate in a Starline tour of Hollywood. Our day began with a quick fashion presentation at The Grove’s Stylehaus, where the boutique’s stylists/personal shoppers showed us their favourite fall trends. After the presentation, we did some shopping, exploring the awesome stores at The Grove, while indulging in Sprinkles cupcakes. I got to hang out with my old friend Aida from Skinny Bikini at The Original Farmer’s Market, and after some delicious fish tacos, we were ready to see some celeb homes!

los-angeles-starline-3

After lunch, we piled into two open-top Starline busses and set out to explore Beverly Hills and Hollywood, stopping to take in the magnificent views of Los Angeles and the Hollywood sign, the hotel where Pretty Woman was filmed, and driving by celeb homes – from Halle Berry’s to Ellen Degeneres’ to Ringo Starr’s. We didn’t see any celebs in their natural habitat, but the fun stories told by our tour guide more than made up for it.

los-angeles-starline-5

This was the second time le bf and I made it out to LA, and just like the first time around, we loved this sunny city. The only complaint…I wish we could’ve stayed longer. Next time, Santa Monica and Venice Beach will definitely be on our itinerary…and maybe an Hermès sale in Beverly Hills? Fingers crossed!

los-angeles-starline-2

More after the jump!

[Read more…]

What I Wore: Where To Eat at Disneyland

3 September, 2013 Nelia 2 Comments

black-ruffle-dress-asos-napa-rose

The second thing I was pleasantly surprised to discover at Disneyland was all of the delicious food they have at the parks, and Disney hotels. Thinking that there would mainly be kiddo-friendly fare, I went in with low expectations, only to be blown away by all the amazing restaurants instead.

One of the first places we got to experience was the Grand Californian’s Napa Rose. A grown-ups-friendly restaurant, Napa Rose is a slice of seafood heaven in Anaheim. The freshest seafood I’ve eaten in a while, prepared in creative and absolutely scrumptious ways, this was one restaurant I would absolutely love to return to! Le bf and I got to try the scallops (yum!), mushroom bisque soup (best ever!!!), the lobster tempura tiger salad (only tried a litte bit, because SOMEONE gobbled it up before I could even say LOBSTER, but I loved the spicy kick), and other various appetizers. We were all very impressed with both the level of service, and the food. Totally unexpected, and so good. Highly, highly recommended!

black-ruffle-dress-asos-napa-rose-4

Apart from Napa Rose, we’ve also eaten at another Grand Californian restaurant – Storytellers Cafe, where we had brunch with Disney characters like Chip & Dale, Miko, and more. Super cheesy, super awesome! They served an impressive selection of breakfast foods (buffet-style), complete with Mickey-shaped waffles, and made-to-order omelettes. After this breakfast, you won’t need lunch…that’s a promise!

Two more places that we loved on this trip were the Blue Bayou inside Disneyland Park, with drool-worthy short ribs and jambalaya, and Carthay Circle inside Disney California Adventure Park, with a decadent old-Hollywood glamour feel, and fantastic food to match. At Carthay, we feasted on pork dumplings, yummy ceviche, more scallops, duck wings, short rib ravioli, and risotto. So. Damn. Good.

So if you thought that Disneyland is all churros and french fries, think again. The place is chock-full of fantastic restaurants and cafes, for both kids and adults alike! Who knew?!

As for the outfit…I wore this dress to dinner at Napa Rose, and to watch the nightly fireworks at Disneyland after. We were amazed by the beautiful fireworks synchronized to our favourite Disney songs. It’s a total MUST SEE! Just make sure to get there early to grab a good seat – the place gets jam packed! But it’s so worth it!

napa-rose-tiger-salad

black-ruffle-dress-asos-napa-rose-3

More after the jump!

[Read more…]

What I Wore: Welcome to Disneyland!

29 August, 2013 Nelia 4 Comments

There are many perks to being a blogger…but going to Disneyland with a bunch of amazing Canadians is the best one I got to experience so far! Last week, le bf and I boarded a plane to LAX, wearing our matching Mickey and Minnie tees from Old Navy, not knowing what to expect, but feeling excited for our mini Disney Vacay. When we arrived at Disneyland Hotel, we knew we were going to have a blast!

The first thing on my agenda was buying the sequinned Minnie ears, which I basically wore for 5 days straight (and may or may not be wearing as I am writing this from my couch at home – DON’T JUDGE!). The second thing was…GO TO DISNEYLAND!

This was my very first time at any Disney park, and the little kid in me was going bananas! To start off our visit, we did a guided “Walk in Walt’s Disneyland Footsteps” tour, learning fun tidbits about the park and Walt’s life. We even got to visit his personal apartment and the super-exclusive Club 33! How cool is that?! After the tour and some delicious churros, we all ran off to explore on our own. That day, we hit up Splash Mountain, Haunted Mansion, Indiana Jones Adventure, Star Tours, and Matterhorn Bobsleds, making sure to stop for some refreshing Dole Whip in between. It was EPIC!

The thing that surprised me the most about Disneyland is how easy and fast it is to get on rides! Going in, I was expecting to spend hours waiting in lines, but with the awesome (and free) Fast Pass system, we were able to get on in no time. And if you don’t mind riding solo, there’s always the Single Rider option which is even faster than the Fast Pass lines! Easy, breezy.

Needless to say, after a long first day at the park, we were high on sugar and happiness, feeling like kids again, giddy and looking forward to more fun. And it was just the beginning!