Step aside for just a minute Justin Timberlake. The Blue Fairy brought sexy back a long time ago. Sure, maybe she is missing the feistiness of Tinker Bell – and the pleasantly plump physique of Merryweather…
Photo credit armadillo444 Flickr.com
but…it’s ok because she makes up for it in motherly demeanor, beauty, and her way of recognizing the good in people. She was the only one who could instill “character” into a wooden-headed boy. Even her spells were beautiful and elegant.
“Little puppet made of pine – wake! The gift of life is thine.” ~ The Blue Fairy
Seriously – who talks like that any more? Now here’s why she’s sexy…
In what was called a “story meeting” on January 12th 1939, Walt Disney specified that The Blue Fairy was to “give the appearance of loveliness… (but not look like) a glamour girl.” Early model sheets and inspirational sketches reflected Walt’s concept, depicting her as an ethereal beauty with swirling, billowing clothes and loose, (trend-setting) untamed hair. After all – a fairy can’t literally fly in – and be expected to have to perfectly coiffed hair.
However, at some point in the Blue Fairy’s creation, her design changed, and she became a less ethereal figure, with more human proportions.
The way we know her today, with her glittery dress, and fabulously 40’s look – suggest the inspiration of Jean Harlow, so ultimately she did resemble the “glamour girl” Walt had initially wanted to avoid. Still, he seemed pleased with this version of The Blue Fairy, whose newly-found sexual allure worked on both Jiminy Cricket and the men working on the film. They reportedly whistled on first seeing a color test of the Blue Fairy.
And just like that – she was quite literally the first to bring sexy back.
Jean Harlow had a way with the fellas too…Photo credit Chud.com
She made Jiminy Cricket weak in the knees. Photo credit FanPop.com
A Blue Fairy Biography Refresher:
The Blue Fairy can be found in Disney’s 1940 film Pinocchio. She is a magical being who fulfills Gepetto’s wish, and transforms Pinocchio into a living creature of sorts, and later into a real boy. Don’t let her soothing voice and calm demeanor fool you, this fairy is no wallflower. During the movie she helps Pinocchio and Jiminy Cricket with her magical heroics, both directly and from afar. One of only two female characters in the movie (the other being Cleo the beautiful goldfish), her heroics stand out even more – and the blue fairy is obviously one of the most powerful characters in the cast. She is the one who initially grants Pinocchio life, and who ultimately decides whether or not he should become a real boy.
In my search for some cool video of the Blue Fairy in action- I found this little gem. Check this out this sweet serenade from Ray the Cajun firefly (of Princess and the Frog fame), and the exploration of The Blue Fairy as possibly being his sweet Evangeline.
So, where is she now?
Where she is not…
This video was shot as a farewell to The Blue Fairy from the cast and crew of the 2008 winter run of Disney’s Electrical Parade. Kind of sad. But stay tuned to Disneyways tomorrow. We will have more on the sexy, sparkling Blue Fairy in our next edition of World Secrets.
A note from Krista: I want to introduce you to Rachel, my fantastic new Disney friend. Between having a precious son to care for…training…AND her Disney marathons, I can’t even imagine the miles Rachel has covered! I am super excited that she took time to share this wonderful post with you and I – via Disneyways today. Make sure you read it to the very end, and if you have a tender heart like I do, you may want to get the tissues ready. This is the stuff that bittersweet Disney tears are made of.
Thank you so much Rachel for your wonderful contribution!!
Running, for me, can be a very emotional thing. I am not sure why. Maybe it is
because I love it so much. Your average PT run or run around the neighborhood,
maybe not. But racing…I love racing. And I get emotional when I race. And I get
VERY emotional when I race at Disney. There is something about how emotionally
charged and amped up the entire race process is…from the family reunion area
and the anticipation of hearing them call your corral, to the walk through the back
lot of Epcot to the start, to the fireworks that kick off the race and passing under
that banner that says START with Mickey and Minnie, or more recently the Fairy
Godmother, waving as you pass. It can all be very overwhelming. I am used to that.
I am used to crying like a baby when they play the pre-race montage, this year’s
used the song Go The Distance from Hercules—very fitting. And I am used to crying
at the finish line. Coming around that last corner out of Epcot and seeing the FINISH
about 100 meters away… it hits you that you really have just run over 26 miles, and
you are about to cross that finish line. I think the most stoic of people would get a
little choked up.
This year at the marathon, however, something was a little different. This year,
everywhere I looked, it seemed like I was getting choked up. Some background is
required: The week before I went down to WDW for the race, my boss had asked
me a question that I couldn’t really answer. He asked me why I do this. Why I put
my body, one already wracked with pretty bad degenerative arthritis, through such
torture. I told him that I really didn’t know why…I just loved it. And I didn’t know
why I loved it, I just did.
His question stuck with me though, and as the miles started to pass I slowly started
to realize that we all had a reason to run. The back of one Team in Training jersey
told me that she was running in memory of her father. The back of another told me
that he was running in honor of his daughter, who was fighting breast cancer. More
shirts showed pictures of my fallen comrades – one even a Soldier I served with
at Fort Leavenworth. His sister was running the WDW Marathon in his memory.
Several shirts said “26 miles for 26 beautiful lives lost”. They were running for
children and teachers from Newtown, CT. It was about 30 minutes after the sun
came up and I had tears streaming down my face from reading all of these reasons
that everyone was running. I turned to Jim and said, “This. This is why I run.
Because we ALL have a reason. We may not even know what it is, but we all have a
reason.”
In September, I have decided to join the many who have a reason way beyond
themselves and a shiny medal to run. In September, I will run for every child who
has ever been diagnosed with cancer. In September, I will run for every family that
has had to hear those words, knowing what it could mean for their precious child.
In September, I will run for hope, for faith, for a cure, and for St. Jude’s. And I will
keep running for a reason for as long as I possibly can – no matter what the reason.
Because there will come a day that I can no longer do this. But that day is not today.
I have had a ton of fun guest blogging for wonderful folks like Mousekejournals , The Main Street Mouse, The Disney Gals, Chip & Co. DisneybytheNumbers.com and VinylmationWorld.com
In fact, I have had so much fun that I wanted to share – and extend an invitation to others to guest blog here at Disneyways!
Anyone can apply but special consideration will be given to my current readers and subscribers.
This is because many of you all have been with me since the beginning, so you are familiar with our mission statement and the positive, upbeat feel of our site.
Here is a link for more info on guest blogging for Disneyways!
My wonderful sister-in-law Karen recently gave me a Vera Bradley bag for my birthday. It is the cross-body style and it is by far the best bag I have ever used to carry what I need around the Disney parks. Hands free, machine washable, and just the right size. What’s not to like?
Here is a photo of the one I have:
Check out the Little Hipster! It is 9.75 x 6.5 x 1.75 and it retails for $45. It has a zip around pocket in the front with card pockets, ID window and a bill pocket and then a zip main compartment and a slip pocket with a magnet on the back. Photo credit OhMyVera.com
Have you heard about the new Disney-inspired handbags and accessories by Vera Bradley?
They are coming in the fall of 2013. Cathy Dawson, merchandiser for accessories at Disney Parks says, “We are thrilled to introduce Vera Bradley to our accessories assortment. In recent years, we’ve seen several guests in our parks and resorts sporting fun, colorful bags by Vera Bradley. Even our Disney Cruise Line team recently added some items by Vera Bradley to the Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy. We thought it would be wonderful to add a splash of Disney to these popular and colorful accessory items.”
Vera Bradley names all of her patterns and these are no exception. The black pattern is called “Midnight with Mickey,” while the pink pattern is named “Just Mousing Around.” These patterns will be seen on duffel bags, totes, cosmetic bags and more.
When released this fall, we will be able to buy these items at select locations in Disneyland and Walt Disney World Resorts. They will also be sold via the Disney Parks online store at a future date.
Recently I visited the Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival Festival Center, located between Mission: SPACE and Universe of Energy in Future World, to get these photos for you of the bags on display. Needless to say, I am in love with these new bags, and I hope you are too!
Our latest edition to our World Secrets Series is taking us to Jellyrolls! This adult-oriented facility provides a noisy – yet very FUN retreat for the 21 and up crowd. Jellyrolls is named after Jelly Roll Morton, a legendary jazz pianist, not a desssert. His real name was Ferdinand Joseph LaMothe – but that probably wouldn’t fit on the marquee quite as well.
Depending on where you start out on Disney property, you can get to Jellyrolls Piano Bar by boat, a bus, or even on foot. More on that later.
So what’s Jellyrolls like? Well, it reminded me of Howl at the Moon, which is a similar piano bar located here in Orlando, and in 15 other locations across the country. What makes this different is it is at Disney, perhaps the only place in the world where you will hear a gritty-voiced piano man sing a song like “You ain’t never had a friend like me.” from the movie Aladdin. Just write your song request on a little piece of paper, add a tip, and *poof* your wish for nearly any song is magically granted.
They’ve got all the typical sing-alongs too like Sweet Caroline, Livin’ on a Prayer, even some Justin Beiber songs can be thrown in for good measure.When my friends and I approached the bar we heard an Elvis song playing, and a singing voice that sounded much like Billy Joel’s. I am a big fan of both – so I was thrilled. The place was packed and everyone was having a great time. Our piano players for the evening were amazingly talented and even managed to entertain us with jokes without missing a note on the ivories. Guests who love music, cocktails, and people watching – will really enjoy this place. I sure did, and judging by this photo, my friends had fun too.
Here’s what you need to know before you go:
How to get there:
If you begin your journey in…
Magic Kingdom Park: Guests can take a bus directly to the Magic Kingdom Park or walk to Epcot, take the monorail to the Ticket and Transportation Center and transfer to the Magic Kingdom Park monorail.
Epcot: Guests can walk to the rear entrance of Epcot, the International Gateway in less than 10 minutes. Besides walking, the Friendship water launches can provide you with a leisurely, air-conditioned shuttle to Epcot. Leisurely, in that it could take up to 20 minutes, as the launch stops at Disney’s Yacht and Beach Club Resorts as well as the Swan and Dolphin hotels.
Disney’s Hollywood Studios: The Friendship launches transport guests to Disney’s Hollywood Studios with stops at Disney’s Yacht and Beach Club Resorts dock and the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resorts dock as well.
Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park: Take the Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park bus
Downtown Disney Marketplace, Downtown Disney West Side: Take the Downtown Disney bus
Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park: Take the Downtown Disney bus
Disney’s Blizzard Beach Water Park: Take the Disney’s Blizzard Beach Water Park bus
Jellyrolls has a great fan-based site, an official Disney site, and even a facebook page that will keep you updated with their latest information and coming events.
Check out more posts in our World Secrets series!
Have you heard? There is a war going on. As silly as it may sound to some people, others have taken it very seriously. The war I am referring to is the one between Disney fans who are on both sides of the fence – those who like the new updated look the Disney princesses have – and those who prefer the classic looks. Perhaps no princess has been discussed more than our sweet Cinderella, affectionately referred to as “Cindy” by many of her fans.
Our Disney version of Cinderella is 63 years young in 2013 – and she hasn’t slowed down a bit. One can certainly respect that she still has the biggest castle in all of Walt Disney World. The figures representing the sales of merchandise bearing her image are mind boggling. Her mode of transportation is beautiful and unmatched by almost any standard.
Why is she such an undeniable force in the Disney princess line-up, even to this day? Personally, I feel that it has something to do with the movie that has endeared her to so many, for so long. It is a movie that remains one of my all-time personal favorites since childhood.
I thought I knew everything there was to know about Walt Disney’s classic Cinderella – until I came across these interesting facts about the movie.
Keep reading, and let me know if any of these are new to you as well!
1. A song called “Dancing on a Cloud” was cut from the movie. You can hear it here:
2. A dream sequence reminiscent of The Sorcerer’s Apprentice – Cinderella imagines multiple Cindys attacking the chore list—was storyboarded but ultimately didn’t make it. You can see stills of the storyboards and hear the song below, though it’s a new recording. The original was lost.
3. The voice of Cinderella herself, Ilene Woods, revealed in this interview that Walt Disney was probably the first person to use double tracked vocals, where the singer records herself singing both the melody and the harmonies. The vocals were then mixed together, creating a seamless effect.
4. The moment when the Fairy Godmother transforms Cinderella’s torn dress into a beautiful gown fit for a princess is said to be Walt Disney’s favorite piece of animation ever. It was drawn by Marc Davis, one of Disney’s Nine Old Men.
5. If some of the Disney women from the 50s and 60s look similarly graceful and lanky, there’s a reason for it: Helene Stanley, the live-action model for Cinderella, was also the live-action model for Princess Aurora and Anita in101 Dalmatians. Here she is doing her “Once Upon a Dream” thing for Sleeping Beauty.
6. Eleanor Audley, the voice of Lady Tremaine (Cinderella’s evil stepmother), was also the voice of Maleficent in Sleeping Beauty and Madame Leota in the Haunted Mansion at Disneyworld and Disneyland.
7. Similarly, Verna Felton, the Fairy Godmother, provided the voices for a bunch of other famous Disney roles. She was also Mrs. Jumbo in Dumbo, the Queen of Hearts in Alice in Wonderland, Aunt Sarah in Lady and the Tramp, and both Flora and the Queen in Sleeping Beauty.
8. The song “Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo” was popular in mainstream music thanks to a version by Perry Como and the Fontane sisters.
MyMagic+ continues to be tested in a variety of ways at Walt Disney World, there are indications that FastPass+ will even help improve your Walt Disney World dining experiences! Sources are reporting that randomly selected guests at the Wilderness Lodge, Contemporary, and Grand Floridian will receive a FastPass+ card with a specified arrival time for lunch (counter service) at the Be Our Guest restaurant in the new Fantasyland. The window for this trial is very short, lasting only from February 25-28th. Reservations can not be made in advance for lunch, and the lines can get very long for this popular dining facility.
Upon arriving at Be Our Guest during the specified arrival window, the lucky guests who get picked for the trial will receive expedited service for lunch. As with all things Disney, dates and offerings are subject to change without notice. Theme park admission is required to dine at Be Our Guest.
The grey stuff, although delicious, is not available during lunch hours.
Going to any Disney park or resort should be a magical experience for the whole family, but especially your young ones. They will forever cherish those priceless memories, and your entire family will reminisce on the magical Disney vacation they first took together.
It is truly the happiest place on Earth, especially if you follow these tips!
Do stay on site
Staying on Disney property will make your trip much easier. You will have access to Disney’s reliable, comfortable, and safe transportation throughout your stay. From the moment you step off the plane to the day you head home, you will not need to worry about finding transportation to your hotel, the parks, or to any places on Disney property. This should keep your little ones more focused and should prevent them from feeling frustrated as the long days of commuting wear them down.
Do bring or rent a stroller
Even if you never use a stroller for your toddler, you definitely will need one in Disney World. There is a lot of walking, and a lot of stuff you will be bringing with you. Little ones will want a place to sit and rest, get shade from the sun, and possibly even nap. In addition, the stroller is a great way to store all the stuff you will bring with you.
Do keep hydrated and pack snacks
Photo property of CheapskatePrincess.com
YES you can bring food into the parks. Check with guest services for current rules on this. Make sure you keep yourself, the other adults in your party and your kids hydrated and fed. Hydration is especially crucial as it can get very warm, and you will be doing a lot of walking. Granola bars and other simple snacks will keep them happy when waiting on lines for rides and attractions.
Do plan breaks during your day
If you are relentlessly on a roll, the whole family will be melting down by noon. A great idea is to get to the park when it opens, then head back to the hotel midday for naps, rest and maybe swim. Then head back to a park in the late afternoon.
The Big Blue Pool at the Art of Animation Resort
Do pack small gifts that you can carry with you and give out when needed
You can also find fun toys on etsy.com like this one from SweetsByEj.
There is merchandise to be bought everywhere you look. Before your vacation, visit a Disney Outlet or other related retailer (I always find stuff at Dollar Stores and Walgreens) to stock up on t-shirts, figurines, stickers and stuffed animals. You will save a lot of money when your kids are begging for something, and you can take out a surprise item for them!
Do not try to do everything
There is so much to do and see, and you will want to do everything. Resist the urge. Pick out the rides and attractions you feel your children will enjoy the most. Your children are little, so keep it to one park a day. Remember: you want a reason to come back! There are different phases where kids can enjoy Disney!
Do not force your child to go on a ride if he or she is resistant
If your child does not want to go on a ride, see an attraction or meet a popular Disney mascot, do not try to force him or her. Even if you have waited an incredibly long time, or if you just “know” your child will love the ride, attraction, or their favorite Disney hero, let them skip it.
Do not forget sunblock
Even on cloudy days, everyone in your party needs sunblock. Unless you are at an inside ride or attraction, do not forget that there is very little shade at the parks. Even on colder days, the California or Florida sun can be very strong. Protect the skin of your whole family, especially our little ones who are more susceptible to burns. If you are traveling in the winter months you will still need it
Do not travel at the most crowded times of the year
If at all possible, try to avoid the most popular times. These include all major holidays, long weekends, and most of the summer. Try to pick the off times such as late September to early November, early December, mid January to early February, and early to mid May. While you will find crowds at all times, these times will be more manageable. Those lines will weigh on the you, and not to mention fussy toddlers.
Do not forget a light sweater and blankets for the evenings
The days may get incredibly warm, but as the sun sets it can get cooler. Depending on the month as well, the later half of the day and evenings can get really chilly. Make sure you pack a sweatshirt for every member of your party. For the little ones, you might even want to make sure you have a blanket they can snuggle under in their stroller.
EmbroideryMark makes a pillow, backpack, and blanket all in one! You can even get it personalized.
If you follow these easy tips you are sure to have a fantastic vacation! I cant guarantee there won’t be a meltdown here and there, but it will be much more manageable.
Jennifer is an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner with Destinations In Florida travel, offering FREE concierge planning services for all guests. Contact her today for a FREE quote.
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