Disney’s ¡Viva Navidad! isn’t the only thing that got us completely in the Holidays mood at Disneyland Resorts. It’s definitely our favorite because of the special meaning it holds for us, but both Disneyland and California Adventure have been transformed into magical wonderlands for the holidays.

One of the many seasonal shows we were excited about experiencing was the transformation of World of Color, the fabulous after-dark spectacle in Disney California Adventure’s Paradise Bay, into “Winter Dreams.” It took a team of Imagineers over three months to program the new show that features seven sequences full of new and favorite characters and even Disney fans from around the country.

According to Disneyland News, the voices of more than 500 singers representing all 50 United States appear in the pre-show carol, “Glow.” Participants signed up on a “World of Color” Honor Choir website and performed “virtually,” in front of their computer webcams. Disneyland Resort teamed with Grammy®-winning composer Eric Whitacre, who has joined hundreds of voices online in similar “virtual choirs.

Our guide through ”World of Color — Winter Dreams” is Olaf, the snowman from “Frozen” who loves summer, and he sets the tone for a fun, whimsical and all-around beautiful show.

I got a chance to interview Eddy Collins, spokesperson for Disneyland Resorts, to chat a bit more about “World of Color — Winter Dreams.” Eddy is from Guatemala and we had a blast recording a Spanglish interview in full code-switching mode!

Photo credit: Paul Hiffmeyer/Disneyland Resort

Disclosure: I was invited with my family to attend to the media event for Disney Holidays. No compensation was received. All opinions are my own.

My family and I are lucky to be able to go to Disneyland quite frequently, but I can attest that never have we felt so thrilled and felt so at home as we did last week when we were invited to the media event for Disney’s ¡Viva Navidad! at California Adventure.

I already shared with you a sneak peek with a few Instagram videos I took, but I promised you more and here it is!

I got the chance to interview Susana Tubert, one of the Disney creatives behind the whole ¡Viva Navidad! concept. Susana, a bilingual Argentinean, had the fun task of bringing alive the spirit of the Latin American celebrations of la navidad in a uniquely Disney way. Susana, who is also the Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Latino International Theater Festival of New York, Inc. came on board only a few months ago and I’ve gotta say that what she and Disney delivered is a pure fiesta con mucho corazón y alma latina.

Just check it out y comienza a vivir la navidad!

Want more of Disney’s ¡Viva Navidad!? Check out five reasons why  it’s a must-see.

Last night we were invited to the premiere of Disney’s first-ever celebration of La Navidad: ¡Viva Navidad!

Located in Paradise Gardens at Disney California Adventure Park, Disney’s ¡Viva Navidad! is a Latin-themed holiday street party that’s toda una fiesta con verdadero sabor navideño! From the music that includes Mexican mariachi and samba, to the folkloric dance, colorful pageantry and just overall festive environment that Disney got just right. Of course, the fun is led by The Three Caballeros with a very special appearance by Mickey and Minnie!

I can’t even explain to you how happy I felt when I saw it the first time. I felt I was definitely witnessing a beautiful homage to part of our Latin culture that exemplifies nuestro amor por la vida y las tradiciones. My daughter felt completely identified and was singing out loud to the tunes of “Feliz Navidad” and wouldn’t stop dancing. She even recognized that her Mexican doll looked like the dancers!

Here are two Instagram videos I shot with a sneak peek into the ¡Viva Navidad! street party that’s going on now until January 6 with around six daily performances. In a few days I will bring you an interview with one of the Latina’s behind the creation of  ¡Viva Navidad!, as well as video of the complete street party.

Oh, and there’s also lots of Mexican street food and desserts to enjoy at the Paradise Gardens, to the tunes of Latin bands. How about a Mickey concha?

Can it be true? Can Disneyland Resort really be creating a special 8-week long celebration in “inspired by the warmth and joyous spirit of the Latino culture, filled with holiday traditions, jubilant dancing and exciting music”. ¡Así es!

We live so close to Disneyland Resort and are lucky enough to visit the parks many times per year and are always happy to see things like their Día de Muertos altars or Reyes Magos celebrations, but in some way it’s never quite enough. So you can imagine lo felices que estamos that Disney announced today “Disney ¡Viva Navidad!” from November 15, 2013 to January 6th, 2014 in Disney California Adventure Park.

From their announcement:

“Disney ¡Viva Navidad!” is a merry celebration inspired by the warmth and joyous spirit of the Latino culture, filled with holiday traditions, jubilant dancing and exciting music. Based in and around the Paradise Garden area of Disney California Adventure, the special activities include crafts and face-painting for children, live Latino music, dance lessons, holiday foods, a “Disney ¡Viva Navidad! Street Party” and, of course, appearances by some popular Disney characters.

The grand finale of “Disney ¡Viva Navidad!” will be the special celebration of Three Kings Day (Día de los Reyes) Jan. 3 through 6, 2014 in Paradise Garden. We will for sure not miss that one!

To read the full announcement with more details on the Latino-centered celebrations, visit the Disneyland News blog.

What do you think about this announcement? Do you want to go to “Disney ¡Viva Navidad!”?

For many people the idea of “celebrating” death might seem gory and even disrespectful, but for those in Mexico and other countries in Latin America remembering those that have passed before us is filled with joy and a festive atmosphere. Much of the symbolism associated with the traditional Día de Muertos (Day of the Dead) holiday celebrated in Latin America on November 1st and 2nd, has crossed over to the United States and is starting to fuse with Halloween due to its proximity in days and its seemingly related themes dealing with the after life.

TO CONTINUE READING HOW DISNEYLAND PARK COMMEMORATES DÍA DE MUERTOS CLICK ON TO READ THE REST OF MY POST ON BABBLE

It’s almost that time of year again — Halloween and Day of the Dead are almost here! Even though some of us may still be trying to figure out what (and if!) to dress up as, the celebration has actually begun at Disneyland with Halloween Time.

Halloween Time at the Disneyland Resorts is when The Happiest Place on Earth gets a bit spooky with Disney villains, Mickey Mouse and his friends in Halloween costumes and  even a Día de los Muertos celebration.

Tickets have already gone on sale for the special after-hours Mickey’s Halloween Party which begins tonight, Sept. 27  at Disneyland Park, featuring the “Halloween Screams” fireworks spectacular, all part of the Halloween Time fun at the Disneyland Resort, through Oct. 31.

This will be our fourth year in a row going to Mickey’s Halloween Party and it feels like a family tradition full of so many memories now. My girl was three years old the first time we went and I thought she might be too young for it, but she still remembers the mad dash to be the first ones in the trick-or-treat lines and how scared she was when the “Halloween Screams” firework spectacle started and it was a ghost dog flying through the air instead of Tinkerbell!

As she grows older, it’s fun to see how much braver and mature she becomes. Last year she finally asked to go to the Haunted Mansion Holiday and, even though she admits it was a bit “spooky,” she still boasts about having been inside. Now she says she’s ready for more — though not Space Mountain Ghost Galaxy just yet. Papá will have to ride that one alone while we dance along with “Mickey’s Costume Party” cavalcade and check out some of our favorite Disney character’s costumes!

Mickey’s Halloween Party is definitely fun for the whole family, but I highly suggest you make purchase your tickets in advance. It starts tomorrow and there will be only 13 special nights in September and October, but it’s a separate ticket admission from a regular day at Disneyland Park. If you purchase your ticket in advance, you’ll not only guarantee it won’t be sold out on the night that you want to go, but you also get a discount rate.

For more information on dates, rates and all special events happening during Halloween Time and Mickey’s Halloween Party, go here.

Courtesy of the Disneyland Resorts, I’ll be attending with my family the first night of Mickey’s Halloween Party tonight. Follow our spooky party adventure on Instagram and get a peek at all the fun that Disneyland Park has put together for Halloween and Día de Muertos.

You know how we all have these things we want to do and places we want to see that we love to obsess about, but have such a hard time actually getting to cross them off our bucket lists? Well, my husband and I promise each other every single year that we’re going to invest in camping gear, learn all about the camping life and venture out to the many idyllic places that surround us in California and are just a short drive away.

Truth is we never quite get around it. With all my work-related travel, Camila’s social life on weekends, international trips to visit family and just a busy lifestyle, camping always seems like too much work and we never quite get around to doing it.

Until a few weeks ago when I said ¡Basta!, enough is enough, and I found a wide-open weekend in our calendar and immediately went online to search for a place to drive to in our Prius V that would be no more than a few hours away. That’s when I found El Capitán Canyon, two hours north of Los Angeles. Since all the planets seem to have been aligned that weekend, I also found an available safari tent waiting for us! Not only was it available, but it turns out it’s meant for people like us that aren’t really campers, but have a need to commune with nature and escape city life. So the term is “glamping,” as in new “glamorous camping” and I love it so!

All we had to do was pack the trunk of our Prius V with food, clothes, dishes, towels for the pool (yes, there’s a pool!), and basic necessities. Everything else was provided, including a private fire pit, picnic table, beds, linens, electricity, towels, and more. So perfect for a last-minute planner like me!

We arrived at night and were greeted by the most star-filled night you can imagine. Camila got her first glimpse of la via galaxia (milky way) and was in total awe. We cuddled next to the fireplace and then got into our comfy beds. Life was perfect right then and there.

We spent two nights just being at El Capitan Canyon and promised to go back with a group of friends next time. The beach is a mile away, so we stopped by to build sand castles before heading back to L.A. through the scenic route that passes by Los Olivos and the picturesque city of Solvang with it’s Danish influence.

My husband loves making videos of our trips and he went the extra mile with this one. That’s just how happy this last-minute glamping mini-road trip made us.

How do you escape from the “everyday” and unwind with your family?

The past couple of summers, my family and I have taken vacations that have enabled us to be immersed in Spanish. Our goals have always been to improve our language skills, to learn about and visit the historical sites throughout the country, and to experience the culture.

My previous SpanglishBaby posts about our travel experiences always included information about our activities, our Spanish classes, and the home-stays. In the comments section, there were often requests for further information and more specific recommendations.  Our trip this summer was truly amazing, and I hope to provide details for other families who would like to take a similar trip.

We chose to visit Peru again this summer since there were so many places we still wanted to see. Peru is an excellent country to visit with children. It has so much to offer from ancient sacred cities to an incomparable cuisine and rich cultural traditions and festivities. We chose to stay in Cusco, the former capital of the Incan empire, since it provided an excellent base for visiting the Incan ruins around the city and throughout the beautiful Sacred Valley.

During our time in Peru, the boys gained a deeper understanding of the history of Peru and were fascinated by the Incan ruins. We spent hours exploring and hiking ancient sites. While we all loved Sacsayhuamán, Piscac and Ollantaytambo, the highlight of our trip was visiting Machu Picchu! Having a Spanish-speaking guide helped the children learn about the history and culture of the Incan civilization while they explored the ancient ruins.

I had planned for our visit to coincide with the Inti Raymi festival. In Cusco, this ancient Incan festival of the sun is reenacted with hundreds of actors in colorful costumes. In the days leading up to the festival there were parades and traditional dances in the plaza. Our family really enjoyed being a part of the festivities and the chance to learn more about the culture of Peru and its history.

As in other years, my boys, my husband and I all took Spanish classes. I specifically searched for a school that gave back to the local community. We ended up attending Amigos Spanish School. We had a wonderful experience at the school and learned a lot! Unlike other schools, the aim of Amigos is to teach Spanish while also providing a future for disadvantaged children and young people in Cusco.

The proceeds from the school run a program that provides invaluable language skills, care and academic support to some of Cusco’s most disadvantaged students.

We all loved our teachers and our classes. Luke and Patrick’s teacher, Ms. Vanessa, did an excellent job! She would have the boys singing songs, telling stories, and playing games in Spanish. She was a creative and energetic teacher who did an amazing job furthering the linguistic abilities of the boys. Since the program for the Peruvian children was at the same school, my sons also had the opportunity to play with and become friends with the local children. We had brought bilingual books to donate to the school, and the kids really bonded over reading together.

My amazing teacher Jesús Napancca is the founder and director of the Amigos Spanish School! He was so helpful and dedicated to helping my family have a good experience while in Peru. I highly recommend this school. The classes are excellent, the program is well run, and the teachers are innovative and creative. Most importantly Jesús is always there to provide advice and help your family.

Immersion travel is a great way to further your kids’ language while also traveling and experiencing the culture of the country you are visiting. As a family, you can learn and have fun all in Spanish, and Peru has adventures for everyone!

Recommendations:

–We booked our trip to Machu Picchu with United Mice. It is important to make reservations in advance since the number of daily visitors to Machu Picchu is limited.

–We visited the other Incan ruins (Sacsayhuamán, Piscac, Ollantaytambo, etc.) by hiring a private taxi. The director of Amigos Spanish school Jesús Napancca helped us make these arrangements.

–We were placed in a homestay by Amigos Spanish School. They made all of the arrangements for us. Our homestay family picked us up at the airport in Cusco.

–We studied at Amigos Spanish School. The director is Jesús Napancca.

–I used the Lonely Planet Peru guidebook for booking our hotels, learning about the ancient sites, and deciding what points of interests and museums to visit.

–I used IB Tours for booking our flights from Lima to Cusco. Ask for Gisela!

{Images courtesy of Susan Stephan}

I’m still in awe of all the natural wonders Mexico holds. When I was invited to visit La Paz, the capital of Baja California Sur, and was told that we’d be visiting la Isla Espíritu Santos y was definitely excited, but had no idea the beauty that awaited me.

I, along with the group of travel writers I was traveling with, was taken aboard a motor boat run by Fun Baja to explore the Sea of Cortez. Our guide was Juan Beltrán and we were extremely lucky to have him. He embodies the happy and free spirit of the area and his pride for the place he calls home is palpable.

Instead of telling you about our magical day at Isla Espíritu Santos and swimming with the sea lions, I’ll let you watch this video that I took where you will see for yourself how breathtaking this place is and also get to meet Juan Beltrán, Fun Baja tour guide.

And now you know why I’m planning on going back during whale watching season with my daughter and my husband. I felt so guilty they didn’t experience this with me!

Special thanks to La Paz tourism board and Fun Baja Adventures for this once-in-a-lifetime experience.

This post is sponsored by Toyota. As always, all opinions are our own. bitly.com/gplegal

My 8-year-old niece flew in from El Salvador with my mom to visit for two weeks. Those two weeks it was for my girl as close as it gets to having una hermana. They loved and fought each other all day over cualquier cosa tonta. That, and the fact that they would only speak to each other in English, was driving us a bit insane, but with that type of locura that you wouldn’t change for the world.

Of course, we had activities planned for them all the time, and really all my niece wanted was to go to the theme parks, visit the Hollywood sign, and feel like a rockstar. We got to do it all and even impress my mom on how little gas we consumed while going at it all day, every day. She could hardly believe our Toyota Pruius V filled up with only $40!

One of the most memorable excursions was to Knott’s Soak City Orange County water park. (Thanks for the media passes, Knott’s!) My husband put together the cutest and most-fun video of our trip so you can see the two “loquitas” in action…and me getting into their rhythm too. If you can’t beat them join them!