Wordless Wednesday: Days of Summer

This week's theme on the Wordless Wednesday Disney Blog Hop:

Days of Summer

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Thanks to Deb @ Focused on the Magic  for hosting 
the Wordless Wednesday Blog Hop! 

If you hopped over, I invite you to check out my other posts, and please consider joining the blog or following on twitter.

Check out all the other Wordless Wednesday links, and remember to share some comment love...

Monsters Giveaway: Roz Plush

Who doesn't love Roz?

I first encountered Roz in person at Disney's California Adventure. At the end of the Monsters, Inc. attraction, my car stopped in front of her. She said, "Hey you there- you in the front- with the glasses! Nice glasses! They look like mine...". True story. From then on, I've had a soft spot for her.

In honor of Monsters University debuting later this week, we're giving away a Roz plush!

Disney's Boardwalk: Seashore Sweets

The Boardwalk area at Walt Disney World, located adjacent to Epcot via the International Gateway, is one of my favorite places to stroll. 

photo courtesy of Walt Disney World official website

A recent Wordless Wednesday post (found here) prompted me to write about a place I discovered during my last visit. Nestled under the Boardwalk Inn, between restaurants Kouzzina and Flying Fish, is a "beauty" of a shop known for its delectable offerings: Seashore Sweets.

From the Disney website:

Enjoy “confections served with affection” by the Sweet Sisters, proprietors of this old-fashioned Atlantic shore-style candy shop. Saltwater taffy, fudge, hand-dipped ice cream, shakes, floats, chocolate, bulk candy and more are in store.

This description- while accurate- fails to mention one of the most prominent features of the establishment: an homage to the Miss America Pageant. 

Never missing a chance to immerse us in theme, Disney takes a page out of boardwalk history by theming this sweet shop after one of the most famous products to come out of Atlantic City.

The Miss America Pageant, which was started as a marketing ploy to keep tourists around after Labor Day, has been a boardwalk staple since the Businessmen's League of Atlantic City started holding the event in the early 1920s.  After a brief foray to Las Vegas in 2006, the pageant returns to Atlantic City later this year.

One of the first things to greet you upon entering is a glass case housing the familiar regal cape, scepter, crown and trophy...

Photographs of beach scenes, boardwalk attractions, and pageantry dot the walls and create a nostalgic backdrop...

Remember to look up: the shop is bordered by photos of all the women who have worn the crown throughout the years...

Framed posters and memorabilia can be found in every corner. A souvenir program from the 1942 pageant would have cost you 25 cents that year. I wonder how much it would fetch today...

Ice cream, candy, beverages, fudge, and assorted treats are all for sale.... including my favorite, Disney popcorn.

If you're interested in learning all about the era and how Disney's Boardwalk recreates that magic, I recommend WDW Radio episode #313. This podcast episode features Lou Mongello and Disney legend Jim Korkis exploring the area with in-depth commentary and a fun lesson in boardwalk history. 

The next time you're strolling the Boardwalk area, make a stop in Seashore Sweets. Even if you're not in the mood for a snack, it's a great place to take in a slice of Americana.


Have you visited Seashore Sweets? What's your favorite stop along Disney's Boardwalk? Share it with us in the comments...

Wordless Wednesday: Disney Dads

This week's theme on the Wordless Wednesday Disney Blog Hop:
Disney Dads

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Thanks to Deb @ Focused on the Magic  for hosting 
the Wordless Wednesday Blog Hop! 

If you hopped over, I invite you to check out my other posts, and please consider joining the blog or following on twitter.

Check out all the other Wordless Wednesday links, and remember to share some comment love...

Disney Social Media Moms Celebration- On the Road!

I was thrilled to receive an invitation to attend the Disney Social Media Moms Celebration On the Road event, which I wrote about here. The On the Road version is meant to bring a small sampling of the annual  DSMMC to a few different markets around the country, sharing the magic with some of the many who did not make it onto the coveted invitee list for the big celebration. The New York City stop was the one for me!  I took the opportunity to visit family in the area, then headed in to Manhattan on the morning of June 5, 2013 to take part in #DisneyOnTheRoad!

The celebration was held in midtown, at the Doubletree Hilton. After a quick check-in and