Whirlwind of Surprises: October 2014

Friday, October 31, 2014

Happy #Halloween! Here's some #MeetBaymax Treats! #BigHero6 Activities

Disclaimer: No other form of compensation was received. Opinions expressed belong to Whirlwind of Surprises and are NOT influenced in any way. Please view my full disclosure, TOS, and privacy policy. Please take the time to enter my other giveaways while you're here.

Happy Halloween, everyone! Have a great time out there tonight and stay safe! This Halloween, I'd love to share with you Baymax! Have you met him? He's an adorable, big, chubby robot out to fight evil! It's only my most anticipated animated film of this year... :) So much that I stopped by the Disney store the other day and picked up Baymax t-shirts for us!

Insights into the making of #DisneyPlanes #FireAndRescue by Bobs Gannaway & Ferrell Barron #DisneyInHomeEvent

Disclaimer: I was invited on an all inclusive Disney press trip for #DisneyInHomeEvent (#SleepingBeauty, #Maleficent, #FireAndRescue, #StarWarsRebels) and #VeryBadDayEvent. No other form of compensation was received. Opinions expressed belong to Whirlwind of Surprises and are NOT influenced in any way. Please view my full disclosure, TOS, and privacy policy. Please take the time to enter my other giveaways while you're here.

The last time I visited DisneyToon Studios, Planes: Fire and Rescue was already in production. However, that didn’t even begin to show the amount of work that goes into the making of these animated films. Disney Planes: Fire and Rescue was actually 5 years in the making. This kind of work requires passion and commitment to be able to dedicate yourselves to the project for so long as we heard from Bobs Gannaway (Director) and Ferrell Barron (Producer). Bobs and Ferrell gave us exclusive insights to the making of Disney Planes: Fire and Rescue, available to fly home with you November 4.

Bring out your good vs evil #SleepingBeauty vs #Maleficent Collections #DisneyInHomeEvent #2014WOSHGG

Disclaimer: I was invited on an all inclusive Disney press trip for #DisneyInHomeEvent (#SleepingBeauty, #Maleficent, #FireAndRescue, #StarWarsRebels) and #VeryBadDayEvent. The product/s mentioned below have been provided for the purposes of this review. No other form of compensation was received. Opinions expressed belong to Whirlwind of Surprises and are NOT influenced in any way. Please view my full disclosure, TOS, and privacy policy. Please take the time to enter my other giveaways while you're here.

Great holiday gift ideas from Whirlwind of Surprises

Bring the fairy tale magic home this holiday season with the Disney Princess Beauty Collection -Good vs. Evil. It's no surprise that Maleficent and Sleeping Beauty have been increasingly enchanting this year. Fans can't help but fall in love with the contrasting, yet enchanting beauty of love in both Aurora and Maleficent. Fall in love even more now that fans can channel their inner princess or villain through this new beauty collection.

Fun, educational kids' DVD favorites just in time for the holidays! #2014WOSHGG

As an aunt of 3 nephews and a new niece, I am always looking for great gifts that will not only be fun but also educational. Well, there's also the cute stuff too. I haven't been able to stop shopping for baby clothes since my friends' have been pregnant! However, I'm a huge fan of the fun educational stuff. Kids pick up the most when they're young and it's when their minds are being moulded. So if they're going to watch DVD's and play, why not give them the stuff that helps them learn and gives them an advantage in school later on? I have four of these sets from PBS Kids to introduce to my readers today.

Simply your life with #Epson #LabelWorks #2014WOSHGG #holidaygiftguide #sp

The latest and greatest from Epson comes in a small size in the form of Epson LabelWorksTM LW-600P. What's that? It is the first app-enabled label printer on the market that has an amazing amount of features for such a little machine. This blows all other label machines out of the water and is suitable for all sorts of organizing, labelling, wrapping, and even share photos simply by a QR code label.

2014 Holiday Gift Guide makes the holidays a breeze #2014WOSHGG

As the leaves start falling off trees and we all start to grab our fall accessories and layer up, we know the holiday season is about to arrive. The holiday gift guide is an annual tradition here at Whirlwind of Surprises and we bring to you all sorts of goodies to help you in your decision making process this year. Check out what made the list and check back to see new additions!

If you're a company looking for consideration in our 2014 Holiday Gift Guide, check out our PR friendly media kit and reach out to us via our contact page.

The dynamic duo of Steve Blum & Taylor Gray #StarWarsRebels #DisneyInHomeEvent

Disclaimer: I was invited on an all inclusive Disney press trip for #DisneyInHomeEvent (#SleepingBeauty, #Maleficent, #FireAndRescue, #StarWarsRebels) and #VeryBadDayEvent. No other form of compensation was received. Opinions expressed belong to Whirlwind of Surprises and are NOT influenced in any way. Please view my full disclosure, TOS, and privacy policy. Please take the time to enter my other giveaways while you're here.

Have you caught Star Wars Rebels on Disney XD at 9PM EST/PST yet? I thoroughly enjoyed the special Star Wars Rebels: Spark of Rebellion, which is in stores now as an animated Star Wars story that could be well enjoyed by Star Wars fans, young and old. Star Wars Rebels has amazing components of a captivating story, good take home points, and great female role models. Of course, it also has it's comedic and rebellious moments, provided by Steve Blum (voice of Zeb Orrelius) and Taylor Gray (voice of Erza Bridger).

Interesting Tidbits about Bella Thorne & her thoughts of #VeryBadDay #VeryBadDayEvent

Disclaimer: I was invited on an all inclusive Disney press trip for #VeryBadDayEvent and #DisneyInHomeEvent (#SleepingBeauty, #Maleficent, #FireAndRescue, #StarWarsRebels). No other form of compensation was received. Opinions expressed belong to Whirlwind of Surprises and are NOT influenced in any way. Please view my full disclosure, TOS, and privacy policy. Please take the time to enter my other giveaways while you're here.

Well, Disney starlette Bella Thorne plays the role of the crazy girlfriend on Disney's Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, but is there more to it than meets the eye? We spoke with Bella to find out more about her thoughts of #VeryBadDay and her character, Celia. Plus, some interesting tidbits that I'm not sure if her "Bellarina" fans know about.

Vanessa & Tiya embody remarkable female role models in #StarWarsRebels #DisneyInHomeEvent

Cricket Wireless brings you Pitbull & Enrique! #STSA #MC #Sponsored

Disclaimer: I participated in Influencer Activation on behalf of Millennial Central for Cricket Wireless. I received a promotional item to thank me for participating. Opinions expressed belong to Whirlwind of Surprises and are NOT influenced in any way. Please view my full disclosure, TOS, and privacy policy. Please take the time to enter my other giveaways while you're here.

Music is one of my favorite things in the world. It cheers me up and changes my energy levels but karaoke is something I absolutely love doing with good friends! What about you? Do you sing in the shower? Sing to your kids? With your friends? Music connects people, especially live music. I have some of my most fun seeing some of my favorite artists perform live! Bring your music to a whole new level with Cricket Wireless' 2014 Tour featuring Pitbull and Enrique Iglesias. Yes, you're invited!

Heart, Humor, Intelligence, Family makes a #VeryBadDay not so bad #VeryBadDayEvent

Disclaimer: I was invited on an all inclusive Disney press trip for #DisneyInHomeEvent (#SleepingBeauty, #Maleficent, #FireAndRescue, #StarWarsRebels) and #VeryBadDayEvent. No other form of compensation was received. Opinions expressed belong to Whirlwind of Surprises and are NOT influenced in any way. Please view my full disclosure, TOS, and privacy policy. Please take the time to enter my other giveaways while you're here.

Disney’s "Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day" name sure is a mouthful to say and certainly lives up to the long time with just as much good, entertaining content. The movie centers around 11-year-old Alexander Cooper (Ed Oxenbould) as he experiences a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day that many would sympathize with...waking up with gum in his hair, embarrassing himself in front of his crush, and so on. He feels horribly misunderstood and feels no one understands him or even what it's like to have a bad day. Of course, this all happens on the day before his birthday and it just so happens his party clashes with the party of the most popular kid in his grade. Feeling all alone without anyone to understand and perhaps, love him, he makes a wish upon a cupcake. All he wants is for his family to understand what it's like to have a bad day...the trouble ensues.

Grab your perfect fall jacket for Fall Fashionista 2014 #FashionistaEvents

Disclaimer: The product/s mentioned below have been provided for the purposes of this review. No other form of compensation was received. Opinions expressed belong to Whirlwind of Surprises and are NOT influenced in any way. Still Blonde after all these YEARS, Modly Chic, and Spring Fashionista Events Giveaway bloggers are not responsible for sponsors/bloggers that do not fulfill their prizes or for any product failure or harm caused thereby. WOS is not responsible for sponsor fulfillment of prize, however, we will follow up to the best of our abilities to ensure prize delivery. Please view my full disclosure, TOS, and privacy policy. Take the time to enter my other giveaways while you're here.
Fashionista events

So exciting, the biannual fashion event is on! Welcome to the Fall Fashionista 2014 event. This season, we decided to go with men's fashion and well, it's the perfect fall jacket for men. See what our return sponsor, Scottevest, has to offer on WOS. Then check out the other 100+ participating blogs, each with a minimum $125 in prize(s). Translation? There's a total of $26 000+ worth of prizes over all of the 100+ participating blogs at the largest fashion giveaway on the internet.

Take home point of #VeryBadDay: Camaraderie! #VeryBadDayEvent

Disclaimer: I was invited on an all inclusive Disney press trip for #VeryBadDayEvent and #DisneyInHomeEvent (#SleepingBeauty, #Maleficent, #FireAndRescue, #StarWarsRebels). No other form of compensation was received. Opinions expressed belong to Whirlwind of Surprises and are NOT influenced in any way. Please view my full disclosure, TOS, and privacy policy. Please take the time to enter my other giveaways while you're here.

Every time I interview teen talent, I'm amazed at the dedication and dynamics between the cast. The last time I did this was during Frankenweenie where it was interesting to observe the interactions between the teen talents who voiced friends and enemies. This was similar, yet different. In Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, the siblings were played by Ed Oxenbould (Alexander), Dylan Minnette (Anthony), and Kerris Dorsey (Emily).

Bonus Features of #Disney's #SleepingBeauty with @Sarah_Hyland & David Jessen #DisneyInHomeEvent

Perfect #Fall #Jacket for #Men: Scottevest does it again! #Fashion #Style #FashionistaEvents #travel #sp

Disclaimer: The product/s mentioned below have been provided for the purposes of this review. No other form of compensation was received. Opinions expressed belong to Whirlwind of Surprises and are NOT influenced in any way. Please view my full disclosure, TOS, and privacy policy. Please take the time to enter my other giveaways while you're here.

Fashionistas, it's that time of the year again. This year has flown by fast! Who would've thought we'd be in October and merely days away from Fall Fashionista already. Our sponsor this year is one of our return favorites, Scottevest but there's a catch. We're doing men's fashion this year to change things up a bit! If you haven't heard of Scottevest, it's about time you did now. I present to you the Fleece 7.0.

Real prankster of #VeryBadDay revealed -@SteveCarell vs Jen Garner #VeryBadDayEvent

5 Fire Prevention and Safety #Tips #FireAndRescue #94thVanNuys #DisneyInHomeEvent

Disclaimer: I was invited on an all inclusive Disney press trip for #DisneyInHomeEvent (#SleepingBeauty, #Maleficent, #FireAndRescue, #StarWarsRebels) and #VeryBadDayEvent. No other form of compensation was received. Opinions expressed belong to Whirlwind of Surprises and are NOT influenced in any way. Please view my full disclosure, TOS, and privacy policy. Please take the time to enter my other giveaways while you're here.

Do you know any firefighters? They do an amazing amount of work that goes unnoticed and unreccognized. Did you know just in California itself, there are 5600 fires a year? In the US, there are 50 000 a year! That means day in and out, firefighters, aerial and ground, are working to protect civilians that they don't even know. We only ever hear about the big fires. In September, we had the opportunity to visit the Van Nuys Tanker Base in preparation for National Fire Prevention Week and to visit one of the sites where Disney did their research for Disney Planes: Fire and Rescue.

Turn your #VeryBadDay into a #VeryBadDayEvent with @MattressFirm #Disney #sp

Disclaimer: I was invited on an all inclusive Disney press trip for #DisneyInHomeEvent (#SleepingBeauty, #Maleficent, #FireAndRescue, #StarWarsRebels) and #VeryBadDayEvent. No other form of compensation was received. Opinions expressed belong to Whirlwind of Surprises and are NOT influenced in any way. Please view my full disclosure, TOS, and privacy policy. Please take the time to enter my other giveaways while you're here.

How would you like to turn your #VeryBadDay into a super awesome day? In Celebration of Disney’s “Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day” Mattress Firm is holding a “Terrific, Wonderful, Awesome, Very Good Night” Sleepstakes Contest, enter for a chance to win $5,000, a Beautyrest queen-size mattress and more! That's not the only awesome thing about today. Mattress Firm is also collaborating with us, the #VeryBadDayEvent bloggers, to hold a second giveaway for The Lux Living Memory Foam Lux Gel Pillow (valued at $129)! Read on to find out how you can enter to win both!

How Freddie Prinze Jr went from The Wolf Pack! by Dave Filoni to #StarWarsRebels #DisneyInHomeEvent

Disclaimer: I was invited on an all inclusive Disney press trip for #DisneyInHomeEvent (#SleepingBeauty, #Maleficent, #FireAndRescue, #StarWarsRebels) and #VeryBadDayEvent. No other form of compensation was received. Opinions expressed belong to Whirlwind of Surprises and are NOT influenced in any way. Please view my full disclosure, TOS, and privacy policy. Please take the time to enter my other giveaways while you're here.

Yep, the hottest new Star Wars trend started out as "The Wolf Pack!" When Freddie Prinze Jr. first auditioned for the role of Kanan Jarrus, he saw the character breakdowns and thought "they're ripping off Star Wars!" His character had a Sun Sword and the script even had their own Wookie (sp?). In the end, it really turned out to be Star Wars Rebels rather than the Wolf Pack. How did the Wolf Pack originate? Well, then we turned to Executive Producer, Dave Filoni, who gave us a tour inside his mind and his love of wolves.

Exclusive look into the Walt Disney Estate #DisneyInHomeEvent #SleepingBeauty #Maleficent #Travel

Disclaimer: I was invited on an all inclusive Disney press trip for #DisneyInHomeEvent (#SleepingBeauty, #Maleficent, #FireAndRescue, #StarWarsRebels) and #VeryBadDayEvent.. No other form of compensation was received. Opinions expressed belong to Whirlwind of Surprises and are NOT influenced in any way. Please view my full disclosure, TOS, and privacy policy. Please take the time to enter my other giveaways while you're here.

Wow, never in my life, would I think I'd be able to tour the Walt Disney Estate. This was the first home Walt built for him and his wife and where the family grew. It took 2 months and $50K. Today, it is a private home owned by a Russian film director and not open to the public. They were generous enough to open up their home for us to see in honor of the upcoming release of Sleeping Beauty October 7th since they are huge Disney fans themselves! We received a tour from Disney historian Paula Sigman Lowery, which means you also now get a glimpse of the magic we witnessed.

Firefighting #Frockstar Tackles #Fire & #Fashion #OOTD

Disclaimer: I am a Karina Dresses Ambassador. No other form of compensation was received. Opinions expressed belong to Whirlwind of Surprises and are NOT influenced in any way. Please view my full disclosure, TOS, and privacy policy. Please take the time to enter my other giveaways while you're here.

I am so jealous of the beautiful weather California still has. Today has been a wet, gloomy, and bone chilling cool Autumn day in Minnesota and I found myself missing the warmth I had just this past week! The perfect weather to flaunt my Karina Dresses or even fight fires in them!