Disneyland Paris September 2017 Series: Day 2 Outfit

If there is one thing I love about a Disney holiday its got to be planning my daily outfits and deciding what I'm going to take for each day. With it only being less than 4 months now until I'm finally going home to the most magical place on earth, I feel I can start choosing and making some choices.

You may wonder why I'm starting with day two when logically day one would have been the better option but as we arrive in the afternoon on our first day I'm not 100 percent sure what I'm going to wear yet. I have plans for my 3 full days but nothing for when we actually arrive. 

I've never ever really done Disney Bounding before apart from when I went back in September 2017 and my outfit was mostly based around Alice in Wonderland which is one of my plans again for this trip. I was originally going to do a "What I'm Packing" post detailing all my chosen clothes, shoes and ears but decided that instead I would do a post about what outfits I plan to wear on each day instead.

Just by looking at the photo already you can tell that my Day two outfit is based around my love for Chip and Dale who I absolutely adore and to this day are my best character interaction. I first met them back in February 2014 on my first ever trip to Disneyland Paris but it wasn't until I went in 2015 that I really fell in love with these cheeky but lovable chipmunks.

Chip and Dale Starbucks Coffee Tee - Etsy WolfFawn - (link)
I stumbled across this tee when I was browsing Etsy looking for a Rapunzel top for my September trip last year but instead I ended up with an Alice In Wonderland tee. When that top arrived I was so pleased with the print and quality I decided to take a look at what other ones they did and fell in love with this Classic Starbucks design featuring the chipmunks.

As a surprise my boyfriend actually got me it for Christmas which I was so pleased about as that was one less top I needed to order and another outfit semi planned. I have only actually worn this tee once since buying it as I didn't want it to get ruined. But seriously go and check out they're range they have some great tee's and can't wait to order my Rapunzel one.

Chip and Dale Custom Made Ears - Custom Handmade Disney Mickey Mouse Ears  - (link)
I have been looking for AGES for a lovely pair of Chip and Dales ears and anyone who knows me well knows how fussy I am when it comes to ears and the shape and material. The issue I was having was that there were some lovely pairs on Etsy but the cost of them were just over the top along with shipping plus the surprise import fees that usually come with it as well.

So just as I was about to give up the lovely Tracey over at Custom Handmade Disney Mickey Ears popped up on the Disneyland Paris group I am admin off advertising her ears and they were exactly what I wanted.

When they arrived I fell completely in love they are just incredible the amount of detailing on Chip and Dale is just wow. The machine she uses is amazing and they amount of designs she has is always growing so go and check her out but on top of that her prices are great and I think she should charge more!

Chip and Dale Custom Parks Badge - Tangled Celebrations Etsy  - (link)
I have always wanted to get a park badge and with Disneyland Paris only introducing them recently it finally means I'll be able to get one although I did stumble across Tangled Celebrations who make a variety of different styled Disney park badges.

After getting my best friend a "I'm Only Here For Belle" badge and myself a Tangled "It's My Birthday" badge (which you will see later) I decided to put in an order for a custom badge to complete my outfit. I went with the similar idea as the Belle badge but with Chip and Dale instead and I cannot get over how cute it is.

So this is my Chip and Dale inspired day two outfit which I'm going to meet the boys in in they're 25th Anniversary Outfits in front of the castle during Extra Magic Hours and I am so excited.

Review: May 2017 Tokyo Treat Box

Only feels like yesterday that I received my April box due to the delays and bank holidays last month but here we are back to normal with my May box arriving within two weeks which is brilliant as it's given me plenty of time to write this post without rushing like last month.

As always here is a photo of the outside and the inside of the booklet they provide which details all the items included within the box in English, because if you are like me and cannot read Japanese then this is a great help.

With this months theme being Spring Fever the box is full of spring treats that are currently available for the season in Japan. I had seen some spoilers for this months box which included 2 limited edition KitKats which I was super excited to try as Japanese KitKats are amazing.

Items Received:

Dagashi Bag/Wagashi: 
I am still a little to unsure on these bags that are now included although it is a great way to try some of the smaller Dagashi penny snacks. This months box had a great variety of choice but I would like to see some more candy in them rather than mostly savoury.

Also it would be good if they could still tell you what the treats are included in these bags.

Main Box:

Caramel Corn - Light Soy Sauce (Replaces Baby Star Panmen Olive and Salt) (5+)
Due to a potato shortage issue in Japan at the moment they have had to replace two items from with in the boxes for peoples boxes that are sent later in the month rather than earlier but I am not disappointed with the changes at all as I LOVE CARAMEL CORN! Even though I was little wary of the Soy Sauce flavour these tasted nothing like it and were amazing!

Shake Shake Yogurty Fruit Gummies (5/5)
I love it when they include gummies in the box and these were great fun as you had to shake a powder over the top to make them become yogurty. The powder didn't really taste of yogurt at all it kind of had a hint of ramune flavouring but it wasn't very strong and tasted amazing with and without the added powder.

KitKat Baked - Butter Cookie Flavour (5/5)
We decided to try these out both ways with there being 3 in a box. First we split one between us to try it not baked in the oven and it didn't really taste of all that much if I am honest it had a very bland creamy taste to it.

Although we have yet to toast this yet but I will update you once we have.

Melonpan Mini Cookies (5/5)
I cannot wait to get to Japan next year and try Melonpan properly but these little cookies gave me an insight in to what to expect when I do try it. Its a shame that they didn't make these soft like other bread type snacks we've seen before but they were still very yummy.

Pocky Mild Milk Cocoa (5/5)
The packaging on this Pocky is so cute and also seems to be associated with some sort of project that is going on in Asia looking at the back of the packet, It is defiantly a very mild cocoa flavour that is for sure but still tastes yummy all the same.

Waraku No Sato Yokan (2/5)
I was actually surprised at how bad this didn't taste if I am honest. When I picked it out the box it was very squishy and as I haven't tried red bean paste like this before I wasn't to sure. I'm not going to say that I would buy one of these if I had the choice or finish the one I do have but it tasted ok actually.

Taiyaki Chocolate Monaka (5/5)
I've had so many variations of these wafer chocolates in previous boxes and they all taste equally as good as the other. There is just something about the chocolate in these that taste amazing not sure what it is but the bubbly milk chocolate tastes so creamy and moose like.

Doraemon Chocolate Puffs (Replaces Doraemon Chocolate Snack) (5/5)
Another replacement due to the shortage. Even though I would have liked to have tried the other Doraemon snack I am happy enough with theses, at first I though it was a dipping pot but then realised it wasn't. These remind me of Malteasers but slightly different in texture.

Nectar Peach and Cherry Blossom Juice (0/5)
Now I was really looking forward to trying this out because we have had the Nectar Peach drink in a can before and it tasted delicious so I thought that this would be the same just with an added cherry blossom flavour but I was wrong it had an awful tang to it and kind of tasted like tea? Not really sure how to put it any other way but yes this was a wasted drink to us.

Hana Kappa DIY Gummy (Fail)
We all know by now that I HATE DIY kits unless they are easy and this one was just too much faffing around so didn't bother finishing it off.

Gochi Kiwi Gummy (3/5 then down to 1/5)
So you may have asked why my score changed? Well when I originally opened these I thought they were ok but not brilliant and would probably eat them anyways bur after me and my partner read the description of the product and googled what Collagen was after it saying it contained 350 grams of it I was put off haha him not so much so he can have the rest of these.

Calimero Mobile Phone Strap (0/5)
Such a lower score for this mobile phone strap and the reason being is I have know clue who this little guy is plus I have no use for a phone strap as you don't really put them on phones anymore. I know I could use this as a key ring but I see no point as I don't know the show although it is very cute.

KitKat Winter Edition Everyday Luxury (5/5)
Why are Japanese KitKat's so small? They taste amazing but they need to be bigger. These were individually wrapped which made it easier to share and out of the two I preferred the dark flavour more even though I love white chocolate but it tasted very fragrant.

With this being my second box since the new changes were made I am still a little unsure about one thing and that is the Dagashi Bag/Wagashi bags that are included. Only reason being is I would prefer two bigger snacks rather than 5 smaller ones.

I love new design of the box as it makes a great background and also the size of the box makes it easier to get a photo of all the snacks where as the old one was a lot taller.

If you would like to read any of my Tokyo Treat reviews from 2016 then please click on the "Tokyo Treat" or "2016" labels in the labels column on the side.

Thank you for reading. I purchased this with my own money and was NOT paid to review this by Tokyo Treat.

Disneyland Paris September 2017 Series: Character Wish List

Another month down and only 4 more to go, this holiday is drawing in faster than we know it. This months post is all about Characters and the ones that are on my wish list for this trip!

My aim on this trip is to try and meet as many characters as I can. Now that they've got regular scheduled meet and greets around the park it makes it easier to meet the characters. In the Studio's every day in the afternoon they have an allotted time for random meet and greets which I think is amazing but also at the same time can be annoying as the other week Pocahontas was out for the first time in forever and the chances of that happening again ... NEVER!

Characters I want to Meet:

01. Mickey/Minnie in they're Anniversary Outfits 

02. Goofy and Pluto in they're Anniversary Outfits 

03. Chip and Dale in they're Anniversary Outfits 

04. Donald in his Anniversary Outfits 

05. Daisy in her Anniversary Outfits 

The classic gang are a must meet and greet every trip regardless it isn't a Disney trip with out seeing these 8. I have yet to meet Daisy so I am super excited to finally meet her. I have never understood why she hasn't been out before and also why she isn't coupled with Donald.

06. Rapunzel

Honestly she is my main goal this trip and if I don't manage to meet her I think I will just sit and cry my eyes out. We are booked in for Princess Lunch at ADC on my actual Birthday and I am hoping that she will be in there along with Belle for Emma but I am also going to try the Princess Pavilion everyday in the hope that she will be in there as well.

07. Pocahontas

Like I said above she was out randomly once so I am hoping she may be again but I'm not holding out much luck but she is on my Tokyo Disneyland Meet and Greet list as she is out there a lot more. 

08. Belle

09. Cinderella
10. Mulan
11. Moana
12. Tiana
13. Alice
14. Mad Hatter
15. Tweedle Dee and Dum
16. Peter Pan
17. Wendy
18. Winnie The Pooh
19. Piglet
20. Tweedle Dee and Dum
21. Drizella and Anastasia
22. Darth Vader
23. Belle and Gaston together
24. Remy
25. Sully
26. Mary Poppins
27. Captain Jack

So these are the main characters I would like to try and meet on my trip although I am planning to meet anyone who is out at the time as I love character meet and greets. There are some characters I haven't mentioned only because I haven't seen them out in such a long time there wouldn't be any point adding them to my list.

My main goal of this trip is to hunt down Rapunzel and meet all of the classic crew in they're anniversary outfits. Only 129 days to go! Not long and we will be in double digits!

Review: April 2017 Tokyo Treat Box

Happy 2nd Anniversary Tokyo Treat! With it being they're 2nd Birthday they have made some changes to they're subscriptions plans which at the moment I'm not 100% convinced about but I shall wait until May before I make my final judgement.

The box, booklet and plans have all changed to some degree but what is even better is the cost has stayed the same!

The New Box:

The box has actually changed quiet a bit compared to the previous style although apparently the box is bigger? Which I don't see myself as the previous box was a cube shape where as this one appears to have shrunk down quite a bit.

The colour has stayed the same which is great as it stands out from other boxes but the design on the box has changed rather than being the Tokyo Treat Mascot and other doodles its now drawings of different Japanese food and drink. To begin after seeing the new box I wasn't 100% sure if I liked the change as I really liked the old design although after receiving my box I really like the new drawings on the inside as it makes a good back drop for taking photos of the treats.

The New Booklet:

The booklet has also changed this year with the Mascot also leaving the design which is a real shame because I was really fond of the old design,

The booklet also now opens front to back rather than back to front so that people don't get confused on where all the information about the treats are. That being said the design of the treat page has also changed which I don't really like as the pictures of the items are a lot smaller as well as the text.

Changes to Plans:

So there has been some ever so slight changes to the subscription plans with the costs staying the same but the number of items increasing. Rather than being 13/17 Full Sized snacks we are guaranteed 18 snacks in the Premium box. 

What I have done is copied the costs from my first ever review and next to them in bold I have written the amended details so that you can see the changes;

Small:

$14.99 USD/month - Same Cost
5/7 Full Size Japanese Candy and Snacks - 8 Full Size Japanese Candy and Snacks Dagashi Bag (4 Snacks + 1 Umaibo)
Up to 1lbs in weight

Regular:

$24.99 USD/month - Same Cost
8/12 Full Size Japanese Candy and Snacks - 13 Full Size Japanese Candy and Snacks Dagashi Bag (4 Snacks + 1 Umaibo)
1 DIY Candy Kit - No DIY Candy Kit
Up to 1.5lbs in weight

Premium:

$34.99 USD/Month - Same Cost
13/17 Full Size Japanese Candy and Snacks -18 Full Size Japanese Candy and Snacks Dagashi Bag (4 Snacks + 1 Umaibo)
1 DIY Candy Kit
1 Drink
1 Special Item (i.e special drink, premium DIY Kit, High quality toy)

They have also added a new Dagashi Bag which includes 4 random snacks and 1 Umaibo snack which are what we call penny sweets so they are cheap little snacks that don't cost very much. These little bags are included in every box whether small, regular or premium which is great.

Items Received:

Dagashi Bag/Wagashi:
This cute little bag of Dagashi treats is a new addition to the box moving forwards. It is a great addition to the box although this is replacing some of the bigger sized snacks we used to get which I'm not to keen on but these are still nice little treats to try.

Main Box:

Ghana Milk Chocolate (5/5)
For such a simple chocolate bar this was really nice and I mean really nice there was just something about the taste of the chocolate that made it really yummy and so sweet as well.

Pureral Peach Gummy (5/5)
I love a good gummy sweet and I really love it when they include something in the monthly box although these didn't have a very jelly centre like on the image they still tasted amazing and had a real strong peach flavour.

Chip Star Small Lobster Bisque (5/5)
Mmmmmmmmmm these are so good! I love it when they include Chip Star crisps in the boxes because they never fail to disappoint and are always some sort of fish flavour and this months they have included Lobster flavour. I've never eaten Lobster before but they taste amazing and are kind of like pringles in the UK.

Caramel Chocoball (5/5)
The packaging on these little box of chocolates is so cute. I'm not sure what the bird is to represent as I don't read Japanese but he's still cute. Best why to describe these if you are from the UK is that they are like Poppets and I LOVE poppets so these were definitely a hit with me and the partner.

Mini-Kari Corn Puffs - Light Dashi Flavour (3/5)
They may look like super small thick quavers but I can assure you they do not taste of cheese that's for sure and at the time I had no idea what Dashi even was so I assumed from packaging it was fish flavoured and that it was and very smelly but I did like them!

Pocky Rich Matcha (5/5)
As mentioned in my last review which was very heavy Matcha themed and I was slightly scared that I wasn't going to like half of the treats but to my surprise I actually did so to see something Matcha in this box was brilliant and especially with it being Pocky as well.

Honey Soy Sauce Rice Cracker (4/5)
This was a weird one for me as i didn't really think it tasted of Honey and Soy when I opened the packet I actually thought it smelled of bacon and eggs haha. Taste wise it kind of tasted like it as well but I liked the texture of the rice cracker compared to some we get in the UK.

Pokemon Chocoalte Wafer (5/5)
Exactly what it says on the packet (if you can read Japanese) a simple wafer biscuit filled with a yummy chocolate filling and cute Pokemon sticker although I had no idea who it was as I haven't seen any of the new ones. I always think with these its a shame that they didn't make them in to a sort of shape rather than a simple square shape.

Sakura Design Coca-Cola (3/5)
So you may ask why I have given this beautiful bottle of Coca Cola a 3? And the reason being is because I thought it was actually Sakura flavoured and not just a limited edition bottle of normal coke whoops. Saying that though the bottle is amazing and so pretty. The coke its self actually did taste different compared to the UK's.

Scone Rich Cheese Flavour (5/5)
OH MY OH MY! BEST ITEM IN THE BOX! These were INCREDIBLE! Sorry for all the capital letters but my these were so good by the same company who did the BBQ ones that I received in my first ever box but these are a cheese flavour and were just amazing like UK Nik Naks but 100% better.

Baskin Robbins Chocolate Love Potion #31 (5/5)
I love Baskin Robbins Ice Cream so when they announced these were being included with in the box I got super excited as I have never seen these chocolates before anywhere. As my partner mentioned these taste like Turkish Delight and in a way they do or a raspberry flavour with a liquid centre.

Re-ment Sakura Sweets Blind Box

Coris Candy Apple Soft Candy DIY (5/5)
If you have been reading my reviews for the last year you will be fully aware by now that I HATE DIY KITS with a passion and it's very rare that I come across one that I do indeed like and this was one of them, Simple enough to set up and tasty to eat that's for sure.

This little kit is basically making your own toffee apples on a stick! Although I kept getting sprinkles everywhere but the gooey sauce to dip the chewy candy in was so sweet.

Thoughts On The Changes:

So my initial thoughts on the changes to the new box were great however since receiving my box and re reading the changes to the plans I can see that I read these wrong. With being a premium subscriber I thought I would be receiving the Dagashi as an extra on top of the 18 full sized treats and snacks but now I can see that the 5 items in the bag are part of the 18 which I have to say I don't like.

The reason I don't like this is because now we have 13 full sized treats and 5 small sized treats which makes the box feel smaller and like there is less items which isn't helped by the change in box size as well. I do think the bags are a good idea but I don't like the fact that they replace the bigger items.

Before I had my box in front of me I wasn't sure If I really liked the changes to the style as I was rather fond of the old design although the backdrop now does look really cool for when taking photos of the snacks for the blog.

Overall I am still really happy with the box I received as the variety of snacks is great, all things I haven't tried before and the spoilers for next months box look AMAZING! So I cannot wait to get my hands on it.

If you would like to read any of my Tokyo Treat reviews from 2016 then please click on the "Tokyo Treat" or "2016" labels in the labels column on the side.

Thank you for reading. I purchased this with my own money and was NOT paid to review this by Tokyo Treat.

March/April: Books I've Read

So I may have missed my end of March book's I've read post and that is simply because I was naughty and didn't read a whole book last month I only read half of a book whoops. The month kind of ran away with me so I thought I would join March's and April's posts together instead.

Little Beach Street Bakery by Jenny Colgan

So I originally started reading this back in March after I finished her quick read book. The reason I choose to read this was because its been sitting on my shelf for nearly 3 years since I moved in to the flat and there is already 2 sequels to the book out so thought I better get a move on.

I have to admit when I was reading the first chapter I wasn't 100% sure if I was actually going to like this book or not but as the story progressed and a few chapters in I began to find myself falling in love with Polly and the characters around her. There is one really sad part in this book that I totally didn't see coming at all but it did spice up the story and made things change for the characters.

Summer Little Beach Street Bakery by Jenny Colgan

After I read the first book in this series I just couldn't not start the next one after how it ended! I finished the first one and the next day I picked up the second book and read a good 8 chapters which is totally unlike me!

I am so glad that I decided to read this book next as I have completely fell in love with the characters and they're stories. Even though things get really tough again for Polly in this book and everything seems to be falling down around her. I am just so happy to see her pick herself back up and get it going again. Also I am so glad Neil was still in the story I love that little bird.

There is a 3rd book in this series but it's a Christmas story so therefore I am going to leave this until November time to read along with the next Rosie Hopkins sweet shop story. I cannot wait to see what happens next for both of them but it doesn't feel right reading a Christmas book in spring although saying that after the way this book has ended I really want to read the next one.
                                         

Harry Potter: Page to Screen 

"I checked this out weeks ago for a bit of light reading" is the quote that always comes to mind when ever I pick up this book because its huge and full of so much detail. Again another book that has been sat on myself for nearly 2 years. When I was given it for my birthday I was over the moon but it was just so much to read that I would often flick through it and read bits here or there.

I finally decided that this month I would take on the mamouth task that is reading this book and actually started from the beginning this time. The book its self is beautiful full of so many sections, interesting facts, photos and designs that made the film but it was difficult to read due to the size compared to normal books and the weight of it as well.

I haven't actually managed to finish it this month but I have made a dent in it so hopefully by the summer I will have finished it. So I shall keep you up to date on my progress each month.

I am actually so surprised this month that I managed to read two 400 page books as for me just reading at the best of times is a real struggle so to actually read two of them is a real achievement for me. I think it does really help if you get engrossed in the story.

Disneyland Paris September 2017 Series: Shows and Parades

Can you believe we are in April already? And that as I actually post this it is exactly 5 months until I will be going to Disney for my Birthday holiday and the 25th Anniversary.

In this months post I am going to share with you the parades and shows that we want to see and experience during our visit. I am so happy I've found out that "Forest of Enchantments" is going to still be on when I go which is great because I missed it last time and I heard that it was back over the summer ending in September but the end date wasn't announced.

Disney Park:
With the anniversary already in full swing and the actual Birthday of the park happening tomorrow you will see a lost of new shows and parades that weren't there before. I was lucky enough to get to see Magic on Parade and Disney Dreams one last time before they ended which I am so pleased about.

Mickey Presents Happy Anniversary Disneyland Paris
One of two new shows being performed on the Disney Royal Castle Stage daily which features Mickey and all his friends wishing Disneyland Paris a Happy Anniversary. I have deliberately not watched any videos for this show as I want it to be new and fresh for when I go although I have seen photos which look great and filled to the rim with characters its a show I am very excited to see.

The Starlit Princess Waltz
Show number two being performed on the Disney Royal Castle Stage daily features what it says in the name being a special Princess Waltz which also features they're Princes from the photos I have seen. This reminds me of the Christmas Princess show that was performed there when I went in 2015 although this is special for the anniversary. Same as above I haven't watched any videos only seen photos which look incredible they're special dresses are amazing and so sparkly.

Disney Starts on Parade
Bye Bye Disney's Magic on Parade! After 5 years its finally time to say good bye to an end of an era and welcome a new Parade to the Main Street of Disneyland Paris.

I am very skeptical about the new parade and not because of the floats or the characters they have chose to represent but its the music, I have watched a little bit of the parade just so I could hear the music together with the parade as we were provided with a sneak preview a few months back and I wasn't convinced and I have to admit I'm still not now.

Disney Illuminations
And bye bye Disney Dreams! Same as Disney's Magic on Parade after 5 years its time to say goodbye and hello to Disney Illuminations.

I think the problem I am having with these two shows is that they were the first ones I saw in Disneyland Paris back in 2014 when I first ever visited so they hold a special place in my heart and special memories. I know a lot people have been to Disney so much more than me and have seen the parades evolve over time.

I have watched half of Illuminations online when Disneyland Paris live streamed it across to Facebook and I have to say what I have seen looks amazing with all the new projections looking clearer than before and the new lights and fireworks but I'm just still not sure so will probably be another instance when seeing it in person might help me change my mind.

Forest of Enchantment
I am so excited to finally get to see this after missing it the first time around. I am even more so excited because it features my two favourite Disney Movies being Pocahontas and Tangled along with Tarzan, Jungle Book and Brave featured as well.

Its a musical show featuring songs from the above classics and I cannot wait to sing along and see some of my favourite characters come to life, especially Pocahontas.

Walt Disney Studios:
So there isn't actually many things going on in the Studios that I want to see this time around as I've done them before, they have closed or more for children but with that exception I am really happy that Mickey the Magician is back for a second stint as it had a break for a couple of months.

Mickey the Magician
Even though this show is all in French it is a must see for anyone visiting the parks regardless if you understand it or not. The show features Mickey Mouse as he try's to become a great magician featuring some characters we all know and recognise from our favourite movies.

I am just so excited to finally see this!

So there we go all the shows and parades that we want to watch during our visit. With there only being 6 and some of them only being 10 to 20 minuets wrong we will definitely managed to get all of these seen!

I'm not sure what post I'm going to do next it wont be meal plans as I want to wait till these are booked and confirmed first as to not jinx it.