Tokyo Plans: Tokyo DisneySea and Overview

Planning Disney Days is literally the best thing ever and since the moment Joel agreed we could visit Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea I’ve been constantly researching and making notes on what I want to do while I’m there. Rather than make this a wordy long post I’ve decided to split it in to two for each park day.

I’m going to be visiting the parks during the 35th Anniversary as well as the Christmas season. These posts will detail a variation of things that I want to try and do on my days in the parks, but they won’t include any of the Christmas activities because we go right at the beginning of the season it will be too late for me to post these before I go so I’ll detail all the Christmas festivities in my trip report unless the information is released in October then I may do an updated post.

As the Christmas season begins on the 8th November it works out that we would have to miss one of the parks Christmas events, so I opted to do Tokyo DisneySea first on the 7th as I really want to see all the parades in the main park. We could have moved the Disney Days to the 8th and 9th but looking at the crowd calendar it worked more in our favour to do the 7th and 8th plus Joel really wants to get these done out of the way (boo hoo) but in a way works better for me because it means I don't have to hold on to lots of spending money for later in the trip.

Overview:

Me being me I love to plan everything, and I have pretty much done so with my day at Tokyo DisneySea when it comes down to the snacks I want to eat and what rides I want to try and do but other than that I’m not going to do it in any particular order.

With Tokyo DisneySea being such a unique park and there being nothing else like it in the Disney world I want to take in each area of the park, take photos, try all the snacks without feeling like I’m running here there and everywhere. There are a few rides I would definitely like to do and some characters I would love to meet if they’re out, but it is literally going to be however the day takes me.

Snacks:

From the moment I saw my friends Toy Story alien Mochi was the moment I knew Tokyo Disneyland were going to have some amazing snacks on offer to try. After watching so many vlogs of people trying snacks and reading peoples blogs I have come up with a list of my own that I want to try. Some of them may not be on offer when I go due to there being a Christmas version out but for now here are the ones I’d like to try;

01. Alien Mochi

02. Ukiwah Shrimp Bun

03. Gyoza Sausage Bun

04.Happy Friends Cakes - Not sure if this is available still but when I made the notes it looked amazing

05. Chandu Tail

06. DeepSea Pineapple Drink – Not sure if this is available still but when I made the notes it looked amazing

07. Tiramisu Ice Cream Bar – To be eaten in either Tokyo Disney Sea or Disneyland

08. Mickey Ice Bar – To be eaten in either Tokyo Disney Sea or Disneyland

09. Minnie Ice Bar – To be eaten in either Tokyo Disney Sea or Disneyland

10. Blueberry Popcorn
11. Green Apple Soft Drink - New for the Anniversary
12. Grapefruit and Lemon Jelly Cocktail - New for the Anniversary
13. Souvenir Minnie's Chocolate Sweet Case - New for the Anniversary

I’ve worked out that trying most of these will cost me 3610 yen which is about £25 which isn’t too bad considering how many are on my list. I said to Joel I would pay for all the snacks and we can share them together as I don’t expect him to pay for these only his main meal and breakfast.

I plan on trying to do a vlog of all the snacks I try in the parks which will be something completely new to me as I’ve never done a vlog before but its something I would like to try and do. I will still be taking photos and writing them up on my blog but that it is even if I post the footage anyways.

Main Meal:

With both days in the parks being so snack heavy I think I’ll only end up having one main meal a day whether Joel decides to have lunch and tea that’s totally up to him, but I definitely won’t be with all the snacks I plan on making my way through.

Where we eat on the day will be a complete surprise to me but rather than us get there and spend so much time fathing about trying to choose somewhere I have chosen a few restaurants in advance which I will show to Joel before we go.

01. Cape Cod Cook Off – Duffy/Friends restaurant that sells burgers and fries – Set Menu 1300 Yen

02. New York Deli – Ranges of sandwiches with sides – Set Menu 1300 Yen

03. Miguels El Doado – Mexican food – Set Menu 1180 Yen

04. Kasbuba Food Court – Indian Food – Set Menu 800 to 900 Yen

I’ve tried to go for restaurants that offer a set menu making food at the parks cheaper but a range of options depending on what we feel like on the day. For breakfast I plan on just popping to the bakery to pick up a pastry as they have a range of ones that are different to anything in the UK.

Rides:

I absolutely love rides so finally coming to a new park and being able to experience something new is going to be amazing. Until we get to the parks on the actual day I’m not 100% sure how busy its going to be and how this could affect the rides. But I have narrowed my choices down to four that I would like to try and then any others would be a bonus.

My choices have been based on rides that are unique to the park, as in my own opinion there is no point going somewhere and riding something that I can ride in Disneyland Paris especially when I have limited time in the parks. Out of the four rides the main one I want to do first and make sure I do is they’re version of Tower of Terror because it’s my favourite ride but also it has a different story to all the other ones in the Disney Parks.

01. Tower of Terror

02. Toy Story Mania

03. Journey to the Centre of the Earth

04. Nemo and Friends Sea Rider

Funnily enough three out of the four rides are the most popular ones in the whole park and require fast passes so the plan is I’m getting my fast pass for Tower of Terror and hope that when I’m able to get my next one some of the other rides have some left as its meant to be a quiet day but who knows what I’ll get on and what I won’t.

Shows and Parades:
So there are usually a lot of different shows and parades going on at the both of the Disney Parks but because we are limited with time I won't be able to explore them all.

01. Happiest Celebration on the Sea - This is new for the 35th Anniversary and will replace the current show being performed on the Mediterranean Harbour. It will feature a variety of characters in cute new outfits sailing on water in the harbour. I'm super excited to see one of these shows because from what I've seen of previous shows it looks amazing.

02. Brand New Dream - Another new show for the 35th Anniversary but this one is Fireworks and that's all I really know at the moment but Disney sure do know how to put on a show.

03. Fantasmic - This show has been at Tokyo DisneySea for as long as I can remember and from the short clips I've seen it looks incredible. Its a show that is done on the harbour water with lights, characters, fireworks and different clips from Disney Movies making it even more magical. Hopefully this will still be on during the 35th Anniversary but I'm not 100% sure at the moment if it will be.

Character Meets:

I adore character meets and they are so much fun if you put the effort in to interact with the characters but in Tokyo Disney Resort they do there meet and greets slightly different, they don’t actually line up and wait like you do in most parks you actually surround the character in a circle and the CM will choose whether you are lucky enough to join them for a photo. Some of the meets do have waiting lines but most of the time its pot luck.

Therefore, I’ve chosen characters that are rarer to the other parks around the world and I will only go and join the circles for that reason. There is one or two characters that I haven’t met in Disneyland Paris yet or are my favourites who I wouldn’t mind trying to meet but I won’t be wasting too much time character meeting with the limited time in the parks and the choosing system being so different.

01. Bianca and Bernard – These two sweet mice are from such an underrated movie and one of my favourites growing up. As soon as I found out they met regularly in Disney Sea they were right on my list as they are so rare in the other parks.

02. Minnie Mouse - I really want to meet Minnie in Tokyo Disney Sea because she has the cutest outfit that is unique to the parks and so kawaii.

03. Chip and Dale – Anyone who knows me knows these two cheeky chaps are my favourite and may be on my list but unless they’re in some cute outfit then I probably won’t meet with them sorry boys.

04. Duffy or Friends – I love Duffy and his friends, and I love the fact that they’re always adding to his gang. It would be amazing to meet them especially as I missed the chance at Disneyland Paris and now they are being withdrawn from the parks to be more focused on only the Asian parks.

05. Aristocats – These little kittens are favourite, and it is a goal of mine to meet the trio together or at least the other two by they’re selves. I was lucky enough to meet Marie in Disneyland Paris back in 2015 which made me so happy so to finally meet the others would be amazing.

So, there you have it my plans for my day at Tokyo DisneySea and a brief overview. I’m so excited to finally get there and visit the parks its been a dream for so long. Have you been to the parks before? And have any tips? Then I’d love to speak with you so please feel to comment, tweet me or head over to my Instagram!

 222 Days To Go!

It's Official ... I'm Going Back to Disneyland Paris

I've been dying to go back to Disneyland Paris since my last trip with Emma back in September 2017 and with the unexpected curve ball of my landlord selling the flat and our holiday to Tokyo it just wasn't going to happen but I have some good news we no longer have to move as the flat is being brought by an investor and we get to stay.

What does this mean for me? Well the extra money I was planning to save to move can now be used to fund a trip, a trip I've been dying to do for so long. I'm so glad we can stay in the flat until we are ready to move as it saves us rushing around looking for money and some where new.

We're going on the 7th October arriving in the evening and coming back on the evening of the 10th October meaning we will get 2 and half days in the park which is plenty during non peak time. We have decided to stay off site for two reasons one being the costs is so much cheaper and secondly after staying in the budget Disney hotels I haven't been impressed.

We are staying in Hi Park by Adagio which is located just a 5 minuet walk from the Val D'Europe metro station and shopping centre. The reason we have chosen to stay here is because for 3 nights it was very cheap and had been recommend by my best friend Martha who stayed there back in February. What is great about this hotel is they offer a free shuttle to and from the parks and its actually only a 15 minuet walk as well which means we have a few options of getting there.

We booked our 3 day park tickets from Attraction Tickets Direct as they were offering these for a reduced rate meaning we saved £60 which is great as every little helps. I haven't used them before but speaking to a lot of people who have said they are great and easy to redeem the tickets when you get to the parks.

All in all the holiday cost us £288 each which in my eyes is a bargain as to stay on site in one of the budget hotels it would have set us back £503 each meaning we saved £215 staying off site meaning I have extra money for spending now.

I'm super excited for this trip because it means I can cross off another special event at the park as we will be there during the Halloween Season which is something I have wanted to do for a long time. I can't wait to see all the extra shows that will be on when we are there but also meeting some different characters who have special meet and greets during the season as lots of Villains will be out but also Marie who is a favourite and hoping for the Cheshire Cat to be out again which would be a dream come true. My main goal is to meet Rapunzel this trip as I have been super unlucky on previous occasions so here is hoping.

(Image from http://www.disneylandparis.co.uk)

As we are only there for a short number of days we plan on eating in the counter service restaurants on two occasions and then having a sit down meal one night. This is just to keep things cheap plus two of the places we really want to eat at happened to be counter service.

The counter service restaurants we have gone for are Casey's Corner because Kirsty loves this place over in Florida and I have actually never been so I'm excited to try the ever so popular Casey's Hot Dog. We have also gone for Cafe Hyperion because If I'm going back then I am having a Jedi Burger and Yoda Cupcake so I really hope they don't take it off the menu before we go because its one of my favourites.

For our only sit down meal of the whole trip we have decided to go for the all you can eat buffet at Billy Bobs. I've been here a few times before and each time I have enjoyed it as there is a lot of variety and choice for everyone plus its a really good price and even includes a drink. The dessert section is the best!

What to expect before I go:
1. What I'm Packing - Outfit Plans
2. What's In My Parks Bag
3. Trip Plans - Things We Plan To Do

What to expect when I return:

1. Trip Reports
2. Disneyland Paris Haul

As we near the end of March it feels like October is ages away but when you look at it in days 200 doesn't feel that long. I already know what I am planning to wear on the days I am there so it's literally just getting my spending money up together now and saving for Tokyo to which is in 229 days. 

Exciting times ahead!

Saving for Tokyo and a Potential Move

There is nothing worse when all your plans are coming along, and life chucks an unexpected curve ball right at you. If you’ve been keeping up with my blog over the last few months you will know I’m off to Tokyo in November and that has been the plan since October 2016.

Back in November last year I got the dreaded text I never thought I would get from my landlord telling me he’s decided to sell the flat and at the point my brain went in to over drive. Luckily, we hadn’t committed fully to Tokyo at that point and nothing had been booked or paid for.

Me being me that was it Tokyo was cancelled, and we were going to have to save over £2,000 to move flats very quickly or borrow money from our parents which I am so grateful for the offer. But after speaking with the Estate agent who came over to value the flat explained how we didn’t need to rush to move as the flat could potentially be brought by an investor and we could stay, even if the flat was sold and we did have to move we’d have two months’ notice.

All I can say is looking back now I’m so glad we didn’t rush to move as the flat is still for sale and hasn’t really had much interest since going on the market in January. Obviously, I would rather know what’s going on and if we must move but I guess no news is better as now we can keep going on as we are until something happens.

Now Tokyo, I was determined we couldn’t afford to go and that it was going to be cancelled even though my partner Joel said on so many occasions we could afford it regardless if we had to move and after a few days of feeling sorry for myself and upset about the trip I looked in to my money and with a few cut backs it was do able. The difference with me and Joel is he’s very calm and rational where as with me if something goes wrong then I go in to over drive.

As I write this post believe it or not I’ve paid off my half of the holiday which was just over £900 for flights and hotel which we booked in January. So already in two months I’ve managed to do something I thought wasn’t possible this was with the help of a little bonus from work but mostly down to making some cuts and saving more than what I usual would.

Although this is one hurdle out of the way I’ve still got to save at least £1,430 for spending money and excursions for Tokyo and as much money as I can in case we have to move depending on what comes first but it really is doable, so I thought I’d share my tips with you all on how I’m managing to save money.

Cheap Cinema Tickets/Snacks:

Me and Joel love going to the cinema and now with the cost of tickets being up to £12 per person for new releases its just beyond a joke trying to go but with the joys of Compare the Meerkat and they’re cheap Tuesday and Wednesday tickets is great help. Although now through work we now can get cheap cinema tickets meaning we can go any time and just need to buy the tickets and use the codes online.

Set Menus and Offers:

Making the most of set menu’s that any restaurant offers can make such a big change to how much you pay when going for a meal as there is usually something on there you will like or making the most of any special offers and going somewhere that has one for the time you are going.

Not Buying Birthday Presents:

This is the first time in years I’ve said to my friends I’m really sorry, but I won’t be buying presents this year. A few years ago, once I moved out I did make the decision to stop Christmas presents because with my finances changing I couldn’t afford to spend £20 to £30 on everyone but Birthdays to me are different as they’re special days and I love treating my friends but this year I won’t be because I really need the extra cash and they were all so understanding about my situation.

Budgeting:

I’ve always budgeted ever since I moved out from home in to my own place nearly four years ago, so this is nothing new for me but something I’ve always found helpful.

Just before pay day each month I make a list of all by bills that are due and any extras that need paying for that month whether it’s a hair, dentist appointment or a birthday then I total them all up and take that amount away from my monthly pay. I’m then left with the amount of money I must live on for the month which I split between equal weeks until I get paid again which leaves me with my weekly allowance. This may not work for everyone, but I’ve found it useful keeping things on track

Not Making Plans that Cost Money:

There are so many things going on this year that I would love to do or people I’d love to go and see in concert, but I’ve had to say to myself that this isn’t the year for these events. I do have a couple of things in the pipeline, but these were booked last year so are still happening of course, but any new offers are being declined or put on hold until we know for certain what’s happening.

If there is one thing I’ve learnt from all of this is that I need to learn to look at things more rationally and not rush to the worse conclusion because it has all worked out for now we’re still of to Tokyo and what ever happens next, we will deal with as a team and get through but making slight changes has really helped me with my money and saving!

Review: Tokyo Kawaii Club One-Time Magic Mailer

I haven’t reviewed anything on my blog for a long time with having to cancel my Japanese food subscriptions due to increased bills last part of 2017 but fear not I am back with a new one-time subscription from the lovely Tokyo Kawaii Club.

I’ve followed TKC (going to abbreviate it for the blog) over on they’re Instagram page since it was originally set up because I loved seeing all the kawaii Japanese merchandise that got shared on the page with myself heading to Tokyo in November its always great to see what’s out there. Now with some spare money this month and the boxes currently being $5 off I thought why not give it ago.

So, WHO are Tokyo Kawaii Club?

Well TKC is a one-man band ran by the lovely Michael Donahoe, he actually used to live in America and moved to Tokyo to full fill his dream of living in Tokyo and starting his own subscription business.

Subscriptions:

He currently has 4 different subscriptions on his website along with someone off mailers which are in and out of stock depending on when he has them available, but his main subscriptions can be purchased monthly or as a one-time only order and can be cancelled or skipped at any time which is great.

Magic Mailer $57.99

• 5+ Mystery Disney Japan items. Including 1-2 Tokyo Park Exclusives
• Free limited mailer customization – where Michael emails you to ask your preferences for your mail, but this won’t be around forever as I imagine as the company grows the harder this will become to do.
• One entry into the monthly Patreon giveaway
• Ships every month
• 2 Shipping Options: Free Standard (2-6 Weeks) or Expedited Shipping (1 Week and $10)

Mini Magic Mailer $27.99

• 3-4+ Mystery Disney Japan items
• Free limited mailer customization – where Michael emails you to ask your preferences for your mail, but this won’t be around forever as I imagine as the company grows the harder this will become to do.
• One entry into the monthly Patreon giveaway
• Ships every month
• 2 Shipping Options: Free Standard (2-6 Weeks) or Expedited Shipping (1 Week and $10)

Gacha Mailer $52.99

• 7 – 8 Mystery Japanese Gachapon Vending Machine Capsule Toys
• Free limited mailer customization – where Michael emails you to ask your preferences for your mail, but this won’t be around forever as I imagine as the company grows the harder this will become to do.
• One entry into the monthly Patreon giveaway
• Ships every month
• 2 Shipping Options: Free Standard (2-6 Weeks) or Expedited Shipping (1 Week and $10)

Mini Gacha Mailer $27.99

• 3 – 4 Mystery Japanese Gachapon Vending Machine Capsule Toys
• Free limited mailer customization – where Michael emails you to ask your preferences for your mail, but this won’t be around forever as I imagine as the company grows the harder this will become to do.
• One entry into the monthly Patreon giveaway
• Ships every month
• 2 Shipping Options: Free Standard (2-6 Weeks) or Expedited Shipping (1 Week and $10)

What did I choose?

I opted for the classic Magic Mailer costing me $52.99 with the $5 of making it £37.65 which is a great price for 5 plus items especially with 1 to 2 of them being from the parks which is the main reason I opted for this mailer. Looking at a lot of peoples unboxing videos they received between 6 and 7 items and I received 6 in mine .

Not long after purchasing my mailer I received an email from Michael asking what my favourite characters are and to be honest I think I gave him more information than I should but least it would help him choose the right things.

So, I told him the following;

• Tangled/Rapunzel
• Chip and Dale
• Donald Duck
• Tower of Terror
• Pins
• Stationary
• Snacks that come in collector’s tins
• Any Disney items that have cute Disney Park food on them
• Key Rings
• Plush Toys
• NO Frozen Items

After this he responded very quickly to tell me it would take a week or so to get my items and ship them out to me which from that point would take 2-4 weeks with the longest being 2-6 weeks. But to my surprise 2 days after ordering the mailer mine was shipped on the 19^th February which meant he must have already had or found the most perfect items for me. My mailer took exactly 2 weeks to come and arrived on the 5th March.

What’s Inside:
Inside my mailer I got a variety of difference items suiting my preferences and he couldn't have picked better items. I got such a mix of things which was amazing, I'm glad I gave him lots of choice so there is more variety.

Tokyo Disneyland Resort Chip, Dale and Donald Candy

With mentioning I love Chip and Dale and Donald I was really surprised to pull out a bag of soft candies with these three on the front. The packaging is just so amazing especially as it includes both Tokyo DisneySea and Disneyland on the front. These are soft candies that taste like soda and cola which are two of my favourite flavours of Japanese candies.

Donald Slipper Socks

I didn't actually mention I LOVE socks but when I saw these inside they were an immediate win. Over in Japan they have a lot of clothes are this style where it just includes lots of the same character but doing different expressions or poses. I love that these are also bed socks which actually are really fluffy on the inside which I didn't notice right away.

Chip and Dale Memo Pad

STATIONARY!!! Another thing I mentioned and big hit with me, as I work in an office I am always using notebooks and memo pads to make lists and leave notes so I'm super excited to receive these.

Chip and Dale Ufufy

I hadn't actually jumped on the Ufufy band wagon yet because I was worried it would go the same way my Tsum Tsum collection did out of control although funnily enough I did nearly actually buy these two little guys as they were the only ones out of the whole collection I really wanted so I'm glad I didn't now as I think these are more special coming from Japan.

Rapunzel Notebook

How beautiful is this notebook? I love this scene from the movie and all the added star consolations on the front as well are such a great added extra especially the one of Pascal. Inside is simple lined paper with a space to write the date which will be perfect for making notes in meetings or making lists.

Rapunzel Sweet Tin

I think this has to be one of my favourite items in the whole mail, I mentioned that I loved souvenir tins and when I felt one inside I was so excited. I had seen on his page a cute Mickey and Minnie one so my first instinct was that was what I had gotten but when I saw that it was purple and I pulled it out the bag to see this I squealed with excitement as I had never seen anything like this before. The design on the front is super cute and from another one of my favourite bits in the movie.

I knew inside there would be some sort of chocolate or candy and I expected them to all be Rapunzel but here came another squeal as I saw there were mixed packets featuring Cinderella, Belle and Ariel in the same cute designs, the packaging is just adorable. I have only tried the Punzie candy at the moment and it was a small purple heart that tasted of grape another one of my favourite flavours.

Overall Opinion:

During my mini unboxing video which you can check out on my highlights on my Instagram I couldn't stop saying cute or super cute which is exactly what I wanted. Honestly this is one of my favourite subscriptions at the moment and I want to start getting this regularly because the effort Michael has put in to making this is incredible he couldn't have got my mailer more spot on if he tried, I loved every item inside and I think these will make the most amazing presents.

Everything in this mailer put a massive smile on my face and I recommend this everyone who loves Disney and wants to experience the amazing Japanese merchandise available.

Whether he keeps customisation free all the time who knows but I would actually pay for this service if he was to give it as an extra option. I can't thank him enough for all my goodies they are amazing and getting me even more excited for November!   

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

Day Trip to London

Just before Christmas me and my best friend Kirsty met up for a pre Christmas meet up and planned our day trip to London. She offered to drive which was amazing as she knew a car park in which you could park for £2 all day and then just hop on the underground station in to the centre of London.

We went on the 27th January as we both wanted to go after payday with the long drag after the December pay which made total sense so we both actually had money. We were originally just going to take our cameras to have a play with but after chatting about previous trips we decided to take a sneaky trip to Madame Tussuads as we hadn't been there since 2012 plus I could get us some cheap tickets for £24 rather than £40 which saved a lot of money.

As Kirsty was driving and we wanted to make the most of the day we set of at 06:30am for the long drive to London. We actually arrived in London at 09:30 and made our way to Baker Street so I could take a few photos being a Sherlock fan but due to the museum being open that day I couldn't get a photo of myself knocking on the door but I did still get a photo outside.

With our ticket being set for 11:15 and making good time we decided to go for a walk around Regents Park which I had never been to before, it was absolutely beautiful and full of a variety of birds and ducks even though we were screaming if they came to close haha. After messing about near the fountains with our cameras we decided to take a walk back to Madame Tussuads so we could get in line to go inside.

It was so busy for a Saturday which we didn't let ruin our day and to be honest we actually managed to get around the whole place in just over an hour because there were a few sections we weren't massively bothered about. The only section I wasn't to pleased about but I was most excited for was the Star Wars area as it was so poorly managed and people were just so rude pushing and shoving and jumping in on peoples photos and spaces.

After this we grabbed a sandwich for lunch and had a well deserved sit down before wondering down the Southbank and across to the Shrek Shop. Its a shame that Big Ben is going to be covered up for so long and she is beautiful in all her glory. We took a very long stroll around the area and by the ITV building before we realised we were walking the wrong way to the underground ... whoops. By now it had started to rain which was a shame.

Kirsty had told me about this amazing Coffee shop called The Theatre Cafe which I know a lot of people who love musicals and shows rave about so please don't hate me when I admit I wasn't all that impressed. The staff messed up our order meaning I didn't actually get a drink as it was busy I couldn't be bothered to wait, it was untidy and no clean tables along with the music that should be playing wasn't.

Don't get me wrong though the decor of the place was amazing, all the memorabilia from all the different shows was amazing and maybe if I went on another day not during the weekend then maybe I may have a different opinion of the place.

After hiding from the rain and having a well deserved sit down we took a stroll around China Town but I didn't take any photos as at this point it was still raining. We then ventured to a few shops and of course the Disney Store before grabbing some food.

We actually went to somewhere my dad had gone the previous weekend called Angus Steak House as there happened to be a branch down Oxford Street which was handy as neither of us felt much like walking. The restaurant it's self was lovely it was just shame about the service and funny how a meal that is exactly the same can be so different.

We both went for the same ribs but with different sides and when the ribs came out mine were perfect so juicy and the meat fell right of the bone but for Kirsty's they were dry, rock hard and had barely any meat on them. The waiter was so rude about the situation blaming her cutting when it was clearly the ribs luckily the serving boy defused the situation and went and got her some more which were perfect the next time. Just a shame the waiter then went and moaned to his manager in ear shot, I won't be visiting this branch again but maybe ill try the other branch next as the ribs were incredible.

By this point the day was talking its toll a little bit on us both, knackered from the long drive and day we decided to call it a day and head home around 8pm. We managed to get back in to Bristol for 10:30pm. I had such an amazing day out and I can't wait for more of our adventures.

EGX September 2017: Overview

September feels like such a long time ago now and to be honest it is as I write this, as I've mentioned previously I decided to take a break from writing my blog last year and now I feel inspired I have decided to write my review for my trip to EGX in Birmingham.

For those who don't know EGX is the UK's biggest gaming convention and its held at the NEC in Birmingham which is a huge events arena in the North. My partner Joel had visited a few years previous and ever since has wanted to go back as he had only been for one day but this time around we decided to stay for two days which was worth it as it gave us more time to trial games and meant we avoided the weekend rush.

The event it's self was absolutely massive spreading over 3 different halls and at one point we weren't sure if we were going to actually see everything we wanted to. I didn't play that many games over the two days because we were there more for Joel but I did play a couple.

Nintendo had a huge section set up show casing some new games but the one I was most excited for was Mario Odyssey which was the first game we actually lined up to play and it was AMAZING so easy to play and so enjoyable.

I have to admit I didn't really make any notes about the event massively as I didn't think I would be writing this post at all so I did some goggling to find out exactly what games we did play or Joel played. As mentioned we played Mario Odyssey and then Far Cry 5, Detroit, Dragon Ball Fighter Z, Sonic Forces, Monster Hunter, Final Fantasy, Star Wars along with some other indie games.

I was also made to play a game of Destiny 2 which I was just terrible at. Joel wanted to play as there was a chance of winning a new console so I kindly waited with him to then be asked by another two people if we wanted to join there team ... oh dear! They were only playing the game because they wanted the free TShirt out of it which makes sense but I felt rather embarrassed because there were people watching us.

I have to admit the whole two days were a lot of fun exploring all the new up coming games, watching competitions and having a look around. I love RPGs although I wasn't 100% sure I was going to enjoy Detroit but Joel made me play and I'm so glad he did as the game was incredible and so easy to control, I can't wait for the game to come out later this year.

There were some great photo opportunities dotted all about the event which were great fun and also gave you the chance to win some cool prizes.

The only thing I had to say I was disappointed about was the merch available this time around, last time Joel went he said there were loads of things I would have loved but this time it was a little flat. He managed to pick up some amazing things but me not so much, but I did come home with some extra cash so I can't complain.

Overall EGX was a great event, I wish the Sims would come to these events especially as they were releasing the Sims 4 Cats and Dogs that year meaning it would have been an amazing time to show case it before the release. Would I go again? Yes I actually would as it gave me the chance to play some games I usually wouldn't.

Beauty And The Beast Afternoon Tea

When my friend asked if I wanted to go to the Beauty and the Beast afternoon tea how could I refuse especially when there was only a few spots left and I knew how hard people were finding it to get spaces but little did I know this wasn't the afternoon tea in London but literally only a 10 minuet drive from my front door at Old Down Manor.

I had been to Old Down Manor previously for a works summer do and the house and the grounds are beautiful and would make the most perfect location for this afternoon tea and saved me money on travelling to London.

It couldn't have been the most perfect afternoon, the weather was perfect and the views across to the seven bridge were beautiful especially sitting in one of the rooms with the big bay windows overlooking.

When we arrived and were invited in to the main room the decorations were beautiful and perfectly themed for the afternoon tee. Not long after we sat down our food was brought out accompanied by a Mrs Potts which was full of tea which was a super cute touch.

The afternoon tea included a range of classic finger sandwiches and scones with jam and cream but that wasn't all they had some super cute theme Beauty and the Beast treats which included a white chocolate and rose dessert, salted caramel chocolate pot, Cogsworth shaped chocolate fudge cake, rose macaroon and a coconut snowball truffle in honour of the classic snow ball fight scene.

Everything that came with the afternoon tea was well presented and tasted amazing, I think my favourite had to be white chocolate and rose dessert there was just something about combination that made it taste beautiful.

After finishing our food we were surprised with a visit from Belle herself, we had seen online she was there select days but had no clue it would be when we were there so that was a great added bonus so we took some photos and later on she even came around and sang for us which was beautiful.

Overall this was an amazing afternoon out and for only £25 per person which was worth the money for the amount you got. I can't compare this to the one in London but in my eyes it was just as good. Over the christmas season they were doing a Frozen themed one so who knows if this year they may come back with some other themed events.

Top Movies of 2017

A little bit later than usual but not forgotten that's for sure as this is one of my favourite posts to write each year. Choosing this years movies was actually very difficult with so many amazing ones gracing our screen, hence why my usual ten has turned in to eleven for this year.

One thing I am going to say is that so many of these movies this year had such incredible soundtracks that I haven't stopped listening to since seeing the movie. In no particular order here we go ...

La La Land
Now I'm not a massive lover of musicals I will tell you that now and which might shock some people I cannot stand Mamma Mia or Hair Spray but there are some I absolutely love and La La Land was one of them. I have to admit I didn't know it was actually a musical I had just seen how many awards it was up for and all the good reviews and decided to go and luckily I loved it otherwise it could have been a long few hours.

From the moment the first song started I just knew it was a film I was going to love. The on screen chemistry from Emma and Ryan was perfect making the movie enjoyable along with the story, settings and soundtrack making me fall in love.

The Greatest Showman
The moment I saw the trailer for this movie I had to go and see it without a doubt the trailer its self looked incredible alone and another movie that from the moment it began I fell in love and instantly knew I needed to see it again.

The casting was spot on throughout and especially with Hugh Jackman and Zac Efron both two beautiful men. The soundtrack to this movie is another incredible one which I haven't stopped listening to since I saw it in the cinema. The movie was so upbeat and incredible done.

Girls Trip
I didn't actually see Girls Trip in the cinema as I had no one to go with and I wasn't sure if it was going to be a lot like bridesmaids but a friend of mine lent me the DVD over Christmas and I have to admit I haven't laughed that much in agessss and I mean proper tears running down my face laughter.

What a brilliant movie with hilarious stupid moments which I could totally see happening on many girls trip and I look forward to seeing it again.

Baby Driver
Another movie with another incredible soundtrack and anyone who has seen this movie will totally agree that the music just fits in so well with each scene. Such an amazing cast as well for the film with the main character called Baby being played by Ansel Elgort who is one of my favourites along with Lily James another actress I adore. The movie is about Baby who is a get away drive who relies on the sound of music to be the best around and that he is!

Beauty and The Beast - Live Action
Ever since the announcement of this movie I had been so excited for it to be released especially when then they went and announced the cast and shown a preview trailer. Even though some people weren't happy with Emma Watson playing Belle I couldn't have been more happier with being a Harry Potter lover as well as Dan Stevens playing the beast.

I actually went to see this movie 3 times in the cinema thats how much I loved the movie, everything about it was perfect the attention to detail and also another amazing soundtrack. My favourite song from the original movie was Be Our Guest and it was done so well I loved it.

Kingsman: The Golden Circle 
First thing I'm going to say is why did they have to kill his pug :( yes I know his girlfriend then goes and gets him the most adorable new little pug but come on whyyyyyy! Anyways now we are past that extremely sad moment the rest of the movie was amazing, I loved that there is another spy organisation in the United States which Channing Tatum was part of and especially how the movie ended meaning there must be a 3rd one coming at some point.

The Lego Batman Movie

With The Lego movie being such a huge success, when this was announced I just knew it was going to be an amazing movie. Yes its meant to be for kids but this movie has so many adult references and funny scenes that makes it great for all ages.

Hidden Figures
I knew from the trailer I had to see this movie with there being such a great cast chosen to re tell this incredible story of the 3 ladies that helped with the space launch.

Guardians of The Galaxy: Vol 2
As soon as the first movie finished at the cinema I just wanted there to be a second film so bad and when he flipped over that tap and it said Vol 2 on the other side we just knew it was coming. It was worth the wait for such an amazing movie and cast which has you laughing throughout even though there are some sad scenes its an incredible movie with another amazing soundtrack!

Spiderman: Homecoming

How many Spiderman movies do we need? Lots apparently but this one is by far the best one yet, I love that we got to meet our new Spiderman during the most recent Captain America movie and since that point on I was very excited for this movie as Tom Holland was such a good choice.

There is something about this movie that just feels different to the rest of them. Its fresh, funny and not like the usual movies that were released before this one. I can't wait for more.

Paddington 2

Who doesn't love Paddington? The first movie was so good and such a cute movie that when they announced the second I was so excited. These movies are just such good feel films and are perfect for any age young or old. I do have to admit I did shed a tear during this movie as it got a little sad in some places and plus he's just so cute. 

There are still so many movies that I loved in 2017 and that didn't make it in to my Top 10 list but this year these are some of my favourites, What movies have you seen this year that you really enjoyed?

I actually think 2018 is going to be my hardest post for movies with Disney having an incredible line up this year so we will have to see with Coco already making it on to the list and the year hasn't even  really began yet.

Update: Top Ten Disney Movies

So I feel that it's time for an update on my top ten Disney movies, my original post was posted way back in November 2014 which you can read here and happens to be one of my most viewed posts. Last time I actually didn't include any Pixar movies so this time around there will be a couple on my list!

So like last time here is a list of all my favourite movies before I narrow them down to my top ten and if you compare my original post to this one you will notice some have stayed and some have moved out of the top ten as new movies are released.

Snow White, Pinocchio, Cinderella, Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan, Lady and The Tramp, 101 Dalmatians, Aristocats, Robin Hood, The Rescuers, The Great Mouse Detective, Oliver and Company, Beauty and the Beast, Pocahontas, Toy Story, Pocahontas 2, A Bugs Life, Toy Story 2, The Emperors New Groove, Lady and the Tramp 2, Monsters Inc, Cinderella 2, Mulan, Mulan 2, Ratatouille, Bolt, Tangled, The Princess and the Frog, Toy Story 3, Monsters University, Big Hero 6, Coco, Moana, Zootopia, Inside Out, Wreck It Ralph, Nightmare Before Christmas and Finding Dory.

1. Pocahontas

2. Coco
3. Zootopia

4. Tangled

5. Robin Hood

6. Ratatoullie

7. Mulan

8. The Emperors New Groove

9. Cinderella

10. Moana

As you can see taking a look at my new list movies have defiantly come and gone from my list and that’s not because I don’t like them anymore it’s just what I’ve been watching recently had changed. Like my massive love for Mulan at the moment where I could watch it every day if I could and Emperors New Groove has always been a favourite of mine but recently after watching it with my partner we keep doing little bits from the movie and it’s just funny meaning it’s crept up on to the top 10. Who knows where things my stand in another 4 years time we will have to see!

Which are your favourites?