Disney's Haunted Mansion Table

There is one place that we love to go during

October, and that is Disney!

We adore what they do to the Haunted Mansion

at Disneyland.  It is transformed.  This lovely hearse

that we found at Home Goods this year just reminded

us of Disneyland's Haunted Mansion, and as we

would probably never see this piece again, we

just had to grab it right away!!  They actually had

two, so one for us and one for my daughter.

Another trip to Home Goods, just recently, produced

these treasures - white and gold haunted house plates.

We knew right away they were the perfect companions to our Haunted Mansion Hearse.  These were love at first sight.

Who would imagine elegant gold and white

china with a haunted house!  Some designer 

was having too much fun.

So to our table - all black and elegant gold.  What a stunning

Halloween table.

The layers consist of a metallic gold placemat,

a heavy gold ceramic gold charger, and three layers

of the Lux gold Haunted House dishes.  Yum!

The gold and cream napkins remind me of

iron work fencing and they are topped by fun

haunted house fence pieces found at Dollar Tree this year.

Here's another fence piece from Dollar Tree.  They normally

have been surrounding my Dept. 56 Castle Blackstone,

but they were thrilled to be part of the Haunted Mansion Tablescape.

This is a mansion, mind you, so the best gold

goblets came out of the cabinet.

There is something scaly about this gold flatware,

when you showcase it on a Halloween table.

Even Mickey can look a little scary.

(We purchased a fun acrylic canister at Wal Mart

and I added Mickey's scary head with a little vinyl.)

Let's have a little dessert too.

Some lovely tombstone marshmallow peeps - 

perfect for the Haunted Mansion.

Just like Disney, for Halloween, the magic begins

after dark, when the candles are lit.

We can't forget our Ghost Host!  Some more vinyl fun

with my new Cricut, on a blackboard.  We are loving the

black and bright gold theme.

Two fun metal haunted houses fill the center of the table,

along with our golden candelabra, our treats and of course

our hearse.

Makes me wish we were in Disneyland right now for

Mickey's party, but this table is a fun reminder.

As the ghostly female guide says as you leave the Haunted Mansion

"HURRY BAAACK, HURRY BAAACK!"

We hope you hurry back to 

visit us at

Purple Chocolat Home.

I will be posting this with 

Tablescapes Thursday

Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party 2014

I am not usually this Disney-crazy, but

this year I have managed to go to

Disneyland Paris,

Disneyland in California for 

Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party

and finally Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party.

This one started really early as we were there

this first week of November.  (I can't believe that month

has already come and gone!!!)

I went the night

before and trust me, if you can't get a ticket

to the Christmas Party, there was still plenty

of Christmas festivities going on.  

The Christmas party is a separate ticket

item but starting the 18th, all of the

Christmas festivities go on every night.

Of course, our favorite,

Disney's Frozen, is everywhere and

Elsa kicks everything off by lighting

up the Cinderella Castle and turning

it into an ice covered marvel.

The castle is where the action is

during Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party!

There were five stage shows almost right

in a row followed by the spectacular

Christmas fireworks show while the 

castle is changing colors and having

pictures projected onto it.  You could

just park there in front of the castle

for half of the evening.

We can't forget

Olaf and Anna and Christoff.

She and Anna are there for the

fabulous day time Christmas Parade too.

They pull out all of the stops for

parades and shows for

Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party.

This reticulated dragon represents

Malificent and it breathes fire during

the parade - definitely a show stopper!

But I have to admit that night time is

where all of the Disney Magic takes place

for the Christmas Party.  The night time parade

was out of this world!

Look at Cinderella's carriage all lit up

pulled by six white horses and they are

real horses!  Just spectacular.

There are dance parties going on and

all of the workers are dressed in fun holiday

outfits handing out cookies and hot cocoa.

But what brought tears to my eyes was the snow on

Main Street.

After the fireworks end for the

last probably couple of hours,

it is snowing on Main Street, even

though the day time temperatures

were in the 80s!

My oldest daughter went with us

and she hadn't been to the magical

restaurant

Be Our Guest so of course I 

wanted to make sure she went

there.

To our dismay Disney World has a new

Fast Pass Plus system where you have

to reserve your fast passes online and

those who are staying in their hotels

get to reserve theirs two months in

advance.  I hadn't heard of their new

system and we weren't staying in a Disney

hotel, so of course a lot of the good

fast passes were gone (to their preferred

guests) so when we arrived to stand in

line for Be Our Guest we were told

that the restaurant was full and that all

fast passes had been given out.  When I

was last there, a little over a year ago you

just had to wait in line for about 30 minutes

to be seated.

There stood the Beast's Castle

tempting us and we couldn't get in!!

We were told to come back between 2:00

and 2:30 to see if there was any availability.

We were so frustrated with all of the new

fast passes that seemed to create extremely

long lines everywhere and were leaving

the park when I saw people being let

in the line.  We quickly headed over

and were able to get into 

BE OUR GUEST!

As you enter, enchanted coats

of armor entertain you while

you wait in line.  

The food is really good and

reasonably priced.  We had 

the roast pork and French onion

soup.

There are three seating areas and

she chose the ballroom that had the

Christmas tree up in it and it always

magically has snow falling outside the

windows.

She was thrilled that we made it in,

so I suggest that you go back about 

2:05 - when they let us commoners

have a chance to feast with the beast -

it is purely magical.

I have never had the opportunity to

see Gaston do his thing but he was

outside the castle being his cocky, chauvinistic,

hysterical self!  That was fun!!

The other hot new attraction is

the 7 Dwarves Mine Train roller coaster.

Forget even thinking about getting a

fast pass for that one and the lines were

usually an hour and a half but we raced

over after the night time fireworks and

even though the sign said a 30 minute wait

we were on in 20 minutes.  Talk about 

a smooth ride!  This roller coaster is 

the Cadillac of roller coasters!  So glad

we got to try it out.  They also have three

fun interactive entertainments as you go

through the line that make the line fun.

I was surprised at the crowds so early in

November but it was their first week of

the Christmas celebration.  I certainly hope

that Disney doesn't bring their Fast Pass Plus

system to Disneyland.  It is fraught with problems

and I have read all kinds of complaints about it

online as it created waits of 60 minutes at rides

like Haunted Mansion and Pirates all day long which

I have never experienced.  It also locks you into

one park and we had the Rockin' Roller Coaster

shut down so there was nothing we could do but

leave and were locked into those Fast Passes

so we couldn't get new ones

in another park until the time of our last

Fast Pass Plus was up so that wasted 

two of our three allotted Fast Passes.  We

were not feeling the magic!!

Our trip consisted of Universal and

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter

Diagon Alley

first, and then Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party,
and after our time in Orlando
we took off on a cruise on the Allure of the Seas

that Christine
from Christine's Home and Travel Adventures
introduced me to and ever since reading
her adventure I have wanted to go
on that ship.  My friend and I had daughters
who each went on it for their honeymoons
so we decided we should get to try it too.

This was our view out of the back of 

the ship. The lady who helped us on

Royal Caribbean suggested that we

stay in the inside balconies at the

very back where we could see

the Aqua Theater and the ocean.  We

were four rooms from the back on

the left side.  It was a fabulous room.

 What a wonderful way to celebrate being

empty nesters and to mentally prepare

for Christmas!!

Be Our Guest Restaurant - Beast and Belle's Castle at Magic Kingdom

There's a 

New Castle In Town

at Disney World's Magic Kingdom

in case you haven't heard.

It is the Beast's Castle situated on top of

the mountain in the new Fantasyland and it is

quite something to behold.

You can see Belle has softened Beast's heart and

is now welcoming all from far and wide to come and

BE OUR GUEST.

At the base of the mountain is the wonderful new

restaurant 

Be Our Guest.

Fortunately for us commoners, the restaurant is

open for lunch 11:00 until 2:30 in the afternoon

WITHOUT RESERVATIONS.

(Lines can form at 10:30 and close at 2:00 across the bridge.)

I heard rumors that dinner reservations (required)

are 80 days out.  No wonder we have only once

been able to eat in Cinderella's Castle at Magic Kingdom, so this

gives us commoners a chance to dine in style even if we

didn't plan months in advance!

The magnificently constructed castle opens with this fabulous

entry way.

Once you have made it this far you are so excited to be there.

Two of Beast's companions flank the entry way as columns.

They are quite enormous and hideously ugly!

You then turn to the right to walk past 

talking suits of armor 

on each side of the interior passageway.

This is fun.

It is a little hard to hear them because everyone is so

excited to be inside the castle after

about a 35 minute wait (and that was during Easter week).

Before you order at a kiosk you are given a rose.

The rose is magical as it marks where you are in 

the restaurant so that the enchanted waiters and waitresses

can find you in one of three fabulous dining rooms.

You first enter the ballroom.  You are swept away by its beauty

and grandeur.  It is pure Disney magic.  I could just imagine

having my ball gown on and joining Beauty and Beast 

swirling around the room.

The chairs and tables are elegant and grand.

Step up close to the frosted window and you can actually see 

snow falling outside.  It was spectacular.

You are the guest at this restaurant so you get to choose

which dining room you want to eat in.

Step on through the dining room and you might want to

walk on the wilder side 

and venture into the

forbidden West Wing where taspestry and

curtains are slashed from the Beast's notorious temper.

This room is much darker and more mysterious.

Over the fireplace hang's the tortured prince's 

portrait which has also been the brunt of beastly anger.

This is where we chose to have our lunch served, although I 

have to say it was hard to choose, first we set our rose down

in the ballroom and then we switched to the

West Wing.  I think it really appeals to the boys.

But wait, there is one more option for your dining pleasure!

Back through the ballroom to the right is

the Rose Room where Beast and Belle swirl round and round.

Look at the roses carved into the tops of the banquet seating.

See what I mean about beautiful and elegant details?!!

The picture doesn't show it but the mosaic roses in the

floor are stunning!

The enchanted staff invite you to tour the whole castle and

from floors to ceilings it is incredible.

Speaking of the enchanted staff, they magically know which 

room you have chosen to dine in and they wheel out 

these beautiful food carts with your food served 

under glass.

They definitely treat you like royalty.

My son chose the Braised Pork 

(which has been slow cooked for 8 hours.)

  I ordered the Croque Monsieur sandwich.

We loved everything from the atmosphere to the food so much

that we chose to dine here a second day and then we both

ordered the Braised Pork.  Absolutely gourmet

  melt in your mouth

pork served over the fluffiest mashed potatoes.  Not your park food

experience!

We finished with an assorment of sweets.  Of course you

know I am going to try a Triple Chocolate Cupcake - perfectly

decadent, but we also tried a Strawberry Cream Cheese

Cupcake and a Passion Fruit Cream Puff. 

I have to say

that my Passion Fruit Cream Puff

was one of my favorites.

I loved the chocolate wafer on it printed with

Be Our Guest.

As you exit the castle you see a most exquisite mosaic

of Belle and her Prince dancing under the rose.  It truly

was a wonderful experience and well worth the

small wait in line.  

As we walked out, I told everyone who was in line 

that it was well worth the wait and they all wanted to

know what we ordered.  We highly recommended the

Braised Pork (oh, obviously the very generous prince

subsidizes the meal because it was 

just a little over $11.00)

It was a fabulous park food experience.

Right across the street and behind fences they are building

a roller coaster ride featuring 

Snow White and the Seven Dwarves.  

They have a cute little viewing area through

the fence.  I am sure it is going to be as magical as

the rest of the new Fantasyland.

Of course, each night has to end with fireworks at 

Cinderella's castle,

one of my favorite times.  I am such a firework girl!

I am just overwhelmed by the dreams of one man

Walt Disney who created such magic for

generations of families to come and to be able

to spend it with my youngest son on his Spring Break

was such a treat.  I have to say I left behind many

jealous little ones and big ones as we had this special

time together, just mother and son.

I will be posting with

Oh The Places I've Been