Day 1: #DisneyPixarEvent – “Bloggers Do Disney” & take Sneak Peek of Brave & La Luna!

What a first day!

I arrived in San Francisco well-rested and ready for an exciting and eventful day as one of 25 invited bloggers to preview Disney’s BRAVE and La Luna, tour the Walt Disney Family Museum and preview DisneyNature’s Chimpanzee.

And there was no time to waste as I checked into the beautiful Palomar Hotel, met up with some “old” blogging buddies, greeted Marshall in the Hospitality Suite and headed to my room to get refreshed and ready for a night of movie previews and a little Pixar party. We all met in the lobby of the hotel and then boarded a bus to head to Pixar Animation Studios!

BRAVE

If there’s one thing I know as a mom of four girls is that there’s a certain dynamic between a mom and her daughters. And sometimes it’s all good while many other times raging teenage hormones makes a mom want to pull her daughter’s hair out! Moms only want the best for their daughters. And yesterday I had a chance to take a sneak peek into the life of a hot-headed little red-head named Merida and her relationship with her mother in the upcoming new Disney/Pixar movie, Brave.

Merida’s just a typical teen who wants to take life – and all of its slings and arrows- by the horns and have nothing but fun. But her parents wants her to be the princess she’s destined to be. And that means sitting up straight, articulating when talking, being graceful and getting ready for life as a young wife. But Merida’s not having that. And she’s defiant enough to speak up and against her parent’s wishes. And all I can say is that’s a road that I’ve been down before.

During the Disney/Pixar blogger press event in San Francisco yesterday, I only got to view about 30 minutes of Brave, but it was enough to pique my curiosity.Not only because it dazzled with life-like characters and had the signature Pixar pizazz (check out Merida’s beautiful, bouncing luscious locks) but it’s a tale that’s right up my alley. The movie really intrigued me with the storyline of a young girl who is trying to find herself.  And although I didn’t get to see the end of the movie I really want to know what happens to Merida and if she will ever come to appreciate her parents. For me, with a 19-year-old who was once as defiant as Merida, my fairytale turned out to have a happy ending. My daughter and I are FINALLY friends. Sometimes it just takes a little time and a lot of maturity for a young girl. Stay tuned to find out how things go for Merida when BRAVE is released in theaters June 22nd. I’m rooting for you Merida. 🙂

Also we got the chance to view a short called La Luna and in one word, this movie is adorable. And one word surely sums this up as there were NO WORDS spoken in this movie at all. It was interesting how  this movie said a mouthful without saying anything. I have one son, who is my world and for me it is extremely important for my husband to share teachable moments with him. That’s how I can sum up La Luna. It was a sweet, very sweet, movie with a boy, his grandpa and dad and their different teaching styles, all teaching the son the characteristics of working hard and doing a good job while revealing their interesting occupation. You will get to see a Luna when it premiere’s before Brave. Because La Luna is so short I don’t want to give details and give it away. But it will leave you at the end saying, “awww.”

ABOUT LA LUNA

La Luna is the timeless fable of a young boy who is coming of age in the most peculiar of circumstances. Tonight is the very first time his Papa and Grandpa are taking him to work. In an old wooden boat they row far out to sea, and with no land in sight, they stop and wait. A big surprise awaits the little boy as he discovers his family’s most unusual line of work. Should he follow the example of his Papa, or his Grandpa? Will he be able to find his own way in the midst of their conflicting opinions and timeworn traditions?

Day 2 Events: Today we’ll get to take a Kilts 101 class and learn the History, Culture & Adornment of the Tartan. I am excited about learning the art behind archery and I truly wanna know all about the bagpipe! I’ve never even seen a real one in person! Then we’ll get to do a variety of exciting things from taking to story artists and art directors to ask questions at a press day with Mark Andrews, the Director of Brave, Katherine Sarafian, Producer of Brave and Enrico Casarosa, Director of the Animated Short La Luna. Then off to a screening of Chimpanzee and a night at the Burger Bar.

This was an all-expense paid trip by Disney/Pixar but all opinions expressed are my own