Radio Disney Pirate & Princess Party

   To promote the Pirate and Princess Party event going on in The Magic Kingdom this year, Radio Disney is out and about Orlando and surrounding areas, holding special events to get kids (and parents) motivated to purchase tickets.  Rarely do these events stretch as far north as our hometown, but we were able to attend one today after a reasonable drive.  The kids were thrilled!  We listen to Radio Disney all the time in the car.

   Close to 20 kids showed up, most staying for the 2-hour extravaganza of music, games and prizes.  I thought it was very creative and well-organized.  The ladies in charge of the promotion had plenty of energy and were terrific with the kids.  Many kids, including mine, dressed up for the occasion in pirate or princess costumes, but some came in their play clothes and had just as much fun. 

   Each child received a goodie bag, including lots of promo flyers for various Disney movies and TV shows (of course) as well as stickers, temporary tattoos, a set of cardboard Pooh binoculars, a small sports towel for "The Game Plan" DVD, Valentines, and other small freebies.  There were sturdy cardboard princess crowns and pirate treasure boxes filled with "loot", along with markers, stickers, sequins and more to decorate them with.  There were foam pirate hats to put together and decorate.

   My oldest son won The Game of Life, but it was The Pirates of the Carribean version!  This game retails for over $25 dollars.  He got it by being the fastest to put on all his pirate gear.  The Disney reps set out an eyepatch, bandana, shackles, hat, and a hook in a hula hoop on the floor for each child.  He also won a Power Ranger vehicle toy for a different game.  My daughter won a "Princess Diaries 2" soundtrack cd for a game where the young ladies wore Minnie Mouse gloves and had to see who could put a princess pillowcase on a pillow the fastest.  Each of the 4 girls won a cd for that one.  My youngest son won a different Power Ranger vehicle toy for being in the final 3 of a dance competition.  When the music stopped, the dancers raced to one of four cones.  The Disney rep chose a cone color, and those who were at that color cone were "out".  There were consolation prizes for all of the games -- Princess, Phineas & Ferb (new show) and Jungle Book stickers, tattoos, pirate skull necklaces and rings, Princess hair barrettes, Radio Disney pencils, Hannah Montana postcards and more!  We had quite a time trying to carry all the good stuff to the car when we were through.  Other kids won DVD's, a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles prize, and of course 4 winners were drawn to get a 4-pack of tickets to the real deal -- the Pirate and Princess Party at Walt Disney World.

   Other games included High School Musical 2 and Hannah Montana karaoke, musical hula hoops (jump in a hoop on the floor or you're out), linking hands and stepping through a hula hoop as you pass it around the circle, and relay races.  There was a spelling game where Mom or Dad could help the kids be the quickest to spell Disney words from magnet letters.  And one where kids got to stick clothespins all over their parents -- the kid with the most pins won.  It was a close game!

   The kids enjoyed this so much they begged to go to a later appearance in another town later this afternoon, and to yet another one tomorrow in yet another town!  Unfortunately, the rest of the events for this month are too far away for us to get to reasonably.  But we'll keep our eyes and mouse ears open for future dates closer to home!

   Radio Disney is AM 990 in Orlando, but is broadcast nationally.  Kids call in from all over the country!  You can reach them at 1-888-237-7018 by phone, or visit their website at www.radiodisney.com.  You can also listen for free online.  iTunes has a special section just for Radio Disney music, but as usual for iTunes, you will have to pay per downloaded song.  Kids 14 and under can enter daily contests, either by phoning in or by listening for the code word of the day and entering it online.  The website will also list upcoming special events, like the one we attended today.