Disney Pixar's Brave: A valuable lesson for mothers of daughters

Being a mother to a daughter who's fiercely independent isn't easy. 

(Understatement of the year.)

Before I had children, I dreamed about possibly raising a daughter one day. I had all of these thoughts on who she was going to be and what she was going to be like. So when I got pregnant and found out I was having a girl, the preconceived notions of "my little princess" began. She would be sweet. She would be delicate. She would be made of sugar and spice and everything nice. . . 

Then she was born and my dreams of my days being filled with tea parties and playing dolls fell by the wayside. Her first 5 years of life have taught me many things, especially she is nothing like I had expected. She is rough and tough. She doesn't like wearing frilly stuff the collars, lace and crowns irritate her. She'd much rather play in the dirt than sit and sip tea. She is so independent that it boggles my mind, mostly because she is only 5. Yes she is intelligent, healthy, pretty and has a great sense of humor. She is truly amazing and I am very grateful to call her my own. But she is definitely unique, a true individual. Not to mention she is the exact opposite of me, which has also proven to be a challenge to say the least. One of the most difficult things is allowing her to just be herself and not trying to change her. I never thought I would be "that mother" but I do find myself saying things like, "Why don't you do it this way." or "Are you sure you don't want to choose this thing, not that thing." It may seem small and insignificant, but I have realized that I am unintentionally trying to make her choices, more like my choices. 

The Disney Pixar film Brave deals with similar issues and really looks at the complex relationship between mother and daughter, Queen Elinor and Merida. The film tells the tale of the newest Disney princess, Merida and the ongoing battles she has with her mother. Then one day the headstrong young girl makes a wish that changes her family's fate forever. It's a beautiful movie set in the ancient and magical Highlands of Scotland, but even more gorgeous is Merida's long red curly locks, that like Rapunzel had me completely captivated the entire time. A strong female lead and a story based upon family values are what Disney continues to do so well, and Brave is no exception. It really has me taking a deeper look into my relationship with my own daughter, and letting her be the person that she wants to become instead of the person that I am trying to change her into. ~ Jessica

Brave debuts on DVD on November 13, 2013. 

Just in time for the holidays, it would make a perfect addition to any Disney or Pixar movie collection. (Disney Sisters Tip: Some scenes may be scary for younger viewers. It's a darker film and the angry bear scenes especially had my daughter, 5 covering her eyes.)

Here are some activity pages for your little Brave fans:

Disclosure: We received a copy of Brave to help facilitate this review. Images of film, provided by Disney. The thoughts and opinions read on this blog are 100% magical and 100% those of Disney Sisters only.

Cinderella Craft Event at Disney Store and Movie Release

You're Invited to a CINDERELLA Craft Event

Hear Ye! Hear Ye!

In anticipation of the release of Cinderella: Diamond Edition on Tuesday 10/2. . . .

All Princesses and Princess are cordially invited to an enchanting celebration of crafts and imagination.

Saturday, September 29

10:30 am, 11:30 am, & 12:30 pm

Plus Daily Events

September 28 - October 4

See a Cast Member for event times.

Exclusively at Disney Store. Contact your local Disney Store to confirm.

Make sure to become a fan:

Disney Store Facebook    Disney Store Twitter    Disney Store Blog


Pick up your very own copy of CINDERELLA on Blu-Ray and DVD including the animated short Tangled Ever After coming out on TUESDAY October 10.

DisneyNature Chimpanzee and other Monkey Business

Watch the jungle's most adorable orphan find a family ...

As Disneynature CHIMPANZEE is now released on Blu-ray Combo Pack.

The latest DisneyNature film is now available on DVD bringing the magic of the Animal Kingdom into our living rooms. This is the fourth documentary style film from them, this time they're following a group of chimpanzees through the African forest. Unfortunately we didn't see it in theaters, but we did get a copy to review - Yay!

 The inspiring film follows the True-Life Adventure of Oscar, a young chimpanzee whose curiosity and showcases the intelligence and ingenuity of some of the most extraordinary personalities in the animal kingdom. Bonus material includes a making-of documentary, the "Rise" music video from McClain Sisters. This film really showcases family bonding in a special way, and we're all about family films!

Some interesting facts about chimps that you may not know:

"At the turn of the 20th century, there were between 1 and 2 million chimps in the wild. Now there may be fewer than 300,000."

"Humans and chimpanzees share roughly 95 to 98 percent of the same DNA."

"Chimpanzees can develop lifelong family bonds, especially between mother and child."

We also really want to get the word out about "See Chimpanzee, Save Chimpanzees": 

To celebrate the in-home debut of “Chimpanzee,” Disneynature is proud to continue the “See ‘Chimpanzee,’ Save Chimpanzees” conservation program initiated with the film’s theatrical release. For every purchase of the movie through August 27, 2012, Disneynature will make a donation through the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund to the Jane Goodall Institute (JGI) to conserve chimpanzee habitat, educate the next generation, and provide care for orphaned chimpanzees.

The conservation program tied to the theatrical release will help protect 129,236 acres (202 square miles) of wild chimpanzee habitat through infrastructure investments in the expanded Tchimpounga Nature Reserve in the Republic of Congo (Congo); educate 60,000 schoolchildren about chimpanzee conservation; and provide food and medicine for nearly all of the orphaned chimpanzees at JGI’s Tchimpounga chimpanzee sanctuary for at least the next year.

We took these special Chimpanzee photos during our trip to WDW. There was this awesome sand castle display in Epcot to promote the movie. We were thrilled to be able to see it in person, it was really cool!

You can get down to Monkey Business with this slideshow of photos that the crew took while working on location. Did you know that it took more than 700 days to film Chimpanzee?

Did you catch Chimpanzee in the theaters or are you planning on buying it on DVD? Have you seen any other DisneyNature films: African Cats, Oceans or Earth?

Stay connected with the latest “Chimpanzee” information:

“Like” the Facebook page at www.Facebook.com/Disneynature

Follow on Twitter www.Twitter.com/Disneynature

Website and Mobile Site: www.Disney.com/Chimpanzee

Disclaimer: We were not given any compensation for this post, but we were given a copy to help facilitate our review. Thoughts and opinions shared on our blog are all our own.

Tinker Bell, Secret of the Wings, and McClain Sisters

We are so excited to share the big news:
Tinker Bell has a SISTER!!!
 In the latest Tinker Bell movie, "Secret of the Wings," Tinker Bell (voiced by Mae Whitman) discovers  she has a sister, named Periwinkle. (voiced by Lucy Hale) She embarks on her first journey into the mysterious but exciting Winter World of Pixie Hollow. An epic adventure and life-changing secrets will be revealed when the movie is released on October 23.

More big news...

 McClain Sisters, 
Sierra, Lauryn and China Anne McClain, real-life SISTERS themselves are singing the featured song, "The Great Divide." Watch the clip below to hear a preview of McClain Sisters' amazing new song "The Great Divide."

“There is no friend like a sister
In calm or stormy weather;
To cheer one on the tedious ay,
To fetch one if one goes astray,
To lift one if one totters down,
To strengthen whilst one stands.”

– Christina Rossetti, title poem (1859)

Follow "Secret of the Wings" on Facebook.

Follow Disney Sisters on Facebook.

Celebrating Sisters Day

Celebrating Sisters Day

We're celebrating the magic of sisterhood today.

“I don’t believe an accident of birth makes people sisters or brothers. It makes them siblings, gives them mutuality of parentage. Sisterhood and brotherhood is a condition people have to work at.”

- Maya Angelou

How special it would be to find the sister you never knew you had?

 In "Secret of the Wings" the all-new, Disney Fairies movie Tinker Bell finds out that she, herself, has a sister. We consider ourselves very lucky to have not only one, but two sisters. Two sisters to share secrets with. Two sisters to laugh with, to cry with and to enjoy life with. "Secret of the Wings" is endearing to all and for those with sisters, be sure to bring your tissues. sniff. sniff. 

While watching a screening of "Secret of the Wings" we were thrilled hear our favorite trio McClain Sisters sing the featured song, “The Great Divide.” Their voices are so beautiful and the song brought tears to our eyes. China Anne, Lauryn and Sierra are delightful girls and we are so proud of their success.

Celebrating the special bond between sisters, “The Great Divide” song is featured in the movie and in a contemporary version and music video that makes its world premiere on Disney Channel on September 9.  The song makes its exclusive online debut on Disney.com on September 10, and will also be released as a digital single by Walt Disney Records on September 11, 2012.

For the first time ever Tinker Bell will fly from Pixie Hollow onto Disney Blu-ray 3D 

on October 23 in "Secret of the Wings."

Cinderella's Slipper unveiled by Christian Louboutin and Disney

CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN & THE WALT DISNEY STUDIOS UNVEIL THE ULTIMATE, MODERN-DAY CINDERELLA INSPIRED SLIPPER 

PARIS, FR, July 4, 2012 – The fabled Cinderella slipper which has captured the hearts and imagination of generations of women around the world, comes to life as The Walt Disney Studios and world-renowned shoe designer Christian Louboutin unveil the ultimate, modern- day Cinderella inspired slipper in Paris, during Haute Couture week July 2-5.

“Cinderella is not only an iconic character when it comes to beauty, grace and fairytale love, but also shoes,” explains designer Christian Louboutin. For Louboutin, the worlds of fantasy and shoe-making collided in perfect harmony when he was invited by Disney to re-imagine Cinderella’s famous slipper in honor of Disney’s global release of the classic masterpiece “Cinderella” Diamond Edition on Blu-ray™ this Fall.

Cinderella’s legendary slippers have been re-imagined with the mastery of one of this generation’s most important designers. Lightness, beauty and transparency are the words with which Louboutin describes this special pair; they are a dream materialized. The designer’s magic touch brings this iconic shoe to reality and gives it a modern twist. Delicate lace adorned with crystals gives these slippers an enchanting look. Two sparkling butterflies rest prettily on the shoes, one landing on the vamp while the other sits closely behind atop of the crystal covered heel, gently brushing the ankle. Louboutin’s signature red soles add the final dash of excitement as Cinderella’s slippers come alive. “Her character and her story dictated the design to me, it was all there in the pages and the words of this tale,” explained the designer.

“The slipper is the magic wand of transformation

which conjures confidence, beauty and love.” – Christian Louboutin

Christian Louboutin’s famous red soles are instantly recognizable for their elegance, innovative, playful designs and femininity. “The dream is a major factor in my language of design,” said Louboutin. This whimsical quality is paramount to his creations, which have been embraced by women all over the world. Louboutin’s limitless imagination, adventurous spirit and the inspiration he draws from the world and people around him have helped turn his own dreams into reality. For Louboutin, “there are no limits in the world of fantasy and there is always a happily ever after.”

As part of the celebration, a few lucky, modern day Cinderella’s will have the chance to be a part of the magic and win one of the twenty original slippers created for this collaboration. Further details about the contest and participating markets to follow.

Disney's Maleficent Starring Angelina Jolie in theaters March 14

Just Announced:

Disney's Maleficent Starring Angelina Jolie in theaters March 14

"The Walt Disney Studios has announced a U.S. release date of March 14, 2014, for Maleficent, starring Angelina Jolie in the title role as Disney’s ultimate villain. The live-action film explores the origins of the evil fairy Maleficent and what led her to curse Princess Aurora in Disney’s animated classic Sleeping Beauty." 

"Leading a team of visionary filmmakers known for creating and transporting audiences to new and exciting worlds, Academy Award®-winning production designer Robert Stromberg (Avatar, Disney’s Alice in Wonderland and Oz The Great and Powerful) will direct with a script by Linda Woolverton (Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King, and Alice in Wonderland). Maleficent is produced by Joe Roth (Disney’s Alice in Wonderland and Oz The Great and Powerful)."

Do you think Angelina will make a good Maleficent? Who would you like to see play Princess Aurora? Will True Love's Kiss be enough to awaken the Princess from the spell that Angelina will curse her with?

Lady and the Tramp Party

With the newly released Lady and the Tramp Diamond Edition on DVD, we have been hearing about people having Pasta Parties and we got inspired to have one for ourselves. I chose a little Italian restaurant, that reminded us Tony's, the place where Lady and Tramp had their first meal together. It's called Guido's in Sherman Oaks. Truth be told we go there quite often!

Kaia got to invite some of her best pals to join in on the fun! She picked out their goody bags, we downloaded some activity printables, ordered a round of spaghetti & pizza and let them go to town. After the dinner party fit for little girls or pups... We went home and watched the movie together. It was the best dog-gone way to spend an evening.

To find more fun ideas to help you create your ultimate Lady and the Tramp Party, go to Disney Family. If you haven't already gotten your copy of this movie from the stores, it is only out for a limited time. And yes, I talked my mom-blogging friend, Bernadette into sharing the spaghetti with her daughter just like Lady and Tramp did in the classic. Bella Notte!

Disclaimer: Thanks to Disney for supplying us the goods to throw our Pasta Party. And thanks to Guido's for being so accommodating. We had a truly delicious time!

Cars 2: The Fast and the Hilarious

We've been known to hang out with Lightning McQueen at parties.

He's let us touch his stickers once or twice.

Tow Mater calls us close personal friends of his.

We've even been known to hang out a Flo's V8 Cafe!

We are big Pixar fans, and have loved CARS since the first movie came out. Actually we have loved every movie they have made. (Ahem - Especially Wall-E & Up)

The new movie CARS 2 recently came out on Disney Blu-Ray and DVD. (Go get it!)

We think it would make the perfect gift for the Lightning McQueen fan in your house.

It's twice the action, twice the funny, and twice the Mater. 

Because really, everyone needs some more Mater in their life.

Coming soon to Disneyland is CARS LAND in the summer of 2012 and we couldn't be more excited!

Pirates and More Pirates Arr!

We are celebrating PIRATES all week long at Disney Sisters... Yo-Ho!

Don't forget to enter our GIVEAWAY! Yay-Hay!

For Immediate Release:

Swashbuckling in on October 18, 2011 the latest Pirates movie hits the stores.

PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: ON STRANGER TIDES where they set off on an Epic Quest to find the Fountain of Youth.

We've been asked to share with you this cool tutorial of PIRATE-SPEAK from Disney. 

So Clear the Deck, Stay the Course and gather around with all of your Best Mates! Yar! It's like a Dictionary of Terms that all of the Pirates know, Shiver Me Timbers!

PS: Who knew that SWAG was a Pirate term?

Find out more info on all things PIRATES on these official Disney sites:

WEBSITE  *  FACEBOOK  *  TWITTER