Kidding Around with … Cinderella from Disney On Ice Dare To Dream

May 28, 2015July 12, 2015 | Kidding Around Australia

We were able to spend a few minutes with Cinderella recently and were so happy that she agreed to answer some questions! Alegría can’t quite believe that she met her and Isaac is in love!

Do you like living in a palace? It’s a little different from where you grew up.

“Yes, it is rather grand. I still get a bit lost sometimes, but everyone has made me feel so welcome that it truly feels like home.”

How do you like to spend your time, now that you don’t have to take care of your stepsisters or stepmother?

“Well, the Prince and I love to go horseback riding. The fields around the palace are so beautiful, especially when the wildflowers are in bloom. And I always like spending time with my animal friends, sewing clothes for them and making their favorite things to eat.”

Gus and Jaq, the mice, must like getting to live in a great big palace.

“They do, especially dear little Gus. Somehow he always finds his way to the kitchen whenever the chef is preparing a meal. Of course, not everyone appreciates them as much as I do. Pom-Pom, the palace cat, can be quite mischievous. So, I still have to rescue them sometimes.”

Do you have any special traditions at the palace?

“We often have a grand, royal ball and invite all sorts of people from around the kingdom to join us. As you might imagine, dancing at a ball holds a very special place in my heart – it always seems like a dream come true.”

We were wondering; have you learned any magic tricks from your fairy godmother?

“Oh no, I can’t do magic. You’d have to ask my fairy godmother for that.”

What about the glass slipper she made you for the royal ball? Do you still have it?

“Of course. It’s one of my greatest treasures. I’ll always keep it to remind me of that magical night when all my dreams came true.”

One last question, Princess Cinderella, do you have any words of wisdom for little girls who admire you?

“Hmm… well, I think it’s very important to be understanding and kind. And never stop dreaming. You never know when the most wonderful wishes will come true. “

Thank you so much, Princess. It has been wonderful talking to you.

“It’s been lovely speaking with you as well. I hope we get to do it again very soon.”

If you know someone who would like to see Cinderella whilst she is Melbourne, Disney On Ice presents Dare to Dream will be at Hisense Arena from July 2-6 and is on sale now.

We will be running a Disney on Ice presents Dare to Dream competition very soon so please keep an eye out for details!

MORE INFORMATION

DISNEY ON ICE PRESENTS DARE TO DREAM

A Celebration of Royal Proportions!

COMING TO MELBOURNE 2-6 JULY 2015

Tickets on sale NOW!

Disney On Ice presents Dare To Dream comes to Melbourne from 2-6 July, 2015 and will be the ultimate princess experience, taking audiences on a journey to fulfil their dreams. Bringing two of Disney’s modern day princess stories Tangled and, The Princess and the Frog and two most beloved fairytales Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and Cinderella, this action packed skating spectacle is a classic meets contemporary celebration of 75 years of Disney Princess stories. Produced by Feld Entertainment, Disney On Ice presents Dare To Dream opens its national tour in Perth on 5 June and travels to Adelaide, Newcastle, Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney until 12 July.

Laugh at Disney’s hilarious hair-raising escapade, Tangled, as Rapunzel, Flynn and Maximus, embark on an uproarious journey that takes adventure to new lengths! Travel to the enchanted forest with Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs as Snow White escapes from the Evil Queen in her search for her one true love. Watch as fanciful dreams become reality as Cinderella meets her Prince Charming, with a glass slipper fit for an unforgettable fantasy come true. And boogie to the beat of the bayou in a magical, musical journey that celebrates the story of The Princess and the Frog with Princess Tiana and Prince Naveen.

Australian audiences will experience the beauty, sparkle, and adventure when Disney On Ice presents Dare To Dream comes to a city near you!

2015 National Tour Dates

Perth – Perth Arena 5 – 7 June (Fri – Sun)

Adelaide – Adelaide Entertainment Centre 12 – 14 June (Fri – Sun)

Newcastle – Newcastle Entertainment Centre 19 – 21 June (Fri – Sun)

Brisbane – Brisbane Entertainment Centre 27 – 29 June (Sat – Mon)

Melbourne – Hisense Arena, Melbourne 2 – 6 July (Thurs – Mon)

Sydney – Allphones Arena, Sydney Olympic Park 8 – 12 July (Wed – Sun)

Purchase tickets from Ticketek: 132 849 or www.ticketek.com.au/disneyonice. Tickets start from just $29.50. Additional discounts apply on select performances. Credit card and transaction fees may also apply.

For more information visit www.disneyonice.com.au or visit their Facebook page.

Please note all details quoted are correct at the time of publishing. All details are subject to change without notice and Kidding Around Australia takes no responsibility for information contained in this post. Please check the appropriate website to ensure that information is still correct and current.

ALL PHOTOGRAPHIC IMAGES ON THE KIDDING AROUND AUSTRALIA WEBSITE ARE THE EXCLUSIVE PROPERTY OF THE KIDDING AROUND AUSTRALIA AUTHORS. ALL IMAGES ARE SUBJECT TO COPYRIGHT AND CANNOT BE USED WITHOUT WRITTEN PERMISSION FROM KIDDING AROUND AUSTRALIA.

Kidding Around … The Disney On Ice Dare To Dream Princess Party

May 26, 2015July 12, 2015 | Kidding Around Australia

To celebrate Disney On Ice presents Dare to Dream coming to Melbourne from the 2 – 6 July 2015 we were invited to a Princess Party celebration of royal proportions!

The anticipation leading up to “Princess Party” day was palpable in our house. Costumes were carefully picked out. Speculation was rife as to who the special guests would be. Finally, the big day arrived and happily the party had everything a Prince or Princess could ever dream of!

Faces were painted, balloon animals were created, jewellery boxes were decorated, glass slippers were glitter-fied, pictures were coloured in, the movie Cinderella was on for those who wanted to take five on a bean bag, stories were read, dress-ups were tried on and there were many, many photos taken!

Little tummies were well catered for with cupcakes, sandwiches, popcorn and drinks. The candy buffet was the ultimate “choose your own” lolly bag with little boxes supplied that said “Thanks for coming!”. No, thank you Disney on Ice for having us!

Alegría Says

This was the best party ever! This was the best day EVER!

The special guests for the day were Cinderella and Rapunzel. They were so beautiful with the little Princesses, answering questions, giving hugs and posing for photographs.

One little Prince we know fell in love… Just look at that face!

The Disney On Ice presents Dare To Dream Princess Party was a fabulous launch party for the Melbourne season of Disney on Ice presents Dare to Dream which we are so excited to see in July! Don’t forget to get your tickets, they are on sale now!

MORE INFORMATION

DISNEY ON ICE PRESENTS DARE TO DREAM

A Celebration of Royal Proportions!

COMING TO MELBOURNE 2-6 JULY 2015

Tickets on sale NOW!

Australian audiences will experience the beauty, sparkle, and adventure when Disney On Ice presents Dare To Dream comes to a city near you!

2015 National Tour Dates

Perth – Perth Arena 5 – 7 June (Fri – Sun)

Adelaide – Adelaide Entertainment Centre 12 – 14 June (Fri – Sun)

Newcastle – Newcastle Entertainment Centre 19 – 21 June (Fri – Sun)

Brisbane – Brisbane Entertainment Centre 27 – 29 June (Sat – Mon)

Melbourne – Hisense Arena, Melbourne 2 – 6 July (Thurs – Mon)

Sydney – Allphones Arena, Sydney Olympic Park 8 – 12 July (Wed – Sun)

For more information visit www.disneyonice.com.au or visit their Facebook page.

Kidding Around.. The Melbourne Museum

May 19, 2015July 13, 2015 | Kidding Around Australia

Our visits to the Melbourne Museum all follow a well worn path! We get our tickets, take a quick look at the display directly behind the counter and head straight out to the Forest Gallery. We look for fish and turtles, go under the waterfall and then make our way past the frogs to the bushfire memorial.

We then go down the ramp, back indoors, past the whale skeleton and into the “Dinosaur Museum” or the Dinosaur Walk, located in the Science and Life Gallery.

The Dinosaur Walk exhibition at Melbourne Museum brings dinosaurs and other ancient animals to life. This is where the kids can look at a range of amazing skeletons – combine them with ideas from science or let their imagination run wild!

For a little girl with a big thirst for knowledge, the Melbourne Museum is HEAVEN!

From here, we continue on to the animals, in the Evolution Gallery, which is a taxidermist’s dream! They have very cool interactive screens which you can point at an animal to find out what it is and all about it. There are also giant information touch screens that give information. Did you know that the Tasmanian Tiger was actually a relative of the wombat? You can see it if you look closely at the one on display. They have the same nose!

Point, click and get information on hundred's of animals! — Point, click and get information on hundred’s of animals!

IMG-20150520-WA0007 — Giant touch screens are at the perfect height for small fingers!

Alegría Says

I love the butterflies. I love all the pretty colours and learning how they grow. I also love the dinosaur bones, they are huge!

We then have a look at all of the bugs and butterflies and have a quick look at the semi-precious gems.

Poor Isaac, he needed a lift to see the ants!

That usually takes us about an hour and then we go to the Children’s Gallery and Children’s Garden. This room is specifically designed for children aged 3 – 10, however both Alegría and Isaac have enjoyed it from a much younger age.

Sometimes, you just want to re-enact a scene from “Finding Nemo”!!

IMG-20150520-WA0006 — Looking at Larvae!

There are both indoor and outdoor activities covering a range of topics. Whether your children like puppets, building blocks, puzzles, animals, animals and more animals, lego, old-school games like hopscotch, quoits, jump rope, stilts, or running off all their energy they will find something to keep them occupied for at least an hour!

Maybe this will help me reach the dinosaurs!

Georgina Says

There is a café onsite, however, you could pack a few sandwiches and go out to the playground for a picnic. We learned first hand you can’t eat in the Galleries – oops! Really should take notice of the signs! The playground is at the opposite end of the Museum to the Children’s Gallery – up near the café.

We love the Melbourne Museum. It is a fantastic place to spend a few hours (or longer if you don’t have to take naps into consideration), it’s perfect for all weather conditions and for those on a budget!

The Melbourne Museum have plenty of Children’s programs running, more information can be found here. You can plan your own path using the Melbourne Museum map (PDF, 81 Kb) which shows the location of the main exhibition galleries and facilities.

MORE INFORMATION

Location: Nicholson Street, Carlton Gardens, Victoria, Australia

Days and Times: Open daily, 10am – 5pm (Closed Good Friday & Christmas Day)

Phone: 13 11 02

Cost: Adult $12, concessions & children free

Website: http://museumvictoria.com.au/melbournemuseum/

Kidding Around at … The Greatest Love of All – The Whitney Houston Show

May 18, 2015 | Kidding Around Australia

We love hearing feedback from our competition winners! We received this email from Simon who won tickets to The Greatest Love of All – The Whitney Houston Show for last Friday’s Opening Night.

“My wife and I attended opening night of The Greatest Love of All – The Whitney Houston Show as Kidding Around Australia competition winners.

Wow, what a show!

From the moment Belinda Davids sang her first words, we knew we that we were in for a great night. The voice, the costumes and the mannerisms were right on the money.

Belinda confessed to the audience that she was very nervous before the show as it was her first time in Australia and she wanted us to share in the joy of Whitney Houston’s music when she was at the top of her game. Unfortunately Whitney’s final visit to Australia in 2010 as part of the Nothing But Love World Tour was not her finest.

Ms Davids need not have been worried. The audience lapped up hit after hit and showed their appreciation after the finale with a standing ovation. She seemed genuinely taken by the response.

Her band was very tight. Made up of musicians from Australia, South Africa and Canada, all were experts in their craft and her back-up singer was sensational in her own right when given the opportunity to shine.

All in all a hugely entertaining night, made possible by those at Kidding Around Australia.

Thank you so much! “ – Simon T.

Thank you Simon for your great review of the show – we were disappointed that we couldn’t make it for opening night, but hope to see it before it ends on Saturday 23 May 2015. You can get tickets too by visiting www.ticketek.com.au.

MORE INFORMATION

VENUE Athenaeum Theatre

ADDRESS 188 Collins St, Melbourne

DATE/S Friday 15 May to Saturday 23 May 2015

TICKETS Ticketek 132 849 or www.ticketek.com.au, tickets from $49.90

WEBSITE www.thegreatestloveofall.com.au

Promo Trailer: www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PLWi3Q6xZU

Facebook: www.facebook.com/WhitneyHoustonShow

The Greatest Love of All – The Whitney Houston Show Winners Announced! Congratulations to …

May 14, 2015 | Kidding Around Australia

We knew that our The Greatest Love of All – The Whitney Houston Show giveaway would be popular, thank you to all of you who entered!

I know you can’t wait to find out who are lucky winners are… so… drum roll please….

Liz and Simon, we loved your entries and hope you and your guests enjoy this One Moment in Time! Please email us at info@kiddingaroundaustralia.com to organise delivery of your tickets.

If you missed out and would like to go, tickets are still available at Ticketek 132 849 or www.ticketek.com.au and for more information visit www.thegreatestloveofall.com.au

Don’t forget to check out Belinda Davids’ – she is amazing! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PLWi3Q6xZU

What’s On… STORIES UP HIGH, SKYHIGH MOUNT DANDENONG

May 11, 2015May 12, 2015 | Kidding Around Australia

STORIES UP HIGH, SKYHIGH MOUNT DANDENONG

Source: http://skyhighmtdandenong.com.au/

If you are looking for something to do tomorrow or Sunday, Skyhigh, Mount Dandenong is featuring two events included in the STORIES UP HIGH Festival to be held at venues in the Dandenong Ranges and Healesville from May 10, 2015.

Stories Up High is a festival of ideas, imagination, and laughter. It includes a range of author talks, including two of the biggest names in children’s literature, David Walliams and Andy Griffiths! There will be exhibitions, movies, storytelling, competitions, cooking, writing, gardening, reading, and train rides.

This Festival has something for everyone. Whether you are a child, or the parent of a child, or the grandparent, or aunt, uncle, or friend, there is an event for you! Visit iconic venues throughout the beautiful Dandenong Ranges and Yarra Valley during autumn, when they are at their very best!

12 May 2015 – David Walliams hosted by Eddie Perfect

David Walliams, the new Roald Dahl, has taken the children’s literary world by storm. He is the biggest UK children’s author to debut this century. His books have been translated into forty languages and have sold over four million copies in the UK alone. Hosted by Eddie Perfect, David will discuss his stories and read from one of his bestselling books. He will be available for book signings following the talk.

Time: 5 pm to 6pm

17 May 2015 – Andy Griffiths headlines Stories Up High.

A day of literary excitement, including puppet shows and fun activities. Andrew “Andy” Griffiths is an Australian children’s book author and comedy writer. He is most notable for his Just! series, which was converted into an animated television series called What’s with Andy?.

At Skyhigh Mount Dandenong, share a hilarious morning with Andy Griffiths and follwing book signings, be entertained by Punch and Judy, enjoy stories from fairies and pirates and participate in fun literacy games

Time: 10.30am to 4pm

For further information on the events to be held Skyhigh Mount Dandenong as part of the Stories Up High Festival: www.skyhighmtdandenong.com.au

MORE INFORMATION

Dates and Times:

Tuesday May 12– David Walliams Hosted by Eddie Perfect – 5 to 6pm

Sunday May 17 – Andy Griffiths – 10.30am to 4pm

Venue: Skyhigh Mount Dandenong, 26 Observatory Road, Mount Dandenong

Phone: (03) 9751 0443

Ticket Prices:

David Walliams $20 and $12 Concession

Andy Griffiths – $25

Car fees apply for entry

Competition Time! … The Greatest Love of All – The Whitney Houston Show

May 8, 2015May 14, 2015 | Kidding Around Australia

To celebrate the opening of The Greatest Love of All – The Whitney Houston Show at Melbourne’s Athenaeum Theatre we have 2 x Double Passes (worth $100 each) for Friday 15th May at 8pm to give away!

The show is playing in Melbourne from 15 to 23 May 2015 and is a tribute to a woman who has long been an icon of pop music and vocal ability, The Greatest Love Of All – The Whitney Houston Show celebrates Whitney Houston’s most loved songs with the breathtaking voice of South African singer Belinda Davids (pictured above).

After conducting over 15,000 auditions in 12 countries, accomplished South African vocalist Belinda Davids was selected to pay reverence to Houston with her carefully crafted renditions. She delivers the voice, charm and even the nuances and gestures of Houston.

The 2 ½ hour concert and stage show spans Houston’s 29 year career and includes hits How Will I Know, I Wanna Dance With Somebody, Where Do Broken Hearts Go, Didn’t We Almost Have It All, I’m Every Woman, Exhale (Shoop Shoop), Step by Step and I Will Always Love You.

You can see more of Belinda Davids’ amazing talent in this clip https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PLWi3Q6xZU

To WIN one of two DOUBLE PASSES (worth $100 each) to The Greatest Love Of All – The Whitney Houston Show’s performance on Friday 15 May 2015 at 8pm simply fill in the form below.

Open to Australian residents only. Competition Closes 14/05/2015 at 9am AEST. Winner will be announced on 14/05/2015 at 9.30pm AEST. By entering, you agree to be subscriber to the Kidding Around Australia website.

MORE INFORMATION

VENUE Athenaeum Theatre

ADDRESS 188 Collins St, Melbourne

DATE/S Friday 15 May to Saturday 23 May 2015

TICKETS Ticketek 132 849 or www.ticketek.com.au, tickets from $49.90

WEBSITE www.thegreatestloveofall.com.au

Promo Trailer: www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PLWi3Q6xZU

Facebook: www.facebook.com/WhitneyHoustonShow

Random Acts of Kid-ness – Silvers Circus

May 7, 2015 | Kidding Around Australia

We are so excited to launch Random Acts of Kid-ness and tell you all about our May, 2015 sponsor Silvers Circus!

We are all about sharing the love around here. We are very privileged to be able to experience the things we do Kidding Around Australia and we are grateful every day that our health and lifestyle allows us to do so. Each month we will be partnering with one of our fantastic brands to give someone a Random Act of Kid-ness!

Silvers Circus is a household name in Australia and after nearly three decades on the road maintains all the sparkle, glamour and death defying acts expected of Australia’s premier circus. Silvers Circus continues to provide draw dropping entertainment for the whole family with new locations just announced:

* PORTLAND, Alexandra Park – (First visit to Portland in 20 years) 6 May – 10 May

* MT GAMBIER, Mt Gambier Showgrounds 13 May – 24 May

* HAMILTON, Hamilton Showgrounds 27 May – 31 May

Established in 1976, Silvers Circus provides world class family entertainment and fun. With extraordinary artists continually arriving from all parts of the world, Silvers are proud of the ever changing program they are able to present. There is no other circus like Silvers Circus.

For all show details visit – www.silverscircus.com.au

KIDDING AROUND AUSTRALIA’S RANDOM ACTS OF KID-NESS

This month, Silvers Circus has generously given us a family pass to their show in Portland and it just so happens that we know a family that would love to go!

Joan, Richard and their two boys

In February 2014, Joan found a breast lump through self examination and after various testing was found to have stage 3 Breast cancer. Not exactly what you expect when you’re a young family in your 30’s with 2 kids under 5. Joan has been through a whirlwind of tests and medical treatments; chemo, surgery, radiation and targeted treatment which has required travel to various hospitals throughout the state and Richard has been there right by her side. It has been a physical, mental & psychological battle for them all but with the love and care of family & friends and a positive attitude they aim to overcome this.

“It has made us look at life with a totally different perspective, things that seemed important, aren’t so important now. Quality time together and living the now is what it’s all about. Enjoying and appreciating the simple things in life. It is imperative that people (both female and male) do regular Breast checks – Breast Cancer is not gender nor age discriminative.” – Joan

Please remember to check your breasts – information on breast awareness and screening can be found HERE.

Joan and Richard are participating in the Mothers Day Classic to help raise money for the ‘National Breast Cancer Foundation’. Both the NBCF and the ‘Breast Cancer Network Australia’ are very worthy recipients of your charitable dollar.

We can’t wait to hear all about Silvers Circus and hope you all enjoy the show!

NOMINATE FOR OUR NEXT RANDOM ACTS OF KID-NESS NOW

If you would like to nominate yourself, or someone you know, for a Random Acts of Kid-ness please fill out the form located HERE.

We take your privacy seriously and will only disclose information you approve.

Octonauts Prize Pack Giveaway Winner Announced! Congratulations to …

May 1, 2015May 2, 2015 | Kidding Around Australia

FLAPPITY FLIPPERS!

We were overwhelmed with the amount of entries to our Octonauts Live Australia giveaway!

In the interest of fairness, we selected our Top 10 and gave those entries (without names) to an independent person to select the winner. Thank you so much for entering – we loved reading about your favourite Octonauts characters!

Shiver Me Whiskers, drum roll please ….

Kristy, we loved your entry and hope Harper enjoys her prizes! Please email us at info@kiddingaroundaustralia.com to organise delivery of your prize.

We are big Octonauts fans in the Kidding Around Australia house and can’t wait to see Octonauts Live! Operation Reef Shield again next month! It’s not to late to get your tickets either by visiting www.octonautslive.com.au.

Kidding Around Australia

Inspiring stories about our family activities and travel throughout Australia

Month: May 2015

Kidding Around with … Cinderella from Disney On Ice Dare To Dream

Kidding Around … The Disney On Ice Dare To Dream Princess Party

Kidding Around.. The Melbourne Museum

Kidding Around at … The Greatest Love of All – The Whitney Houston Show

The Greatest Love of All – The Whitney Houston Show Winners Announced! Congratulations to …

What’s On… STORIES UP HIGH, SKYHIGH MOUNT DANDENONG

Competition Time! … The Greatest Love of All – The Whitney Houston Show

Random Acts of Kid-ness – Silvers Circus

Octonauts Prize Pack Giveaway Winner Announced! Congratulations to …