Disney Interactive Party: I Came, I Saw, I Brought Home Gift Bags (Including One to Giveaway!)

Update: 10/21 - The winner has been picked! See below.

A couple of weeks ago I was invited to a party thrown by Disney Interactive Studios to introduce some of their new games for Wii, Nintendo DS and PlayStation. I took my girls and a couple of their friends, since they're the real gamers and the ones whose opinions count - no one wants to hear me complain about how the game's going too fast! And hey - I swear I got a gazillion points so why is the score telling me I'm a loser? Better for everyone if I just kick back on one of the comfy couches, sample the food and shout encouragement.

No slouchers, these Disney people - they had their party at the über hip Coco de Ville, where David and Victoria Beckham and Kim Kardashian have been known to party. They weren't there that night, but I'm sure if they were they would have hung out with me on the couches. Except for Posh - she looks like she might be able to kick ass on Toy Story Mania.

And speaking of one of our favorite games, Toy Story Mania for Wii is based on the ride of the same name at Disney's California Adventure. This is a really fun, fast-paced carnival-style game and one of the few that I can actually play without looking like a complete idiot. I played this at the party with one of the people from Disney Interactive who helped develop the game, though, and not surprisingly she beat me pretty badly. In fact, I think she may have had her eyes closed the whole time. And one of her hands tied behind her back. Okay, both hands.

I finally talked my girls into giving the new Sing It: Pop Hits a try, but only because I threatened to get up there and sing a Coldplay song by myself. Nothing gets kids motivated like the threat of being horribly embarrassed and they couldn't wait to get the microphone out of my hand. Once they started singing this ended up being their favorite game, and they loved that the song selection included some current artists like Duffy, OneRepublic, Maroon 5, Colbie Caillat and Taylor Swift. And they're going to die if any of their friends see this, but they even sang along (very well, I might say) to Miley Cyrus' The Climb.

I have to add that the food, provided by the adjacent restaurant STK, was amazing. There was fare for the kids (corn dogs, chicken fingers) and a cotton candy machine that was the highlight of the evening for my 11-year-old. For the adults there was tuna tartare, beef kebobs and salad sticks and what may be the best cheeseburger slider and fries I think I've ever had. Just to make sure I had three of them.

As is tradition whenever I take this group of girls out, we stopped at Starbucks on the way home, and as the gaggle enjoyed their mochas and lattes I overheard what passes for an enthusiastic endorsement from this jaded crowd. "Dude, I totally don't like karaoke but I'm going to have to buy that Disney Sing It." So thanks, Disney - I might get to warble along to that Coldplay song after all.

And leave it to Disney Interactive to send all of us home with not one, but two great swag bags - one to give away to one of my readers.

Here's what's in the bag: Toy Story Mania for Wii, Spectrobes Origins for Wii, a Tinkerbell Light-Up Projector flashlight, a Spectrobes Excavation Kit, a Jonas Brothers mouse pad and a set of Princess and the Frog measuring spoons.

Oh, and also? In keeping with my tradition, I'm personally throwing in a $5 Starbucks card so that you can get yourself a coffee after you've worn yourself out gaming.

So, if you'd like a chance to win here's how you can enter:

1) Leave a comment on this post, below. Or,
2) Leave a comment on my Facebook fan page (Sweatpantsmom)

You can enter once in either location (meaning two entries per person)

I'll be picking a winner from all the combined entries on Tuesday, October 20 using random.org, which is, as the title suggests - random.

*Sorry - entries from the Continental U.S. only.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Update: 10/21: WINNER PICKED

I put all the entries into the random list generator and let it do its thing.

AND THE WINNER IS...



Kirsten Pekrul Dominguez! Kirsten, send email me your address so I can ship you your swag bag! Congratulations!

And thanks to everyone who entered - I have lots more giveaways coming up!

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

tags: disney interactive studios | disney toy story mania for wii | coco de ville | nintendo wii games | disney sing it pop hits

Tweet Pin It