disneyland paris tips and tricks♡

So as some of you may know I went to the ever so beautiful Disneyland Paris for my Summer holiday. It was such an amazing experience and I am desperate to go again. I have definitely got after holiday blues. I had a lot of questions and concerns regarding my first visit to Paris and despite having only been once I managed to gather a lot of tips and tricks if you are planning on making a trip to Disneyland in the near future. Obviously, I am no expert but hopefully these tips will come in handy and not just for the Disneyland in Paris. 

Queues for rides♡

Probably the worst part about the holiday was the dreaded queues. We went in the Summer time which was very busy to go and it took so long to queue for one ride. Sometimes up to an hour and a half! Here's what we learnt.

♡On certain rides you can ride the ride as single riders. So if people didn't fill up the ride and there was an extra space a single rider could fill up that space. Single riders rides are labelled on the park map and there are two separate queues. The Ratatouille ride was queued for 90 minutes but the single rider queue was only 30 minutes and we managed to get on even quicker than that. The only thing is we weren't sat with our family but we still got on and off the ride at the same time!

♡As part of staying in a Disney Hotel you get to go to the park early during Extra Magic Hours which is where the public who may be going for day trips can't access the park. The main Disneyland Park opened at 8am meaning that you have an extra 2 hours to get on certain rides without a massive queue. For the Walt Disney Studio's park, you can get into the park at 9:30am. 

♡As part of staying in a Disney Hotel or having an annual Disneyland pass you have the opportunity to use the fast pass system. I will try and explain it as best as I can. A fast pass ticket is a ticket that allows you to skip the majority of a queue for certain rides. So, for example, you want to ride Big Thunder Mountain. You go to the Big Thunder Mountain fast pass machines and scan your Disney park ticket. You will then get a ticket telling you a time and a half an hour window where you can return between those times and go on the ride. This saves you lots of time. If you know a ride you really want to do, make sure you get to the park early and use the fast pass because fast passes do run out on really popular rides. 

♡If you are planning to get to the park early make sure you queue on rides that don't have a fast pass system or get really busy or queue for fast passes. Crushes Coaster in the Walt Disney Studios park is queued the majority of the day for about an hour and a half. On one of the days when we got to the Studio Park early, we queued for it first and got on in about half an hour. 

♡We were in queues for at least 15 minutes to an hour which is a long time to just be waiting around. I took a book around with me and managed to get a lot of reading done!

Meeting characters♡

Meeting characters is one of the best things to do at Disneyland because where else would you meet them? Here's how to do it! 

♡On several occasions we saw characters walking around the park. We saw Timone, Raifiki and Jafar just walking around. Obviously, they are going somewhere so you can't stop to take photographs but you can still high-five them and interact with them. 

♡You can see characters at the parades which happen every day at Paris that go through the main street. It's so magical and again, even though you don't get to have photographs with them, you can still interact with them.

♡Sometimes we would see different characters having meet and greets around the park. I don't know if these are planned in the sense that there timetabled in and you can know the set times. We never queued to meet the characters but we saw who was having them. Characters having meet ups include - Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee, Meridia from Brave, Eeyore, Tigger and Daffy Duck.

♡Another way to meet characters in more of a one on one setting is at character meals. On the first night of our stay we booked to go to Cafe Mickey. At Cafe Mickey we met the man himself, Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Tigger, Goofy and Pluto. The good thing about these meals is they spend a good 5 minutes with each table and the characters are so in-character. If you put the effort into talking to them in character, it makes their job a lot more exciting! We also went to Cinderella's restaurant to meet the princesses. We met Cinderella, Prince Charming, Aurora, Ariel and Cinderella's two mice - Suzie and Bella.

Clothing, bags and food♡

♡One thing I was really worried about was taking my bags on rides or leaving them on the side as I took my camera and phone so I wanted my valuables to be safe. Sophie and I shared a rucksack so on rides we would safely secure everything and put each bag strap round our legs so it wouldn't go anywhere. You have to take bags on the rides and you are encouraged to put them under the seats. Make sure on rides such as Indiana Jones, Space Mountain and Tower of Terror where you go upside down and up and down, that all your valuables are secured in zipped compartments and that your bag is tightly closed. 

♡Where comfortable shoes like converse around the park. Bring longer socks to cover your ankles and plasters! It's a lot of walking!

♡If you are going in a particularly big group or you like your snacks throughout the day, we took croissants and fruit from breakfast in freezer bags for snacks because it's much cheaper than buying things in the park.




I hope you enjoyed my tips and tricks for any future disneyland trips you are planning!

Emily xx

back to school Q&A♡

I asked you on Instagram for any questions for my back to school Q&A as part of my upcoming back to school series! Here are my answers to your questions!  

@theperksofbeingcarla♡

What's your favourite subject?

My favourite subjects are English, History and RE.

@whatcharlottedid_♡

Tips on how to keep anxiety/panic at bay in school? 

How to deal with meeting new people?

Are you looking forward to going back to school?

So firstly, anxiety. In earlier years in school I really struggled to deal with anxiety in school but I have since learnt how to deal with it better and have several tips! If you are feeling anxious during a lesson you can ask to leave if you need a breather. You do have a right to ask. If you don't want to say to a teacher specifically why you need to leave, you could ask to go to the toilet etc. I also try and distract myself with small tasks and to keep busy so my mind is not constantly on my anxiety. Your friends are also your support system, so if you can confide in your friends and tell them you are feeling anxious they can comfort you or distract you from your anxiety.  On a practical note, you can take some Bach Rescue Pastilles which are anxiety tablets which are designed to reduce your anxiety and make you calmer. 

Meeting new people can be quite a daunting thing and especially when you take your GCSE's and are put into a class with people that you aren't familiar with. My tip is to try and make conversation. Talk about the work or say hello. It's always going to be a bit scary because they are new but we all start as strangers and they are probably feeling a bit nervous too! 

Umm..well. It's my final year so it's quite daunting going back but I am looking forward to getting back into the swing of things! 

@the_life_of_chloe♡

What do you enjoy most about school?

I really enjoy the lessons and the social element of school! 

@thriftyvintagefashion♡

Revision tips?

I could quite literally write up a whole long post about this because I actually enjoy revision. So to keep it brief because I may go more in depth in an upcoming post! Utilise your revision text books, make mind maps, flip cards, use fun colours and always keep hydrated when revising! 

@chloepaigeeblog♡

What's on your stationary list?

I am excited to look around Paper Chase because they always have really cute stationary! There's nothing in particular I desperately want though!

@josiemai_♡

What are you most looking forward to about going back to school?

I know this is further in the year but I am looking forward to prom and finally finishing exams and subjects that I don't particularly enjoy! 

@ediewhitehead♡

What's the one beauty product that's always in your school bag?

My Collection Lasting Perfection concealer! I always take it around with me because it's the best concealer for spots! 

@amy.louu♡

What is your technique/schedule that helps you keep up with your homework?

What's your favourite hairstyle to wear to school that keeps your hair out of your face?

When I get a piece of homework I try and complete it as soon as I get it so then by the weekend I don't have a mountain of homework that needs completion. I also write down in my planner or calendar when it needs to be in by. Also writing to-do lists really keeps me motivated and helps me stay on track. As well as homework, also try and fit in chill time or time for social activities because it breaks up the work! 

I tend to do the half up half down style to keep my hair out of my face because nothing is worse then having hair in your face when you are trying to work! 

@xits_mollyx♡

How do you stay motivated throughout the year?

I am normally quite good at motivating myself because I like being organised and in general I do enjoy school despite the stresses! If I have had a few hard exams or tests I will treat myself at the end, so if there is a blusher I really want for example, I will allow myself to buy it or I will have a Netflix afternoon or something! As well as that, school years are what you make of it and even though they feel long when your in them, the years go quickly so you may as well enjoy it!


@monochromedaisies♡

How to get school work done after school without procrastination?

This is such a good question! After hours of school work I am desperate to have a scroll through social media and catch up on some YouTube videos. Okay, so if you have some things to do write a to-do list and set yourself time limits on your mobile devices or on the TV. Allow yourself at least a 20-30 minute free time to get a snack and relax and then attempt to stay focus on school work. Take 5 minute phone breaks every 40-45 minutes to keep you going! Or what I do, put my phone in a drawer and don't get it out until I've finished all my school work! 



I hope you enjoyed this little Q&A if you have any other questions I will answer them down below!

Emily x

disneyland paris haul♡

Recently I went on holiday to Disneyland Paris and I picked up a few souvenirs from the trip that I thought I would show you! 

The first thing was given to me by my Dad's cousins wife who we were travelling up to Paris. She gave me this beautiful Belle pin. Belle is my favourite princess and it's so pretty! 

After we arrived the first stop was to pick up matching Minnie Mouse ears for my sister and I. I wore these the whole 5 days, every meal and every waking hour! 

On the first night after dinner at Cafe Mickey, we wandered in the shops and I bought this little Aristocat keyring which is adorable. It has the 3 kittens on it with an Eiffel Tower. Aristocats is my fifth favourite Disney film (yes, I have an order of my favourites haha) and I couldn't leave it! I also saw they had a similar keyring to the Aristocats but with the princesses on it so of course, I had to pick it up. One slightly annoying thing is that Belle's dress has orange on it when really it should be all yellow?! C'mon Disney...

I also bought two Disney teddies because why not? There adorable! I bought Eeyore and Thumper! 

And the last thing I bought for myself was this stunning Belle statue. Unfortunately, Belle's hand has broken hence why she doesn't have an arm. I still have the arm ready to superglue back on!

Thank you for reading!

Emily xx

july favourites♡

It's time for another monthly favourites which I have to start with the ever so cliche thing of where has this month gone? 2015 is flying by! 

Beauty Favourites♡

My first favourite this month is the Mabelline Fit Me concealer which I bought to try out. I have been so impressed with this concealer this month. It is so creamy and easy to blend. It corrects my under-eye circles well and my blemishes too. It's an exact match and it's really lightweight for the Summer time. I have used this every day since I bought it!

I also have really been loving my Rimmel Fix and Perfect Pro Primer. I have much preferred this over some of my other primers this month as the consistency is a lot more moisturising and like a cream rather than a gel. I have just been using this a lot more because it does keep my makeup on the whole day and I especially love this around my T-Zone because it really does mattify my makeup and stop it melting off my face in the heat! 

For my lashes this month I have been using the Mabelline Lash Sensational. Last month I was raving about the Benefit Rollerlash which is basically the sister of this Mabelline mascara but much cheaper. It has the same effect but the Mabelline one has a bigger wand. I have been loving this the past month as a cheaper alternative to my benefit one!

For lips, I have been loving my Burts Bees Beeswax lip balm which is a really minty lip balm. I love it because it makes your lips feel tingly and has a cooling effect. I don't know particularly why I have been drawn to this balm this past month but I have been using it an awful lot! I have also loved the Collection Cream Puff in Cotton Candy which is a liquid matt lipstick and I have adored this because it stays on for a long time so in the heat of this past month it has stayed on my lips and maintained a good colour.


Non-Beauty Favourites♡

I have been reading a book this month and that has been How To Be Bad by E. Lockart, Lauren Myracle and Sarah Mlynowski. It does sound like it's an advice book for the non-existing rebel in me but no! It's about 3 girls who go on a road trip. It hasn't been the best book I have read this year but it was an enjoyable summery read.


What have you been loving this month?
Emily xx

disney land: travel diary♡

For the past 5 days I have been in the most magical place on earth - Disneyland Paris! It was the best holiday I have ever been on. I felt surrounded by the true magic of the place and how beautiful it was. Every part of the place was detailed and it was so photogenic so I took a lot of photographs! Parades, fireworks, rides and meeting princesses. It was the most amazing experience, so much so, we are tempted to book a trip over Christmas. I'm such a big Disney fan so this was paradise to me. I hope you enjoy looking through some of my photos! 

The main Disneyland hotel was stunning! 

The Castle! 

Mine and my sister's favourite ride - Big Thunder Mountain! 

The Parade! 

Anna at the frozen sing along show! 

Emily xx

what's in my travel makeup bag: disney edition♡

So as the title states I am off to Disneyland at the weekend and I am so excited but also a little nervous about travelling! In preparation, for the Disney adventure I have prepared a makeup bag with my essentials and also some cute travel mini's to take away with me.

The first thing in my makeup bag is the nail polish I am planning on wearing for the Disney trip just incase it chips. The one I am planning on taking is the Barry M Gelly Hi-Shine Nail Paint in 'Rosehip' which is really long-lasting and when wearing it on my last holiday, it stayed put with little chips. It also has a really glossy finish to it which is really lovely. I chose this pastel pink shade because it goes with most outfits and really compliments a tan (IF I will get one that is!) 

For my base I decided to bring my trusty Rimmel Fix and Perfect Primer. In Disneyland I am preparing for early morning starts and late evenings so it is vital that my makeup stays put for the whole day and I can definitely trust that this primer will do the trick! For a lightweight base I settled on my Body Shop All In One BB Cream because it's really light on the skin, gives your skin a fresh look to it and if I tan this is a colour adapting cream as many of my other foundations are the palest shade. 

For concealer I settled on bringing two - the Mabelline Fit Me and the Collection Lasting Perfection. The Fit Me concealer is a lot more liquid like and is better for under the eyes and my Collection one is better for covering up pesky spots. For powder, I am taking my Rimmel Stay Matte because I can trust that this will keep my skin matte for a good few hours which is needed in the heat. 

For my cheeks, I am taking my NYC Smooth Skin bronzing face powder which is a slightly darker bronzer than my usual Body Shop bronzer so is perfect 'if' I tan. I have been waiting to use this for a long time as it never looks right in the colder months on my skin. For blusher I settled on my old favourite, Sleek's 'Rose Gold'. It's a beautiful pink with a hint of gold shimmer running through! Who doesn't like a glittery blush on holiday? 

For my eyes, I decided on taking my Collection Eyes Uncovered pallet because you can get a really good set of neutrals and it's relatively small to take away with me. I can't go anywhere without a pink eyeshadow so I decided on my Rimmel Mono Eyeshadow in 'Precious Rose'. It's a lovely frosted silvery light pink which looks lovely all over the lid with a simple eyeliner look.

For mascara, I decided on the Mabelline Lash Sensational. It lengthens my lashes and gives them that curve. It's my current favourite at the moment. For eyeliner, I decided on my Soap and Glory Super Cat as the nib is really precise and I have mastered how I like it down to about 2 minutes and speed is needed when getting ready for Disney. 

For brows, I've decided on bringing my Mabelline 24hr Colour Tattoo in 'Permanent Taupe' which is my current favourite eyebrow product. As it's designed to last 24hr's my brows are going to be in place for as long as possible! To make sure they stay tamed and that theres no stray hairs I will set them in place using my Natural Collection Lash Care Clear Mascara. 

Now for the fun and most difficult part about going on holiday. Why are lip products such a challenge to choose? I settled on these four which I am pleased with. Firstly, I decided on my Collection Cream Puff which is a matte lip cream in the shade 'Cotton Candy'. I thought this would be ideal for the heat as it is really long-lasting. For a gloss, I decided to bring Mabelline Colorsensational lip gloss in the shade 'Glorious Grapefruit' which is a bright coral shade which screams Summer to me. And I couldn't not bring my favourite lip products. I decided on bringing both of my the Revlon Colourburst Laquer Balms. One in the shade 'Coquette' which is a bright hot pink shade which again, screams Summer to me. And of course, my all-time favourite 'Demure' which is a perfect everyday nude pink colour. I love these laquer balms because they are so glossy and are in a crayon shape so are easy to apply on the go. 

Now for skincare and extras! I am taking my Skin System Q10 Complex Day Cream which is my current day moisturiser because it is really light and has an SPF which protects you from the sun. I'm also taking my night time moisturiser and spot treatment which is the Clean and Clear Dual Action Moisturiser which I use everyday! 

I also decided to buy the Colab dry shampoo in the mini size just to test it out. I decided on the Paris fragrance as it seems ideal for my trip to Paris. It's quite a musky floral scent. I can't wait to try this! I also am bringing the 125ml of my Garnier Micealler Cleansing Water for my sister and I to share. It's our go-to cleanser and I couldn't live my skincare life without it. I am also bringing my mini of the Dove Purely Pampering lotion. It's quite a wintery scent as it's Shea butter and vanilla but I love the Dove lotions as they are really moisturising. 

For perfume, I have settled on the Zoella Blissful Mistful as it's a slightly cheaper option and it is a really fresh scent which is quite Summery. And for a lip balm I'm taking my cherry Carmex because it has an SPF 15. 

(This post is part of a little blogger series I'm taking part in called the "secret blogger project 2015" run by teen bloggers Emily , Rebekka and Charlotte. About 30 of us will be writing twice a week on selected little lifestyle topics and you can also go onto the twitter and Instagram hash tag "#secretbp2015" to have a little chat and view everyone's posts. If you would like to join or know more (we'd love to have you!)  Instagram dm @theperks0fbeingemily or if you don't have Instagram, send a quick email to  rebekkarosebeautyxo@gmail.com!)

What are your holiday essentials? 

Emily xx