Ben... Skywalker?

I will begin by saying if you have not seen Star Wars The Force Awakens, are you living under a rock? All joking aside, in this post I am going to continue on from my last post, which will contain spoilers from The Force Awakens. So if you have not seen it yet, stop reading here and go to the movie theater, then come back here and we can speculate together!

In my last post I gave my theories that Rey is Luke's daughter as The Force Awakens gives you all the information to put things together. In The Force Awakens we also learn that Kylo Ren is actually Han and Leia's son turned to the dark side. In the EU we know that Luke has a son with Mara Jade and his name is Ben Skywalker, we also know that the new movies are not going by the EU. Kylo Ren being Han and Leia's son just doesn't sit right for me, we know that in episode 8 or episode 9 there is going to be a big "surprise" reveal just like The Empire Strikes Back. I don't feel that big reveal is going to be Rey being Luke's daughter, as so many clues were left for us to piece that together. To me the big reveal is going to be that Kylo Ren is Luke's son and Rey is his younger sister.

Now for me the biggest clue is his name, if he is Han and Leia's child why would they name him Ben? Leia has no known interaction with Obi Wan Kenobi, and in fact she actually only knows him as Obi Wan Kenobi. Han only meets Obi Wan for a very brief stint when they board the Millennium Falcon and he only thinks of him as a weird old man. So why would they name him Ben? My theory is that some time after the battle of Endor Luke met his love interest and together they had a child, Ben Skywalker. Seeing as the Empire had just fallen, one would have to assume there was still pockets of the Empire throughout the galaxy. Enter the rise of The First Order, led by Snoke. Now by this point you would have to assume Luke has trained Leia in the force, but upon hearing the rumors of the First Order has to leave his new jedi trainee's to put a stop to The First Order. Luke and his love interest leave Ben with Han and Leia and he grows up with them knowing Han and Leia as his parents leaving the perfect opportunity for Snoke to begin manipulating Ben. At some point Luke and his love interest have Rey while they are trying to stop The First Order, Luke learns of Ben turning to the dark side and they return right away only when Luke gets there and see's that Ben has become Kylo Ren and has killed all of the new jedi's. Kylo Ren kills his actual mother(Luke's love interest) and Luke flee's feeling this was all of his fault. 

Together with Leia they stash Rey on Jakku where Max Von Sydow's character lives to watch over Rey and is given the missing map piece to where Luke is. To piece it all together Snoke is Darth Plagueis and is manipulating Ren to kill Luke. Rey was with Luke when he returned to the new jedi's after Ren killed them and that is why he get's so upset when he hears of the girl. The possible grave beside Luke at the end of the movie is Ben and Rey's mother. 

Post your comments below on this theory or post your own theory below.

May The Force Be With You

-The Pin Boys

Star Wars: Who is Rey?

WARNING THIS WILL CONTAIN SPOILERS IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN STAR WARS THE FORCE AWAKENS... READ AT YOUR OWN RISK!

Who is Rey?


After seeing Star Wars The Force Awakens, one compelling question we are left with is Who is Rey? Who is her family? How is she that strong in the force without any training? In my opinion she is a Skywalker and the clues are left there in the movie for us to figure out. When we first me Rey we only know that she was left there by her parents and she lives her life as a scavenger of old ship parts. We quickly learn that she is very skilled at fixing things and eventually we find out she is a great pilot. She learns to fly the Millennium Falcon on the go and is really good at it, something I feel only a strong Jedi could do.

When she meets Maz Kanata, we hear the line "Dear child, the longing you seek is not behind you, it is in front of you". There are probably many ways this line can be taken, but I think it means the path to her father is in front of her. At this point she finds Luke's old lightsaber and see's possibly repressed memories or she is sensing the history of the lightsaber.

At this point she is captured by Kylo Ren and taken to be interrogated. We see Kylo Ren trying to read her mind and he can only get so far before either Rey or Luke have put a block in place. She then very quickly learns to control minds and even use telekinesis without any previous Jedi training.\

After the final battles, she joins the alliance and as soon as she gets in the base R2-D2 wakes up from low power mode and show the rest of the map to reach Luke. Only Rey and Chewbacca take the path on the map to find Luke, where eventually after searching the islands finds Luke Skywalker. The look on Luke's face to me is the look of a father seeing his child after a long time.

The most compelling argument for me is, if Luke disappeared why create a map of your location to be found. We know that R2-D2 has majority of the map and there is one key important section missing, which just so happens the one key piece missing is on Jakku being held by Max von Sydow`s character. I believe Luke hid Rey on Jakku after Kylo Ren and The First Order killed all of his students. This also explains why Kylo Ren always gets upset in the movie when Rey escapes, and not just minor upset but he destroys whatever is in front of him, because he knows his sister will be his demise.

Yes you read that right, I am speculating that Kylo Ren is Rey`s older brother and are both children of Luke.

More to come on this theory in the future, stay tuned....

May The Force Be With You
-The Pin Boys

Star Wars: The Force Awakens The Real New Hope

December 18th 2015 seemed like a date that was taking forever to come around. For all the Star Wars fans out there (and yes there are a lot even if they wont admit it) were eagerly and cautiously awaiting Star Wars Episode VII. Since waiting 10 years since the last Star Wars movie came out, or 32 years since the last really good Star Wars movie has come out, finally thanks to Disney and J.J. Abrams there was optimism and even HOPE for the future of Star Wars movies! I had only watched the trailers for The Force Awakens and tried to stay away from spoiling the movie for me. I rushed to the theater for 10 am to see the first showing for Star Wars on December 18th, I was not disappointed. Upon leaving the theater my first thought was I wish I didn't have to work today, cause I would go and buy another ticket for the next showing. But without giving away any spoilers I would like to give my two points as to why this movie has breathed new life into Star Wars after the disaster of the prequel trilogies.

Point number 1:  A well written story and great a cast of characters!

The story for The Force Awakens is so well written and brings out a lot of emotion in the movie. Defiantly a big reason for that is bringing back writer Lawrence Kasden who wrote Episode V and Episode VI. Lawrence along with J.J. Abrams and Michael Arndt (Toy Story 3, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire) have been able to put together a wonderful and compelling story that, in my opinion has revitalized the Star Wars world. Even with a well written story, you need to have actors that make you believe and root for their characters. Daisy Ridley (Rey) and John Boyega (Finn) defiantly deliver on their characters, and for all of their criticism that they faced for having the lead roles, their critics should be silenced after seeing the movie. Of course another great aspect with the characters is having Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, and Carrie Fisher back for the film. The new energy and the nostalgia has you on the edge of your seat.

Point number 2: Practical Effects vs Visual Effects

In Star Wars The Force Awakens they return to using practical effects more the way the original trilogy used them. For those who don't know the difference practical effects are created physically without the use of computer editing, where as in the prequel trilogy they used mostly visual effects. Switching back to using practical effects in my opinion has made the movie more realistic and especially when you watch it in IMAX 3D you feel apart of the movie. Effects are a big part of movies and practical effects make the movie feel that much more real. It was great to see actual Stormtroopers as opposed to visually edited in Stormtroopers.

Overall this is a must see in theaters movie. It is worth the $10-$15 to see it on the big screen. I look forward to seeing it a few more times in theater.

May The Force Be With You
-The Pin Boys

My Year Long Hiatus

Hey everyone,

It has been a long time since I have posted a blog here! It has been a somewhat stressful year, went through some job changes and completely ran myself ragged between work and volunteering, so much that my health was compromised. I took a step back from many things in life, unfortunately this was one of them. I have since made things more stable and am progressing back into the things I am passionate about, and Disney is one thing I am very passionate about.

Together my wife and I have teamed up and started a blog together! We have started Exploring The Kingdom and our blog can be found at explorethekingdom.blogspot.ca! We have started an Instagram account posting pictures from our three previous Walt Disney World trips! (instagram.com/exploringthekingdom). Please check them out and share our love of Disney!

2015 was a pretty up and down year, I really missed Disney World as we did not get there this year. I really missed the pin trading. But throughout the year both myself and Alice have worked really hard and we are happy to be returning to Disney World in January 2016! I have dusted off the pin collection and ordered some more for trading. I look forward to escaping the cold Canadian winter again and head to sunny Florida!

So please join us as we are driving this year to Disney and will be videoing our travels and time at Disney World.

Stay tuned for more!
Happy Trading
-The Pin Boys

Disney Planning: Choosing your Carry On Part 2

Hi Friends,

If you missed part 1, the link below will take you there, when you are all caught up, come back to part 2.
Link to part 1

In part 1 we talked about traveling without checked luggage. We gave you suggestions on suitcases and backpacks. In part 2 we are going to talk about overnight bags and purses.

Will you be checking in a bag and taking a carry on bag?

If you have decided you needed a carry on and a checked bag to make your trip that much easier, don't worry you are not alone, on each of our Disney trips, we each have packed a carry on and a checked bag.

Overnight Bag
Overnight bags are the broadest category of bags. They can be anything from a duffel bag to a messenger bag, pretty much everything between a suitcase and a purse. At the airport or even when you search online for carry on bags, there are so many options, I am going to show you the two that I have tried and really liked. The first up is the LUG Puddle Jumper, this one ranks number two on my list because if you keep the carry on under your seat, it has to go on it's side. The second bag is the LUG Hula Hoop, this is my favorite carry on bag, I used it on our last trip to Walt Disney World, and I will be using it on our trip back there in January. It fits every I need and it fits under the seat with room to spare. Both bags are pictured below, Puddle Jumper in red and Hula Hoop in black.

Photo credit of luglife.com

Photo credit of luglife.com

Purses
Sorry guys this category doesn't really apply to you. I like having a small purse to keep all my important papers and documents together. Purses are a very broad category, each women has her own preference. I'm not sharing a LUG bag again, first I am going to show you a new one that I have picked up. It's a Baggallini Everything Bagg (I'm thinking this is going to be a great park bag, but I will let you guys know after I get back from the trip). The second bag from Walmart, I'm using it as my second carry on item this trip (normally I only use one), it will fit my wallet, book, pillow, and still fit under the seat. Both bags are featured below:

Photo credit of baggallini.com

Photo credit of walmart.ca

I hope this helped you guys with your carry on choices, pretty much any bag you use will be great. If you have some great suggestions for other carry on bags, feel free to leave me a comment below.

See you later

-Alice

Disney Planning: Choosing your Carry On Part 1

Hi Friends,

When it comes to carry on's you have endless possibilities. There are four main types of bags, a suitcase, a backpack, an overnight bag, and a purse.You have to ask yourself a few key questions to figure out what is the right carry on for you:

Is your carry on the only bag you are taking?

If you are only taking carry on luggage, then you are going to want a bigger bag. Refer to your airlines carry on restrictions to know the size and how many bags you are able to take with you. Some airlines allow you to carry on more than one bag, but some might charge for them.

Photo credit of Skyroll.com

Suitcase
Suitcases give you the most amount of space. For the most part they are very basic, when you add your own organizational tools inside, like packing cubes or compression bags, you can really make it your own. To the right is a cool example of a suitcase with built in organization.
Backpack
Another great option is using a backpack. My husband likes the idea of being hands free. You can fit a lot in a backpack and the weight becomes more distributed. I absolutely adore LUG brand bags! There is so much organization in each one, in my blogs you will hear a lot about LUG bags. Below is the bag I bought for my husband, he hasn't used it yet, but I will give feedback on it when he does.

Photo credit of luglife.com

I hope you enjoyed part 1, look for part 2 where we talk about overnight bags and purses.

See you next time

-Alice

Disney Movie Club Pin

Hi everyone!

Recently I became a Disney Movie Club V.I.P. member, and this privilege has allowed me to collect pins from the Disney Movie Club, pins that you cannot get anywhere else. So I wanted to show you this Olaf pin I got from being a V.I.P.

Included with every pin is a certificate of authenticity!

Happy Trading

-The Pin Boys

Disney Studio Store September Pin Release

Here are the pins coming out for September at the Disney Studio Store in Hollywood!

Happy Trading

-The Pin Boys

Disney World Planning: Arriving at your Reserved Time

Hi Friends,

When you finally arrive at your vacation and it's time for your sit down meals there is still a bit to know. You may have made a reservation but that does not mean they are saving a table for you. It means that your name is on the list and it's been holding your place in line. When the next available table opens up you will be seated. This can be as quick as 2 minutes but at busier restaurants or at busier times it can be an hour of waiting. Due to this fact, make sure you don't have anything big planned after your dinner reservations.

If you have decided to do a sit down character restaurant, there are a few things you will want to bring along with you.

• Costume (Young children only)
• Autograph Book
• Camera
• Your appetite!    

 I hope this helps you plan your day for going to your dining reservations, and make your trip to the world that much easier.

See you next time

-Alice

Disney World Planning: Making your ADR's

Hi Friends,

Now that you have picked the restaurants for your upcoming trip, you will want to book as close to the 180 day mark from your vacation date. Sometimes it's not possible to book at the 180 day mark, but the earliest you can book, the better. The practice of booking so far in advance is becoming more and more necessary with the popularity of the Disney dining plan.

Just a few days ago I had a friend tell me he couldn't get into the Be Our Guest restaurant on an upcoming trip because it was already full.  Now I'm not saying that this is the case always, I mean I've been in some restaurants that have been fairly empty but the popular restaurants do full up quickly.

You have 2 options for booking your ADR'S:

1. Book online, sign into your Disney world account and follow the steps under make a dining reservation. (Under the what to eat heading) You will get a conformation number, make sure you write it down.

2. Call Disney worlds dining reservation number and talk to a wonderful Disney cast member who can book them as you chat. You will get a conformation number, make sure you write it down.

My husband and I have booked both ways and they both have their pros and cons:
Online
Pro: You can book at your own pace
Pro: Access to the restaurants basic information and sometimes menu's
Con: You can have computer, internet, or website issues that may delay booking
Con: You don't have access to all of the available times

Phone
Pro: You can talk directly to a Disney Cast Members who have access to all available times
Pro: Disney Cast Members are able to trouble shoot any issues you have with restaurants
Pro: You tell the Cast Member what you want and they do their best to accommodate your needs
Con: You may have to wait on hold if the Disney Cast Members are busy
Con: It takes time and sometimes money (if you don't have a long distance plan) to call and go through several reservations

Hopefully this helps with making your dining reservations through Disney. I will be back next time to explain what to do with your reservation numbers once you get them. Have a magical night!

-Alyssa

Disney World Planning: Picking your Restaurants

Hi friends,

So you are planning a trip to Walt Disney World, and today is the 180 day mark before your trip. That means, today you could start booking ADR'S or advance dining reservations.

It is a very exciting thing to be able to book your restaurants, but with 139 restaurants at Walt Disney World (74 of them are available for advanced dining reservations) it can seem like a tall task to know which ones are right for you and your family. It is important to find places that everyone can agree upon, so if you have picky eaters in the group, it might be best to keep it simple. I say do your research and pick restaurants that look interesting to you and your family. I mean if your family hates fish the Coral Reef might not be the best choice.

There were 3 websites that helped me in understanding what was offered in each restaurant and ultimately helped us pick our restaurants:
1. Of course I mention the Disney world official website: www.disneyworld.disney.go.com
2. www.wdwinfo.com
3. www.disneyfoodblog.com

On our last trip to Walt Disney World, we managed to eat at these restaurants:

• Via Naploi
• Coral Reef
• Chef Mickeys
• Be Our Guest
• Tony's Town Square
• Crystal Palace
• Planet Hollywood
• Rainforest Cafe
• Beaches N' Cream
• Tusker House 
• Cinderella's Royal Table

We tried quite a few new restaurants on our last trip. We made new favorites and ate at some we will probably never return to. Beaches N' Cream became our favorite dinner restaurant, as the ice cream was the best we had in all of Disney World.

There are so many restaurants in Disney World to try, so get out there and try a new one!

-Alice

I'm Back!

Hey everyone!

I apologize for not posting in awhile, I have taken a bit of a hiatus for the past month and a half. I have been working and volunteering, and yes, I have been daydreaming of being in Disney World. It has been a busy summer, complete with ups and downs.

My wife and I have decided this summer we wont be making it back to Disney World this January (insert sad face). But overall we try to just focus on the positive things, the city we live in is getting a Disney Store again, and we are excited to be able to get Disney things so close to home again. We were able to acquire some cool pins from the Disney Movie Rewards and Disney Movie Club.

But apart of the hiatus has allowed me to look deeper into the direction of this blog. Together my wife and myself have determined the best goal for both of our blogs is to join together. So my wife is becoming an author of The Pin Boys, and will bring in some great insight on traveling to Walt Disney World and Disneyland. We both are excited to show our passion and excitement of Disney. Stay tuned for great things to come!

  

Live, laugh and believe.

The Pin Boys

Disney Studio Store July Pins

Here are the pins coming out for July at the Disney Studio Store. I would love to get the 3 on the bottom right.

Happy Trading

-The Pin Boys

Walt Disney Presents...

This is one of my favorite pins, it's from the Disney Store when they sold pins. It's #7 of the 100 Years of Dreams series.

Happy Trading

-The Pin Boys

Two Worlds: Tarzan & Jane

My wife is a big fan of Tarzan, so when we managed to come across this two worlds Tarzan & Jane pin, we had to get it. It is from a Disney Store Magical Moments series. It's to bad the Disney Store doesn't sell pins anymore.

Happy Trading

-The Pin Boys

Disney Movie Rewards Pin

You heard that right, even the Disney Movie Rewards has pins you can get with your reward points. I can't believe I forgot to post this pin when I got it a month ago. It is a jumbo pin featuring Mickey Mouse, and is exclusive to only Disney Movie Rewards and has the movie rewards logo in the bottom left corner. It even comes with a stand.

Happy Trading

-The Pin Boys

Pin Feature: My 1st Visit

Today I am showing you the pin I got on my first visit to Walt Disney World, and is one of the pins that got me started on my collection. It is from 2012 and is the 1st visit pin they had for sale in the pin store at Downtown Disney.

 

I have some special exclusive pins in the mail from the Disney Movie Club, so stay tuned for those as I will post pictures of them when I get them.

Happy Trading

-The Pin Boys

Disney Studio Store June 2014 Pin Release/Event

Here are the pins coming out for June at the Disney Studio Store in Hollywood. Information about the event can be found here: Disney Studio Store Facebook Page

Happy Trading

-The Pin Boys

Revenge Of The 5th

Today is the revenge of the 5th, so I am featuring my get a taste of the darkside Disney pin. It has a stormtropper eating a Mickey shaped ice cream treat.

Happy Trading

-The Pin Boys

May The 4th Be With You

May the 4th be with you, today I thought it would be fitting to feature the emblem of the Republic Disney Pin. This pin came in a set 7 different Star Wars emblems.

Happy Trading

-The Pin Boys