In case you missed the screams coming from Ohio, the I’M GOING announcement post, or the thousands (okay, maybe hundreds) of social media posts that I’ve shared this week then please let me be the first to tell you that I was in LA earlier this week for the Red Carpet Premiere of Disney’s The BFG!
If I had to sum up the experience in just a couple of words that would be easy … A DREAM! Of course, that is rather fitting considering we were traveling to Giant Country and even made a stop off in Dream Country.
It all started a few weeks ago when I was closing up shop for the weekend, a.k.a. getting ready to close my laptop for the night, and pixie dust made its way into my inbox. Disney Invites You to Los Angeles! After screaming, jumping up and down, and having my husband read over the email to confirm I wasn’t hallucinating (he even pinched me for good measure) I started making plans for this GIANT trip! After the shortest shopping trip in history (my history), which is even mind blowing since I don’t like to shop and it normally takes hours, I had my dress, shoes picked out, and the rest of my trips attire planned in my head. After counting down the days, hours, and seconds the day was finally here. I boarded the plane and set off for a new adventure with Disney, 24 bloggers (plus a pretty cool PR Rep), and was ready to meet The BFG.
Fast forward to Tuesday, June 21st ~ A few days ago!
After a day filled with magical interviews, including sitting down with Director Steven Spielberg, the screening of an upcoming Disney film (more on both in the coming days), it was time to get ready for The BFG Premiere. Dress, shoes, and makeup in place, I was off to meet up with the group of bloggers that, much like me, just couldn’t seem to not smile. You could feel the excitement in the air as we departed for the El Capitan Theatre to walk the red carpet and then it was time!
It was a little over 100 degrees but you couldn’t tell by observing anyone in attendance. There was laughter and smiles everywhere you looked and the entire night, I didn’t hear a single person mention the heat. If I was asked to sum up the red carpet experience in one word it would be SURREAL. I don’t know about you but when I’m out and about, cameramen and reporters aren’t lining up to speak with me. When I head to the movies it isn’t a normal occurrence for me to wave to Mario Lopez and Jillian Michaels because they just happen to be in attendance too. And I’ve never ever been to a premiere party where Steven Spielberg and Mark Rylance were also in attendance. However, on Tuesday night, this was MY life and it was really happening.
The BFG Premiere Party was hosted at the Hard Rock Café. The music was popping, drinks were flowing (okay, so I drank water but I am sure there was bubbly flowing somewhere, right?), and the cuisine was English inspired featuring salad, sliders, sweet potato fries, and there were glorious ice cream bars set up all around the café. Fun zones with green screens were provided for pictures with The BFG, Mark Rylance made an appearance for a few selfies, and we mingled as we bumped elbows looking for celebrities.
The BFG Premiere Party ~ Hard Rock Café
I don’t know where the time went but before long it was time for another peak at the red carpet before heading inside El Capitan Theatre for the Premiere Screening. Talk about another WOW moment as we passed celebrities speaking to the press, little ones taking pictures with film props, and the lights flashing welcoming us to the main event. Inside we picked up a soda and popcorn, it was a movie after all, settled in our seats, and listened to compositions from the theater’s mighty Wurlitzer organ while we waited for the curtains to part and the movie to begin. I even saw Jemaine Clement (“Fleshlumpeater”) reunite with some of the giants from the movie and couldn’t help but giggle. All of this and we were sitting in the second row!
The music came to an end, the organ lowered, and as the lights began to dim I looked around and took a last few mental pictures from the night. Nestled between two amazing bloggers, Jenn from Jenn Unplugged and Tara from Trippin With Tara, I couldn’t help but smile and sigh. This was all real, I wasn’t in Dream Country, and this really was my life. The night was magical, everything was wonderful, and it was ready to visit Giant Country.
There is so much more to come! Keep an eye out for #TheBFGEvent hashtag all over social media and tune back in next week as I share interviews and more fun from the trip.
The BFG hits theaters on July 1, 2016
See you in Giant Country!
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