family fun

Did you know #Moana Sing Along Film is in Theaters Today ? You’re Welcome! @DisneyMoana #Disney

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MOANA fans get your singing voices ready as Walt Disney Animation Studios introduces an all-new sing-along version of the hit, critically-lauded comedy-adventure MOANA, coming to theaters nationwide January 27th!

Ever since my family and I went to the advanced screening of MOANA , my daughter has been singing and dancing to entire soundtrack! We love the film so much we even had a Moana theme night at home where I got my Polynesian on! 

I can not wait to see the movie again and continue on the epic journey. Fans are invited to set sail this time with an all-new sing-along version of MOANA launching in more than 2,000 theaters nationwide TODAY! MOANA audiences were swept away by the film’s original songs and score from a dynamic team that includes Tony®-, Emmy®- and Grammy®-winning songwriter Lin-Manuel Miranda (Pulitzer Prize- and Tony-winning “Hamilton,” Tony-winning “In the Heights”), Mark Mancina (“Tarzan,” Broadway’s “The Lion King”) and Opetaia Foa‘i (founder and lead singer of the award-winning world music band Te Vaka).

The sing-along version of MOANA includes the full feature film with on-screen lyrics, so audiences can belt out the words to their favorite songs, such as the Golden Globe®-nominated “How Far I’ll Go.” Moviegoers can check local listings for showtimes and theaters; the sing-along run will vary by location.

Walt Disney Animation Studios’ 56th animated feature opened domestically on Nov. 23, 2016, becoming the No. 2 Thanksgiving debut ever with $82 million. The film continues to delight audiences around the globe, earning more than $225 million domestically and $450 million worldwide to date. The film has a 95% score on Rotten Tomatoes and an “A” CinemaScore.

MOANA has received, thus far, nominations for BAFTA, PGA, Golden Globe® and a Critics’ Choice Movie Award for best animated feature. The film’s uplifting soundtrack has dominated the music charts for more than six weeks, peaking at No. 1 on the iTunes Albums chart; it is currently No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Album Sales chart and No. 2 on the Billboard 200 album chart. The soundtrack is available wherever music is sold and streaming.

Audiences can soon enjoy the original theatrical version of the film at home and packed with a variety of bonus extras when MOANA arrives on Digital HD/3D and Disney Movies Anywhere (DMA) on Feb. 21, and on Blu-ray 3D, Blu-ray, Digital SD, DVD and On-Demand on March 7.

Like MOANA on Facebook :https://www.facebook.com/disneymoana

 Follow MOANA on Twitter: https://twitter.com/disneymoana

 Follow Disney Animation on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/disneyanimation/

 Visit Disney Animation on Tumblr:http://disneyanimation.tumblr.com/

 Visit the official MOANA website here:http://movies.disney.com/moana

Whether you have never seen Moana before or plan to see it again like us, you are in for a treat! The movie, it’s message and the songs will leave an impression on the whole family. 

 Find out where the film is playing near you >>>here

You’re Welcome !

Got a child age 2-5 ? Then go see #DanielTigerLive ~It’s Grr-fic ! Today @DPAC 2pm/5:30pm #Durham 

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The legacy of the beloved “Mister Rogers” lives on with the hit television series, Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, from The Fred Rogers Company and airing daily on PBS KIDS. 

Now, Daniel and all of
his friends are hopping aboard Trolley to delight live audiences with Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood Live! Families and friends filled up DPAC in Durham on Saturday, January 21, 2017 for two (2pm & 5:30pm) exciting shows! Our little one packed up Daniel Tiger and Friends and was ready to see all of her favorites come to life on the big stage!

Donning his iconic red sweater, Daniel invites the audience on a musical adventure as he and his friends explore the vibrant world of their Neighborhood of Make-Believe, where sharing stories of friendship, helping others and celebrating new experiences is their preferred way of making the most of a beautiful day!


This interactive, live theatrical production filled with singing, dancing, laughter and “grr-ific” surprises will warm the hearts of multiple generations. Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood tells its engaging stories about the life of a preschooler using musical strategies grounded in Fred Rogers’ landmark social-emotional curriculum. Through imagination, creativity and music, Daniel and his friends learn the key social skills necessary for school and for life.


In February 2015, Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood was the #2 program across all TV networks for Kids 2-5 and with moms of young children. In addition, it continues to be one of the highest-streamed shows, averaging over 40 million streams per month. One million Daniel Tiger books have been published to date, and downloads of the apps, music and episodes continue to rank high on iTunes.

The animated TV series has garnered a host of prestigious awards, and most recently was nominated for a 2015 Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing in a Preschool Animated Program. This recognition follows a string of additional honors, including a 2015 Parents’ Choice Gold Award and 2014 Prix Jeunesse International Selection as well as the 2013 Kidscreen Award for Best Animated Series in the Preschool Category, and 2013
Cynopsis: Kids! Imagination Award for Preschool Series.

For more information please go to www.DPACnc.com. 

PBS KIDS Website: http://pbskids.org/daniel/

The Fred Rogers Company Website: http://www.fredrogers.org/

Produced by Mills Entertainment: http://millsentertainment.com/

Executive Producer/Tour Booking: The Brad Simon
Organization Inc.: http://www.bsoinc.com/


@CarolinaBallet Presents The Nutcracker Review + Giveaway,Win 2 Tix 12/16 show #NC #FamilyFun 

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Photo Credits: Carolina Ballet

On Saturday​ December 10 , SobeSavvy.com joined other ballet lovers in celebrating the 15th anniversary of Carolina Ballet’s version of The Nutcracker. This family friendly show, performed today at DPAC, is totally unique: it’s the only one that features illusions from world-renowned magician Rick Thomas. We got to experience breathtaking ballet, mind blowing illusions and see our favorite characters levitate, disappear, and reappear!

My daughter just had The Nutcracker story read to her at school as well as learned the music in class, so the timing was perfect to introduce her to this holiday classic. Carolina Ballet, under the direction of CEO/Artistic director Robert Weiss, does an outstanding job performing this magical tale of holiday adventure based on a novel by E.T.A. Hoffman. The Nutcracker is one of the most recognizable scores in the ballet repertoire and definitely a performance everyone should see! 

In case you need a refresher of what The Nutcracker is about, here is a quick synopsis:

It begins when young Clara receives a nutcracker from her godfather, a wizardly toymaker named Drosselmeyer. Sneaking downstairs to see the toy after everyone else has gone to bed, she suddenly finds herself caught in the middle of a pitched battle between the toys and an army of mice. After saving the nutcracker with a well-thrown shoe to the Mouse King’s head, Clara and her now-living prince venture into the Land of Snow and the Land of Sweets to celebrate. Throughout their adventures, Tchaikovsky’s dazzling inventiveness propels the dances of nimble flowers and regal fairy queens. The “Waltz of the Snowflakes” floats weightlessly whereas the “Dance of the Sugarplum Fairy” tiptoes to the haunting, music-box chimes of a celesta. A medley of exotic national dances—including a Spanish bolero and Russian Trepak—add to the phantasmagoric celebration before the whole dream ends, as all dreams must. 

This was my first time taking #outandaboutAva to see Carolina Ballet presents The Nutcracker and to share the moment with her will be a holiday memory that I will never forget!

Now I would like to give you the chance to be awed by the magic and choreography of Carolina Ballet and giveaway 2 tickets to see The Nutcracker perform on Friday December 16, 7pm at Raleigh Memorial Auditorium. 1 winner will be randomly selected on December 14th at noon. Enter by leaving a comment below sharing why you want to go! 

Good Luck! 

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#Raleigh, Don’t Miss @DisneyonIce #FollowYourHeart this weekend @PNCArena ~Opening Night Review

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​Disclosure: I received complimentary tickets to review the show, however any opinions are my own.

Disney fans rejoice and Follow Your Heart to see Disney On Ice! now performing at the PNC Arena until Sunday, December 11, 2016. We got a chance to attend the opening night and see Dory find her way to the ice for the first time ever!

My daughter, fondly referred to as #OutandAboutAva was so excited to see all her favorite characters reunite and loved the show! Since kids are encouraged to come dressed as their favorite Disney character, she was so happy to wear this beautiful Enchanted Ice Princess Dress from JustPretendKids.com in honor of Queen Elsa ! This costume dress is made to impress and simply gorgeous for this family fun event. She said she felt like a pretty princess and wished she could go ice skating too!

Disney on Ice Follow Your Heart is a celebration of true friendship ! New pals Dory and Hank from Finding Dory came out of the sea to dazzle us with their skating skills. 

We got a chance to cheer with the Emotions from Inside Out, The Toy Story gang and see Disney Princesses achieve their dreams ! I was most impressed with Ariel and her aerial performance. I won’t give too much away but her and Rapunzel must moonlight for Cirque du Soleil ! And I didn’t know Princess Tiana from the Princess and the Frog had such amazing skating skills. Check her out!

https://www.instagram.com/p/BNxtzbvDAgf/
Of course you can’t have an ice skating show without the stars of Frozen there. Olaf performed “In Summer” complete with dancing flowers, butterflys and bees. He joined Anna and Elsa for a wonderful performance filled with cold snow, warm hugs and true love.

Speaking of true love, everyone’s favorite couple Mickey and Minnie were there as well as friends Donald and Goofy. Produced by Feld Entertainment, this high quality show was filled with fun thrills and amazing acts. My family and I thought the show was amazing and magical. It definitely was a night to remember and a show you must see ! 

Tickets are on sale and can be purchased here. This show is recommended for all ages, so make your family fun plans NOW and get ready to discover the magic of Disney on Ice ! 

See more fun videos here : https://youtu.be/Q4giHJCmb3M

Photo Recap: Opening Night 2016 #NCChineseLanternFestival @BoothAmp #KokaBooth 

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Get Ready, Get Set and Go…………….. make plans to see the NC Chinese Lantern Festival this holiday season! SobeSavvy.com was there along with many more for the kick off of opening night on November 28 at Cary’s Booth Amphitheatre. Now thru January 15, 2017, join thousands of people to see a magnificent display of art and culture.

WHAT: The Festival displays hundreds of larger-than-life lanterns all aglow with thousands of LED lights, creating a mesmerizing feast for the eyes that takes about an hour to walk thru!

WHEN: November 25, 2016 – January 15, 2017, Tuesdays – Sundays: 6pm – 10pm

WHERE:  Koka Booth Amphitheatre in Cary, NC  *Parking will be free of charge in venue owned lots.

WHO: Fun for the whole family!          Kids 2 and under free                                Buy Tix HERE

Ages 3 – 17 – $10 , Adults ages 18+ – $15

Groups: Contact Jessica at 919-459-8319 orjlevasseur@rprk.com for groups of 20 or more

WHY: Why not?!  It is truly something that must be seen to believe. The Koka Booth Amphitheatre is turned into a mythical magical place with a two story pagoda entrance into this colorful world of lanterns.This bright lights festival features dozens and dozens of hand made silk animals, people and yes, even a ginormous dragon on Symphony Lake lit displays for all to look at in awe. The panda bear display is one of my little
ones favorites. A pair of Pandas were even on a see-saw playing!

https://www.instagram.com/p/BNQi_iQj58q/
This year the festival has added cultural performances that grace the main stage at planned intervals.  Last years festival drew 52,000 people,so count on big crowds and big fun. They have some food booths and food trucks available if you get hungry. See why this great display of Chinese artistry should be a part of your family tradition every holiday season in the Triangle. Check out this cool video sneak peak:

Here are some photos from opening night: 

More photos can be seen here on SobeSavvy.com ‘s Facebook page. Also on social media, follow #ncchineselanternfestival to see pictures shared by visitors who attended this wonderful event! 

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#Raleigh ,Celebrate the Holidays @NCSymphony ~A Kids’ Christmas Review & pre-Black Friday Sale

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Thanksgiving is the beginining of the holiday season, so what better way to kick it off then by joining the North Carolina Symphony ! 

Today #outandaboutAva and I joined other kids and their familes for A Kid’s Christmas… a one-hour singing and dancing celebration held at the beautiful Meymandi Concert Hall in Raleigh. Although the show started at 3pm , guests were encouraged to arrive early to meet the Snow Princesses and Santa! We also paid a visit to the popular Instrument Zoo located in the lobby and got a chance to try out orchestral instruments. Check it out..

https://www.instagram.com/p/BNKlB45DXGw/
A Kids’ Christmas featured music we all could enjoy from How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Frozen, The Polar Express and so much more ! It was so cute to see kids dressed in their jammies and/or their favorite Frozen character while singing along. The Triangle Youth Ballet was there to perform as well as the Raleigh Boy Choir, making this a very special event! Bravo to conductor David Glover and the NC Symphony as well for their wonderful performance. 

If you are looking for something to do this weekend with your family, join your North Carolina Symphony for Thanksgiving Holiday Pops Weekend, where Santa will also be in the libby before the concert.

 Savvy Tip: Now until 11:59pm tonight , save 50% on Holiday Concerts using Promo Code: PBF17 ..stay tuned for more discounts on Black Friday & Cyber Monday ! Purchase tickets here

In the true giving spirit of the holidays, NC Symphony is also collecting “Soup-to-Go” to help feed 1000 local kids at risk of hunger in the Triangle during any of the performances at Raleigh’s Meymandi Concert Hall. You can also take your donation in person to the North Carolina Symphony State Headquarters. For more information , call 919.733.2750

Here are some pictures from today’s special event. Enjoy and Happy Thanksgiving !

#OutandAboutAva Explores, Rescues, Protects and Reviews #OctonautsLive @DPAC ~Recap by #SobeSavvy .com

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Calling all Cadets! The Octonauts crew has something exciting for you at their brand new Octonauts Live! show.  #OutandAboutAva and I just saw the Deep Sea Volcano Adventure at DPAC and had loads of family fun watching the Octonauts come to life on stage. This high-tech production featured costume characters and animated projections to a massive screen on stage. The audience was filled with kids and families who enjoyed the opportunity to be apart of the action by joining the Octo-Cadets! 

DPAC packed the house on November 11 with fans to see this popular children’s show. The tour comes on the heels of new Octonauts episodes premiering throughout the year on Disney Channel and Disney Junior. Seasons one, two and three are also available on Netflix, and the first ever Octonauts 4D movie adventure is coming later this year. But just in case you do not know the Octonauts, they are a very dynamic team of heroes who go on a fast-paced, exciting underwater adventure. Their mission: to explore new underwater worlds, rescue amazing sea creatures and protect the ocean. The group is led by Captain Barnacles the bear, and also includes Kwazii the kitten, Peso the penguin, Dr. Shellington the sea otter, Dashi the dog, Tweak the bunny, Professor Inkling the octopus and Tunip the `vegimal’ (part vegetable, part animal). 

This stage show features sing-a-longs and alot of interactivity with the characters on stage. It was also educational as I learned alot about the ocean. Did you know it had layers like a cake? There’s 3 total: sunlight, twilight and moonlight before hitting the bottom of the ocean floor. Here is more of what you can expect to see at Octonauts Live! https://youtu.be/Bb1Nns8yKMg

Following the show, we attended the Octopod Explorer Party, which I talked about here in my prior post about Octonauts Live. It truly enhanced our Octonauts experience and I recommend upgrading your ticket for the following perks:

Deep Sea Adventure & #FamilyFun Awaits @DPAC #OctonautsLive Nov 11,6pm #Durham #NC @Octonauts

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Durham, NC get ready to Explore. Rescue. Protect! with Octonauts Live! at DPAC November 11 @6pm.

“Octonauts” has a brand new, action-packed and interactive theatre show for the very first time in the U.S ! The Octonauts and the Deep Sea Volcano Adventure features brand new and fan favorite songs led by the entire Octonauts eight-member crew including Captain Barnacles, Lieutenant Kwazii and Medic Peso, as they invite audiences aboard an underwater quest through a world full of adventure, interactivity, and tons of sea life surprises! I am looking forward to having family fun and seeing this show with #OutandAboutAva, as this is one of her favorite shows on Disney Jr. !

The Octonauts live show, produced by Red Light Management & Fiery Light, in association with Silvergate Media, consists of two acts each running about 30 minutes, plus a brief intermission. For more information, visit www.octonautsliveus.com,www.facebook.com/octonautslive or search on social media using #octonautslive.

Savvy Tip: Octonaut Party Explorer Upgrades are now available to all current ticket holders looking to enhance their Octonauts experience. Upgrades include a Meet & Greet / Photo opportunity with Captain Barnacles and Tweak,an interactive Octopod photo booth, activities and games, an exclusive Octonaut Explorer party gift, early venue entry with crowd-free merchandise shopping, and an on-site exploration guide. Upgrade your tickets now: http://www.cidentertainment.com/events/octonauts-tour-2016/

Starting in San Diego on September 22, this tour will head coast-to-coast visiting more than 60 cities this fall. Here is a look at their remaining tour schedule :

November 11 Durham, NC Durham Performing Arts Center
November 12 Baltimore, MD Hippodrome Theatre
November 13 Washington, DC Warner Theatre
November 15 Norfolk, VA Chrysler Hall Theatre
November 16 Wilkes Barre, PA Kirby Center
November 18 Glenside, PA Keswick Theatre
November 19 Morristown, NJ Mayo Performing Arts Center
November 20 Boston, MA Orpheum Theatre
November 22 Bethlehem, PA Sands Bethlehem Event Center
November 23 Red Bank, NJ Count Basie Theatre
November 25 Wallingford, CT Toyota Oakdale Theatre
November 26 Brookville, NY Tilles Center for the Performing Arts
November 27 Richmond, VA Carpenter Center
November 29 Atlanta, GA Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre
November 30 Jacksonville, FL Florida Theatre
December 1 Ft. Myers, FL Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall
December 2 Clearwater, FL Ruth Eckerd Hall
December 3 Orlando, FL Dr. Phillips Center
December 4 Miami, FL Fillmore Miami Beach

Hey #Raleigh ! #DisneyOnIce #FollowYourHeart is coming to @PNCArena 12/8~Enter Giveaway 

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​Make unforgettable memories with Mickey, Minnie and all your Disney friends when Disney On Ice presents Follow Your Heart skates into Raleigh, NC at PNC Arena from Thursday December 8, 2016 thru Sunday December 11th. And guess what… SobeSavvy.com has tickets to giveaway to send a family of 4 to opening night of this live production ice-skating extravaganza produced by Feld Entertainment!

Follow your heart straight to adventure at Disney On Ice! Just keep swimming with Dory and new pal Hank from Disney•Pixar’s Finding Dory as they set out to find her parents and discover the devotion of family. Cheer with Joy, Sadness, and the rest of the Emotions from Disney•Pixar’s Inside Out as they work together to boost Riley’s spirit and win the big hockey game. Venture to wintery Arendelle where Olaf and Kristoff help reunite royal sisters Anna and Elsa from Disney’s Frozen and learn love is the most powerful magic of all. See Cinderella, Rapunzel, Ariel and the Disney Princesses make their dreams possible through virtues of bravery, kindness and perseverance. And celebrate true friendship with Buzz Lightyear, Woody and the Toy Story gang. 

Tickets are on sale and can be purchased here. This show is recommended for all ages, so make your family fun plans NOW and get ready to discover the magic of Disney on Ice ! 

Giveaway: One winner will receive a Family 4-pack of tickets to see Disney on Ice presents Follow Your Heart for opening night, Dec. 8th 7pm at PNC Arena in Raleigh, NC.  3 ways to enter…

  • Comment below who your favorite Disney character is ???
  • Follow & Comment on the SobeSavvy.com Facebook page here
  • Follow & comment on Instagram page here

Giveaway ends November 28 and winner will be randomly selected and notified shortly thereafter. Good Luck…and don’t forget, sharing is caring!

***Contest has ended. Congrats Kiara Ruth ..you won 4 tickets to see Disney on Ice. Enjoy!****

Disclosure: I received complimentary tickets to Disney on Ice in exchange for this post, however I only promote events I believe in and that will appeal to my readers.

#OddSquadLive goes on a mission @DPAC @OddSquadPBS @PBSKids #familyfun #Durham #NC

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On Saturday November 5th, I joined in on some spy fun with my little one to see Odd Squad Live! , an interactive live show based on the popular PBS KIDS program Odd Squad. My 5 year old daughter and her 10 year old cousin were super excited to go on this spy adventure along with many other kids in the Triangle who headed out to the DPAC for some family fun !  

Under the supervision of their favorite agents, the audience got to put their skills to the test to decode the strange and odd occurrences happening. Through digital audience participation, we turned into junior agents and got to interact with the Odd Squad in real time to work together on the very special mission delivered by Miss O to solve an exciting mystery! How cool!

In Odd Squad Live! you got the same weirdness that you get from the tv show, which won a Daytime Emmy Award for “Outstanding Writing in a Children’s Series” but with a twist: The kid agents were turned into adults and it was up to the children in the audience to turn them back! For the live show you can expect singing, dancing, laughing and of course oddness while building math, problem-solving and collaboration skills.

Whether you are a fan of the show or not, you will be entertained during the 90 mins (plus intermission) by the new gadgets, funny villians, and catchy hit songs from the Odd Squad favorite band, Soundcheck !  For more information please go to  OddSquadLive.com , PBS KIDS Website: http://pbskids.org/oddsquad/

1 head plus 2 bodies…Now that’s ODD! 

Be sure to check out what is coming next to the Durham Performing Arts Center at www.DPACnc.com.