What would YOU do with 48 Hours in Hawaii? I'm sharing my whirlwind trip to Oahu for the Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle Press Junket.

Thank you to Sony Pictures for sponsoring this trip.

What would YOU do if you received a last minute invite to a dream trip to Hawaii?  

A lot of you followed along as I shared some of this in live time, but I've been DYING to share more and to give you a little sneak behind the scenes for the Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle Press Junket.  The week before Thanksgiving, I got a random email around 4 pm.  I was on the phone with a girlfriend, and I literally dropped the phone and started screaming.  Sony Pictures was inviting me to their press junket IN HAWAII.   Yup, they were offering me the chance to interview Dwayne Johnson, Jack Black, Karen Gillan, and Jack Black…..plus director Jake Kasdan.  This amazing offer involved 48 hours in Hawaii at an amazing hotel, plus……a helicopter tour of the island where Jumaji: Welcome to the Jungle was filmed.  A few phone calls later (you know, to arrange childcare for Lydia)….it was official……I was escaping to Hawaii for three days and two nights ALONE! (I know, it's every mom's dream).

Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle Press Junket

 

The Movie:

Anyone else a HUGE fan of the original Jumanji? Now, here's the dorky teacher side of me…..the Jumanji BOOK? Is one of my favorites.  It combines an amazing story with stunning illustrations, and the original movie with Robin Williams? Is stellar.  So my first question when I started researching Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle was…..they're not making a half baked remake, RIGHT?  NOT AT ALL.  Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle is the story of four teenagers who, get detention.  While doing their time, they discover an old video game console and are sucked into the game's jungle setting.  The audience follows along as they become the avatars they chose (brace yourself, a teenage girl becomes…..Jack Black).  I'll be sharing a full review next week, but let me tell you……this is a MUST see.  It's the perfect date night movie, and made me love these actors even more than I already did.

When we arrived in Hawaii, after getting settled…..we got a chance to SEE the movie.  Yup, a whole theatre full of bloggers, film critics, and press…….and guess who showed up to surprise us?!? Dwayne Johnson and Jack Black showed up to say hello, and Dwayne's mom even stayed to watch the film with us!

The Interviews:

Let's be honest, we all assume blockbuster actors will have an air about them, right? I'm not going to lie, I was a little nervous when Dwayne Johnson, Jack Black, Karen Gillan, and Jack Black entered the room.  Those nerves lasted about 30 seconds until Jack Black looked each of us in the eye, shook our hands and THANKED US for being there…..then cracked a joke.  When we got down to business, we had a chance to ask the actors about the film and about their own childhoods, even about the theme of female empowerment in the film.  But ONE theme rang true for all the actors as they made the film……and it's a SUPER important message.

Which theme in the movie was YOUR favorite?

“For me, the most interesting theme in the movie was probably embracing who you are. Embrace all your weirdness and awkwardness.” – Karen Gillan

“The most powerful and the HARDEST thing even throughout adulthood is being ok with who you are……Embracing the flaws, you're going to screw up, you're not going to fit in, you're going to be uncomfortable, you're going to be insecure……” – Dwayne Johnson

The Hotel: 

FOUR. SEASONS.  OAHU.  This might be what heaven looks like.  I had a view of the ocean, fell asleep to the sound of the waves, was steps from the beach, wore a lei around my neck, and slept in the softest bed I've ever felt.  Honestly? I didn't realize how much I needed a few days of me time until I was sitting on the beach alone soaking it all in.  It was absolutely amazing.

The Helicopter: 

One of my favorite parts about my trip (aside from the whole two nights alone in a fancy hotel part)?!? We got the once in a lifetime chance to take a helicopter ride over the Island of Oahu.  On our second day in Oahu, in between our fancy press interviews……a group of us bloggers took a little tiny bus over to the airport.  From the beaches to mountains to a fly over of Pearl Harbor…..our ride with Blue Hawaiian Helicopters was one of the most breathtaking (once I got over my fear of heights) vantage points I've EVER seen.  We even got to see the Dole Pineapple plantation!

IN THEATRES DECEMBER 20TH

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