Disney: #JungleBookEvent Premiere Red Carpet Experience

I received an all expense paid trip from Disney to attend the #JungleBookEvent. The opinions expressed here are my own and I received no monetary compensation.

I’m still trying to wrap my head around everything that happened at The Jungle Book red carpet premier. It still feels like a dream and the night went by much too quickly. It’s something to cross off the bucket list. Leading up to my trip out the Los Angeles, I rushed around town trying to find a dress fit for the red carpet. If you followed my dress shopping adventures on Snapchat, you know my despair. It was tougher than wedding dress shopping. After many (many, many) dresses, I found THE ONE on the clearance rack (score!) of Nordstrom Rack. It was colorful and twirled well and perfect for me. Off to the premier I went, saying a little prayer that my luggage containing my dress wouldn’t be lost en route. 

After a day full of interviews at the press junket (stay tuned for those!) with my fellow bloggers, we rushed around to get red carpet ready in an hour. It’s amazing what you can do in an hour when the red carpet is waiting. We were whisked off to a back entrance and after a quick stop on the Oscar stairs for a photo opt (eeek!), we were ready to take our first step on the red carpet. My stomach was doing somersaults and it was a surreal experience. We passed onlookers and paparazzi yelling celebrity names. It was overwhelming, but added to the adrenaline in the air. We spotted Neel Sethi, who plays Mowgli, signing autographs. This uber talented 12 year old kid was so professional and put together in such an overwhelming environment!

 Photos by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Disney

There are technically two red carpet lanes, side by side. The larger lane is where the stars waltz down, giving interviews to the reporters. The second, smaller lane, is where the VIP’s get ushered rather quickly through. We were in the latter, but still very fabulous red carpet lane. For a small moment in time, I got to ditch my yoga pants and walk that red carpet like I belonged there (which is still debatable lol). I spotted Lupita Nyong’o, Sir Ben Kingsley, Giancarlo Esposito and Jon Favreau all giving interviews on the red carpet. There were many more star sightings, like Dax Shepard, Mario Lopez and Ben Warren. I might have made a two second cameo behind Sir Ben on USA Today (at 1:21). 

 Photos by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Disney

The red carpet, leading to the historic El Capitan theater, was decked out in a fun jungle theme. Once we got into the theater, we grabbed our bucket of popcorn (totally kept the bucket) and found our seat. There was a band and live singer on stage until the movie started and the crowd erupted with applause once the title appeared. Many of the voice actors in the movie hadn’t seen the movie yet, so it was amazing to be able to watch it with them. The movie was incredible (my review is coming soon) and I felt tremendously honored to be sitting in a room full of so many talented people. Once the movie ended, we went across the street to the OHM Nightclub for the after party. They brought in Disney turkey legs, churros and Dole whips! Plus, they had a DIY bumble bee headband station and a DIY beeswax candle station. Crafts and churros, what more could a girl want?! 

 Photos by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Disney

Alas, the clock struck midnight and my coach turned back into a pumpkin as we left the party. It was an incredible experience, one I’ll never forget! I’m so grateful. Now it’s time to put back on the yoga pants and get back to my most favorite job – being a mom. Bedtime stories might just include my red carpet adventures tonight. 

Make sure to follow The Jungle Book on Facebook, Twitter, IG, Pinterest and G+. You can also follow Walt Disney Pictures on Tumblr and YouTube. The Jungle Book opens in theaters everywhere in 3D, RealD 3D, and IMAX 3D on April 15th!