This post is Sponsored by Disney but my opinions are 100% my own!

At the beginning of the summer, my girls made a list of things they wanted to do over the summer and seeing Monsters University was on the list.  The couldn’t wait to see it.   The funny thing is they were so afraid of Monsters Inc the first few times they saw it but this one they were counting down the days.  As the summer went on and we got busy we forgot about the movie and the week before school started I had to scramble to get them there.  At that point it was almost out of theaters but I found one place that still had it.  Then my little one decided she didn’t want to go.  Seriously?  I love how kids change their minds at the drop of a hat.  But I wanted to see it and so did my older daughter.  So instead, we took a neighbor with us and left the little one behind with our neighbor and her younger daughter.    Of course once we saw it she was sad she didn’t.  So I told her to wait until it came out on Blu-ray because I knew it wouldn’t be long.   Remember when you had to wait a year to see a movie on VHS and then you had to wait until the Video store had it in stock?  Well those days are gone because a few months later and here we are – Monsters University is released on Blu-ray and DVD combo pack today, October 29, 2013.

If you missed it in theaters I’ll bring you up to speed without giving away all the details.    Monsters University takes place before Monsters Inc.  It explains how Mike and Sully became friends in the first place or should I say how they almost didn’t become friends!  Lets just say that Sully wasn’t high on Mikes list when they first meet but because they both had the same ‘dreams’ they couldn’t avoid becoming friends.  It’s a fun movie about starting off in college and the trials and tribulations of being in college.

We absolutely loved the movie and I honestly liked it better than Monsters Inc!   And while this did include “monsters” it wasn’t scary at all and appropriate for all ages.

Ever since college-bound Mike Wazowski (voice of Billy Crystal) was a little monster, he has dreamed of becoming a Scarer—and he knows better than anyone that the best Scarers come from Monsters University (MU). But during his first semester at MU, Mike’s plans are derailed when he crosses paths with hotshot James P. Sullivan, “Sulley” (voice of John Goodman), a natural-born Scarer. The pair’s out-of-control competitive spirit gets them both kicked out of the University’s elite Scare Program. To make matters worse, they realize they will have to work together, along with an odd bunch of misfit monsters, if they ever hope to make things right. “Monsters University” bravely explores themes of self-discovery and the revelations that come with growing up.

There is TONS of bonus material on the Blu-ray and DVD, which is always a favorite of ours.

• Campus Life – What’s it like being on a production crew at Pixar? Get a look at a day in the life of the “Monsters University” crew through their own eyes.
• Story School – This documentary examines the challenges of creating a prequel as well as themes that run through the story, and the change in focus from Sulley to Mike.  We’ll also look at how gags are developed – from writing jokes to brainstorming a million ideas, only 5% of which actually end up in the movie.
• Scare Games – At Pixar, we play hard while we work.  The same people who keep the film production moving – producers, managers, coordinators and artists – are also the ones who bring spirit and excitement to some of our extracurricular activities. We check out the MU production teams as they go head to head in the mostly playful Pixar Scare Games competitions.
• Welcome to MU – Sets aren’t just buildings, they are the worlds our characters live in and explore.  This look at the Monsters University campus and its development is told from the perspective of the artists who created each piece of the campus from the architecture to the ivy leaves.  .
• Music Appreciation – Randy Newman’s scores are a mainstay of Pixar films, and this documentary will give you a privileged look at his creative process.  We follow the “Monsters University” scoring process from spotting to writing and on to the scoring session. including special college-themed recording sessions.
• Scare Tactics – Animators are actors who digitally bring the characters to life. In this look at how the MU animation team worked, you’ll see their process of how they channeled their own monster-selves and created moments on-screen that were really funny, really scary and also really serious, sometimes all at the same time.
• Color and Light – How can a single painting set the tone for an entire scene? We’ll look at the creation of the colorscripts and how they were realized technically in the final film.  Along with the process, this piece explores the many layers of technical innovation required to produce such a naturalistic feel.
• Paths to Pixar – MU Edition – When one door closes, sometimes another door opens – one with an even more exciting opportunity behind it. Members of the MU crew tell their own compelling backstories and share the challenges they overcame along their paths to Pixar.
• Furry Monsters: A Technical Retrospective – Explore the difficulties in creating characters that are 20 years younger with tools that are 10 years more advanced in this contrasting look at the differing technical challenges that arose when making “Monsters, Inc.,” and “Monsters University.”
• Deleted Scenes – Four separate scenes – “Rivalry,” “Recon,” “Movie Night,” and “Drama Class” – are highlighted with an introduction from director Dan Scanlon.
• “The Blue Umbrella” – This animated short film from Pixar Animation Studios, directed by Saschka Unseld and produced by Marc Greenberg, played in theaters in front of “Monsters University.” “The Blue Umbrella” tells the story of an evening commute in which the rain starts to fall and the city comes alive to the sound of dripping rain pipes, whistling awnings and gurgling gutters. And in the midst, two umbrellas—one blue, one not—fall eternally in love.
• Additional Bonus Features – Audio Commentary, Promo Picks, College Campaign, Theatrical Campaign, Set Flythroughs, Art Gallery and more!

The deleted scenes are always a favorite of ours because it gives us a little extra of the movie.   My oldest daughter asked me why they delete scenes and I told her one reason I believe they do this is because they run out of time.    The movie can only be so long and can’t go on for hours and hours.  She thinks when they make the Blu-ray they should just put all those deleted scenes into the movie since we are watching it at home and can pause the movie when needed to.  I think that’s a very good idea too!

The Blue Umbrella short was great, just great.  I loved it when we saw it in the movie and was so excited to see it as a bonus feature.  My oldest was excited too and made my husband watch it.  It’s super cute and a little ‘love story’ of two umbrellas. I know it sounds silly but it’s a little sad at one point too.  You have to see it to understand.  I love these little shorts and it gives you more bang for your buck when you see a movie.

You can find this movie on sale where movies are sold right now!  It’s a great one to add to your Disney movie collection!

Disclosure: I received a Free product for review. My opinions are 100% mine.