Does it feel like forever until your next magical holiday? Looking for ways to keep the excitement going? We’ve got you covered! Here are our family’s favourite ways to keep the Disney magic alive as you count down the days until your next trip, literally!
Make A Mickey Mouse Countdown Chain
There is nothing more satisfying than seeing the days-to-departure disappear before your eyes. A simple, yet effective way to do this is with a paper chain. Black, red, white and yellow is all you need to recreate the classic Mickey Mouse palette. Make enough links for one for each day until departure, then each day remove (and recycle) one. Think of it like a hand made advent calendar. Alternatively, download a countdown app or the relevant official Disney Parks or Disney Cruise Line planning app for your phone. That way, whenever your alarm goes off for work in the morning, you can see how many more rude awakenings until the important one!
Throw a Disney Dance Party
These are all the rage at the parks and on the cruise ships (and who doesn’t love a boogie), so say goodbye to your inhibitions and hello to the Hot Dog dance! Spotify, you’ve got this!
Bake & Decorate Character Cookies
3 basic ingredients, some cookie cutters and some icing pens is all you need for an afternoon of fun. You can see our super simple shortbread recipe here for your biscuit base, then pick up some cookie cutters and writing icing for the kids and let them at it! Of course you’ll want to make a couple of your own delicious masterpieces for the Insta too, but we don’t need to talk about that now, do we?!
Sing Your Heart Out At A Disney Karaoke Night
If you are anything like me, every day will be like a Disney Karaoke party, but others may like to make an occasion of it! Invite some family and friends over, get a few LeFou’s brews in and have a ball! If you really want to go to town, you can decorate with some Mickey themed party decorations, but that is totally optional!
Disney Trivia Quiz or Games Night
There are so many Disney games on the market; from Play That Tune to Cards Against Disney, Villains Monopoly to Princess Uno. If you want to do something virtually (it’s 2021 after all), a Disney trivia quiz is always a hit. If you don’t want to be burdened with being quiz master, get each player to pick a category and write 5-10 questions each. My favourite rounds are unusual ones like ‘Who said that?’ and ‘Beat the intro’, but normal trivia is great too. Tailor it to your age group / fan level, and if there are real fanatics in the mix, be sure to include all the franchises like Marvel, Star Wars, Pixar and shorts too!
Ultimate Disney Movie Marathon
Did you know there are already 59 Disney Animated Classic films released to date? That doesn’t include most sequels, spin-offs, live-action movies, or any of the other franchises like Pixar, Marvel and Star Wars! Depending on how much time you have and what your family enjoys, you can draw up a calendar of what you want to watch and tick them off as you go. Disney+ has more than enough content to keep you going until your holiday and beyond! Don’t forget to look out for Easter eggs!
Watch Planning Videos Online
Hello YouTube, my old friend! Nothing gives me the pre-departure chills like watching the planning videos! Old or new, it doesn’t bother me, I will watch them all! Try to stay away from ride-throughs if you haven’t seen them in person before – I think it spoils the surprise. If you want even more content, check out WDW Radio – it started as a weekly podcast in 2004, but has now become a blog, fan community and YouTube channel, and really radiates positivity and helpful information (unlike some social media) thanks to it’s humble (and huggable) host, Lou Mongello.
Make Reservations Together
Whether you are the kind of family that plan everything to the minute or let it all fall in to place on the day, there are some elements of your holiday that you will want to plan. Depending on your destination, things will be bookable up to 180 days in advance, and some things book up FAST! If you know there is something special you want to do, don’t leave yourselves open to disappointment – research and book as soon as you can. Disney can make dreams come true, but they can’t always perform miracles!
Have A Movie Themed Dinner
You can start with something as simple as Mickey-shaped pancakes. Or (if you’re feeling adventurous) you could go the whole hog and recreate Belle’s banquet, complete with ‘cheese soufflé, pie and pudding en flambé’ and the ominously named ‘grey stuff’! Adapt your expectations according to your time, patience and skill! Be sure to lay the table accordingly and play music that compliments your culinary creations.
Make Disney Crafts
There are so many Disney crafts you can do, depending on your family’s interests and abilities. Pinterest is your friend here! The internet is packed full of ideas and printable, from colouring in Cruella to creating your own Cozy Cone, there is something waiting to be found.
How do you like to build the excitement for your Disney trips? Share your ideas in the comments – we’d love to hear from you!
Our Whimsical World 