Fun Ways to Count Down to Disney

Part of the fun of traveling to Disney is gearing up for the trip.  In our family, we like to think of fun ways to count down to Disney! Today, I have put together some fun, unique ideas to count down to your next trip! There are a lot of fun ways to count down to Disney!

Making a paper chain to countdown to anything is fun, right? But what if you started Disney magic before you left home?  What if you had some simple, yet fun and magical ways to count down to Disney? In our family, we always make a Disney Vacation Countdown, but this trip we are making it more magical! Today I want to share with you how you can bring some Disney magic into your house before you even leave home!  

TIPS FOR Planning a Disney Vacation

Planning a Disney vacation brings so much excitement, anticipation, and details.  From deciding on a Walt Disney World Resort, to booking your fun Disney Dining Reservations.….then your Fastpasses.  Each stage brings something new and exciting to plan and look forward to! 

Like many Disney fans, we have learned that planning as far in advance as possible is the best way to go! It allows us to save money, make payments on our trip, and have the opportunity to think through any changes we’d like to make.

Think of planning a Disney vacation in steps.  Narrow down the basics ~ which Disney resort is best for your family? How many days of park tickets do you need? A basic Disney package is a resort room and park tickets.  From there, you can add a Disney Dining Plan, MemoryMaker, and special experiences.  If you can break it down into smaller pieces, the planning process becomes much easier!

Fun Ways to Count Down to a Disney Trip

Every year for our Disney trip, I make a countdown for our family.  It’s super simple, and easy to make.  For some, I have used paint chips, Disney scrapbook paper, Disney ribbon, and some small clothespins.  I wrote a fun Disney fact on one side of the paint chip and the number on the back.  Each day, the kids took turns turning the number over, reading the fact, and watching our countdown turn from numbers to facts.  For others, I’ve used an inexpensive picutre frame and vinyl, along with small clothespins and Mickey heads I cut out with my Silhouette Cameo.  Before we knew it, it was time to go!

Another fun idea is to give the kids a small surprise -Disney themed of course- on incremental days of the countdown. Leading up to your trip, visit the Dollar Store and the Target Dollar Spot. A great resource is the Disney Store, as they have some super magical and authentic items for a fun splurge before you go!  I made some Mickey heads out of scrapbook paper, glued them on the front of yellow gift bags, and these are what they opened to reveal their surprise.  Some suggestions for these are:  Disney PJs, Disney coloring books and word search books, Disney Pez Dispensers, exclusive MagicBands, MagicBand Decals, etc.

Stock up on Disney themed snacks. You can upcycle some containers at home to create cute Disney themed snack containers for the car, your carry on bag, or even to take into the parks! With some scrapbook paper, stickers, and simple adhesive, they’ll be put together in no time!

 

Disney+ makes is super easy to have a Disney movie night! There are so many classics to be seen.  And, seeing the movie before your trip can really put some of the lands at Magic Kingdom, character meet and greets, and other details of the Disney parks into perspective. Plan a Princess Movie Night, a Toy Story Movie Night, or even a Classic Character Movie Night.  Pair them with some fun Disney inspired treats, and this can make for a SUPER fun countdown idea!

 

 

Make some customized Disney t-shirts to wear in the parks. Tie-Dye, vinyl, and even iron ons can make your shirts extra fun before you go!  Retailers such as Old Navy, Joann Fabrics, and even Amazon sell blank shirts at a reasonable price. You can easily download free files from Pinterest, create your own in your design software, or purchase some from Etsy to print at home and iron on. Matching, or coordinating Disney shirts, make your photos on vacation unique and memorable. At this point, one of our “must dos” before we leave on our Mommy and Me trip is to decide on t-shirt designs I can make for us to wear.  We wear matching shirts each day, even matching the park we are visiting or the dining reservation we may have!

 

It’s so fun to have a Walt Disney World, Disney Cruise Line, or Disneyland vacation to look forward to! What fun ways do you count down to Disney?