How to Bring Disney Magic Home - Fun and Easy Ways
For our family, the best part of Disney, or any vacation for that matter, is the way it makes us feel long after we’re home. A little Disney magic before or after a trip is a a great way to have that.
Let’s be real.
Vacations are expensive. They’re short snippets in our normal day-to-day lives. Yet, they’re a lot of work to prepare for.
But, at least for our family, they’re so worth it.
Family vacations are where some of our best family memories are made. They’re often how we remember the milestones through vacation pics and moments etched in our brains.
For us, one of the best ways to make the most of any vacation is to bring a piece of it into our daily lives. We’re not big souvenir buyers, but we do like experiences that do that.
No vacations are easier to make that happen than the Disney themed ones. It’s easy to prepare for a trip or remember a past one through some Disney-inspired fun.
These are a few of our favorite ways to bring Disney magic home to keep that vacation vibe alive.
1 - Enjoy some really yummy Disney-inspired food.
There’s no quicker path to my kids’ hearts than through their stomachs. So many of our memories from Disney vacations involve our favorite themed restaurants and special meals.
I remember loving a salad at the Crystal Palace in Disney World, asking our server about it, and before I knew it the chef was at the table telling me what was in it. And then he emailed the recipe to me!
The good news is you don’t need to meet the chef at your favorite Disney restaurant. Lots of recipes are already available online. Disney Food Blog has one of the most comprehensive lists so you eat Disney yummies while you’re stuck at home.
2 - Ride your favorite Disney park attractions virtually.
Dreaming of racing through a diamond mine on Seven Dwarfs Mine Train or journeying to outer space on Space Mountain?
YouTube is the place to go to ride your favorite attraction virtually. Or try Avatar Flight of Passage and Rise of the Resistance, two rides my kids loved YouTubing.
Just a warning though - these videos could be spoilers if you’re never ridden the attractions in person.
3 - Get crafty with fun Disney craft activities.
There’s something about channeling my inner vacationer that makes me a little more patient when it comes to cleaning up slime experiments and dusting glitter off the countertops.
So, we’ve gotten a little crafty with some of these ideas from Disney Family. Lots of the ideas use things we already have at home, making them extra easy.
4 - Follow the Disney Parks blog to be a part of the Magic year-round.
The Disney Parks blog is like a one-stop shop for all of the above… and all the Disney happenings. Following the blog is a great way to still enjoy the Disney parks even when you’re not there.
Some of our favorite posts are the ones about the animals at Animal Kingdom, like this post on the majestic animals that roam the savannah.
And since yours truly has a special emphasis on charity, I also love the posts about what Disney is doing to give back. Here’s a recent post on how Disneyland is empowering the future workforce with $1 million in grants to local nonprofits.
5 - Read your favorite (or soon to be favorite) Disney stories.
One of the things we love about vacations is the time they often give us to slow down. While on vacation, we sometimes watch the movies we’ve been wanting to see. Or read that book that’s been on the nightstand for months.
Since reading truly is the Holy Grail of learning, that’s a big deal. And one of the best ways to get kids to read is to give them books about things they love.
For Disney fans, the many choices range from classic Disney fairytales to the Star Wars series. There are even books like Kingdom Keepers, a young adult fictional series set in Disney Parks, and lots in between.
6 - Listen to Disney music.
Disney music comes in all shapes and sizes so to speak. Of course you can find some songs on Apple Music and other platforms.
While not in Disney World, it’s also been fun to listen to the songs we would hear if they were there. Check out the Dapper Dan’s YouTube post highlighting the men of Main Street sharing songs from home. Listen to the recording of “Wishes”, the now retired nighttime fireworks show at Magic Kingdom. Or play “Name That Ride” by finding songs from your favorite attractions, like this one from The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh.
You may be far from Disney parks but the tunes from the Happiest Place on Earth are never far away.
7 - Work on an itinerary for a future Disney trip.
I probably love planning a Disney World vacation almost as much as I love going to the resort.
But, I know there are almost 200 places to eat. There’s 4 theme parks, and 2 water parks. You’ve got more than 25 on-site resorts to choose from. And there’s a plethora of other things to do. So, for lots of others it can be overwhelming.
That’s why doing some research about Disney World can be a good idea when you’re home. Whether you’re Team Disney-Planning-Rocks or Team Disney-Planning-is-Hard, there are some great sites. One of our favorites is Disney Tourist Blog. And of course, Disney World’s own site, lays out all there is to do.
8 - Play a Disney-inspired board game.
Disney was built on their ability to entertain so even at home, you can still get some Mickey themed entertainment.
A Disney board game is a great way to unplug the kids from their devices for a while. Board games can feel a little nostalgic for those of us who grew up without (gasp) devices. Check out Disney Monopoly, Hedbanz, or Codenames.
9 - Snuggle up in your favorite Disney pjs.
When the idea for this post began, we were all on lock-down. At that time, we logged some extra pajama time at our house. (If I’m completely honest, there were many a days I changed out of my “daytime jammies” … right into my “nighttime jammies”.)
So some new comfy pjs were in order. My teenage daughter and I picked some at the Disney Store. Amazon has some great Mickey-inspired finds too.
10 - Learn more about the history of Disney.
One of the things that makes travel so interesting for our family is learning it’s story, the history behind the destination.
Disney World and the entire Disney empire is no exception. Learning the history behind the parks, the ideas that built them, and the man who created them make visiting there all the more worthwhile.
The best part? The true “hidden Mickeys” are the lessons on following your dreams and believing in yourself. They’re lessons no kid can hear too often.
Check out this list of books to learn about Disney history.
