How to Bring Disney Magic Home - Fun and Easy Ways
With Disney World operating at a limited capacity during their phased reopening, Disney vacations aren’t an option right now for many of us. But …. that doesn’t mean you can’t still feel the Disney love. Try these fun things to do with kids to get your family’s Disney fix.
Hello fellow Disney addicts and all those vacationers who, like us, are mourning a Disney vacation that was planned … yet not meant to be (or at least not yet.)
Since Disney parks and Disney resorts are operating at a limited capacity while restrictions are in place to combat the Coronavirus, taking a Disney vacation is not possible for many of us.
But enjoying some Disney time is!
So even while we all focus on what’s important (like stopping the spread and supporting first responders), we can still have some Disney-inspired fun. Try these activities while you #stayathometostopthespread.
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 extra time at home 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 are easy and use things we already have at home, a Coronavirus quarantine win-win.
4 - Follow the Disney Parks blog to still be a part of the magic.
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 while they’re closed. 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, like the recent post on their surprise for local seniors.
5 - Read your favorite (or soon to be favorite) Disney stories.
One of the crazy things about this quarantine time is that in a weird way for many of us it gives us a chance to slow down. Watch the movies we’ve been wanting to see. Do the project around the house we’ve been meaning to do. And read. Reading truly is the Holy Grail of learning and one of the best ways to get kids to read is to give them books about things they love. For Disney fans, the choices range from classic Disney fairy tales, the Star Wars series, 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. So while we’ve been staying at home, our family has checked out the Dapper Dan’s YouTube post highlighting the men of Main Street sharing songs from home. We listened to the recording of “Wishes”, the now retired nighttime fireworks show at Magic Kingdom. And we played “Name That Ride” by finding songs from our favorite attractions, like this one from The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh. Disney parks may be closed but the tunes from the Happiest Place on Earth are alive and well.
7 - Work on an itinerary for a future Disney trip.
Even though I probably love planning a Disney vacation almost as much as I love going to the resorts, I know that with almost 200 places to eat, 4 theme parks, over 25 on-site resorts to choose from, and a plethora of other things to do, for lots of others it can be overwhelming. That’s where our new-found extra time comes in. Whether you’re Team Disney-Planning-Rocks or Team Disney-Planning-is-Hard, there are some great sites like Disney Tourist Blog and Disney World’s own site, which lays out all there is to do. Now is a good time to grab the kids and perfect that post-quarantine Disney trip.
8 - Play a Disney-inspired board game.
Entertainment is key as we all stay at home and practice social distancing to stop the spread. And 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.
We’ve logged some extra pajama time at our house during our social distancing days. (If I’m completely honest, there have been many a days I’ve 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, lessons no kid can hear too often. Check out this list of books to learn about Disney history.
