How To Do Disney At Home

It’s tough and we get it.  2020 will come and go and you will not be able to make it to Disney.  School will be breaking for the holidays and you’ll have plenty of free time to dream about going back to your favorite Disney park.  Our Believe Vacations agents would love nothing more than to get you there tomorrow but we understand, it just may not happen.  So what do you do?  Hopefully, take our advice and learn how you can bring Disney home to you!

Welcome to Believe Vacations’ Weekly Post where today, we will show you a few ways to Do Disney at Home.  For this article, we came up with 7 easy tips for bringing the magic of Disney inside your home for everyone to enjoy.  Our agents do at least one if not all of these and you may have tried some before.  Well, now that I say that, I should probably put a disclaimer on the first one:

7) Train for a Future RunDisney

I said they were “easy” tips and here I am telling you to train for a future half or full marathon.  My bad!  But, if you have nothing but free time on your hands and you want to get into some shape, why not?  Just because the big event at the beginning of 2021 may not be on, Disney has provided many virtual experiences for participation from your own zip code.  Consider it a first attempt to prove you can do it!  And then, when race weekend comes back around MouseTown, you’ll be in the middle of so many happy smiling faces who thought running was the best way to spend a Disney vacation.  Alright enough sarcasm, best of luck and “ears” to you!

6) Disney Puzzles

More my speed and choice for a leisurely recreational activity, puzzles are fun for the entire family.  Go to any local Wal-Mart or Target and you’ll probably find the Thomas Kinkade collection or another signature series.  The images range from favorite princesses to iconic scenes, from 1000-piece jigsaw puzzles to 3D creations.  Either way, it’s great bonding time with the family working together and creating your own magic.

5) Cook Your Favorite Disney Dishes

Full disclosure, I have tried to make homemade Dole Whips.  Also, full disclosure, it was not close to the parks.  But, I tried and my kids thought I was a hero.  Some of the food items at Disney Parks are just as iconic as the attractions and sights.  Yes, we can include snack items like popcorn, pretzels and churros but what about those signature dishes?  Over the years, internet sites and cookbooks have been published to share these tasty treats with families.  Maybe try the Tonga Toast from Kona Cafe? Canadian Cheddar Cheese Soup from Le Cellier? Cobb Salad from Hollywood Brown Derby? What about the Grey Stuff….(resist the urge)….it’s delicious!

4) Draw Your Favorite Characters

I’ve been on two Disney Cruises and for both, my family and I make time every chance we get to attend the drawing workshops where a cast member walks you though the steps to put pencil and paper together and create your favorite characters.  But you don’t need a cruise to draw.  Simply look on YouTube.  We recommend the Disney Parks – How To Draw series.  Everyone can grab a pencil and paper as a friendly cast member helps you draw your favorite classic characters, princesses, sidekicks and superheroes.

3) Watch Disney+

While the days of purchasing the large, plastic-cased VHS cassettes are simply nostalgic, we do appreciate living in a time where a few simple pushes of a button pulls up most any Disney movie or show or special created.  Yes, the classics are there and as always, you can binge watch your favorite shows again.  But check out the behind the scenes documentaries on Imagineering, decorating the parks and others.  You’ll not only feel like you’re back in the parks but a part of the actual creative process!

2) Listen to Park Loops

First, what exactly is a park loop?  Have you ever noticed certain music playing in different sections of your favorite Disney Park?  It’s called a loop because it’ll repeat over and over throughout the day.  Loops can be original music or a compilation of familiar tunes but both will make sure it fits the theme of the land/section of the park.  And it doesn’t just stop at the parks; you can listen to the loop for the Magical Express, the resorts, restaurants and even Disney Springs!

1) Watch (and Ride) Attractions

Again, what a time to be alive!  The day Rise of Resistance opened, a few hours later, someone had the entire experience posted on YouTube…in 4K!  And that’s where we are friends!  There is no better way to bring the parks to the house than to search for the attractions and watch the ride through the television.  Watching the rides also helps little ones see what an attraction will do and help them make a decision whether to wait in line when you actually return to the parks.  You can even pull up your favorite shows or nighttime experiences, including fireworks.  But if you have a 4K, extra-large TV that you can stand in front of, you’ll think you’re in front of a Soarin’ screen, holding on and screaming in your PJs!

Did we miss anything?  How do you Do Disney At Home?  Share with us and remember there’s a great, big, beautiful tomorrow!