How do you countdown to your trip?

[MamaToDavis]

I'm looking for a fun and creative way to countdown our Dec WDW trip. My DS is 4.5 and asks about the trip everyday! I'd like to put up a visual of some sort, maybe something we can make together?

Any ideas?

Thanks so much!!

 

[loopner67]

I make a countdown calendar with white poster board. I do all the lines, the title and the dates, then I give my boys a bunch of Disney stickers and let them put them all over it. Then, I have them put the big red X on the days as we count down. We only do this for the month before, but you could do it for more months than that. It's a great way to count down and it's easy, inexpensive, and something you can do together.

I think I have a picture.....(oh and more than half of those dates are crossed off now. Wahoo!)

 

[MamaToDavis]

Oh, I love it!!! That's just what I am looking for. We're going to Michael's tomorrow and he can choose all the stickers. Thanks for the idea!!

 

[oeshpdog2]

Just another suggestion for you . . . my husband I (yes, it's just us!) have made a paper chain to countdown our two trips (last December and last month). We cut strips of construction paper and use glue sticks or staples to make enough "links" for the number of days until our trip. Each night, we tear off a link. It's very exciting to watch the chain get shorter and shorter until, finally, there's only one left (which we keep as a souvenir) and it's time to go!! Enjoy your trip whatever you decide to do.

 

[MamaToDavis]

Also a great idea! Thanks!

 

[loopner67]

Oh, I love it!!! That's just what I am looking for. We're going to Michael's tomorrow and he can choose all the stickers. Thanks for the idea!!

You're welcome. Have fun with it.

 

[nyyankeegirl]

We also make a chain, but for our "links" we use the Mickey head paint chips from Home Depot. I just punch a hole at the top & bottom, and tie them together with ribbon. I use all different colors, so it's very colorful. I write the date on each, so the kids know when to pull it off. It's very fun. Then they can count how many are left, so they don't have to keep asking me "how many more days until we leave!" -- which would be 11 right now!!

 

[lkangell8201]

We got a posterboard and cut it in half. Then we went to Home Depot and got 21 mickey paint samples. I let DS(4) write the numbers and helped him tape them on. Of course, mom accidentally put the numbers on backwards, lol, good thing he could care less! The last one says LEAVE FOR DISNEY! Every morning when he wakes up he puts a Disney sticker over the next number. We put it up in his room...he loves it!
Sorry the picture is dark and kind of fuzzy...my flash decided to stop working right before I took this!

 

[loopner67]

I love the idea of using the Paint Chips! I even have some of those and didn't think to use them.

 

[TanyaLovesPooh]

My DS and DD take turns changing the card with the number of days left every morning.

 

[mickeymom04]

These are all great tips.....anyone got any other ideas.

 

[Bama mom to 3]

Here is our countdown chart. We use foam star stickers to "Mark" off the days:

 

[katiebug86]

I LOVE that bama mom! Where did you get the big mickey head? Did you print it out or draw it? I'd love to make one!

 

[shelby101301]

We have a longer wait, and my 5 and 3 yr old ask almost every day too. So we made a long calendar and marked the milestones... We had start of school, son's birthday, halloween, my son being born, thanksgiving, christmas and valentine's. So we count down to each milestone in between too, so we have something to celebrate in the mean time...

I swear, they can't wait for their brother to be born only because it's another step closer to Disney!

 

[TNJenny)%]

My first trip to Disney is in December right before Christmas and I am so excited. I will have to use one of these tips to count down my very first trip! I feel like a kid waiting for Christmas!

 

[Bama mom to 3]

I LOVE that bama mom! Where did you get the big mickey head? Did you print it out or draw it? I'd love to make one!

Thank you. I traced a round pizza pan for the head and plates for the ears.

 

[Nlbnikki]

I read somewhere on the DIS that they put enough pieces of candy in a jar and each day a child got to eat one candy out of the jar. I thought it was a neat idea if I can just keep DH out of the candy.LOL

 

[joyfulscrapper]

I read somewhere on the DIS that they put enough pieces of candy in a jar and each day a child got to eat one candy out of the jar. I thought it was a neat idea if I can just keep DH out of the candy.LOL

That is sooo TRUE about keeping DH out of the candy!!! That would be a great idea, but I know DH would mess it all up by eating it when we weren't looking. It's a running joke around here that every time the kids get candy they want me to hide it from Daddy!

I am just finishing up our countdown calendar. I drew Cinderella's castle on 12 x 12 scrapbook paper to the best of my ability. I colored it and made opening flaps at windows and flags, etc. Each flap has a number and when you open the flap, it will have a Disney related activity for us to do to fuel the magic. Some of the activities include: watching each kids fave Dis movie, playing Dis related board games (we have a few of them), planning our itinerary, packing, crafts, etc. When I finish it, I will try to post a picture if I can figure it out. I'm also hoping it will look nice in our scrapbook when we are ready to scrap our trip pictures.

 

[Chelley00]

Here is our countdown ticker. I got the idea from ChrisLei here on the disboards.

Today we flipped it to 7!

 

[kt_mom]

I make a calender in Excel. I made my squares to count down from 45. Then I was able to just type in my title. Last year it was something like " COUNTDOWN TO XXXX FAMILY DISNEY TRIP" and then underneath in smaller letters I put "and xxxxxxxxxxx first trip ever!)

Then I used Disney princess clip art to decorate around the title and in the empty spaces before the numbers started. I do seven squares across just like a calender and I start in the square that would be that day. But I don't put the days on there. It's easier to keep up with it in case you forget a day you can tell where you should be.

Then I printed out little clip art pictures of her favorite princesses and a castle and Cinderella's slipper and made them the right size to cover the number. Then each day she could pick one and she would glue it on to mark off the day. You could easily do stickers or whatever instead. I just chose clip art I liked off the internet and it was just as easy with a glue stick.

I've started our's for this year's December trip. But instead of princesses I'm doing the classic charaters in Christmas styles to decorate and to use to mark off the days.