Keeping the magic alive

[lilpixie]

What cute ideas do you have for keeping the disney magic alive when you're home from your trip? After we got home, it was such a downer. We are planning another trip, but I thought it would be fun to do Disney related things for my kids in between disney trips (now that we are all disney fanatics).
My girls love mickey mouse shaped pancakes and waffles, and I had some leftover napkins from the park (with the castle on them) -- I couldn't believe how excited they were to use the Disneyland napkins lol!
What little things do you do for your families????

 

[jemilah]

I have alot of framed pictures from our visits......my favorite is a long one that holds about 6 4x6 pictures and I have the best ones from a past trip of the boys and their favorite caractors! We also just go great Mickey Mouse plates from disneyshopping.com and drink out of our disneyland coffee mugs!

 

[hlbtimes2]

I always send the kids a post card from the park before we leave. That way they get it 2-3 days after we get home. I always say something about how much we enjoyed being there with them and are looking forward to going back. I make Mickey pancakes now and then. We watch the planning DVD often. And we have our pictures on a slide show on the laptop. Its usually on the coffee table. so we see pictures from various trips all the time.

 

[joanne1968]

Scrapbooking, can make one trip last years!

 

[Shawn]

For me, the number one way to keep the magic alive is to listen
to folks who enjoy Disney greatly talking about it, to listen to ride-throughs, to listen to interviewers of the many great Disney employees and imagineers and such. To listen to the ambient Disneyland park noise.

I listen to Disney related podcasts every day, usually when I'm travelling to and from work.

There are several official podcasts put out by Disney itself, and lots of fan podcasts that are also excellent. I recommend the following ones

Inside the Magic (fan)
Window to the Magic (fan)
Disney Insider (official)
Walt Disney World Resort Plugged In (official)
Official Disneyland Resort Podcast 50th Anniversary Celebration (official)

But there are lots of others that I haven't listened to yet. If you don't have an mp3 player, you can download the episodes to your computer and play them there. Also, many recent DVD/CD players can play mp3 files put on a CD as data. So you may be able to listen to them in your car or home that way.

There are lots of ways to get podcasts. I'm having luck with podcasts.yahoo.com, which is in beta, but is working. You should just be able to search for disney or disneyland or walt disney world and find them.

-Shawn

 

[familyoffiveAZ]

The hubby videos parts of our vacation, which is a pain at the time, but a good thing once we get home. The kids'll watch the Disney vacation videos again and again and again. They get to see themselves walking through the park, experience rides again, watch the fireworks show.

They've also got this Disneyland video made late 80s/early 90s that they watch and sing along with. Shows rides and characters from Disneyland. WDW has one too which I might someday buy.

Ocassionally I'll make Mickey Krispies using the egg/pancake Mickey mold.

I plan the next vacation, read the boards, etc.

 

[Alex2kMommy]

I will also be scrapbooking our trip...three times over! I decided to do a small (7x7) album for each boy, to include any autographs they collect and photos with them and the characters. I'm sure I'll also include any family photos, and some general trip photos that include their favorite things (ie. probably the Block Party parade since DS5 is a huge Toy Story and Monsters Inc. fan, and DSnearly2's birthday dinner at Goofy's Kitchen.)

I'll also do a 12x12 album to include all photos from our stay, with lots of journaling of our experiences there. Can't wait!!!

 

[joanne1968]

I will also be scrapbooking our trip...three times over! I decided to do a small (7x7) album for each boy, to include any autographs they collect and photos with them and the characters. I'm sure I'll also include any family photos, and some general trip photos that include their favorite things (ie. probably the Block Party parade since DS5 is a huge Toy Story and Monsters Inc. fan, and DSnearly2's birthday dinner at Goofy's Kitchen.)

I'll also do a 12x12 album to include all photos from our stay, with lots of journaling of our experiences there. Can't wait!!!

Do you upload your layouts anywhere, I would love to see some examples.

I have finished the bulk of my WDW layouts from last Easter, but you take so many photos it is a mamouth task. My sister did a 12x12 album for each of her 2 children I don't know how she managed.

 

[Alex2kMommy]

Do you upload your layouts anywhere...

Ahhh, Joanne, you do make me laugh.

I used to scrapbook a lot before the boys came along, but now am limited to attending occasional workshops and collecting pretty supplies.

Nothing digital, I'm afraid, and the last album I completed was a few years ago, an ABC 7x7 album for DS5. However, I still take tons of photos, reasoning that some day I will get around to putting them into albums. HOWEVER, I am determined to do this upcoming trip including the two mini-albums for the boys!

 

[joanne1968]

I don't get digital myself. I am going on a scrapbooking weekend in Paris in October, so hopefully I will get lots done then!

 

[kelmac284]

We do a lot of the same. I buy special albums for each trip from the parks and have them sitting around so we look at them often. We watch our videos that I make in the park and the biggest way we keep it alive is our music.

I have the 50th anniversary cd of the music from the rides and parades in the park. I also have 3 of the disney cd's with music from the movies. We listen to these often and especially the ride soundtracks REALLY make you feel like you are there.

Our next trip isn't till June and I am SO dang anxious!!

 

[Alex2kMommy]

I was just thinking that it would be fun to have a CD of Disneyland music. We have a few of the movie soundtracks, but is there a CD of music you hear in the park, particularly the attractions of interest to the little ones?

 

[kelmac284]

I bought both of my discs in the park themselves. The first was just Disneyland and had the songs from each attraction. Then when we went this past summer I bought the 50th anniversary cd which is two CD's and includes disneyland AND DCA themes. It has soundtracks from old rides that are gone now like the 20,000 leagues and journey into inner space and it has the parade and firework themes. My kids absolutely LOVE it and so do I.

When I am anxious to go it really gets you in the spirit. If you are not going to the park anytime soon I believe you can purchase both of these soundtracks through Mouseplanet or Laughingplace store. They also have a soundtrack for Disneyworld.

 

[being-dragged-to-DL]

1. Scrapbooking... Even The Kids. Our 4 And 6 Yr Olds Contribute A Page.
2. Tinker Bell Dinners... Everything Green And Sparkling, Hang Twinkle Lights. (work For Any Character!)
3. I Took Some Of Those Little Plastic Cups That Sit By The Napkins, And We Have Disney Dessert Night, Where We Have Little Sundaes With The Works.
4. Disney Shirt And Hat Day. We Pick A Day When We Are Going Out As A Family, To The Movies Or To Dinner, And We All Wear Our Stuff.
5. Hawaiian Music (lilo And Stitch Breakfast Was A
Favorite!)
6. My Kids Favorite.... At Bedtime They Want "good Dreams" Which Is When I Give Them A Backrub And Tell Them 5 Good Dreams To Have That Night... After A Disney Trip They Are Usually About Disney For A Long Time!

 

[MrsMork]

We have something Disney in literally every room of our house. Kitchen and family room are VERY Disney. Family photos from Disney are framed and scattered throughout the house also. We also have the Disney 5 CD set and that is what we play anytime we take a road trip. Grandkids love it! (of course Grandpa and I do too!)

 

[lilpixie]

Thanks for all the great responses -- I love all your ideas. I am a scrapbooker, too and hope to get the albums done sometime soon. Ahhh, I wish I had more time. I love the ideas of the Disney music and the Tinkerbell dinner. How fun! And the 5 good dreams idea at night is precious.
thanks so much, I just can't get enough of the magical ideas!! My 3 little girls (age 6, 3, and 7 months) will appreciate them!