Totally understood that it's a bummer coming back from WDW only to get back in the rut of our everyday lives. However, here are some ideas on what you can do to keep the magic alive:
1. Discuss with your family if you want to go again. If the answer is "yes", then start making realistic timeframes of when you can go. If your date is in 2 years, decide what season, what you'd like to do, etc. Many of us - me included - start the planning process 2+ years before we go! This includes countdown calendars and the like. Heck, my first trip was darn near 4 years in the making! LOL
2. Open a savings account that is JUST for
Disney vacations, or vacations in general. You can do this via the Disney account service they just started this year, or you can do what my family does: we opened an account with an online bank that gives a pretty good interest rate. Set a goal - some banks have tools to help you with this - on how much you think it will cost for the trip. Make sure you contribute to this fund at least a few times a month. I contribute at least once a week, and any additional "found" money (change in my purse, etc.) gets scooped up every month, and put towards my "Disney Fund". If you have young folks in your house, encourage them to contribute a little as well. It teaches the discipline of saving for what you want and for setting and achieving goals. It also helps you resist the temptation of using that money for other stuff.
2a. In doing this, I've found that I will make better decisions, too. "Do I want that Starbucks drink, or should I put that $5 in the Disney Kitty?". "Do I really need that << enter impulse purchase here >> or can I do without for now?" I'm normally a pretty frugal gal, but I was amazed at just how much money I was able to save if I really thought about all the incidentals. The online account I use gives me .85% interest, which is better than the .15% I get at my regular bank, and it's compounded monthly.
2c. A good way to set a goal is to see how much your trip will cost (take your current trip's cost and add 5-10% per year just to be on the safe side). Divide that number by the amount of months between your estimated date of the trip and today. Then you know how much you should be saving a month. You can always adjust your time frame depending on your finances! It's only a fixed date in your mind!
3. Follow your favorite Disney sites. Make sure you keep up to date on new restaurants, attractions, etc., so you have a really good idea of what you want to do next time and how you want to spend your time. This has helped us by not only keeping our excitement up, but also learning from other people's mistakes. We have gotten so many hints & tricks to make our trips more enjoyable. There's nothing that sucks more than to come home and find out you missed something really cool because you didn't know about it!
4. Have a suitcase just for Disney Stuff that you intend on bringing with you. Put things in it that will not get ucky. Maybe Disney pens & notepads, Disney costume jewelry, a special cup or coloring book, etc. Ours has stuff we only use for Disney, such as ponchos, the Sorcerer's cards, etc.
5. Have a Disney Movie Day/Night, or relive your memories from past pictures. We usually make a powerpoint presentation (you can use open office, too...it's free!) using our pictures and watch them every now & again. It's also a much cooler way to display your pics to your family.
6. Keep a Disney Notebook and folder. This can house all your questions, thoughts, ideas, plans, and once you get into the SERIOUS planning, you can use it for ADR info, reservation info, important phone numbers, etc.
7. Spend time preparing ahead for your next trip: We do this by creating mousekeeping envelopes, collecting free clipart online, etc. We also daydream about what restaurants we want to go to, and how cool the new attractions will be!
I know some of these sound cheesy...but what gets me through funks is knowing that I'm working for something really awesome on the other side!
we have no time frame on when we will go back. DH is commission so it all just depends on if he has a good year or a bad year. We have multiple weddings to go to this year including my husband's sister, my best friend and a good friend of my husband's. Those will likely take up a bit of our 'fun' budget. Either way I am already planning. Keeping the Disney spirit fun in our house. Doing Disney movies, got the kids Disney infinity. I've been planning some things I'd like to start sewing as soon as we know we are going back. If I see things that will be nice for the next trip I do usually pick them up. It's still hard, I feel like even 3 months later I still have a touch of it and I have been busy so it's not that. I think part of it for me is I am also unhappy about where we live and would love to live somewhere we aren't stuck in the house for almost half the year. I don't know that my 'disney depression' will go away though until I can book our next trip. I've also been thinking of ways to save some for our next trip, ways I can help out.
