“How many more days until Disney?” Whether you are planning your first Disney vacation or your tenth, the wait until can feel like it goes on forever. Over the years I have come up with some tips and traditions for keeping the excitement going strong during your trip countdown.

• Movie Nights: Movies are how many of us first fell in love with Disney. Watching Disney movies together is a wonderful way to keep the magic going during your countdown. This is also a great way to introduce characters that may not be as familiar to your family before you arrive at the parks. Family movie nights are much-loved tradition in my family during the days we are anxiously counting down the days until Disney. Go all out and really have fun with your movie nights. Planning on watching “Lady and the Tramp”? Have spaghetti and garlic bread with tiramisu for dessert. “The Three Caballeros”? Tacos and flan of course!

• Countdown Chains: A countdown chain is a tried and true favorite way to mark off the days until your Disney vacation. There is something so satisfying about watching the chain get smaller and smaller as your vacation gets closer and closer. One way my family has added a twist to this is to write a special memory or something that we are looking forward to inside each ring. Reading them together makes tearing one-off every night even more special.
  
• Trivia Countdown Calendar: As my own Disney Addicts get older, we have added this twist on a traditional countdown chain. We make a calendar with a Disney trivia fact written on each day of the month and then take turns reading a fact each night. There are many guidebooks and websites available to help get you started.
• Videos: Watching videos of the parks and resorts is an excellent way to keep the Disney magic alive during your countdown. The free planning video available from Disney is a very useful source of information for both first-time and returning guests. Sometimes after a long week at work and school, watching the video together and knowing that a ride on Soarin’ is in our near future is just what we need!
• Board Games: There is a wide variety of Disney themed board games available for families to play while they are counting down the days until their Dole Whips.  From Disney Monopoly, Disney Trivial Pursuit to Disney Scene-It, there is a game for everyone to enjoy. Of course, a Disney soundtrack to listen as you play is helpful too!

These are just some of my family’s favorite ways to count down the days. What do you like to do during your countdown to Disney magic? Let me know in the comment box below-I would love to hear your ideas!

Heather L is an avid Disney fan and has been visiting the parks since she was 4. She is a homeschooling mom and is happiest with a Mickey  balloon in one hand and a Mickey bar in the other.

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HeatherL (15 Posts)

Heather is an avid, lifelong Disney fan. She is a homeschooling mom of 2 Disney Addicts and loves helping people sprinkle their Disney vacations with Disney magic. She loves to write about Disney planning, Disney food, and learning at Disney.