7 Fun Ways to Get Your Disney Fix at Home
Total honesty here: I love Disney. I wish I could go every year – multiple times per year! But since a trip to Disney can easily cost thousands, I have found clever ways to get my Disney fix at home.
Our latest trip was to Walt Disney World in Florida for my 50th birthday. My dad retired to Florida, so we combined a trip to see family with an amazing 7 days at WDW. We stayed at Art of Animation in a Lion King suite, which was a blast. (Don't let anyone tell you that the value resorts aren't good enough! We LOVED AoA!)
I mean, I could LIVE here…
The economy is rough right now – we're all feeling it. A trip to Disney just may not be in the cards anytime soon, so let's sprinkle some pixie dust and bring a little Disney into our homes.
Here are some creative ideas for everyday Disney magic!
Plus a few pictures from our trip, just for fun!
Are you missing Disney?
I hear you, mama. Do I ever. The Disney hangover is real, especially after you've just come home from a trip.
We love Disney. I remember the first time we took my daughter – she was four. My husband and I hadn't been Disney since our high school marching band days. (Where my marching band peeps at? Remember Disney Magic Music Days? Good times.)
My husband was less than enthusiastic about the trip in general and the amount it cost, specifically – but put on a happy face for the memories with our kiddo. But the Disney magic won him over. By the end of our trip, he loved Disney too!
We all need a little magic!
One of the reasons I think we adults love Disney too is that it's a place that helps us let go of all the responsibilities, stress, and the never ending daily to-do list that comes with being an adult.
Disney lets us be kids again.
7 Ideas to Get an At-Home Disney Fix
As much as I'd love to spend a week in the park a couple times per year (wouldn't that be amazing?) – of course that's not in the budget. So I bring the faith, trust, and pixie dust into our home whenever I need a little pick-me-up.
Here's how you can, too!
This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission, at not cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link. Please see our full disclosure for more information.
Give your living space a Disney-decor upgrade.
While I love over-the-top Disney when I'm in the parks, I don't want that level of decor in my house. I want little reminders of Disney, tucked away in different places in my home.
Here are a few cute things I found that are understated and more neutral to fit in with any home. They'll bring a smile and give you a little Disney fix when you walk by.
- Welcome to Our Home Sign: SO cute! A little bit rustic, this round sign with a burlap bow and faux greenery has 20 interchangeable, seasonal Mickey cutouts!
- Be You Metal Cutout: Disney princesses and the words “Be You” adorn this metal cutout in a white wood holder. Perfect for your table or a bookshelf. Lots of other sign choices too!
- Mickey Wooden Pen Cup: Holds your cell phone, too. Natural wood.
- Disney Ride Patent Prints: Cool set of 4 prints for a not-so-obvious Disney touch in your home decor!
- Amazing Abstract Mickey Rugs: Choose 5×7 or 8×10 and six different styles, from classic red and black and white to more muted grey, even pink and blue choices.
Another idea is to create your own Disney photo wall. Use your own photos, or if you're still planning your first trip, search Pixabay or other free photo sites for pictures to use!
Cook up some Disney treats.
This can get fun and yummy! Did you know there are lots of Disney copycat recipes floating around the interwebs? There are! Bless those amazing people who test and tweak to make replicas of the best park food.
Cooking also counts as life skills in your homeschool, and math too. Just saying.
But let's start at the source: recipes on the Disney Parks blog. Make some delicious Dole Whip, learn to decorate cupcakes like Mickey, or make some delicious peppermint marshmallow wands.
Then there's this outrageous list of recipes at The Disney Food Blog. My mouth is watering, y'all. Hoop-de-Doo fried chicken, Mickey Macarons, Tonga Toast, Disney-inspired Charcuterie Boards, Star Wars Blue Milk and hundreds more. There's enough recipes there to meal plan for the next few months and keep the Disney food coming.
If you love cookbooks, I've got you covered:
The Official Disney Parks Cookbook
Sometimes I love just bringing a stack of cookbooks to my favorite chair and browsing to my heart's content.
This book is CHOCK FULL of recipes I want to make!
Recipes and Stories from the Most Magical Place on Earth
I love behind-the-scenes stories and knowing more about the Disney parks!
This is a gorgeous book to keep out on your coffee table and read a little when you have a few minutes.
There are lots more Disney-inspired cookbooks to pick from, too.
Have a Disney binge weekend.
If you haven’t opted in to Disney Plus yet, what are you waiting for?!?
You’ll have access to all your favorite Disney & Pixar movies, Marvel and Star Wars – plus the National Geographic channel which has awesome nature content to supplement your homeschool science.
Walt Disney World Magazine has an awesome blog post with ALL 61 of the Disney animated films listed and described. Make your own list of favorites and settle in for a movie marathon!
Make Memories as a Family.
I put together a free Disney Fix printable – a list of even more ideas to to help your family make fun Disney memories at home!
Some of what you’ll find on it are:
- Learn to draw your favorite Disney character.
- Write a story about adventures in Neverland…
- Have a Mad Hatter tea party!
This printable is chock full of 20 fun ideas for kids of all ages and their parents, too!
Be sure to download the freebie to get those ideas (and others) on an easy to print download!
Create fun Disney craft projects.
Craft projects are a great way to have family time (especially during the winter when you can't get out as much – if you live where it gets cold like I do). I found a series of videos with some REALLY cute craft ideas that are super creative!
She's got 15 different Disney crafts videos and lots of other Disney content!
The crafty possibilities are truly endless! I also love searching Pinterest for clever craft ideas. I'm a great craft maker (ie directions follower) but I'm always in awe of people who can come up with all the ideas.
Plan your next Disney vacation.
I love planning for our next Disney trip – even if it's a couple of years away!
It's never too early to teach your kids about budgeting, saving, and managing spending on vacations. This could be an entire unit study for your homeschool!
To bring your plans to life, consider creating a Disney vacation dream board. Go old-school and get a big piece of poster board. Print out pictures to add, write down character meet-and-greets you want to experience, brainstorm what souvenirs you'd like to bring home. The official Disney sites are FULL of inspiration – just looking at the Disneyland site makes me want to hop on a plane!
Other ideas to help you plan an amazing Disney trip:
- Browse Disney menus and choose restaurants to hit on our next trip
- Watch ride-through videos on YouTube
- Start collecting Disney pins
- Search Etsy for the perfect custom shirts & ears
- Listen to music from the parks
Get some Disney in your mailbox.
Walt Disney World magazine is awesome.
It's a splurge, but so worth it! I subscribed and got an awesome Disney fix every couple of months while I was waiting for my 50th birthday trip to happen – it got postponed because of Covid. It's a large format magazine that comes protected by cardboard and plastic and has thick, glossy pages.
Disneyland is the park closest to us, the first park we ever went to as a family, and has a special place in my heart. I just switched my subscription to the new Disneyland edition!
Disney is premiering a new magazine for Disney Cruise Lines too! Sign up to get notified when the subscription is released!
Final Disney Thoughts
Visiting Disney may not always be in the budget, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get your Disney fix at home! There are so many creative ways to do it and save money in the process. I'll never stop being a Disney fan!
Make sure and ask your kids for ideas on making Disney magic at home. You may be surprised with what they can come up with – my daughter is so much more imaginative than I am! Most of all, have fun and build memories with your family.
Here’s to creating magical Disney experiences from the comfort of your own home!
Don't forget to sign up for my free Disney Fix download filled with ideas to kickstart your creativity!
