Top 9 Tips for How To Have The Most EPIC Disney Vacation!
Are you looking for ideas on how to prepare for an EPIC Disney Vacation?
Disneyland (and Disney World) like Disney itself is all about MAGIC, IMAGINATION, FAMILY, and of course FUN. You can go on thrilling rides. Meet iconic characters, and enjoy stepping into your favorite Disney Movies as you explore the themed "lands" found throughout the park. The food is incredible, and every worker has a special smile to pass on to you. Yep, a Disney vacation can be such a magical experience for the whole family (because let's face it...You are never too young or old for Disney!) This is why so many parents every year save to take their families on Disney Vacations.
For those planning an upcoming family, Disney Vacation here is 9 tips for taking that vacation to the next level and turning it into the most epic Disney vacation ever!
1.Have a Family Goal Star Chart where you set a goal (or series of goals) with the reward being the Disney Vacation.
Have you ever used a star chart with your kids to set goals and work toward a reward? Guess what? Kids love them! It's amazing how much they love putting each sticker on the chart showing they are one step closer to reaching their goal and accompanying reward. Whether it was working toward a night at the arcade with dad or a family vacation to Disney with the whole family. There is just something about working for what you want that helps you value it more when you get it. **If you are looking for a Disneyland Family Vacation Star Chart don't worry I have one right --> HERE <--
2.Make your Disney Trip a Surprise
When I was 5 years old my grandfather offered to take our family to Disneyland. My parents thought it would be fun to not tell my older brothers and I. They even went so far as to pack our bags in secret and when we got to the airport my dad checked our bags without our knowledge while my mom told us that we were going on a secret trip but they only had the money for two tickets so we had to be quiet so they could smuggle us on board the plane. While we were busy snickering to each other thinking we were pulling one over on the airlines my parents managed to discreetly show our plane tickets to flight people so we could board. It wasn't until we got off the plane and saw my grandfather waiting for us that we learned out parents had been funning us the whole time. When we were then told we were and why we were there, we were over the moon. It was a family vacation to Disney I will treasure for the rest of my life.
Of course with the security we now have at the airports it would be really hard to take the surprise trip with your kids as far as my parents did. However, you can still keep your final destination a surprise until you actually get there. we had friends who recently did that. Their kids knew they were going on vacation somewhere but had no idea it was Disneyland until they got to their activation in California (which was a Disney hotel).
3.Make your own Disney Character Autograph Books
One of the fun things about Disney is that in addition to awesome rides and delicious food you get to meet your favorite Disney Characters! To make this experience even sweeter you can ask most of them for their autograph! Now you can always use a plain notebook, but how much more special is it have an actual Autograph book to save as a keepsake when you get home.
I asked my talented husband to design me a Printable one that I could use for our kids on our next Disney Vacation and share with all of you so you could use it on your vacation. I love the Autograph book he designed for me (you can get it here)
4. Watch all the major Disney/Pixar/Star Wars Movies in advance.
There are a lot of Awesome Disney movies that have been made over the years. Are you and your kids familiar with them? Having Disney Family Movie Nights leading up to your vacation makes it seem like your vacation has started early. It also gets the kids excited for certain rides and to meet certain favorite Disney Characters. If you are a huge Disney Fan I would try to introduce your kids to some that they may not have seen. If your kids aren't that familiar with Disney movies then I would suggest starting with the newest and working your way back. You can never go wrong with the Disney movies.
If you want to add a little fun to your family movie night's my husband designed some fun theater styled family movie night printables that you can use. (Get Movie Night Printables here)
5.Have a Disney Vacation Saving Jar
Now, when I mention having a Disney vacation saving jar, I am not talking about a jar to save for the cost of the trip. Rather, have a vacation jar where everyone saves money to use on the trip. This would be for all the extras, special treats while at the park, souvenirs, etc. This is a fun way for the kids to get involved in preparing for the trip as they work hard to earn money to go in the Vacation jar. Then before you go divide up the money and let each child spend as they will.
6.Buy or make Disney clothes to wear on your vacation
Buying/Making Disney clothes before your trips does 3 things for you. 1) It saves you money from buying at the park. For those who are trying to be frugal with their Disney trip, this is a big incentive. 2) It allows you to wear your Disney clothes the cost to the park right from the start. and 3) It helps get everyone excited and in the mood for your vacation.
You can find clothes at the Disney Store (we have one in our local mall) often at second-hand shops since Disney is soo popular, and you can always make your own. I love making my own custom shirts so this is probably the way I would go. (Click here to get my free Happiest Family On Earth SVG Cut file. Learn how to make custom Shirts with Cricut Iron-On Here.)
7. Bring Some Disney Games with you On Vacation
When traveling with kids and older adults (like Grandparents) it is important to pace yourself. As much as you would love to see and do everything in the first day Disneyland (and Disneyworld) are just too big. During your downtime at your Hotel room, a fun way to pass the time is to play some Disney themed games with your kids.
With that in mind, I created a fun Disney themed Guess Who Said it printable games. See how well you know your Disney movies by guessing which Character in Which Disney Movie said each of these iconic quotes. (You can get the Free Printable Game Here.)
8.Stay at a Disney Themed Hotel
Why have your Disney experience end when you leave the park each night. Staying at a Disney themed hotel can be a lot of fun too. We stayed at a Disney Hotel when we went to Disney World a few years ago and we LOVED our experience! Just an FYI Get Away Today always has great deals on Disney Vacation packages so I would totally recommend checking them out. (Get Away Today also has a killer layaway program where you can snag whatever their current deals are and reserve your Disney vacation for just $175 down! If you use my referral code: THEQG get an extra $10 off any 2-night or longer Southern California package (hotel and 2 ticket minimum) ) --> Book Here! <--
9.Use Disposable Cameras
Let everyone be the Family Photographer on your next Disney Vacation by giving each family member their own disposable camera with their name written on it for them to capture special moments on the trip. Then when you get home, develop the film and have a post-Disney trip party where you look at all the photos taken and reminisce your favorite moments of your vacation.
Now you might be thinking, "Can I even get disposable cameras anymore?" The answer is YES You can get a Fujifilm Quick Snap Waterproof 35mm Single Use Camera 4 pack for only 28.70 on --> Amazon <--
10. Stay for more than just 3 days. 
There are two main reasons you want to stay for more than just two or three days to get the most out of your Disney Vacation. 1st of all, there is just too much to see and do to realistically pack it into just a two or three days. Oh you can try but you will get overwhelmed doing so which can spoil your experience. It's way better to break your Disney vacation up over several days to pace yourselves so you can soak it all in and enjoy your experience to the fullest.
2nd, Disney has this amazing thing where the daily price of your passes goes down if you stay for more than 2 days. If you really want to save money on your tickets then make sure to check out Get Away Today They always have the sweetest deals on tickets. Like buying 4 days and getting the 5th day free. Seriously they have the BEST Disney tickets and vacation packages you can find. And if you use my referral code: THEQG get an extra $10 off any 2-night or longer Southern California package (hotel and 2 ticket minimum) --> Book Here <--
