Passing the Time Before a Disney Vacation

One of the reasons I work hard to save our family money and earn extra "fun money" is so we are able to family vacations.  Traveling is something I value very much and our favorite destination is Walt Disney World. We're not able to visit as often as I would like, but I usually schedule our trips a good time in advance so I have lots of time to plan.  A lot of my excitement comes from planning the trip itself and I love to involve the whole family when possible.  I wish I was one of those parents that can surprise their children with the trip, but truth is I'm always too excited about it and want to be able to talk about it with them. 

When you plan a vacation six months out or longer there is a lot of time to pass before the big day.  The first part goes by quickly as I determine which parks we're going to each day and what restaurants I need to make reservations for.  After that though there is often a lull and it can often feel like our vacation is never going to get here.  I have found some surefire ways to keep both myself and the kids occupied and excited during this time.  

For the kids we put on a Disney DVD so they can dream about the characters they hope to meet.  I order them a Disney Encyclopedia of Characters so we can learn about the characters and use it as an autograph book while we're there.  We watch a favorite Sing Along Songs DVD "Disneyland Fun" and dream about  "Walkin' Right Down the Middle of Main Street, USA".   We also look at old park maps and brochures and talk about what rides we're most excited about.  On my own I use that time to plan and pick up as many tips as possible.  I do this by visiting Disney discussion boards, reading others' trip reports, checking out restaurant menus and making a list of all the wonderful snacks I want to try.    

I could honestly spend time every day doing something Disney trip related from packing lists to watching internet videos.  Since planning a Disney trip is one of my favorite things to do and to talk about I'd love to hear some of your ideas for passing the time before your trip.  Are you crafty and create matching shirts for your group or do you download all of the Disney apps to your smartphone?   Please share with us!

Disclosure: This sponsored post was made possible by SheHeard. I have been compensated for my time and work on this campaign, however all thoughts and opinions are 100% my own.