10 Ways to “Experience” Disney at Home

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I know many people who are saddened by their recently canceled trips to DisneyWorld or DisneyLand. I can only imagine the level of disappointment and frustration.  I never thought I would be a “Disney person” but we’ve visited three times with our children and it truly is a magical place.  So while we can’t be there in real life, and while this list of ideas won’t necessarily make up for a canceled postponed trip, I thought I would share some ways kids can explore Disney related people, places, and ideas from home. 

This is the last installment of my virtual series. You can read about 10 National Park sites offering virtual activities here, 10 children’s museums, zoos, and aquariums offering virtual activities here, and 10 art museums offering virtual activities here. 

1. View the Imagineering Series on Disney+ (if you’re a subscriber). We received a year’s subscription when we updated our phones this past fall, and have been enjoying some of the content on Disney+. The Imagineering Series traces the formation of The Walt Disney Company, brand, films, theme parks, and more. Find the link here.

2. Have a dance party to Disney Classics. Check out curated lists of Disney music on Spotify, Apple Music, DPark Radio, or YouTube. The YouTube series has loops of music that are piped in on repeat throughout the parks. Have kids dress up in their favorite Disney costumes (princesses! pirates! superheroes! classic characters!) and have your own parade throughout the house.

3. Practice drawing skills by taking lessons from a real life Disney artist. The YouTube collection includes tutorials on drawing Winnie the Pooh, Minnie Mouse, Tinker Bell and 40 other Disney characters. Find the index to the whole series here. Disney also offers a series on the Disney Parks Blog site that includes a dozen+ characters. Find that link here. 

4. Recreate your favorite Disney food. The Disney Food Blog has hundreds- yes, hundreds- of recipes; see the index here. The blog also offers tips for when you’re on property in person. The Disney Family website has tons of recipes, organized by meal. Find the list here. There are also many Disney related chefs out there who have copycat recipes for just about every Disney treat. A few I have come across over the years include The Disney Chef, The Healthy Mouse, and Picky Palate.  And if you want to stay authentic, consider buying one of the Disney cookbooks. Find the link to official Disney cookbooks here. 

5. Enroll in the Imagineering in a Box course online. Offered by Khan Academy and Pixar, the course includes lesson focused on creating your own fictitious world, designing attractions, and bringing characters to life. Find the link to the whole course here. 

6. Learn about a science topic from a Disney Imagineer. There are over a dozen different, 30 minute videos that showcase science related concepts and how they are applied to parts of the park. The list includes energy, electricity, friction, gravity, magnetism, trajectory, fluids, and more. Find the full list and links here. 

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7. Check in on the residents of Animal Kingdom through the live feed on DisneyNow site. Sign up for a free account here. 

8. Listen to a storytime and support Save the Children and No Kid Hungry at the same time. Organized by actresses Jennifer Garner and Amy Adams, #SavewithStories shares stories on Facebook and Instagram narrated by celebrities, many of whom read their favorite Disney story. Find the link here.

9. Play a Disney themed board game. Just about every classic board game has a Disney version, like Monopoly (this is the most impressive one, but there are several versions based on specific films), Battleship (Pirates of the Carribean!), The Game of Life (Haunted Mansion!), CandyLand, and Operation (Buzz Lightyear!). See the full list of games here. 

10. Relive (or preview) the thrill of the rides by watching a virtual ride. Virtual Disney World on YouTube has a collection of ride experiences for just about every ride at all parks. We have used these videos in the past to preview whether or not our children might be scared or get motion sickness and found it helpful and accurate.  At home, kids might like reliving past visits or pretend it’s the real deal (esp. If you can view them on a large screen). Find the link for the full index to Disney Rides here. Bonus point if parents can help emulate the ride like this dad.

If you haven’t been to Disney World yet, or are looking for recommendations and tips, check out my posts:

Follow along on our adventures on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest.

Disclaimer: I was inspired by some of these ideas on WDWPrepSchool and Fodor’s Travel. 

New England based, part high school English teacher, part non profit founder, part road tripper who LOVES hopping in the family SUV to explore America. Our bucket list includes National Parks, MLB stadiums, presidential libraries, and eating wherever the locals eat!

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3 Comments

  1. Wonderful idea and a big help to anyone planning a trip to Disney. It hits the high marks and makes it easier to get everybody dislikes into the plan. Congratulations.

    Reply

  2. Wonderful idea and a big help to anyone planning a trip to Disney. It hits the high marks and makes it easier to get everybody dislikes into the plan. Congratulations.

    Reply

  3. Wonderful idea and a big help to anyone planning a trip to Disney. It hits the high marks and makes it easier to get everybody dislikes into the plan. Congratulations.

    Reply

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