Update: Thanks to everyone who shared their own suggestions for how they make every day Disney magical. Keep those comments coming! Judy B. of Canfield, Ohio -- who uses Disney cookbooks to make her favorite foods that she enjoys at WDW -- is the winner of a Captain Hook Christmas ornament!
We know that many of you following this blog are in some stage of planning for your Orlando trip. Some of you are making your first visit to Disney World. Some of you are just beginning to do research and maybe trying to decide which ticket to get. Others are further along in their planning and looking for tips inside the parks. A few of you may have just returned from your trip and are looking for ways to extend “the magic” you experienced while you were in the parks. This post is for those of you in the latter group.
It’s very simple, really. While we are awed by our experience at Walt Disney World, after the trip is over, we oftentimes return to our hectic lives. Yep, even the Frog Family. For me personally, I get so caught up in getting Tad and Lily from one place to another, that I sometimes forget this is time we should be enjoying being together. I know it sounds corny, but I forget that we don't have to wait until our next Disney trip to make every day Disney magical. This post is about sprinkling a little pixie dust on every day, so to speak, because every day truly is magical, and we should celebrate it!
My inspiration for today’s post actually came while we were in Magic Kingdom® Park for Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party. While not everyone was in a costume, it was wonderful to see so many parents dressed up alongside their children. Some of the families went with a theme and their costumes were as elaborate as those worn by their favorite characters! Now, I am not suggesting that you come up with a theme for the entire family. This would never work with Tad and Lily since they so rarely agree. I am also not advocating that everyone spend hundreds of dollars on costumes.
I am simply suggesting that this Halloween, you make the effort to dress up in some way along with your children. For some of you, this means starting small. Maybe just a silly Goofy hat or a made-up face (cat whiskers or a ghost face are pretty easy to pull off). For others, it can be a full-blown outfit, either cobbled together or bought straight from the store. The point is to have fun! Get creative! Your kids will love that you decided to take part in the holiday with them, beyond your normal role of supervision.
Last year, I wasn’t planning on dressing up at all, but I stumbled upon the perfect, circa-1980 white lace and blue lamé prom dress on a sale rack outside of a vintage store while I was window shopping with Tad and Lily, and it just called to me. Now, the royal blue lamé clashed a little against my green skin, but the dress fit perfectly, so I snatched it up without fully knowing how I would wear it! Tad and Lily could hardly believe that I, their normally straight-laced Mommy Frog, could actually let her hair down! I think it was actually as fun for them to see me dressed up -- in this case as the dejected runner-up to prom queen -- as it was for me. This year, instead of just talking about it, I persuaded Leap to get dressed up with me. We're going as the Mad Hatter and the Queen of Hearts!
Stay tuned, because we'll be sharing other ideas for sprinkling a little pixie dust on the every day in the coming weeks. In the meantime, let us know the ways you make every day Disney magical.
Happy Everyday!
