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Pink Ear Pixie

About the Column

Entering Disney World, especially for the first time, is like stepping foot in a foreign land. You have not months, not weeks, not even days to learn the geography, the culture, even the language. Next to your park pass, the most important thing to have in lieu of a local guide is park pointers: helpful, topical, practical advice about how to make the most of your temporary residence at Disney World. Amanda Sykora has been visiting Disney World for over thirty years, and as the Pink Ear Pixie, she dispenses practical pointers to enhance your experience and magnify your magic.

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FROM: Practical Pointers from the Pink Ear Pixie Published Every Other Wednesday

Counting the Days 'til Disney

Everybody loves a countdown, unless it's nuclear. Amanda Sykora has come up with some creative activities you can do with your kids to keep them focused on your upcoming Disney trip. I especially like her idea of a link chain. Start yours soon!

We all know that the days leading up to our next Disney vacation seem to last forever. But the anticipation can be fun!

Here are some fun ways to count down your days 'til Disney.

  • Daily Trivia: There's lots of trivia about Disney movies, characters, theme parks, and more. You won't have much trouble coming up each day with new trivia questions to ask your kids. Even simple ones like "Who's Lightning McQueen's best friend?" will keep them interested.
  • Link Chain: My family always makes a construction paper chain of links for our countdowns. This is great for the kids because they cut off a chain link each day in honor of another "sleep" down before our trip. We usually start the chain about 100 days prior to our vacation. It looks pretty ominous in the beginning, but soon enough it gets shorter and shorter.
  • Calendar Countdown: On our kitchen calendar I mark every 10th day with a set of Mickey ears along with the number of days left until our vacation. Yet more affirmation of our upcoming trip!
  • Daily or Weekly Itinerary: Another fun way to celebrate the days leading up to your trip is to create a daily or weekly itinerary.

    For example, 50 days prior to your vacation is a great day to sit down with the kids to re-evaluate your dining plans and talk about what they think they will like the most. At 40 days you can start thinking about which attraction you want to ride or see first when you enter the park each day. At 30 days you can watch Peter Pan in preparation for Peter Pan's Flight in Fantasyland. At 20 days you can have the kids choose a Disney themed shirt to wear on your travel day. And so forth.

    Think creatively and add some fun things to do each day! It's especially helpful if your trip is planned for the end of summer break, because it will give the kids something more to do each day during their summer vacation from school.

These are just a few of the fun ways to spend your time prepping and planning before your arrival at the Happiest Place on Earth!

Need more pointers? Come back next week, or get in touch with Amanda herself at her travel agency, Pixie and Pirate Destinations, where she'll answer all your questions, book your next trip, and possibly sprinkle a bit of (pink) pixie dust on your tickets!

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