A Magical Disney Staycation - How to have a Disney Vacation at Home
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Having a Disney Staycation
Are you looking to plan a Disney Staycation? Want to visit Disneyland or Walt Disney World but can’t? Going through Disney withdrawal? If you’re a Disney-addict who can’t wait until their next Disney vacation or just trying to plan a fun staycation for your family, this list of Staycation to Disney ideas will have you covered. From setting the mood, to decorations, to watching fireworks shows - you’ll get your Disney-fix and come away feeling relaxed from this Disney-themed staycation.
Having visited all of the Disney Parks except one (I’m coming for you Shanghai Disneyland!), AND being a former Cast Member, I know a thing or two about adding a bit of Disney magic to your day. Even if you can’t make it out to a Disney Park, you can still have a magical vacation staycation.
How to plan your Disney Staycation
Whether you only have time for a weekend staycation or are able to take a whole week or two of vacation time, you can use the list of Disney Staycation ideas below to make your itinerary. I’ve made a list of ideas you can pick and choose from so you can tailor your experience to suit your interests and length of your staycation. You can also incorporate any of the ideas into your regular days if you just want to infuse a little Disney into your life. But if you want even more help or want to just follow a set plan, check out our 2-day Disney Staycation Itinerary near the bottom of this post.
Disney Staycation Ideas
1. Play themed background music.
Music sets the stage when visiting any Disney Park. Start your Disney Staycation by setting the mood and playing tunes from your favorite Disney lands and attractions. Check out Official Disney Albums here:
2. Disney-fy your rooms.
You can decorate every room in your house with a different theme. Lion King living room? Star Wars kitchen? Finding Nemo bathroom? The combinations are endless. You can even do rooms themed to specific Disney Parks, or lands. Fantasyland guest room. Adventureland bedroom. Main Street dining room.
3. Design and make your own Minnie ears. Wear them.
If you’re not the crafty type, you can always order some online. Look how cute these rose gold ones are! Don’t forget the matching spirit jersey!
4. Make matching Disney-themed shirts for you and and your family.
Or get matching shirts for your #DisneySquad. Or just for yourself.
5. Choose a theme for each day and wear your Disney-bound outfit.
Mickey & Friends Monday
Tomorrowland Tuesday
Alice in Wonderland Wednesday
Toy Story Thursday
Frozen Friday
Marvel-ous Saturday
Star Wars Sunday.
If you only have a couple of days for your Disney staycation, just choose your favorite themes! Share your best outfits on Instagram and tag @eatwanderexplore so we can see your Disney-best!
6. Have a Disney Movie Marathon.
Don’t forget to make popcorn and add some flavor! Did you know Disney California Adventure has Dill flavored popcorn? Epcot has buffalo bleu cheese, and Tokyo Disney Resort has strawberry, butter & soy sauce, black pepper, chocolate, curry, and royal milk tea!
7. Have a DCOM (Disney Channel Original Movie) marathon.
With Disney+, having Disney movie and DCOM marathons will be a breeze! Invite your friends over and pick your favorites to watch while having an epic sleepover! Make sure you have a comfy pillow like this one to snuggle up with. Check out this list of movies and shows you can binge-watch on Disney+ here.
8. Train for a RunDisney race.
Go for a run/walk while listening to your favorite Disney soundtrack or podcast. Even if you can’t make it to one of the Disney Parks to participate, you can sign up for one of the RunDisney Virtual Races. The virtual races can be completed on your own time and you can even split up your run over multiple days if needed.
You’ll still receive a finisher’s medal sent by mail, certificate, and downloadable racing bib after registering for a RunDisney virtual race.
9. Give yourself a Disney-themed manicure/pedicure.
You can paint a design yourself, or use decals to make it easier. If nail art eludes you, use nail wraps for the ultimate easy DIY manicure. Simply stick them on your nails and tear off the excess.
10. Play Disney Apples to Apples.
Find out what your friends and family think is funny, silly, scary, adventurous, etc. in relation to Disney. It’s a great game to play after dinner while waiting until your stomach has room for dessert! For a similar but more adult (recommended aged 17+) game, there’s Cards Against Disney.
11. Watch YouTube videos of the Jungle Cruise ride and laugh at all the punny jokes. Turn your shower on and move your head to look at the “backside of water!”
12. Sprinkle pixie dust in your hair.
If you ever get a haircut on Main Street in Disneyland or Magic Kingdom, they sprinkle your hair with a little bit of pixie dust at the end. Sometimes the fairy godmothers-in-training at Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique will dust you with some pixie dust as you pass by the shop. “All you need is faith and trust. . . and a little bit of pixie dust.”
13. Make Mickey-shaped waffles or pancakes.
I got this waffle maker as a gift and loved how cute they came out! They were a little more like pancakes than waffles, but this version makes a more classic waffle. Also, although Brugge in Belgium is not related to Disney – it does look like it came straight out of a fairy tale AND they have the best waffles! Check out our favorite waffle recipe!
14. Build a Cinderella castle.
Look how CUTE this Lego Castle is! It even comes with mini-figurines! If Legos aren’t your thing, get this backdrop instead and feel like you’re in the Magic Kingdom. Take some selfies in front of it with your Disney-bound outfit on and tag us on instagram!
15. Explore the Disney Parks using Google Maps street view.
Take a virtual walk around the Disney Parks and explore all the lands. You can even “stand” in front of Cinderella’s castle at Walt Disney World! Take your time admiring all the details that go into building the immersive stories at Disney without the heat and humidity or large crowds. If you’re interested in a “behind-the-scenes” look at the magic, get this book that takes you into the world of the Disney Imagineers and offers a sneak-peek at upcoming magic!
16. Make some Disney-inspired food.
Did you know you can make Dole Whip at home?! Also, if you sign up for a free D23 general membership (or the paid Gold version), you get access to an extensive Disney Recipe Collection! It includes appetizers, sides, main dishes, and desserts. I can’t wait to try the Disneyland Club 33 Gingerbread Beignets recipe! Remember to get these Mickey-shaped cookie cutters!
17. Wear your favorite VR headset and take a 360 Disney tour.
Checkout this headset or get this very affordable option. Here are a few of my favorite 360 Disney videos to get you started.
18. Sing Disney Karaoke.
Nothing like singing a good Disney song to get you to a happier place. I got Disney Sing it: Family Edition for the Wii as a gift (and love playing!), but it’s also available for Playstation. If singing is not your thing, you can play Toy Story Mania on the Wii or Playstation too! Just like the ride in the Disney Parks, up to 4 players can compete against each other in fast-paced shooting galleries.
19. Watch your favorite Disney Parade.
You may not be able to buy a Mickey ice cream bar to eat while you watch, but on the plus side you don’t have to sit on the side of Main Street for an hour to get a good seat. Another bonus is that you can watch them over and over again, and even watch the night parades in the middle of the day if you want! Here are a few links to get you started:
Tokyo Disneyland Dreamlights (Tokyo Disneyland)
Paint the Night (Disney California Adventure Park)
Flights of Fantasy (Hong Kong Disneyland)
Disney Festival of Fantasy (Magic Kingdom - Walt Disney World)
Mickey’s Storybook Express (Shanghai Disneyland)
20. End your evenings by watching your favorite Disney fireworks show.
Cast the video to your TV or projector (this one comes with a 100” screen) to make it closer to life-size rather than on your computer or phone screen. Some of the shows below have been retired, but luckily they’re still online for your enjoyment!
Happily Ever After (Magic Kingdom - Walt Disney World)
World of Color (Disney California Adventure Park)
Fantasmic! (Disney’s Hollywood Studios)
Mickey’s Mix Magic (Disneyland Resort)
Disney Illuminations (Disneyland Paris)
Sample 2-day Disney Staycation Itinerary
Day 1
Start your day off with some Mickey Waffles.
Go for a run/walk to train for your RunDisney virtual race, or pretend you’re walking around your favorite Disney Park, while listening to the soundtracks of your favorite attractions.
Sprinkle some pixie dust in your hair and place some Hidden Mickeys around your house for your family to find.
Watch the Disney Festival of Fantasy Parade.
Make sandwiches for lunch and use these tools to add some magic to your lunch.
Virtually ride a few attractions using a VR headset and watching Disney 360 videos on YouTube.
Choose a recipe from the D23 Disney Recipe collection to make for dinner.
Choose your favorite Fantasmic show to watch. Did you know Disneyland (California), Disney’s Hollywood Studios (Florida), and Tokyo Disneyland (Japan) all have their own versions of Fantasmic? Since you’re staycationing, you could even watch all 3 in a row!
Day 2
Indulge your taste buds and enjoy Tonga Toast like you’re staying at Disney’s Polynesian Resort by following this recipe. You don’t need to have a deep fryer, but it does make it easier. Check this one out.
Power-walk around your neighborhood like you’re headed to the Flights of Passage ride in Pandora at Disney’s Animal Kingdom at rope drop.
Wear your Mickey-ears and take some selfies with the princesses.
Play Disney Sing-it or Toy Story Mania with your friends/family.
Have some Dole whip and listen to tiki room music.
Watch World of Color from Disney California Adventure Park to end your night.
Now you have all the Disney Staycation ideas plus sample itinerary to plan your own magical holistay! Let us know if this list is helpful for you and if there was anything else we should have added! Do you have friends or family that love Disney? Share this post with them!
If you liked this staycation ideas list, you may want to check out our other themed staycation ideas too. You can also sign up to receive updates of when new staycation ideas and itineraries are released.
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