Feature Article: Keeping The Magic Alive - Beating The Post Trip Blues About This Page:

[PassPorter News]

Keeping The Magic Alive - Beating The Post Trip Blues
by Thomas Cackler

You know how it feels. It's that time when the buzz from your last trip has worn off and the excitement of your next trip hasn't kicked in yet. You find that reading trip reports of others going to a Disney Resort don't hold the same excitement as they did before. You pick up your PassPorter only to sigh, and put it back on the shelf, as you can't quite bear the thought of just how long it will be until your next trip to Walt Disney World. You might as well face it, you're addicted to Disney. Worse, you're going through withdrawal. Thankfully, there is a cure to the Disney Blues - easy ways to keep the magic alive until the excitement can carry you to your next visit to the most magical place on earth. Best of all, you might have many of the tools necessary to complete the job already in your house. It won't cost a fortune to enjoy a small taste of the magic right in the comfort of your own home.

On your next trip, rather than purchasing something that will sit on a shelf and collect dust, pick up a souvenir that you can use every day. A new Disney coffee mug is something that you can use every day that will remind you of your vacation with every sip. A fun shirt that you can wear to the office is another way to keep the magic alive despite that weekly conference call. Speaking of that call, why not take your notes at that next meeting with a Mickey Mouse pen? Taking a little bit of Disney to your office is a great way to make your days a little more magical.

Another great way of keeping the magic alive is to keep the magic in front of you all the time. Put pictures of your trip where you can see them. Take that favorite picture of your family with Goofy to the office and put it on your desk next to the post card you sent yourself on the last day of your trip. If you have trouble getting the entire family into a picture because someone has to snap the shot, ask the PhotoPass photographer to snap one with your camera after they have taken their shot. A great picture with the entire family is something that truly is priceless.

If you have an office where you can decorate, the Art of Disney store at Epcot has many prints for under $20 that are suitable for framing that will make you smile as you deal with the daily grind. If you have a smaller space, post cards also make a great way to keep the thrill of the parks in front of you all the time. If you don't have an office, pick a room that you can decorate and make a safe haven from the world around you. Visual reminders remain a great way to keep you in the magic.

With so many of the recipes from your favorite restaurant available online, having a Disney meal is something easy to do that will keep the magic alive. Add to the atmosphere by playing the theme park music CD you picked up, or the home videos you shot on your last trip. For the truly adventurous, the next time you go to Cosmic Ray's Starlight Cafe, videotape Sunny Eclipse and have burgers and fries with the show on in the background back home. Finally, the next time you decide to do a big family breakfast, invite some of your favorite plush 'friends' along for a truly unique 'character meal'. However, perhaps the best way to keep the magic alive is to do something magical for someone else. It's easy to forget that so much of the magic that happens at Walt Disney World doesn't just happen, it happens because of the talented and hard working cast members. So, the next time you have the opportunity to spread a little bit of the Disney magic to the unsuspecting world, take the time and do it. Whether it's going the extra mile for a co-worker or customer or if it means getting involved with charities or organizations that send ill children to Walt Disney World, there are countless ways to make more magic both in your life and in the lives of others.

The magic is something that is easy to keep alive as a way to beat those post trip blues. However, the important thing to remember is that the magic isn't just that thrill of falling thirteen stories on the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror or getting up close and personal with a Yeti. The magic comes from the memories of spending time with family and friends enjoying the idea that Walt Disney himself created. Even if your next trip to Walt Disney World isn't for several years, you don't need to find yourself without the magic. Just remember to take a few steps before you leave the "World" and get creative when you get home and magic will never be beyond your reach.

View the full article and download a free formatted PDF of it here!

Added to PassPorter's Article Collection on 08-04-2009 04:08 PM

What do you think? Please add your own comments, experiences, or news related to this article in this thread! Reader feedback is welcome and encouraged.