Thrifty Thursday: Disney Countdown!

Want a cheap night in with the family??  You’ll save money by not going out and doing expensive activities and you’ll have some Disney fun!  Why not make a Disney Countdown poster?  We do this every trip (except for the trip we took in 2010 where we kept it a secret from Ash and surprised her the day of…but that is a whole other post!)

Here is what you will need:

1.  Poster paper – I get mine from JoAnns or Michaels with a coupon

2.  Markers – they work best on the poster

3.  Disney stickers – again get from your craft store with coupons

4.  Kids who love Disney

5.  One adult with a pencil who can draw straight lines;)

You can do this activity for around $10 or less!!  Figure out how many days until your next Disney trip.  On your poster with a pencil (just in case) draw a calendar like grid so that you have enough boxes to represent each day until you leave.  Then, have the kids trace over your straight lines with their makers, let em use all different colors, it’ll be more fun that way.  Have them number each day, starting from the day you leave labeling it with the number 1 and put the numbers in the boxes all the way through the calendar until today (the day you make the poster).  Then give them Disney stickers and let them have at it!  We have a 13 year old and she enjoys this activity, as do I so there is no age limit!!  Even if you have a wee little one, they can still stick stickers, right??

Then put the poster up somewhere you will see it everyday.  It will bring you joy and extreme excitement every time you see it!!  The kids can take turns each day crossing them off, bringing the trip even closer.  I love doing this, it makes me happy!

There are plenty of other ways to do this too.  I have friends who do the paper chain countdown where you either add or take away a paper chain to count the days.  No matter what you choose, it’ll be so fun for the whole family and will entertain the kids.  You could even have each child make their own to keep in their room too.  Finish the night off with a Disney movie with popcorn and you’ll have a fun, Disney themed, evening at home!!  Plus you will save money by NOT going out!!  Take the $30+ you may spend elsewhere and throw it in your Disney Fund;)

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Tina works full time as a school counselor in an elementary school. She lives close to Baltimore, MD with her husband Dave and her 13 year old stepdaughter, Ashley. They also have a furry family member, a cat name Frodo, that keeps life interesting in their house! Tina began visiting Disney World as a child with her family, and now her, Dave & Ashley take a trip to the World every year. She considers herself a Disney “fanatic” and once her family is finished one trip, she is already planning their next one. Tina loves to find the best deals, even in the busy seasons (she can only go when schools are off!) and loves sharing those deals & tips with anyone and everyone! What Tina loves most is the magic of WDW, it makes her feel like a kid again. She hopes that every family has the opportunity go to the World and experience the magic for themselves because it has a way of reminding its visitors that dreams do indeed come true! Read more of Tina’s work on her blog A Not So Bland Life, where she writes about home decor, cooking, couponing, traveling, and and of course, Disney!

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