How do you build excitement for upcoming trip?

[Jennkneefir]

Hello! Curious how folks intentionally build excitement for upcoming trips.

All my planning and organizing is done. Now it’s time to wait.

Some examples I’m exploring include watching YouTubers and listening to podcasts, planning out outfits and overthinking my packing list, etc.
(Ps. If anyone has podcast or YouTube recommendations for Disney world that don’t revolve around trip planning, food, or shopping that would be a huge plus! History, park trivia, etc)

 

[Kitty & Covs Covs]

Lots of Disney music—especially the music from the parks. There’s an album on Amazon, but I’m sure Spotify has numerous playlists. I prefer park music to movie tunes.

I’ve seen some people put the resort tv broadcast videos up in the background of work/chores/etc—those are found on YouTube.

I ordered paper maps off eBay of each park for basically zero dollars. I know you said you’re done planning, but exploring the routes with the real map feels different.

 

[BibertyLelle]

Hello! Curious how folks intentionally build excitement for upcoming trips.

All my planning and organizing is done. Now it’s time to wait.

Some examples I’m exploring include watching YouTubers and listening to podcasts, planning out outfits and overthinking my packing list, etc.
(Ps. If anyone has podcast or YouTube recommendations for Disney world that don’t revolve around trip planning, food, or shopping that would be a huge plus! History, park trivia, etc)

I love watching The Imagineering Story and Magic of Disney's Animal Kingdom on Disney+ to get me pumped for my trip. I will admit that these uncertain times are certainly making it harder to really get into it (had two trips cancelled, so hopefully third time's the charm- fingers crossed). Also I listen to park-music loops while I'm at work.

 

[Jennkneefir]

Ooooh! Paper maps is such a fun idea. I'll look up the resort tv broadcast! Thank you

Lots of Disney music—especially the music from the parks. There’s an album on Amazon, but I’m sure Spotify has numerous playlists. I prefer park music to movie tunes.

I’ve seen some people put the resort tv broadcast videos up in the background of work/chores/etc—those are found on YouTube.

I ordered paper maps off eBay of each park for basically zero dollars. I know you said you’re done planning, but exploring the routes with the real map feels different.

 

[georgina]

Interesting thread. Other than putting some things in a suitcase I have never given any thought to building excitement. Maybe make a few dining reservations. I am not one to watch bloggers or YouTube videos, am a pretty low key person. Just getting on a plane and going is excitement enough for me!

 

[Jennkneefir]

Interesting thread. Other than putting some things in a suitcase I have never given any thought to building excitement. Maybe make a few dining reservations. I am not one to watch bloggers or YouTube videos, am a pretty low key person. Just getting on a plane and going is excitement enough for me!

That’s super fair. When travelling on non-Disney trips I love to read novels (both fiction and non-fiction) set in the place I’m travelling to.
I haven’t travelled at all during Covid, and Disney will be my first big trip in several years. I’m possibly a bit more excited than I would normally be and just looking for ways to lean into that excitement.

 

[stuffandfluff]

Some things I love doing are looking through old Birnbaum's editions/travel guides to see what's changed since then, watching some of the old old "Must-Dos with Stacey" videos on YouTube, and looking back at old trip pictures/trip planning notes to see what we've done from our wishlists and what we still have left to do! It may not be for everyone - looking back at everything we've lost at the parks since then - but for me, looking back always makes me excited for what's to come!

 

[PadfootnProngs]

What a fun thread!

I don't have a list but there are a few things I regularly do to build my own excitment, and the excitement of the people I'm going with if applicable:

1. After everything is booked, I like to write out examples of how my day might go within the confines of my ADR and park bookings, even though if I'm solo I don't stick to a plan much outside of what ILLs I want
2. Keep up with the "Update" DFB videos, and if there's a festival I'm attending (i.e. F&W) watch youtubers who are attending that
3. I listen to "Podcast the Ride" which is more of a comedy podcast over super informative, but it's fun and they talk a lot about Disney and UO
4. Tweak my packing list, and I start packing usually about 2 weeks out (though most packing happens the day before)
5. Agree with the poster above talking about the Disney+ specials!! There are some great park-centric ones. I also love the Frozen 2 docuseries, just for general "Disney Magic" excitement

 

[AliceNDinah]

I have a little library of Disney "guide" books I love re-reading. "Mousejunkies" is one of the best out there, not really a guide, but it's a great one. I've also been binge watching "A Couple Travelers" on YouTube, they are really great too! Ahhh, so many good resources out there. Two weeks and counting for us, couldn't be more excited!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[loves to dive]

I go often so don't need to build excitement, I'm always happy for a WDW trip. I do read these boards and watch a few vloggers just to stay current on what is happening. I still love the place, still love walking into the parks and being inside the bubble even after all these years. I would go once a month if I had the money and hubby wouldn't divorce me, so no building necessary, the excitement is always there. And yes, I've been a number of times since the before times (Aug. will be my fifth trip since re-opening but who is counting) and I still love it.

 

[georgina]

That’s super fair. When travelling on non-Disney trips I love to read novels (both fiction and non-fiction) set in the place I’m travelling to.
I haven’t travelled at all during Covid, and Disney will be my first big trip in several years. I’m possibly a bit more excited than I would normally be and just looking for ways to lean into that excitement.

Ah. I just spent a lot of time planning and researching a 9 day July trip to the UK, between places to stay, transportation, activities, that was major. My Orlando trips are basically on auto-pilot. The majority of my solo trips these days are to Universal, with a side trip for a day or 2 to Disney. Doing MNSSHP in August and MVMCP and a day in Epcot in Dec during Universal stays. I do like the holidays there.

 

[nursejackie]

Listening to Disney music, especially the Fantasyland loop on youtube.

I like to run in the mornings with this playing, as we arrive in only 13 days. I've also downloaded the Beauty and the Beast soundtrack.

I also love checking out the merchandise/shopping thread on Disboards as it's almost time for me to shop in the parks (I have a list).

 

[caffeine_demon]

I almost get excited about dentists appointments, so I don't have too much trouble getting excited about holidays.

 

[BigOnDis]

I have the opposite [problem, how do I contain my excitement for an upcoming trip and not annoy my family with all of my talk about our upcoming trip. I am talking about months in advance too.

 

[sheilafri]

I’ve watched a couple Defunctland you tube videos on the history of WDW. I also like the Behind the Scenes shows on Disney+.

 

[Poohlove]

When my kids were younger we would choose a movie to watch and have snacks or theme that night's dinner with the movie. As they got older we would watch more behind the scenes type of shows. Over the course of our trips I purchased several cookbooks and would make recipes from the books or we would play games. Fortunately we never had to work hard to build excitement for any vacation, they were always much anticipated and thoroughly enjoyed.

 

[GoofyDad_4427]

With the kids we would make a countdown chain. Usually 30 days with a favorite ride or experience written on each piece of the chain. As we got to 30 days out, we would cut off the first link of the chain and then watch some youtube videos of the ride/experience each night. The kids would like both watching the chain get shorter as the trip got closer, and also a chance to check out the videos of the different rides.

 

[Mrs~Incredible]

I like watching Molly’s AllEars “hidden details” videos on you tube. Just search those key words and a bunch will pop up. Thought I was an expert but there were quite a few fun surprises in there for me to notice in our next trip.

 

[LiDa]

Hello! Curious how folks intentionally build excitement for upcoming trips.

All my planning and organizing is done. Now it’s time to wait.

Some examples I’m exploring include watching YouTubers and listening to podcasts, planning out outfits and overthinking my packing list, etc.
(Ps. If anyone has podcast or YouTube recommendations for Disney world that don’t revolve around trip planning, food, or shopping that would be a huge plus! History, park trivia, etc)

I realize this is an old thread, but it got me reminiscing. I used to go with my mom & a friend of ours. We each had lists of things we wanted to do & my job was to find the new things so we saw or did something new every time we went. It was hard to keep track of all of it.

I once did a spreadsheet with colors & Disney images. It was gorgeous! lol And I had so much fun putting it together. It listed the parades or shows we wanted to see that didn't play every day, had our dining reservations & so on. We were absolutely not wed to it -- we could change our plans at any time. But it made it easier to figure out what was on what day (if my mom missed Spectromagic, there would be h*ll to pay), who was landing when, etc. All in one place. A colleague picked it up off the printer & said, "This is how you plan your vacation?? Just give me a cold drink & a hot cabana boy & get outta my way!" But I had a blast putting it together & my mom & friend loved it. Every night it was, "What's on the chart for tomorrow?" And we would talk about whether to actually do it.