Disney Hangover is Real

It's been about a month since I returned home from Disney.

Between getting engaged and college, I've been pretty busy.

But not busy enough to prevent Disney Hangover.

What is Disney Hangover, you ask?

Disney Hangover [Diz-nee hang-oh-ver]
noun
1. the feeling of dullness of 'real life' compared to the happy and magical feeling of being at Walt
    Disney World.
2. the empty feeling of no longer having a Disney vacation to plan and/or look forward to.


There are many symptoms of Disney hangover, including, but not limited to:

• Inability to focus on work/school because you are thinking about your vacation.
• Frequent "flashbacks" to you being in the park, sparked by a smell, taste, sound, or just general memory.
• Looking at your vacation photos abnormally often.
• Feeling sad as you go through a day, knowing you aren't as happy as when you were at Disney.
• Wishing you had a Fastpass+ for the grocery store, Starbucks line, etc.
• Trying to figure out the next time you can go back to Disney.

It's completely normal to find yourself wanting to sprinkle some fairy dust on everyday life after coming back from a Disney trip.  The fact of the matter is, it's called the Happiest Place on Earth for a reason, and life outside of the resort really just doesn't compare for some of us.

Going through my second Disney Hangover in my adult life, I have a few tips to help ease the pain.

While in Disney:

It doesn't hurt to take pictures
with your treat either.

1. Buy a souvenir that you will or could use every day.  If you drink coffee every morning, get a mug.  If you hit the gym everyday after work, get a drawstring bag or water bottle.  Bring that touch of Disney into something you do every day.

2. Bring home a treat of some sort from the parks.  Get a box of Mickey ear rice krispies in the Main Street Confectionary (because everything tastes better shaped like Mickey!) or a caramel apple from Big Top Souvenirs in New Fantasyland.  Though these treats won't last forever, it'll be a nice treat on a day when the Disney Hangover is especially bad.

3. Take lots of pictures.  Though one of the Disney Hangover symptoms is looking at the photos, you'll be glad you did afterward.  It'll help you relieve all of your favorite memories from your vacation later.

4. Take the extra shampoo/soap from your resort if you're staying on property.  They say scent is the strongest tie to memory, so lathering up with these scents during your daily shower might just take you back to Disney, at least for a moment.  You can also buy their products online here.

When you return home:

1. Look at your pictures.  Edit your pictures.  Upload your pictures to Facebook.  Make a photo album or photo book online.  Preserve your memories in any way you sank.

2. Listen to Disney podcasts and read Disney blogs.  One of my favorite blogs is Disney Food Blog (they also produce a podcast), but I also really like the Disneybound Tumblr.  My favorite podcast to just listen to, not so much for planning, is WDW Radio by Lou Mongello.  There are links to all of these in the Other Resources tab.

3. Watch Disney movies and listen to Disney soundtracks.  I especially like listening to the soundtrack instrumentals when I'm studying.  Recently I've been trying to find park instrumentals too, like the soundtrack for Soarin' and Fantasmic!.  (update 4/28: a really great website for park music is www.d-cot.com)

4. Read books.  Read a Walt Disney biography.  Find a book about the parks themselves.  If you're like me, read the Kingdom Keepers series about kids in the parks at night (they might be written for kids...but I think I've proven I'm a kid at heart!)  Here are some links to some examples:

• The Revised Vault of Walt: Jim Korkis
• Designing Disney: John Hench
• Kingdom Keepers: Ridley Pearson
• The Hidden Magic of Walt Disney World Trivia: Susan Veness

5. Make Disney themed food and drinks.  Make a pizza in the shape of Mickey ears.  Theme your dinner around a country in Epcot.  Make a cocktail based on a character.  For some ideas, check out the Disney Cocktails tab, or look at Disney Food Blog's list of Disney Park recipes here!

6. Watch YouTube videos.  Search Disney princess character interactions.  Look up videos of the parades.  Bring Disney to you in the best way you know how.

6. Start planning your next vacation.  Hey, it might be a few years before you can next make it to Disney.  But it doesn't hurt to do your research on how to plan even better next time, and to stay on top of your Disney news!  Price check different combinations of dining and resorts - the My Disney Experience site makes it easy.  You never know when you'll find a good deal...and maybe get to visit the parks sooner than you thought!




What do you do to help get over Disney Hangover?  Leave your suggestions in the comments!


Later this week: Colors of the Wind Sangria Recipe



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