This is a partnered post with Disney Parks. All opinions are my own.
If you’ve ever had the chance to experience a Disney theme park, you know that there’s nothing quite like the magic of Disney. That magic feeling stays with you long after leaving a Walt Disney World Resort and it’s what makes every kid, BIG and small want to return for more!
Bring that magical feeling into your home with fun activities, recipes, and get-togethers that allow you the chance to share that Disney feeling with others.
Take a look at the #DisneyKids Preschool Playdate we recently hosted! Plus find great tips and Disney-inspired recipes you can use for bringing the wonder of Disney Parks into your home.
Dream Up Fun Activities
When it comes to creating Disney magic, the first step is getting your child’s imagination to take flight. Get your guests learning and creating with these activities.
Photo Booth
Having an area for guests to take photos is a fun and easy way for everyone to end up with great memories of your playdate! Create a photo booth with colored paper, paper fans, photo backdrops or character standees. I happened to find this great castle photo backdrop and the character standees online. I then used Mickey Mouse ear props that were created by Lily Bean Couture as fun photo props.
Mickey’s Magical Express
We happened to have a 6V electric train toy that we turned into our own Mickey Express to recreate the fun of riding on the Walt Disney World Express throughout the park. It was a big hit with all the kids during our #DisneyKids Preschool Playdate. If you don’t have a toy like this, creating train cars with an old cardboard box and some paint works just as well!
Rapunzel’s Coloring Corner
Coloring is always an easy and fun activity for kids. Coloring sheets can easily be printed out online and I grabbed a box of crayons from my local dollar store.
Maui’s Magic Sand
Kinetic or sensory sand is one of my kid’s favorite things to play with. Since we already had a bunch of it laying around, I added it to a few reusable bins to create a magic sand station. This is a great activity that promotes creativity and dexterity.
Anna’s Royal Hopscotch
Hopscotch was one of my favorite games to play as a kid and finding a Disney Frozen themed hopscotch mat was a big score for me and my little girls! I found this mat online but you could also draw your own with sidewalk chalk on the driveway and use a few Disney Tsum Tsums as markers.
Imagine Disney-Inspired Dishes
Some of the best food creations come out of Disney Parks kitchens. Recreating your Disney Parks favorites at home is easy and a great family activity! Here are a few fun, Disney inspired menu options to share with your guests.
Beauty & The Beast Grey Stuff
With the release of the Live Action Beauty & The Beast Film and the introduction of “The Grey Stuff” into Disney Parks restaurants, I had to recreate it for my #DisneyKids Preschool Playdate. I used a recipe I created to bring together 5 ingredients into a tasty treat everyone enjoyed! I piped the Grey Stuff into little serving cups and topped them with wafer roses which I spray painted red with red food color spray.
The Grey Stuff Recipe:
Ingredients:
- 2 packs of softened cream cheese
- 3 tbs of milk
- 1 tub of whipped topping
- 1/3 cup of powdered sugar
- 1 package of Oreo cookies (crushed)
Directions:
In a mixer, whip cream cheese on medium speed. Add in milk and whip for about 1 minute or until creamy. While mixer is still on, add in whipped topping and powdered sugar slowly. Mix until combined. Crush up the oreo cookies in a food processor and add into the cream cheese mixture. Place into a piping bag and pipe into small plastic cups. Refrigerate for 20 minutes before serving. ( This can be made 1-2 days ahead of time and kept refrigerated in an airtight container.)
The Little Mermaid Seafoam Fluff
My favorite Disney movie as a kid was The Little Mermaid so I had to incorporate it into one of our dishes. I gave an old Summertime dish a bit of a facelift and turned a recipe for Watergate Salad into Seafoam Fuff for our #DisneyKids Preschool Playdate. I kept the recipe the same but omitted the normal almond slivers to leave it nut free. This treat is so cool and refreshing and looked great in the individual mini bowls I served them in.
Seafoam Fluff Recipe:
Ingredients:
- 2 packs of pistachio pudding mix
- 1 tub of whipped topping
- 4 cups of mini marshmallows
- 2, 12oz cans of crushed pineapple with juice
Directions:
Combine the pudding mix and whipped topping in a bowl, stir until pudding is mixed in and the mixture is creamy. Add in marshmallows and crushed pineapple with juice. Stir until all ingredients are well mixed and fluffy. Refrigerate for 30 minutes and then serve. ( This can be made 1-2 days ahead of time and kept refrigerated in an airtight container.)
Tinker Bell Fruit Wands
Fruit is always an easy and healthy option for kids. I decided to shishkabob strawberries and grapes onto these cute wands I found to create a Tinker Bell inspired snack that everyone loved!
Mickey Mouse PB&J
Peanut butter and jelly is a childhood staple. Throw in a Mickey Mouse shaped cookie cutter and you have an easy and fun Disney themed dish. They are great for grab and go treats and I used both white and wheat bread so parents could choose between the two.
Cinderella’s Midnight Kisses
These are SUPER easy since there is no cooking at all involved. I found some plastic glass slipper looking favors online and placed cookies and cream Hershey’s kisses inside them to create this magical treat. Every kid at the party loved having their own glass slipper to take home!
Create Fun Disney Themes
Creating the atmosphere of Disney Parks at home can easily be done with items you may already have or party store and online finds. Bring Disney Parks to your guests with these fun decor ideas.
Create a Disney entrance
Make your home stand out to your guests by decorating your door with eye-catching Disney decor. I was able to find the door banner and castle inflatable online and the BB8 plush at my local Walmart.
Elsa’s winter wonderland scene
Having two little girls in our family, Frozen is a big Disney movie for us. I was able to create this fun theme area for our food booth from items I already owned a few I found online.
I took an old lemonade stand I had from a previous birthday party and turned into Wandering Oaken’s Trading Post And Sauna by printing out the sign and a photo of Oaken to sit behind the stand. I then hung a winter backdrop and Elsa character standee I found online behind the table. This gave my guest the feeling as though our treats were coming from Oaken’s trading post and Elsa was there to greet us!
Whether you want to inspire little prince or princesses, bringing the magic of Disney Parks into your home is a great way to share the wonder with friends and family. Curious about visiting a Disney Parks with your preschool aged child? Find out more about planning a Disney-themed vacation with your little ones on Disney’s website.
Do you have a Disney playdate planned? Tell me all about it!
Wow, I almost feel sad missing this party. Very helpfull! Thanks