Did you know there’s a pandemic? Kinda hard to miss these days.
I had already planned on writing this but truly right as I began outlining, I checked my phone and Disneyland announced they will be closing starting March 14th until the end of the month. And and as more and more reports roll out, it’s been recommended to stay in, and distance yourself from others if possible.
But not to fret! Kat, Stephen, and I have incorporated lots of things into our everyday lives to keep the Disney magic alive and well even if we’re not in the parks and I’m going to share those ideas with you. You won’t even notice the crushing loneliness (JUST JOKING!).
Enjoy! Stay safe! Wash your hands! I love you!
Have a Disney+ Day (or night or whatever)
LISTEN. I know. Another subscription service. BUT. It’s just so friggin nice to have everything in one place. There’s tons of super nostalgic classics, along with new releases AND there’s an entire National Geographic section with nature documentaries galore.
ALSO! Pro Tip! Something so small but lovely we’ll do is make a big batch of popcorn and eat it out of our souvenir popcorn buckets we get in the parks. It makes the whole thing feel more special.
Our favorites:
Live action Lady and the Tramp (I don’t like all their new live action movies but this one is SO CUTE)
The classic Mickey Mouse shorts
Princess and the Frog (my favorite princess movie)
Imagineering Story (you won’t want it to end!)
All the National Geographic nature docs
Mandalorian (BABY YODA!!!!)
All the Muppets things over and over (maybe Disney will see the demand for Muppets and give us more Muppets things in the parks)
Utilize the magic and power of YouTube!
We’re guilty of this BUT sometimes you just really want to watch Fantasmic! Or watch ride-through videos of your favorite attractions. Or watch people review all the Disneyland food.
If you want the full Disneyland experience, you’re in luck! We’ve curated a bunch of different YouTube playlists for Disneyland and DCA so you can fully transport yourself.
California Adventure Ride-Throughs
Disneyland and DCA shows, fireworks, and parades
Recreate some of your favorite Disney snacks
Fun fact! Back in college I had a food blog. It was so much fun, and it was really how Kat and I forged our friendship.
I was already frequently hanging out with a bunch of Kat’s roommates (we’re all still one big friend group) and we both coincidentally had Tuesdays free. I wanted to start a food blog and I didn’t have a camera but Kat did, so I asked her if she wanted to help me photograph for my blog. She said yes! We started hanging out every Tuesday and then slowly but surely we started hanging out pretty much every day and we’ve been best friends ever since.
ANYWAY long story long, I loved recreating Disney snacks and below I have my old super easy recipe for a snack that’s no longer in the parks but forever in my heart.
If you want a GIANT list of Disneyland snack recipes to try, here’s an article that has sourced a TON of them s and there’s no time like the present to hole up in your house and try every single one.
Kelsey’s Recipe for Chocolate Dipped Pretzel Sticks
Makes about 50
1 bag sturdy pretzel rods
2 cups chopped good chocolate of choice
1 1/2 tablespoons shortening
1/2-1 cup smooth peanut butter
Any and all the toppings!
1. Smooth peanut butter over each pretzel stick using a knife. Arrange on a baking sheet lined with paper and set in the freezer for about 15-20 minutes.
2. Add a couple inches of water to a medium size pot. Bring to a boil and place a larger bowl over the top of the pot, making sure the bottom doesn’t touch the water. Pour in chocolate and add shortening.
3. Stir until chocolate and shortening are melted and combined.
4. Dip each pretzel wand in the chocolate and place on a new sheet of parchment paper.
5. Roll in toppings and let set. You can stick ‘em in the freezer again if you’d like.
Disney game night with Disneyland Music and drinks
Alright so we haven’t actually played this but we love a good game night and this one looks good and I’ve heard glowing reviews from everyone I know that’s played. We also love putting on this Disneyland Playlist, clearing the table, making a Trader Sam’s drink, and doing a Disney puzzle. It’s relaxing and themed all at the same time.
What do you do to bring the magic home? How are y’all faring during the pandemic? Got any good snack recs?
Welcome to Lost Weekender Lockdown! Where Kat and I make fools of ourselves trying to recreate Trader Sam’s Drinks so we can feel something close to magic or happiness again. We started with a recipe for Gorilla Grogg, which is a base used in a few different Trader Sam’s drinks like the Uh Oa or Lost Safari.