PassPorter.com Feature Article
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Disney Every Day: Bringing the Magic of the Disney Parks Into Every Day Life

by Heather Macdonald, PassPorter Guest Contributor
Last modified 11-17-2011

I know that all of our readers love Disney and would love to surround themselves with Mickey 24/7, but that it isn’t always possible.

I know that work, family, and friends sometimes get in the way of surrounding yourself with the Mouse all the time. It occurred to me the other day that I’ve found subtle ways of bringing The World into my world, that are even okay in the workplace. I thought I’d introduce those ideas by walking you through a typical day in my life.

I wake up to the sounds of The Mickey Mouse Club March coming from my cell phone/alarm clock and throw back my Grand Floridian Alice in Wonderland comforter, which I procured from www.ebay.com. I stretch and sing a little, just like the Sleeping Beauty and Snow White lithographs on my walls. It’s not until I hit the bathroom that some of more subtle Disney-fied items come into play. I hop in the shower and wash and condition my hair with H2O+’s Aquatica Natural Spring Fragrance. These are the bath products provided by most of the Disney hotels (the Grand Floridian and Disney Cruise Line use their Spa line of products). These are available from the H20+ site, and also at the resort gift shops and at www.disneystore.com, but they don’t have the whole collection. I dry off and don my Hollywood Tower Hotel bathrobe. You can find this and other Hollywood Tower Hotel items in the gift shop in the Tower of Terror. The robe and the towels do not in any way indicate that they are not from an actual hotel, except for the Disney label on the inside, so these items make great presents for your friends who want a memento of your vacation, but aren’t Disney fans. That shop also has magnets, key chains, and even a front desk bell! They also have H2O+ products (it is a hotel gift shop, after all).

Once I’m dry and cozy I apply Laila perfume, the Essence of Norway. This lovely scent is produced by Geir Ness and is only available a few places in the states. If you happen to be at The World at the same time as Geir, he’ll happily autograph your bottle for you. He also has a fragrance for men called Geir. There are other fragrances available in the France and Italy Pavilions, but this one just smells Disney World to me!

After I’m carefully dressed in my non-Disney couture for the day, I add jewelry. This is where I can add reminders of Walt Disney World, without being obvious. My first choice is a pearl solitaire ring that I had made with a pearl I chose in the Japan Pavilion at Epcot. It’s a single pearl on a plain silver band and it reminds me of Spaceship Earth every time I look at it. There are several pick a pearl locations besides Epcot, including a booth at Downtown Disney, however I just love the show they put on in the Japan Pavilion. This ring might be the best $45 I’ve ever spent at Walt Disney World. I add the next piece of jewelry, which is a very simple-looking bracelet purchased at the Outpost in Epcot. They have recently started a program with Bead for Life. Park maps are sent to Uganda where they are recycled into beads for items like necklaces, bracelets, and earrings. At Epcot you can purchase a pre-made item or string your own. I purchased both a necklace and a bracelet on my last visit and I wear the bracelet almost every day. If you aren’t going to be in The World soon, you can support this project by shopping on their website.

At this point I sometimes add my Chamilia charm bracelet, which is a little less subtle. Mine has Mickey, Eeyore, and Tinker Bell charms on it, but they carry a variety of different characters. I know that you can also purchase these bracelets and the special Disney charms at the jewelry store on Main Street USA. At this time the website is carrying 42 Disney charms, but others are only available on location at Disney, like the Cruise Ship Charm.

Before leaving for work I pack up my bag, which I purchased at the Conservation Station at Animal Kingdom. It was created by a company called Proyecto Titi, which is dedicated to preserving the Cotton-top Tamarind in Colombia. The bags are recycled plastic bags and are designed to look like the cotton bags carried everywhere in Colombia. They are available in several different styles and lots of different colors. The website won’t promise a certain color, so your best bet is to pick your favorite out at Animal Kingdom. It’s another great organization to look into as well!

While I’m at work my Disney items become fewer and farther between, but I do use a can opener that is from the Classic Mickey Collection and is available at both www.DisneyStore.com and the kitchen shop at Downtown Disney. I’ve also seen it at Mouse Gear in Epcot and in the resort shops. I’m sure you could add a Disney-related mug to your desk, or a photo frame. I don’t have a desk, so there isn’t a place for me to put any personal items on display, but if I did it would certainly include a picture from our most recent trip to Disney.

Upon returning home, my Disney items become a little less subtle. I usually start out with a glass of wine, and while I’d love to be quaffing Lasseter Family wines every night, it just isn’t in the budget. I make do with a wine glass etched with small Mickey Mouse heads. I keep that bottle of wine fresh with a Murano glass Mickey-head bottle stopper. These are also available in stainless steel . . . all over Walt Disney World.

Finally, I heat up my Classic Collection Mickey Mouse tea kettle and pour myself a cup of tea from one of the many boxes I’ve purchased at the Twinning’s store in the United Kingdom Pavilion at Epcot before climbing back into my bed. Whew, that was a long day, but I hope I’ve given you some ideas for how to bring Disney into your daily life, without being overpowering! I know that it brings a smile to my face each and every day. I hope it helps bring one to yours.

About the Author: Heather is a PassPorter Message Board Guide (moderator). She lives in New Orleans and works for a major hotel chain as a bartender. Heather visited Walt Disney World as a child and after surviving Hurrican Katrina, thought it would be the perfect escape vacation! She loved it so much that she has been 10 times in the last five years.

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Updated 11-17-2011

Check for a more updated version at http://www.passporter.com/articles/disney-park-magic-every-day.html