As many of us across the United States come to the end of week one of self-isolation, we wanted to offer our readers one-stop for fun and educational ways to spend time at home. Because there’s only so much Netflix and Disney+ to watch, only so many puzzles to build and only a limited number of board games in the house, we’ve compiled a menu of Disney and travel related sites to add some variety to your day at home.
Please stay safe and healthy. We look forward to the time when we can travel and explore again!
Imagineering in a Box
Walt Disney World Imagineering in partnership with Khan Academy offers a series of FREE interactive lessons in theme park design and engineering. This is STEAM in action - math, science, engineering and creativity coming together to entertain and inspire! Click here to get started. 💭
Animation Class
Budding artists will have fun learning how to draw one of the original members of the Disney Fab Five, Minnie Mouse! Watch here as a character artist with the Animation Academy at DIsney’s Hollywood’s Studios leads the virtual class. The cover photo of this blog post was sketched by our very own Korliss Datcher! ✏️
Theme Park Videos
Sadly, Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort are officially closed until the end of March 2020. With the Centers for Disney Control and Prevention recommending that Americans avoid gatherings of 50+ people until May, we would imagine that the parks will not open to the public until then. In the meantime, you can get your DIsney fix by watching videos of the best Disney attractions from the point of view of the rider. Click here to experience rides from classics like Pirates of the Caribbean and Peter Pan’s Flight to the newest rides like Millennium Falcon and Rise of the Resistance. Spoiler alert! 🚨
Get Creative
On social media, we’ve loved seeing families recreate and share the Disney experience after having to postpone or cancel a trip during the temporary closures. Our very own Caitlin Jewell reenacted the story of the popular Disney movie, Frozen, using TikTok. Check out the adorable video here! ⛄️
Watching Wildlife
Popular domestic vacation destinations, National Parks remain open; however, many areas have modified operations for facilities and programs, including closure, at areas that cannot adhere to CDC guidelines. Luckily for nature enthusiasts, the National Park Service’s Watching Wildlife webcams give an exclusive look at animals in the wild. Remember, don’t feed the animals! 🐻
Recreate Travel Memories
When we reminisce about our travel experiences, the things that bring us back to those special moments are the sounds, tastes and smells from our favorite places. So go ahead, put on a Harry Connick, Jr. CD and revisit your favorite New Orleans jazz clubs. Dust off that cookbook and recreate that pasta dish from your last jaunt across the Atlantic. Buy that candle that smells like your favorite Walt Disney World Resort hotel.
What are your favorite ideas to stay entertained and inspired while exercising self-isolation?
Until we can travel again safely, stay healthy and let’s create cherished new memories with family at home!