After coming home from a magical Disney vacation, you might be at a loss for what to do next. Even though you have returned to the “real” world, your mind is still in the land of princesses and pirates and mice. You may find yourself feeling depressed, angry, or in denial. Know that you are not alone, and that many of us experience Post-Disney Depression, or PDD, after leaving the parks. Here are some tricks that I have found to be helpful in easing the effects of PDD.
1. Listen to music from the parks. This one is a biggie for me, and I’ve found that if I just close my eyes and concentrate on the music, I can almost imagine that I’m on Main Street or walking through Adventureland, a Dole Whip in hand. Many of the park audios can be found on YouTube by simply searching for “Disney World music” or “Disney World loop.”
2. Listen to ride audios. Similar to the effects of area music, ride audios can put you right in the midst of an attraction. Some of my favorites are the Spaceship Earth narration and Pirates of the Caribbean full ride audio.
3. Look at photos from the trip. This way, you can relieve the memories and happiness of a glittering “Emerald City” holiday while living in a bleak “Kansas” world.
4. Find some way to document the memories. Whether you want to make a scrapbook, write a trip report, or find some other crafty way to remember the trip, it’s good to immerse yourself in the Disney mindset again. Ideally, the project should be time-consuming and something that you’re motivated to do.
5. Have a Disney movie marathon. Engage in singing the movie songs in an obnoxiously loud voice, cheering at the character’s triumphs, and crying at the sad parts.
6. Go Disney shopping! The Disney Store can be a very dangerous place for your wallet, but sometimes a little retail comfort is necessary.
7. If all else fails…. Plan your next trip! It doesn’t matter if it’s going to be in a month or a year; it’s always exciting to have your next trip to look forward to.
