4. Go Disneybounding

Image: BrittReneePhotography, Flickr (license)

It may seem odd to call Disneybounding a “hack”, but it really is. For those unfamiliar, Disneybounding is a popular fan practice where visitors emulate their favorite Disney characters without actually being in full costume. It’s a fun way to amp up the magic while visiting Walt Disney World while still respecting Disney’s rules that guests over 14 cannot wear full costumes. Basically, it’s taking modern clothes and loosely modeling them after Disney characters.

My first foray into Disneybounding happened entirely by accident. I have a penchant for wearing black Trilby hats, and our visit to Disney World in 2009 happened during an unusually cold month. I picked up a Nepali scarf in Animal Kingdom and also ended up wearing a long black coat and red lipstick. I had no idea I had stumbled straight into the world of Disneybounding until two separate little girls (on totally different occasions) confused me for Mary Poppins. I had no idea people did the same thing on purpose until years later, and I have to say, it added a fun element to our trip photos!

While the most obvious benefit of Disneybounding is having some seriously sweet pictures at the end of your trip (your character photos will be off the hook!), there are other benefits as well. There’s something very fun about the psychological aspect of “dressing up” for a Disney vacation. You may get to make some surprise conversation with other fans or cast members, and there’s just something so freeing about embracing the magic with your clothes. Never tried it? Don’t feel like you have to spend a bunch of money to Disneybound. See what you can pull together using clothes you already have or that you can find in thrift stores! The sky is the limit—well, full costumes are the limit, but you get the idea.

5. Take on a challenge

Image: Disney

We’ve mentioned a number of popular challenges guests can try at Disney before. Drinking around the world is the most popular, but there are plenty of Disney challenges that don’t require you to get pickled. In Epcot alone, you can drink non-alcoholic beverages around the world, dessert your way around the world, eat around the world, and even visit all the art exhibits around the world. You can take on a photo challenge and try to get pictures in front of all the major landmarks in Walt Disney World, you can try to ride all of Disney’s “mountain” coasters in one day, visit all four parks in one day, or even attempt a scavenger hunt.

Want to take your challenges to the next level? If your party is large enough, set up a team challenge—who can ride the most rides in a day, who can get the most characters pics in a day, or even who can complete a scavenger hunt quickest! At the end of the trip, the losers have to treat the winners to some special Disney magic. Dole Whips are the gold medals of our household.