Disney Parks Like a Pro, Part Two: The Six Practices

If you didn’t read Part One, please find it here. If you are already exhausted by clicking internet links all day, then do whatever you want. I’m not your dad.

In Part One we revealed the three principles for enjoying a Disney park vacation:

  • Willingness to try
  • A small measure of imagination
  • Resolved budget concerns
This one photo captures at least three of the six practices.
This one photo captures at least three of the six practices…

But that was just the preparation round of this (needlessly complicated?) strategy guide. To really visit a Disney park like a pro, we also need to address what to do when there.

In Part One we also referenced conversations with friends about surviving a Disney trip. Like the three principles, the following six practices are developed from those discussions over the course of many years. The practices are flexible and should be adapted to each individual’s requirements and interests.

Although we recommend trying everything, it’s better not to focus on all six practices the entire time. Decide which ones you enjoy the most*. It’s still a vacation, after all; no need to bring a checklist.

Continue reading “Disney Parks Like a Pro, Part Two: The Six Practices”

Thanksgiving Dinner Matchup: Your Family vs. Mickey and Friends

Happy Thanksgiving from the Deep Forest Outpost! We hope you have a wonderful day filled with loved ones, laughter, and mountains of food. Or whatever you want your day to be filled with — hey, we just want you to be happy.

Pictured: Mickey on the way to his very first Thanksgiving dinner. Unfortunately, Walt Disney had not drawn any friends for him yet.
Pictured: Mickey on the way to his very first Thanksgiving dinner. Unfortunately, Walt Disney had not drawn any friends for him yet.

I was conducting my morning rituals the other day when I started wondering what it would be like to have Thanksgiving dinner with Mickey Mouse and his friends (I often have these deep thoughts while sudsing). The brainstorming ground proved fertile, and I started taking notes. Who would play all those critical parts in the holiday drama? How would it measure up to our own family meals? These were ideas that needed exploring.

So exercise your imagination for a few minutes with me and come along as we spend the holiday with Mickey and company…

Continue reading “Thanksgiving Dinner Matchup: Your Family vs. Mickey and Friends”

How to Find the Perfect Holiday Gift for the Disney Lover in Your Life

The gift-givingest time of the year is just around the corner, and unless you are a crazy overachiever with ample free time, you have some items yet to buy. But if someone on your list is a Disney lover, you are in luck; your shopping is about to get a lot easier. Welcome to the Deep Forest Outpost Disney Gift Shopping Primer.

This is what it looks like when a Disney lover dreams about the Holidays.
Come. Accept this gift of your own free will. Then give us all your money. Join us. Joiiiiiin uuuuusssssssss…

One usage note: This primer is for adult gifts. Disney gifts for kids and teens are pretty easy. Infants and toddlers get something soft and fluffy with Mickey Mouse on it, older children get a toy from the latest hit movie, and teens get a t-shirt.

It’s only as adults that we start judging people based on their gifts. Kids may not like what you give them, but they won’t think you are a jerk when they unwrap it. That impulse seems to kick in around the time you are legally able to vote in the United States, which can’t be a coincidence.

Read below and decide which message you want to deliver this Holiday season. Let’s dive in!

Continue reading “How to Find the Perfect Holiday Gift for the Disney Lover in Your Life”