Excitement. Anticipation. Joy. Magic. These are some of the words that come to mind as I think about our upcoming Disney trip. There is nothing like experiencing all that WDW has to offer, but as we all know, there is usually a LOT more time spent waiting for the trip to commence than there is experiencing the magic in person.

So, why not make the waiting part of the excitement? Even now, as I sit here writing this, my gaze wanders to the countdown I have posted on the wall. Everytime I change a number, I feel a thrill. At first, it's when I go from a 3-digit countdown to a 2-digit countdown. Then, I get excited at every milestone -- 90 days, 60 days, 30 days. And by the time it reaches single digits? Well, I'm over-the-moon excited.

A countdown is a great way to anticipate the excitement to come. If you have children, allowing them to change the countdown helps them to get involved in the pre-trip excitement.

And that's not the only thing you can do to extend the Disney experience. Starting from the moment I make that next reservation, there is the joy of figuring out what new restaurants to try. Then, once everything is booked, I have the fun of inputting everything into the MyMagic+ app. There is the researching of park hours, extra magic hours, and figuring out what is new to see and do.

For the littler ones (and, I admit, for many of us adults), watching the Disney movies that inspired the attractions in the parks is a fun way for them to prepare for the Magic. Beauty and the Beast, Dumbo, The Little Mermaid, Cinderella, Peter Pan -- there are lots to choose from! And don't forget about some of the classic attractions like the treehouse from Swiss Family Robinson and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.

As the trip edges ever closer, we listen to park music -- we have LOTS of it on our computer! -- to set the mood as we pack and look at pictures of previous WDW trips. All of these things help us to experience Disney magic before setting foot on the plane to Florida!

So, don't waste the anticipation; relish it as part of the magic & excitement of a Disney vacation!