Disney Movie Nights – they are just traditional. They usually involve pj’s, favorite snacks, blankets & stuffed friends. But, in changing times, there is a new concept of movie night…themed movie nights. I love this concept for so many reasons. It is more than just watching a movie. You can include themed activities, food, & decorations. Our whole family becomes involved. From planning, to decorating, to clean-up, it is a true example of teamwork & a great bonding experience.
It’s hard to beat the Disney Classics – and Dumbo is definitely one of the best.
Décor
- Tablescape – red and white striped table cloth with blue napkins and yellow disposable plates. Fill a popcorn container (you can find plastic reusable ones at the Dollar Tree) with simple flowers bought at the local market.
- Balloons – there are definitely lots of fun balloons at the circus so be sure to pullout lots of colorful balloons and fill the room with them. Even better – balloon animals just search for a tutorial on YouTube.
- Circus Animals – pull out all of the stuffed animals in the house and place them circling the rooms in a parade.
Activities
- Circus Acts – have each family member plan their own circus act and have mom or dad play Ring Master and announce all the acts. You can have clowns, jugglers, acrobats, dancers or stuffed lion tamers! Each child has a unique talent, let them showcase it!
- Circus Animals – using masking tape put paper along the walls and let each family member draw and color a circus animal in their cage using washable markers. Good choices are lion, tiger, bear, horse, elephant, seals, ect.
- Circus Parade – have everyone parade around the room/yard as their circus act. Wave to the neighbors and ham it up, this is a time to have lots of fun!!
- Carnival Style Games – have each family member come up with a fun game for everyone to try. Throw darts at balloons, pick up ducks, knock over the bottles with a ball. Fun, simple, traditional carnival games.
Food
- Hamburgers, Hotdogs, Corndogs – think food you can eat without worrying about spilling your plate. Set up a build your own station and let it child fix their own burger/hotdog/corndog.
- Nachos – another fun carnival/circus food. They are a crowd pleaser and let everyone fix their own just the way they like it. Don’t forget to add veggies to the choices – refried beans, tomatoes, lettuce, olives, salsa.
- Snacks – peanuts (even the fun old fashioned marshmallow kind), peanuts, popcorn. Easy to eat (and clean up) snacks while you watch the movie!
Have a great time with this movie & let us know what you did to make your Adventure special! Have a movie suggestion for us? Leave a comment Be sure to post any photos on our DDL FB Group & link up below if you have a blog post about this.
If you’ve seen me on the web you already know there’s nothing I love more than planning Disney parties, but I love everything Disney from the history to the theme parks to the movies. I also have a true passion for planning Disney vacations as a travel professional for WDW Guru Travel. I can sometimes be sarcastic, but always helpful, and a mostly entertaining Disney Fanatic!! A true Alabama girl, born and raised, I live with my husband, Mike, and son, Dakota on a 150 acre farm in Troy that’s been in my husband’s family since before the Civil War. My daughter, Ashley, lives in Clarksville, TN with her husband, Eric, and their kids Lexi & Tripp. If you we ever get to meet in person, you will find a genuine Southern accent, the overuse of affectionate terms like “Honey”, “Sugar”, and “Darlin” and an uncontrollable need to dote over everybody.
