How to do a Disney trip without going to a theme park.
If your family loves Disney, but you can’t stomach spending your vacation days on a theme park, or maybe you have already been, these trips are for you! Most Disney movies are set in a fictional land based on a real country. Why not visit those countries and experience what your favorite characters did?
Moana
Moana is one my family’s favorites! Moana is the perfect inspiration for a trip to Hawaii, or the South Pacific. Te Fiti’s island is based on Tahiti, and most of the cultural similarities are similar to Samoa. Want to experience the islands like Moana did, on the water? Take a cruise through Hawaii and see what all the islands have to offer! Or just stay put on one of the islands and discover everything the South Pacific has to offer. Hike to the top of a mountain, play on the beach, or discover new foods at a luau! You can’t go wrong here in the South Pacific.
Frozen
Who doesn’t love Anna and Elsa?! Their kingdom Arendelle is of course fictional, but the inspiration for it was Norway. The Frozen team even visited the country to gain inspiration. There are a few cities that really inspired them. Bergen is known as the “storybook village” and just by looking at it you can see how similar it is to Arendelle. Specifically, the sisters castle was based on the Heddel Church. Then travel to the fjords and see the beautiful landscapes that inspired the scenes in the woods. If you’d like to run around them yourself singing “Let It Go” then I recommend venturing to Ovre Pasvik National Park, it’s truly breathtaking. Lastly you can’t take a Frozen trip without seeing the Reindeers! If you’d like to see a herd of them you can travel about 200 miles north of Oslo to Hjerkinn, here on the borders of the National Park you may see one of the last remaining reindeer herds that are direct descendants of the original mountain reindeer in Europe.
Encanto
Who doesn’t love The Madrigals?! After watching this movie, I instantly wanted to travel to Colombia to see just how beautiful it is in real life. You can actually visit the real towns that inspired the Imagineers. Salento is known as the gateway of the Cocora Valley, here you can see the tall wax palm trees that we can see in the movie. They are also the national tree of Colombia! Next up, you can visit the river where Abuelo is killed, and where Mirabel and Abuela hug it out. The river is nicknamed the Liquid Rainbow. In the right season it will have beautiful red, blue, green, and yellow blooms. Now are you ready to dance your buns off like Antonio just got his gift? Head to Cali, where you can dance the salsa calena. It’s distinctly different because it is faster than all other types of salsa and incorporates specific embellishments. Take a class, and fully immerse yourself in the spirit of Cali Salsa. Finally, enjoy a beautiful cup of coffee and rest your feet after all that dancing and exploring. Take a full day and go on a coffee experience to learn about how coffee beans are farmed, and see how coffee has played such a pivotal role in the history and culture of Colombia.
Luca
Dreaming of an Italian vacation, but want to make it fun for the kids? Luca is great inspiration! Luca takes place in the beautiful Cinque Terre region. The Cinque Terre region is named as an UNESCO World Heritage Site for a good reason! Take in the beautiful sea, and the colorful homes on the cliffs. There are five villages in Cinque Terre, and they are all connected by a short train ride. Monterosso is the largest village of them all and is a great place to stay. Monterosso has the large beach that the whole family can enjoy. Take the family out on a boat ride and enjoy the beautiful sea like Luca and Alberto do. For dinner try Albertos favorite meal, pesto! Then for dessert enjoy a few big scoops of gelato. There are also many family friendly hikes in the area!
Ready to try out a different kind of Disney trip? Set up a free consultation with us at Artemis Travel! We curate each trip unique to your specific needs and wants.
