How do you keep your Disney memories fresh?

[WillCAD]

Pictures, scrapbooks, souvenirs, trip reports, even Passporter Passpockets, we all use these things to some extent to keep our Disney memories.

What else do you do to keep each trip unique and special in your memory?

I keep all kinds of stuff like park maps, parking permits, old ticket media, and lots of souvenirs and photos, and have most of it divided up into file folders by trip, in chonological order.

But a few years ago I started taking mental inventory and found that some of the old brain cells were starting to blur. So to help me keep things straight, I started a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet to list my arious trips. It has 6 columns:

Trip No. - A simple counter from 1 to 14 (No. 15 coming up next month!)
Dates - Including Days of week (Ex: Trip #8 was Fri Apr 16 1999 - Fri Apr 23 1999)
Memory - Any special, stand-out memories of the trip (Ex: First solo trip, Columbine shootings, WDW 25th, Hidden Treasures tour)
Transportation - How I got there and back, how I got around while there (flew US Air Metrojet, rented brand-new Chevy Cavelie from Alamo)
Accomodation - Where I stayed, how many days (5 nights at Days Inn LBV, 2 nights at CBR)
Ticket Media - What kind of pass I had (4 leftover hoppers from last year with one day each left on them, Uni buy-one-get-one pass and $20 sneak peak pass to IOA)

Of course, some of the details of my oldest trips have already slipped my mind, and in those days I stupidly failed to keep souvenirs that are very important to me now like park passes and park maps. In recent years I have been keeping a trip journal with lots of detail (which I later use to write trip reports), so as I get older and more forgetful these things will all help me to hold on to the Disney memories.

I've already got a notebook started for Trip No. 15.

[LuvmeDisney]

I actually have a file wherein I keep a record of all rates and hotels when I went (and even the prices of ones I inquired about), and old park brochures, resort information, DVC (dreamin') info and a copy of each schedule that I have made up including PS's so I can use it as a reference and for memories. I have also tried to keep a journal of each day's activities, but have failed miserably at this one.

Linda

[imagineerwannabe]

Will,

I think pictures of EVERYTHING is a very good memory trigger. Pictures of things like you wrote, that at the time, we might think are uninteresting or boring. My first family trip I took pictures of many things, but left the camera in the car for the second one. (i.d.i.o.t). I used my daughter's digital cameras instead, and had them act as photographers. This didn't amount to what I wanted since their ideas of what should be photographed didn't match mine.

I transferred all the pictures to a program I purchased called "Muvee". It takes the pictures and transitions them in a "Ken Burns" type format, and flips them according to the highs and lows of the music you add. You get a video you can burn to DVD. I finally got our 2003 trip to DVD yesterday, and played it back for the family. Of course I heard "I wanna go back" several times.

I think the next driving vacation to Hilton Head will have even more pictures, since I will be able to download them to the computer, but I have a feeling it will look something like Raymond's pictures at the end of "RainMan". I will use more frames with descriptions, and create these using Powerpoint.

I like your ideas also, since things we can touch bring back more memory

[Photographer]

I depend on my friends to remind me of everything because my memory is pretty bad. Not Disney related: A friend reminded me last week that on the drive to FL, I got thrown out of a store in N. Carolina because I had my camera backpack with me. LOL good times, good times

[FLSharon]

Will,

I transferred all the pictures to a program I purchased called "Muvee". It takes the pictures and transitions them in a "Ken Burns" type format, and flips them according to the highs and lows of the music you add. You get a video you can burn to DVD. I finally got our 2003 trip to DVD yesterday, and played it back for the family. Of course I heard "I wanna go back" several times.


Ken..Is Muvee user friendly? and is this an actual movie or more like a slideshow ? Thanks

[imagineerwannabe]

Muvee is very user friendly, although you can't do detailed editing. It will allow you to create slideshows of stills or use video. You can also link video and stills and apply it to the same song. I think you can get a free trial from their website www.muvee.com. I got the scaled down version from HP when I bought my computer.

Tag used another software to do his web presentation for the anniversary "meets".

Another way to save memories is through a trip report. I did a detailed one last year for another BB (shame on me :oops: ), and plan to keep this as a "memory".

[BaciBecky]

One day about 6 years ago I was going through a "cleaning out everything" stage when I came across all our Disney mementos - everything, airline tkts, resort maps, passports, etc etc . - from every visit since 1981.

For some reason (which I cannot now comprehend) I wondered why I was keeping all that stuff and threw it all out!!! :shock: My gosh, it takes my breath away to think I did such a thing! :cry:

Fortuntely, I did save everything in the scrap book from our first trip and stay at CR, including Toby's first Football Disney Jersey that has 1981 on it (he was 7, so it seems so small!) ~ have loads of photos from all trips...but what was I thinking that clean out day??

Since 2001 I save things again - now just need to find a handy way and place to store everything.

Thanks for the ideas!

[WillCAD]

I sympathize Becky. I have no park maps, tickets, or other stuff prior to 1998. How could i have thrown away my 3-day park hopper with my picture on it from my first trip in 1990?! Oh, the humanity!

[BaciBecky]

Will, somehow one of those photo park hoppers managed to slip by the trash! Those are such a hoot - I laugh right out loud each time I happen across that Hopper!!!

[zakerdog]

Well, I wish I was as organized as you are Will and some of you other folk, but not so. The last few years I have files set up, and we have all the photo's on DVD with the Ken Burns effect and music in the background. I have one year, 2003, completed in a scrapbook and all the stuff to do a book for 2004, when I get around to it. :)

But.............. :oops: I have 20 trips in total and the previous 16 years are all shoved in a huge wooden trunk that needs to be sifted through some rainy day. I know I have all the old park maps, tickets, hotel kits (back in the 70's & 80's you got a very nice package when you checked in of hotel information, newsletters and activities) I have AP's with my picture, old room keycards, postcards, souvenirs from character meals, match books (they used to be available for every resort and restaurant) and who knows what else. It will be like a treasure chest when I actually do go through it. :shock: :clap:

oh yeah, I just remembered, there are limited edition special tickets for the opening of EPCOT in there too, they came in a silver envelop. Now you've got me curious to what is actually in that trunk, may not wait until a rainy day :clapping:

[cshore]

Oh how I wish I were as organized as you all. I have vowed that I will start keeping better track of my trips even if that means just making sure it gets thrown all in the same big box.

Chris

[FLSharon]

Oh how I wish I were as organized as you all. I have vowed that I will start keeping better track of my trips even if that means just making sure it gets thrown all in the same big box.

Chris

When i lived in Ohio, putting my pics in photo albums was my winter project. Now, living in florida has caused my photos to be a really really bad mess. Chris, I was doing the box thing too... however a couple trips ago, i started putting all the memorabilia in either a manila envelope if there's alot or if its a small quantity, I slide it all into one of those clear plastic sheet protectors. I find that this at least keeps it sorted. God only knows when i'll get to "the box"... :lol:

[cshore]

Hey Sharon, with snow in the forcast this weekend, it could be a weekend for one of those "winter" projects!

Chris

[jill]

Suzy's trip reports. Granted, they are her memories, but I don't type. :?

[BetsyAnn]

LOL - jill!

I love Suzy's trips reports too -- I in fact read everyone's trip reports to keep memories fresh!

I really want to try a slide show with the photos on the computer - for some reason I am on the computer more than I am at the craft table these days - :D go figure!

[AndyL]

Will I keep em fresh everytime I drink coffee or tea from park and resort mugs I've collected over the years. That and participating on Disney Fan sites that have a good community feel to them.