A WDW Countdown for your computer - and your phone

Disney has a few free things to help you get excited about your upcoming trip - after all, it's in their best interests to have you excited. You can order the free planning DVD and watch it, but beware that  it is a sales pitch not a truly entertaining movie.

I have special blackboard that I made for less than $5. It's devoted to our Disney vacation countdown.  My youngest daughter loves it!

I like to have lots of reminders of my upcoming trip. A few years ago there was a countdown widget/gadget that you could download from the WDW site for your desktop. Sadly, it's been discontinued. Now (if you have Windows 8) you can get a variety of apps - one might do the same thing.

Since I still have Windows 7, the closest I could come was the "My Disney Experience" website. It has a countdown on the main screen if you just enter a single plan. You can pick a park you'd like to visit on your first day to start the counter. You don't need to have hotel or dining reservations.

You do have to log on to the website to see your counter. I would prefer one that sits on my desktop so I can glance at it when I'm working on other things - like this blog!

See the counter in the lower left corner?

You can download a free WDW Trip Counter from CNET. Files have been scanned for spyware and viruses so they should be safe (no promises, I'm not a techie!) It will sit in a corner on your desktop counting down the days, hours, minutes until your next planned trip - as long as you leave it open.

If you really want to get psyched up about your trip you start to surround yourself with all things Disney. You can download free Disney Wallpaper for your computer or phone. If you go to Disney Downloads you should be able to download a screen saver, but I can't get it to work :(

You can always make a screen saver of your own photos using your operating software. I use Windows 7 so I just looked up how to do it from the Windows website.

There are several free or inexpensive phone apps with vacation countdowns. I bought a 99 cent app for my IPhone called "days to go". It only comes with 4 Disney photos - not much to get excited about. However, if you have your own Disney photos you can add them to create a custom countdown. 

I'm not endorsing this; it got mixed reviews, but so far I really like it. You need to take a few minutes to customize it make the most of it. If you don't it looks a little lame. You add your own "Days to go..." title. I probably should have capitalized World.  It took me a minute to figure out how to add my photos so here are the instructions if you buy the app.

1. Open the Days to Go app
2. Tap the i in the lower right corner
3. Tap Manage Pictures
4. Tap Use My Pictures
5. Tap the + in the lower right corner and it will access your Camera Roll
6. Open Camera Roll and Tap on a Picture you wanted added
7. Move and scale until you like the look, then tap on Choose
8. Tap on the + sign to add another, and another, and another...
9. When you have added all of your pictures tap on Save in the upper right

You're done!

A new picture appears each time your countdown starts up. You can swipe through your pictures. You can also turn on daily reminders and the icon badge will show the number of days to go.   The icon updates without an internet connection using local notification service. The badge is updated at midnight without launching the app for up to 5 weeks.

Read more: Days to go WDW - Countdown to your next Walt Disney World Vacation - CNET Download.com http://download.cnet.com/Days-to-go-WDW-Countdown-to-your-next-Walt-Disney-World-Vacation/3000-20428_4-75405106.html#ixzz2NlAknxXB.

Don't forget other free ways to build up the excitement- like ordering customized maps!