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Show Your DIY Disney Side: Disney Parks Guide Map Photo Mat

Erin Glover

by , Director, Publicity, Walt Disney Animation Studios

If a picture says a thousand words, I say a picture frame can say a thousand more. In this new “Show Your DIY Disney Side,” I’m making quick and easy photo mats using Disneyland Resort tickets and guide maps.

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As much as I love sharing pictures with friends on social media, there’s something special about good ol’ unfiltered, un-hashtagged photo prints. What better way to put these beauties on display than with a unique photo mat? I used Disney Parks tickets and maps because they’re bright and colorful (Plus, it’s a great way to show your Disney Side).

If you have the materials, it’s fun to theme your mat to your photo – admission tickets for a concert photo, a street map for a road-trip snapshot, leftover gift wrap for a birthday photo — the options are endless!

Supplies:

  • Any decorative paper (I used my old park tickets and a guide map, but any other decorative paper will work)
  • Picture frames (I used 8” x 10” and 4” x 6” frames)
  • Craft knife
  • Your favorite photos (I used a 4” x 6” photo for the bigger frame and wallet-sized photo for the smaller, but you can use whatever sizes you’d like)

Step 1: Take the picture frame apart, separating the frame, cardboard backing and glass.

Step 2: Lay the guide map or decorative paper out flat over a tabletop.

Tip: Since we’ll be using our craft knife on this surface, make sure to protect your tabletop! A thick paper bag or some cardboard will do.

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Step 3: Cut your desired paper to fill the frame (you can use the glass as a guide). This will form your photo map.

Tip: If using park tickets instead of a guide map or large decorative paper, you might not need to cut anything at all! Skip to Step 5.

Step 4: Place the photo over the center of the photo mat. Using the craft knife, cut out the center of the mat using the photo as a size guide.

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Step 5: Place the photo face-up in the center of the picture frame and place the photo mat (or neatly arranged park tickets) on top of (or around) the photo.

UPDATE 7/16/14: I wanted to share this great tip from my fellow cast member, Gray, who works at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge – “As a photo preservationist myself, I would like to suggest that you only use copies of photos and never the originals, as the tickets and maps are acidic and will degrade photos over time.” Thanks, Gray!

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Step 6: Carefully place the glass on top to lock everything into place.

How do you “Show your DIY Disney Side”? Tell us in the comments!

Destinations: Walt Disney World Resort

Comments

  • Neat idea. I did something similar to that on ceramic tiles to use as coasters. added a thin piece of cork backing on it to avoid scratching things. How fun to display your Disney side. Keep the ideas coming.

  • I’ve actually used our old gift cards for frame mats like these. My mom took her old gift cards and glued them to a card table we used when camping.

  • I bought a Disneyland park map and pinned it to corkboard. Then I put my Disney pins in relevant places on the map. It’s fun to look at and add more pins.

  • I used my old pins from visits to make fridge magnets-super easy and cute!

  • Hey — loving those “purple” violet lavender colored-nail polish.

  • So, since you were paroled from [or broke out of] the Frontierland jail, will we be see any photos from your stay?

    • I served my time, Gregory! 🙂 Keep an eye out for a video of my adventures in Frontierland soon.

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