We have used the chain links before too.
On our last trip in May we made a Disney train that had the little square cars attached to them that had how many days we had left on them and that days date (In case you may forget one night It was a lot of fun, we started it soooo early that it ran from my one sons room into the hall (Half way there) and then into my other sons room. They got excited to see the train going from one room to the other...which made it easier for them to understand.
Savs