Part of the fun of a Disney vacation is the stuff. Whether it's a decoration, something practical like a mug, or a gift for your friends back home, souvenir shopping, in my opinion, is a must.
But how do you enjoy "Disney merch" without breaking the bank -- especially if you have a bunch of kids?
Here are a few tips:
1. Check out Disney's Character Warehouse.
This is an outllet store that sells authentic items from the parks, but with a discount of as much as 50%, and sometimes even more. There are two location: one at 4951 International Drive, and the other at 8200 Vineland Avenue. The second location is closer to Disney World. This is a partiuclarly good place to shop if you don't mind buying Halloween items in November or Christmas items in January.
2. Buy souvenirs before you go.
This is something I've never done, but many people swear by it. Month before their trip, they look for discounted Disney items at places like Wal-Mart and Amazon, and then pack them for the trip, unbeknownst to their kids. Then dole them out -- Disney pajamas on the bed on evening, a stuffed Minnie Mouse surprising them on the dresser one morning, glow in the dark toys you can whip out of your bag when it starts getting dark, etc.
This is a cute idea, especially if you can save a lot of money, but to me it's a poor substitute for choosing something while in the parks. You still need to do some of that too!
3. Don't impulse-buy.
Okay, just to be clear, this is another do-as-I-say-not-as-I-do piece of advice. But then again, I tend to be very conservative in my souvenir-buying. If you're grabbing multiple things every day and then sobbing when you get the bill, this may be a tactic too consider.
I heard of one mother who told her child to take a photo of everything she really wanted and then when they got home, she would buy her whatever she still wanted online. Interestingly, the child wasn't interested in getting anything once they got home and were no longer "in the moment."
Along the same lines, people often suggest waiting til the last day of vacation to buy souvenirs, but I would caution against that, especially if you see something on an earlier day that your heart is set on. It may not be available at the park you're at on your final day!
4. Consider pin trading.
A few years ago, Rebecca got into pin trading during one of our trips, and I'm really glad she did. It was fun for us to go up to cast member, chat with them, and look for pins that we might like. You have to be a little careful with this, though -- it can be inexpensive (and "not bulky," which I also like), but it can get very expensive if you end up buying LOTS of pins straight from Disney.
You can purchase sets of 25 pins from Amazon and eBay at the price of about $1 per pin (which is what we did), but be aware that the reason these pins are so cheap is because they are either flat-out fakes or "scrappers," which were meant to be discarded because they did not meet quality standards.
It may sound unethical to buy scrapper pins and trade them at the parks, but guess what? About 90% of the pins the cast members wear for trading are also scrapper pins!
If you're confused by all this (and even if you're not), I discuss it all in great detail -- in my post Disney Trading Pins: Tips, Secrets, and Scrappers.
5. Collect pressed pennies
Like pin trading, this is a form of souvenir shopping that you can turn into a sort of challenge, if you want, and continue adding to your collection on every trip. It's also another souvenir that doesn't take up a lot of space (which I really like). Just bring several pennies and quarter with you each day and keep your eyes out for the pressed penny machines.
If you or your kids get into the pressed pennies, I would recommend buying a penny book to store them in, whether it's one specific to Disney or not.
I hope you've gotten some good ideas. Have fun on your trip!
Jen
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