Dealing with small kids that want LOTS of souvenirs??

[Misskitty3]

Until our last trip to DLR with our 3 yr old I had NEVER noticed how every ride pretty much has a gift shop attached onto the exit (Buzz Lightyear, Jungle Cruise etc). How do you handle these types of places with small children? Do you allow your kids x amound of $$ a day for souvenirs, do they get one souvenir for the whole trip or ????

Looking for some helpful and creative suggestions - thanks!

P.S. This year we will be bringing the Mickey ears and Buzz Lightyear lazer that we already have so we won't be buying those again. Of course, the lazer has been hidden for months in my closed because I HATE the sound of that thing but DS had to have it (like every other kid at DL).

[mom2ian]

I'd like some advice too! I will be leaving in a few days for DL and will have my almost 2-year old ds and 5year old nephew.

I decided two things. One: we must have a toy budget. For the 5 year old, this may be easier to understand. For the 2 year old, he's pretty easy to distract so I'm hoping by having a balloon at-the-ready we can sidestep any problems.

Two: Buy some toys ahead of time. I just went to the DisneyStore and bought a few surprise toys. I'm packing these for each child and then I will 'surprise' them at opportune moments in the park.

[Lori00789]

My kids are not use to getting things when we go to stores at home so they usually don't ask for things when we are on vacation. We travel about 3-4 weeks per year and spend a lot of money on our vacations. I have let the kids pick out one thing at the end of vacation. I don't like to make a big deal about it. I don't want my kids to be greedy, they are in disneyland(or disneyworld) and if they can't be happy here with out a bag full of stuff I would feel bad. I don't like to spend a lot of my vacation time shopping but we can look for a few minutes here and there. It is easy to get caught up in all the excitement of disney but you don't want to create greedy kids along the way.

[Alex2kMommy]

Ohhh, so sorry you bought one of those lasers, too! :rotfl:

Ours has gotten buried under all the other toys they have, thank goodness. I will NOT be bringing it to DL, it drove me NUTS!

I bought a few things on clearance at the Disney Store and online before our trip last year, but the kids really didn't play with toys in the hotel room like I expected. So this trip I think we'll bring a stuffed Disney character toy, another stuffed animal/toy that each sleeps with, and probably a few Mr. Potato Head potatoes. They did like the sticker books and books on the flight, but the rest went untouched.

Last year DS6 was suddenly saying, "Gimmee, gimmee, gimmee" at every vendor we passed. I finally reminded him that he had X Disney dollars, and he could buy whatever he wanted with it, but once it was gone, he was not getting anything else, so choose wisely. (I still intended to get him a Disney sweatshirt or t-shirt as a souvenir.) I made him wait a day, but he begged so much for the Buzz Lightyear laser that we did let him get it on the 2nd day. I think halfway into our stay he blew the rest on a talking Woody doll.

So this time I'm going to:

1. Tell him that his choice must be OK'd by his parents. (Had I known the laser was so annoying, I never would have let him get it. My fault!)

2. Tell him he can't buy anything until the 3rd day. I had intended to do this last time, but the begging wore me down within 12 hours, LOL! I'd like him to see more of what's available before he chooses instead of getting the first thing he sees.

[godalejunior]

We usually do something like one stuffed animal either in the park or at BAB and one toy. We usually look the duration of the trip and he decides what he wants on the last day. I also usually pick out one shirt or clothing item for him as well. This year he will be brining his allowance in Disney dollars and once those are spent he is done!

[tinkerbelt]

You can get past some of the shops at the exits. Buzz Lightyear has an exit that doesn't go through the shop, and you can avoid the one at the IASW exit too. I don't think you have a choice for Star Tours though.

I'd just give your DS some Disney Dollars and tell him that he can use those to buy souvenirs, and once they're gone, no more. You might have to guide him a bit, because he is a little young to understand, but I've found that it generally works with my 3 year old. I will tell her, I know you want this, but remember you also wanted something else at the other shop, and there is still more to see. And usually she will hang on to her money until we leave, and then get something.

[crasher11]

Our boys do little jobs around the house to earn money before we go to DLR. Of course we still buy them most of the things they want but make them use their own money to buy things we really don't think they need. They learned very quickly how fast their own money goes and we noticed last trip they were very careful how they used the money instead of just blowing it on some of the stuff they really didn't need. ETC Those cheap plastic swords that last about 15 mins and are left behind in the hotel trash can...

[Mary Jo]

When my kids were small I was on a pretty tight budget. When we would go to Disneyland I would tell them that the trip to Disneyland WAS the gift, and that there would be no toys. My kids really never begged for toys. If they really wanted something they would ask, but for the most part they wouldn't. My dd used to say, "I like "this" but I know the answer is no." lol

It worked for me.

[drgalyen]

We have done the limited money but for the older kids. The little ones need a number limit. Age appropriate!
The best advice I can think of though is to get a plan and let the kids know this before you leave! If they know what to expect before you get there then they won't be asking for something at every store, sometimes you have to remind them a few times the first day.
Have fun!

[JadeDarkstar]

lol wow
ok i admit my son has became spoiled..manely becouse his dad and me split and i dont think he relly understands it all. I started buying him everything i thought hed like.. i splerge on a vacation when i can i fill like i have to make up for his real dad not being there 24/7, tho he has my fionce now and he has steped in to it like a pro..but he is a greedy kid right now

I just started noticeing the give me, i want and MINE things (6months ago) been going slow been trying to teach him but he dosent seem to get it all, and then i take something away or turn tv off and he screams and i cant handel him crying so i give in..im verry weak. and am working on it, mom in law knows alot..lol

Ok at disney im planing on haveing a card of disny money. like 50 he is 5 and I will have my own alonce for me and fionce to spend on him..and or own.
If i think he relly wants something or i just like this is to cute..then I wil have the alonce. Hes to young for all of it. couse i love buying him things

[dizzyami]

This trick has worked great for me, on two different trips. On day one I told both kids (5 and 3) that on our last day, that I would buy them one thing - whatever they wanted. They spent the whole trip looking at windows, getting excited over an item and knowing that it was their favorite. An hour later, it was something else. Their favorite changed the whole time, and they never once asked me to buy something, because they knew they got final pick. Last day, we purchased a $15 Ariel toy for DD and a $10 Buzz toy for DS :cool1:

[Albort]

what i seen people do is that they let the kids EARN money... Like through their school stuff and good behavior at home... Whatever they earn, they can spend it at Disneyland...

To make it interesting, buy Disney Dollar... that way they can use it on the next disney trip. :)

[Adam&Alex's Mom]

We are leaving in approx 2 weeks for our first trip! Great ideas! I think I will be using a few :)

[Leofoenget]

Until our last trip to DLR with our 3 yr old I had NEVER noticed how every ride pretty much has a gift shop attached onto the exit (Buzz Lightyear, Jungle Cruise etc). How do you handle these types of places with small children? Do you allow your kids x amound of $$ a day for souvenirs, do they get one souvenir for the whole trip or ????

Looking for some helpful and creative suggestions - thanks!

P.S. This year we will be bringing the Mickey ears and Buzz Lightyear lazer that we already have so we won't be buying those again. Of course, the lazer has been hidden for months in my closed because I HATE the sound of that thing but DS had to have it (like every other kid at DL).


I usually let them "look" but tell them "decide what you might like and on the LAST DAY if you want THAT we can get it. I usually let them shop and get a few things but tell them on the last day only. ( within reason) sometimes they get small things. THis way hopefully they will only remember their favorites and forget the implulse items they see getting off the rides.

[JenDisneylandlver]

Uh, I bring lots of money! LOL Honestly my son doesn't get things all the time for no reason. Mainly on his Birthday and Christmas, so I don't mind splurging while on vacation.

There have been years where ahead of time I've told him were not going to have a lot of money to buy souvenirs like we usually do, and I'll usually give him an idea of how much he can have/spend. Like 2 nice things, or 4 less expensive things ect..

But I'm bad because I LOVE shopping at DL, which includes all the toys and stuff for kids. So I have a hard time saying no. I need to find a therapy group for those who shop at DL too much. LOL

We also will not buy things unless we are leaving the park, either before going back for a break, or for the night. I hate lugging stuff around. So that helps with impulse buying. Sometimes he'll forget about it even after a while, other times he won't and at least I know it's something he really wants.

[fidoprincess]

I have been taking my kids to dl since they were tiny babies and they are 7 & 12 now. Ever since our first trip staying at the DLH, I started packing stuff that I bought from home and at night while they are asleep, Tinkerbell brings them gifts if they are good. Well, they are always good at Disneyland and I save a ton of money! I hit the disneystore and online shopping and almost jump up and down with joy when I see the same stuffed animal at the park for $35 and I got it for $7! My kids NEVER ask for a single thing in the park although we usually do buildabear each trip and that is a quick $100. When they started to get a little older, I did finally tell them that at the end of the trip, they could pick one thing because I wanted to shop-lol. This way, I get to look in all the shops I want while they keep their eyes open for their one big thing. In the end, they usually skip it because they have gotten so much stuff from tink already. I don't just do the Disney stores either because almost every store now has disney branded merchandise, even the dollar store.

I have been doing it so long now that I have a routine of what to put out when. First night I put out new pjs and a stuffed animal, maybe another outfit for them to wear that day if I get great deals. Then everything else is coordinated to what we are doing for example, they get light sticks on the night we are staying late for fireworks, character tshirts for specific rides we are planning that day like riding nemo, new nemo shirts. I also buy the mickey lollipops at the disney store so they always get some small treat to take into the park. They each carry their own fanny packs with gameboys for loooong waits in line, a snack bag of pretzel, goldfish, etc, and a treat like the lollipops or cookies and a small water bottle that we just refill all day that is not too heavy. If you ever see two perfectly happy, patient kids in line eating lollipops and playing gameboys with their little fanny packs, they are mine-lol!!

Sometimes Tink really goes crazy and brings big stuff. Once close to christmas, she brought a tv and a scooter-lol. I can't imagine WHAT she was thinking! Yep, that was my dd riding up and down the hall in the DLH on her scooter, quiet as a mouse but so so happy! So fun to learn on the long carpeted hallway instead of the sidewalk. My only regret is that I did not have Tink bring mommy and daddy surprises too. I know lots of other families that do this too and gifts can be from Mickey, etc. but I picked Tink because she is so elusive and well, a fairy they could see glowing on the wall at the hotel.

This routine is one of MY favorite parts about dl trips. I get to shop ahead of time and take my time picking stuff out I know they will love, not to mention saving money. I put it all in one suitcase and stick it in the closet and it is a thrill each night pulling the stuff out while they sleep, kind of like christmas eve night! I'm practical too so the empty suitcase carries the dirty laundry home. I can assure you that your kids will NEVER ask for anything in the park again if you do this.

[Tink&SquirtsMom]

My kids earn disney dollars throughout the year (we do annual trips) and they know they can purchase on the LAST day. We shop around throughout the trip with them knowing they are just looking to find the "bestest thing in all of Disney (my dd's words) and they usually have a good idea of what they want and then we buy just before leaving which gives them something brand new for the long trip home. Its amazing how much more conservative they are about spending a lot when it is their money. :)

As a side note, I do always buy mickey hats for the kids and get them each a light up toy for the parade. I'm usually happy to spoil them with those ridiculously expensive light up toys because they have been so good about not asking for everything else (and I know people hate them, but I love the smile they give my kids). :)

[CanadianPaco]

I think the root of the problem is the spending we do at the dollar stores and Walmarts. If they learn money smarts there, it makes DL a treat. My DD was older so it was easier!

[tlovesdis]

When I take my niece, who is now 8, we have a deal. Each day, so long as she behaves, she gets one thing that is about $10. Then on the last day we go to the World of Disney and she can pick out one thing that is around $25 (or a combo of things). So far it has worked! She knows the deal and whenever we are in a shop she looks at things, but doesn't impulsivley pick something out. It's ususally not until later in the afternoon or evening that she decides.

It seems to work well!

[JadeDarkstar]

walmart is my best friend its where i shop for ecveryting, and I will have things like glow sticks and things to give him on the trip. I will buy ears hat and glowing things on the night fantasmic and fireworks..

when we went to dw we only were abel to get him a littel stuffed animan micky germany and a light up thing at fantasmic..the cheapest thing we could find..

this time to dl we are spending more on suviners..

[abby]

Myy dd is 7 and has been going to DL since 4. Our deal, she can look, but we don't buy too much till the last day. Since we love to vacation she has started buying post cards (sometimes to send and sometimes to keep) and also we collect refridgerater magnents. These are fun to shop for, small to carry not too expensive but a reminder of where we have been. Also, now that she is older I can tell her she has x amount of "her money" she is much more careful with "her money" then with mine......

[Rapunsel]

we have annual passes and my kids all know that you don't ask. If it is bought and given to you it is a wonderful thing. I am a single mom and my ds5 watched me take on a 2nd job to earn the $ to get the passes. So they all know the value of the dollar..
Usually around their birthdays they get alowance in the form of Mickey dollars and they know that they can spend it then.

From a trip to WDW in 2003 all we saw was people spending money. We all went over board. DS was 2 then. So he didn't really ask for anything.

[bouncy54]

:idea: My daughter went to the dollar store and purchased glow sticks and other little goodies, and I've already bought him a box full of Disney Beanie Babies ($18.00 for 22 dolls) from ebay that we will hand out while at Disneyland.

Our 4yo grandson has collected $35.00 so far for his Disneyland spending money by looking for, and picking up, any pennies, nickels and dimes he can find. He looks on the ground in parking lots, in stores, in furniture and in drawers at Grandma & Grandpa's house and in our cars (with our permission of course...I don't know why, but pennies always seem to accumulate in one of our kitchen drawers :laughing: )
Only problem...he has developed an acute case of bent-neck-a-titus. :rotfl2:

His Uncles are saving change for him too. :goodvibes

[teacups]

This trick has worked great for me, on two different trips. On day one I told both kids (5 and 3) that on our last day, that I would buy them one thing - whatever they wanted. They spent the whole trip looking at windows, getting excited over an item and knowing that it was their favorite. An hour later, it was something else. Their favorite changed the whole time, and they never once asked me to buy something, because they knew they got final pick. Last day, we purchased a $15 Ariel toy for DD and a $10 Buzz toy for DS :cool1:

This is our plan as well, and has worked. I also like Alborts idea of earning Disney Dollars.
(I wish someone would give ME Disney $$ for being good! But, I would probably never earn one!)

[DisneyfeverTN]

Our rule has always been they could get one toy for each day we are there. The toy has to be under $10. We usually make them wait until the end of the day to buy it.

[Misskitty3]

There are so many great ideas here! I like the Disney Dollar idea and planned to get some of those before our trip. I just worry that DS wont really understand a set dollar amount at his age. Maybe we should practice now at Target before we leave???

Seems like the one toy a day would work for us too.

Hmmm....DH and I need to sit down and read this thread together.

[queenarmadillo]

We were always given a set dollar amount (usually about $30) that we could spend on whatever we wanted to last the entire trip. It taught us how money works, and helps with maths practice. We were also usually told we could pick one t-shirt, or one towel (depending on what mum thought we needed). Outside of that you didnt ask (and wouldnt get).

BUT we were (still are actually) also encouraged to point out things that we might like to put on our xmas lists so Santa might bring it then. Its not instant gratification, but if you think he'll still like it in 6 months time it saves time on the christmas shopping.

[catexer]

when my kids were little we gave them $X in Disney Dollars at the start of the trip and they could spend it how ever they wanted. We told them going in we would buy food and 1 t-shirt each, that way they knew they didn't have to spend their $$ on those things.

They were very careful with "their" money and didn't buy the first thing they saw. I was impressed with them. One of them wanted to buy a Daniel Boone coonskin cap and my DH tried to discourage that--mom had to remind him that it was the boy's money. He still has that hat 20 years later!

[Welivefordisney]

When we went last October we were on a budget, so my DH and I bought the kids a few things off of disneyshopping.com, but went to the clearance stuff. We ended up with Disney shirts for 4.99 and pjs around that price. All total we bought about 15.00$ for each child, which was a nice bundle of fun for them. We wrapped it all up and the morning we left for the airport each child had a "disney care package".
Once at Disneyland, we looked at the shops but told the kids that we wouldn't be buying anything until the day before we left (except pins) so they each kept a list of what they wanted and what the priority was. They each had been saving money for the trip from birthdays and such, so they had to budget their money.
That worked great for us and the kids were very happy with their final choices. In the end we stayed within budget and the kiddos learned a valuable lesson.
They are already saving for their next trip.:thumbsup2

[AmericanItGirl]

I was always the kid growing up, but my parents never really spent money buying me souveniers (except a Daisy Duck hat with my name embroidered on the back). Once I started earning an allowance, then I was able to get stuff from DLP. If you get them 1 thing, then get them a hat or something that can get personalized, because speaking from a kid's point, that means more than getting something that can be found at the Disney Store. Not buying anything can backfire, because when I went on my first (and only so far) trip to the MK I spent a lot of money (I bought gifts for my family and a few things for myself). This was after being Disney Park-deprived for about 8 years. Now that I go to Disneyland at least once a year and am on a college budget, I limit myself to maybe 1 item that I know I'm going to use more than once (my favorite item is my light up Tinkerbell wings that I've worn as a camp counselor and when I've gone clubbing...when I go back to DLP on September 22nd I'm dressing up as Tink complete with wings). Limiting them to $10-$20 (and putting that money into Disney Dollars so they won't spend it outside of DL) is probably the best way to do it.

[sallyjane]

This will be our 5th Disney trip in 4 years and this is what works for us. My kids save birthday, toothfairy, and any earned money for the upcoming trip. I told them for every dollar earned I will double there money. So if they are able to save $50 then I give them an extra $50. They then know how much money they have for toys at Disney. They know that when they spend their money it is gone so they have learned to only buy what they really want. Also we sometimes break the money up into how much they can spend at each park. If they have $100 each then they can have $25 to spend at each of the parks.

[abookworm]

I'm not sure if your child is 3 or 4 but that's a tough age to explain money and they certainly probably don't get that they can choose 1 thing or whatever over the course of a trip at age 3.
For that age the best thing is probably to just say "NO" and move on. Don't try to explain since they don't really care :rolleyes1
Luckily there is so much to redirect them to that I'd think they would forget pretty quick if they were going to throw a fit.

With my older kids (5,7) they knew that "no meant no" and they could each spend $20 for the whole trip. That stopped the gimmes after each ride that started at first. My son chose lego store and DD chose mickey and minnie beanies but they waited until the 3rd day after they had "shopped around".

With my 2 yr old it wasn't so easy and we had to get by those kiosks quickly and just redirect. If he did pitch a fit we just left and offered a snack, etc.
Worked pretty well for us.

[lilpixie]

On our first trip to DL, our girls were ages 6, 3, and 6 months. They totally understood that they wouldn't be getting everything in sight (well, the 6 month old didn't care at all!!) :goodvibes They were allowed one souvenir per day (besides the autograph book and pen we bought them the first day). Amazingly, my girls picked out inexpensive things! A little crown, necklaces, disney cuties wallet , a stuffed Tinkerbell doll . . . honestly they didn't even ask for the gigantic stuffed animals or the $100 princess dress-up outfits.
I am letting them do chores to start earning money for our next trip. We will pay them in Disney dollars (you can get thru the Disney store) so they can be in charge of their money. They have all sorts of fun souvenirs that aren't expensive -- and I don't like them coming home with too much stuff because I am a little OCD and don't like clutter and junk in their room LOL!
Even my 3 year old understood that she could look, but not buy everything. It's not so much the money issue for us as just wanting to teach my kids not to expect everything and having them take part in earning part of their spending money.
Good luck -- and have a magical time!!:wizard:

[sameyeyam]

My kids are 9 & 15. I give each of them $100. That $100 is for them to spend any way they want. They can buy souveniers, junk food, whatever....I don't care! Or, they can save it and use it when they get home.

Here's what happened on our last trip:
DS9 - got a $39 Lego set from DTD, a $20 monorail and $15 Mickey pirate ears.
DD15 - wisely asked me to take her to the Disney outlet store was so we could save some money while she bought her friends a souvenier.

I find that it really eliminates a lot of hassle. Amazing how many times we will go into a shop and they will choose not to purchase something because the price is too high. When they do part with their money I know it's something they really want.

In past years I tried giving them $10 a day, but it didn't seem to work as well as giving them one large sum and letting them figure out how to budget.

[Pirate-Emery]

Hmmm... maybe I should have a spending limit! :rotfl2:

Whatever you do, when your kids are at job/working age, you make sure they don't put all their money into a Debit. Trust me on that one. :rotfl:

I went to DLR the weekend after my 18th Birthday. All the money that came in, was spent.

And there was more than a pretty penny. I spent on t-shirts, sweatshirts, food, nicknacks, PINS, and a bronze Partners Statue (which to be honest was the best money I've ever spent: I still have it on my nightstand, reminding me of my second home).



Now, for REAL advice: I'd say the moral of the story is to NEVER LET YOUR KIDS BUY PINS. Pin Trading sucks a good amount of money out of your wallet.

[JadeDarkstar]

i bought pins on a site and we will trade them better then in the park

[Carter'sMommy]

Now, for REAL advice: I'd say the moral of the story is to NEVER LET YOUR KIDS BUY PINS. Pin Trading sucks a good amount of money out of your wallet.


Pins can be expensive, however, if you buy them off Ebay in a larger lot, say 20-50 then they can be "reasonable" in price. We have done this and our DS6 now NEVER asks for souvies as he knows that he can trade HIS pins for whatever HE wants. We do buy him a tee shirt or something to replace the out grown or thread bare ones that he currently has but that is pretty much all we get.

I bought 30 pins for +/- 75.00 inc shipping that breaks down to 2.50 each. He can trade and trade and trade HIS pins so we never have to buy that stuffed animal, light up "whirly thingy" or what ever just hapens to hit his fancy at the moment!

After he has them a few months (minutes really) and gets tired of them than he can trade them off and get something new. LOL... instant gratification! :woohoo:

We have set pin themes for a particular day -- One day maybe to find Splash Mountain pins or Dumbo, you get the picture. This is real fun to see what you can find. We DO NOT make it the object of the day-- as this would become old VERY fast, but kind of a "scavanger hunt" if you might say.

[Twinprincesses]

I take the following items with me. I get own own pen on a sting to have our autographs signed with. I take our own spinning light up thing. I pack whatever ears or hats we bought last time. They are allowed 1 stuffed animal and a couple other toys. IF they want something else I distract them with a mickey ice cram bar.. Works everytime ;)

[BraMax]

My two turn "I want I want" crazy when we get to DL or any other theme park. This time we did it based on behavior. We let them get 1 thing at the end of the first day since they travelled so well. They did not get anything other than food or snacks until the last day. We told them at the beginning of everyday that today is a day that you ask for nothing but food and drink. It worked and if the ventured down the toy path I reminded them of it and they stopped. My two boys are 4.5 and 7. They each ended up with 2 things from Disneyland from our first and last day. It kept them in line for the trip because they knew if they behaved that they would be rewarded in the end. I like the idea of Disney Dollars I might get them ech $50.00 for Christmas and our trip to WDW.