Budget souvenirs?

[auntsue]

Because of 9-11, I have to take off the Thursday before Memorial Day, so my class will miss me. (Original flight - 6:30, now - 4:00.) I want to bring back a decent souvenir for each student. Is this possible, without going bankrupt? Since I have 22 kids, I'd like it to be under $5.00. Do you have any ideas? They are second graders, 7 & 8 years old.

[epcotitis]

Some may consider this cheating, but I often buy small souvenirs before I leave at Big Lots or Gabriel Bros. I get great T-shirts that are authentic from the parks. A few weeks ago Big Lots had Disney Beanies for about $3. I've read here a lot of people get things WDW related at the Dollar Tree.

[Kaa]

You can purchase pencils or pens shaped like Mickey's head for under $5. I probably have 22 of those around my house!! They also have head-shaped pens of Minnie, Goofy, Pluto and Donald. There may have been Pooh characters as well.

[HookdonWDW]

I've brought home the small bags of Mickey Pretzels and Character Cookies for my students in the past. They really enjoyed them.

[NancyIL]

I can think of a GREAT souvenir that fits the budget requirements, but you wouldn't want to take them home in your suitcase: souvenir mugs. :) You can get them with a beverage for about $4.00 (Toy Story Pizza Planet, Pizzafari, etc.) and I've also seen them without a beverage for around $3.00. They are the same size as the resort refillable mugs, so you'd want to either ship them home separately or being along an extra carry-on bag just for them.

[bigsis1970]

Cheating here but you can go to the local disney store and buy 5 packs of pooh and mickey Lollipopls and hand them out when you get back .. or they have washcloths with all the characters and sticker packets...???

[DoeWDW]

Whenever we've gone, the cast members often have stickers that they are handing out to kids. I'd bet if you talk to a sympathetic CM, they'd give you 22 stickers to take home to your "kids". We often got them in the shops when we were purchasing something - the CMs have them behind the counter.

It can't hurt to ask.....even if you ask for 2 or 3 at a time and accumulate them throughout your trip.

Also, you could pick up 22 park maps and use them in a lesson plan when you get back, such as map reading or something, or just to tell the kids about what you saw when you were there.

Postcards are often inexpensive and make great souvenirs!

Also, I've told cast members how I like to use the small bags (that they put purchases like post cards in) for the rest of the year until I can come back to Disney World, and several have given me extra small bags for free. I figure it's free advertising for them because I've become known as the Disney Lady at work and I help everyone else plan their trips.

I'm sure I'll think of more ideas as soon as I post this...LOL.

Best wishes for a great trip!

Doreen in PA

[caitycaity]

i was thinking postcards too. :)

[Bob NC]

I'll bet all those second graders would LOVE a Polaroid pic of you enjoying a $110 meal at Narcoossee's.

[yesdisneyfool]

What about Guest of Honor badges for the kids with their names.

You could get -
Blue Mickeys for the Boys and
Red Minnies for the Girls

They can be purchased in the MK, MGM or Downtown Disney (we got our for the Christmas Store) and in Downtown Disney if you have the Disney Club Card and spend $25 or more you get 10% off.

[annsteere]

Pressed pennies with a variety of imprints

[Thumper's Dad]

Get an e-mail address for each child. Then to go Epcot and (I don't remember exactly where) send them each a picture e-mail of you from WDW.

[auntsue]

Thanks for all the great ideas. It sounds like I should be able to find something that they would all like. I like the idea of bringing back different things, but I don't know if that's a good idea, if you're the last one to choose.

You've given me so many ideas to choose from that I am going to have trouble deciding, but it should be fun anyway. Thanks for the help.

[crusoe2]

Just thought I'd add one more idea. You could collect extra paper plates and napkins from the food court or snack bar at your resort and use them to serve a special treat when you get back to school. Maybe something like fudge from the Main St. bakery (that should travel well) or pick up a cake decorated with Disney characters from your local bakery. If you're able to get some of the freebies like stickers and small shopping bags, you could make each child a goody bag by adding some of the other inexpensive items that have already been mentioned - postcards, character cookies, pencils, etc. :)

[ClassicPooh2]

I am also a second grade teacher who has just returned from "vacationing". The thing my students enjoyed the most was a slide presentation of my trip. I have 16 students and only 2 have been to Disney. Anything they could see, feel, and taste that made them feel apart of my trip was what they enjoyed. For "gifts" I went with pencils, postcards, cookies, and candy. Have a great time! You've earned it :p

[pjpoohbear]

I have always had lot of gifts to bring back, so this is what I do...

Most of the resorts have hard plastic drink straws shaped into the form of Mickey's head. These are 25 cents each. They come in blue, green, yellow and red. Lots of choices and I have not seen these outside of the resort, so...

[epcotitis]

OOh. I like the straw idea. What about pins. You could have your own pin trading in the classroom. How much are lanyards? Does anybody know?
D

[DeeP]

Where do you buy these straws in the resorts? That is a great idea!!!

[pjpoohbear]

I borught mine at CBR in the fast food court. All the food booths had them behind the counter. Don't recall if the All-Star resort had them. They are meant to be used with the refillable mugs.

[disney4us2002]

These are great ideas. Thanks for helping me too, lol. I need to bring back souvenirs for my daycare kids and sunday school kids. I was also thinking of the Disney money. Who's on the $1? I thought the kids would like a Mickey dollar.

Carla

[Kallison]

Have you ever seen those giant lollipops on Main Street? They are shrink wrapped with a picture of a Disney character on them. You can also buy them at K-Mart or the Dollar Tree for $1. I actually pack them and give them to my kids when we get there, they love them. Dollar stores also usually carry pez dispensers in Disney characters.

[Rodrigo]

I second annsteere in the pressed pennies idea! $0.51 each. You can get several for each kid, and then they can have fun trading.

[koswalt]

... so maybe this has been suggested before ... but I highly recommend the pressed pennies. 51 cents each and truly adorable and if you don't mind visiting many different machines they can all be unique.

[patsal]

Most CM's will be able to help you out...just ask really nicely! LOL Ask for 22 of the little postcard sized bags (offer to pay for them, they won't make you!) Ask for 22 of the little stickers (just tell them what you need them for), get a postcard, pencil, lollipop, and a keychain from the dollar store (before you leave.) If all else fails with the bags, ask them to please put each postcard in a separate bag! If you can't collect the stickers in one swoop, just ask everyone for them that you see for the duration of your trip (stop at Whispering Canyon at WL--thye tend to get a little sticker happy there! We did someething similiar when my son was in kindergarten (we took him out of school for his fifth Birthday and brought back treat bags for all the classmates).

[janette]

If you see a CM handing out stickers ask for some for your students. I'm not a teacher but I've heard they are usually very generous with stickers for teachers :)

[Disney Talker]

I suggest WDW pencils..they come in all colors and designs, many seem to sparkle and are a $1 each.

[Disneydenise]

Okay it is the end of the year so you will begin to have parties for rewards etc. How about a slide show or a video of you meeting the Characters and having them say hi to your class? You could have Mickey treats like pans of bownies cut out with a Mickey cookie cutter, a few bags of Mickey pretzels served on food court Disney napkins. I am sure some kind CM would be happy to get you 22. I would get the Mickey head Lollipops at the grocery store the kids would love it. They are happy for any reason to have party. Thirty minutes of a movie starring you, a picture to color and some snacks would be fun at the end of a long week waiting for summer. Have a great trip.