Souvenirs: what have you bought and loved and/or regretted?

[Wood Nymph]

I don't usually buy souvenirs, but there are three favorites for me and one for my DH. I bought a waterproof Tigger jacket one rainy, cold January about 15 years ago that I absolutely love. I bought a white hooded sweatshirt with a little Mickey Mouse on it about ten years ago that I like to wear on trips to WDW. I have a cute Tinkerbell ornament that I bought in 2011 that is hanging in my kitchen when it is not on the Christmas tree. And my husband has a coffee mug from the millennium celebration (2000) that is his favorite coffee mug. And I have a few favorite luggage tags that we've had for years, again the millennium is my favorite one, refusing to replace with the newer ones.

 

[nanienamou]

The Disney racer cars are awesome and my kids love them. I always buy some for stocking stuffers.

I love the giant mugs - I've got one with Tink that says that mornings aren't magical. I use it almost everyday.

Last time, I was so cold and I bought a velvet hoodie. It's burgundy and has a hidden mickey pattern. I wear it all the time. DH also got me some rhinestone mickey studs that are cute.

We also have a Mickey mold to cook eggs and one for pancakes. Again, kids love theses.

And an ornament for each trip.

 

[BarbieGal457]

I actually always buy beach towels, small magnets, a shot glass for my collection, and a photo album, all with the specific year on them if possible. They always remind me of my trip! Even at the beach, when I see my towel(s), I remember all the happy things I did that trip!

 

[ttintagel]

I love the glass souvenir mugs from the Liberty Tree Tavern. They're only $5 and sturdy as anything. I use them for my everyday glasses at home.

 

[JennaDeeDooDah]

One of my favorite souvenirs is my Steamboat Willie snow globe that I purchased during my internship. I loved Fantasmic and my favorite part of it was at the end when the boat comes by with all the characters. I loved that Steamboat Willie was the one driving the boat and that he was still in black and white. I bought the snow globe and it plays Zip-a-dee-doo-dah (my favorite song). Whenever I look at it, I am reminded of Fantasmic and my first time seeing it.

Another one of my favorite souvenirs is also from my college program days. I bought the stuffed Chip and Dale toys. They remind me of my college program days because I had a rather close relationship with these two little guys.

My husband and I also decided to buy something special for ourselves on our honeymoon. We decided on a Steamboat Willie figurine. It always reminds us of our honeymoon.



Basically, for me, my favorite souvenirs will remind me of something very special for me. I'm not saying I don't love my Dole Whip shirt or that I don't look on my lei from 'Ohana and smile, but my favorites will go a bit deeper emotionally.

 

[sephorachick]

I love my ornaments. My favorite items I wear a lot is my Mickey hoodie from 2011 & my FAVE item is my Mickey swarvoski earrings. I wear them a lot & get compliments

http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/img-thing?.out=jpg&size=l&tid=43231593

 

[IhrkeFamily]

Definitely a Disney ornament. Have to fill the tree

Also love the puzzle with a bunch of Disney characters and the four park icons.

And my all-time fave is the Music from the Parks CDs. Permanently in my CD player of my car. Just turn on to transport myself to WDW

 

[txnana]

I purchased 4 rice bowls and a matching plate at the Japanese shop that I use every day for cereal and toast. Also, I use my salt and pepper mills every day with a mickey head on top.

 

[HeyLynners]

I have a few...

A super flying mickey antenna topper haning from my rear view mirror. He has a cape and his little arms are forward like hes flying.

And fantasia flamingo yard art...totally not my style, but it makes me laugh every time i look at it.

Mugs are the best too!

 

[Puffy2]

One of the photos at the park (used to be $12...probably more now).

Mickey ears are kind of a waste.

Daughter still loves her stuffed Stitch doll though.

The Pooh towel was a waste of money for us.

 

[LuvtheMouse88]

Top of my list is that years photo album. That way I have an album to put all our disney photos in when we get home. I always end up with a new shirt. Hope you enjoy your first trip!

 

[AuroraRora]

I always have to get a photo frame with the year on it, and I always stock up on Mickey Mints and try to get a snowglobe (although that was when we only went every few years, now that I live closer and go more, I'm cutting back on the snowglobes!) I bought a lot of Disney jewelry that doesn't really get worn - I have a non-Disney ring and necklace that I wear every day so I'm not sure why I kept buying Disney necklaces and rings knowing those spots were already taken I did lose the other ring I'd wear every day though, so I'm considering buying a nice Disney one if I see it.

Even though I never wear my ears outside of WDW, I love them and I have them sitting on a shelf in my room to brighten my day until my next trip when I can pack them to go back to the parks. The best thing I ever bought was probably my hoodie - I wear that thing at home almost every day and it's so warm and cozy. And it's not all colorful, in-your-face Disney so I can wear it places without it looking like I just got back off the plane

 

[Squidgyness]

I need to put my gold dragon hanging banner from china in Epcot back up... Very nice design.

I regret buying so many pins. I don't even know where I put them! They're around somewhere.

Oldest Disney trip souvenir was actually purchased at Kissimmee, its some crystals in a rock. I bought it in 98 when I was 7. I'm 21 now! :O

 

[palmtreelover08]

Regret- White Dooney purse- spent over $250 on a purse whose light brown handles now look like crap. The light brown straps pick up all the dirt off your hands and I swear are dirt magnetically. On,y get the purse with the light brown hands if you are a princess and never get your hands dirty.

 

[bluejasmine]

Regret- White Dooney purse- spent over $250 on a purse whose light brown handles now look like crap. The light brown straps pick up all the dirt off your hands and I swear are dirt magnetically. On,y get the purse with the light brown hands if you are a princess and never get your hands dirty.

Oh no! I have several Disney dooneys & I have the one your talking about the trick is I switch out purses every couple days and I've not had any problem with any if my purses Dooney, coach, guess, LV & I clean house, cook, bake, garden.. If you look on their web site they do have cleaning instructions.. Hope that helps!

ASMU/POR Dec 16-22, 2012 & POFQ Sept 8-15, 2013

 

[Fantasmic23]

I've never regretted a WDW purchase. I still have my stuffed Pluto from the 70's as well as other souvenirs from over the years too numerous to mention.

One thing I would mention is that if you want something less Disneyish that may look nice displayed with your home decor, shop World Showcase at Epcot. There is so much good stuff there that most people wouldn't guess came from Disney. But, you will always know when you look at it, so it will be a nice memory of your vacation.

I STILL have my stuffed Pluto that my uncle brought back from his WDW trip in 1977!!

 

[Fantasmic23]

I have never regretted a WDW souvenir purchase, either. I'm a BIG coffee drinker and on almost every trip, I buy a new coffee mug (from the "Theme Perks" collection). I now have the whole set (I think) which includes Mickey, Minnie, Goofy and Donald Duck. My only complaint is that Disney doesn't have an orange Theme Perk mug with Pluto on it.

The cups are big and are dishwasher/microwave safe.

Another favorite WDW souvenir purchase is my "Four Parks One World" CD. A bit pricey, but definitely worth it! I listen to it all of the time. The Swiss Family Treshouse theme drives my husband crazy, but I've learned to just fast-forward.

 

[Maleficent Dragon]

My number one tip is if you see something you want, buy it right then and there. It is entirely possible you won't see it again at another location or later in your trip.

This used to be my biggest suggestion about shopping, but is this really the case anymore? Now that Disney has the same souvenirs everywhere with nothing unique (other than a few carts here and there) it seems that every shoppe has the same things. Rather disappointing actually.




To the point of the OP's question: I have never been disappointed with anything I have purchased aside from clothing. Their shirts are very thin and their screened tees do not keep their screening very long. I even wash them inside out in Woolite and still find that the quality is poor and short-lived.

 

[Burgigirl]

Our favorite has been a towel (although very expensive) from the end of the Kali River Rapids ride. We still laugh at how soaked our young son got. Now we try to get a towel from all of our vacation destinations, because we actually use them at home.

Regrets would have to be, pins. We aren't really collectors of them. But we have purchased a few over the years, that just end up in a drawer.

 

[ChiCat]

I don't want to really wear anything Disney related or have too many Disney related household items however I looooove my giant oversized coffee mugs and Christmas ornaments!

My regret is buying dh the Jack Skellington winter hat he insisted that I should have known he'd never wear.