1st timers BEWARE!!!!!!!!!!

[miche73ak]

You WILL get completely sucked in to the Disney Mania. You will think that you need that Mickey teapot or the Mickey salt and pepper shakers or the weeks worth of Disney matching tshirts for the whole family, or the collectable figurines, or the 50 different types of magnets, or the hair braids, or the oil painting of your children in the lobby of the Beach Club for 200bucks, or the twirly things my kids had to have for the parade and haven't touched since, or the monorail toy set for my son, or cinderella castle for my daughter, or the minnie mouse luggage, I could go on for along time but I think you get my drift. I thought I read everything on this board but I was not at all prepared for the stuff I thought we needed. We had a WONDERFUL time and this being our first real vacation we were ready to spend money. The weird thing is that the following 2 weeks when we weren't staying on Disney property we didn't even look or care about the Disney merchandise. Just be prepared.

 

[Crazy4mandms]

LOL....that is funny! But I've been back from my first trip in May and my hubby, at my request, just about bought out the Disney Store for me for Christmas!!! My kids still play with the twirly light things, my 7 yr old still plays pirates with the hat/stuff he got at POTC ride and I have to hide my sixth graders disney t-shirts or he'll wear them every single day and nothing else!!! Thank God we go back in April to get more "stuff". I do understand what you mean though!!!

 

[ABCMom]

That being the case.... be sure you leave room in your suitcases to get it all home
We had a horrible time last trip getting it all packed up. Finally had to get boxes from the hotel gift shop and package a bunch of stuff up to get it on the plane!

 

[Crazy4mandms]

That's an advantage of driving! I just love all things Disney...that kinda started before we went to disney, tho as I've always loved the feeling that disney gives you! I gave my 15 yr old niece a tigger sweatshirt for her bday and my SIL said "isn't she a little old for disney?" WHAT??!!?? Too old for Disney!! Too bad she doesn't have that "peter pan" feeling in her heart! When we are at the parks I set a budget and we stay pretty close to it....if that means we spend all of it on "junk" o well! Its a vacation and I'm really very frugal the rest of the year so we go for it!!

 

[arminnie]

Be doubly scared at Christmas. I drove to WDW in October so I would have room for all of the "stuff" I wanted to buy. I hardly bought a thing.

I flew here in early December and didn't even bring an extra suitcase because I thought I'd already bought everything I needed six weeks earlier.

I just shipped a big box of stuff back home and didn't buy half of what I saw that I wanted. Plus I had an emergency appendectomy in the middle of my trip and didn't get to half the shops (no DTD shopping). I could have filled my van up to the brim with the stuff I saw on this trip that was not here in October.

 

[hammertime]

I've already purchasing things Disney for my trip to WDW! I can't imagine what I'm going to be like once I get there. Plus I have a brand new nephew so I can't wait to look at the baby stuff.

Almost time for the Single digit dance

 

[houseofmouse]

I thought getting ready for this trip would be caotic(sp?) and frustrating... I thought wrong. I still have 3 months and I am completely entranced with all the info I've been finding on this site. Its the first thing I look at in the morning and the last thing I look at before bed. I am having so much fun planning this, when the plannings done I will be let down...Untill I walk into WDW! I never understood the Disney Mania thing until now!!
I am starting to put away more money thath I originally thought because I am already sucked in and when I actually get there I don't know what I will do!!

I am becoming obssesed I tell you!

 

[Girls Scout Leader]

too old for a Tigger shrit? My DD (15) woiuld most definatly disagree. But she pronounces it "T EEEE GER "

 

[Crazy4mandms]

girlscoutleader......I absolutely love your quote at the bottom!! Is that an original or could you tell me whose it is!?? It's wonderful! (it's going on my fridge!)

 

[WANNABE@WDW]

I am proud to say my Disney addiction has spread throughout my entire family!!! I have family and friends that have never been to WDW and they are now shopping for Disney items. I pack an extra (really large) duffle bag in one of our suitcases. I has come in really handy bringing back all of our new loot. The Disney stores have also been very helpful with boxes and packing materials.

 

[ladycollector]

We bought a pretty good amount of stuff the 1st trip but we didnt spend more than 170 dollars this trip on souvenirs!

-Kayla

 

[LoriMistress]

I wanted a lot of Disney stuff, but my dh and I were prepared that a lot of the cute Disney merchandise were just wants and not need. Actually, the only things that we bought at the WDW parks were the Bride and Groom pins, a Donald Duck pin, and Bride and Groom Mouseears. Other than that, we stopped at a Disney Store in the Houstin airport to buy our gifts. We just got two stuffed animals.

 

[mum4jenn]

We always stop at the outlet stores before going to the parks.Sometimes we can get the same exact stuff they are currently selling at the theme parks for a fraction of what we pay at the outlets. Sure at times ir is outdated but who cares????We go 2-3 times a year and if I am wearing a shirt from 2001 noone will know that I was or was not there in 2001!!

 

[S. C.]

If you have a car you can go to the super walmart for t-shirts and souvenirs. They have a whole section just for disney stuff at a fraction of the price.

 

[Jessiana]

On my first trip in Nov. 2002, I was pleasantly suprised by everything. Prices were more reasonable than I thought, food quality was awsome, service was OUTSTANDING, Let me just say that again, the service was OUTSTANDING. I've never been touched by someplace so deeply, I cried happy tears for the first time since I was a kid. Now I'm preparing for my second trip in Feb. 2004 and am shocked even further by the amount of material and support from fellow Disney freaks. My only 1rst timer warning is: Prepare to be amazed!




We're going to Disney World for Graduation!!!