autogragh books/ journal keepsake

[resQmermaid]

We have a family of 6 4 kids from 6 to12. We are making our 1st trip to Disney in Dec. (WOW) can't wait. We are not telling our kids as it will be a big surprise. That is really difficult keeping it a secret. I live in Slidell, la. I was in the Disney store last week also. I picked up D. bucks. I went looking for an autograph book/ journal. For my kids to write in like a diary each day while on vacation. I cannot seem to find them anywhere. anyone seen them?

 

[Belle0101]

Each week I clip out the Michael's coupon and purchase a "Memory Book ... Create Your Own ... Our Mini Memory Book is perfect for kids of all ages ... Actual size is 4.25" x 5.5" ... filled with 80# Cover Stock ... Made with Recycled, Acid Free, Lignin Free Paper".

It's spiral bound, comes in red, light blue, dark blue, cream and maybe 1 more color. They have larger sizes available too. With the coupon they come to $1.88 with tax. They're unlined so you'd have to draw lines in for the kids if they write downhill like my 2nd grader.

Last year I bought a Creative Memories book (about 7.5" x 5.5")and it was awkward for my ds when it was full of pages. So to make it easier on him I just bought several of these and then I plan to cut them apart and put the pages into by big album (12" x 12"). Not very cost conscious but it'll make it easier on him.

My sister went last year and they bought the autograph book that's sold in the parks. I can't remember the size or the cost though, sorry.

Have a great trip!!!!!! We'll be there in December too!!

 

[teachingmykids]

We did the autographs this year. The pins, at $6 and $8, got too expensive to continue. The auto books are $6 at the park. The shops also have journals, the coverings are anything from foam minnies to fuzzy carpet looking eyeores with tails. They are 'covers', as the journals inside are removable, thus refillable. The costs are $10-15.
The characters will sign anything, so don't have to have the auto book, if you'd rather create another type of memory record.
Since I always took pictures along with the auto, I like to have a bigger page so I can put them together.
~~g.

 

[travelitis]

I use clip art and my computer to make my own that is tailored for our trip. It isn't archive quality like Creative Memories, but we don't care.

 

[AspiringCindy]

You can purchase the autograph books ahead of time and have them shipped to your house. Just call the Disney Store for the 800 number. We prepared our books ahead of time and personalized some of the pages for the characters. They loooove this!

 

[Snow Brite]

I got spiral bound small watercolor/sketch books. The covers were plain black so I covered them with Disney stickers and the kids names.

These worked soooo well! The spiral bound was great as the books laid flat, open to the page we wanted, ,the characters could hold and write on them easier and when something didn't work we could just tear that page out without wrecking the rest.

We got lots of compliments on them from both the Characters and oher guests.

It think they were about $3.00 each at Fred Meyers.

Jennifer

 

[punkin]

we bought disney autograph books at the walmart in kissimmee. much cheaper than at the parks. sorry I don't remember exactly how much.

 

[ratcatshell]

We went May 2001 and I got a great idea from this board. I purchased Disney small photo albums (4 x 6 or 3 x 5) at Wal-Mart. Printed out disney print art from the internet (free site) and bought note cards and stick glue. My girls age 10 and 21 cut out the characters on the road trip down on glued them on the note cards. When we met the character we simply pulled out their note card and got them to sign. This way we can organize the book with the picture of them with the character and also have their signature card on the same page. The "face" characters commented on what a neat idea it was. If we ran into a character that we hadn't prepared a note card for then we just had them sign a blank one and the girls printed out the clip art when we returned home. The photo album is a neat keepsake showing the pictures and the signatures all in the same place.

I thought this was really a great idea and help keep my girls entertained on the drive down!

 

[DocRafiki]

Don't really have any recommendations, but...

Slidell! I'm a Slidell High grad.

Those journals they sell at the WDW stores are really nice but expensive (definitely not "budget"), like teachingmykids showed. You can probably find the best selection at World of Disney at Downtown Disney Marketplace. Sometimes the Belz outlet stores will have journals. I think they had some Pooh ones the last time I was there, but they usually don't have any, and their discounts aren't all that great. I would think you'd want to get something before you left so they could write during the trip down.

 

[resQmermaid]

Thanks! I have been in slidell 15 yrs.

 

[Beauty-The Beast]

Just went to Big Lots today and found Autograph books there for $.99. They came in different colors. They might not be disney, but I'm sure with a little creativity the could be made into disney theme if need be. Can't beat the price.


17 days and counting.

 

[Cindy B]

We made our own.

took two index cards and put clip art on what would be the front/back... printed them in the color printer.

got some regular paper and put it in the inside of the covers.

Took the whole packet to staples where they laminated the covers, and spiral bound it for like $1/2.

My kids got to pick out what they liked, and all that as well.

 

[Qwackertoo]

Found actual Magic Kingdom mini photo album type binders at Dollar Tree last week. They had Mickey's Toon Town on the cover with Mickey as the Mayor and also had Minnie and Goofy & Donald pictured, I think with a scene from ToonTown in the background. Had Magic Kingdom on the spine of the binder. Original price at Disney was 10.00. I bought all 5 or 6 they had to give as gifts to kids I know going to WDW for the first time. They had 100 photo pages so you could add paper and insert and re-arrange the autographs in whatever order you wish and add photos with the characters after you get back home and have your film developed.

The price was 1.00 each There are quite a few Dollar Tree's in our area and sometimes you even find them located in the mall.

 

[Local_Girl]

Great thread--lots of great ideas! We're planning to do a variation of what's been mentioned already. I bought some little photo albums at Michael's on sale 2/$1 and plan to decorate them with Disney stickers or clip art and the kid's names, and will cut cardstock to fit into the photo sleeves--this is what the characters will sign. We'll put the actual autographs and photos taken with the characters (acid-free paper & pens, etc) into a regular scrapbook later. We'll keep copies of the autographs and some photos in the kid's autograph books and they can look at and play with them whenever they want. I'm planning to do a homemade Epcot Passport in a similar fashion.