Balloons in the parks

[CraftyMommy]

I was just reading a TR and came across a picture of the balloon person holding balloons on Main Street. That got me thinking. How much do those balloons sell for? Knowing Disney prices makes me guess no less than $5 or $10?

Does anyone buy these? I don't recall ever seeing anybody buy one. I couldn't justify the price of a balloon my kids couldn't take on the plane. You couldn't take it on the rides with you, so they probably only sell them to people who are going to tie them to a stroller or who are leaving the park? What do you do with the balloon? Sit it in your room, which most people don't spend much time in and watch it slowly deflate each night as you come back from the parks?

I am wondering how popular these balloons are. I know people buy them or they wouldn't be selling them. My son always has to get a balloon when we get his hair cut or go to the bank. So I'm already trying to think of excuses why we shouldn't spend the money on them. If I give him a reasonable explanation he'll be ok with it. We're working on him having his own spending allowance each week and budgeting the money, so we often talk about what might be worth it and what is not.

Any input from people who buy balloons or don't buy them?

 

[Just_Trish]

Funny you should ask...my 18yo daughter bought a balloon on our trip in May. Yes, you read that right - she's 18! She decided that she was missing out on a childhood rite of passage - wearing her Mickey ears with her name on them and carrying a Mickey Balloon around the park! So, being the loving mother that I am, I forked out the $10 for the balloon instead of making her pay for it (LOL!) since I obviously missed the balloon memo when she was younger....

Anyway, long story short: That balloon lasted nearly 7 weeks after we got home! It was awesome. Stayed full and floaty way longer than any balloon I've ever gotten from a florist or store.

Do note that if your child really wants one you can't take it on rides. You have to tie it to something and hope it is there when you come out. I noticed numerous people doing this so I guess that is the protocol. We simply waited until the end of the night to buy it, right before Wishes, when all the souvenir people were about.

Good luck and have fun!

 

[aubriee]

We took our 3 y/o GS to WDW this past Feb. He wanted a balloon, so we bought one and kept it tied to his stroller to help identify the stroller. It stayed up all week and on our last day, we explained that it couldn't go on the plane with us and asked if he wanted to give it to another child to enjoy. We took him to the check in area that last morning and he picked out a little boy, whose family was checking into POFQ that morning, to give it to. Both he and the little boy he chose to give it to, were very happy.

Two funny stories about those balloons:

The first time I took my GD to WDW we were staying at AKL. I had not done my research very well for that first trip and didn't know balloons are not allowed at AKL. I made the mistake of buying my GD a balloon at MK and as we were walking into AKL that night, one of the guys at bell services came running over to tell us balloons were not allowed in the rooms or around the lodge because of the animals, but they would keep it for us in bell services. My GD looked like she was going to start to cry, so I said the first thing that came to mind. I told her it was OK, the balloon just had to go to balloon daycare at night, but we would pick it up and keep it with us during the day. She wasn't happy about it, but turned the balloon over. The very nice CM told her he'd take really good care of it and tuck it for the night for her. On our last day as we were walking out of the lodge, knowing we couldn't take it on the plane with us, I asked her if she would like to give it to another little girl to enjoy. I meant for her to give it away in the parks, but before I could finish my sentence she saw a family coming in the doors to check in. My GD (who never meets a stranger and can talk to anyone) ran up to their little girl who was about her age, and told her we were leaving that day and couldn't take her balloon with us, so would she like to have it. The little girl was thrilled. As she handed the balloon over, my GD told her, "I warn you though, this place is really weird. Where I live, kids go to daycare during the day, but here it's balloons that have to go to daycare at night."

Second balloon story: About a year ago, I was on Main Street, waiting for the parade to start. One of those CMs came by carrying balloons. The lady next to me, jumped up, ran over to him and said she'd take two because she had two kids. When he told her how much they were, she gave him a shocked look and yelled out really loud, "I thought they were free for the kids." She argued with him for a few minutes, then said never mind, and stalked back over to the sidewalk. She started fussing about how she couldn't believe WDW would sell balloons for that price and how with the prices WDW charges, a balloon for a kid should be free. Everyone was giving her looks, like they were wondering what planet she was from. What park anywhere gives away free helium balloons? those cheap, thin, blow up balloons maybe, but nice helium balloons? Plus there were dozens of kids there waiting for the parade to start and very, very few of them had balloons (maybe one or two). Did she not wonder why they didn't get 'free balloons'?

 

[feathersmcgraw]

My little girl was given a mickey balloon for free at MK by one of the CMs that high 5 people early in the morning. It was our first visit so we didn't realise it was a pixie dust moment rather than a thing that happens all the time LOL

 

[Sparkly]

I would LOVE one of those balloons that are a Mickey balloon inside a clear one, but I can't just give it to somebody else checking in when we leave because we're staying at a condo

 

[SenecaWolf]

I had to have one when we went in August and I'm 37! My son thought I was crazy but the night before we left I deflated it, rolled it up and packed it. I blew it up when I got home and it is happily sitting in my room now lol.

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy SII using DISBoards

 

[willowsnn3]

We go 3 to 4 times a year & my dd gets a balloon each trip! And she is 40, lol. Sometimes the grandkids get one also, but dd has to get one every trip.
Sometimes she gets it on the first day, sometimes on the last day always as we are leaving the park. Then it stays in the room til time to go home. We always drive so it goes home with us & they usually stay inflated for a few weeks. Can't imagine going to MK & not getting a balloon......

 

[athenagwis]

On our first trip our mousekeeper gifted us a balloon one day while we were out in the parks. She left it in the incredible window display she made for us ...


IMG_3720 by Athenagwis, on Flickr

So we took the balloon to MNSSHP with us that night and got pictures of us with it in the park. We only went on one ride the whole night (since we didn't want to use party time for rides), Small World, and it wouldn't come off my bag, so the CM just had me tuck it down and hold it. LOL But they would have preferred I take it off. Anyway, here's a pic we took and had printed at the parks. We gave this to our mousekeeper as a thank you for the gift.


28951470250 by Athenagwis, on Flickr

Another bit of fun, if you don't actually want to buy a balloon, if you ask sweetly, the CMs will let you pretend to hold all those balloons so you can get a pic. Hubby walked up to ask, and the CM handed him the balloons (she was still holding the bottom part) before he could even finish his sentence!!


IMG_4950 copy by Athenagwis, on Flickr

Cheers!
Rachel

 

[annej]

I have a balloon story. We were there in 2005 for Thanksgiving and my DD - then 13 - asked for a Tinkerbelle balloon. Tink was and still is her favorite. It was a shaped balloon not like the ones they have now. It was late and I didn't want to stop so I told her we would get it the next day. Here's the sad part - we never saw that type of Tink balloon the rest of the trip and have not to this day. Of course, DH - now 20 - reminds me every time we go about that balloon and I feel sad all over again. If she ever asks me for a balloon again, you can bet she will be getting it - no matter what! We are driving this next trip so maybe this will be the time.

 

[rapunzels]

That's a genius idea, to deflate the balloon at the end of the week, then go get it re-inflated when you get home! Never thought of that before!!! We have always said no because of the flight home. What a great tip!

 

[AndreaDM]

On our first trip our mousekeeper gifted us a balloon one day while we were out in the parks. She left it in the incredible window display she made for us ...


IMG_3720 by Athenagwis, on Flickr

So we took the balloon to MNSSHP with us that night and got pictures of us with it in the park. We only went on one ride the whole night (since we didn't want to use party time for rides), Small World, and it wouldn't come off my bag, so the CM just had me tuck it down and hold it. LOL But they would have preferred I take it off. Anyway, here's a pic we took and had printed at the parks. We gave this to our mousekeeper as a thank you for the gift.


28951470250 by Athenagwis, on Flickr

Another bit of fun, if you don't actually want to buy a balloon, if you ask sweetly, the CMs will let you pretend to hold all those balloons so you can get a pic. Hubby walked up to ask, and the CM handed him the balloons (she was still holding the bottom part) before he could even finish his sentence!!


IMG_4950 copy by Athenagwis, on Flickr

Cheers!
Rachel

I'm guessing your mousekeeper got it from another room that had checked out but left the balloon, so nice to pass it along instead of just trashing it!

 

[Mousemommy1]

It has become tradition for our girls to get one of the Mickey Head balloons in the clear balloon. Yes, they are $10.

We have an agreement that they get them when we are leaving the park on the first day (so we don't have to carry them around the park)...they have to keep in the room. They say good morning and good night to the balloons (and they are 8 and 6), and "play" with them while in the room.

We like them, because they "decorate" the room. The girls know they can't bring them on the plane, so we leave them in the room on the last day.

Waste of money? Probably...but tradition is tradition, and we will buy the balloons until the girls no longer ask for them. (hopefully never)

 

[LittleMissMagic]

The fancier light-up ones are $15-18. I've seen a lot of people buy balloons. It's a great sales tactic, the balloon CMs on Main Street. As soon as you walk in the park with your kid, they see the balloon and want it.... and then they are out there when people are lined up for parades. People tie them on their stroller so they can pick theirs out of a crowd. The light-up ones are even greater because everyone lines up for the parade and fireworks, and they can get them as they're leaving the park.

 

[PictureJumpr]

I would LOVE one of those balloons that are a Mickey balloon inside a clear one, but I can't just give it to somebody else checking in when we leave because we're staying at a condo

And condo people don't also like balloons?
Who says you have to be standing on Disney property to spread a little helium-filled pixie dust around?



I don't always buy a balloon, but I do it often enough. $10 seems like a lot, but like earlier posters have said they really do last a loooooong time. I have given some away, and I have a couple that were deflated carefully via strategic pinhole, and are now laid flat and framed together and hanging in my office.

 

[Disney_Princess83]

We buy a balloon but don't take it home with us. We usually find someone checking in with a child and surprise them on the day we are leaving.

 

[RedHeadedFairy]

Balloons are one of DD's favorite parts of the trip! She's already looking forward to selecting one this time & would be devasted without it. I plan on buying the first one she asks for on the first day so she can keep it in our room for the remainder of the trip.

 

[LaurenT]

Not meaning to be a Debbie Downer...
But our country is facing a pretty severe shortage of helium.
It is not only used to make balloons float, it is also critical to the use of MRIs in hospitals.

I know the balloons are fun, but think about picking a new souvenir next trip.

 

[believinthemagic]

We bought a mylar balloon with princesses on it in January at the MK. We deflated it before heading home, and my 5 yr old still has it hanging up on her bedroom wall. Probably the only souvenier we bought that I see on a daily basis.

 

[Carriemel]

If there was a big enough shortage, I would think Disney would discontinue the sale of balloons. As it is, there must be enough for them to bring at least 6 HUGE tanks of helium to fill the big balloon at DTD (there is another thread around with a picture of it).

 

[Sparkly]

And condo people don't also like balloons?
Who says you have to be standing on Disney property to spread a little helium-filled pixie dust around?



I don't always buy a balloon, but I do it often enough. $10 seems like a lot, but like earlier posters have said they really do last a loooooong time. I have given some away, and I have a couple that were deflated carefully via strategic pinhole, and are now laid flat and framed together and hanging in my office.

I don't know if there are any kids staying in the condos around us to give it to. I think there are a family who stays at the same time as us actually. I'll see.