Buying souvenirs for children?

[new_mommy]

We're going to WDW later this year. It will be the first time for my 4-year old daughter. What kinds of suggestions do you have for limiting purchases of souvenirs? We've been saving for a year for the trip and have *some* spending money, but not a ton. Help this confused mom, please!

 

[mericletwins]

We're going to WDW later this year. It will be the first time for my 4-year old daughter. What kinds of suggestions do you have for limiting purchases of souvenirs? We've been saving for a year for the trip and have *some* spending money, but not a ton. Help this confused mom, please!

We have given the kids Disney dollars and they can buy what they want and when the money is gone, it is gone. I buy them a souveneir that I want them to have, like a t-shirt or hat. I think when they were 4 we looked around and wrote down things they wanted and where they were and we made time on the last day to go back and get the one thing that they wanted the most.

 

[arielsleepingbeauty]

MY children get Disney Dollars for their birthdays, Christmas, Easter and Valentine's Day. We keep them in a safe place. They end up with about $100.00 each and that's what they use to buy souveneirs. We ask our family to give DD is $1.00 increments. It ends up seemingly like alot more money. My children learn the value of money. It also saves up from buying these toys that will hardly get any play afterwards.
Before we came up with the idea of buying DD instead of alot of presents for the holiday's we used to limit our children to one small thing a day. We had gone with my sister and she bought her children everything they asked for. We were upfront with our children and said that they need to think about what it is they really want because that isthe only thing they would be getting for the day. It worked out well. We didn't go through the shops hearing "I want" every two seconds. It worked out great.

 

[StitchandPooh'sMom]

We set a per-day limit (typically $10 a day, but it can be whatever you want). The girls can save the money until the last day and buy one big thing, or spend it daily on little things. They can also "borrow" against future days, but we try to discourage that since they don't like to run out of money before they run out of days! Both girls usually end up having money left over since they have to make choices along the way. I do buy them each one shirt and sometimes another clothing thing (nightgown, etc.), but they buy the toys they want.

 

[karibritt01]

My kids each got a $20 gift card from Santa in their stockings. They can do chores to earn an allowance ($2 a week) to save for Disney. Before we go, I will take their money and load it to their gift card. They are allowed to use their money any way they want. We may buy them 1 or 2 things we want them to have, but mostly they have to use their own money. I do the gift card as it is easier to keep up with than cash, and the Disney Dollars look too much like play money.

 

[3DisneyGals&1Grumpy]

We use the Disney Dollars in my house as well. If anyone ask what to get my children for Christmas, Birthdays , etc. I always say Disney Dollars. I hold on to them until the trip. My girls can earn extra dollars or lose dollars(I always give them an opportunity to earn them back) based on behavior.
Our Disney routine is to go to Downtown Disney soon after arriving. We let the kids pick out a few things we will need right away such as autograph books, pins to trade, and a new shirt. We then scope out what they really want. We continue to only look the rest of the week unless I know it is an item that can only be purchased at that particular spot. At the end of the week, and after they have changed their minds several times, we return to spend their Disney dollars. We have found this works very well for us. We don't have to worry about buyer's remorse or running out of spending money the first day of the trip.
In my opinion, one of the best souvenirs for little girls are the special My Little Ponies and accessories and/or Mr. Potato Head and parts. They are unique but Disney themed and will continue to be played with long after the trip is over.

 

[meeskamouska]

This will be our DD first trip and she has been earnign Disney Dollars for the past few months. She is 3 so she has a chore chart of self care items...brush your teeth, put on PJs, feed dogs, etc. At the end of the week she gets her $$. She also loses $ for poor choices and we put the $ on the fridge and she can earn back her "Naughty Dollar" by displaying good behavior. I have also been guilty of paying her to take her medication...I like to think of it as an incentive not a bribe !!!

 

[disneyfan2]

We use the Disney Dollars in my house as well. If anyone ask what to get my children for Christmas, Birthdays , etc. I always say Disney Dollars. I hold on to them until the trip. My girls can earn extra dollars or lose dollars(I always give them an opportunity to earn them back) based on behavior.
Our Disney routine is to go to Downtown Disney soon after arriving. We let the kids pick out a few things we will need right away such as autograph books, pins to trade, and a new shirt. We then scope out what they really want. We continue to only look the rest of the week unless I know it is an item that can only be purchased at that particular spot. At the end of the week, and after they have changed their minds several times, we return to spend their Disney dollars. We have found this works very well for us. We don't have to worry about buyer's remorse or running out of spending money the first day of the trip.
In my opinion, one of the best souvenirs for little girls are the special My Little Ponies and accessories and/or Mr. Potato Head and parts. They are unique but Disney themed and will continue to be played with long after the trip is over.

Where in WDW do you get the pony pieces? also can you get pieces only for potato head? i have 2 heads already

 

[aes74]

I love how in these threads the children are part of the process and have accountability for their choices. I think these are all great choices. I would involve your children, help them to understand how much money you have allocated for souveniers. Encourage them to keep there eyes open, and at the end of the trip they can purchase what they love the most.

Sometimes, I get caught up too, and wish I could buy them anything they want. I have to remind myself that the biggest, most wonderful gift was our time together, as a family at Walt Disney World. Taking home some really awesome memories. I know that sounds a wee bit cheesy, but it's really true.