For those with pre-schoolers, how do you handle the souvenir issue?

[mariolatry]

We'll be taking DD4 and DD6 for their first visit in May. I know there will be lots of "Can I get that?" "That's the best thing ever...PLEASE can I have that?" I think it would be good to have a set policy on the way we'll handle souvenirs to cut down on the begging.

A.) Refuse all requests and say "On the last day, we'll let you pick one thing out." I figure if there's something they're still jonesing for on their last day, it's worth buying.
B.) Set aside a dollar amount and tell them it's theirs to spend as they see fit but when it's gone, it's gone. (This would be difficult for DD4. DD6 is learning about money now)
C.) Tell them "We'll buy you one stuffed animal and one other thing and THAT'S IT".
D.) Unidentified other choice

We're very good about sticking to our guns. Does anyone have advice for what's worked for them with kids in this age group?

 

[Suzanna1973]

Go to your nearest Walgreens....purchase a giftcard for each child with the set amount you are willing to spend on souvenirs. Now they each have a "credit card" to spend. Let them know how much is on it, and how much is left after each purchase. We did this with my 3 year old nephew and he was amazing. He knew when the money was gone from the card, so was his shopping experience. He was very good at buying stuff he knew he JUST HAD TO HAVE from WDW.

Have a great trip!

 

[sarmat1]

(A), if even that. When we went this past summer with DS3 and DD6, they didn't ask for anything. Then again, neither one would go into a store at home and start asking either (they know they already get plenty of presents for birthdays, holidays, etc). Even with that, my kids were never lacking for Disney stuff. For example, the free buttons they give out at Guest Services work great to keep them happy. When DS3 was having a tantrum over something, I got him a Birthday button, wrote his name on it and he was thrilled. Between the First Visit, Birthday, I'm Celebrating and other buttons, they can have a whole collection. In addition, both kids had autograph books that we brought in advance so there was the collecting of autographs as well. We also ate at CRT, so there they got wands, swords and wishing stars. My kids certainly didn't come home empty-handed, but we didn't have to go into shops and spend lots of money on souvenirs to make that happen.

Not to mention, since this is your kid's first Disney trip, there are plenty of things that are going to keep them excited and busy at the parks. There's little reason to go into the shops at all unless you want to.

 

[Diegosmom]

We leave in less then a week with our 4 year old and I will be the first to admit that he is spoiled and often gets treats so this will be interesting.

A few things I have done.
1) I have been picking up things along the wall on sale that are disney and he knows Tink is like santa and will be watching him in the park and if he is good she will leave him something in the room each night. I have about 8 things a night and probably didnt spend more the $25 or so.

2)I have told DS that we wont be buying stuff in the beginning of the trip we will take a pic and then near end of the trip we will decide what we really want.

3) I picked him up some cheap vinylemations and pins and will allow him to trade when he is in the parks.

4) We are on dining plan so we get snack credits and I think he will be pretty happy being able to get whatever he wants for treats.

I did think about letting him have so much per day but I think that is tough for a 4 year old.

 

[henry72]

When we took DS (4) and DD (21 months) we just bought them a few things on one of the last days and they never really bothered us about buying stuff. But this time (DS will be 7 and DD will be 4) we are giving them gift cards and when the money is gone, it is gone. They get a small allowance right now so they are already learning money management. (DS even spent all last summer saving and earning extra money to buy a toy he really wanted.)

 

[kuhltiffany]

My kids are allowed to pick one thing out per day, and only 1 stuffy per trip. I don't set a dollar amount, because they naturally (so far) may pick a $10 thing one day and $1 thing the next...

I was trying to stretch it out a bit, then I found we were always in the shops "looking". Now I get it over with in the morning and then they're done for the day

 

[Ldynred812]

We went in 2007 with an almost 7 yr old and a 3.5 yr old. They have always gotten a lot of money for bdays and holidays. We took 125 each, and that was there own money. That was all they got....they did really REALLY well and even brought some home. They each got a shirt, a stuffed animal, autograph book and pen(which are filled with signitures and photos and they still look at a lot), and a few small toys. I took glow sticks from the dollar store so they never asked for the 20 dollar light up toys at the night parades. I had a small notebook and pen with me and when ever they saw something they liked, I wrote down what it was, the price and exactly where they found it at. We are HUGE Disney fans and my youngest is obsessed with Tink, so they were actually quite controlled compared to what I thought they would be.

Good Luck!!

Kecia

 

[omegsmom]

Pick up Disney theme stuff at your local dollar store or dollar bins at other dept stores and hide them from the kids... each night, after they are asleep, something magically appears in the hotel room... or they get a gift bag full of little things when they arrive that is from Mickey and Minnie... We've done both of these and also said throughout the week that we are going to Downtown Disney later in the week and can buy something there... This works pretty well for my two (now 5 and 7, but they went at 3 & 5 and 4 & 6). Mine are the type who pretty much want something whenever we go to a store, but don't always get anything or if they do, it might be something small... somewhat, but not totally, spoiled. We don't spend too much on souvenirs when they are there.. maybe one big stuffy or toy ($25ish), maybe a t-shirt or piece of inexpensive jewelry... This year, we don't need anymore stuffys!!!! but princess wants Daisy Duck to go with her big Minnie Mouse - we will see! I really don't know what DS would want... I've picked up Disney themed play pack ($1 coloring pages, with crayons & stickers), mini dominos, card games, mini journal books with matching pens, chap stick, lighted spinny things, glow wands, bracelets, necklaces, figurines (Pooh characters, princesses, etc) - mostly for $1 each... the kids love thinking they got a surprise welcome gift from Minnie and Mickey last trip... even found a "Mickey Park" gift bag for each kid to put it all in... this trip, I think I'll leave out something each night... not sure...

 

[stairstepmom]

We're doing gift cards - $200 per child in $50 cards. They're also saving allowance, birthday money and doing extra chores to earn more. We'll encourage them to get just little things in each park and then our last day we're going to the big store in Downtown Disney. Our littlest ones obviously we'll just get a couple little things.

 

[justhat]

We set a limit per trip, in items, not dollars as items is easier for them to understand. So we say "3 things during the trip" and we encourage them to wait, not buy something the first day.

 

[hannahdrewmom]

Holy cow, some of you parents are generous! My kids are 4 and 2. We say that we are not buying anything until the last day. We can look and I will take pics on my phone if they want, but no buying anything until the end.

Then they are allowed to choose one thing each!

 

[Tinkerbellah]

I'd say "oh that toy is cool, keep it in mind but for now we'll go on small world & decide what to get later!" They will forget all about it. Later ask them what they want. If your on a budget say did you want toy A or toy B? Honestly w/ all the parades & rides I don't think most kids would flip out @ all.

 

[Tinkerbellah]

Holy cow, some of you parents are generous! My kids are 4 and 2. We say that we are not buying anything until the last day. We can look and I will take pics on my phone if they want, but no buying anything until the end.

Then they are allowed to choose one thing each!

Nothing wrong w/ that. + what if they find something they like better. the end of the weeks a good idea.

 

[NYEmomma]

D) Take grandma & pappy with you and they will buy the LO's anything their little hearts desire... and then some.

I can't moan and complain about it too much though. Grandma & pappy happen to be mom & dad to me and I'm just as spoiled as DD is, lol. But seriously -- anything she even laid eyes on ended up in a Mickey Mouse bag and coming home with us.

 

[Attagirl3]

I'll let mine buy something half way through the trip and then something else at the end. If they ask for something right away I tell them that today is a looking day and if she still wants this toy on xday she can have it.

 

[glk2009]

We do the one a day method with DD4 and you'd be surprised at how little it takes to make her happy.

We considered the buying one or two things at the end of the trip but I really don't need the worry of trying to find that one thing she wanted that she saw days ago in a different park. While most of the merchandise is the same, there is no guarantee that we'd be able to find it again. I know, it could be a life lesson, but if I've promised that she could pick whatever she wants at the end of the trip, I better be able to follow through.

Wow, that reply was longer than I intended.

I actually don't think you can go wrong as long as your kidlets know the limits and you stick with it. It is, after all, a special Disney vacation.

 

[snoopy5386]

We do a stuffed animal and one other thing. We always get the stuffed animal on the first day and then it is her new favorite for the whole week.

 

[mutantstar]

Good thread.

When we went with our 2.5yo DS last spring we tried to avoid seeing toys because he obviously didn't get it. We were fine to not buy anything but it was not fine to try and leave before he had looked at every single thing there...the problem was the gift store ride exits and the carts at every turn!

He'll be a year older in April and already has a "coupon" for $50 from Nana and Bampy for Disney. I'm thinking it would be better for us to photograph things as we go and wait till the end to make purchases.

 

[Patience]

Tink left things for our 4 year old each day. I bought Disney items I knew she would enjoy before our trip. Some of these items were big (new Belle dress and light up wand for her BBB appointment, e.g.) and some were small (small plush Mickey, stickers, etc.). Everything was much cheaper than I could have bought it for in the parks (for example, the princess dresses were purchased when they were on sale at disney store and I used my free bonus gift cards for the light up wands) and my daughter enjoyed being surprised. In fact, she never asked for a thing in the parks except for one of the Mickey head balloons which we did buy.

 

[luvmy2babies]

We do a gift card too, but I also shop before we leave home. I have a policy that if it is something that I can get at Wal-Mart or somewhere at home (we have a local Disney Store) I won’t buy it there and that cuts out a lot of things. I was doing a surprise trip the first time so I collected quite a bit of merchandise off clearance tables and eBay for the “guess where we are going display” I laid on the couch the day I revealed the trip. I made shirts, we collected autographs, did character meals, made memory books and my daughter ended up only finding one thing the entire trip that she really wanted to buy and didn’t have already. I collected pins and got my son a stuffed Mickey Mouse that to this day people ask where it came from.

This trip I’ll be doing the same only no surprise display this time. She knows about the trip so I’ll probably do the gift a day thing. I’m making shirts again, and dd has had a ball going through the designer files with me picking things she wants. I am also making them personalized autograph books for our character meals, bringing invitations for the meals, a Welcome letter from Mickey, memory books and they’ll get Disney themed clothes for the trip and to wear the rest of the summer. My dd will be getting a princess dress and accessories for BBB and CRT, a sundress for an Akershus breakfast, and my son will get to feed his growing obsession with the mouse at 3 meals (Chef Mickey’s, Tusker House and Garden Grill).

I’m hoping that gift card money ends up going for Mickey Bars and getting dd into my growing obsession: frozen lemonade.