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

[100AcreWood]

We have three kids. We set a spending limit and the kids know when the money runs out it's over. We also try to avoid going to too many shops. It's a waste of Disney time IMO anyway .

We were also lucky to have grandparents to give them $25 each to spend at Disney. They also saved their birthday money for the trip. So they each took at least $50 of their own money which was more than enough. They were excited to show their grandparents what they spent with the money when we got home. That was kinda cool!

 

[Stubbzilla]

My preschooler was happy with most of the incidental stuff that you mostly get for free. The leis at Poly were a huge thing for him. His big things in general are anything that lights up, and balloons. So, we bought a balloon on the first day, kept it tied to the stroller, and used it all week. He got a few light up items and we kept taking them around with us. The whole family got a new sweatshirt each, but that was what I wanted. We ended up buying something every day or every other day for him, but the total was not very much. I can't see spending $200 per child on stuff that will just clutter up the house and be forgotten about when we come home, but a few things, and something memorable, are ok for me. When I was little we got a mouse ears hat, and that was IT, ever. Nothing else, not one time, ever. We never asked for anything since we knew we wouldn't get it. I guess that was a little extreme but my parents had tight finances.

Be careful about waiting to buy something on the last day. I tried that with a talking Perry stuffy, then figured out that we should have bought it when we saw it because they were constantly sold out. So we had to travel all over the World to find a new one after a couple of days, and thankfully some castmembers were very helpful and managed to direct us to the right places. We found one of the last ones available. If there's something that's a biggie, you might want to ask CMs if they think it will still be widely sold on your last day.

 

[rascooby]

Last time we went my youngest 2 were 1 and 2, so they didn't ask for anything. We saved their money for several months before we went. My mom and grandmother send them $5 for all the little holidays, so they each had about $100. We ended up bringing most of it home. We let them buy 1 stuffed animal, 1 light up thing for a night parade and maybe 1 other small thing.

Because they are older, I anticipate a few more problems this time. I am saving their money already and we will probably try to do the same thing. I will only let them buy a couple things because we have to haul it all home. I plan to bring things with us like autograph books, pins, etc, so we don't have to spend money on those at the parks.

 

[tlh0726]

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!

Same here.

Ours look, decide, change thier minds, decide again, and the last night or the day we are leaving they make thier purchase.

 

[dragonfly08]

On our last trip, each girl got to choose one thing, under $20. We went to DTD and I made them check out different options before letting them buy at the end of the visit. That way they could make an informed choice instead of buying the first thing they saw and later stumbling across something they wanted more.

The trip before that, they each had gift cards they'd gotten as holiday and birthday gifts. They were able to spend those as they pleased. I did try to steer them toward things I thought would 1) hold up well, and 2) keep their interest for longer than 10 seconds, but in the end if they really wanted something and had the money left, they could buy it.

Of the two options, I think letting them buy one item toward the end of the visit worked best. When they used the gift cards there was more buying of small stuff that got lost or that they weren't interested in anymore very soon after getting back home. Being limited to a single item made them really think about it.

 

[Krystalynn]

Since we have short trips (2 or 3 days) we usually just do one item per trip. We make it clear to her that when she picks something that's the only thing she's getting, she does well with it.

 

[la79al]

When we head into stores with DD (3.5) and she wants something, I usually tell her that we will put it on her birthday or Christmas list, whichever is coming up first. I will do the same thing in DW and if she sees the thing again and again expresses that she wants it, it will probably come home with us (within reason, we do NOT need any more stuffed anythings and I refuse to pay a gazillion dollars for something I know she will play with for 2 seconds). Also, I will grab some really cheap stuff (in particular, light up stuff so she is not tempted by the carts while we are waiting for the parades) before we leave home to give her throughout the trip. In addition, our trip is right after Christmas so she will get a photo album for Christmas and then I will encourage her to use her camera to get a lot of pictures to fill it up.

 

[lan3]

I brought 3 3year olds and we had no issues. I wouldn't wait until the end of thr trip because they enjoy playing with their new toys in the hotel room. I just got them a few items I knew they would like. They didn't beg for anything. There was so much to see and do they didn't think about toys. I bought a few things our first day and they played back in the room after we got home from the parks.

 

[judypriv]

Wow. I must spoil my kids. They get a bunch of things. They don't ask for much so when they do, we often let them have it and we do usualy have Grandpa with us and he buys them a thing here and there. My kids don't ask for much so I never thought about it. If it's a junky thing or candy I say "What do you want that for?" and the just walk away. They also get GC from family for their birthdays and holidays which is their "Mickey Money" and when we have our summer yard sale we have them sell leomonade and then take them to the D store to get their "Mickey Money" with it and then they get what they like. I think it probably comes to about $ 100.00 per kid if that.

 

[Childs1stTime2Disney]

I am bad with that kind of stuff. Being that this is our first time taking DC, I will probably have a really hard time limiting. I just love the Disney items so much, I can imagine what a child must think. So I don't know how much I will limit, esp for the first time.

 

[chimilady]

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...

We're going on our first trip to WDW in Sept and this is sort of what we're doing. We're telling them about the trip by them getting a letter from Mickey and Minnie. So when we get to our room, there will be a letter there fro Mickey about the "rules" and expected behavior, and if they were good that day, and the end of the day he will leave a special present for each of them. The presents are things I am collecting now and from my friend who is a CM (getting her employee discount). So one day will be the pumpkin ears in my avatar, one will be those parade spinners (you can find them online for under $3, or I will have my CM friend pick those up at the employee store for 75% off @ $5 each). One night will be autograph books (probably the first night), one will be Mickey Mouse Clubhouse cameras that I picked up on ebay, and one night they'll get stuffed Mickey and Minnies. I already have a Mickey I picked up at a local flea market, tags still on for $2.

So my kids will get something every day. But they won't pick it out, they will get them as gifts from Mickey & Minnie for being good, so it keeps the magic alive. That being said, we're on a very strict budget, so buying one thing would kill me budget wise. I probably shouldn't even be going to Disney this year, but I really want to go, and if I pinch pennies, I could make it happen so this is how it's going to be.

 

[AshleeH]

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

E.) Bribery.

We used this and I'm not ashamed of it. It worked like a charm. Our kids rarely ask for anything, but I can remember our youngest having an unusually cranky morning midweek and we told him if he acted like his usual self and remembered his manners all day, he could get a toy (same deal for the oldest, even though he's past the bribery stage, but fair is fair).

Worked like a charm - he snapped out of his mood and was so good that day that we extended the treat and included a day later in the week for the same deal - they were both being their usual well-mannered selves, but that was a reward for behaving so well and giving mommy and daddy a stress-free vacation .

 

[disneydancer429]

My brothers are getting $5 dollars a day but they don't get it until the end of the trip so they have $40 to spend! I would try and get light up toys ahead of time! Kids LOVE them and they are somewhat pricey at Disney. Out of all the things my brothers see at the parks, they ask for glow toys first! lol

 

[kimkoz]

My kids normally get one gift a day (well a park day). They really aren't begging kids though. Most of the time its me that wants to give them things . We don't want till the end though. We travel with no toys so I normally have them grab something early on that way they have things to play in the hotel room. I'm a believer that everyone needs a real mickey from Disney so they already have those from past trips. This time I'll probably follow the one stuffed rule and a present a day. They don't ask for much and half of them time we come home with little toys. They love those plastic water toys - we normally have a couple of those a trip and they are still used a year later.

 

[amylynne01]

I did a combination of two things. First we avoided stores like the plague. If we didn't go in stores, there was no temptation. If we happened to pass through one after a ride, then we used the "well, that's a really neat toy! let's head over to Peter Pan now and go catch Captain Hook!" and off we went. My girls ended up with light up Cinderellas from my parents and Minnie ears from DH and I. We had also bought a ton of little Disney themed stuff to occupy them in lines, while we waited, and in our room.

 

[fourblessings]

We set a limit of around 3 items With mommy and daddy able to veto their decision.

 

[princessbride6205]

When I first read this, I was thinking, "We don't really buy many souvenirs."
But that's not true! Since DD got into Vinylmation, I would guess she gets about one per day. She doesn't usually ask for much else. Sometimes there is a toy or a pin that catches her eye, but we try to steer her away. She has tons of Vinylmations at this point, but she has them all set up in her dollhouse, so she does play with them. A little less lately, what with all the new toys from Christmas.

We bring with us a number of Disney shirts and a princess dress or two (usually purchased on sale from Disney store) and dollar store light sticks.

I have a feeling she will beg for a balloon - I just hate them because they're useless and not something I'm going to bring home. But I like the idea of buying it the first day and leaving it attached to the stroller. That could be okay.

 

[disneycruising]

I was going to say we do not buy them anything. The trip is our gift to them! But then the more I thought about it; there is one thing my kids get on every trip. A NEW PIN!

As they have gotten older (18, 16, 14, 12), they are allowed to bring money that they have saved from their allowance. Or some times Santa will bring a gift card if you are traveling near the holidays.

 

[sparks19]

DD4 is pretty good about not asking for everything and anything. A lot of time she'll just ask if she can touch it or hold it for a moment lol and then she'll put it back.

We are on a budget this trip so she'll get to pick out an autograph book, a couple small things and one bigger item during the trip. she is very good about choosing what she really wants. when it's time to buy something she'll pick out what she wants. as we wander around she might see something else and I ask her if she wants that instead of the first item. She'll choose (she usually sticks with her first choice lol) and go on her way.

usually she ends up with a new stuffed character lol. But I'm Ok with that. i still have some of my characters I got at Disney World when I was not much older than my DD.

 

[Minnesota!]

We tell them from the get go they get ONE thing on vacation. If they find that one thing on day 1 - there is no whining on day 5 when they find something else. They have always been cool with this.