Inexpensive Souvenirs for 5 y/o

[pettyone]

Hello!

My DD & I will be going to MK/AK in December. I would like for her to have some souvenirs to "shop" for...what would you suggest that would be inexpensive & fun?

Thanks!

 

[Grumpy's Gal]

Pressed pennies are fun and not very expensive. It's not to "shop" for but I always stock up on Disney items at the dollar stores before we leave home. We leave a disney surprise on her night stand each night we are gone. She loves waking up to a disney surprise.

 

[Grumpy's Gal]

I forgot to say -- does she like barrettes and hair scrunchies? We've seen a lot of those around and they weren't very expensive either.

 

[virginiamama]

She needs Mickey ears for sure! They are pretty cheap and you can have her name embroidered on them (at specific places) for FREE! A wonderful souvenir and she can wear them again next time she goes!!!

DS also found a pair of Mickey sunglasses when we were having his name embroidered on his ears. The glasses are plastic and have ears over top of each lens. They were under $5. So cute in pictures!

 

[Grumpy's Gal]

And why didn't I think to also say...... my daughter had fun picking out beads. They have them in all the hotel gift shops and quite a few of the other shops. Buy your daughter the $3 chain and let her pick out some new beads each place you stop. A few special beads from each park, etc.

 

[christinadei]

I scout the dollar stores for disney stuff and make a disney gift basket for DS. This year I'm making it for DS, my nephew and little cousin who are all going. I'd have way too much fun doing it for a girl though, since I only have a boy and all the kids in the famliy are boys! There's so much princess stuff out there. Here are the type of things I buy:

glow sticks and braclets, etc. for parades
light chaser, again for parades
autograph book
disney pencils/pens/crayons
coloring books
stickers
disney lollipops
pez dispensers
mickey and buzz gummies and granola bites
various small disney toys
disney sunglasses

There are so many girly princess things, like hair things and such you can find too. If it's a short trip you could give them to her when you get there or on the way or if it's a longer trip, give her one thing a day. Another good thing is to buy her disney dollars and give them to her.

I also decorate a film canister and layer 2 quarters and a penny for the penny pressing machines. DS loves doing those.

 

[Tinkim]

My DD7 loves the pins. These can be expensive though! I didn't bring my lanyard this time and only bought two new pins. She spent her own money on pins but when she runs out she just trades them with the CMs which she loves to do. She has her own lanyard already though and some pins that she brings every year. She also saves her autograph book to use on the next trip so we don't have to buy a new one each time. Other than that we bought some ponytail holders and hair clips and you can get free stickers all over the place.

 

[Grumpy's Gal]

we bought some mickey bottle toppers (like you could put on a water bottle - it has a built in straw) from the street vendors. The one in AK was a Micket safari outfit and the one in MK was Mickey in red/blue. I don't know if they have them in the other parks or not. They were $3.50 I think.

 

[jjnv]

water bottle straps. My son had one from Epcot with flags of countries. He takes it to school every day.

 

[Asuneda]

If you'll have transportation, go to the Outlet Mall (across I-4 from DTD). They have a Character Warehouse store that is a Disney outlet. You can get lots of cheaper memorabilia and clothing.

 

[JessetheCowgirl]

My two DS's love the rainbow flashlight stick thing?? (how's that for a description) that they sell at night during parades. They were under $7.00---much more reasonable than the spinners.

 

[EthansMom]

On past trips, we've gotten DS one of the light spinner toys that all of the kids have during the night shows/parades. They're in the $10-$15 range.

The biggest thing we do to cut down on the cost of souveniers is to stay out of the shops! Seriously, we don't go in the shops while we're in the parks. We wait until the last day or two of our trip and head to the World of Disney store at Downtown Disney. At World of Disney, I usually pick up one t-shirt/sweatshirt for each member of the family and let DS pick something out for himself. Last trip, when he was two, I took him to the wall of stuffed characters and told him he could pick whichever medium sized one he wanted. I think that Mickey cost about $25-$30, but he still has it. I would rather spend a little bit on one new toy than spend as much on several toys.

Also, for a five year old, you might want to consider an autograph book and large pen for the characters to sign.

I've also enjoyed having the DS's sillouette cut out -- not as much a souvenier for him as for me, though.

EthansMom (and now Molly's too)

 

[PrincessMom98]

On our last 2 trips my DD6 has enjoyed pin trading, pressed pennies and making a mask at the World Showcase. We search through our pennies and pick out the pre-1982 (all copper) and polish them (baking soda and catchup) before we leave home. Its a fun way to get ready for the trip. I stop at the outlets and pick up some pins for trading( about $3 each). I have found that it works best for us to get traders all the same style so she doesn't want to keep them all. The stores seem unaviodable but she rarely asks for anything. Instead she looks for the penny machine or a CM to trade with.
At the end of each trip we spent a day at Downtown Disney. Three trips ago I bought her the $3 charm bracelet and she adds charms ($4) to it when she finds new ones that she likes. The other big sov. we bought was the build you own Mr. Potato Head at Downtown Disney. I bought the regular potato family before we left so we just filled our box with the special disney parts (mouse ears, mickey balloons, mickey bars etc). They also have a fill a box for My Little Pony now too.
Have fun planning!

 

[KK Cat]

There is a new $10 or less shop open in downtown Disney which should be a good place to go I imagine. I haven't seen it yet but it sounds like a good place to let children choose a souvenir which won't break the bank.

 

[pettyone]

Thanks for all of the great ideas!!!

I'm sure we'll stay out of the shops as much as possible, but I do think that a My Little Pony box to fill would absolutely thrill DD to no end...

I love the pressed penny & pins ideas! We will be doing autographs, of course...I like the idea of picking up little things at the dollar store & leaving her a present to wake up to the next day...

You guys are the best!! Thanks again!

 

[Grumpy's Gal]

it's not actually a souvenier but be sure to take pictures of her with her favorite disney characters. Then you can put the picture in a frame when you get home or make a little photo album just for her! She will love it to use to show her friends!

 

[siennacrew]

We just went in February and this is what my DD6 loved:

Pressed pennies (tinkerbell shop in MK & shop by little mermaid show MGM
had really cute girly ones)
They also have pressed penny books to put them in.

Photo album (walmart and walgreens had princess ones for $1)
Postcard set of princesses (in shop next to the Little mermaid show, very cute princess pictures)
Pictures we took of her w/ the princesses
We took the photo album put a picture of the castle on the 1st page. We then had a princess postcard (4x6 size) across from a picture of her w/ that same princess. She loves this! She even took it to bed w/ her!

Mr Potato head have a CM stuff it for you and you can get a ton of stuff
they have princess hats w/ mouse ears, autograph books, mickey baloons, glass slippers,etc. Make sure to get arms they hold the stuff. I would get a cheap mr potato head before you go and then the box can be for all of the goodies! My kids loved this. I wasn't as impressed w/ the my little pony one...it seemed like a lot of stuff that comes w/ the more deluxe ones at target.

They also have a very cute make your own crown. It depends what all you put on it how much it will be. I can't remember now how much it was.

The tinkerbell shop has a lot of cute girl things! I wouldn't hold off to get it at Downtown disney. They didn't have all of the same things.

Have fun!