Before I get into this one, I must comment on what Ive been reading while writing this. Seems like every TR and pre-TR Ive read recently, the writer was at the same stage Im at now Pre Trip Shopping! Im at once heartened and a little disturbed that were all in the same boat. I mean, how is it that Disney has us so well-trained that we begin emptying our pockets MONTHS before entering those gates?! Has Mickey infiltrated the public water systems across the nation? Anyway, heres my version
Seems we all have those must-buy items to pick up before our pilgrimage to The Mouse, and Im no exception.
Yes. Despite living less than two hours away from said Mouse. And. Visiting him several times a year.
I know.
I
should have everything I need by now, right. Sadly, I can always find something new, or more accurately, a new need to fill. And this trip seems to have more than the usual amount of needed accoutrements
as evidenced by the number of dollars each fine retail establishment has charged to my Disney Visa.
(Gotta get those points!
) Just for kicks, Ill list them with one $ per item
Gifts. No, not souvenirs to bring back for family and friends. To be honest, Ive done away with that. I mean, really, Im there like 2-3 times a year minimum. How many Mickey tea towels do my co-workers really need, right?
No, Im talking gifts for my fellow travelers. I already mentioned wanting to do something special in recognition of Bs first trip to The World. I put together a gift bag with all a one year old needs to properly experience WDW:
It includes his very first Mickey ears, (personalized, of course) and a 2007 official name badge. A trip to the
Disney Store brought back a toddler-appropriate stuffed Mickey and a set of Pooh snack containers. I ordered a onesie with the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse gang on front and Magical Memories on the back. And teeny, tiny sunglasses to protect Bs sparkling blues.
$$ Gifts of a Lifetime
$$ Disney Store
$ Disney Shopping.com
$ Babies R Us
I couldnt very well leave Leo out, now could I? Hell also receive a 2007 official name badge and a Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Tshirt. And, while I was at it, I had a tiki Minnie Tshirt made for me, too.
Since well be celebrating Leos birthday at WDW, I went about getting some gifts for that, too: Little Einsteins CD and Tshirt, Hot Wheels watch, Toy Story video game, two books and a tube-o-pirates.
$ Gifts of a Lifetime
$$$$$ Disney Shopping.com
$$ Target
$$ Borders
$ FL Aquarium
Shoes. Okay, here Ill admit I have a problem. I looooove my shoes.
Carrie Bradshaw is my hero. I have a Shoe of the Day desk calendar. I fantasize about the day I can afford a pair of Manolos. If or when I ever evacuate, my shoe collection gets packed first. I
really love my shoes.
But, heres the thing all my really good shoes are work shoes. Thats where I spend most of my time. And. Lets be honest, the cutest shoes are usually the least comfortable. Since I sit at a desk all day, I can get away with my cute little foot-torture-devices.
What I mean is this
I did NOT have cute shoes for Disney. My weekend shoes are flips. Cute, but not good for walking an area equivalent in size to San Francisco - for a week straight. I did have my one pair of lime green
Crocs. Not so cute, but always comfy. I wound up wearing them most of our December trip. I really did try to convince myself that one pair of Crocs and some flips for evenings would be sufficient.
And I wouldve gotten away with it, too.
If it werent for you meddling kids! Zoinks!
Oh, sorry.
Id have been just fine, had I not entered the Crocs store, (conveniently located a block from my house, TFI), in search of Mickey Crocs for Leo. While he tried on his choice lime green!
I perused the Nile model. Hmmm. They were a lot cuter in person than online. Leo saved me that day he was in a foul mood and we left as soon as I got his Crocs paid for.
$ Crocs store
Leo showed off his new Mickey Crocs to D the next weekend. She commented on how cute they were and how shed seen them on a little girl Bs age and thought about getting him some when he started to walk.
Yep, I went back to my local Crocs store the following weekend to get B a pair of tiny little Mickey Crocs. Alone. Unsupervised.
All by myself
dont wanna be
all by myseeeelf
I left with a pair for B.
And. A pair of Niles. And a pair of Mary Janes.
For me.
They were sooo cute, I just couldnt resist. And I rationalized it like this: flips really arent very good for my feet, so Ill wear these Crocs all summer instead! The Crocs store lady helped with that thought process. TFI.
Here they all are, in their glory:
$$$ Crocs store
Clothes. Now, Disneyland_Mama asked in her pre-trippie recently if anyone buys a new wardrobe for their WDW trip. And I admitted, that, yes, I kind of did this time. Again, despite already living in Florida. Ill blame work once more for this.
Technically, I do own some shorts and Tshirts. Exactly enough for a long weekend. Cause the rest of my time is spent at work, in an air conditioned office. And I did already own a couple swimsuits, but theyre two years old down here, thats a looong life for a swimsuit and theyre both pretty worn out.
So when Old Navy had a sale, I stocked up on new Ts. 2 for $10? I stocked WAY up.
Yeah, and I got Leo a couple Ts too. And the one pair of Bermuda shorts they had left in my size.
Target helped me out with two more pair of shorts, a surfer T for Leo, and a Hawaiian short for him to wear to Ohanas. And some new pajama bottoms for V. I like new PJs for vacations, too.
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ Old Navy
$$$$$$ Target
I also did some swimsuit shopping. For the 5th straight year I bought a cheap(er) suit at Target and hated it after wearing it once. I finally smartened up and dropped the money for two good suits that are cute AND will cover all rear-view parts, AND will last through more than 3 months of salt, chlorine and sun.
$ Macys
$ Dillards
DIS Stuff. This part actually wasnt so bad! I liberated some LGMHs from Home Depot for free and bought a couple Team Focker Watch lanyards. Thats it! I already had my LGMH cutouts for windows, strollers and backpacks.
$$ some lanyard factory in China
Bags. You read that right bags. Plural. Because my Baggallini from last September is the pits. No good at all when I have to hyperextend my shoulders to get it on and off for each ride.
I found the perfect mini backpack while in Buffalo this January. Compartments for everything, water bottle pocket, secret pocket for, well
secret stuff. And. Bonus
it was on sale!
Then I went to WDW for a day and saw a woman carrying one of those Vera Bradley-style quilted bags. It, too, was a mini backpack style. Just the right size and shape. And. It was lime green. With little periwinkle flowers.
I had a mission. After much Googling and searching, I found it and voila! I now have two bags from which to choose each day!
$ Eddie Bauer Outlet
$ Heirloom Gift Bazaar
That is IT Im finished with pre-trip spending. Lets see whose pockets Ive lined and by how much, all in the name of Mickey:
$$$ Gifts of a Lifetime
$$$$$ Disney Shopping.com
$$$$$$$$ Target
$$ Borders
$ FL Aquarium
$$$$ Crocs store
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ Old Navy
$ Macys
$ Dillards
$$ some lanyard factory in China
$ Eddie Bauer Outlet
$ Heritage Gifts
Next: Final preparations are under way.
I wish I had Rodeo hair!
sparkly eyes, lovely smile and beautiful hair....don't cut it!!!!! 
that's the fashion at the moment (and last fall) I hated it the first time around those dresses make even the skinniest look fat!
Will you also find your parachute pants and Guess jeans with the ankle zippers? 
... reading your Pre-Trip could be dangerous for my wallet!
