Ok, I confess...I bought "souvenirs" at Disney Store here

[MrsMa]

Hi Fellow Canadians,
I got a bit down yesterday with hearing the CDN $$ projection to be going towards $0.59 USD and staying there for a couple of years. We will be leaving for our Spring break trip in less than 2 months and I feel quite worried. Granted, most of our trip has been paid for, but there are always the expenses there with food, etc. So, yesterday I went to the Disney Store here in downtown Vancouver to check out what kind of post Christmas sale they have. I ended up buying some t-shirts for the kids and a few " souvenir" items that I'm planning to pack with me and give to them there at WDW.

The prices are pretty good, and the CDN price on the items are still at very good conversion (e.g. $18.95US, $16.95CDN$). I guess I might end up with another carry-on luggage.

Has anyone done this?

 

[thetallone101]

I say why not?! I was just in California last week and thought I would pick my son up something from the lego store...nope! Still made sense to buy at home - a $100 lego set here is still $85 or more US there. I'm opening a US account so I can dump $ in when I get the chance and not have to think about conversions once I'm in Florida this December

 

[Susie63]

All the time. Michael's and Party City have great cheap little items too. We have friends joining us in Florida for their 1st Disney trip. The boys are 11 and 9 and big Star Wars fans. I bought the Star Wars ceiling decorations at PC for 4.99. SW water bottles at Superstore for $3 and multicolor SW pens and note books, bubbles and candy dispensers at Party City. I am hoping to get some autographed picture in Disneyland before we head to Florida. Cost is around $20.

 

[Raimiette]

I think that's a good idea. They aren't likely to care where the gifts come from anyway.

I wouldn't worry too much about the .59 projection though. It was one guy and even he says it won't hit .59 until the end of the year, most others are predicting a decrease to about .65 or so.

 

[sherilaine]

I plan to pick up some t-shirts before we leave at the Disney store here - I have a 13 year old daughter who will refuse to buy any souvenirs as she understands the value of the dollar right now and is all about trying to find ways to save. She is actually the one who got us our $300 per person airfare from Calgary to Disneyland - so I think if anything this is a wonderful opportunity to teach our children that you can have what you want without paying an excessive amount of money for the same thing that is just bought elsewhere!

 

[mort1331]

We have been doing it ever since we had little ones. They way we have done it and the kids wait for it now, is they get one thing each day. But still being young they think Mickey is leaving it each morning. So we don't have to shop for knick nacks in the shops there, we want to see what Mickey is bringing us. Always start the first day/night with new PJs, then they might have one figurine from the multipacks and get a shirt and so on. Just have to remember to pack the things so the kids cant see or find them. Also remember to set out at night so not to scramble if they wake up before you.
Its like a small Christmas morning each day/

 

[dancin Disney style]

I used to do it when my kids were little. I would get them PJ's and several T-shirts as well as all sorts of other little things. Back then you could t-shirts on the sale rack for $5. They thought it was tons of fun to open a suitcase and find the surprises. They were then given a small amount of cash($20 each) that they could spend on anything they wanted while at WDW. Sometimes they spent the money and sometimes they didn't.

When they got older I made bags for them with travel journals. I found a dollar store that had all kinds of Disney items and I could make up a bag for each of them for under $25. It would have pens, journals, snacks, stickers, travel games etc. The first time I made the bags we were driving to FL so the bags were a huge hit.

 

[sherilaine]

We bought 4 t-shirt yesterday - to wear together to the parks - they were on sale at the Disney store for $19 each - the tag though read "19.99 USD and $22.95 CAD" so clearly the Disney store has not adjusted it's pricing for the new exchange rate situation as $20 USD is about $30 CAD. The exchange on the RBC's website is 1.4970!! I recall when the dollar climbed near par several years ago how people complained in the delay for prices of imported goods such as clothing and books to adjust. I'd say now is a good time to take advantage before your trips before new stuff becomes imported and price increases. Especially if you have clothing or books to buy!!

 

[roxysmum123]

No shame!! You do what you gotta do to keep vacations reasonable!

 

[ngm]

Oh me too! Disney Store was having a sale, so got 2 Frozen Fever costumes for $35.00 and they will be pulled out and given to my 3 year old in June instead of buying a costume there. Plus I ordered through airmilesshops.ca and earned a few more miles towards my tickets purchase!

 

[AndieKay]

I was just thinking about this the other day! Thanks for the heads up... think I'll have to head to the Guildford Mall store and pick up a shirt or two before I go!

Do they happen to sell the Magic Bands at Disney stores up here, or just online?

 

[ngm]

No Magic Bands at the actual stores, but you can order some online. A lot of them can't be shipped internationally, but I did find a few that could be (not sure if that was a mistake, or whether there are just some that can). The ones with a single princess on them, the pink with lots of princesses and the one with the castle on it didn't have the shipping restriction.

 

[AndieKay]

Hey, thanks for that! I'll check that out.