Pick A Pearl

[ohana1221]

Hi everyone! I've been wanting to try the pick a pearl station on my next trip as I haven't done it in about a decade and I had a few questions. The articles I have read say to pick the ugliest, hairiest oyster in order to get the best pearls. Does everyone agree with this? The biggest ones aren't the best?
Also, would you say I should go to the Japan pavilion to have it done or should I do it at Disney Springs? Does it make a difference? Should I get there earlier in the day in order to have the best pick of oysters or it doesn't matter/they refresh them throughout the day? Really hoping for a blue pearl
Finally, what are your thoughts on settings? I have stayed away from pick a pearl because the setting I got years ago was a cage necklace that had the pearl fall out of it a week after I got home. Is this normal? Has anyone else had this happen? Is it maybe that if I had a larger pearl this wouldn't be the case? Should I be wary of certain settings? Would I have more success getting a setting off etsy and having a jeweler set it at home?

 

[thumper*]

I got a large 71/2 Gray/Blue pearl the last time there. I had it set into a solitaire pendant there in Epcot. That was 2014 and it still looks beautiful in the setting, it's holding up. Can't tell you what time of day or location is better or if hairy and ugly is better. I had read that it was a Japanese CM working there that said ugliest hairiest have the best pearls I would tend to trust the CM's saying this.

 

[ohana1221]

I got a large 71/2 Gray/Blue pearl the last time there. I had it set into a solitaire pendant there in Epcot. That was 2014 and it still looks beautiful in the setting, it's holding up. Can't tell you what time of day or location is better or if hairy and ugly is better. I had read that it was a Japanese CM working there that said ugliest hairiest have the best pearls I would tend to trust the CM's saying this.

Thats how I want mine set! I bet that looks lovely. I suppose at the end of the day it's just luck, they all look mostly the same from what I can tell from pictures.

 

[MHDTS]

Try the one at the Japan Pavilion at Epcot. Ask the CM to pick it for you. Who would know better than her?

 

[DisneyHardin]

Do it at the Japan Pavillion. The one there is very different. The Disney Springs one is part of a chain of pick a pearl places and isn't as special (also from what I've heard, their settings are more expensive than in the Japan pavillion).

I've done it several times and have never gotten anything special with my pearl, but it has always been fun and it isn't that expensive to have something made out of your pearl.

 

[JerseyJanice]

I love doing the Pick a Pearl in Japan, but the lack of setting choices was quite disappointing last October.

IDK if they just had a big rush, but they were very low on stock. They didn't even have basic stud backs to make basic earrings. No bails for a simple pendant either.

I hope it's better next time we go. I never saw it empty like that during prior trips.

 

[ErinsMommy]

I bought a cage when I got home because some pearls are too big to actually fit into the cage. And yes I picked an awful looking one and there were 2 pearls in there.

 

[AllieBoo]

I would do it in Japan. We really enjoyed the experience there. I purchased a Cinderella cage necklace for my daughter on Etsy before we left and she put the pearl in there when we were done. It's held up nicely, no issues. She didn't get a large pearl, but I had not heard about picking the ugliest one, so we will try that next time!

 

[NYCANC]

My DD picked an ugly one and got good sized twins
We were disappointed in the cage settings- they were out of a lot. So I picked up one on Etsy which my DD loves since it's HP themed!
Yes to getting it in Japan.

 

[Minnesota!]

Japan, definitely. We have done it a LOT over the years...we really enjoy it

 

[WildAboutWDW]

I love watching people pick pearls in Japan, as its seems like there is always a lots of excitement around it there. BUT my pearls from there have all been white or yellow and not very big. It's likely a coincidence but the one I bought at each of Disney Springs (then Downtown Disney) and at the Yacht and Beach club were the most unique. The experience outside at the kiosk at YBC was great and the pearl was a huge blue-green colour. I put that one in a white gold sea turtle pendant. Good luck on your choice!

 

[North of Mouse]

Watched children pick some oysters at the Japanese Pavilion in Epcot today and they (being children) did not look for the ugliest ones, but we watched 5 different ones and they all got beautiful large pearls - one got two, and they were both 6 3/4 - slightly smaller than the 7+ the others got.

 

[disneyvoice]

I think the Pick a Pearl in the Japan Pavilion is more fun, but the one at Disney Springs has an amazing selection of loose pearls you can choose from if you want a specific color (at least it did several years ago). Several years ago I wanted a grey pearl and doubted I would get lucky and end up with one. I was looking at the place at Disney Springs and the CM there overheard me tell my husband I really wanted a grey pearl and she told us they sell them loose. I found a really pretty light grey one and picked out a gorgeous ring that surrounded the pearl with diamonds. My DH then surprised me and bought a second pearl that was the same color and size and had it set in a pendant that is a very similar design to the ring. Definitely more expensive than the options at the Japan Pavilion but they are two of my all time favorite souvenirs from WDW - I love them because they don't scream "DISNEY!" yet they remind me of that trip when I wear them.

 

[Branflakes]

I have a few. And I ALWAYS select the ugliest hairiest ones of them all. And I ALWAYS get a large beautiful pearl. I have nothing smaller than a 7.5, my largest is 8.5 they did a little celebration as it was the largest of that day, and the week so far, it was a Thursday. I have the Cinderella coach cage and chain and two set in gold one yellow one white with a small diamond. They are lovely.

 

[ilovetotravel1977]

How much does it cost to pick a pearl in Japan?

 

[River Country]

How much does it cost to pick a pearl in Japan?

$25 I think.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

How much does it cost to pick a pearl in Japan?

We did two pick a pearls in October. The charge on my room folio (which I'm looking at right now) is $36, so I guess $18 each. (We loved this, BTW, amazing CM interaction)

 

[fhtpdw20]

We did the pick a pearl March 2016. I had a custom made pendant from a jeweler made with the pearl we got from Japan. The person who did the design asked where I got the pearl and was surprised that it came from Disney based on the quality. I designed a pendant with angel wings in the shape of a heart surrounding a claddagh which holds my wedding ring inside my deceased husbands. The heart of the claddagh contains the pearl which is our son's birthstone nests in the center of my wedding ring.

 

[jo-jo]

We did the pick a pearl in Sept with our four DGDs at Japan. The only downside of doing four at once is you get a slightly condensed show. The DGD1 picked a clam and it was put on tray, DGD2 picked, it was placed next to first one, etc. Then they were all opened in a row., all measured in a row, etc. I didn't think each DGD got quite as much attention and doing it one by one.

 

[IrishNYC]

We did Pick a Pearl in Japan in September, and DD and I were really disappointed in the "show." Our previous trip there, PaP was so exciting, and the CMs were really amped up about it. This time with the new location of the counter it seemed almost temporary (maybe it was? That's how awful it seemed to me.), and very few oysters in the tanks, it was just meh. They were training several CMs while we were there, too, and they just didn't have the enthusiasm we'd seen there before. We did get a nice pearl, and DD put it in a cage I got from Etsy, but based on this experience we won't be doing it again.