CWIPPERMAN
<font color=FF99FF>You don't have to be clever and
- Joined
- Jul 24, 2002
- Messages
- 280
As I was planning for my trip which ended a couple of days ago, I was looking for a unique idea for souvenir's for the trip. This year, my girlfriend and I took my two sisters - one who was 17 & had been to WDW several times, and the other that is 9 and this was her first vacation anywhere.
On one of the other Disney sites out there I read about "Pressed Pennies", and what a great idea they were.
I'm hear to tell you that not only is doing "Pressed Pennies" a great idea - it is one of the coolest and most fun things we did during our vacation.
First, I should mention that I'm not one to normally buy "gimmick" stuff like pressed pennes. I saw the machines last year and laughed at them. I remember saying "who would pay $.50 to smash a penny". But the article I read about them really put them into perspective. Let me compare it this way. Now, I bought my girlfriend a WDW T-shirt - for $25.00. This same $25.00 would buy 50 souvenir pressed pennies.
If you are not familiar with a pressed penny, here is what it is. Scattered throughout the park are the machines. To create a pressed penny, you need $.50 plus one penny. You put the money in, and there is usually a selection of 3 different styles of penny. At some locations, it may be 3 styles for one ride (like for example outside "Pirates of the Caribbean", you may find 3 different "POC" penny designs), or it may be one style for a ride, and a couple of random designs (like one penny for a ride, and then a couple of Mickey Mouse pennies). Once you drop your money in, and select your design, the machine starts, and in about 5 seconds your penny pops out imprinted with the design you selected. At some locations, the machines are hand-cranked, but the result is the same - except you get to do the work. I should also mention that there are several "75 years of Mickey" special machines located throughout WDW. These machines press a quarter, and cost $1.00 (so you need $1.25 total for these machines).
The best part - and the part that made it the most fun was that after you rode the ride, you got to look for the machine and select your penny. Some machines were easy to find - others were harder to find (like the "Tower of Terror" penny is available at "Mickey's of Hollywood" located near the enterance to MGM - not near the ride). Most of the machines were located in the gift shop at the ride exit. Occasionally you had to ask around to find it. So it was almost like a scavenger hunt after each ride (don't get the impression we had to work hard to find the machines - most were very easy to find.... it was only occasionally that we had to ask or look hard).
Now, since we did the pennies for my sister, I decided to start a book for myself too - so we got doubles of every penny we wanted. I ended up with 40 different designs. We also each bought the pressed penny book that is for sale at WDW (holds 36 pennies plus 6 quarters - cost is $6.00).... and used it to hold my collection. So we spent around $27.00 (per person) and ended up with souvenirs from most of the attractions we went to. In fact, my sister was very unimpressed with EPCOT (she's 9 - so visiting the countries wasn't much fun), but she loved getting the pennies from all of the countries (we got them from all except China - which for some reason doesn't have a penny machine). (Here's a tip - the penny machine for Japan is not located in Japan - but it's housed in one of the World Showcase Gift shops located between Future World and the World Showcase). It actually made it exciting for her to visit all of the countries - and gave us an excuse to check out all of the shops.
Plus - with a T-shirt, or some other trinket.... it will either wear out, be outgrown, or break. But these pennies should last a lifetime. I can honestly see myself pulling out the penny book 25 years from now and showing my grandkids the pennies from rides that we visited like Pirates of the Caribbean, Tower of Terror, and Test Track. It will be a great reminder of rides that will probably be long gone by then.
The machines are located all over WDW. There were at least 5 at our resort (Port Orleans Riverside), plus machines located at most of the Downtown Disney locations. I also got pennies from both water parks.
So.... think about doing this for your next trip. Before dismissing those machines as silly or a stupid idea - remember that for the cost of one T-Shirt - you can have dozens of lifetime memories from the various rides. You could start a new book for every trip, and look back for years to come.
(Oh yeah.... I did break down and buy one of the commemorative quarters - but I think it's more fun to collect the pennies - since they actually have various ride names and designs on them..... the quarters just have Mickey Mouse on them).
PS..... if you're planning on doing the pennies - I suggest you bring your own pennies - and make sure they're shiney. There was some article that mentioned the best year of penny to get, but I just used the shiney ones.
On one of the other Disney sites out there I read about "Pressed Pennies", and what a great idea they were.
I'm hear to tell you that not only is doing "Pressed Pennies" a great idea - it is one of the coolest and most fun things we did during our vacation.
First, I should mention that I'm not one to normally buy "gimmick" stuff like pressed pennes. I saw the machines last year and laughed at them. I remember saying "who would pay $.50 to smash a penny". But the article I read about them really put them into perspective. Let me compare it this way. Now, I bought my girlfriend a WDW T-shirt - for $25.00. This same $25.00 would buy 50 souvenir pressed pennies.
If you are not familiar with a pressed penny, here is what it is. Scattered throughout the park are the machines. To create a pressed penny, you need $.50 plus one penny. You put the money in, and there is usually a selection of 3 different styles of penny. At some locations, it may be 3 styles for one ride (like for example outside "Pirates of the Caribbean", you may find 3 different "POC" penny designs), or it may be one style for a ride, and a couple of random designs (like one penny for a ride, and then a couple of Mickey Mouse pennies). Once you drop your money in, and select your design, the machine starts, and in about 5 seconds your penny pops out imprinted with the design you selected. At some locations, the machines are hand-cranked, but the result is the same - except you get to do the work. I should also mention that there are several "75 years of Mickey" special machines located throughout WDW. These machines press a quarter, and cost $1.00 (so you need $1.25 total for these machines).
The best part - and the part that made it the most fun was that after you rode the ride, you got to look for the machine and select your penny. Some machines were easy to find - others were harder to find (like the "Tower of Terror" penny is available at "Mickey's of Hollywood" located near the enterance to MGM - not near the ride). Most of the machines were located in the gift shop at the ride exit. Occasionally you had to ask around to find it. So it was almost like a scavenger hunt after each ride (don't get the impression we had to work hard to find the machines - most were very easy to find.... it was only occasionally that we had to ask or look hard).
Now, since we did the pennies for my sister, I decided to start a book for myself too - so we got doubles of every penny we wanted. I ended up with 40 different designs. We also each bought the pressed penny book that is for sale at WDW (holds 36 pennies plus 6 quarters - cost is $6.00).... and used it to hold my collection. So we spent around $27.00 (per person) and ended up with souvenirs from most of the attractions we went to. In fact, my sister was very unimpressed with EPCOT (she's 9 - so visiting the countries wasn't much fun), but she loved getting the pennies from all of the countries (we got them from all except China - which for some reason doesn't have a penny machine). (Here's a tip - the penny machine for Japan is not located in Japan - but it's housed in one of the World Showcase Gift shops located between Future World and the World Showcase). It actually made it exciting for her to visit all of the countries - and gave us an excuse to check out all of the shops.
Plus - with a T-shirt, or some other trinket.... it will either wear out, be outgrown, or break. But these pennies should last a lifetime. I can honestly see myself pulling out the penny book 25 years from now and showing my grandkids the pennies from rides that we visited like Pirates of the Caribbean, Tower of Terror, and Test Track. It will be a great reminder of rides that will probably be long gone by then.
The machines are located all over WDW. There were at least 5 at our resort (Port Orleans Riverside), plus machines located at most of the Downtown Disney locations. I also got pennies from both water parks.
So.... think about doing this for your next trip. Before dismissing those machines as silly or a stupid idea - remember that for the cost of one T-Shirt - you can have dozens of lifetime memories from the various rides. You could start a new book for every trip, and look back for years to come.
(Oh yeah.... I did break down and buy one of the commemorative quarters - but I think it's more fun to collect the pennies - since they actually have various ride names and designs on them..... the quarters just have Mickey Mouse on them).
PS..... if you're planning on doing the pennies - I suggest you bring your own pennies - and make sure they're shiney. There was some article that mentioned the best year of penny to get, but I just used the shiney ones.
