Souvenir ideas for early teen boys?

[pta-mom]

What are some suggestions for good souvenirs for an eleven & thirteen year old boy? They are not into pin trading nor hats & they already have a few DW tee-shirts. Previous trips, the Virgin Record Store took A LOT of their spending money but sadly, won't be happening this year. So, any ideas?

 

[GoofySon'sMom]

It's tough for that age boys, I think. My DS will be 13 for our upcoming trip and says he doesn't want anything other than any new baseballs he sees. He has been getting those since his first trip at age 8. Last year, he got his birth year t-shirt in the China pavillion and he wears that often. Asked about getting one in a bigger size this year. He will probably end up getting a baseball cap or two as well. DS doesn't usually spend his money on anything that we can get outside of Disney but who knows, that could change this year!

 

[XYSRUS]

My 13 yo this week bought a t-shirt and got TONS of candy from left over snack credits! he was in heaven.

 

[Bearvet]

My boys (14 and 16) like to get new beach towels. There are some very cool designs - Pirates, AK designs, etc. They're also very useful!

 

[disneyfan61]

I have two DS's 20 & 16. Other than food there is not much for them to get One year my oldest got a mug with Mickey on it & last year my youngest lost his beloved Celtics baseball cap on BTMR so we bought another hat that was orange(his favorite color) but once we left Disney he didn't wear it again!!. I think the shirts in China with the year they were born is a great idea. I did not realize they had those. They are usually not too interested in World Showcase when we are there. They do like the ESPN store down at the Boardwalk because they have a lot of t shirts & hats with the teams on them.

 

[loriandmatt]

my DS (14) has a few T shirts that we purchased at WDW in the last year that he wears the heck out of.

one - donald surrounded by baby chickens and states "chicks dig me"

another he loves is one that has the "please stand clear of the doors" spiel from the monorail.

another that i am washing every other day is one from espn zone that has a small WDW logo and some Sports Center reference on it. i don't get it, but him and my DH thought it was great.

 

[GoofySon'sMom]

another he loves is one that has the "please stand clear of the doors" spiel from the monorail.

DS definitely wants this shirt next trip ... he is sorry that he didn't pick it up last year. I don't think either of us realized how much he liked it until we got home!

 

[PHXscuba]

I think preteen/teen boys are the hardest age to get anything "Disney" for. They're too old for the toys, don't want jewelry, and obviously aren't into Princesses. Do they like pirates? We had a really hard time finding something for DS12 last fall when we went without him and settled for a gray T-shirt with many seagulls that said "Mine ... mine ... mine" across it (joke from Nemo). Still cracks me up when he wears it.

What do your boys collect? Maybe you can find something for their collection or start a new one. I thought the Japan pavilion shop had a lot of neat things in there like anime that boys would like. Food is always good, if short-lived.

Best of luck. I know DS (now 13) is looking forward to adding to his smashed penny collection at DLR this fall. Best cheap souvenir ever!

PHXscuba

 

[Cool-Beans]

SportsCenter T-shirts?

My little pin collector is all grown up and still likes his pins, but the others like nothing. Sports Center t-shirts, the Hummer t-shirt, yeah. The rest of it holds no interest for them.

 

[pta-mom]

It's tough for that age boys, I think. My DS will be 13 for our upcoming trip and says he doesn't want anything other than any new baseballs he sees. He has been getting those since his first trip at age 8. Last year, he got his birth year t-shirt in the China pavillion and he wears that often. Asked about getting one in a bigger size this year. He will probably end up getting a baseball cap or two as well. DS doesn't usually spend his money on anything that we can get outside of Disney but who knows, that could change this year!

I really like the idea of the Birth Year T-shirt! Is it just the year in Chinese or does it say other things on it? Sounds like something my guys might like.

Thanks everyone for your suggestions!!

 

[nettii]

My 14 yr old loves the sports store at DTD he always splurges on some outragousely priced billabong clothes.(His money) when I went with out him last year I got him a personalized base ball from DTD and he LOVED It I also got him a cocoanut post card from the poly he also loved that good luck and have fun!

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

Mine is 13 and it was sooo hard to find him something. He actually found a toy gun in a holster in MK that he liked. He and his friends still play with those occasionally and he plays with his little sister with it.

He also likes the monorail - more as a collector item. So we got him some more track and splurged for the Contemporary.

He also likes T-shirts at Tattoine Traders.

 

[kdnmom]

They may be too old for this, but I think lots of early teens still like Star Wars. They could do the build-your-own lightsaber.

 

[stacy2197]

My son is 12. He would like almost anything star wars. He was talking about getting somthing the other day from the pirate gift shop but to tell you the truth I wasn't listening. Mostly he wants to get some shark teeth from the ocean.

 

[BuzzLightYear3]

It's not really a souvineer, but a lot of early teen boys appreciate some independence.....assuming they are trustworthy and responsible, maybe an afternoon at DQ by themselves while the parents are wandering around DTD? We did this with DS when he was in his early teens, and he loved it. He found other teen boys doing the same thing. My only learning was that it was tough to get in touch with him via cell phone due to reception and/or noise issues, so I had him go to an area with good reception and call us periodically. Should be safe for an 11 and 13 yo....I'd just tell them to stick together.

 

[gila]

you might try the Villains store in DHS. i think villains have more appeal at that age

they have nice Nightmare Before Christmas stuff there, too.

 

[torinsmom]

If he's into Nightmare Before Christmas, that is definitely an option. My DS14 got lots of Nightmare stuff last trip when he was 13--shirts, figurines, even things like doorknob hangers. They had a lot of that stuff at the Disneyquest store. Giving him money for the Japan store may also be a hit. They have lots of anime stuff and also great candy.

Marsha

 

[Poohbear5]

Oh, just last week we got a very creepy snake at the Indiana Jones stand for a nephew. Only $7! My nineteen year old was disappointed that it wasn't for him!
Our boys also loved those ballon ball type things that they sell in Epcot. It's a heavy balloon with a fabric covering. About $21.

 

[TinkerbellinLouisian]

When my DS (now 17) was 12/14, he liked the souveniers in the roller coaster gift shops....

ToT was a hit. RR was a hit. We got him the drumsticks from RR during both of those years (one year wooden the next the glowing ones) and next year he'll be Drum Captain at the High School!
(I'm sure that's why). HA!

The T Shirts in ToT and RR were a hit as well....

He (and I) always love the Gift Shop after PoTC

Star Tours Gift Shop a good one too...

I just asked DS - he said drumsticks...so great minds think alike - but he also said stuff from Haunted Mansion area....

HA - I remember when I was 10 buying a "Fly in an icecube" trick from there!!!

Played the trick on my Aunt too later on

 

[lurkernj]

My DS14 likes to collect bobbleheads and was pretty excited to get a sorcerer mickey one on our last trip. This year he starts high school 2.5 weeks before DS11 starts middleschool, so he isn't going to join us, so I will bring him another one home. When I asked him if he would be ok with me and DS11 going without him, he said "sure, as long as you bring me some of those "make your own rice krispie treat" from DTD."