Tell me about pick-a-pearl ( :

[oceanmarina]

I just read about pick-a-pearl in a trip report. I believe it is in Epcot, correct? Is it in a specific country?

My DD LOVES pearls and I think it would be a sweet souvenir to have a pearl necklace from our trip.

I would love to hear anything about it. She would probably want it on a pendant, do they send them to your room so you don't have to wait? Is it super-expensive?

Thanks for any feedback,
Marina

 

[Shelbizzles]

I bought one on our trip last September. It's in the Japan pavilion. To pick a pearl was only 15 dollars if I am remembering correctly. But the settings for them were kinda expensive. I got a little seashell looking pendant for mine and I think I paid about 80 bucks for it. You could also look online and buy a cage necklace for it before you go and then just buy the pearl. It would be cheaper and they have quite a few styles on etsy.
There's also a kiosk in Disney springs that does the same thing.

Editing to add it was 80 bucks total. With the setting AND the pearl.

 

[holden]

If you do the pick-a-pearl and purchase a necklace/ring, they will tell you to come back later in the day to pick it up. I don't think they send it to your room.

The ceremony is cute and it's fun, but it does become expensive once you add on your setting.

 

[babesboo99]

We do it everytime we go. Love counting to 3 in Japanese as they open the shell. Well worth it last time we got a necklace I think this time I'm gonna do a ring.

 

[henry72]

My daughter and I did this in 2014. She was 6 and enjoyed it. You pay and then when they call your number you get to pick which oyster to open. They do a little ceremony before opening it. We then picked out settings. I didn't buy a necklace (brought that with me) - just the setting for the charm part. They have all sorts of price ranges. Two pearls and two settings were under $100.

 

[travelfearlessly]

It's in Japan at Epcot. You prepay for the pearl, I think it's about $20. You get a ticket and pick an oyster in the large tank. When your ticket is called then you point out your selected oyster. The cast member fishes it out and everyone counts down in Japanese, 3, 2, 1 and the oyster is opened. The cast member measures and cleans your pearl. At that point you can take your pearl home or pick out a cage to put it in. We bought a cage the first time but just got pearls afterward. Some moms collect the pearls for their daughters to make a pearl necklace for their graduation or wedding day. It's all up to you!

 

[NCDisneyMom]

My daughter just did this last week. She picked a "cage" type pendant, so it did not require any actual mounting of the pearl, and it was ready to go in just a minute or two. So that would be an option if you don't have time to wait. I believe the cage was about $29, in addition to the purchase of the actual pearl. She already had a chain at home, so we did not purchase one there.

 

[rymahoney]

https://www.etsy.com/shop/AOSDESIGN
This is who I buy mine from for my wife and daughters before each trip.

 

[mister morrow]

There are 4 locations to get a pearl:
one kiosk in Disney Springs near the Pin Traders area, one at a kiosk in TL, one in the Japan pavilion (this one has the best show), and one kiosk outside of the Stormalong Bay Pool at YC &BC resort,

if you chose to go to the Japan pavilion:
You go to the Japan pavilion and go to the Mitsukoshi store, there is a station set up which has a pool where the oysters are sitting.
The cost to pick-a-pearl is about $16.00. go up to the station and ask to pick a pearl.
you do have a chance of not picking a pearl, but it is extremely rare not to choose one.

you can have it mounted on a piece of jewelry or have it by itself.

 

[oceanmarina]

There are 4 locations to get a pearl:
one kiosk in Disney Springs near the Pin Traders area, one at a kiosk in TL, one in the Japan pavilion (this one has the best show), and one kiosk outside of the Stormalong Bay Pool at YC &BC resort,

if you chose to go to the Japan pavilion:
You go to the Japan pavilion and go to the Mitsukoshi store, there is a station set up which has a pool where the oysters are sitting.
The cost to pick-a-pearl is about $16.00. go up to the station and ask to pick a pearl.
you do have a chance of not picking a pearl, but it is extremely rare not to choose one.

you can have it mounted on a piece of jewelry or have it by itself.

What does TL stand for?

 

[KrazeeK120]

I did pick-a-pearl in Japan last year. Others have described the ceremony nicely. It really was a lot of fun. I didn't purchase a setting...I just took the pearl with me. I was pregnant at the time and didn't know the gender of my child yet, but I thought if I had a daughter, I would purchase a cage later on to give to her and tell her about when I got the pearl.

I ended up having a boy and am not planning to have more children, so I'm not really sure what to do with the pearl. LOL. Maybe I'll have a daughter-in-law one day to give it to.

The settings they have there really are very nice, and you can find some that aren't super expensive. I think it would be nice to let your DD pick out a setting for her pearl.

 

[Shelbizzles]

What does TL stand for?

Typhoon lagoon

 

[Andrea Wright]

https://www.etsy.com/shop/AOSDESIGN
This is who I buy mine from for my wife and daughters before each trip.

These are so great and so affordable!!

 

[JerseyJanice]

What does TL stand for?

Pretty sure TL = Typhoon Lagoon.

I've picked an oyster from the store in Japan Epcot and had it set every trip beginning in 2009. I treasure each piece.

As you might expect, gold settings cost much more than silver.

In 2009, I had my 7mm golden pearl drilled with a 14K bail. In 2010, I got a swirl cage pendant that has since tarnished badly. It is a beautiful 7.25mm white pearl, and I'm thinking about bringing it this fall to have a white gold pendant bail drilled into it.

I picked twins in 2011, 6mm golden pearls that I had made into 14K studs to match the 2009 pendant. In 2012, I got my favorite piece--a white 7.25mm pearl set in a silver open clam shell.

I've paid for some really useless souvenirs at WDW over the years, but IMO the pearl jewelry pieces I acquired at Pick-A-Pearl have been great buys since I can wear them for many years.

One piece of advice if you're looking to keep costs down--bring your own chain. You can usually do better elsewhere on silver and gold chains plus you'll have more sizing options, especially if you shop on-line.

Hope your DD picks a great one, OP, and enjoys doing it as much as I have over the years.

 

[FortForever]

I bought one on our trip last September. It's in the Japan pavilion. To pick a pearl was only 15 dollars if I am remembering correctly. But the settings for them were kinda expensive. I got a little seashell looking pendant for mine and I think I paid about 80 bucks for it. You could also look online and buy a cage necklace for it before you go and then just buy the pearl. It would be cheaper and they have quite a few styles on etsy.

Pick a Pearl in itself is inexpensive and fun. I agree with the above advice to pick your setting in advance and bring it with you. Of course, it's hard to know what size pearl you will get, so a cage type is best. Ebay sells a lot of nice Pick-a-Pearl jewelry. I bought a turtle shaped cage on a chain that I keep my black pearl in.

 

[justcin711]

I am interested in doing this with my DGD this December. Is there anywhere I can view the setting options they sell? I don't want to do a cage but I want an idea of pricing ahead of time so I can budget accordingly.

 

[EvilQueen2018]

If you get an oyster without a pearl, I assume you pick again? I'm not paying $16 for disappointment.

 

[travelfearlessly]

If you get an oyster without a pearl, I assume you pick again? I'm not paying $16 for disappointment.

You are guaranteed to get a pearl. Some oysters even have two pearls or black pearls but those are rare

 

[EvilQueen2018]

You are guaranteed to get a pearl. Some oysters even have two pearls or black pearls but those are rare

Thanks that's what I thought but I got nervous there for a second.

 

[ArmyVet80]

On our last trip (sept. 2015) I paid for my DW to pick 3 pearls. She picked two black pearls that were 8 1/4 mm each and one gold pearl that was 8 mm. She has yet to get them set in anything but they look pretty neat when you put the three together.

She was pretty lucky from the sounds of it as the ladies that worked there kept saying how rare it is to get 1 black pearl and she had gotten 2 of the same size.