What Not To Buy...

[Disney Freebird]

My boys have their own souvenir allotment, and that has helped tremendously! They really think about their purchases and last time actually passed by lots of stuff in the parks and chose to buy things at the Lego store at DTD.

It took me a while to figure this one out, but once I did, it was great. We now give each kid a certain amount of money that they can use to buy whatever they want. It was amazing how quickly the phrase "Can I get this?" disappeared.

 

[xipetotec]

Autograph books.
Our kids ( even the older one who is now 18, but still had one at 16 ) all like doing this... except every time, we get a book, they meet most of the same characters, get the autographs... which is great! I think it's a fun idea, but then at home, we have a growing pile of autograph books with the same autographs.

That being said, I'm off to the thread in this same forum about alternatives to the books for autographs!

 

[minnie mum]

How on earth did this thread get resurrected from 2 years ago??!! And how did it go from NOT buying stuff to what you DO buy?

 

[lilosurf11]

The t-shirts. I don't like the material (some of them feel a bit stiff to me). It's weird plus I don't like a lot of the designs.

 

[dzneelvr]

What NOT to Buy: 1) the evening light up toys and glow in the dark "stuff" (shop for those at DollarTree before your trip) 2) the mousears ice cube trays the home decor shops sell. They absolutely don't give up the ice...total waste of money and lastly 3) Pins are fun to buy, but the backs will fall off during a normal day at any park. Be very careful 4) Water! be sure and bring an empty container into the park and keep filling up. The waiters at TS are happy to put ice and water in after a meal.

 

[Elmo T]

How on earth did this thread get resurrected from 2 years ago??!! And how did it go from NOT buying stuff to what you DO buy?

Zombie-Mutant Thread.

We try to avoid letting the kids buy anything I know we can get at Target/Walmart, etc cheaper. This mostly covers all the cheap toy items.

We try to steer them towards items they can't find elsewhere - park specific items, extras for the monorail set, certain doll clothes.

Otherwise, we are on vacation. We know in advance there will be spontaneous and foolish spending. We just try to keep it to a minimum.

 

[WildabouttheMouse]

My family has many different buying addictions, for my DH it is the Disney Baseball Hats - he has about 15 of them, in a box in the closet. My oldest DD it is the tee shirts, my youngest DD it is the Pixie sticks. She is always on a sugar high in Disney. For me it is the Pins, of which I have too many. I am going to try to limit myself to a beach towel for the pool. It is just so hard to resist the urge to buy.



159 Days To Go!

 

[Fanciful]

Keychains. I buy around five of them each trip

 

[StitchSpawn]

Th last two times before I and (friends) went to Disney, we bought most everything we needed/wanted before we left. The kids got a few things as gifts that were Disney, but sold/bought at Target or Walmart. But cheap light up stuff almost anywhere, especially party supply stores, and Disney pins, keychains etc. can all be bought discounted online now. I haven't even bought t-shirts. Wasn't very impressed with the selection this May and found cute Disney shirts by Junk Food and vintage Disney shirts! Love the ones from the 90's! So, don't buy much at the parks. I look, but I always have already gotten everthing I want.

 

[minnie mum]

Zombie-Mutant Thread.

.

 

[misha]

We will not buy the tub of popcorn. It is a pain i.t.a. to carry around and when we get home it never gets used for anything ever again.

Oh we so have this problem.....OK mostly me! But the tubs are so stinking cute!!!

 

[awoogala]

We haven't had too much of an issue, at least so far! We're usually so busy we haven't spent any time shopping! The kids each got one toy the first time... and the girl got a princess crown in norway that you got to snap little charms onto.. it fell apart that same night.
We do buy one giant fridge magnet everywhere we go, but it's tradition, so I can't stop that!
My kids are 8 and 6, so maybe this time we'll get more begging- I don't know!

 

[Trinity524]

Sign me up for the no stuffed doll group. I usually buy 4 or 5 but last year we ended up with one Jack Skellington. DH and I have an agreement that we have to ask each other if we need it before we buy it.

 

[AlexanderLin]

You can just buy what you need and no need to buy anything more.

 

[MinnieLee]

I used to get candy or a snack from the WS every trip but then I come home and find a lot of the stuff in Germany at my local grocery store and have gradually found just about every candy somewhere around town. Not worth it imo.

I did that too! One trip I found gingerbread house cookies at Germany. I bought them for the girls at work (can't come back without a little something from WDW for them!). I was so happy with my treats until I looked at the label on the back of the cookie. "Made is Islip, N.Y." I live 10 miles from this place. We know exactly where it is! We all got a good laugh.

I have managed to cut back on pins but I need to stay out of Basin. Love their almond soap and all the holiday soaps.

 

[cuches]

LOL, to my fellow Long Islander! I did that too one year, noticed that what I just bought came from Long Island...why did I just fill my luggage up with something I could have gotten on Vets Highway I also say to myself now...."Can I get this at the Disney Store at Tanger Outlets?"

This year we are doing UO and IoA for a week so I know I'll be getting stuff there because I haven't been there in over a decade...but I'll try to go small and get just a bumper magnet and maybe a hoodie for my DD

Tina

 

[youcansmellit]

Cloths in the park. Last time we went I got my girls a couple t-shirts and PJs came to about $150. on our last day we stopped at the Target near disney. They had shirts for under $10 and the PJs for about $13. I would have spent less then half.

 

[ls3015]

Pal Mickeys, They don't work as they were suppose too, can't hear him talk unless you keep him up to your ear, the batteries go dead in less than a day, and he gets heavy, after carring him all day, and seems to always be in the way. Fun for about a hour, than gets old.

 

[bookgirl]

I can't really say there is one thing or another that I should not or will not buy. I just want to "buy better" like the poster that said she really wants the watch - but ends up with keychains!

I want a Mickey watch! I've got a Tink and a Pooh watch. BUt I want a Mickey watch. But I'll most likely come home with a T-shirt! I'd also like one of the really nice fleece zip up hoodies. But I'll spend money on pins for the kids instead. But hey - thet LOVE the pin trading.

And to the poster that is not going to buyt the tub of popcorn...... That popcorn smells so darned good! It's hard not to give in! Good luck!

Just so you think about it, I bought my zip up hoodie at the outlet over by universal (there's one by DTD as well), it was $20. It was last years but I didn't really care.

 

[thehowells]

we cut a hole in the top of a popcorn bucket, and are putting all of our loose change in it as a savings plan for spending money

i have never lost a pin, cause i buy the locking pin backs
but i could do with less pins