What souvenir should I buy ahead of time?

[jessie31383]

I know there are going to be things that my girls want like mouse ears and the dress for the boutique and shirts and all of that stuff. What items would you recommend that I buy ahead of time on ebay because I can get them cheaper and what would you say to buy there. The reason I ask is because I just bought a pair of glow ears on eBay. After shipping I paid right at $30. When I look online, it looks like they only cost $25 as Disneyworld. I only bought online because I thought they would be considerably cheaper. I do not want this to happen again. I almost bough mouse ears for $10, but then saw that they sell for about that price at Disney. I want to make sure the girls get everything, but want to get it as cheap as possible so that we have enough money. Any ideas of what to get ahead and what should be bought there (price wise) also if anyone has any links of sellers that sell for cheaper then is available at WDW I would appreciate it.

 

[HM]

Don't buy anything before your trip.
Let you kids choose one big souvenier and a couple smaller ones when they are there. The shopping for the souvenier is half the fun! Don't just assume what they will want (and buying on Ebay is rarely cheaper anyway for WDW stuff).

 

[PaulaVonSchweetz]

I would definitely say if anything, try to get the princess dresses for your boutique day. They can be considerably less expensive outside of the world.
Even checking disneystore.com you may get a great deal with a 25% off sale.

 

[powellrj]

We have never really been a souvenir family, so take my post with a grain of salt. Most times the kids pick one or two things out when we are there and they are happy with those. Half the fun of souvenirs is shopping for them. The only thing we have ever bought ahead was autograph books and we just used the ones at the dollar store.

 

[Psychodisney]

If you're going to do autograph books, buy them from the Disney Store on line when then have a Disney Parks sale for 25% off.

 

[rella's fan]

We don't usually buy souvenirs ahead of a time, but my daughter is obsessed with stuffed toys. So on one trip before we went, the Disney Store had all of their large plush toys buy one get one free so I bought Mickey and Minnie for a total of around $15 and packed them in my bag. One morning after we left for the parks, while she was eating breakfast I ran back to the room and put them out on the bed where she slept. She was so excited to see them when we got back that night and to this day she tells people how they were "magically" in our room and how surprised she was. These were around $30 each in the parks so saved quite a bit on something she would have wanted anyway.

 

[Egdisney]

I agree with buying the dresses early, I think they are more expensive at the World, but otherwise nothing is too, too much more. My kids didn't ask for too much, in fact my husband usually offered to buy them something before they asked. One thing we did do is buy lanyards and pins to trade before we went. In gift shops they were more concerned with pin trading than buying things. They also had $50 gift cards from their Grandma. I am going to guess less than $100 per kid was spent, including their GC. It was our first trip, and that was more than enough. Oh! They also loved smashing pennies.

 

[disneychrista]

I have never understood the pre-buying of souvenirs. Aren't souvenirs suppose to be something you buy ON the trip to remember the trip?

If you are trying to save money (this is the budget board after all) but a $ limit on the souvenirs that you will buy. Wait until toward the end of you trip so you / your kids can see what is available and then pick the ONE or TWO items that they really want.

 

[eliza61]

Don't buy anything before your trip.
Let you kids choose one big souvenier and a couple smaller ones when they are there. The shopping for the souvenier is half the fun! Don't just assume what they will want (and buying on Ebay is rarely cheaper anyway for WDW stuff).

+1

I've never really understood the buying souveniers ahead of time thing anyway.

For me, souveniers are all about "remembering" the trip. One of the things the kids (when they were smallers) looked forward to was going in and out of the shops looking at stuff.

Of course, the folks at disney are no dummies. there is a reason every ride dumps you out into a gift shop. LOL.

anyhoo, skip the pre buying and have fun shopping.

 

[MEM]

I have never understood the pre-buying of souvenirs. Aren't souvenirs suppose to be something you buy ON the trip to remember the trip?

If you are trying to save money (this is the budget board after all) but a $ limit on the souvenirs that you will buy. Wait until toward the end of you trip so you / your kids can see what is available and then pick the ONE or TWO items that they really want.

I agree with you - its not a "souvenir", its a "gift". However, my experience with Disney souvenirs is "if you see it, you love it, you buy it!". It may not be there when you go back, or may not be in your size, etc. Not all park
gift shops carry the same merchandise. I think this is especially true at Animal Kingdom.

 

[xlsm]

My advice as a former Disney Store CM is to buy princess gowns before you go. Check sale racks b/c the dress styles usually change at least once a year, and the older styles are marked down to make room for the new ones. Depending on when your trip is, try early spring and right after Halloween.

If you don't have a store near you, you can also try calling a Disney outlet or Disney store and asking if they have princess gowns on clearance. If they have what you want/need, they will ship to you.

Lots of people that shopped my store would also buy t-shirts from us before going, especially if they planned to be decked out in Disney gear every day.

Otherwise, give them a gift card with the amount you're comfortable with them spending, and let them pick out their own souvenirs when you're actually there.

Enjoy your trip!!

 

[disneychrista]

However, my experience with Disney souvenirs is "if you see it, you love it, you buy it!". It may not be there when you go back, or may not be in your size, etc. Not all park gift shops carry the same merchandise. I think this is especially true at Animal Kingdom.

Thank GOODNESS that not all gift shops carry the same merchandise, how boring it would be if they did.

Most of my Disney experience has been at Disneyland, with park hoppers. So it is not big deal to move between parks to pick up something you saw earlier. I agree it would not be so easy at at WDW.

 

[Megkel]

I would pre buy t-shirts for dd, one for everyday we were at the park. Although this wouldn't be something I would buy at the parks, the Disney store usually has them on sale for $5 a shirt. I think it makes my photos look a little more "Disney".

I have always pre bought the princess dress. The rule is she has to use the costume for Halloween (my dd grows so slow one dress usually fits all year). I see it as a win win since I would be buying it for Halloween anyway. Honestly when she was younger she used to wear her Belle dress to the grocery store, medical, Target, pretty much anywhere and everywhere.

Glow sticks and night time spinners. In my opinion they are expensive and sort of a waste at the parks. Once you purchase them you have to carry them around all day to be used at night the following evenings. I bought dollar store glow lights and dd decided to buy a spinner with her money.

Basically we limited her to one souvenir a day $20 or under. Some days she used it, some days she didn't. After the initial excitement she didn't really care for things. She usually bought a stuffed animal and a few little things here or there. I didn't count the ears or the autograph book though since those were things we would have bought her anyway.

 

[tzeitel]

I agree with the pps - buy any costume ahead of time. I also get the glow sticks/necklaces/spinners etc for the night shows at the dollar store (or Target's dollar spot). And I get at least one shirt - DD is not interested in shirts as souvenirs - Walmart has tons of cute Disney shirts

The one thing I would never buy ahead of time is the ears. We get them in the parks and get them embroidered.

 

[MandiC]

You can get Disney shirts for much less before your trip. Once you are in Disney they are pretty pricey compared to what you'll pay elsewhere. Also, the princess dresses as others have said and if your children might want to pin trade those are good to get in advance also.
Mouse ears, autograph books...same price or less expensive once you are in the parks

 

[CTdiznymom]

Our last visit to WDW was 8yrs. ago. Just got back last week. DH and I couldn't get over how pricey things have gotten. Adult T's were $20-25. Definately get those before hand or travel off site. We bought offisite, and they were 1/2 the cost. Disney mugs 3 for $10 at the local 7/11. We didn't have little ones to buy for, but if we did, I would be buying whatever I could beforehand, or offsite. Limit the onsite buying for something like ears. Oh, and you'll have difficulty finding anything "Frozen" if flies off the shelf.

 

[sk!mom]

If you like wearing Disney shirts, I would look for deals ahead of time and buy them. Beyond that we don't really buy souvineers and I found that to be the best way to travel with children. Teach them from early on to enjoy the experience and skip the junk.

That being said, if they are interested in something unique- Potato Head pieces, Build a Light Saber, Mickey Ears. Then I would plan with them that we would shop once and buy that only.

 

[disneychrista]

If your looking for basic Disney tees yes buy those in advance. But I don't consider those souvenirs.

 

[Simba07]

Definitely tshirts and costumes. Little things like glow sticks, stickers, and tatoos. Depending on the ages of the kids, maybe stuffed animals. Especially if you know what character is most likely. My sister is still kicking herself for not getting the Mickey gang beanies at the Disney store sale, when she knew that was what her kid was going to be obsessed with. They weren't as big a mark up at the park as some things, but she could have saved a lot of money pre-buying. But that would not work at all now that the kids are older and want to do their own shopping.

 

[4HppyCamprs]

To me souvinears are reminders of the places we her traveled to, so pre purchasing items to take and then return home with would not be the same. We limit what we buy but what we do buy is special. Mostly we buy a ornament for the tree, a sweatshirt and the kids usually pick a tshirt and toy. I could pop down to Walmart or target and get Disney themed items but it just wouldn't be the same...

Just my opinion.

I would take glow sticks, sun screen, first aid kit, Tylenol and benedryl from home.

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