Why pre-buy souvenirs??

[delmar411]

I'm just curious about the practice of pre-buying them. I thought a souvenir was supposed to be something from that trip not something you could just get at home. Not saying it is wrong but I'm really curious. My kids do not ask for a lot of things and I plan on letting them have about $20-$30 to get something at the park. We do that on the last day normally when we travel. Or I might possibly let them get 1 thing from each of the 4 parks. I don't do anymore stuffed animals so it would have to be a very small toy or knick knack or something that fit their budget limitations. DH and I plan on buying them a t-shirt and ears but that's it. I will be bringing my DD's b-day gift which is a Cindrella pumpkin coach playset but it will be her b-day and that will be her only physical gift from us(like 10days at Disney isn't enough! LOL) and will be her toy to play with while we are there.

Anyway, after my long ramblings if someone could explain the theory behind the pre-buying I would really appreciate it!

~and yes, I thought it was a great idea at first until I couldnt' figure why I was trying to find stuff! ~

 

[Danemom]

For us, it was to save money and create a little extra magic.

When they were younger, my kids didn't care if a shirt said "Walt Disney World" as long as it had something Disney on it. They would get a gift every morning - and it was magic because Tinkerbelle left it while they were sleeping. It would usually be something small and inexpensive ($1-2) but sometimes it was bigger, like a Disney book or tshirt that I still got at a bargain price. Now that they are older, they have a budget to spend at the parks. I miss the old days...
If you want a bargain souvenir from the parks, check out the outlet stores.

 

[DaisyD]

I never understood it either. A souvenier is something to remember the trip by. Not something to remember the Dollar Tree by. To each his own. I'm sure I more then make up for those pre-souvenier buyers by all of my souvenier purchases at the parks! LOL~!

 

[tiggger1]

The only souviners that I pre-buy are stuff that doesnt need to have a disney theme or are cheaper here.. like the Disney spaybottle fan that I spent $18 at AK but bought one almost exactly like it at the christmas tree shop for $5. The other things are glow necklaces and the Disney light up spinners that they want $20 for, that I bought at the Disneystore for $3

 

[ducklite]

Not so much souveniers, but whenever we've gone to WDW with the nieces and nephews, Aunt Anne has always had a bag of Disney themed goodies bought at the Disney Store on clearance. Light chasers, those play cell phones, the little character figurines, etc. Every morning we'd leave for the parks and I'd have a stash with me. When a line got very boring or food was taking a long time, or the kids just needed a distraction, I'd pull out something for them. It cost a LOT less to buy five clearence light chasers at TDS than one at WDW, I didn't have to wait in a line to buy something to distract them--kinda defeats the purpose--and things were inexpensive so if they were lost or broken, it didn't matter.

It would seem that these little toys that were given to the kids by their aunt in WDW would certainly be something that they would remember the trip by. They certainly didn't know that it wasn't bought there, nor did they care.

Their parents bought each of them something that said Disney World--a hat, t-shirt, etc. and then a photo frame or dated ornament or something like that to remember the family trip by. It has nothing to do with money, it has to do with common sense.

Anne

 

[delmar411]

ok that stuff makes sense. The sprayer bottle, I remember buying one of those there but I didn't realize they were so costly. We still have the spinner thingy my oldest got there but I guess we will need 3 more now. See I knew there would be something I could take from the answers and logically apply to our trip!

 

[Grumpy's Gal]

This is what works for us -- no flames please -- it wouldn't work for everyone.

I buy at the Dollar store and the Disney Store on clearance things I KNOW my kids would LOVE! (All Disney things.)

We have a DD and a DS. Of course, they like different things.

We have always done this on each trip.

Every night after they are asleep, we leave each of them ONE surprise on the night stand. It might be big like a sweatshirt or tshirt or it might be smaller like a pack of Disney Princess pencils. (flip flops, color books, Disney character underwear that I've already washed at home and replaced in the package so they can wear them immediately! ha!)

Every morning they start out with something Disney. They NEVER ask to buy souvies in the parks. We look at everything they want to look at and they know on the last day of our trip, they can buy some things (we pre-set a $$$ amount.)

Of course, if they see some things they really show an interest in, Santa secretly (usually) buys several things on our trip or we have them for their birthdays.

It works for us.

Edited to add: I forgot to say this -- do you remember in 2006 when the Disney Store online had those Disney beach towels for $1? I bought 12. The next trip when we go and all of my nieces and nephews are there too........guess who's going to be the BEST AUNTIE IN THE WORLD??????????????????????????? New Disney towels for everyone!

 

[ducklite]

Keep in mind that kids aren't materialistic. They don't understand the concept of money. They don't care about money. If you give them a toy, they don't automatcially think "how much did this cost?" They do'nt care. But they will remember who gave it to them and where they were when they got it. The concept of PAYING for stuff at WDW isn't what matters, it's that they got a new toy there. And the size or cost of that toy doesn't matter either to them.

It's some adults that have the psycological need to spend money--sometimes in order to make themselves feel better--to compensate for something missing in thier lives maybe. In all honesty one of my favorite souveniers from WDW of all time was one of those cheap paper flowers that DH bought for me in the marketplace in Mexico shortly after we got married. I kept that thing on my office wall for years until it finally just disintegrated. It wasn't the money spent, it was the warm memories that it recalled. Frankly a $1000 "thing" wouldn't have been any more important to me.

Anne

 

[delmar411]

This is what works for us -- no flames please -- it wouldn't work for everyone.

No flames here! I'm really interested! Good idea of touring the shops to give Santa a few ideas!

 

[singingpixie]

I think it depends on what you're thinking of as souveniers....

it makes sense to pre-buy things to give kids, but it doesn't really make sense to me, as an adult without kids, to pre-buy souveniers to remember the trip by. You're right- to me, it'd be silly to buy a tinkerbell shirt from wal-mart to remember WDW by. I'd rather buy something small and cheap from WDW itself to remember the trip.

For kids, it's nice to be able to give them things they'd want without spending the money on the "gimmes" in the park. They're more interested in having fun things, not necessarily the memory aspect of souveniers. They want a light-up spinner because it's fun, not because it reminds them of the time you all saw Fantasmic.

 

[jessica52877]

I think it depends on what you're thinking of as souveniers....

it makes sense to pre-buy things to give kids, but it doesn't really make sense to me, as an adult without kids, to pre-buy souveniers to remember the trip by. You're right- to me, it'd be silly to buy a tinkerbell shirt from wal-mart to remember WDW by. I'd rather buy something small and cheap from WDW itself to remember the trip.

For kids, it's nice to be able to give them things they'd want without spending the money on the "gimmes" in the park. They're more interested in having fun things, not necessarily the memory aspect of souveniers. They want a light-up spinner because it's fun, not because it reminds them of the time you all saw Fantasmic.

Good aspect! I would pre-buy because my son is 4, doesn't ask for anything but like him to have something to remember the trip by. He has an awesome memory and usually remembers Oh, I got such and such at disney, not really knowing it came from home. But since he doesn't ask for much I really don't so much, way too much in my closet thinking someday he would.

I will now usually let him get something in the lego store at downtown disney since they are the same price and he loves all things lego. I would not buy him a sweatshirt for $39 like they were last trip and it would take alot for me to buy a lightspinner or even a tshirt. Just too pricey. We do bring a lightspinner from home but honestly he uses it more in the car on the way there!

 

[an_evans]

I pre-buy stuff too. My reasoning is varied but mostly it involves the gimmies.

My kids like to get gifts and I like to give them. So I collect things a few months before we travel. So today I bought princess and lightening embroidered towels from Target for $7 and each pair of sunglasses.

Tinkerbell will leave little gifts different times throughout our trip. Sometimes it encourages a night-owl to wake up a bit easier or coax a worn out child in from the pool.

I figure I do save some money but mostly I just don't spend it all at once.

 

[Perditamarie]

This is a very interesting thread. I like to pre-buy goodies to assist Tink and Mickey in spreading the magic...they are not souvenirs, per say, but tokens to magnify the magic. My kids do remember the items left by Tink/Mickey: the entire trip and the "imposter" souvenirs are that much more magical because my kids felt so special. So the items from the Disney Store clearance/Dollar Store/Target /Walmart etc. are more than a cheap imposter.

We only have the magic of childhood for a little bit of time....very soon we will have the opportunity work on souvenir budgets and spending strategies.

I have also washed at home so they can be worn asap...are there a lot of DIS moms out there stealthily sneaking to the washer once the kids are asleep??!!

 

[Mari annie]

A child is a child is a CHILD, as long as it's Mickey Minnie WHATEVER who cares! Don't be a materialistic slave.......................

After our first trip, I packed cheap M/M stuff in my baggage and they were so happy, that crap got thrown around, the memories our kids have are the times we have together, not the crap that lands up in the cellar or garage.........

To each their own. I guess the bottom line is some people feel unless they don't load up on expensive plastic junk they didn't go to WDW, not true
You are the Target Market Disney's Marketing team adores..........
Probably don't go on vacations very often, does a 15.00 spinner make your child any happier.......does that 65.00 hoodie you'll never wear again make you feel complete?! Most often you are the parents that are bartering* with your 3 or 4 year old in the stores saying "which one do you want"?! Asking a toddler what do they want at DISNEY.........GOOD GRIEF!!!!
Maybe if people spent less on junk, you'd be going to WDW/FL more often-or elsewhere for that matter...................

Why do you think Dollar Tree and junk stores are so popular more than ever?
(although I have a degree in Marketing..........let the masses tell you)...........
people want an item, cheap, because it's disposable and spend their hard earned money on things that are more of a priority to them.........financially intelligent people don't waste money on things that are useless........

It's basically about self worth and how you feel about yourself, I always buy the dollar ponchos, why waste 8-10.00 on a plastic mickey poncho, when dollar tree has one that does the trick......
I guess that's why we go to FL 3's a times a year 2 weeks at a time and have a 2nd home their now............being frugal here and there.........and only in our early 40's not bad for using common sense now and then HUGH?!

2 more days until FL! SEE YA!
Sunshine/RELAXATION FAMILY TIME...............A REAL VACATION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Acklander]

What we do for souvenirs is instead of focusing on the stuff we focus on the experience. We travel quite a bit, not just Disney, so I don't want the kids to associate travel and vacation with getting things (either pre-bought, or in gift shops). What we do is each day of vacation we pick out a post card with a picture that represents where we were that day. Over dinner everyone contributes what their favorite thing was that day, and what we did, or an interesting thing we ate, people we've met, and so on, which we write on the back of the post card with the days date. That is our souvenir. At the end of the trip we put all the post cards in a large basket we have on our coffee table at home. We started this over 20 years ago and have hundreds of cards in the basket. Thru out the year, I'll often see Dh glancing through the cards, or one of the kids showing a friend the pictures of different places. Friends, who have gone on vacation with us and helped us fill out the post card will look for "thier" cards when visiting our house. These cards have outlasted any toy, t-shirt, or other bobble that we might have gotten.

 

[princess stich]

Judy- I LOVE the postcard idea. What a neat tradition to start!

 

[DaisyD]

A child is a child is a CHILD, as long as it's Mickey Minnie WHATEVER who cares! Don't be a materialistic slave.......................

After our first trip, I packed cheap M/M stuff in my baggage and they were so happy, that crap got thrown around, the memories our kids have are the times we have together, not the crap that lands up in the cellar or garage.........

To each their own. I guess the bottom line is some people feel unless they don't load up on expensive plastic junk they didn't go to WDW, not true
You are the Target Market Disney's Marketing team adores..........
Probably don't go on vacations very often, does a 15.00 spinner make your child any happier.......does that 65.00 hoodie you'll never wear again make you feel complete?! Most often you are the parents that are bartering* with your 3 or 4 year old in the stores saying "which one do you want"?! Asking a toddler what do they want at DISNEY.........GOOD GRIEF!!!!
Maybe if people spent less on junk, you'd be going to WDW/FL more often-or elsewhere for that matter...................

Why do you think Dollar Tree and junk stores are so popular more than ever?
(although I have a degree in Marketing..........let the masses tell you)...........
people want an item, cheap, because it's disposable and spend their hard earned money on things that are more of a priority to them.........financially intelligent people don't waste money on things that are useless........

It's basically about self worth and how you feel about yourself, I always buy the dollar ponchos, why waste 8-10.00 on a plastic mickey poncho, when dollar tree has one that does the trick......
I guess that's why we go to FL 3's a times a year 2 weeks at a time and have a 2nd home their now............being frugal here and there.........and only in our early 40's not bad for using common sense now and then HUGH?!

2 more days until FL! SEE YA!
Sunshine/RELAXATION FAMILY TIME...............A REAL VACATION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Actually we go to WDW twice year at 2 weeks each time. Honestly we couldn't go anymore if we wanted because we vacation other places during the year too and there just isn't the time. I can see buying glow sticks and non WDW stuff to bring like even water sprayers. Good ideas. I just don't see buying a WDW hoodie or t-shirt before going and passing them as souveniers. We all have our own ideas on what souvenier means. To each his own as I said before. It doesn't mean those that buy stuff at the parks cannot afford to go on vacation as much.

 

[bellarella]

A child is a child is a CHILD, as long as it's Mickey Minnie WHATEVER who cares! Don't be a materialistic slave.......................

After our first trip, I packed cheap M/M stuff in my baggage and they were so happy, that crap got thrown around, the memories our kids have are the times we have together, not the crap that lands up in the cellar or garage.........

To each their own. I guess the bottom line is some people feel unless they don't load up on expensive plastic junk they didn't go to WDW, not true
You are the Target Market Disney's Marketing team adores..........
Probably don't go on vacations very often, does a 15.00 spinner make your child any happier.......does that 65.00 hoodie you'll never wear again make you feel complete?! Most often you are the parents that are bartering* with your 3 or 4 year old in the stores saying "which one do you want"?! Asking a toddler what do they want at DISNEY.........GOOD GRIEF!!!!
Maybe if people spent less on junk, you'd be going to WDW/FL more often-or elsewhere for that matter...................

Why do you think Dollar Tree and junk stores are so popular more than ever?
(although I have a degree in Marketing..........let the masses tell you)...........
people want an item, cheap, because it's disposable and spend their hard earned money on things that are more of a priority to them.........financially intelligent people don't waste money on things that are useless........

It's basically about self worth and how you feel about yourself, I always buy the dollar ponchos, why waste 8-10.00 on a plastic mickey poncho, when dollar tree has one that does the trick......
I guess that's why we go to FL 3's a times a year 2 weeks at a time and have a 2nd home their now............being frugal here and there.........and only in our early 40's not bad for using common sense now and then HUGH?!

2 more days until FL! SEE YA!
Sunshine/RELAXATION FAMILY TIME...............A REAL VACATION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Or there are those that feel that the memories are the real souvenirs and don't waste money either before or during the trip.

As for "bartering with a 3 or 4 year old about which they want" it could be that is the one souvenir that they will be getting for the trip and the parent feels that allowing a child to make a choice about which they would enjoy allows them a specific memory associated with the item rather than it being given to them without them ever even considering wanting it. Further they could be spending their own money on it as part of an exercise of learning the value of money -- that they can have 1 plush toy for $15 or choose two smaller items for the same amount; that money is about choices and choices can be empowering.

I don't "get" the pre-buying of souvenirs either. I will buy items like ponchos or glows sticks ahead of time, but those aren't souvenirs. We are at Disney to spend time together as a family. To appreciate the *experiences* we are having. Giving my kids "stuff" throughout the trip detracts from that. Time is the true thing of value. We do give our kids $20 to buy souvenirs of their own choosing (so I will be one of those parents "bartering" with their 4 year old about whether this is really the item they choose to spend their money on, or whether they would prefer something else -- it has been a wonderful tool, not just at Disney, to teach my children about choices and how to make money work for you (and saving for things you really want rather than spending money just because you have it)). But my kids have never been ones to ask for "things."

 

[delmar411]

Judy ~ the postcard idea is great! My mom does something similar as she travels for her job about 9mths out of the year. She will send the kids postcards for their collection from every place she goes. They love them and long after they have outgrown the t-shirt or toys she brought back the postcards get looked at all the time. My older DD has a thick book full of them now.

 

[delmar411]

Or there are those that feel that the memories are the real souvenirs and don't waste money either before or during the trip.

As for "bartering with a 3 or 4 year old about which they want" it could be that is the one souvenir that they will be getting for the trip and the parent feels that allowing a child to make a choice about which they would enjoy allows them a specific memory associated with the item rather than it being given to them without them ever even considering wanting it. Further they could be spending their own money on it as part of an exercise of learning the value of money -- that they can have 1 plush toy for $15 or choose two smaller items for the same amount; that money is about choices and choices can be empowering.

I don't "get" the pre-buying of souvenirs either. I will buy items like ponchos or glows sticks ahead of time, but those aren't souvenirs. We are at Disney to spend time together as a family. To appreciate the *experiences* we are having. Giving my kids "stuff" throughout the trip detracts from that. Time is the true thing of value. We do give our kids $20 to buy souvenirs of their own choosing (so I will be one of those parents "bartering" with their 4 year old about whether this is really the item they choose to spend their money on, or whether they would prefer something else -- it has been a wonderful tool, not just at Disney, to teach my children about choices and how to make money work for you (and saving for things you really want rather than spending money just because you have it)). But my kids have never been ones to ask for "things."