Your favorite/the best souvenirs to buy in DLR/DCA

[Tinkaboo]

Please see @BadPinkTink most Trip report on the DL trip report forum. She got one of those special cards and posted pics of it, along with a lot of details. It’s titled “Solo in LA” and it’s about the fourth report down.

 

[BadPinkTink]

I also read (when I was planning a trip in 2019/2020) that you can get a gift card in Galaxy Edge that is uniquely shaped, and people said that they would get them as souvenirs. Do they still have these?

They are called Spira. I bought mine at Star Wars Trading Post, the Star Wars shop in Downtown Disney. It costs $5 and you have to add $100 on it at the time of purchase.

As its a normal Disney Gift Card, it can be added to the gift card website and you can transfer money on to it from other gift cards.

Theres a bar code on the back of it and its scanned like normal Disney gift cards in shops and restaurants.

It can also be reloaded at any of the Disney merchandise shops , just like normal gift cards

 

[pokee99]

The Disneyland Spirit Jersey! They have a few fun colors, but the black one is super cool. My daughter got one... it was pricey (around 70 bucks) but it's probably one of the coolest DLR wearable I've seen.

I also got her this really cute navy Nike visor with Mickey Mouse on it.

Another favorite is Disneyland Tea & Teaware and all the Mickey themed goodies at the candy stores.

 

[pokee99]

Oh, and for a Star Wars fan I'd recommend these... lol. Not sure if they can be had at the Disney store, but it was the cutest thing we saw at Galaxy's Edge.

 

[Critter3]

They are called Spira. I bought mine at Star Wars Trading Post, the Star Wars shop in Downtown Disney. It costs $5 and you have to add $100 on it at the time of purchase.

A $100 hey, dang. I was hoping this could be one of the souvenirs we get the nephews and our 2 kids, but that would be $400 that we would have to spend (unless we give them cash on it, lol). I was hoping to get them and use up the $ and give the Spira as the souvenirs. Something I'll have to think about anyways.

 

[BadPinkTink]

A $100 hey, dang. I was hoping this could be one of the souvenirs we get the nephews and our 2 kids, but that would be $400 that we would have to spend (unless we give them cash on it, lol). I was hoping to get them and use up the $ and give the Spira as the souvenirs. Something I'll have to think about anyways.

I bought it on my arrival day, before my park days, and used $100 from my merchandise and food budget. That way it wasnt an extra expense but it was money I was going to spend in the parks anyway. I used the Spira to pay for Lightning Lanes and Genie+ too, I actually loaded more money onto it on my second park day.

 

[duckboyone]

Thank you for all the fantastic ideas! Need to run them by my wife and get her input as well.

I will say my biggest regret in NOT buying a souvenir, was back in 2013, it was some special anniversary for the Tiki Room (one of my favs) and they had this special pin set, with the letters T, I, K, and I, spelled out in colorful birds and masks, and other things. Decided not to get it since it was like $200, but now I wish I would have, because I've never been able to find the full set to purchase anywhere since.

 

[DizMe]

Where about do you get these done? I'm a first time goer and we will be there in May. For the penny stations I understand there are many around the resort, but how do they work? I have seen these in the past and you just stick in your penny and pull the lever, but I wasn't sure if these ones were different and you had to insert a dollar and it spits it out or something, ha ha.

I also read (when I was planning a trip in 2019/2020) that you can get a gift card in Galaxy Edge that is uniquely shaped, and people said that they would get them as souvenirs. Do they still have these?

Another question that goes along with this topic is what about souvenirs for others (other extended family/friends that didn't join you)? We will need to get some (specifically for a 11 and 13 boys) and I'm just wondering if anyone has any suggestions on what would be good ideas? Obviously it will depend on what they like, but not sure what are good ideas for souvenirs for others.

The silhouette studio is on Main St. If you're walking towards the castle it's on the right, next door to the Crystal shop. Here's a pic:

You can get single silhouettes, doubles, even your whole family.

The caricature artists I've noticed are in New Orleans Square, near the entrance to Blue Bayou. I believe you can also get them done in DTD, near World of Disney.

 

[DizMe]

One other souvenir that's fun is a picture by the letter artists. They can make any letter into a Disney character. It can get pricey to get every letter of your name done as a caricature, but they will also do just the first letter and write the rest of the name in calligraphy. Here's one I had made; I apologize for the poor quality of the photo but the picture has some really nice touches. I know there are letter artists in the area between the Matterhorn and submarine lagoon, and also in DTD.

 

[DizMe]

Thank you for all the fantastic ideas! Need to run them by my wife and get her input as well.

I will say my biggest regret in NOT buying a souvenir, was back in 2013, it was some special anniversary for the Tiki Room (one of my favs) and they had this special pin set, with the letters T, I, K, and I, spelled out in colorful birds and masks, and other things. Decided not to get it since it was like $200, but now I wish I would have, because I've never been able to find the full set to purchase anywhere since.

Keep your eyes open! They may turn up at some point. Long ago (1999), I saw some fantastic Haunted Mansion portrait room picture pins that were lenticular--with the right light (black light) they would turn, like the real ones. You could buy a separate black light that was a metal HM bat! They were expensive and I was always sorry I didn't buy them because they weren't around very long. I kept watching for them, though, and one day I saw the bat black light for sale in a shop in DL! A few years later I found the pins on ebay and eventually managed to get the set.

 

[Critter3]

I bought it on my arrival day, before my park days, and used $100 from my merchandise and food budget. That way it wasnt an extra expense but it was money I was going to spend in the parks anyway. I used the Spira to pay for Lightning Lanes and Genie+ too, I actually loaded more money onto it on my second park day.

I was going to ask if that could be done and how to do that (I can also google ) - adding the cards to your account and using them for things like the ILL and other things. I also wonder if you can use it to pay for things like Savi's workshop? What about mobile ordering for restaurants?

 

[BadPinkTink]

I was going to ask if that could be done and how to do that (I can also google ) - adding the cards to your account and using them for things like the ILL and other things. I also wonder if you can use it to pay for things like Savi's workshop? What about mobile ordering for restaurants?

Yes anywhere you would normally use a Disney Gift card you can use the Spira. You can't add it in the App as a payment card, the number has to be inputted manually each time. When I went to pay for Lightning Lanes, Genie+ and mobile ordering the option came up to use the stored credit card or pay with a Disney Gift Card. If you choose pay with gift card, you then get a space to type in the number on the Spira, the same as you would would with a normal gift card. At restaurants and shops they scan the barcode on the Spira, the same as they do normal gift cards.

 

[Critter3]

Yes anywhere you would normally use a Disney Gift card you can use the Spira. You can't add it in the App as a payment card, the number has to be inputted manually each time. When I went to pay for Lightning Lanes, Genie+ and mobile ordering the option came up to use the stored credit card or pay with a Disney Gift Card. If you choose pay with gift card, you then get a space to type in the number on the Spira, the same as you would would with a normal gift card. At restaurants and shops they scan the barcode on the Spira, the same as they do normal gift cards.

Awesome! Thanks BadPinkTink. In that case I don't think I'll have any issue using up the $400 (maybe $500 if I get myself one ).

 

[Van@Disney]

Every trip we get a different Christmas tree ornament. When we decorate the tree we come across the ornaments and talk about our favourite times on various trips. Wow that sounds corny!

 

[Tinkaboo]

Every trip we get a different Christmas tree ornament. When we decorate the tree we come across the ornaments and talk about our favourite times on various trips. Wow that sounds corny!

Love it…been doing this since 1995, my whole tree is Disney, and now Marvel too. I have the set of Disneyland attractions from 1999, although I confess, I did buy those off eBay. Lots of memories on that tree and I told my son last year how much they were worth and told him not to just give to Goodwill when I’m gone…lol.

but, alas, I was really disappointed in the quality of the ornaments being offered now plus the price. So I usually try to just find something old off eBay that I don’t have. Or else just get the Hallmark ones. Sad.