Buying souvenirs in Disney World is hard NOT to do — trust us, we attempt to do it every trip and fail.
However, we’ve learned our lesson on how to make some souvenirs work BETTER than they are normally — we take advantage of the free souvenirs and pre-game with a few different hacks, and now we’re sharing them all with you so you can learn our tips and tricks around buying Disney memorabilia. But we’re hoping Disney doesn’t catch on, because some of these save some SERIOUS money.
FREE Souvenirs
You may not believe it, but we promise, they exist! Cast Members sometimes have free stickers that they’ll hand out to guests around the resort, but the free souvenir you can almost always count on are celebration buttons!
These are great to celebrate any occasion as they celebrate birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, first visits, and anything else you may want to celebrate! Listen, we’re HOPING Disney never takes these away, because they bring so much joy to so many guests, and you can even ask Cast Members in the store you grab it from for a Sharpie to write on the button yourself, or they may offer to write on it for you!
Just be sure you put a piece of clear tape over the writing so that it doesn’t smudge later in the day!
Bubble Wand Hacks
If you know your kiddo is going to want one of those ever popular bubble wands on your trip, we’ve got TWO separate tips for you. One, if you don’t think they’ll be picky on WHAT bubble wand they want, or you already know what character they’d love, buy it online ahead of time and bring it with you, then surprise them with it on the trip!
It’s often way cheaper than the bubble wands in Disney World, AND if you really think ahead, there’s a way you don’t have to buy bubble refills from Disney either. Just buy bubble juice (that’s what we call it, we don’t know its official name) online or in a store before the trip — any bubble juice will do — and use it for refills instead of asking Disney.
You can also use regular bubble juice inside a Disney bubble wand too, so if you want to buy the bubble wand in the park but don’t want to pay for refills, pick up a jug of bubble juice from a CVS or similar store before the trip and you’re golden!
Disney Souvenirs Don’t HAVE To Come From The Parks
As for other souvenirs, especially things like plushes, pins, and apparel, there are PLENTY of Disney items you can find online and in other regular stores back at home that are worlds cheaper than what you’ll find in Disney World.
Now, if you want a specific design or item that you’ve only found in the park, then go for it! However, if you’re open to it, take a look online on the Disney Store website ahead of your trip, as well as at other stores like Target and Walmart near you to see what toys and Disney souvenirs you can grab for a cheaper price.
This way, you can surprise your kids with them on the trip, OR buy them for yourself to use so you’re less tempted when you’re on vacation. It doesn’t always work, but if you don’t allow yourself to use it/wear it until the trip, it feels like you still treated yourself, but saved some money in the process!
We’re always here to help you with your upcoming Disney World trips, so stay tuned to AllEars!
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What’s your favorite “hack” to use in Disney World? Tell us in the comments!
I have a friend who bought Disney trinkets all year long, many on clearance. He told his kids that they didn’t buy souvenirs at Disney because every night that they were there, Tinkerbell would come in the night and leave all kinds of fun stuff to surprise them.