Tips about Other and Souvenirs
There is stuff that you can do at Disney that costs no money such as viewing the Electric Water parade, participating in Chip N' Dale's campfire sing-along at Fort Wilderness and watching the movie afterwards and going to Disney Springs just for the atmosphere (fun fountains, entertainment). - Michele Munoz
We went to the Chip and Dale's Campfire Singalong. The event is free. There is singing and dancing for the kids. A gentleman comes out and plays his guitar with Disney type songs. They build 2 fires at each end of the little theater area. You can bring your own marshmallows/smore ingredients. Or you can purchase the makings onsite. If I remember, the S'mores kits were about $12.00. Chip and Dale come around so you can take pictures with your family or get autographs. We missed this the first time we came to Disney but got a chance to participate this last trip. We would recommend this to a family with younger children. My daughter was 12 and still enjoyed it. - Carol Kuhar
My girls really wanted to do the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique on our last trip to WDW, however with two of them the cost was just too high. Instead, before our trip I purchased sparkle hair spray from Wal-Mart in silver and a can of pink coloring/spray (I think it was $2.97 per can) and brought a small curling iron. While at Disney Springs I purchased two of the small crowns ($10 each) from World of Disney. On the day we were going to our Princess breakfast, I got up early, curled and styled their hair in "up-do's" sprayed with sparkles and color and put in the crowns. They looked just as beautiful as the girls from the BBB and got just as many compliments at a fraction of the cost. They still had their special day, we just did it on a budget and since the crowns were the same ones used at BBB, no one knew the difference! - Susan S.
To save on impulse souvenir purchases-shop online and at your local Disney Store ahead of time. I pack a new Mickey item for each child in our luggage and they wake up to a gift left by... Tinker Bell, Mickey Mouse, etc. Throw on some glitter and they'll definitely believe the fairies were there. Trading pin sets can also be purchased this way and save you a ton of money. - Angela Manzi
To save on impulse souvenir purchases-shop online and at your local Disney Store ahead of time. I pack a new Mickey item for each child in our luggage and they wake up to a gift left by... Tinker Bell, Mickey Mouse, etc. Throw on some glitter and they'll definitely believe the fairies were there. Trading pin sets can also be purchased this way and save you a ton of money. - Angela Manzi
I saw that I could get a great welcome gift in my room if I order it through the Disney Florist, but they are so expensive, so I am improvising. I have already purchased (on clearance) an autograph book & pen, 7 Disney t-shirts, a photo album, Mickey ears, a Lightning McQueen lanyard with several trading pins (I only paid $1 each for them on ebay) and a few other surprises I have picked up along the way. I will be shipping this box to my resort (in a Disney.com box) with a note to my son from Mickey Mouse. My son won't care that the room isn't decorated with everything laid out on the bed. I think the box full of surprises from Mickey will be just as exciting to receive upon arrival. The total amount I've spent on everything is less than $50 (plus ground shipping to the resort). The cast member I spoke with at my resort already confirmed that they will hold my package until we check in, so I can send it ground knowing it will be kept safe until my arrival. Compared to the Disney Florist packages, this is a bargain! Also, I don't need to worry about buying these items at a premium while I'm at Disney. - Lori Eckhart
EDITOR'S NOTE: When shipping a box to your resort ahead of your arrival please remember to address the box to the name the reservation is in as well as the date of arrival.
You can buy inexpensive Disney items -- including card games, snacks, etc. ahead of time and take with you. Right now I have boxes of Disney gummies; Disney sucker rings; Disney card games. Our Kroger groceries even sometimes have Chip and Dale trail mix packets that we pack and take. With all of these Disney-themed snacks, we are not tempted to overspend for snacks on site. Also, you can create your own magic by buying Disney plush ahead of time -- place on child's pillow during the night and they won't need you to spend $12.99+ for same size at the parks. - [email protected]
Come up with a souvenir budget and stick to it. On my last solo trip to the World, I gave myself a $50 souvenir budget -- it was a fun challenge to stick to the budget and find great stuff. In fact, I had souvenir money left over! (If you've been several times, you might consider a trip taken without purchasing souvenirs.) Or, skip the extras, like Photopass photos, spa treatments, special tours, etc. I would always prefer to go all-out, but I find a trip to Disney on a budget is better than no trip to Disney at all! - Hilary Sommer
ALL PARKS - This is a tip for anyone who celebrates a special day or occasion on the same day every year at one of the Disney parks. My wife and I have celebrated every one of our 11 wedding anniversaries at Disneyland. To add to our tradition, we get a Fastpass that is marked for that day and covers the time that we were married, i.e. 4 p.m. Then we have a cast member take a picture of us in front of that attraction at the exact time that we said our "I Do's." Between the photo and the Fastpasses, it makes a nice keepsake of that specific day and time. The only drawback is we can see how we have aged over the years. Go out and CELEBRATE! - Michael Greening
0 Users found this helpful.
You need not carry medications in an ice pack through the parks all day. The First Aid station has a fridge for guest meds, and they are happy to store them for you. The nurse on staff was polite and professional. She allowed my 7-year-old daughter to practice being a self-advocate, and listened patiently to her medical needs. It was a stress-free experience and we could enjoy Magic Kingdom without worrying about heat or spilling. - Tracy Boylan
0 Users found this helpful.
