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My kids with their souvenir mouse ears we got for FREE during the year of a million dreams promo Disney had a couple of year ago.
If you have been to a Disney theme park before, you know that the souvenirs can be very expensive, and can make a HUGE dent in your vacation budget. Â Here are a few ideas to help you get more from your souvenir budget.
Buy Souvenirs BEFORE you head to the Theme Parks: If you have really young children, it is easy provide them with some fun souvenirs from their trip with items you buy before you even get to the theme parks. Â The dollar store has TONS of Disney merchandise like, puzzles, figures, books, and more. Â These small gifts can be left on the children’s pillows before you head to the park, when they come back to the hotel they have the fun surprise waiting for them.
You can find Disney merchandise at almost any store you shop at. Â I saw this cute Mickey Mouse shirt that I knew my daughter would love. Â I found it at JCPenney, and it retails for $19.99, it was on sale for $9.99, I had a $15 coupon for a $15 purchase, so I was able to get the shirt for FREE!
Small Trinkets that Make Great Souvenirs: There are several ways you can gather items that can help you remember your trip that don’t cost much at all.
- Have your kids do the Pressed Penny machines – These are fairly inexpensive as far as souvenirs go, and you can make it fun for your kids by having them decide in the beginning what character they would like to look for. Looking for the exact character they want makes it fun and it also makes their souvenir hunt last a little longer.
- You can get FREE souvenir buttons – Celebrating a birthday or  anniversary?  Is it your first visit to the theme parks,  you can stop by City Hall and they will give you a button to commemorate your event (supplies are limited).
- Get a treat and a souvenir at the same time – We stopped by Goofy’s Candy Company (Downtown Disney/Florida) and got chocolate covered marshmallows on a Mickey Mouse silly straw. Â It was priced at $2 something, which I found very reasonable considering we ended up with a fun souvenir too.
Pin Trading Makes for Fun Souvenirs: My kids love to trade pins with the Disney cast members. Â Buy a couple of pins for cheap, and your kids can keep trading and exchanging their pins ALL DAY! Â You can read more about trading pins at the Disney theme parks HERE.
Shop Disney Outlet Stores – If you are at Disney World, there are 3 Disney outlet stores that carry official Disney Theme park merchandise. We stopped at one of these stores before we headed to the park so we could check out the savings and the selection. They did have some great discounts, especially on clothing.
Character Warehouse – Orlando Premium Outlet (International Dr.)
4951 International Drive
Orlando, FL 32819
If they have any current store sales or events, you will find them listed HERE.
Disney’s Character Premiere – Orlando Premium Outlets (Vineland Ave.)
8200 Vineland Avenue
Orlando, FL 32821
If they have any current store sales or events, you will find them listed HERE.
Character Outlet – Lake Buena Vista Factory Stores
15591 State Road 535
Orlando, FL 32821
You can check HERE for any current store discounts or coupons.
Discounts on the Theme Park Merchandise: You can even find discounts for the theme park merchandise. If you are a Disney Rewards card holder, you can get a 10% discount on a $50 or more purchase at any of the Disney shops in and around the Theme Parks. You will also want to watch your receipts. We bought ice cream, and found a 20% discount at the bottom of our receipt to be used at one of the Disney stores.
My Thoughts on Souvenirs: You may be surprised to find out that I actually am a big fan of the full-priced, expensive theme park merchandise. Crazy, huh? For me, it’s part of the fun. We stay in non-Disney hotels which allows us more spending money for things like souvenirs in the park. Don’t get me wrong, we don’t go crazy buying souvenirs, but we do budget some money for each person to spend how they see fit. My kids actually do really well when they are in control of their own money and think through most of their purchases. Â We did have one cotton candy purchase regret once, but that’s how they learn, right?
Here is my daughter with her super cute Disney purse that she bought as her souvenir about a year and a half ago. She still uses this purse on a regular basis! I say as long as you budget for it, it’s okay to splurge just a little. Â I find it works best for us if the kids have a set amount of money to spend, so they know that once their money is gone…it’s gone.
I would love to hear your tips and tricks for saving money on souvenirs, so please leave a comment!
