Author: Disney Budget Diva
Lucky you! I have some great tips for ways to save money on Disney Parks souvenirs! Let’s get started.
1) Always have a game plan prior to your vacation! Set up a ‘souvenir budget’. If your children have piggy banks, like mine do, then consider allowing them to use the money they have saved, towards their purchases of souvenirs at Disney World. My children are young and they will be allotted a certain amount of money for souvenirs, since thier piggy bank ‘funds’ are probably no more than $20 per child. You could also make one as a family, as in THIS great tutorial!
2) You have to decide what is a reasonable amount of money that each child should be allotted. Some parents feel that age should be a factor, the older the child, the more money they should receive. I believe in equality and that each child should be allotted the same amount. However, it’s totally up to you.
3) Once you set your souvenir budget, think ahead of some items that you would like to bring home from your Disney vacation. I know myself that I would like to purchase a coffee mug to serve as a daily reminder of our vacation once I am home. When you are thinking, really ask yourself if the item you are considering, is something that you will actually USE once you are home.
Some of my favorite souvenirs include: t-shirts (always purchase a size up to extend the life of your shirt for fast growing children), hats and shoes. I even like to purchase candy from “Goofy’s Candy Co.” located at the Downtown Disney Marketplace, because candy makes great gifts for friends back home. Of course the ever popular Disney stuffed animals are always a hit and there are so many wonderful things for your kitchen like mugs, plates, bakeware, oven-mits and even aprons. Items like watches, earrings and the like are all souvenirs that you can actually use and enjoy once your vacation is over, which makes it a smarter purchase.
You also might want to consider using the “Tinkerbelle” idea that the Disney Diva writes about to help squelch the greediness factor that tends to rear its ugly head at Disney. Click HERE to read the article!
4) Stay away from “fluff” purchases. For example, a Disney balloon can cost as much as $20 and will serve absolutely zero purposes once you are home from your vacation! However, many children beg and plead for the balloons. Though they may last as many as three weeks after purchase it is still a lot of money to spend. If you find yourself in this situation the Budget Diva suggests stopping by a local grocery store after you leave the park and purchasing a Disney themed mylar balloon ($4 tops) instead, to satisfy your little one’s! Be careful of over-doing it on the Mickey ears and crazy hats. While fun at Disney World, these will rarely get used once you are home.
If you have to question whether the souvenir is “worth it”, then chances are it is something that your child (or partner haha) shouldn’t spend their money on.
5) Finally, once your souvenir budget is spent, don’t even torture yourself or your children by going into anymore gift shops! There are shops everywhere and they all look tempting. Just keep walking!
These tips can help your Disney Dollars go further! Think ahead and happy shopping!
