Budget Walt Disney World - Bargain Souvenirs for Kids

Four previous trips to the most magical place on Earth have taught me a few things. Not least of all that just about everything at Disney World is expensive. For instance, a "quick service" lunch entree (no drink) is about $10 for an adult portion and  $5.50 for a child's meal.

 

Kids meals are only for children under the age of 9. While your 10 or 11 year old might be able to pull it off (and no one ever asks) my 14 year old can no longer get a kids meal. That means a "bargain" lunch anywhere on Disney property is likely to cost our family of 4 about $50.

Now the obvious budget solution is to bring your own food in. Disney doesn't mind. I, however, mind lugging a 20 pound backpack around in 90 degree heat. I really don't want to carry 4 sandwiches, 4 water bottles and a bunch of snacks around for 6-8 hours. I could bring in  a back pack and store it in a locker. Instead we opt to buy snacks at the Parks then return to our rental house for lunch and a swim in the middle of the day.

If I can, I try to walk into the parks empty handed, without even a pocketbook. I wear a lanyard with our tickets, a credit card, some cash and my photo ID in a plastic pouch. I stick my phone in a pocket and a camera in another pocket. Not bringing a pack into the park means we get to enter through the "no bags" line. One less line to wait in!

I still wear the lanyard I bought on our first trip.

We sometimes manage to walk out empty handed as well. I try to limit souvenirs. We deliberately don't enter the shops on Main Street of the Magic Kingdom. We've never been to Downtown Disney. I figure that we can buy Disney merchandise online or at the mall at home, but we can only ride Dumbo while we're at the Magic Kingdom. I don't want to waste our time shopping.

Here is another of my weird, but successful, ideas. To save money I get some "souvenirs" in advance. I'm not denying that I will still buy souvenirs in the Parks. I'm also not denying that I will probably spend more on these souvenirs than I should. I do have a few money saving suggestions when it comes to souvenirs.

Souvenir Tip #1: Before you go order the  free customized maps from the Disney site. The maps come with your family name printed on each one.  You can chose from two different styles. You can also order a free Disney planning DVD.

Write a letter to Disney and get your child a free autographed photo or postcard as a surprise!

Another suggestion: Join Disney Movie Rewards. Even if you don't remember to enter the points for your movies there are lots of fun free things that you can get from the site liek printable stickers. For instance, we got an adorable Quad Mickey Printable Iron-on for 5 points (you get 25 for just signing up). Can you say adorable matching T-shirts for less than $4.00 a piece? 

We were also sent a link to free printable posters (no points required). You can print them on 8.5x11 paper or 8.5x14 legal size paper.

Souvenir Tip #2: Stock up on Disney merchandise before you go and give your kids small surprises each day. 

I spend about $25-30 for everything that I buy in advance for my 2 girls- about the cost of one toy at Disney.  Typical surprises include glow sticks, fancy candy like swirled lollipops and Disney themed merchandise from local stores like WalMart and Dollar Tree -or sale items from the Disney Store. If you carry a backpack you can bring a few of these with you every day and distribute as needed. Alternatively you can give them to your kids before you head out for the day or as a surprise when you return to your room, house, etc. in the middle of the day. I've heard other people refer to these as "Mickey" or "Tinkerbell" gifts.

See my earlier Magic Tips post for the last trip's surprises. They included a $5 Belle hat from WalMart that Danielle wore nearly every day.

The colorful maracas cost about $5

I bought slightly different items for each child based on their ages and interests. I have girls so my purchases tend to focus on princesses and fairies. Most of these items also came in ToyStory, Cars or Mickey Mouse versions. This time I spent $9 per child. I'll spend another $2-3 each on candy and glowsticks.

I got seven items - one for each day of our trip. I bought Danielle her own lanyard for this trip as well as a jump rope, bubbles, coloring kit, chalk board, puzzle, etc.  I wanted to give her little things that she could play with at the rental house or in the car. Here are her surprises for this trip:

Souvenir Tip# 3: Collect something other than trading pins.

 

Collect Napkins, Autographs or Pressed Pennies. The trading pins cost $10 each and your kids will want several as well as a lanyard to wear them on. Autograph albums and pressed coin books each cost less than $10 at any Disney Park or Resort. Buy each child one or the other on the first day of your vacation. Collect autographs from characters or hunt for pressed penny machines. Of course, this defeats my "enter empty handed" strategy...however, if your kids are just carrying a book you can still walk through the no bags line. We bring ours back trip after trip until they are filled.

 

 

 

Characters will also sign postcards! make sure your bring a fat marker or a Sharpie - paws have a hard time holding tiny pens. You can pick up inexpensive character postcards anywhere in Orlando - typically 3 for $1 at the drug stores like Eckerd.  Have your kids mail the postcards to themselves with a note about what they did that day.



 

Souvenir Tip #4: Play games!

We've found cast members hosting games at the various parks and even the Ticketing & Transportation Center. Stop for a few minutes of fun tossing a bean bag or a recycled bottle. You'll get some free Disney themed stickers - and a chance for a special memory that most people walk right past.

Souvenir Tip# 5: Collect free trading cards. There are 2 types that you can get just by asking nicely.

First - Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom is a game that takes place at locations all over Magic Kingdom. To play you need a pack of "spell" cards. We saw this on our last trip, but didn't know how/where to get involved.

The cards feature Disney characters ranging from Dumbo to Rafiki. I think there are 70 in all.

You can get the cards from the Fire Station next to City Hall on Main Street, USA or behind the Ye Olde Christmas Shoppe in Liberty Square. You'll also get to watch a tutorial on how to play the game. It's a fun way to explore the park- or you can just collect the cards.

image from Disney.com

Second- There are a number trading cards that you can get from Disney transportation operators. The bus drivers will only have the bus cards, and the monorail operators will only have monorail cards, etc. Cards feature a picture of the monorail, ferry, etc. and a Disney character.

To get a card, politely ask the driver if they have any transportation trading cards. Don't be too disappointed if they say "no". They only get a limited number, so they may not have any when you ask. Don't forget to thank them if they give you a card.

Souvenir Tip #6:  Get a Duffy the Bear "passport" at EPCOT. Kids can carry it from country to country, getting stamps and coloring on it.

I have no personal experience with this but I've read that you can get some other free souvenirs at EPCOT. For instance in 2013 you can make a piece of paper at  Innoventions East. The exhibits at Innoventions change every few years, but there is always at least one where you can make something to take home.

Souvenir Tip # 7: Visit the  Animal Kingdom Kids Discovery Clubs.

Kids receive a free activity "passport" which is stamped at each station. There is a bonus if your child completes all six activities. Check out Disney-pal.com for a preview of the prize for getting all 6 stamps.

Souvenir Tip #8: At Disney Hollywood Studios you can take an animation class where you learn to draw a Disney character. You then get to take home your own artwork.  How good a souvenir this is depends on how good an artist you are.

Souvenir Tip #9: If you must buy something - and you probably will - there are a lot of really unique souvenirs that aren't just mouse ears.

Think about what you might enjoy once you are home. EPCOT is one of my favorite spots for unique souvenirs. We love the necklaces we had made from the Pick A Pearl in Japan. Another special souvenir is the  puzzle made from a family photo taken against a Disney backdrop that we got at ImageWorks .

Tip # 10: Before you go buy a misting fan with a shoulder strap online or at a local drug store. Not really a Disney souvenir, but something you will need, trust me.

It will cost about $8-10 which seems absurdly high - until you get to Disney where they sell them for $17 a piece. This little gem can be a life saver while waiting in long lines. Fill it with ice water in the morning to keep the water cool all day. Normally Danielle carries ours slung over her should like a purse. Again, its not a bag so you can bring it with you every day without having to go through the bag check line.