Pick A Pearl from EPCOT: My Favorite Disney World Souvenir

You can return from Walt Disney World having spent a small fortune on tchotchkes and small doo-dads. And, on some trips it feels like we have! For instance, I always seem to "have" to buy a $17 misting fan.

However, for the most part, my family exhibits great restraint. We've never bought any ears, for example. Not even a hat. We try to buy as many Disney-realted things in advance as we can (see my earlier blog) but in the end, we always want to leave with something new as well.

My favorite souvenirs are always photographs, but we still want something extra special - something more than photographs. I've found over the many trips to Disney World that our best souvenirs come from EPCOT.

One year Danielle got a lovely, hand painted, personalized ruffled red umbrella at the France pavilion. Amanda once got a very nice dress from the Norway pavilion.

The ladies decorating Danielle's red umbrella.

However, my all time favorite souvenir came from the Japan Pavilion last year. Within the Japan Pavilion is a wonderful department store, Mitsukoshi.  

Inside the store is an amazing display of live oysters.

 

For a small price ($16 - or about the same as a pair of Mickey Mouse ears), you can chose an oyster which will be ceremoniously opened for you.

 

 

Danielle with her unopened oyster.

 

 

The two pearls that Amanda & I selected - open, but not yet measured.

 

 

There is a wonderful drum roll before the size of the pearl is announced.

 

 

 

 

Amanda's 8 mm pearl!

 

 

Danielle proudly  displaying the pearl she selected.

 

 

 

For an additional cost, the pearls can be handset in lovely jewelry right at the Japan Pavilion - the same day. This is the necklace I had made from two of our pearls.

 

 

 

This is the setting Danielle chose for her pearl.

 

In the end the necklaces did cost more than a pair of Mickey Mouse ears, but we have worn them many times since returning home which I doubt most people can say for their ears. Also, this is a souvenir that the girls and I can keep for the rest of our lives and remember our magical vacation together.