Let's face it; we all want to bring our families on the trip of a lifetime without breaking the bank. If you have kids bringing them to Walt Disney World can cost a pretty penny. We know how little ones are, each shop has the "one toy" that they want. But it's impossible to buy everything. Below are a few tips to help you save your money when purchasing souvenirs without really having to skimp on anything.
-Purchase Disney items at a local Disney Store, websites such as eBay and Amazon, online Disney Store or other Disney merchandise seller without your kids knowing. Pack them in your suitcases when you go to Walt Disney World. Then each day surprise your kids with a new Disney themed toy. They will never know you didn't buy them in Walt Disney World and they will even stop bugging you to go into the shops in Walt Disney World and pay twice as much for the same or similar item. Another plus to this is you will already know how much suitcase space you will need, there will be no surprises when it's time to pack up and go home.
-You can purchase Disney Dollars or rechargeable Disney Gift cards at your local Disney Store or online. Add these to your kids/family wish list for birthdays and other gift-giving holidays. They add up quickly and it also teaches kids how to manage their own money. Disney Dollars are fun because each year they change the characters that appear on each dollar. If you are planning a trip a few years down the road you can make a fun game out of collecting all the different characters. They come in a $1, $5, $10 and $20 dollar bills. They are redeemable at all Disney Stores and Walt Disney World. The gift cards are great because you don't have to hold on to "cash", you can add money to your gift card anytime. They are easy to keep track of and are redeemable at all Disney Stores and Walt Disney World.
-Kids love to play games. Sit down with your kids ahead of time and make a list of some items they want to bring home from Walt Disney World. Take that list and make it into "Walt Disney World Scavenger Hunt". Your kids will be so busy looking for the items on their list and checking them off they most likely won't notice the other things in the shops. If your kids stick to the list of scavenger hunt items perhaps a special gift will given.
-Pressed pennies. Collect one from each theme park and add them to your scrapbooks. Remember to take a picture of making the penny and on the back of your photo write about your favorite part of that theme park.
-Post cards are always a fun inexpensive souvenir to collect. Use your post cards to collect signatures from your favorite characters. A unique idea would be to buy a post card for each of the family members on the trip with you. Write down your most favorite moment shared with them on your Disney vacation and mail it home. Have each member in your family do the same. Don't peek at what each person wrote. When you get home there will be a nice surprise waiting for you.
-Remember that most restaurants' in Disney World gives kids their drinks in plastic cups. They are free and fun. They are also handy to have around your hotel room. Try collecting as many as you can. TIP: even when you order a cup of water off the menu you still receive a free plastic cup in most places.
-If you are a person who loves to scrapbook it's very easy to get free and cheap souvenirs. Napkins, bottle wrappers, pictures, the wrappers of the soaps and items that come with your hotel rooms, deflated balloons, baggage claim tickets, room keys, brochures from your hotel and theme parks, receipts, parking tickets, basically there are endless little tidbits all throughout Walt Disney World that are free and most people throw them out. The sad thing is, most of the time your room key is more memorable than the overpriced key chain you use for a year then throw out.
-Mickey's Mart. This is a store located in Downtown Disney. Everything in this store is $10.00 and under. They have items of the week and also offer grab bags for $6.99. You may find a great deal if you have a certain item in mind.
-The best tip on saving money when purchasing souvenirs in Walt Disney World is to be cautious. It's so easy to fall in love with Disney when you're visiting and want to bring it all back home. Everything looks fun and cute when you're there and it's easy to think you need it all. When making a purchase ask yourself if it is something that will really be a great piece of memorabilia and will last for years or if it's something that will end up in the back of a closet and eventually be thrown away. You can have the vacation of a lifetime without paying through the nose for it. Create a reasonable budget and stick to it. When your vacation is all done you will be glad you did.
If you want to learn how you can have an affordable Disney vacation, as well as some insider secrets that Disney World really doesn't want you to know about, then you need to look at DW Savings Written by a former Disney World employee, this guide reveals some extremely powerful secrets designed to save you hundreds!
The Ultimate Disney Savings Guide was written specifically to save you money on your next vacation to Disney World. If you're planning a trip to Disney world, this book is guaranteed to save you money.
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