Disneyland! Whether old or young you will be transformed back to days when you were a kid visiting the park. You ride your favorite rides, eat your favorite treats, and walking into the Disney stores on Main Street you feel like a kid in a giant candy store. Isn’t it so much fun seeing all the Disney stuff!?! I want to buy it all! Then you pick up that adorable snow globe that you ‘just have to have’ and sticker shock!!! $95. Really? You can get that Mickey plush or Princess Book that you want, but you are going to pay a premium.
Save money and time by planning ahead. Before we set out on our trip I took a browse on Amazon and found some great Disney stuff. From t-shirts and books, to princess dresses and toys. I shopped a few weeks before my trip and had them shipped right to my house and then packed them the night before our trip. (save a step and room in your luggage and have it shipped right to your Hotel, then you don’t have to pack it one way.) If you are driving then packing items is easy enough in the trunk.Another option is using Amazon Prime. My favorite! With prime you are able to order them the day or two before you leave and they will be there when you arrive. A fun idea is to have someone in your party sneak up to the room when you are having breakfast, or before checking in and place the fun stuffed Mickey Mouse or souvenir right on the child’s bed. Then they walk into a surprise on day one!
Since I wouldn’t be taking all my children with me this trip, I went ahead and ordered my younger children’s souvenirs on Amazon and shipped them right to my home. Then I will simply save a few bags from purchases I make at Disneyland (or just ask for an extra bag or two when shopping in the park) and place their items in them when we arrive home. You can also do this for souvenirs you bring in your suitcase. The kids will never know that you bought them at home and brought them. Easy souvenirs and a lot of money saved.
While I do this for the ‘little things’ I still let me children pick one item in the park. They love to look around for the first day or two and then once they decide they get to purchase it. I already know my son will be wanting a light saber from tomorrow land because he has been talking about it for months now.Flashing lights and necklaces are very popular when the sun goes down at Disneyland. The price tag = spendy! I ordered these fun Mickey shaped lights for our whole party and we will pull them out when the sun goes down each night and light up some fun. I also picked up some lighted swords that clank when hit together, that will make for a lot of night fun at Fantasmic and the Fireworks.I also got my son a super hero cape to wear in the park. You always see the little girls running around in their Princess dresses so I wanted my son to have something to dress up as. He will be a superhero whenever he chooses and I know he will love it!I found this adorable Disney Princess boombox for my daughter. I know she will be thrilled when I pull it out for her as her surprise!While you don’t have to buy all your souvenirs ahead of time, the ones that you do will definitely help you save some money on your trip and the magic will still be there whether bought in the park at a high price or on Amazon or your local Target!
