what are the best souvenirs?

[DanceDrawDream]

Oh just realized I forgot my favorite souvenir! I love getting the leather snap bracelets that you can have your name engraved on (especially seeing as my name is never on anythingggg). You can also add a "charm", for example last time I got a mickey shaped head with "2012" in the center... I always get a new bracelet each time we go and wear it all the time. So for me it's a cool bracelet with my name, and also a constant memory of Disney! And in case you have no idea what bracelets I am talking about, there's a shop in Frontierland that does them, a place in Epcot...they have stands all around the parks.

 

[texasroni75]

I like to buy refrigerator magnets. They have SO many options I could buy a bunch each trip and they always have different ones on the next trip. They are small, relatively inexpensive (compared to many other souvenirs!), and they are practical! I get to see them daily in use on the fridge and they always make me smile and want to go back to WDW!

 

[msminnieears]

The photos are the best IMO. I buy the photopass and a picture frame for the different years. I also collect the Christmas ornaments and coffee mugs. Be sure you get them to wrap them so they won't break on the way home. This year I'm going to pick a pearl and draw an animated character in HS. I think those ideas sound neat.

 

[DanenRox]

First of all, souvenir is a difficult word to spell...had to look it up!
We always try to bring something home for family and friends but that can get expensive fast. We started a tradition when we used to get the meal plan and inevitably ended up with lots of unused snack credits...which we turned into souvenirs...in the form of Chocolate Dipped Rice Krispy Mickey Mouse heads on a stick. We abandoned the meal plan years ago but have stuck to the Mickey head souvenirs. No matter the age, most people get a kick out of the special (and yummy) little gift.

P.S. The gift shops will always give you extra little disney bags which ups the special factor of each gift.

 

[Weezerette]

Aside from the memories...

The straw is an excellent value I agree ( dh DON'T PUT IN DISHWASHER...UGH!!!!!)

We also do pressed pennies..

I also have my dd's silhouette done each time we go.. It captures her growth and I have even scanned it and used her silhouette as a watermark on stationary.. Or thank you cards... I can turn it into all sorts of items.

The silhouette sounds like a wonderful idea. Where can you get that done? Sorry if that's a stupid question, first time to disney with a kid.

 

[strmtroopr96]

The silhouette sounds like a wonderful idea. Where can you get that done? Sorry if that's a stupid question, first time to disney with a kid.

We just had a silhouette done of our girls on our last trip. It was a very nice and inexpensive souvenir. It was $8 per person and if you wanted to purchase a frame that was an additional $8. You actually end up with 2 copies which was perfect for sharing with family.

It was located at Magic Kingdom, right off of Main Street. As you are walking towards the castle, it is a little alley to your right. There is a cart set up there. We had actually gotten to open the MK that morning and did the silhouette right after so it is a great memory of a very special day.

Here is a video of one being done:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mX2r2ueay58

 

[Kbendig]

Ornaments to remind me of my trip, though I forgot one the last trip. I kept meaning to get one, then kept saying "tomorrow".

We got a pillow pet last time and it is used every day. We may or may not even fight over it.

I know not everyone likes the refillable mugs, but I use mine almost every day. I fill it with water and it makes me feel like I'm back in Disney.

I JUST got rid of a sweatshirt that I got in 1991, so I'd say that was a good buy as well. I just had to come to terms with not being able to fit in it anymore.

Otherwise, we've gotten pins which my son loves to look through. We tend to bring home some snacks to remind us of our trip during our Disney depression days. Our last trip we brought home popcorn.

I also LOVE the pearl I got in Epcot and wear my necklace all the time. I get compliments on it, and it lets me talk about my trip.

 

[Ds4angels]

Another one for the pennies, my kids had fun looking for the machines.
Also in DHS they had "dog tags" that you can have engraved on the back. On the front there's everything from Mickey and the gang, princesses, even Perry (my ds loved that one) We put their 1st name, the year and 1st trip to FL. I think they were under $10

 

[moviefreak78]

These are great ideas! Does anyone do the pin trading? I just got some off of eBay and hope that the kids will enjoy that. But if not, at least I didn't pay too much for them to start out with.

 

[mom2jcg]

These are great ideas! Does anyone do the pin trading? I just got some off of eBay and hope that the kids will enjoy that. But if not, at least I didn't pay too much for them to start out with.

You are smart not to spend too much. A friend of mine spent a small fortune before her trip, only to find that her kids could not care less about it. Another friend's kids love it, but starting small sounds like a good idea to me.

 

[nhmommy]

I agree with the ornaments. I never get bored of them they have a place to stay all year and when they come out while decorating it's so much fun to reminisce about them. we get a new ornament nearly every time we buy any souvenir .
I also like beach towels.

 

[MacDalt]

Oh just realized I forgot my favorite souvenir! I love getting the leather snap bracelets that you can have your name engraved on (especially seeing as my name is never on anythingggg). You can also add a "charm", for example last time I got a mickey shaped head with "2012" in the center... I always get a new bracelet each time we go and wear it all the time. So for me it's a cool bracelet with my name, and also a constant memory of Disney! And in case you have no idea what bracelets I am talking about, there's a shop in Frontierland that does them, a place in Epcot...they have stands all around the parks.

Do u remember which shop? This sounds like something my DD15 would like.

 

[Sunnyday3]

I do the ornaments as well, and I always get a frame and put my favorite picture in it. I also get pencils for my boys to use when they go back to school in the fall - instant reminder! My soon to be kindergartener is so excited about this as it will be his first year with Disney pencils!

Each morning before we had to the park, my boys and I will pick one special ride that will be "our ride" (the rest daddy usually does with them as I am not a huge ride fan). After we go on it, we will pick out a pin that symbolizes our ride. By the end of our trip, they've gotten five or six new pins for their collection. I'll never forget going on Splash Mountain with my son and how I screamed the whole time. He had a blast and was so exicted to pick out the Splash Mountain pin. He still laughs about how mom was a wimp. Ahh, the memories.

 

[melissarose]

i didn't read all the posts so i'm not sure if this has been mentioned yet! but this time i got a quilt from my resort gift shop (POR). i saw it in another store, i just can't remember where - maybe world of disney? anyways, it's beige and white and navy blue and it has a bunch of patches with mickey mouse and the castle and it says property of disney theme parks in one square. it's really cute and a practical souvenir. it's something i use all the time now and it's nice and not so overtly disney lol. i love it!!

 

[andi220]

I have two daughters. On our first trip down I purchased each of them a charm necklace and 3 charms of their choice. Every trip since they get a new charm!

 

[Mom2Ben02]

I bought two Mickey ear hat ornaments - one Mickey, one Princess - but I have them hanging from my rearview mirror. They are not Christmas-y at all.

 

[Sunnyday3]

I have two daughters. On our first trip down I purchased each of them a charm necklace and 3 charms of their choice. Every trip since they get a new charm!

Awesome idea! I'm going to start this for my one year old girl!

 

[WDWsweetsixteengirl]

I love the Disney charm bracelets. Every trip I buy more charms for the bracelet. They're good memories. I have charms on my bracelet from all four of my disney trips and they bring back fun memories. They're also fairly cheap

 

[Minnie404]

Where do you get the charm bracelets and charms. That sounds like a great idea for me and my daughter.. ;-)

 

[blakrose9999]

I always get an ornament (actually get one on non disney trips too got the idea from another couple in the gift shop on our honeymoon)
We also do photopass and buy 1 new frame, plus i get a pin from our resort (been trying a different resort each time) and a pin for any special event we are there for (last time got f&w and mnsshp)
I also bring pens back for the people i work with