Minnie Moms: Must-Buys at WDW Part 2

Thanks for joining us for part 2 as the Minnie Moms discuss items we just can't walk away from at Walt Disney World.




Kelly:

*I always buy a mug at the Grand Floridian Resort & Spa if there is a new one out. I have several now and always look forward to getting a new one.

*Something Star Wars for my sons, they are 11 and 6 and LOVE Star Wars especially the bad guys.

*Wonka bars, mickey gummies, rice krispy treats, and other assorted snacks that the kids love, yes I love them to but they really are for the kids.

*A photo album for my family pictures to go in.

*I buy my husband a Disney polo shirt that he can wear to work in the spring and summer.

*I buy my Mom some the Grapefruit products they sell at the Spa at the Grand Floridian. They smell great and she really likes them.

*I like to get my Dad a treat from the shops in Epcot, there is some really great stuff in Italy, Japan, and China. I love those little black shoes in China with the red roses on them they are so cute (not for Dad.)

*I always buy autograph books, stickers, and little treats to give clients as gifts for booking there vacations with Travel with the Magic. I try to get over to the Disney outlet but that does not always happen.

Janine: We have pretty decent Disney Stores over here in the UK. And as in the US, there are plenty of other shops (I'm thinking of places likes Asda, Walmart, Toys R Us etc.) that sell Disney merchandise. And of course there is eBay. But there is nowhere quite like WDW to actually do your Disney shopping.

Maybe because we live so far away, and we treat every trip as if we won't be coming back for some time (and of course the fact that when the pound is strong against the dollar, we can afford to go a little crazy) but when we shop at WDW, well, we do it in style!

Those deals you see, where if you spend $50, you can get a watch, or a tote, or a throw for $10? Never a problem for us, we can spend that in just ONE store easily.

So what are our MUST buys?

For gifts, I believe you can never go wrong with a nice mug. They're packaged so well too and you know they won't break. We also always stock up on tea, coffee and candy for our family. Keychains are cute and inexpensive and if I'm running out of room I always get a few magic towels. There's always at least someone in the family who gets a plush toy too. One year DHs secretary wanted a Heffalump. That took a while to locate but we finally found one in Pooh Corner in Downtown Disney. I also think coasters make a great lightweight and inexpensive gift. We've got several sets at home, all less than $10. And for a really special gift, you can't go wrong with an ornament from one of the Christmas shops, I love seeing the figures on my in-laws tree and knowing we bought them as a thank you gift.

So what is a MUST have for us?

Well, DH collects baseballs. Most of the ride themed stores carry a baseball and he usually gets around 10 per trip. The best one he ever got (and I've never seen since) was from the Tower of Terror in 2001. It glows in the dark!

I collect pins so I have to get lots of these, I like the individual ones but I also really like the surprise packs.

We always buy clothes from WDW too. Although they can be quite expensive, around $40 to $50 for some of our hoodies, they are unique and we always smile at home when we wear them. I have the complete collection of Tink loungewear from 2008/9 and we got some lovely tees in Animal Kingdom. Our best ever Disney apparel purchase though actually came from a Disney outlet shop. It was a typical Floridian day. That is it was boiling when we left the villa but pouring with rain by the time we got to the shops. Of course we headed straight to the Disney store and amazingly they had 2 windbreakers for only $20 each, originally $50!!! We were so pleased, they're super comfy, lightweight and waterproof, they've come on every holiday we've had since.

We also always get holiday ornaments for ourselves too. I have most of the Canadian collection, you know the ones, where Mickey and Minnie are wearing checked shirts? Just love it, so cute!

But I think our favourite MUST haves are the photopass photos, especially the ones with a little surprise added, and our Disney artwork. We have 4 beautiful prints by Larry Dotson and 3 of them he has written on a personal message to us. Little things like that just add so much to the memories, and it's wonderful to glance at them when we're at home, so many miles away from The Mouse, and able to get a sense of the magic.




Thanks to our Minnie Moms for sharing such helpful tips! If you have a question for us or a topic you'd like us to cover, please leave a comment or email Amy. 


Please check the Minnie Moms page for our past articles and more information about these fabulous ladies.