Saving Money in Disney: Souvenir Edition

My family is one of those families that like to stay on a budget each time we go. We find so many ways to stay on the budget,since we go to Disney so much. Here are some things that my family has learned along the way.

 Saving money is something we like to do,not because we don't have the money,but because we can get more bang for our buck.

 Let's start with before you leave home. Before we leave home we always go shopping. I know it sounds silly,but we love Walmart,Target,Kmart ,Walgreens and the Dollar tree the best. They always have the best Disney related items! Target dollar spot usually always has the neatest little things like socks,pencils,pencil holders,lunch items,ect...ect!!!! We also love Dollar Tree, they have coloring books,crayons,sand toys,swim stuff,puzzles,pez,stickers ..all in Disney!! Places like Walmart and Target and even Kmart have Disney related clothing,which is perfect to wear while you are at the park.

 Now what do I do with all this stuff? What we try to do is not show the kids what we bought and leave the items as a surprise. We give them different items each day. The stuff from the Dollar Tree is great if you have a rainy day and you are stuck in your hotel room or waiting for a passing shower. The stickers are great,every kid loves stickers.

 One of my favorite money saving ideas come from the Dollar Tree..they are glow items!!!! Each night as it starts getting dark all the glow items make there appearance in the Disney parks. Trying to stick to our budget, glow items are too expensive for us,so we bring them from home and even share them with other kids who's parents don't buy them. Nothing is better than sharing some Disney magic. The tubes of glow sticks make bracelets or necklaces and now they also have wands.

 Another great souvenir is the pressed penny. I know ,its just a penny right? These are be great to take home and cherish for years to come. What we do is go to the bank and get fresh shiny new pennies and our regular quarters and fill coin rolls. This makes them easy to carry in your bag. Also,be sure to bring a small plastic baggy or buy a pressed penny collection book so as your are collecting them,they won't get lost.

 Did you know you can get a free souvenir? Just stop at City Hall,or the entrance to one of the parks,and ask for a free button. They have My First Visit, I'm Celebrating,Happy Anniversary,Happy Birthday,Just Engaged and Just Married. These are great pins to take home and collect.

 Some great free items you can take home are perfect for scrapbooking!!! Napkins,tickets,brochures,park maps,receipts,fast passes,ect!!! Best of all the items are free.

 Some other great take home souvenirs are: The plastic Mickey plates,they hold up on the top dishwasher rack, plastic refillable cups, popcorn buckets and post cards.

 Something my kids loved to do was get a Mr. Potato head in DTD. This is so much fun! You pick all the parts, whatever you can fit in the box,for around 20.00. Each year you go back and you can add to it.

 Another great souvenir is Disney Dollars. These dollars look just like real money,but instead of presidents, they have Disney characters on them. These are really neat to have.

 My last money saving tip is shop around. If you have a vehicle, head to International Dr. They have Orlando Prime Outlet mall with a Disney Outlet Store. Here you can get Disney merchandise for rock bottom prices. They have 3 diff locations!!! There is also a Walmart not far from the parks that carries autograph books, shirts, post cards and other Disney related items.

 So,if you are looking to save money on souvenirs, these are my best ideas I have found,along the way.....