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Thread: More Mouse: Time is Money: Saving Time on Shopping in the World

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    More Mouse: Time is Money: Saving Time on Shopping in the World

    Time is Money: Saving Time on Shopping in the World by Margie Binder

    Margie Binder offers advice to save time shopping on your Walt Disney World vacation.

    Read it here!


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  3. #2

    I think it's important to mention that attractions souvenir are usually only available at the attraction store. On our first visit I wanted the Mickey Soarin' mug and thouht I would buy it Downtown Disney on our last day when we were leaving. Our park passes were expired by then since we were leaving and I realized I could not purchase that mug Downtown...I was really disapointed. Got it the next year!


  4. #3
    Quote Originally Posted by coronadoman View Post
    I think it's important to mention that attractions souvenir are usually only available at the attraction store. On our first visit I wanted the Mickey Soarin' mug and thouht I would buy it Downtown Disney on our last day when we were leaving. Our park passes were expired by then since we were leaving and I realized I could not purchase that mug Downtown...I was really disapointed. Got it the next year!
    Keep in mind that in situations like that, you can always call Walt Disney World Mail Order and have the item shipped to you at home. =) That may be a good option if you're not sure the item will still be available on your next trip.


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  5. #4

    I never make a point of shopping unless I have free time and there is plenty of free time. The expectations that you set is NO SHOPPING since you already have plenty of souvenirs at home. Don't tell me you don't already have lots of Disney merchandise. I know I do.

    I have 3 opportunities to shop while on a trip. In the beginning to get needed supplies like water and food. In the middle to replenish my water and get some snacks. In the end when waiting for the plane. There are also lots of quicky shopping opportunities when going on rides and such, but they are really for browsing.

    I think its funny that you have a system where you let your kids handle their allowance money and you give them an extra $20. If they do have to go beyond $50, how is that "unlimited"? When I spend hardly any money on souvenirs, anything might seem like unlimited, but usually it means spending something.

    Orlando has lots of outlet stores. I do make a trip to them to get needed clothing and necessities. I can easily spend $200 for the entire family. I suppose this doesn't count as souvenir shopping. It should be pointed out that many of these outlet stores might sell Disney items at reduced cost. There might even be a Disney outlet store that sells outdated merchandise. I highly advise you to check them out.


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    Buying souvenirs no longer interests me. I will buy an occasional new sweat shirt that says WDW or DL, but other than that I haven't bought anything in several years. I used to like resort specific clothing, but much of that is gone now.

    John

  7. #6

    I think browsing and shopping is part of the fun. My son does too. He saved his allowance money and the money he gets from neighbors for caring for their chickens when they're on vacation for months before our trip in May. I gave him a gift card for Valentine's Day too, and my sister sent him a gift card as an early birthday present. He had about $150 when we arrived. I told him that I had to approve any purchase, but overall he made very good choices. And it was a good lesson for him to learn to save money for a specific trip. He spent part of his money to purchase a gift for me and a gift for my husband, but he also got several nice keepsakes that will remind him of our special trip.


  8. #7

    More Mouse: Time is Money: Saving Time on Shopping in the World

    Just a note on the Character Warehouse. I've never been to the one near Orlando, but have been to the ones in Fullerton and Las Vegas often. I know those are now "The Character Spot" and are no longer Disney specific (per promotional emails I've received).

    When I was at the one in Las Vegas about a month ago, the quality of the merchandise had gone down. There were other characters (my dad bought a Spongebob nightlight), but a lot of the Disney stuff was no longer Parks merchandise but was general licensed Disney stuff. There was still Parks merchandise, but the average t shirt on a rack was a Disney shirt, not a Disney Parks shirt.

    Again, I am not sure if this is the same in Florida, but I definitely felt like this store was not the great value and fun experience that is used to be.


  9. #8

    It's been a little while since I've been to the outlets in Orlando too, but keep in mind that the outlets at Prime Outlets (near Universal) and Orlando Premium outlets (near Downtown Disney) are operated by Disney, where the former Disney's Character Warehouses in Fullerton and Las Vegas are operated by a third party. That makes it less likely that the Orlando outlets will carry non-Parks stuff, but it also means you have to be careful what you buy there, because both locations have been known to sell merchandise for the same price you'd pay on property.

    Just to go off on a tangent here: I wonder if AMS (the operator of the California outlets) is re-tooling their merchandise selection because Disney's holding back to set up their own outlet operation in California, or take to advantage of the Disney Store outlets to unload Parks merchandise (Disney Store has an outlet about 2 hours away from the DLR parks, at the Camarillo Premium Outlets in Ventura County). I've noticed the lack of Parks mechandise that makes it to the AMS outlets, but there always seems to be plenty of it at Company D (the outlet for DLR cast members) in Anaheim. Considering everything else about Parks merch is run based on how Orlando wants it done, it's not hard to imagine that Orlando would prefer that outlet shopping for Disneyland also be run in-house...


  10. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by schnebs View Post
    It's been a little while since I've been to the outlets in Orlando too, but keep in mind that the outlets at Prime Outlets (near Universal) and Orlando Premium outlets (near Downtown Disney) are operated by Disney, where the former Disney's Character Warehouses in Fullerton and Las Vegas are operated by a third party. That makes it less likely that the Orlando outlets will carry non-Parks stuff, but it also means you have to be careful what you buy there, because both locations have been known to sell merchandise for the same price you'd pay on property.

    Just to go off on a tangent here: I wonder if AMS (the operator of the California outlets) is re-tooling their merchandise selection because Disney's holding back to set up their own outlet operation in California, or take to advantage of the Disney Store outlets to unload Parks merchandise (Disney Store has an outlet about 2 hours away from the DLR parks, at the Camarillo Premium Outlets in Ventura County). I've noticed the lack of Parks mechandise that makes it to the AMS outlets, but there always seems to be plenty of it at Company D (the outlet for DLR cast members) in Anaheim. Considering everything else about Parks merch is run based on how Orlando wants it done, it's not hard to imagine that Orlando would prefer that outlet shopping for Disneyland also be run in-house...
    I suspect that it's a little of column A, a little of column B, and a lot of column C - e-commerce. In years prior when a company found themselves with a large lot of unsold product, they would sell the bulk lots to consolidators (Big Lots, Odd Lots, Dollar General, Mars, etc.). (Heck I remember when there would be a voice over on local WWE [then-WWF] broadcasts announcing their semi-annual warehouse sales where they would mark down all the shirts and posters for the guys that had left the company.) Now companies just drop the price on their website to clearance levels and sell them out to the consumer directly. If it doesn't sell that way, then they'll go to the consolidation stores.

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