Disney $ouvenirs

Once you get past the Park tickets, the lodgings and just getting to Orlando, next comes the multitudes of shops packed into as many square feet of Park as possible. While it's impossible to rate every single item in a continuous cycling of merchandise, there are some products which have been around for a few years and some which will always be offered.

Mickey ears are a classic souvenir and not exorbitantly priced in the scheme of things. In addition to the classic black cap of the Mickey Mouse Club, there are pink caps, blue caps and even multi-colored caps in children's sizes. There are the special ears for whatever promotion is currently being run. Currently, these are the rather pricey blue and silver light-up ears for A Year of a Million Dreams campaign. There are also groom and bride ears, Minnie Mouse ears and pirate themed ears. Basically, they have ears coming out of their ears. Name embroidery used to be free in the Magic Kingdom, but that is no longer true.

However, I've found that the best souvenirs are found in one of three places. Mouse Gear in Future World in Epcot, Mombasa Marketplace in Africa in Animal Kingdom and World of Disney in Downtown Disney. Especially, if you go during the fall off-season.

Mouse Gear and Mombasa Marketplace for whatever reason often have the coveted clearance items. These are marked with red price tags. Mostly these are products that are being phased out for newer ones. In the case of Mombasa Marketplace, I've often gotten shirts there at half price because the color or design didn't test well with park guests. That's not to say they are terrible shirts. Disney merely tested two shirt colors and planned on producing more of whatever color was preferred. Five to eight dollar shirts, however, test really well with me. Khaki can come home with me any time at that price. Occasionally, the Tomorrowland Arcade connected to Space Mountain, the Celebrity 5 and 10 at Hollywood Studios and the resort gift shops also have red tagged merchandise.

The World of Disney may not necessarily have a lot of clearance merchandise, but it does provide a good overview of nearly everything available in the Parks. It's a good place if you are the type that decides to wait and see what else there may be and then decide that you want to get an item after all. I usually wait just so I can use the 10% discount I get with my Disney Visa. But sometimes, it's a madhouse in there. You'd almost think people were being paid to take out the merchandise. It does have the largest selection of baby and toddler clothes.

The important thing about souvenirs to remember is that whatever you buy; you somehow have to bring it back home. So keep the size of your suitcases in mind, if you don't want to pay Disney to ship it home for you.