Shopping at Disney World! I don't know about you, but I LOVE shopping at Disney World. My girls are are known for trying on the huge assortment of hats at Disney World. Our tradition is to take a Three Amigos picture at the Mexico pavilion every time we go.). (Although it kind of ruined it for me when some lady told us her son got lice trying on hats at Disney World....kinda takes the fun out of it...) There is nothing like purchasing a new ornament for your Christmas tree, or getting that sweatshirt that makes you look freakin' fantastic! Well, here are a few tips to help make shopping at Disney World a little less hectic!
1) Shop as the park closes! Since everyone will be rushing to the buses, I take my time and shop then. While everyone is standing in lines to get home, I'm purchasing that cute set of mugs I've always wanted.
2) Did you know you don't have to carry your purchases around with you all day? Unless it's your second to last day, you can have Disney deliver them to your resort for you! A word of caution, though....if you are going to want it right away, don't use this service. It can take up to 24 hours to get it at your resort. I typically use this service a lot!
3) Did you know you can also have them ship your items home? Well, you can! They will ship them right from point of purchase and it's not that expensive! (Probably a lot less than paying for extra baggage on a plane, and it will be wrapped really well!)
4) If you want your purchases for the next day, or don't want to wait 24 hours, you can have them deliver your purchases to the front of each park! Then just remember to pick them up as you head to your transportation back to the resort.
5) I pack a fold-able duffle bag in my suitcase to carry all of my purchases home if I don't want them shipped home. I have a magnificent duffle bag that collapses to about 12" x 12" x 1/2" and fits perfectly into my suitcase. I try to fly Southwest so that I can fly with 2 free bags! You could also just put a few things in another suitcase and send it under on your way to WDW too.
6) Don't want to even bother with packing or shipping? There is a handy little app for your phone, called Disney Parks. With this app, you can scan the code on the item you want to purchase, and then just purchase it directly through the app and have it shipped home! Isn't that great?!?! Of if you need 3 of a certain item, and there is only one at Epcot, you can check on the app to see if it's available at any other park or resort! I have also scanned something I liked, put it in my cart, and then ordered it once I got home. It's a wonderful thing!!
Our friend Stacy offered these additional tips:
I love shopping at the Mouse Gear shop in Epcot. They have a wide variety and typically it's not super crowded.
I also love shopping at Disney's Character Warehouse at Orlando International Premium Outlets. The selection is limited but the prices are great! A shirt on the Disney website was $36.95 but available at the outlet for $9.99!
I've scanned an item and when I discovered it wasn't available online, I knew I should purchase it before leaving the parks.
Annual passholders get discounts (at some locations) on purchases with their membership cards so always have it on hand, a MagicBand won't work as a membership ID."
So there you have it! Some wonderful shopping tips!
Have a Magical Day!
About the Author: Monica is the most experienced agent at Build A Better Mouse Trip, a travel agency specializing in Disney World and Orlando theme park vacations. Click here to read Monica's full bio.
