Merchandise: collections & traditions

[Ohboy!]

This summer I'm taking my son to wdw for the first time. We're going to get him some classic mouse ears, but I was thinking it'd be fun to start him on a collection as well. I'm looking for something I could get him that we/he could get every trip. So, any suggestions?

In an effort to not make this all about me, let's open the floor. What do you collect or always buy out of tradition when you go to wdw?

 

[wm49rs]

How old is your son?

We don't have anything in particular we like to collect. I'll pick up the occasional coffee cup (especially if we stay on-site), while my daughter may get a snow globe or two. But neither my wife or my son purchase anything with the intent of adding to a collection.

 

[forevermickey]

Boys maybe a little more difficult than girls.... probably because I have a girl, haha.
She is 5, she is going on her 4th trip this Sept.
She loves Minnie.. we have a collection of different small themed Minnie's
( Safari, Disco, princess) her and I collect pins as well....
she has a collection of autograph books from each year
She collects stickers from each location we are ... the Cm's usually give them out for free


Enjoy your magical trip with your son

 

[mickeysshoes]

I always get a new magnet with the year on it for the frig and a cool pen!!!

 

[Pioneer Hall]

I collect pins...a lot of pins. While expensive, I do enjoy the hobby. There are a lot of kids who participate on a lower scale by purcahsing a starter kit and trading with CM's. If your son starts wanting more though it can definitely get costly.

 

[rodserling27]

Pins are a good choice, though as DisneyInsider said, it can get quite expensive.
I collect CDs (and old LPs and 45s as well) from the Disney Parks, particularly from WDW. They've got plenty of CDs around the parks, you could get a different one each time. You could always start a collection of shirts, I dont' know, maybe a shirt that says the year on it. The only problem with clothing is that it eventually does wear out and deteriorate. I collect FastPasses, I try to have at least two unused FastPasses at the end of each trip. I also collect antenna toppers for my car, I have quite the collection of antenna toppers of all shapes and sizes.

Oh, how about Christmas ornaments? My mom buys a few new ones every time she goes, including ones that just say "Walt Disney World [Insert Year Here]." That could be something nice, then you could always be reminded of it come Christmas time!!

 

[stratman50th]

Antenna toppers made me laugh! I have picked up a few because I like them and they were fun to put on the car. I have three cars in the family now and none of them have antennas!

My daughter collected snow globes. A boy could collect those I guess. Refrigerator magnets sounds like a great idea. They're pretty gender neutral and there's lots to choose from. We get one every year.

My wife collects Christmas ornaments, or used to before they stopped making resort and year specific ornaments (Boo, bad Disney!)

When my daughter was young, she liked getting autographs. The problem was we would get home and the autograph book would get put away someplace and never come out again. We started letting her pick out her own baseball cap every year and instead of using an autograph book, she had the characters sign her hat. She loved it, the characters seemed to get a kick out of it, and she's 16 now and still wears her hats. You need to bring the sharpie though.

 

[NewfieFan]

My son loves and collects pins (he's only now 7). I don't mind the collection b/c it's relatively smalll and doesn't take up a lot of space at home. We now have a bulletin board in our homeschool room and he gets to display some of his favorites on that. So, you could always hang up in cork board in his room (or anywhere in the house) and let him display some pins, pics, or postcards.

My son also loves to collect the pressed pennies found around the resort. This is also a relatively small collection to keep in the house. And Disney is usually adding new ones.

 

[forevermickey]

Pins are a good choice, though as DisneyInsider said, it can get quite expensive.
I collect CDs (and old LPs and 45s as well) from the Disney Parks, particularly from WDW. They've got plenty of CDs around the parks, you could get a different one each time. You could always start a collection of shirts, I dont' know, maybe a shirt that says the year on it. The only problem with clothing is that it eventually does wear out and deteriorate. I collect FastPasses, I try to have at least two unused FastPasses at the end of each trip. I also collect antenna toppers for my car, I have quite the collection of antenna toppers of all shapes and sizes.

Oh, how about Christmas ornaments? My mom buys a few new ones every time she goes, including ones that just say "Walt Disney World [Insert Year Here]." That could be something nice, then you could always be reminded of it come Christmas time!!

Oh yes, great idea... I do that for my daughter as well..

 

[forevermickey]

My son loves and collects pins (he's only now 7). I don't mind the collection b/c it's relatively smalll and doesn't take up a lot of space at home. We now have a bulletin board in our homeschool room and he gets to display some of his favorites on that. So, you could always hang up in cork board in his room (or anywhere in the house) and let him display some pins, pics, or postcards.

My son also loves to collect the pressed pennies found around the resort. This is also a relatively small collection to keep in the house. And Disney is usually adding new ones.

My goodness I guess I forget all our collections! Great idea! Yes, we do pressed pennys as well ... we printed out a check off log of all the locations.. this is fun!:sohappy:

 

[Tiggerish]

My son loves and collects pins (he's only now 7). I don't mind the collection b/c it's relatively smalll and doesn't take up a lot of space at home. We now have a bulletin board in our homeschool room and he gets to display some of his favorites on that. So, you could always hang up in cork board in his room (or anywhere in the house) and let him display some pins, pics, or postcards.

My son also loves to collect the pressed pennies found around the resort. This is also a relatively small collection to keep in the house. And Disney is usually adding new ones.

Presssed pennies is a great idea for a collection. I have a few of them. Well, a little more than a few--enough that I can never remember which ones I have, so I haven't gotten any in a couple of years! :lol:

 

[Susan Savia]

When my kids were small they got a stuffed character each year we went. Still got them. But now when I go I buy a dated magnet for our fridge each year and a dated photo album.

 

[Ohboy!]

He's only a toddler now, so it's really a souvenir for later more than for now...something to look back on in the future as being from his first visit. I just thought it'd be neat if I could find something, preferably dated, that we could get him each time he went...get him started, then let him take over and pick out that trip's "item" for himself when he's older.

Christmas ornaments are a good idea, but that's me and my wife's thing. CDs are a neat idea, but I'm not sure how much longer they'll be a relevant enough platform to keep selling...Pins or magnets could work, they're not expensive and there's plenty to pick from. I may have to go that route.

 

[erasure fan1]

My daughter has done the pins & pressed pennies. Her new thing now is collecting some sort of unique souvenir from each of the countries in world showcase. Its usually 1 or 2 countries a trip. She also collects chopsticks as well so no matter what we have to pick up a set every year from China.

 

[onelivelygirl]

I actually collect Mickey ears. I keep them in my office and I am completely out of room. There are so many to choose from. New ears come out every season and they usually don't cost more than $17 each trip. (That includes having your name put on the back.)
I also buy a new pin each trip that reminds me of that particular vacation.

 

[Tiggerish]

I actually collect Mickey ears. I keep them in my office and I am completely out of room. There are so many to choose from. New ears come out every season and they usually don't cost more than $17 each trip. (That includes having your name put on the back.)
I also buy a new pin each trip that reminds me of that particular vacation.

Wow, can we convince you to post a picture of your office? I'd love to see that collection!

 

[Little Mermaid]

I have been collecting postcards--from everywhere I go--since I was 6. I keep them in photo pages in several binders grouped by state. It's so fun to go back and see all the places I've been as well as to see how those places (like WDW) have changed. Plus, they are usually inexpensive!

 

[plaz10]

I collect shot glasses now...and I only allow myself 1 from each Disney trip. But I don't think thats really appropriate for a toddler to collect. :lol:

When I was little...I loved the pressed pennies. I had a book of them (bought at Disney) and filled them up with pressed pennies from all over. We didn't have a print out list or anything - it was fun to find them in a shop when you went it. We didn't really hunt them down just more if they had one in the shop we'd get one. We loved it!

We also collected autographs (does that count?) from each character in an autograph book. We would buy new pens ever year.

My vote is for the pressed penny. Pretty cheap when compared to most Disney items and I was fascinated by the cranking of a wheel to press my penny into something cute. I think it's great for little kids.

 

[preludevtec01]

How about those stamped pennies? Those are kinda cool.

 

[Lisalyn]

I'm embarrassed to say but if I see it and like it and it's a decent price, I'm getting it :ROFLOL: The mainstay yearly collector item I get is the 2000 whatever coffee mug of choice...I just pick the one I like most. I also without fail buy myself a new Disney t shirt out of the gift shop at whatever resort I'm staying at....on a larger note I have old Disney comic books with Donald, pressed pennies, glasses, mugs, stamps with Walt on them that are 6 cent stamps, 1970's style candy dishes and plates, the infamous popcorn plastic "jugs", and every odd assorted Mickey Mouse figure I can find! Hopefully out of that disaster I just typed...something will catch your eye LOL