Disney on the brain

I'm sorry people, but I have Disney World on my brain and you have to suffer through it with me.

I wish I could convey how overwhelmed I'm feeling. I wasn't overwhelmed with the planning of this trip until I began digging around websites and guide books and realized that there are people who plan their Disney trips months (sometimes, years!) in advance. And, silly me... I thought we were going on vacation.

No. Apparently, we will be entering a world of sensory overload of lights, music and mayhem... accompanied by bleary eyed moms hoping to squeeze every last MAGICAL MOMENT of out Disney on behalf of their kids. Even, if it kills them.

There is a such thing as 'over-planning'. I'm nearly there. And, honestly, I'm not even half as prepared as some of the families we will be sharing our Magical Moment with. (I'm sure we will be called 'novices' more than once while we are there.)

I've had some great advice along the way. My good friend Leigh Ann and Cyndi both recommended purchasing souvenirs/trinkets ahead of time to avoid most of the costly park purchases and since I love a good deal, I thought I'd share my shopping experiences with you!

Walmart/Target:
I didn't realize how much Disney stuff was available until I began actually looking for it. I was able to buy each girl 2 "souvenir" t-shirts on sale for $3.00/each. I bought them each a Tinkerbell t-shirt and a Snow White t-shirt. They are nice quality t-shirts and hopefully will keep my kids from wanting a $20.00 t-shirt at the park.

Target had a lot of Disney stuff in their dollar spot section of the store. I bought them each a pair of Tinkerbell socks and a package of pens that have a cord to hang around your neck (for autographs!)

Disney Outlet Store:
I know not everyone has the privilege of living seven minute away from a Disney outlet store, but we do, and I took advantage of it.

I walked in on Monday and they were marking an entire section of Disney apparel for $2.99/each. I bought them each a short-sleeved hoodie (to wear at night when it cools down), a Sleeping Beauty shirt and a PJ dress. I also sucked it up and bought them each a set of Minnie Mouse ears. The ears were NOT on sale, but they were still only $7.50/each.

eBay:
I have read about the "Pin Trading" phenom that occurs at Disney and knew that my girls would want to be in on that action. After reading up on it and asking around, I discovered that each pin costs around $4-$10/each depending on style. I knew Randy would have a cow if the girls wanted to spend that kind of cash on a few pins, so I checked out eBay to see what I could purchase ahead of time. I found a seller in Florida who sells lots of 20 "official" Disney pins. I caught her auction as just the right time, because I was able to purchase all 20 pins for $16.00. (Later on that day, I checked her other auctions and the same lot of pins was selling for $25.00!) I also found a seller who was selling the lanyards that you attach the pins to (don't ask...) and I was able to pre-purchase them as well.

Craftiness:
And finally, I decided to make the girls' autograph books with my mad graphic skills and it turned out cute. I was able to personalize each page as well.

We'll have a souvenir budget for the girls once we arrive at the park, but I wanted to have some extra goodies for them as well. I think with a little pre-planning, it's not impossible to find a few key items that will make everyone's trip more enjoyable.