With the price of a Disney World vacation skyrocketing (literally, the charts are through the roof!), there is a need in the market for less expensive yet meaningful souvenirs!
So we walked around Disney World with the family and looked at budget items that will also do double duty as a souvenir.
There were a few items that didn’t make the list, mostly due to the fact that they didn’t last long. Like the 15 dollar pen that I had to exchange three times, the 25 dollar child’s coloring notebook that no longer zips close after one use, and the 35 dollar shirt that is so thin the seams are ripping (the 60 dollar sweater is still holding up though!)
Instead we’re looking at items under 10 dollars that will serve you well and hypothetically could last for many many years to come!
Want free stuff instead? We’ve got the list (with pictures!) of free things to get at Disney World!
Budget Friendly Disney World Souvenirs, how much money should you bring?
Technically, whatever you budget is ‘budget friendly’ but we picked items that are under 10 dollars.
Are there items under 20 and 30 dollars that make great souvenirs? YES! In fact, many items that I’d recommend are in the 20-40 dollar range, and having at least 50 dollars per person for souvenirs is a good idea.
prefer to buy things ahead of time? Check out this list of packing hacks which includes some budget friendly souvenir ideas!
Discount Disney Souvenir number one… the Reusable Bag
Price: small is 3, medium 4 and large is 5
Location: Inside the parks and at the Contemporary Resort
These are AWESOME quality, and so fun to get as a souvenir because you’ll get to reuse them time and time again! We loved buying these to carry out our goodies, and my aunt got so excited she purchased 2 of every size.
These are also great for wrapping up gifts or bringing your stuff with you inside the parks.
Not really budget friendly when you grab a bunch of them, but very economical when you consider that one or two bags will last you for years (my son still has his medium reusable lego bag we got at LEGOLAND years later… it’s almost haunting me at this point).
Light Up Drink Souvenir
Price: 8 dollars – comes with a drink
Location: Table Service Restaurants, check the kids menus
You’ll find these at many of the Table Service Sit Down Restaurants (and then some less durable ones at quick serve options). In the parks right now are Buzz Lightyear and Ariel from The Little Mermaid.
I prefer these over the other light up toys because they are cheaper, last longer, and you can replace the battery! Plus they are smaller and handheld and nobody gets whacked in the face.
Current pricing for light up toys starts at 12 dollars… so still pretty budget friendly, but these 12 dollar options are very small and hard to come by. The light up mermaid and mickey? those will run you 30 dollars, making this 8 dollar light up look mighty nice!
Pressed Pennies
Price: 1,3,5 or 8 dollars.
Location: All over the parks and resorts.
There’s a lot that’s changed with pressed pennies. Namely that they aren’t 51 cents anymore, and can cost several dollars depending on the machine and payment method used! I’ve outlined all the prices and tips (with pictures) So you know what to expect. It’s still a cheap option but it has changed!
Medallion
Price: 1 for $5, 2 for $10, 4 for $15
These medallions are popping up next to Penny Machines like weeds in a manicured lawn!
I’ve seen these before the closure at EPCOT, but now they are property wide! My kids are avid penny collectors and give me puppy dog eyes about these medallions now. So far, I’ve said no, but maybe you’d like these better than pennies as they won’t need a book, and won’t get lost as easily!
Photo booth pictures
Price: 3 strip copies for 6 dollars (images show up on photopass if you purchased that!)
The only place I’ve seen this photobooth was in Dinoland at Animal Kingdom (and it’s not on the digital map either!).
This photobooth connected with my photopass, so the images showed up on my phone (And you could purchase them there!)… but my kids loved the strips that printed out. My 6 and 4 year old were SHOCKED as they had never seen anything like it! I plan to do this everytime we go to Animal Kingdom now and keep my eyes out for others at the parks!
Disney World Patches
Price: 9.99
These are a fun retro throwback that have gained a lot of popularity! Plus they are fun to put up on boards, jackets, and bags. It has me feeling very nostalgic and I did grab one for my memory box to go with all my older patches!
Some of the Pin Options
Price 9.99
*some* but not all of the pins are under 10 dollars, and you could do a budget option and get a multipack. And, because Disney color codes their items instead of pricing them, this price could change at any moment.
I will discourage you from jumping at the eBay pin bags. Many of these are cheap knockoffs and people in the parks will not want to trade with you. It’s better to get a small starter set off eBay so you can trade in the parks with pins that are authentic.
Sticker Collection
Price: Free, but you could buy a notebook to put them in!
Since Character Signatures haven’t been an option for two years, we’ve reverted to collecting Stickers! There are so many unique ones, and themed ones, and elusive character ones… it’s almost like their cleaning out the sticker storage after all these years!
My kids have collected some incredible stickers in 2021, and we’re so excited to see what options we find in 2022! Each park has unique stickers, as well as many stores, and the resorts!
Some of the Magnets
Price 9.99
Like the Pins above, some of them are offered around the 10 dollar range, and others are much higher (20 dollar magnet anyone? no thanks!)
Magnets, like ornaments, are something that my family loves to collect at each place we go! A Disney World magnet is a great souvenir as it will literally last on your fridge for years and years to come!
Consider grabbing one with the date on it!
Random Items in EPCOT’s world showcase.
Price: Under 10
Many of the shops in the world showcase are owned or operated by places other than Disney… and the price reflects that! There are many many unique and interesting finds in this area that are under 10 dollars.
