A visit to the Disney Parks is many things, but cheap is not among them. It can cost a sizable chunk of one’s paycheck to plan a trip to Disney, taking into account the lodging, the park admission, the food, and the transportation to the property.
And then, of course, there’s the hardest-to-justify yet most-important-of-all expenses: souvenirs.
Disney souvenirs are a class unto themselves for shopping addicts. There are entire warehouses filled with collectible Disney merchandise — much of it unique to the Disney Parks. For fans, it’s impossible not to find something worth collecting.
But while Disney has managed to corner the market on ornaments shaped like Mickey Mouse and tie-dye t-shirts with the current year stamped on the front, they’re still missing a large chunk of memorabilia that collectors and regular park guests would love.
Here are a few examples of the kinds of souvenirs Disney should offer more of:
Resort-specific Merchandise
Image: aloha75, Flickr (license)
The dark ages of resort-specific merchandise are in the past, yes, but that still doesn’t mean we’re in a full-on renaissance.
There was once a time when each resort not only had its own unique souvenirs you could take home, but they all were remarkably different in their aesthetics and concepts. The Caribbean Beach Resort’s collectibles looked nothing like the Contemporary Resort’s. They all had unique styles, color palates, and even kinds of items.
Then, beginning with the 2001 recession and lasting for well over a decade, Disney began phasing that level of uniqueness out. Instead, the company opted for a more homogenous collectible line, mostly bereft of unique resort merch. Now, these unique items are returning, but they broadly follow established templates that make it easier to Disney to produce at scale.
That’s a shame, really. Having unique merch to buy from each resort heightens the special experience of staying at one instead of the other. It helps guests feel more connected to their resort, and makes it more likely they’ll return. And, ultimately, it’s just super cool.
Art
Image: lorenjavier, Flickr (license)
In the last 10 years, Disney has done a fantastic job expanding and broadening the artwork it sells within its parks. Not only does Disney produce its own prints and sculptures and collectables, but it has begun offering gallery space and residencies to artists that showcase Disney’s characters and attractions in new and unique ways.
The Wonderground Gallery out in Disneyland, and its miniature spinoff at Disney Springs’ Marketplace Co-op, has been at the forefront of this movement. However, Disney hasn’t gone far enough.
While the art for sale is all great, it tends to fit a similar aesthetic and feel — very playful, but ultimately somewhat juvenile. That’s understandable — Disney is a family park, after all — but in commissioning artwork that all looks broadly the same, Disney is leaving behind a differentiation that could potentially broaden the audience for this incredible art.
Not that we don’t all love Hipster Mickey.
Fashion T-shirts
Image: aloha75, Flickr (license)
Disney’s boutique Twenty-Eight and Main brand has been an absolute boon to anyone wanting to wear fashionable graphic tees that are modern and nice. For too long, Disney shirts were playful and fun, but were somewhat ostentatious for wearing out in daily life. Now, thankfully, we have more choices than ever before.
But, while Twenty-Eight and Main is an unmitigated success, its status as a boutique subbrand for Disney has meant that its shirts are a bit more expensive than your usual Disney shirt.
This is in large part due to the premium fabric these shirts are made with, yes, but Disney could potentially compose similar designs for another line of more budget-friendly fashion shirts, as well as a women’s version that offers the same reference-heavy vibe of Twenty-Eight and Main, but in a more fitting pattern.
Subtle Disney Goods
Image: aloha75, Flickr (license)
Sometimes, sure, you want everyone to know that you just got back from the Vacation Kingdom. Other times, you want to sport something a bit more low key. Disney is still lacking in this regard, choosing to emphasize more of the brash and garish designs than the more subtle ones.
Whether it’s Haunted Mansion themed button downs, Polynesian Village Resort sweatshirts, or Flight of Passage messenger bags, the best Disney souvenirs are often the ones you get to explain to other people. Again, Twenty-Eight and Main has done a great job with this, offering backpacks and coasters and tumblers, but Disney should expand the concept into its broader product line.
Look at those Orange Bird homegoods in the photo above. If you know who Orange Bird is, they’re charming odes to a great character of Walt Disney World history. If you don’t know who Orange Bird is, they’re still wonderful 70s-themed designs that look at home anywhere.
Extinct Attraction Merch and Reproductions
Image: Ilkka Jukarainen, Flickr (license)
One of the great truths of humanity is that while we may not always appreciate something while it’s here, we’ll honor the heck out of it once it’s gone. While that’s true of many things, it’s especially true of Disney attractions.
Horizons, for example, was essentially a walk-on attraction toward the end of its life. And yet, after it closed down, it became an iconic symbol of Epcot’s golden age.
People love to remember things from their youth, and moreover, people love to honor things that no longer exist. Disney, for some reason, tends to be pretty cagey about selling merch for extinct attractions. But they needn’t be, because a proper investment in these kinds of souvenirs would pay back dividends. Who wouldn’t want a Journey into Imagination hoodie? Or a Delta DreamFlight t-shirt? Or a Catastrophe Canyon backpack?
But beyond simply making souvenirs that reference Disney attractions of yore, the company could also reproduce merchandise that no longer is sold in the Parks. Maybe reissuing retro Epcot t-shirts, or having a limited edition run of old-style pouches.
Ultimately, Disney’s souvenirs are an insane profit center for the company, built on vacationer’s love of both memory and whimsy. There’s room to experiment a bit. And, because they have a built in network of collectors, the potential benefits are quite high.
Plus, wouldn’t you want a sweet modern Horizons t-shirt?
