Finding legitimate discounts on Disney merchandise can sometimes feel impossible. With overpriced resellers and the occasional fake product, scoring good deals on items is no easy task. Before falling into a potential scam, or just giving up altogether, check out these locations where you can find legit Disney products at a reasonable price.
Member Discounts
Member discounts work in nearly every location around the Walt Disney World Resort, and may include things like Disney Vacation Club members, annual passholders, Disney Visa card members and more. Before embarking on a visit to the resort, know what discounts are available to you. And while using these discounts, be sure that the person purchasing the item is the person with the discount.
If you have an annual pass for instance, you will need to show a photo ID with the pass, and you must purchase the products, not your friend or family member. If you want purchase an item for a friend, purchase it yourself and figure out the repayment after the fact, as cast members must take the payment from the person with the ID.
In addition to your usual member discounts, keep up with promotions that may be offered. For a limited time during the 45th Anniversary of Walt Disney World for instance, annual passholders have been able to enjoy 20% off merchandise in the parks instead of the usual discount of 10%.
Shop Disney Parks App
Image: Disney
It doesn’t happen often, but when it happens it can result in great deals. Occasionally the homepage of the Shop Disney Parks App may show promotions where items are marked down in price, or when there are deals when multiple items are purchased together. These discounts happen rather sporadically, so if you are looking for specific merchandise it may not be the best way to go. But if you are just looking for a way to splurge on some shopping, it is never a bad idea to check the app first.
Disney Merchandise Stores
Even more rare than sales on the Shop Disney Parks App are sales within the theme parks themselves. When items do go on sale at Walt Disney World, they are not often noticeably marked in a clearance section or by other means that you may see in most stores. Instead, the items will have a price tag with a red outline around the price stuck onto the item’s barcode. Though not necessarily common, the easiest sale items to find like this are costume jewelry and keychains. If you have the patience to sift through the key chain towers, you may find a great deal!
Disney Store/DisneyStore.com
Image: Disney
Most Disney Stores (and the website) have a sale section. For an even deeper discount however, hold off on shopping until the Twice Upon a Year Sale. The deepest discounts will be after the winter holidays during this sale, however items go on and off sale throughout the year. To get all of the updates for upcoming sales, join the Disney Store’s mailing list.
Character Warehouse
Image: Disney
The Character Warehouse is located in the Orlando Premium Outlets, meaning the one downside of shopping here is that it is outside of Disney property. If you have a car, or do not mind otherwise paying to get to the outlets you may find substantial savings by doing your souvenir shopping there. Like most discount shops, the products sold are hit or miss—you may find the t-shirt you wanted to purchase during your last trip but didn’t, or you may find a hat for a Disney cruise you haven’t been on. Chances are if you are a Disney fan who likes to shop you’ll find something there, just know in advance that it may not be the same products currently sold in the parks as they are typically from last season.
Cast Member-Exclusive Shopping
Another legitimate Disney merchandise discount comes at the cost of working for the company. If you are planning on becoming a cast member, you will be pleased to learn that there are exclusive backstage shopping areas just for cast members that offer the best discounts to be had on legitimate Disney merchandise. Without becoming a cast member (or having a close friend or family member who is a cast member) you would not be able to access these shops as they are not open to the public.
eBay/Amazon
Image: Brittany DiCologero
eBay can be the shopper’s paradise or the shopper’s worst nightmare. On the one hand, eBay can be a great place to find deals on items you forgot to purchase during your trip. Some guests even swear by eBay when stocking up in pins to use for trading in the parks. But buyer beware: While you can find some great deals on eBay, be careful not to fall into a scam. Some items on eBay are intentionally bought up and sold by resellers, who buy bulk quantities of items in the parks and sell them for double or triple their value online thereby ripping off customers. Other concerns you may want to consider when shopping eBay (especially for trading pins) is that you may end up with counterfeit items.
Wal-Mart, Target, Costco, Primark, etc…
Image: Disney
Disney has lines of merchandise in various chain department stores. The quality may not be the same as a similar item would be in the park, but at Wal-Mart prices it is usually fair. Anything with a Disney tag at these locations is an authentic Disney item, albeit specifically designed for sale in non-Disney stores. You can occasionally also find deals on Disney gift cards at various department stores, and the Disney gift cards could later be used to purchase items in the parks.
Secondhand Market
The secondhand market can be an excellent place to shop for Disney products, particularly if you are looking to track down older and difficult to find items. Yard sales, thrift stores, flea markets, and sometimes eBay, along with Theme Park Connection if you are local to Orlando, often have legit Disney merchandise with a high markdown. Of course, the same problems that exist with eBay could easily exist anywhere else on the secondhand market, but being able to view items in person before purchasing can make all the difference.
Have you had success shopping for discounted Disney merchandise? Let us know in the comments!
