Let’s be honest; We all want to take our families on the trip of a lifetime without breaking the bank. If you have children, bringing them to Walt Disney World can cost quite a bit. We know how small they are, every store has the “one toy” they want. But it is impossible to buy everything. Here are some tips to help you save money when buying souvenirs without having to skimp on anything.

-Buy Disney items at a local Disney store, websites like eBay and Amazon, a Disney online store, or another Disney merchandise seller without your kids knowing. Pack them in your suitcases when you go to Walt Disney World. Then each day surprise your kids with a new Disney themed toy. They’ll never know you didn’t buy them at Walt Disney World and they’ll even stop pestering you to go to Walt Disney World stores and pay double for the same or similar item. Another advantage of this is that you already know how much suitcase space you will need, there will be no surprises when it is time to pack up and go home.

-You can purchase Disney Dollars Gold reloadable Disney gift cards at your local Disney store or online. Add them to your kids/family wish list for birthdays and other holiday gift giving. It adds up quickly, and it also teaches kids how to manage their own money. Disney Dollars are fun because each year the characters on each dollar change. If you are planning a trip in a few years, you can make a fun game out of collecting all the different characters. They come in $1, $5, $10, and $20 bills. They can be redeemed at all Disney and Walt Disney World stores. Gift cards are great because you don’t have to hold on to “cash”, you can add money to your gift card at any time. They are easy to follow and can be redeemed at all Disney Stores and Walt Disney World.

-Kids love to play games. Sit down with your children ahead of time and make a list of a few items they want to take home from Walt Disney World. Take that list and turn it into a “Walt Disney World Scavenger Hunt.” Your kids will be so busy finding the items on their list and checking them off that they most likely won’t notice the other things in the stores. If your kids stick to the scavenger hunt item list, maybe they’ll be given a special treat.

-Pressed pennies. Collect one from each theme park and add it to your scrapbooks. Remember to take a photo of the making of the penny and on the back of your photo write about your favorite part of that theme park.

-Postcards are always a fun and inexpensive souvenir to collect. Use your postcards to collect the signatures of your favorite characters. An original idea would be to buy a postcard for each of the family members on the trip with you. Write down your favorite moment shared with them on your Disney vacation and mail it home. Have each member of your family do the same. Don’t look at what each person wrote. When you get home there will be a pleasant surprise waiting for you.

-Remember that most restaurants at Disney World give children their drinks in plastic cups. They are free and fun. They are also useful to have around your hotel room. Try to collect as many as you can. TIP: Even when you order a glass of water from the menu, you get a free plastic cup at most places.

-If you are a person who loves to scrapbook it is very easy to get free and cheap souvenirs. Napkins, bottle wrappers, photographs, the wrappers for soaps and items that come with your hotel rooms, deflated balloons, baggage claim tickets, room keys, brochures for your hotel and theme parks, receipts, tickets for parking, there are basically endless little things. throughout Walt Disney World that are free and most people throw them away. The sad thing is, more often than not, your room key is more memorable than the expensive key chain you use for a year and then throw away.

-Mickey’s Mart. This is a store located in Downtown Disney. Everything in this store is $10.00 and under. They have items of the week and also offer surprise bags for $6.99. You can find a great deal if you have a certain item in mind.

-The best tip for saving money when buying souvenirs at Walt Disney World is to be cautious. It’s so easy to fall in love with Disney when you’re visiting and want to take it all home with you. Everything looks fun and cute when you’re there and it’s easy to think you need it all. When making a purchase, ask yourself if it is something that will truly make a great keepsake piece and last for years or if it is something that will end up in the back of a closet and eventually get thrown away. You can have the vacation of a lifetime without paying through the nose for it. Create a reasonable budget and stick to it. When your vacation is over, you’ll be glad you did.