We are not a very material family. So much so that my eldest daughter spends a lot of time telling us all of the ways in which we are not “normal.” We have an ancient, box of a television set that was my husband’s during his bachelor days. I refuse to buy individually packaged lunchbox items, insisting instead to buy in bulk and fill up our cute, reusable, stainless steel containers. Toys and such are for birthdays and holidays, not to be purchased on a whim. And I’m a bit obsessive about hand-me-downs and consignment shops. My daughters tell me I’m weird. I prefer thrifty.
Frugality aside, my love for Disney travel sometimes makes it difficult to maintain these ideals. And, quite frankly, it’s a vacation–what better time to cast aside the Depression Mentality that pervades our daily life than during a stroll through the Main Street Emporium or a visit to Goofy’s Candy Company?
Because Disney tempts us with all sorts of goodies and treats during our vacation (I myself can’t wait to buy my new Mickey and Minnie Vera Bradley bag this summer!) and because kids have a difficult time resisting those temptations, we try to simplify things for them by giving them an allowance of Disney Dollars upon our arrival. It’s a great way for us to avoid being asked repeatedly to buy things during our trip and it is far more magical than simply giving each kid twenty bucks to spend.
Never heard of Disney Dollars? First, a bit of history. Disney dollars were first introduced back in 1987 when a silhouette cutter at Disneyland by the name of Harry Brice wanted to create a souvenir that could be found in the Disney parks and could become a collector’s item. What followed was the printing of a batch of currency that could be exchanged for the equivalent dollar amount and could be spent in lieu of real money within the Disney parks or held onto as a keepsake. 870,000 bills were produced in an initial printing and were marked as either ‘A’ series for Disneyland’s home in Anaheim, California or ‘D’ for Disney World in Florida. The response was so positive that Disney has been printing new bills each year ever since.
There are a few different ways to purchase Disney Dollars for your vacation. One of these is by mail through Walt Disney World ticketing. With this option, you may use a credit card to purchase up to $50 Disney Dollars per transaction. Each transaction is subject to a $15 shipping charge as Disney will not ship more than $50 Disney dollars in a single shipment. The number is 407-566-4985. This is the number to use for advance purchase of Disney dollars for either Disneyland or Disney World. You can also purchase Disney Dollars on Disney property. At Disneyland, Disney Dollars can be found at City Hall in Disneyland, at the theme park ticket booths, or in each of the three resort hotels’ gift shops. At Disney World, the dollars can be found at Guest Relations at any of the theme parks and water parks, and at the front desk or concierge desk at any of the resort hotels. I like to purchase them in advance and add them to the little “Mickey’s Surprise” package that I sneak into our hotel room upon arrival with a Welcome to Disney World letter for my girls. Another idea is to get them in advance and dole them out at home before your trip as you would with regular allowance, in exchange for extra chores, or as a way to honor something special your child has done. It’s also a fantastic way to help kids get excited for an upcoming trip–not that they usually need any help with this!
Disney Dollars are available in denominations of $1, $5, and $10 and each bill is printed with a different character’s picture. All of the bills are signed by Scrooge McDuck, as they have been since their inception back in 1987.
Treating your kids to an allowance of Disney Dollars is a great way to give them a sense of independence with their souvenir purchases during your Disney vacation and helps them to set limits with their spending. And, kids tend to recognize the value of a dollar a lot faster when it is coming out of their own pockets!
What are some of the ways you help your kids to manage their expectations and desires when it comes to souvenir shopping on a Disney vacation? I’d love to hear your ideas!
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