Finding a Unique Souvenir at Walt Disney World

When you think about shopping at Walt Disney World, do you immediately think of mouse ears and Mickey sweatshirts? Princess tiaras and coffee mugs? If so, then you are right to a certain extent. But Disney truly goes beyond the typical vacation souvenir and offers up surprising merchandise options. Whether you're looking for a unique gift or a typical souvenir, Disney has you covered. So what do you buy for the recipient who has everything and wants more than a Mickey Mouse T-shirt? Take a look beyond the basics and you'll find some real treasures.

Pearls. One of my absolute favorite Disney World souvenirs has nothing to do with Mickey Mouse and Disney, yet brings back wonderful memories of both. Located outside the swimming pool complex at Disney's Yacht and Beach Clubs is a pearl stand. While the cases feature pearl jewelry from the small and reasonable up to the large and expensive, the main draw is the collection of oysters. Guests can select the oyster of their choice and for a reasonable price the cast member will open the oyster and bring out the pearl or pearls. From there, the guest can either pocket the pearl or choose from any number of settings which include earrings, pendants, rings and more. The pearls could be medium to large and any color, including gold, pink, gray, black or ivory. The pearl my son selected for me is a lovely ivory color and my husband had it set for me in a gold ring. I have a lovely piece of jewelry that makes me think of our Disney vacation, the Beach Club where we stayed, and yet has no "Disney" to it. Picking a pearl is a personal and unique gift to bring home. You can also find places to do this in the Japan Pavilion in Epcot and at Downtown Disney.

Coffee. Located near the monorail station at the Polynesian Resort, guest will be lured in to the Kona Café by the heady smell of Kona coffee. The restaurant features a pressed pot of the delicious Hawaiian beverage and is the only place outside of Hawaii where Kona coffee is sold. Guests can purchase bags of pure Kona beans and ground coffee, as well as a Kona blend. For the coffee lovers on your list, this is a true gourmet treat!

Bath and Body. In Downtown Disney, guests can peruse the large supply of bath and body merchandise at Basin, where the unique soaps, lotions, bath bomb and salts can be hand selected to bring home. Rich scents and light fragrances are all available, and you can mix your own bath bombs and colored bath salts. Items for every budget are here and be sure to pick up a little something for yourself!

Unique Art. Browse through the shops of the Animal Kingdom Park and the Animal Kingdom Lodge's Zawadi Marketplace to search through all the unique African art and music. Statues of animals, bongos, and colorful animal print souvenirs are plentiful and can be found to suit any fancy. African masks and paintings are also available and can bring a bit of the savanna home with you.

World Showcase. Epcot's World Showcase is full of hidden treasures, both modest and elaborate. Guests can wander through the shops and bring home anything from French herbs and cookbooks to Oaxacan painted creatures from Mexico to thick hand knit sweaters from Norway and beautiful hand painted Hummel figurines in Germany. Clothing, foods, ornaments, wines, candy, home goods and more can be found in each pavilion. Finding exactly the right thing for your gift recipient may be hard here, only because there is so much to choose!

The Gift Shops. Don't forget to check out your resort gift shop for unique and fun souvenirs as well. At Wilderness Lodge, you can fill a bag with polished stones and choose from different soaps and cabin inspired decorations. The Caribbean Beach Resort sells coconut postcards where you can actually ship your message on a large genuine coconut. Each shop will feature plenty of traditional Disney merchandise, but will also focus on a few unique items that suit their own themes.

Shopping for that unique item on your Disney World vacation isn't as hard as it may initially seem. Sure, there is plenty to wade through when Mickey, Goofy and the princesses aren't what you're looking for. But search a bit longer and you may come away with a genuine and unique treasure to suit anyone's tastes!