Taming the "I Wants" on a Disney World Vacation

So you have a trip to Walt Disney World planned and your kids are already starting on the "I wants." Try as they might, they have not been able to save up the hundreds of dollars they wanted and are now looking to you to supplement their spending money so they can bring home all the toys, clothes, candy and objects that catch their attention. And what's a parent to do? This is a once-in-a-lifetime family vacation...shouldn't your little darlings have everything that catches their eye? Won't their vacation experience be ruined if they can't have the physical memories they crave?

In a word, no.

Sure, Walt Disney World shopping is full of expensive items. A sweatshirt may be priced in the $50-60 range and most T-shirts are around $25-30. Plush toys are $15 and up and toys can reach into the stratosphere of hundreds of dollars. Flashing lights and sounds capture children's attention and the sights and sounds can bring the I Wants to a head. The merchandise can be found at the ends of rides, in each park, at the resorts and Downtown Disney is the host of the largest Disney Store in the world. So how is a parent to cope?

My husband and I are no different than most parents. We want our son to enjoy his vacations and wish we could indulge his whims. But in the end, it is not in our best interest financially or as parents. So over time, we have come up with a few tips that really help keep happiness and harmony, keep the magic of the vacation alive, and concluding with a happy and not spoiled child, and happy, indulgent and not broke parents.

The Digital Camera. My favorite tip for parental shopping on vacation is the digital camera. When your child sees something they want, large or small, take a photo of it. The idea is to keep track of everything they may want to take home and it becomes a great response to "I want that!". We say "let's take a photo and add it to your list!" and that generally settles the matter. In addition, he is able to scroll through later to see everything he wanted and may even see little things he forgot about. Make sure you set aside time for a shopping trip at the end of your vacation to pick up the item your child finally decides on. This is a trick we use for Christmas shopping as well. My husband and I can scroll through, point at things, and decide to make a purchase without our son overhearing anything.

The Disney Gift Card. Buying a gift card and using this as the keeper of the spending money is a convenient way to keep all your child's cash in one easy place. Put all the money they have earned for the trip here, and keep it with you room key when you are hitting the parks. Make sure they know exactly how much they can spend and use it as a teaching tool when they start longing for the toys and gifts they see. You'll see them starting to check price tags before deciding on the "I want" to see if they can afford the item. And often they will turn away because when they are spending their own money, they tend to be a bit more frugal. Make sure you take a photo of all the items that catch their interest with the price tags visible. At the end of the trip, they can "do the math" and see which items they want and what combination they can afford.

The little collections. There are many inexpensive things at Disney World that can also satisfy the need to own something during the trip. Encourage your child to search out the perfect Disney pin, the best Disney keychain or a postcard featuring their favorite ride or attraction. You can stop in the merchandise gift shops and peruse through the racks to find that one perfect item. Compare the pins to others they have seen to determine if this is the one to buy. See if this keychain is better than the one at the resort gift shop. Having them on the lookout for something they know they can buy at any time can help that need to shop.

The "freebies". Most Disney Cast Members carry Mickey stickers that they give out to guests frequently. Have your child bring an envelope or folder and see how many of the round stickers they can gather. These make great gifts for friends at home. Visit the Disney Vacation Club kiosks to find more stickers featuring the different DVC resorts with characters on them. Autographs are another collectible activity that doesn't cost anything. Bring a notebook from home and have your children collect character autographs. Get them to have Cast Members from other countries sign as well. Your child may end up with their name written in Chinese or Japanese! Take advantage of the Kidcot stations at Epcot to collect a mask with different ornaments. Animal Kingdom has its own version of Kid stations. Shuffle the attention from buying to collecting and see your children get absorbed in the magic!

Taming the "I Wants" on vacation can seem like an insurmountable goal, but by being prepared you can really keep the spoiled to a minimum and the fun to a maximum.