Ask It Results: How Much Do You Spend on Souvenirs?

Going on vacation, it can be challenging to know how much to budget for souvenirs. Some trips, I have gone through all the stores at Walt Disney World and barely found anything I want to take home. Other times, I’m running the risk of tripping my credit card’s fraud alert for large purchases on Day 1. Many people shared similar views with last week’s Ask It:

How much per person, per week, do you spend on souvenirs?

With more than 1,600 votes, here’s your results:

$0-$50

For many people who voted in this band, the focus was mainly buying “souvenirs of necessity” (for instance, a sweatshirt if you come during a cold snap), or buying a practical souvenir for use back home, such as a coffee mug. Many parents stressed the importance of teaching kids early on to avoid “junk”. For me, I try to avoid buying clothing for kids at Disney outright, because the price is high for something that would be outgrown quickly. (That said, I love the Disney-themed clothing options at Uniqlo for both the price and the quality.) Probably my favorite inexpensive souvenir is a handful of pressed pennies and quarters (or the elusive pressed dimes) across the park.

$51-$100

Coming in just barely behind the first band (two votes to be exact), the $51-$100 band per person per week allows people to come home with some noteworthy purchases. What was surprising is that instead of a variety of small purchases, most people in this range said that they buy a few large items, such as a piece of artwork, or buy things to add to collections, like pins. (And yes, apparently salt and pepper shakers, which are highly collectible but still occasionally show up at the Outlets.)

$101-$200

Most of the people in this band mentioned that they didn’t have kids, and they also didn’t visit a Disney theme park every year or every other year. As a result, when they do travel, they like to splurge on things to tide them over until their next visit. With some of the shopping experiences open at Disney Springs, it is easy to buy some designer merchandise with a Disney twist and go through some serious cash. A couple Pandora charms, a Dooney & Bourke bag (whether “normal” releases or festival specials), or a pair of Mickey Mouse UGG boots can completely break one’s budget.

$201+

When it comes to money, you can’t take it with you when you go, right? At this level, it isn’t a case of how much you budget to spend. Instead, it’s a case of “I know what I like, and I’ll buy what I want.” (Some part of me likes to think there’s at least one house in Golden Oak that was sold on a whim as a souvenir impulse buy.) If you’re looking for high-price-tag souvenirs, there are plenty of places at Disney to oblige. My husband and I fit into this category on our honeymoon–our souvenir (and wedding present to ourselves) was to buy into DVC at Animal Kingdom Lodge. Truly, that’s the gift that keeps on giving. Thank goodness for financing!

So there you have this week’s results. Got any suggestions for souvenir bargain hunters? What’s the most outrageously priced thing that you’ve thought about purchasing (or just gasped at the price tag)? Let us know in the comments.

Next week’s Ask It is live on Twitter and here, and we can’t wait to hear more of your responses! Got a question you want asked, let us know in the comments!