Welcome to the latest edition of The Magic, The Memories, and Merch! the longest running monthly look at the Disney Outlet Stores in Orlando. How long? Today marks the FOUR YEAR ANNIVERSARY! What started out as a simple $1 bet between Len Testa and Laurel Stewart to see if they could take a simple Florida blogger and turn him into a two time runDisney medal winner/PizzaMania champion, has transformed into what many would consider the 9th Wonder of the Modern World (in terms of “people wonder why he keeps writing it.”) The best rags-to-riches story this side of Cinderella, our monthly treks into Orlando’s Disney Outlet Stores have provided highs and lows (and then even more lows) in order to deliver you, Dear Reader, a glimpse into a world which very few have lived long enough to tell about. A sincere thank you to each and every one of you for taking the time to read this little article. Except Tom Bricker, of course.

Also, this year Burgan Fine Art™ has taken off, being called “the Zima of the art world.” In an unbelievable gesture, we have been swamped with “congratulations” sent to us in the form of comic strips. We can’t thank the artists enough for taking the time to honor to our humble blog, and you’ll find their tributes scattered throughout this post.

Enough jibber jabber! Who is ready to hit the Outlets? 

We have seen a couple of the Bambi-themed kitchen items in the past few months, and another one has shown up with this owl sugar bowl. I’m actually amazed that in 2017 when pretty much every single thing we eat or drink has an inordinate amount of sugar already put into it, people still feel the need to have sugar bowls. I guess it’s like Buddy the Elf explaining the four main food groups. Originally $16.99, reduced to $5.99.

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We’ll stay in the Disney kitchen with a Mickey Mouse themed sandwich keeper. Originally $9.95, now $3.99. You CLEARLY can’t put a hot dog and bun into this container, so that should finally end that debate.

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These two containers you can use to put flour, baking soda or whatever other items you use to make brownies. The larger one was originally $29.99 reduced to $19.99 and the Goofy themed one was $19.99 reduced to $9.99.

Love these retro-themed plates but they are really small. Each was originally $12.95, reduced to $4.99. I was this close to picking up the 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea one, but I’ve had my EPCOT plates for a couple months now and still haven’t used them. I guess they are when you want something to eat but aren’t actually hungry.

A $20 Disney Kitchen Bamboo Rolling Pin seems like something you would put on a gift registry to make one of your friends and family buy rather than something you’d actually pay for in a store.

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Cute Flower & Garden Festival coffee cup themed liked a pot. Originally $14.95, now $3.99.

I couldn’t find the reduced price for this fantastic California Screamin’ cup, but there’s no way it was selling for the originally $16.95 price. This was another one I tossed and turned on picking up but ending up passing. I love seeing more DCA items though, and hopefully we get all the Tower of Terror stuff from out there. (knock on wood)

This item more than likely also came from Cars Land out in DCA, a  hydroflask themed to Flo. Originally $16.90 (WHAAAAAAAAT?!), now $7.99.

Small Haunted Mansion sign. Originally $12.95, now $7.99. They might want to hang one of these out in front of the Outlets to better prepare people for the madness once they step through the door.

Haunted Mansion smart phone case. I can see people using those waterproof smart phone cases at the pool and water parks, but I personally have never seen people use a regular smart phone case. Originally $21.95, now $7.99.

These retro themed bags were pretty expensive. The larger one was originally $298, reduced to $124.99, while the smaller one was originally $108, and reduced to $49.99. If you ever “rope drop” the Outlets, one thing you see is the eBay pirates make a run for these.

Not exactly sure what this bag was for. I think it reminds me of Coronado Beach Resort. Got a “Mayan  Calendar” type vibe. Originally $34.95, now $19.99

I’ve seen this design before on shirts, and I think it’s just plain WEIRD. Originally $24.95, now $9.99

Star Wars Rogue One themed bags. If The Empire spent this much money on logos for their bases to give to their “Shoretroopers” I can only imagine what the Death Star cost. Bag was originally $70, now $41.99.

And here is a similar bag for the good guys. Same price.

I probably should have used a less distracting background for this one, but what you’re supposed to be looking at is the Star Wars pen set. How crazy is this. Even crazier is that it originally cost $14.95. Now it’s $4.99.

I really liked the old school feel of this Disney Cruise Line magnet. Reduced to $6.99.

Another retro-style DCL magnet. Also reduced to $6.99.

This was a small Disney Cruise Line ceramic dish. Originally $12.99, now $7.99.

A postcard from the original Star Wars Day at Sea.

You can’t tell in this photo, but this postcard was actually a lenticular one where the image changes when you moved it. Pretty cool.

This chalkboard style thing is a DCL photo frame. Originally $17.99, now $5.99. For longtime readers, please note that I have not bought a single thing yet on this trip, which is hands-down a record for me. In fact I walked out of the store spending less than $15 overall when the previous all-time low would be about $60.

I liked this DCL photo frame a lot. Originally $17.99, now $6.99.

More Mickey Ears showed up, including this one for infants. Originally $14.99, now $4.99.

Maybe it’s just me, but I think the set of eyes on Mickey Ears, like this one for Rapunzel, is kinda creepy. Everything else about it is really cool though, including the long ponytail that comes with it. Originally $21.99, now $4.99.

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Now this one is interesting. This past week we’ve seen people report that in the China Pavilion at EPCOT there has been merchandise from the opening of Shanghai Disneyland. A) That can’t be a good sign, but B) I wonder if this Star Wars snow globe came over on the same ship? I don’t recall ever seeing an item at the Outlets from an overseas park, and while this doesn’t say it is, it also is the only one where there is no English on the box. Originally $45.00, now $14.99. Now that I write the price though, that makes me reconsider. The price for merchandise at the Shanghai Disneyland gift shops can’t be in dollars, can it? Seems like I have failed to crack this case.

C) Let’s not discount the writing is actually Japanese and I just had an “accidental racist” moment.

This one kinda confused me. It wasn’t with the Christmas stuff, but it seemed like an ornament to me. It is so small that I can’t imagine it’s a print you would hang on your wall and it had a “loop” like an ornament would. Absolutely LOVE the Mary Blair-like style by Jerrod Maruyama, but the original price of $24.95 is next level bonkers and the new price of $11.99 is still too high for me. I’m betting this was sold in that cool art shop at the Market Place Co-Op in Disney Springs. There is so much incredible artwork there, but most of it seems to be priced for the residents in Golden Oak.

Now this was definitely an ornament for the Star Wars Day at Sea earlier this year. Reduced to $5.99.

Cute ornament set with Steamboat Willie-era theme (sorta, except Mickey and Minnie sure didn’t look like that until many, MANY years later.) Originally $19.99, now $8.99.

If you need a T-Rex dressed up as a Viking for your Christmas tree, well then you’re in luck as this one was reduced to $4.99.

Impossible to see in these pics, but these ornaments were called “jingle bells” and each of the characthers are sitting on a bell. It’s also a two pack so you get both Mike and Sully here. Originally $17.99, now $6.99.

And here is Timon and Pumba. Again, both are sitting on actual bells. Same price as the two above.

It certainly would have been the day growing up that my parents would have let me put GI Joe, Star Wars, or Transformers figures on our Christmas tree. I guess parents are more progressive now, because here is Black Widow and the Hulk ornaments. Originally $19.99, now $6.99.

I’m the biggest Spidey fan in the world but this ornament makes no sense at all. The scale is all screwed up and why would the building have “DBC” on it? (Derek Burgan Christmas?) Originally $19.99, now $5.99. Writing this though, made me think of seeing Spider-Man Homecoming a couple weeks ago and I’m back to being in love with Spider-Man again. Thank you Marvel.

Alright, here is the first thing I bought on this trip. A set a Christmas cards. This is actually bananas because every year I buy Christmas cards that I like and then, on Thanksgiving, we get out our Christmas supplies and I realize that I have about 2,000 Christmas Cards left over from previous years. Originally this set was $19.99, reduced to $6.99.

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Some Christmas and Dog themed MagicBandits. The Christmas themed ones were 99 cents (bought that) and the Dog one was $1.99 (pass.)

Also bought these its a small world MagciBandits. Both reduced to 99 cents each.

Also bought these MagicSliders because they were themed to EPCOT and Animal Kingdom. If you have Soarin’ and Kilimanjaro Safaris, you got me. These were $1.99 each.

Kinda bizarre set of dog bows and ties here. Originally $14.95, now $8.99.

This may be the first time I’ve ever seen the word “rag doll.” I’ve heard it said in movies and pro-wrestling, but have never actually seen it in real life. Originally $16.95, now $9.99.

Elsa rag doll. Same price.

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Just guessing here, but I imagine these shirts were originally sold during Gay Days. Originally $17.99, now $6.99. That is a shockingly low original price for a Disney t-shirt.

I’d say these are a couple of shirts for kiddos, but because of the longer-in-the-back design and the crazy prices I think they may have come from Tren-D. The left shirt is originally $39.99, now $14.99, while the Rapunzel one was originally $29.99, now $12.99.

Shirts ripped straight from Etsy. Originally $32.95, now $12.99. Note these are more items from out in Disneyland.

More colors, same price.

Little Mermaid themed shirt. Originally $36.95, now $12.99.

This full Doc McStuffins outfit was reduced to $24.99.

Still don’t get too much Elena of Avalor stuff, but here’s a shirt that was originally $34.99, now $14.99. I take back what I said up above about those shirt maybe not being for kids because of the prices. Maybe Disney just charges a premium for Princess themed shirts.

Indiana Jones long sleeve shirt. Reduced to $14.99. Considered it, except I haven’t worn a long sleeved shirt since I have been in Florida.

Flower and Garden shirt that changes when it is hit by sunlight. Love the little bee character. Originally $29.99, now $12.99.

This Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party 2016 shirt has gone all the way from $24.99 to $1.99.

Hard to believe this design didn’t sell. Originally $24.99, now $9.99.

I wish these shirt just had the old school park map drawing. Shoving it into the Mickey silhouette makes it unwearable in my eyes. Originally $24.99, now 99 cents. That’s right, 99 cents. So I’m not the only one who passed on this one.

This next set of shirts had a nice colorful photo on the front and a quote from Walt on the back. All were originally $24.99, now $9.99.

Nice Dumbo shirt. Originally $36.95, now $12.99.

Hard to believe but this is the SECOND piece of Edna Mole merchandise that I’ve seen at the Outlets. That is more than Moana. Originally $26.95, now $12.99.

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Considered getting this Disney Coolcore Towel, as it might help me from melting in Pandora: The World of Avatar. Ending up passing though. Originally, $16.90, now $7.99.

Snow White and Belle themed headbands. Originally $21.95, now $4.99.

All one color MagicBands were reduced to $3.99, and what was really surprising is that they had these at both the International Drive AND the Vineland locations. Until this month Vineland never sold MagicBands (it was pretty much the only item that wasn’t available at both stores.)

Check this out. That charm says 2013. WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAT?!! Reduced to $2.99.

For the life of me I can’t imagine why this insanely overpriced Dr. Strange figure has his alternate head on the figure and the regular head as an accessory. It’s like I’m living in Crazy Town. Originally $29.99, now $19.99.

Here’s my boy, Captain America. Same price as Dr. Strange.

Hawkeye Disney Infinity figure, originally $13.99, now $6.99.

I think the Grape Soda cap pin from Pixar’s UP is one of the coolest Disney pieces of merch around, but this oversize Grape Soda cap keychain? Not so much. Reduced to $5.99.

Cheshire cat design was also $5.99. And apparently they aren’t keychains but “baggage charms.” It’s official, I’m in Crazy Town.

Hard to get a good shot of This Alice in Wonderland ornament because the tea pot curvature kept making the Alice inside look weird. Originally $19.95, now $6.99.

Cheshire Cat “paws.”  Think giant Mickey hands. $22.95, now $8.99.

And here we get to where the Outlet Store tried to break me. The item, a pair of Tigger paws. These were originally $22.95, marked UP to $22.99. The Outlets are now trying to use reverse psychology on us, and as a resident of Crazy Town, I’m afraid to say it might work!

Where’s the “Open Eyes” emoji when you need it.

Oh, you thought tour groups just sat in the middle of Main Street USA? Nay nay, they also sit at the Outlets.

YOU’D THINK THEY’D AT LEAST BUY SOME OF THESE COMPETITIVELY PRICED CUSHIONS.

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The above text was sent to me a little over four years ago and it changed my life forever. At the time, I had been writing for another site about theme parks and – for reasons still unknown to me to this very day – the site shut down with zero notice (in fact I had literally just talked to the owner of the site the night before about an article I was working on that was scheduled to come out in two days.) I was still trying to comprehend the news when something more incredible happened, Len Testa followed me on Twitter. Now, Dear Reader, you may be thinking “what’s the big deal in that?” Well Len is one of those people who doesn’t follow many people at all. To be followed by Len on Twitter is like being Knighted by the Queen of England. You’re now a made man.

Anyone who has read the special FATHER’S DAY edition of the SAT SIX knows my family’s long history with the Unofficial Guide and its co-author Len Testa. In the previous couple years I had also been listening to the WDW Today Podcast 3 times a week, listening to Len, Mike, Mike, and Matt discuss the parks. It should be clearly obvious to everyone by now, getting this text from Len was a big deal to me. Later that afternoon I talked to Len on the phone and he made his pitch to be a part of the TouringPlans team. I’m not sure if me saying YES immediately was the best negotiating tactic on my side, but he still told me to think it over and let him know.

So, being brought on to the TouringPlans team as a blogger focusing on Universal meant one thing to me: finally starting on my idea of doing a monthly article on the DISNEY Outlet stores. Since that time I’ve probably caused Len more aggravation than every other blogger on the team combined, including the infamous SATURDAY SIX 2016 Election Special which lasted a whole five minutes on Facebook before about 20 comments from people completely melting down (and that was with me taking the most controversial part out before posting.) I can say that Len – and his much better half Laurel Stewart – have always had my back.

Over the past four plus years I’ve got to work with a lot of truly great people. Scarlett Litton and Morgan Crutchfield were invaluable in teaching me to understand WordPress and patiently answered every single one of my thousands of stupid questions. Fellow TPers David Davies, Erin Foster, Fred Hazelton, Steve Bloom, and Guy Selga have always gone above and beyond any time I need something from them, even if it is something insane like asking Steve to put a MagicBand around his dog’s neck. Daisy Lauren and Julia Mascardo are the true MVPs of the Outlet Report. They are the ones who went (and in Julia’s case, still goes) to the Outlet Store closer to Disney on Vineland. That is a store that makes me question my entire existence on Earth, and yet – troopers that they are – both have gone to get us the pics and information on all the items we love to see.

There are so many people that help put together the SATURDAY SIX that “It Takes A Village” should be our Mission Statement. There’s the great photographers like Mike Sperduto, Hunter Underwood, Michael Carrelli , Travis Terrell, Brian Carey, and my personal hero Bioreconstruct that help make my articles look better than they have any right to be. I can’t say enough good things about the artists I have been blessed to work with including Matt Cleary, Michael Sheehy, Juliette Elton, and Marissa Rattee. Then there is the SAT SIX fun squad who I pitch ideas to and help shape the blogs each week include Parkscope’s Nick and Joe, Drunk@Disney, and my E-Ticket Report co-host Tim Grassey. Of course all of this could not be done without the first ballot Burgan Hall of Famers Megan Stump and Brandon Glover. With Meg’s editing and Brandon’s photos, I think there is actually more of them in each article than me. They both are on the receiving end of my non-stop texts (you haven’t lived until I’m texting you as you go to bed and am still texting when you get up the next morning) and have yet to break.  I love spending time with them in the parks and consider myself a truly lucky person for having found them in my life.

What I’m trying to say with all of this is: while I get almost all the credit, none of this would be possible without the hard work, passion, and incredible talent of the people I listed above. They are the unsung heroes of the show and, most importantly, if there’s something you don’t like…

BLAME THEM!

See you next month gang.

There are actually two Disney outlet stores in Orlando. Both are in Orlando Premium Outlet shopping complexes, and they are called Disney’s Character Warehouse, presumably because The Land Of Misfit Toys was already trademarked. There is one Character Warehouse located on International Drive close to Universal Studios (4951 International Dr, Orlando, FL 32819), and the other is on Vineland Avenue, right across I-4 near the exits to Disney World (8200 Vineland Ave, Orlando, FL 32821). 

Previous editions of Magic, Memories, and Merch: July 2013, August 2013, September 2013, October 2013, November 2013, December 2013, January 2014, February 2014, March 2014, April 2014, May 2014, June 2014, July 2014, August 2014, September 2014, October 2014, November 2014, December 2015, January 2015, February 2015, March 2015, April 2015, May 2015. June 2015, July 2015, August 2015, September 2015, October 2015, November 2015. December 2015, January 2016, February 2016, March 2016, April 2016, May 2016, June 2016, July 2016, August 2016, September 2016, October 2016, November 2016, December 2016, January 2017, February 2017, March 2017, April 2017, May 2017, and June 2017.

We also did an edition of Magic, Memories, and Junk for a non-Disney owned Outlet Store, and for you merch addicts like myself, you may also enjoy a look at the official Disney merchandise available on the Disney Cruise Line, Castaway Cay, and at the Orlando International Airport.

If you liked what you read here, you may enjoy THE SATURDAY SIX articles every week on the TouringPlans.com blog and you can follow your humble author on Twitter (@derekbugan).