As the saying goes “Never Say Never,” and despite ending our 8 year monthly run into the Disney Outlet Stores this past June, we decided that now – more than ever – our long suffering readers deserved a treat this Halloween. So for you, Dear Reader, we are going to once again head back into the scariest place we know… the Disney Character Warehouse stores in Orlando.

The stores are still limiting guests, but the virtual wait times are much lower than they were at any point earlier this year. With the good comes the bad though, because the reason those waits are low is because a trip to the Outlets isn’t really worth your time right now (at least if you’re only going there for the Disney Character Warehouse.)

 

As a person who visited the Disney Outlets literally hundreds of times over the past decade, it is hard to get used to seeing the same items in the store for months at a time. Previously, the merchandise turnover would be at a rate you wouldn’t even believe (many items not even lasting a day once the eBay pirates and resellers picked through them.) Now you will regularly see the same items in the store, week after week, month after month.

That said, there are some things we haven’t seen before this month. Including this Minnie pumpkin.

 

A Mickey pumpkin was also available. Apparently you’re supposed to use them as a candy bowl going by the picture, but I’m not sure how practical that would be trying to get your hand into these small bowls.

 

I always thought it was strange when Halloween stuff would be for sale at the Outlets before November. Christmas makes sense because Walt Disney World has multiple Christmas shops open all year long selling merchandise. The window to sell Halloween items is much smaller. You’d think a shirt like this Minnie Mouse one below should still be sold at the parks or hotels to get that last-minute impulse buy. Originally $29.99, now $9.99.

 

Rey from the latest Star Wars trilogy outfit. Originally $59.99, now $24.99. Good news for Star Wars fans. I swore to myself I would never do a SATURDAY SIX on Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge until Disney stopped doing Boarding Groups for Rise of the Resistance. I’ve been a Star Wars fan my whole life (to this day my all time favorite Christmas gift was a Han Solo blaster I received as a kid) so this decision was killing me personally as there are a lot of things about Galaxy’s Edge I love as a fan of Star Wars, but I hated the Boarding Group process so much that I had to do something with my passive aggressive energy.

Well, out of nowhere Disney stopped Boarding Groups for Rise of the Resistance (presumably to drive Lightning Lane sales) so you can now look forward to an upcoming SAT 6 on Batuu. Also, I should note that I actually *have* done a couple articles on Galaxy’s Edge, including The REAL Reasons Disneyland “Feels” Less Crowded After SW:GE Opened, The duo of David & Derek looking at The Do’s and Don’ts of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, and even reviewed the Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge comic book. So you can see even with a resolute stance forbidding an article on SW:GE, I still had to write about SW:GE, and I’m looking forward to the upcoming SAT 6 featuring Ronto Roasters, Docking Bay 7, the wonderful Coke bottles, and of course my favorite attraction at Walt Disney World, Rise of the Resistance.

 

This Mulan outfit had an original price of a whopping $99.99, now just $39.99. What’s even more striking is the tag on the inside of the outfit which is so long you’d think this outfit was made in a partnership with CVS.

 

I know you’re all shocked to discover the button up shirt featuring a Disney garbage can is still at the outlets. I would watch a documentary on the handful of weirdoes  perfectly sane people who bought this shirt at the original price of $59.99. I need to understand where they are coming from. A peek into that mindset. It has been reduced to $19.99 and we’ve seen this shirt here for many, many months.

 

Speaking of shirts that have been sitting at the Outlets collecting dust for months… this LEGO stormtrooper shirt is still around. Like the garbage can shirt above, it was originally priced at $59.99, but is now $24.99. Now, back in April, this shirt was just $19.99. We mentioned in our “last ever” Outlet Report back in June, that one thing which was troubling was the prices at the outlets were going UP. Readers of the Theme Park Enjoyment Index know the story from this month of Disney literally putting higher price tags on 50th anniversary items without bothering to remove the lower priced tags which were originally on the items. Frustrating is not even the word.

 

They should just take these “Park Hop Til You Drop” shirts to the clothing department and add some sort of “AFTER 2PM” stickers at the bottom or something and then BAM! You can sell them at full price again. Originally $29.99, now $12.99.

 

Baby Yoda/Grogu long sleeved shirt. The original price of $49.99 is just bonkers. Reduced to $24.99.

 

Not that bad looking of a Stitch shirt. Originally $24.99, now $12.99.

 

Want to truly scare someone this Halloween? Head on down and pick up this Stitch hoodie. You’ll look like some sort of demented character from an unreleased sequel to Donnie Darko. Originally $69.99, now $29.99.

 

Disney Cruise Line hooded sweatshirt for kids. I’m contractually obligated to include at least one item from DCL to satisfy Captain Cruise Line Scott Sanders of the world famous DCL Blog. For doing so, the Captain will put together all my Metal Earth projects for me, because you know what happens when I try to build them. Originally $39.99, now $19.99.

 

Walt Disney World Spirit Jersey from the Ink & Paint line. Not a fan. Interesting concept but looks too “busy” in execution. Originally $69.99, now $44.99. As of this writing, the DisneyLAND version of this very same Spirit Jersey is available for $28.99 at ShopDisney.

The official shirt of Florida Sun’s Out, Gun’s Out. Interestingly enough, the tagline works for both metaphorical bicep “guns” and literal guns because, well, this is Florida.  Originally $34.99, now $19.99.

 

Minnie backpack. Artistically for me I like this “bow” design because it can look like a floral pattern from a distance. Originally $29.99, now $24.99.

Darth Vader crocs for kids. Priced at $29.99. Recently the Disney Food Blog wrote an article titled “We Wore Crocs in Disney World All Day. Here’s What Happened.” I didn’t actually read the article, but I think it ended with the author’s feet being amputated, so you may want to read the article first before buying any Crocs.

Here’s what I love about the Disney Outlet Store. Not the Kristoff doll that was originally priced at $24.99, now $12.99. NAY NAY. Look at the sign above it. Why would you write “FR2” for Frozen 2? WHO IN THEIR RIGHT MIND WOULD EVER, EVEEEEEEEEEEER WRITE IT LIKE THAT?!!!

 

I always find it fascinating that any time there is a Funko release related to a theme park attraction, the opening day lines are bananas. Yet every single one of them goes to the Outlets and just sits on the shelves. I know that there is some sort of Funko collectible market, but it has to be one of the biggest “bubbles” of any collectible I’ve seen. It would appear from the outside looking in that these Funkos have very little appeal to a casual buyer. Not saying I agree with it, because I personally think they look great and can think of 100, if not 1000, Funko Pops I’d love to own. Pretty sure this was $29.99, now it is $14.99, and it has been at the outlets for a while now.

Our last items at the Disney Outlet Store this month is this Back In The Day set of 4 plates with Old Timey like Disney logos. Not bad at all. Originally $34.99, now $24.99. If it was $10.99 I think I would have bought it.

When it comes to discounted theme park items, one of the most unusual finds of the past month was actually found at a Goodwill. Below is the shirt and pants for a Volcano Bay Team Member. When the park first opened, the Team Members wearing this outfit were sort of a greeter position explaining the virtual line/Tapu Tapu system that Volcano Bay operates under. That position has been eliminated and currently doesn’t exist in the park. It looks like Universal took what was left and donated (sold?) to Goodwill.

One of the reasons Disney Outlet Store stock isn’t being replenished at the rate it was previously is because they also are having thousands of items being sent to Goodwill, Five Below, Burlington Coat Factory, and other large mass market discounters. We are in an interesting time right now, that’s for sure.

 

Thank you to each and every one of you who took time to read this very special edition of the Outlet Report. Who knows, maybe if you’re all good girls and boys we’ll even see Santa Claus come down the chimney with another one in a couple months. Also thank you to new proud papa Joseph Machado, the one and only @bioreconstruct, and the digital maestro Scott Walker for their help with this article. True Heroes.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN EVERYONE!