Picking out souvenirs is part of just about every Walt Disney World vacation. Whether you are grabbing something for yourself or choosing that perfect gift for a friend back home, there are so many places to buy stuff in the parks.
Not only do you have the large stores like the Emporium at the Magic Kingdom, but there are plenty of gift shops that guests are forced to walk through as they exit many attractions. If you have kids, you know that it can often be tough to leave Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin or Pirates of the Caribbean without your child making a strong plea for a sword or a laser blaster.
There are also very enticing princess dolls in just about every gift shop these days. This Disney marketing magic is a great technique to sell merchandise. However, letting a five year old march through the park with a sword or light saber doesn’t always end well!
In addition to kids’ toys, there are certainly other items that most guests would rather not carry around all day. Thankfully, there is a solution that I use all the time with my tour guests. You can have your merchandise shipped directly from the shop where you bought it to one of three destinations.
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Emporium
If you are staying at a Disney resort, they will send your item(s) directly to the hotel. However, it typically won’t arrive until the next afternoon. The second option is to have your package shipped all the way to your home. There is obviously a cost involved in doing this, but it can certainly be worth it if your item will be difficult to take with you on your flight home. A good example of this would be a giant Mickey plush who would need his own seat, or a snow globe that TSA would confiscate at the airport.
The third and final option is the easiest, and it will work whether or not you are staying at a Disney resort. Guests can have their purchases shipped from the store to the Package Pickup office at the front of each park. There is also a second pickup location at the back of Epcot. It can be found at the International Gateway, and is for guests walking over to the Boardwalk resorts. There are a few important things to consider when using this service. First, it could take up to three hours for your package to arrive, so you’d want to make sure you’ll still be in the park for that amount of time. Second, you want to remember to pickup your merchandise before you leave.
The next time you find yourself making a sizable purchase at a Disney park, I hope you’ll remember these tips. They can help you enjoy your time at Walt Disney World without having to lug around souvenirs, gifts, and your child’s weaponry!
I hope you enjoy “Tour Guide Tuesday.” If you want additional tips while you’re in the parks, WDW Guided Tours is happy to help!
