We went to WDW in May of 2017. I looked at a Yeti style cup with Tinkerbell engraved on it, I think it was in Crystal Arts. I know it was on Main Street. But, I talked myself out of it. I remembered some teasing about my over abundance of steel tumblers, and told myself I really did have too many at home. Alas, (sigh), that is my only regret from WDW. However, crazy collection or not, I am getting that cup…if I find it again!
I’ll be there the end of May this year. Has anyone seen one recently?
And what is your souvenir regretful purchase or skip regret?
In 2012 there were some cute skeleton mariachi band ornaments in Mexico for $15. I decided it was too expensive. We came home with $1000 in uncashed travellers cheques and on our next trip in 2016 they were gone. Not a big deal but I wish I’d just bought one!
I don’t have souvenir regrets but I do over other things. There is a piece of artwork that lives forever in my heart but not in my house. I’ve even tried to track down the artist to make me another one, to no avail. Since then, I ran across a bit of advice-
“If you find something you reeeaaaaallllly love but don’t want to spend the money, get it anyway. That way, you only cry once.”
Oooh! I have one of these. In 2016, I thought about buying a set of chopsticks from the Japan pavilion. I told myself we wouldn’t really use them, they were too expensive. I thought about those for years. When we went in 2018, that was the ONLY thing I made sure I went to buy. We use them regularly.
For our one year wedding anniversary in 2002, DH and I went to Disney. I saw an amazing piece of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves artwork. I loved it, but it was really pricey, so I didn’t buy it. I still think about it all these years later. Back then we had no kids and two full-time jobs. I should have gotten it. I haven’t seen it since and couldn’t afford it now anyway.
During our last trip to Disney, temperatures were dropping in the evening while we were waiting for the fireworks. After my family found their spot to camp out for the next 30+ minutes, I decided to head back to the shop on Main Street. There was a sweatshirt I had seen earlier in the day that I really liked, but didn’t get it. But, when I finally made it through the mad house crowds to the shop, I looked everywhere. They only had it in like XXL or something, no longer in my size. I tried to find something else I liked, but nothing struck my fancy. Finally, I gave up and headed back. It took me until halfway through the fireworks to make it back to my family, through crowds that were at almost a standstill.
Fortunately, I managed to find another sweatshirt I liked when we went to Disney Springs on another day…although, never the one I really liked at the main street shop.
I saw a crossbody bag at World of Disney on my last trip that had the classic blue Minnie Mouse design. It was a good size for travel and I really like it but felt like I had so many bags and I didn’t really need it. Two weeks after getting home I lucked upon one on eBay for about the same price as WOD. I snatched that up and happily used it for several months. It’s definitely going to be coming with me on my next trip.
I really wanted the Enchanted tiki room spirit jersey, but I convinced myself it was too expensive and I didn’t need it. Still want one. I did buy the tiki room raincoat last year when ti came out, but it’s torn and ruined already! Came apart way too easily for a $50 jacket. Maybe I dodged a bullet on that spirit jersey. Maaaybe.
I hardly ever buy souvenirs. I was kind of bummed to miss the alien popcorn Christmas bucket in 2018 Stayed at AoA this past trip and didn’t buy a single Skyliner item - other than upgrading my DP mug to the steel Skyliner tumbler. Going back to AoA for one night in March and am forcing myself to at least consider buying something else.
On the other hand, H and I took a trip for one of our early anniversaries - maybe our second - to New Orleans. I had a few too many G&Ts and thought I simply must acquire (it’s acquire, not buy at these prices), a piece of art - a HUGE portrait of Yogi Berra - for $3k. Thank goodness H has a higher tolerance than I do got me out of that gallery.
That’s hilarious! I was almost led astray in the antique shops on Royal Street. Then I realized sanding and 45 coats of polyurethane could make any piece of solid old furniture look absolutely fabulous, dahling. I bought a reproduction brass letter holder from a cluttered, dusty old shop in the Garden District, instead.
Not a souvenir, but I (and the rest of my family) regret never trying Dole Whip. Yep, that is right, we’ve never had a Dole Whip. I’m usually in the mind frame of saving money and time, so I pack snacks nd sandwiches. This saves us a line, and some dollars, but boy we feel like we’ve missed out! Now that there is mobile order, and I’ve got a moderate “celebration” budget, we’re getting the dang snacks we keep hearing about LOL!!! To be fair, I had brought up Dole Whips last time, but we weren’t near a stand and everyone seemed grumpy about the idea of going to seek them out (we were in MK, so would have had to go ALL THE WAY to Adventureland, the nerve! LOL) My kids did get mickey premium bars that trip, I’m not a monster
I always have a lot of regrets because I try to be “smart” when in the parks and only get useful things and not too much… but then I’m bummed afterwards. There were a lot of SW things I wanted from GE and HS in general. If my wife had not been there, my daughter might be walking around in a Rey outfit and my boy as a mini resistance pilot. Same thing with plenty of other things. My kids are the same, they want all the plushes so we let them take photos of their favorites and they might get one.
Along with a couple of others that have mentioned art, back on a trip in 2008 there was a Beauty and the Beast painting that I wanted, and my tax refund hit my account while we were there so I could have paid cash, but I did not. I know that there was more than one and they were numbered and may some day search it out.
Set a search at EBay, and have it send you alerts if it pops up. It might take a while but I bet a numbered print like that would eventually show up. It’d be easy to set the search and not get a lot of junk in your inbox because it’s so specific.
2016: carousel of progress T-shirt. Talked myself into waiting until later in the week. Final day: all gone. Super sad I never got this one.
2018: 35th anniversary Epcot hoodie - figured I’d wait A few days to grab it. Next day I decided I probably shouldn’t wait, so I went to get it, but all gone. Talked to cast member who was surprised it was all taken down. She went to the back to find the last one in my size. Got lucky on that one.
When I went, I bought a MVMCP mug. And as I was packing up, dropped it. I called Disney to ask if I could somehow buy a replacement as it isn’t available online. It was a party exclusive mug. The cast member said merchandise was closed on the weekend, but to call back on the following Monday. She said I could also take it to the mercantile. I did.
They sent me two within a few weeks. I love it! I actually just wanted the chance to buy a new one. Since it was my fault, I didn’t think Disney owed it to me and I was completely honest about how it happened. I think there was a mixup and both the mercantile sent me one as well as merchandise.
This is good advice. Back in 2015 I believe, I was in Houston, TX and saw my dream speakers. They were the floor model and they were closeout as they were going to the new model. So I got them for $6,500 less than retail. Yeah, it hurt, but I would be SOOOOO upset at myself had I gotten a lesser model or another brand. Those are my dream speakers.
I am an audio/videophile, so yes speakers are very important to me.
I still regret a painting I saw in a gallery leaning up against the wall by the bathroom. It was done by a student who was only about 18 yrs old and they wanted $1K for it. I didn’t want to risk that much $$$ on an untested artist, plus I was pretty young myself and couldn’t really afford it. I regret it to this day. I’ve tried to find the artist but to no avail. No idea if she kept painting or not.
I’ve even tried to track down the artist to make me another one, to no avail. Since then, I ran across a bit of advice-
Still want one. I did buy the tiki room raincoat last year when ti came out, but it’s torn and ruined already! Came apart way too easily for a $50 jacket. Maybe I dodged a bullet on that spirit jersey. Maaaybe.