Character Warehouse

Image: Disney

The Character Warehouse is located in the Orlando Premium Outlets, meaning the one downside of shopping here is that it is outside of Disney property. If you have a car, or do not mind otherwise paying to get to the outlets you may find substantial savings by doing your souvenir shopping there. Like most discount shops, the products sold are hit or miss—you may find the t-shirt you wanted to purchase during your last trip but didn’t, or you may find a hat for a Disney cruise you haven’t been on. Chances are if you are a Disney fan who likes to shop you’ll find something there, just know in advance that it may not be the same products currently sold in the parks as they are typically from last season.

Cast Member-Exclusive Shopping

Another legitimate Disney merchandise discount comes at the cost of working for the company. If you are planning on becoming a cast member, you will be pleased to learn that there are exclusive backstage shopping areas just for cast members that offer the best discounts to be had on legitimate Disney merchandise. Without becoming a cast member (or having a close friend or family member who is a cast member) you would not be able to access these shops as they are not open to the public.

eBay/Amazon

Image: Brittany DiCologero

eBay can be the shopper’s paradise or the shopper’s worst nightmare. On the one hand, eBay can be a great place to find deals on items you forgot to purchase during your trip. Some guests even swear by eBay when stocking up in pins to use for trading in the parks. But buyer beware: While you can find some great deals on eBay, be careful not to fall into a scam. Some items on eBay are intentionally bought up and sold by resellers, who buy bulk quantities of items in the parks and sell them for double or triple their value online thereby ripping off customers. Other concerns you may want to consider when shopping eBay (especially for trading pins) is that you may end up with counterfeit items.

Wal-Mart, Target, Costco, Primark, etc…

Image: Disney

Disney has lines of merchandise in various chain department stores. The quality may not be the same as a similar item would be in the park, but at Wal-Mart prices it is usually fair. Anything with a Disney tag at these locations is an authentic Disney item, albeit specifically designed for sale in non-Disney stores. You can occasionally also find deals on Disney gift cards at various department stores, and the Disney gift cards could later be used to purchase items in the parks.

Secondhand Market

The secondhand market can be an excellent place to shop for Disney products, particularly if you are looking to track down older and difficult to find items. Yard sales, thrift stores, flea markets, and sometimes eBay, along with Theme Park Connection if you are local to Orlando, often have legit Disney merchandise with a high markdown. Of course, the same problems that exist with eBay could easily exist anywhere else on the secondhand market, but being able to view items in person before purchasing can make all the difference.

Have you had success shopping for discounted Disney merchandise? Let us know in the comments!