Let’s face it…sometimes even Santa needs a little help finding a great gift for those special people in our lives.
And despite what 2020 has thrown at us, many of us at looking forward to traveling again. Whether this special someone already have a trip booked or they’re still in the planning phases, they’ll appreciate the gesture. After all, who isn’t mentally counting down the days til they can get back to their favorite Disney Park?
A Little Something For Everyone
Reusable Straws
Is it weird to give someone straws as a gift? Perhaps… But, hear me out for a moment.
While I applaud Disney for realizing they could do more to reduce their plastic waste, I absolutely despise the paper straws they use. Like, seriously…they’re terrible. Unless you’re looking to break some sort of record for the world’s fastest drinker, you going to have a wet, soggy piece of paper hanging off the side of your cup before you finish whatever you’re drinking.
I haven’t found a reusable straw that I strongly dislike yet. But, I personally recommend the Wondersip straws. I use them all the time at home and have even added them to my list of 5 insanely helpful items that I always bring with me to Walt Disney World.
Any parent out there knows the struggle of trying to clean out dried beverages out of straws. It’s the worst! But, since these straws completely open up (and they’re dishwasher safe!), they’re so easy to clean.
Disney-Themed Park Bags
Who doesn’t want a little extra magic in their wardrobe? In recent trips, I’ve have been bringing smaller bags with me into the Parks. But, I can’t seem to make the transition to go completely bagless. This means that I’m continually on the hunt for the perfect Park bag.
I don’t necessarily think there is only one specific bag that is “perfect” for everyone. After all, we all travel a little bit differently. But, what’s great is that whether you prefer to bring mini backpacks, larger backpacks, or even a Loungefly Crossbody bag, there are some really adorable bags that make a great gift for any traveler.
You really can’t go wrong with a Disney bag. But, I do have one recommendation.
If you’re searching for the best gift to give a loved one, think of how hard it would be to get through Disney Security with that bag. Every zipper and pocket must be looked through. So, to make it through the Security line in record time, your ideal bag would be one with the least amount of nooks and crannies for them to go through.
Contactless security scanners are continuously popping up around Walt Disney World and Disneyland. But, there are still many security points that haven’t been upgraded yet. So, to make things easiest for everyone, I would still keep in mind these areas where a Cast Member will physically have to look through your bags.
Mickey and Minnie Mouse Ears
Is there such a thing as having too many Mickey or Minnie ears? Or is it just something I tell myself to justify getting another pair of really cute ears?
Some may say that you don’t need to bring more than one pair with you, I say the more, the merrier. And it’s a good thing I bring more than one pair. While my sister and niece decided to buy their own ears to wear during our trip, my mom took a different approach. She just decided to take one of mine (it’s ok…she returned it at the end of the trip 🙂 )
That just goes to show you that everyone wants their own pair of ears. Whether they’re a first time Guest or a seasoned traveler, Mickey ears don’t go out of style.
Disney-Themed Clothing and Accessories
My photos aren’t exactly what you could call “insta-worthy“. I may never know what to do with my hands or how to pose for a decent picture. And I will most definitely look like a hot, sweaty mess. But, one thing is for sure…at least I’m wearing a darn cute shirt.
Support Small Businesses and Get a Great Gift
Thanks to Disney fans out there, there certainly isn’t a shortage of Disney merch on the market. Etsy is a great choice for some really great Disney clothing. And best of all, when you shop on Etsy, you’re supporting a Small Business.
Crowned Athletics is another Small Business that I love supporting. Their workout apparel does price out at over $25. But, their Disney-inspired hair accessories, pins, and fitness gear totally make the cut.
My favorite item of theirs, at the moment, is their Fitness Princess Athletic Cap. Sure, it’s super cute. But, what I really love is the the criss cross back that lets me still wear my hair up all day. I almost didn’t want to mention it because it technically costs over $25. ($28 to be exact)
But, by using either my affiliate link above or using the coupon code EXPLOREWITHCATHERINE at checkout, it ends up costing you $25.20.
Themed Masks
It’s unfortunate that maks have become a necessity. But, as long as we have to wear them, we may as well choose some cute ones.
There has been a lot of pushback regarding the Disney masks. It seems as though Guests were complaining about the inaccurate sizing and the material, since it felt like they were hard to breathe through. There was quite a bit of negativity surrounding these masks.
While I’ve never had any problems with my Haunted Mansion mask, Disney listened to their Guests’ feedback and changed the material and adjusted the sizing. And so far, the feedback has been much better than when the masks were first released earlier this year.
Great Gift For the Kids (and Kids at Heart)
Screenless Travel Toys
As a mom, I know the trials of trying to keep little ones entertained while traveling. Nowadays, all the kids wants is something electronic in their hand. But, when you have a long car or plane ride, the last thing you want is for them to be staring at a screen all day.
Like any child of the 80’s, I love a good Colorform. I remember playing with them before heading off to Pre-K, so it was something I made sure my kids had when they were younger.
Look and Find books are also great ways to keep your kids occupied for a little while.
But, what I really love are activities that come with multiple activities and/or are contained within itself. That’s why I love activities like Magnetic Tin Sets, Sticker and Color Books, Invisible Ink Activity Books, and almost everything by Color Wonder for keeping kids occupied while traveling.
If you happen to hit a big bump in the road or a line starts moving, there’s less chance of pieces falling to the ground.
Bubble Wands and Glow Sticks
Nighttime Parades and Fireworks have not returned yet. But, bubble wands, glow sticks, and light up necklaces are still popular souvenirs. The problem is they’re pretty expensive in the Parks.
Bringing toys into the Parks will almost always save you money. So, it’s a great gift to give the little one (or full grown adult) in your family.
Hidden Mickey Book
My boys love looking for Hidden Mickeys. But, it’s my older son who really gets into the fun of finding the most obscure Hidden Mickeys out there.
We have a couple different versions of the Hidden Mickeys Book. And each trip, my son makes sure to bring one along to help him on his quest to find as many as he can (although he doesn’t count how many he does find).
It’s made standing in line much more bearable. As soon as we come to a standstill, he takes out his book and reads through the attraction to see many Hidden Mickeys he needs to look for.
Anyone on a quest to find all the Hidden Mickeys at Walt Disney World will think this is a great gift. We’ve found some pretty cool ones that we didn’t even know were there had it not been for my son and the Hidden Mickey Books.
These are awesome ideas, Catherine! We all know how expensive Disney can get, and even giving a Disney gift card for a trip, you kind of think “well this won’t go far”…but these ideas are perfect and more meaningful than just a gift card for the trip, while not breaking the bank. I never would have thought of reusable straws!
After my trip this summer, I HAD to add the reusable straws. Those paper straws had me going home after the trip wishing I had bought some ahead of time.