Five Reasons You Should Consider these Disney Souvenirs
When preparing for a Disney vacation, there’s always the question of what you should bring or purchase that will enhance your vacation experience. Particularly if there are small children or non-riders in your party, it is important to find activities in the park that will allow them to enjoy their time and have a magical experience.
One of the best park activities is the opportunity to meet Disney characters. These interactions are often one of the most memorable parts of a trip and memories that last a lifetime. Beyond just meeting the characters themselves, one of the best ways to remember the character experience is through collecting signatures an autograph book.
Here are the top five reasons why purchasing an autograph book is totally worth it.
1. Extend Your Meet and Greet
A Disney autograph book is the perfect souvenir if you have children (or a child at heart) in your family who are obsessed with all the characters. There are so many opportunities to meet characters around Disney’s parks, and while the meeting itself can be exciting, the moment can also be fleeting. This is particularly true if you are visiting the park on a busy day.
With the increase of new attractions and lands such as Toy Story Land and Galaxy’s Edge, the number of guests in a park on any given day has increased over time. Wait times have gone up across the board, and that includes waiting in line for characters. After spending time in line or using a precious FastPass to meet your favorite Disney character, you want to know that your kids (or you) are going to come away with more than a thirty-second meet and greet and a picture snap. An autograph book extends the meeting with the character as they sign the book and take a few more minutes to interact with your family.
You can also extend your character dining experiences by having each character visiting your table sign your autograph book in addition to saying hello to everyone at your table.
2. More Bang for Your Buck
Another benefit of autograph books is the cost. In comparison to other Disney souvenir items, autograph books tend to be less expensive. In the parks, resort hotels, and gift shops, autograph books can be anywhere from ten to twenty dollars, while many other souvenirs are twice that amount or more.
Note: We wrote a whole blog post comparing all of the Disney autograph book options and their prices.
If you are looking for a lasting and economical souvenir, an autograph book is a great option. All you need is a book (or books) and a trusty pen or sharpie marker!
3. Unique Disney Magic
One of the best parts of having an autograph book is the most obvious – the signatures themselves! All of the signatures for each character are personalized and meticulously practiced by the cast members to provide authenticity and consistency.
Your book will be filled with handwritten and truly creative signatures from the characters, which are almost small works of art in and of themselves. Occasionally, if the line isn’t too long or you are in a more casual setting like a character meal, the character will have the opportunity to personalize a message for you.
Want to see what some of the Disney characters’ autographs look like? Oh My Disney has a great post with examples of Disney character autographs.
4. Compact and Convenient
Who hasn’t seen the giant stuffed animals, gaudy hats, and cumbersome toys that parents lug around the parks for their kids? It’s not uncommon to see a stroller carrying Mickey and Minnie plush dolls while mom or dad holds the baby.
Other souvenirs like balloons and whirling light-up gadgets have a limited lifespan and can often end with disappointment when they don’t even last the duration of your trip. All of these objects also pose a problem when going into a ride or other attraction, especially if you don’t have a stroller to leave them in.
Autograph books, on the other hand, don’t pose the same challenges. An autograph book easily fits in a backpack, purse, or fanny pack (yep, they’re back in style). A child could even be responsible for the autograph book themselves if they carry a small bag in the park, or even walking from character to character.
When the book is needed, it is easy to simply pull it from a bag, grab an autograph, and put it back in the bag before you have even left the meet and greet area. Even if the meeting with the character is quick, the character’s companion will make sure the book is returned to you before you are off to your next experience.
And don’t forget the challenge of traveling home with souvenirs. Especially if you’re flying, loading up suitcases with large souvenirs can be challenging and even increase your baggage fees. Disney autograph books are easy to pack before or after your trip, are light, and can fit in almost any size luggage.
5. Lasting Memories
The best reason to purchase an autograph book is for the memories, which is part of why you chose to vacation at the most magical places in the world in the first place. Having the physical autograph book gives you the chance to reflect back on the experience you had while getting the autograph. There’s no better way to remember your family vacations!
Maybe Goofy used his signature personality to make your kids roar with laughter during a character dinner at Chef Mickey’s. Ariel might have had a conversation with you in Magic Kingdom about how pleasant the weather is that day and her longing for the ocean. A rough and tumble frontiersman might have asked if you came from outer space when he misheard your daughter say where you were from.
Believe it or not, all of these moments have happened to visitors while interacting with characters. When you look back through the book after your vacation, you’ll have the chance to sit down with your family and recall these memories. It is a piece of the magic that you are able to bring home with you.
Having an autograph book means you walk away from the character meet and greet with a tangible souvenir that is special to each character you meet. There is something wonderful in its own way about looking back through the book and knowing that the character signed that page just for you.
Long after the Mickey Mouse plush toy has been put away in the attic or the outgrown princess dress has been passed to the next generation, an autograph book is something your family can keep or display for years to come. Whether you’re traveling to Walt Disney World, Disneyland, setting the seas on a Disney cruise, or visiting one of Disney’s other properties, grabbing a few autograph books before your trip is a must!