I was trolling Amazon.com again (while I should have been writing lesson plans), and I found this fun Lego set. Who wouldn’t love this combination–Legos and Buzz Lightyear? At $22, it’s priced at 60% off (and eligible for free Super Saver shipping), so I couldn’t resist posting, especially since I often overlook fun gifts for boys since we’re swimming in a sea of princesses at our house. Still, I think this would make an excellent birthday gift, or maybe even a Disney vacation souvenir, for any Lego-loving Disney fan. Check it out:

This is a tip I’m sure I’ve shared before–but it’s such a good one! Here it is (oh-so-basic!): buy it before you go. What is “it”? Anything and everything you think you might need: sunscreen, water bottles, snacks, even souvenirs. By waiting until you’re in the airport or even on Disney property, you will pay a premium for basic items that you can find in your local discount store or online. Buying before you go leaves you with more cash for items that are uniquely-Disney and can only be purchased at the Parks.

That said, there are a number of Disney souvenir items that can be purchased outside of the Parks. Ironically, DisneyStore.com has a whole section of “Disney Parks Exclusive” merchandise (which always bothers me, since it’s obviously NOT exclusive to the Parks if you can purchase it online…but whatever). In addition, cheaper licensed items can be found anywhere from your local Target to Dollar Tree stores. And, of course, there are hundreds of unique items to be found online. Here are a few of my favorite online finds from Amazon:

If you’ve ever been to Walt Disney World, you know that there are opportunities to buy souvenirs on, literally, every corner. From the establishments lining Main Street to the shops that one conveniently must walk through in order to exit an attraction, there are ample opportunities to spend your cash. Today’s tip: shop around and make souvenir purchases near the end of your trip. Why? Because there will always be one more shop…and that shop may just have the one thing you haven’t seen yet and simply must have.

Here’s the thing…about 75% of the items you’ll find in any given souvenir shop will be essentially the same stuff you find at other shops. But the other 25% will be different. And, there are actually a few items that you may only find in one obscure shop. If you’re a real Disney aficionado, or if you’re a collector of the obscure, this sort of shopping just might pay off with a rare find.

So, except for, perhaps, apparel (’cause you wanna wear those Mickey ears while you’re there, right?), save your pennies until the end of your trip. Lots of window shopping first=no buyer’s remorse!

Look what we found at Target this past weekend:

We also saw a Rapunzel doll in our local Kroger store! Though the movie won’t be out until November 24, Tangled is making its mark on stores already. My girls were thrilled to see a new princess adorning the shelves of their favorite toy section. My oldest, especially, was entranced by this Rapunzel wig:

She’s planning to save the dimes she gets for feeding and taking out the puppy! (At $19.99, she’ll be saving for a while.) I hope to report back next week with some Disney Parks exclusive merchandise!

WDWMagic is reporting that Tink’s Treasures, the Neverland-themed gift shop in Fantasyland (Magic Kingdom), is closed for remodeling. When it reopens later this month, it will be a PhotoPass location for guests of the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique to have their transformation photographed. Merchandise from the store will be incorporated into Castle Couture store next door.

Hearing this makes me extra glad that I let both my girls stop in at Tink’s Treasures on our last visit and ring the bell to summon Tink. And, of course, I’m ecstatic that we were able to get these photos:

But that leaves me with one final question: Where will tiny Tink hang out now? Maybe she’ll have her own digs in the new Fantasyland expansion.

Get ready to experience Alice in Wonderland as never before. With the twisted mind of Tim Burton putting his spin on the film, we are certainly in for a veritable feast of the unusual and bizarre. Admittedly, I am not a huge Burton fan. While the trailers are visually stunning, I have to wonder if the actual movie will be as captivating as I am hoping. But I will, nonetheless, be standing in line with the rest of the Disneyphiles, waiting for a ticket on opening weekend. And although both my children are huge Alice fans, at 3 and 6 they will NOT be seeing this until my husband and I preview it. (Honestly, I don’t expect them to get to see it for a few more years.)

With the opening just days away, Disney is in the midst of a full-on marketing blitz. Products are popping up all over. Not a great conouseur of couture, I’m not rushing out to purchase any of the designer items that are showing up in Bloomingdale’s. But I do love quirky, unique gifts and apparel, so I just might look for some of the items featured here. They can be found at Disney Vault 28 in Downtown Disney in California for now. I’m guessing that by our next trip to WDW, the TrenD store in Downtown Disney Marketplace will be stocked with plenty of fun and exotic Alice creations.