If you are planning a low key trip to Walt Disney World for next year (or late this year), you have probably already realized that a trip like this is not inexpensive. I’ve shared ways to save money on park tickets, hotel rooms and food. Now I’d like to talk about merchandise.
When people wistfully reminisce and say “Disney is different now,” they are absolutely correct. All things change but one very compelling way the Disney parks have changed is on the way they market products and the way guests purchase merchandise. Those changes affect you and your wallet unless you can decide to be completely intentional about the way you spend money at Disney World.
What Retail Sales Means for Disney
Guest purchases of merchandise have increased sharply (40%) since pre-Covid levels. Merchandise sales and food and beverage sales are a huge part of Disney’s income in the parks. Looking at their annual report, you can see that they get almost as much revenue from sales of “stuff” as they do from sales of park tickets. Guests visiting a Disney World park spend, on average, $100 to $150 a day on food, beverages and merchandise. Merchandise is especially profitable for Disney as the markup on products made cheaply overseas is enormous. When you purchase a vinyl magnet for $15, know that production of that item costs pennies.
Imagineering for Money
Disney has engineered the theme park experience to drive you into shopping areas and make an emotionally-based decision to feel better by spending money on merchandise. That is one reason why they removed so much seating at Magic Kingdom — because hot, tired people’s defenses are down. Fatigue diminishes both willpower and self-control, while the shift to an air-conditioned environment brings relief that impacts decision-making. When presented with appealing merchandise in an air conditioned store, tired guests are more likely to buy it on impulse.
Disney also admits a lot of guests to the parks. Have you ever felt like the parks were a little crowded? I am sure you have! As a consequence, lines for attractions and rides are longer. But how does this affect retail? Well, consider that you have purchased an expensive ticket to the theme park but the thought of waiting in a long line in the heat doesn’t appeal to you. So, now, what is left to do with your time, if you aren’t hungry or thirsty? Shopping.
Disney also cleverly positions gift shops at the exit of its most popular rides. As you exit the ride, how do you feel? Excited and happy. When you are presented with merchandise that relates to that ride, you are more emotionally prone to purchase it. That is how I ended up with a t-shirt with one of my favorite characters (Louis the Alligator) after my ride on Tiana’s Bayou Adventure. I had looked forward to that ride for months. I was really excited. I was more happy than I had been in months. I plunked down $36 without even thinking about it for a tshirt I have worn exactly one time. It’s hard to convince yourself in the moment that you won’t feel the same way about the merchandise you bought when you get home. You see, I am as subject to this lure as anyone else!
Photo credit: WDW News Today (Facebook)
The Emotional Side Effect of Shopping
Do you feel happy when you shop and buy things? Shopping for many people increases endorphins, causing instant joy or a “high” — and the rush of happiness is not only short-lived, but can actually become addictive.
It may be useful to take a step back and understand exactly how the concept of “retail therapy” and the phenomenon of over-consumption became a social norm in America, because it was not always this way.
If you are older than 60, you may well remember a time when an American family had one car, one TV, one radio and one phone. Through the late 1970s, a woman’s apparel fit into a single closet and chest of drawers. She might own two purses, three pairs of shoes and maybe 2 pairs of jeans. All the toys a child owned fit into a toy box in their room. And if you went on vacation and wanted to buy an inexpensive souvenir, such as a magnet, it might have cost a dollar or less and a postcard was maybe a quarter.
Today, magnets at Disney start at $15 and postcards are $7.
Two influential changes happened right around 1981 during the Reagan administration that changed the US economy forever. One was deregulation. Laws and policies changed to permit just about any one to obtain credit. Before deregulation, having a credit card was not common for most Americans. People bought items with cash or paid in installments on layaway. If you could not afford something, you could not buy it.
The second change that happened was opening trade to China, flooding the US with inexpensive goods and leading to the creation of superstores, like Walmart, and the rapid extinction of most American manufacturing (and many, many jobs). People bought inexpensive “things” with credit cards.
Other changes happened around the same time. Up until the late 1970s and early 1980s, most stores were closed on Sundays, Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas. People simply did not spend as much time shopping then as they do today. 70% of people in the 1970s attended a religious service weekly. For a lot of people, Sundays were about church and family gatherings. With the advent of easy credit and cheap goods, stores and shopping malls began to open on Sundays and even holidays, while attendance at weekly religious services dropped to 20% of the population.
Did shopping as a past time fulfill an emotional need once met by spiritual activities? Possibly. This dynamic is quite real. The Harvard Business Review reported that five studies found that people with strong religious beliefs or who engaged in spiritual reflection made fewer impulse purchases and spent less when shopping. The effects of spiritual practices made people feel grounded, grateful and emotionally secure, making them less prone to seek external sources of relief for their worries and cares.
I am not suggesting that religious observance is the only way to find comfort and spiritual fulfilment (and avoid credit card debt). But it may be that dedicating more time to self care, mindfulness and a gratitude practice may help meet an emotional need for people that would be otherwise met by a more expensive and temporary, shopping high.
How to Counter the Lure of Impulse Shopping
So, if saving money at Disney World is a goal for you, then try to recognize the short-term effects impuise shopping delivers and consider whether just browsing in stores without buying anything at all might be just as much fun.
I’m not suggesting you buy nothing at Disney — although I have visited the parks and had a wonderful time while only buying some ice cream! I think it’s important to be mindful about your spending and to stay within your budget. If you find something that makes you really happy and you can afford it, then buy it!
For example, I’m very happy with the $20 Passport I bought at Epcot. It made my whole trip more interactive and it is now a treasured souvenir I bring back each time I visit. I also loved gifting this uniquely crafted Moroccan magnet to a friend who loves to receive and display magnets. He was delighted with it.
Here’s a trick that may work for you: instead of buying an item, take a few, deep breaths to ground yourself first. Maybe step outside for a moment. You could also take a photo of it. Wait an hour…or sleep on the decision, if you can. If you still really want the item and can afford it, you can always buy it later.
Another trick: calculate how much the item (or collective items) would cost you. Now consider whether you would rather have a good meal in a restaurant, go on a carriage ride, try a fireworks dessert party or pay for another memorable experience, instead.
You can also prepare in advance to resist impulse purchases by buying less a less expensive item before your trip, such as a t-shirt. For example, you can buy a less expensive t-shirt at Amazon or Five Below.
Low Key Self Care While at Disney
Perhaps one of the most important way to combat a shopping bug is a dedication to your own self-care, especially while on vacation.
It appears absolutely essential to be aware of your energy levels while in the theme parks. Try not to allow yourself to get too tired or hot at Walt Disney World, since those are two primary drivers of impulse spending.
That translates to (you guessed it!) taking a low key approach to your Disney vacation. That can mean
- Placing a priority on restful sleep while on vacation.
- Eating good meals and staying hydrated.
- Taking plenty of breaks to sit down and rest while in the theme parks or even leaving early to relax at your resort.
- Going at a slower pace and not trying to fit everything you want to do in a single day or a single vacation.
- Spending less money, for example, going to one park instead of all four, and filling in some of your vacation days with lower-cost or free activities, like mini golf, listening to live music, resort-hopping and swimming.
How have you managed temptations to buy things at Disney World? What has worked for you?
