Disney World Merchandise Report: Price Increases, Shortages & Sold Out Stuff
We’re back “by popular demand” with a photo report on merchandise around Walt Disney World. In this post, we’ll share photos of 50th Anniversary and Halloween souvenirs, plus commentary about price increases, supply chain problems, inventory shortages, and more.
Okay, so “by popular demand” isn’t entirely accurate here–hence the air quotes. As regular readers probably know, this blog is not a particularly great resource for Walt Disney World souvenir enthusiasts. When it comes to new merchandise, my motto might as well be the same as that of Kruger Industrial Smoothing.
Even on a normal day, attempting to navigate Walt Disney World’s gift shops is an uncomfortable proposition. When new items are released or restocked–and eBay pirates dock their ships and storm the stores–it’s exponentially worse. If you’ve never experienced this, how unpleasant it is cannot be overstated. I’d rather watch back to back showings of Beauty and the Beast: Sing-Along than visit the Emporium on those mornings. But enough of my “old man shakes fist at cloud” comments…
There are a couple of reasons I’ve been paying attention to merchandise recently. First, because there are a ton of new products out now or coming soon for Halloween and Walt Disney World’s 50th Anniversary. I’d like to purchase a couple of the latter, and am concerned about them selling out.
Second, because there was a (friendly, as far as I could tell) dispute among readers in the comments to a recent post. Some contended that 50th Anniversary items were in plentiful supply throughout the parks, while others couldn’t find anything.
Which brings me to the final point: supply chain problems and merchandise shortages. (By the way, I’m just going to sprinkle some photos through the top part of this commentary since I don’t have anything worthwhile to say about a lot of the specific items pictured.)
As discussed in our Walt Disney World 50th Anniversary Merchandise Preview, supply chain issues and resulting product shortages are very much a thing right now. Manufacturing has not scaled back up, inventory in factories is limited, and cargo ships not being allowed to unload at the ports. You’ve probably heard about some or all of this on the nightly news.
Walt Disney World has been a victim of this, and new merchandise releases have slowed to a trickle in the last several months. Many of the “new releases” we’re seeing now were probably intended to debut several months ago.
It’s a challenge just to keep shelves stocked, and Walt Disney World is currently experiencing this. Rather than unloading unpopular items at the Disney Character Warehouses, the company is retaining those items so the Emporium and other stores don’t look like Target’s toilet paper aisle, circa March 2020.
In that preview, we specifically said the following: “It wouldn’t surprise us if the 50th Anniversary merchandise has premium pricing, which would be easy to attribute to opportunism in Disney knowing fans will be eager to purchase souvenirs no matter the cost. That probably plays a role, but it’s also highly likely that this merchandise is costing Disney more to stock—and that inventory is more limited due to the aforementioned supply chain woes.
“Accordingly, Disney might be okay with this merchandise selling slightly slower. It would be a ‘bad look’ if things sell out the first week of October and cannot be restocked for months. That’s all speculative, but certainly not unprecedented—it’s happening with retail and products all over the place right now.”
Fast-forward a few weeks, and price increases are exactly what we’re seeing–and not just on Walt Disney World 50th Anniversary merchandise.
Loungefly backpacks, Mouse Ear Headbands, Spirit Jerseys, Crocs, purses, and other merchandise we’re probably missing have all increased in price recently at Walt Disney World.
Defending these price increases is the dumbest possible thing I could do. (Especially after not being as negative about Genie+ as many of you might’ve liked.) Literally no one reading this is on “TEAM PRICE INCREASE!” cheering on higher merchandise costs. So rather than defending the price increases, let’s calling this…explaining it, I guess?
I’ll preface these remarks by saying that all of this stuff was already overpriced and seeing it go even higher is…really just something else. I wouldn’t pay outlet prices for most of this stuff, or even Germany store prices circa late 2020 (when we had deep Annual Passholder discounts), let alone Emporium prices today. To each their own, though.
With all of those caveats out of the way, I suspect Walt Disney World is raising prices here not out of any ulterior motives or a desire to squeeze out a few more dollars in per guest spending. Rather, it’s probably to decrease sales so that shelves aren’t cleared out like the aforementioned Target toilet paper aisle.
Normally, we’re dismissive of the notion that Walt Disney World raises prices to decrease demand. This is a line that is often parroted when it comes to ticket prices, and one we’ve rejected time and time again. (Disney has no desire to cut crowds–they want to “optimize” attendance and pricing.) This is different, as there’s a very real possibility of running out of certain merchandise items and having empty shelves as a result. By contrast, Walt Disney World wouldn’t run out of park capacity but for increasing ticket prices.
It seems like that might already be happening to some extent.
Big Top Souvenirs in Storybook Circus at Magic Kingdom recently reopened, and it has very little non-edible merchandise. Most of its displays look like what’s pictured above, with curtains covering the shelves. This is far from the only store with less merchandise selection at Walt Disney World–just the biggest and best example.
A bit of a tangent, but Big Top Souvenirs has added a ton of seating inside all around the store.
Once TRON Lightcycle Run opens, my guess is that traffic exiting that attraction will be one way (due to narrow walkways), possibly dumping guests into Storybook Circus. Right now, this area of the park is farthest from any restaurants. Between that and the increased foot traffic, adding something back here might make sense.
As for the price increases, they’re all over the place.
Some of the Loungefly bags are $85 or $95 now. I thought these were overpriced back when they were at the outlets for half off (~$35).
Back then (this was only a few months pre-closure), overstock Loungefly bags that were still being sold in the parks would routinely wind up at the Disney Character Warehouse Outlet stores in seemingly unlimited supply.
I’m thus guessing the margins on these are pretty high. But then again, that’s probably true of almost all Walt Disney World merchandise.
In any case, I have absolutely no Loungefly expertise beyond that observation.
I don’t know what makes the Baby Yoda Loungefly “only” worth $75, whereas the Minnie Mouse one is $95.
My non-expert opinion is that the Baby Yoda bag is superior.
Mind you, I’d never purchase either of them–it’s not my style and my nonstop back-sweat would ruin either in hours–but the Baby Yoda one looks classier/cuter. The Minnie one has too much going on and looks cheaper, despite pricing to the contrary. (No offense to anyone who bought it–I have zero style whatsoever, so it’s not like my opinion has any value or merit.)
One “trick” to spotting price increases at Walt Disney World is sticker tags affixed to the paper hanger tags.
Unlike most other ears, which are still “only” $30, these ones are now $40. Some might argue that Big Al adds $20 in value to any merchandise, making these a comparative bargain. That’s an interesting perspective and I think we ought to give it some weight.
I’m not normally into Nightmare Before Christmas stuff, but I do like these ears. The cutesy characters take a bit of the edge off, so to speak.
With that said, I thought Mouse Ear Headbands were overpriced when they increased in price to $24.99 back in 2018. (I swear they were $16.99 not that long ago!)
Most Mouse Ear Headbands remain $30 (for now?).
Not totally sure about this, but I think those ones in the upper right were created for one of the other parks and inspired by Mickey and Minnie celebratory character costumes. Maybe Shanghai Disneyland? It seems like a lot of stuff that doesn’t sell there makes its way to Walt Disney World.
The merchandise purchase limits of two per item, per guest have been extended to everything. Previously, it applied to Halloween and 50th Anniversary stuff.
I’m not sure whether this is actually being enforced. The eBay pirates code is more what you’d call “guidelines” than actual rules. Plus, pirates are incredibly resourceful and clever. They’ll probably find a way around to circumvent this, and I can’t imagine many Cast Members want to fight them over it.
Next, we turn to the Walt Disney World 50th Anniversary “pre-celebration” collection, which was released a couple of weeks ago. We’ve seen several of these items around the parks, but never everything all at once.
When we last visited Magic Kingdom, there was almost nothing. I’d hazard a guess new shipments are coming in with some degree of regularity, so what’s available even tomorrow morning may differ from what we saw in Emporium. This is probably going to be “day to day” for a while–so don’t be surprised if what you see differs from someone who goes the day before or after you.
We did see two different 50th Anniversary calendars (the other was character art).
We’ve been big fans of the Attraction Poster Calendars over the years, but since they stopped pulling from Imagineering’s Archives and made different ones for the calendars, our interest has waned.
Here’s a look at the art in the 2022 Walt Disney World Poster Calendar.
I forgot to check the price, but following the aforementioned Big Al rule, it’s worth at least $20 more than the other calendar. That’s just science.
I absolutely love Crocs but think they’re inherently hideous, so a loud design doesn’t bother me in the least.
These Hocus Pocus Crocs definitely lean into that philosophy, as they are quite bedazzled.
Again, I’m not sure how these simpler plaid ones are worth as much as the totally decked out Hocus Pocus ones.
Clearly Walt Disney World doesn’t follow the pricing policies of Dan Flashes. Those Crocs cost $1000 because the patterns are so complicated!!!
Depending upon how you feel about pattern pricing (the more wild, the more valuable–right?!), this post has either gone off the rails or peaked, and should go out on a high note.
Ultimately, what’s going on with merchandise at Walt Disney World is more fascinating to me than the items themselves, so I’ll probably keep paying attention to this saga and see how it continues to play out. While price decreases are exceedingly rare at Walt Disney World, I cannot see $95 being the “new” base price of Loungefly purses or $40 being the going rate for Mouse Ear Headbands. A lot of this seems transitory, as they say, and I’d expect those prices to drop once inventory normalizes and there are no worries of the shelves being wiped clean. On the plus side, these price increases should cut into eBay pirate margins and kill some of the market for that. Silver lining?
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YOUR THOUGHTS
What do you think of the Walt Disney World 50th Anniversary or Halloween merchandise? Thoughts on the price increases? What about inventory shortages or supply chain woes? Optimistic that prices will decrease once things normalize next year, or think these are the new base prices for some of this stuff? Do you agree or disagree with my assessment? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback–even when you disagree with us–is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
The calendar has 2 Country Bear pages. That’s got to be a $30 premium for sure.
Good point!
We had 3 Disney stores within an hours drive. One off in CT another 30 mins away in NY and one 45 mins near the GW Bridge in NJ. All were doing really well financially. The CM’s are in shock and said it’s all about selling online. I loved going to these stores, it was a little bit of WDW when you were missing the parks.
Disney has some new major deal with Target and though we always choose Target over Walmart but it won’t be the same going there for our Disney fix. Very sad watching the vultures picking the Disney Store clean at 30% off. I’m pretty sure I also heard a couple of “aars, Yarrs and blow me downs”.
I’m just hoping there’ll be a button down 50th anniversary shirt left when I arrive at the end of Sept.
PS don’t worry about all the extras being eliminated and higher prices for less. We will all have our revenge in 2022.
I meant to touch on the Disney Store closures in this post, but totally forgot. Incredibly sad to see that happening, but I think the writing has been on the wall with that for a while. It doesn’t help that the most recent store redesign made the stores incredibly bland and devoid of character (literally and figuratively).
I think there’s still a compelling case to be made for Disney Stores as “brand destinations” that make people–especially kids–excited about Disney. That’s what the mall Disney Stores did for me as a kid, but the sterile look of the last decade doesn’t really accomplish that.
Super random. How big is Sarah’s ear collection?
I wonder if Disney has a contract with Target to sell their merchandise, noticed in advertisements Target has expanded space in stores. If so, guess Disney found a way to not pay rent for individual brick and mortar stores. Disney charges a high price, need to step up on quality.
@Kimberly, Do you know if they’re selling the 50th magic bands only as resort stay extras? The ones you spoke about? Also I thought they were doing away with magicbands?
Hi Tom and Sarah! I was wondering if any of this information about shortages and price increases has anything to do with actual Disney Stores closing down all over? We have 2 in our area that are closing on or before Sept. 15th. Cast members are pretty upset and said it’s because they can sell it for more online. A sales manager told me that sales have still been on point for their store since they reopened but prices online are a bit higher. It’s so disappointing to us, especially since we live in VA. We make it to WDW once a year, but that’s our “DISNEY” when we’re home. We visit the store about twice a month and always go in for the little parades, and the extra little activities they have. We went yesterday and those Minnie ears you have pictures were $29.99 but 30% off. Which makes them about $21. I get that prices are more expensive online but I feel like DISNEY has been nickel and diming all of us lately. Starting with parking fees at Resorts. Which was way before Covid. I know prices increase and times change but we’re so bummed about the Disney Stores closing. My youngest who is 8 said “oh nooooo! I have so many memories at that store!” Hahaha. It’s sad.
I know Walt Disney has been dead and gone for over 50 years but I feel like all the recent changes has really made him seem gone. Part of the reason Disney is so MAGICAL, is because of him! His perseverance, his imagination, his ethics, his determination, and his goal to make Disney a place for all. They’re really making it seem like it’s just all about the bottom line lately. I know it’s a business and I know that they’re supposed to find new and inventive ways to make the company money. To me it just always seemed like they cared about all of us while they were doing it. Unfortunately for them and for me it feels a lot less “Magical” now and more like a money machine. Heartbreaking. Truly.
Have to check the manufacturing details for the Crocs value comparison! The Hocus Pocus Crocs are just blinged/painted regular Crocs, while the plaid ones are a specially made for Disney Croc. Check the vents/holes. Hocus Pocus are just regular/normal circle vents model, while the plaid vents are Mickey outlines… Regular Crocs that are blinged up after manufacture and specially designed/made Crocs with subdued acoutrement… equal value say the economists at Crocs/Disney!
@Tom
Agreed, and your predictions regarding what will appear when are very logical. It is really nice to see the limits and increases right now anyway, because it makes it feel less urgent to buy something! Not that I’m interested in having the same bag which everyone else is walking around with anyway…
@Kimberly
Thank you! I do have a resort reservation coming up and like the look of that band. Now my sis just needs to hurry up and pick her color and I can stop fretting…
20 years ago we were at WDW. Arriving, from Boston on Sept 22. Of course everyone wanted anything that was RWB. Bought several things including T-shirts that were flag related and did NOT say Disney or WDW anywhere on them. Was told they were buying anything they could that was RWB, without thought of it being marked Disney. Couldn’t keep it in stock. The prices were reasonable. Not jacked up due to events.
It was our first time there. Best time too. NO crowds. No complaints about every bag being exhaustively gone through. Might have been because of the National Guard at the airports, & police at all the gates & parking lots. I guess we were all suckers back then. But, we felt Patriotic.
I’ll buy what I want that I can find & afford. If not, EBay be darned, I don’t buy from crooks. Or the black market.
@Tom, some of those things you can’t figure out why they are more expensive. Look at all the small pieces on the outsides. All of which have to be attached one by one by a person. Even a horribly paid, sweatshop laborer. Makers charge more for that. Lots more. Check out shoe warehouses with really ugly shoes. The most expensive have lots of parts & furbelows (sp?) stuck & sewn on. Sequins are the worst. 😉
10 years ago I purchased the blue with gold stripes 40th anniversary logo track jacket at the Magic Kingdom. I have worn this jacket a lot over the years and was looking to replace it with a similar jacket with the 50th anniversary logo. I imagine it may be released with the winter collection around the holidays.
Just a suggestion, but check Etsy for Disney 50th anniversary Merch. They have lots of really cute things! Just checked for our November trip.
I’ve noticed that they’ve put up a limit on how many one person can buy. In World of Disney now, they have a “limit of two (2) per guest” sign everywhere. I was actually surprised to see the Halloween LOUNGEFLY at $75. Usually the ones with the ears are about $90. Of course the Anniversary stuff is more, but I haven’t seen much of an increase on merch.
Looking for the anniversary vinylmations…any info??
Hi Tom and Sarah,these prices seem very steep to me in the UK,but I am wondering, where is most of it made ? Last time I visited Disneyland Paris (14th time) It was very disappointing to find 95% of the goods were made in China, Is this the case in the US parks ?
I have been reading all of you trip reports from around the world and have almost finished all of them, and I agree with you on every single point made, except one I, the castle cake at WDW,it was in place during my very first visit,and I hated it sorry, but as you were young I am sure I can let you off ! Thank you both so much for keeping me entertained for the past few months, Take care and as always Love from the United Kingdom.
I don’t have much to say about the merch (I’ll probably get something 50th related at some point, but I don’t know what) but I wanted to note the great Seinfeld reference – “Kruger Industrial Smoothing – we don’t care, and it shows”
I placed an order for the anniversary stuff when it came out on shopDisney, and either Disney or UPS lost my package. It’s been stuck on shipping label created since 8/14, so yeah… They’re both pointing fingers at each other, but at this point the only solution either is giving me is a refund. I was devastated because of course that stuff’s gone now. That includes the poster, which is now only on eBay for $300. So it seems the eBay pirates still feel plenty confident in their sales. 🙁
I asked a cast member at WoD too if they plan on getting more of that collection in, and he said they would have expected them by now and haven’t had a new shipment in over a week, so maybe, maybe not. Ughhhh. If anyone’s looking for the spirit jersey, though, they had tons of those everywhere (WoD and the resort gift shops) as of this past weekend.
@ Maggie, I don’t know if you have a resort reservation, but if so Disney just today released a new 50th magic band in the pre-arrival orders, and it is WAYYYY better than the one in the general release on 8/12. It has characters (including Mr. Toad and Figment!!!) and a special anniversary ring on it. It’s $30, so quite a bit more than the pre-arrival bands usually cost, but it’s absolutely gorgeous so my dumb butt fell for it.
P.S. @Tom: Loungeflys with sequins always cost more lol. The ear-idescent one will also probably come at a premium because of the material. Signed, someone who has spent an excessive amount of money on Disney Loungeflys.
Disney is abysmal with inventory in the best of times. The the left hand never knows what the right is doing. I bought this years Pride ears on Shop Disney for $3 as they were being unloaded into the parks.
I suspect due to mismanagement we will see weird warehouse sales of this stuff on Shop Disney. Not that they couldn’t sell it new but just that they botched the roll out.
Remember Shop Disney Parks? I loved that app I got so many pins for $1 each. They had terrible inventory control and I believe that’s why they ended it. RIP deep passholder discounts.
I feel like for each of those ears they sell for $50.00 they will sell 5 for $7.99 at the outlet. I just don’t see a market for $50 ears.
“I just don’t see a market for $50 ears.”
College Program participants and people “influenced” by social media. That’s about it.
Totally agree with the rest of your comment. You hit several nails on the head.
Off topic: You always have great pics! Was wondering what you would recommend for a point and shoot camera in a concert setting? I have a bridge camera Canon SX40 with image stabilization and 40x zoom, but they only allow point and shoot so even a bridge camera without a removable lens still may not be allowed in. Do you have any suggestions for a lightweight, point and shoot camera? Thanks in advance!!
It’s been a while since I’ve purchased a new point and shoot camera, but I’ve always been a fan of the Sony RX line.
Yea got that one right on the head of the Ebay Pirates…..been trying to buy the 50Th anniversary blue mickey t-shirt since it came out….BOOM sold out asap….next onto Ebay for maybe a chance at one but Whoa not for $85 as i’ve seen…..dont need one that bad so hopefully i can snag a new released 50th soon on Disney stores for the ticket price but if not then it wont be on my back……between the shortage of 50th items ….,,hotel rooms skyrocketing prices…..Magic Express going goin gone…..,an now this new Genie im not too sure i was meant to be there anymore ……sad Nana
Just give it a few months on that 50th Anniversary Mickey shirt. That’s one of the main open edition items. It’ll be available in abundant supply for the next couple of years once we get past the rollout month(s) hiccups. No way would mess with eBay for that.
I checked in all four parks last week looking for a 50th anniversary magic band but without luck. At Animal Kingdom on Friday, one cast member did say that they were going to start moving more 50th anniversary stuff to the website. That’d be an easier way to control inventory, at least…but I have yet to see what I’m looking for anyway.
I think it’s just going to take some time. People want to buy anniversary items on their trips–and Disney wants to sell it in the gift shops. I assume a lot of it will also be sold on shopDisney, which should provide good “competition” to the ebayers.