Unique Disneyland Souvenirs - Cheap!

Yes, your trip to Disneyland is likely to set you back some serious cash. Know that going in - no way to sugarcoat that fact. HOWEVER, there are ways to save money, eat smart, and make good spending decisions while still having fun. Here is a great one - make a point of doing several of the pressed penny machines that can be found throughout the Disneyland Resort. You know the ones - put in a penny and two quarters, pick from a few different pictures, turn a crank, and soon you have your very own, custom-made pressed penny with a cool Disney character or other theme on it. Kids LOVE doing these, and at only 51 cents each, you can do several for the price of a soon-forgotten plastic toy or balloon. (Or, to refer back to my post of last week, you can get 7 for the price of a bottle of water.)

I've seen reports that there are over 100 penny pressing options at the Disneyland Resort, though I've not been interested enough to try to count them myself! They are fun to collect, easy to store (display books available, of course), and making them creates fun memories with your family. We do penny pressing at almost all the vacation destinations we visit. They are like a family tradition, everyone gets to participate, and a few times throughout the year, we look through our pennies and remember our travels.

If you get really addicted, there are website and clubs, such as The Elongated Collectors to help you feed your obsession. For now though, just toss along some extra pennies and quarters when you pack for your next trip to Disneyland, and see where it takes you.