That’s right, people: actual honest-to-goodness free souvenirs in Disneyland, of all places. No, we haven't had too many Lost Safaris at Trader Sam’s - this is legit.
Buttons
We’re assuming you’ve heard of Birthday Buttons, readily available from City Hall in Town Square, and other locations around the resort. Not only are these cheap-as-free, but there are a variety of other buttons as well (Just Married, First Visit, I’m Celebrating...) usually all you have to do is ask, and Disney will have a button for you!
Drawing at Animation Academy
If you’re searching for a place to take a break in DCA, check out the Animation Academy. You get a fun Disney character drawing lesson, and also get to keep your drawing. This is a unique souvenir that you won’t find anywhere else, and always changes - you’ll draw a new character pretty much every time you go.
Jungle Cruise Map
We’ve done a whole post on things you should ask for in Disneyland, some of which we’ve actually asked for ourselves, including this one. To get this souvenir, you’ve got to ask one of the Cast Members as you off-board your Jungle Cruise boat for a map.
Sometimes they’re out, sometimes the Cast Member doesn’t know what you’re talking about, and sometimes you luck out and get a Jungle Cruise map! Yes, it’s just a map printed on an 8.5x11 piece of paper, but it’s a great souvenir to take home with you.
Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters Photo
Most ride photos you have to pay for (or take a quick phone photo on the way out), but Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters offers the option of emailing yourself your photo. It’s super convenient, though the lines can get pretty long (and the computers take forever to type in an email), and, oh yeah, it’s free.
FastPass Reminder
Since the print-outs you receive when you get a FastPass aren't actually collected by Cast Members upon entering the ride anymore, you can now keep them as mementos. It's great to trip down memory lane when you happen upon an old FastPass in your wallet.
Survey Sticker
If you’re fortunate enough to be randomly selected by Cast Members at the park entrances to complete a survey, you’re in luck - you might just get a free Mickey sticker. Sure, it’s just a sticker, but hey, it’s the little things that count.
The Buena Vista Bugle
The newspaper of Disney California Adventure, offered on Buena Vista street (sometimes at the Fiddler, Fifer and Practical Cafe, but always at the Chamber of Commerce) is free and often goes unnoticed. It’s a something fun to read through and take home with you, filled with Disney news-of-the-moment.
We’ve mentioned other free things to ask for in Disneyland, though some of them are possibly just rumors (I can’t say I’ve ever seen anyone actually receive a Death Certificate). Have you found any other free souvenirs from the parks?
Welcome to Lost Weekender Lockdown! Where Kat and I make fools of ourselves trying to recreate Trader Sam’s Drinks so we can feel something close to magic or happiness again. We started with a recipe for Gorilla Grogg, which is a base used in a few different Trader Sam’s drinks like the Uh Oa or Lost Safari.