Hey everyone, it's Jacqueline for Pixie Dust PhD! While we are not yet quite into December,
it is sort of getting to be that holiday time of the year. In light of that you may be looking
for gifts for yourself or for your friends and family. In this video I will be highlighting where
I personally like to shop for Disney inspired merchandise; this includes big box retailers and
I'll be trying hard to highlight a lot of small shops for you to support. So stay tuned for some
gift inspiration, whether it be for yourself or for others!
First we have shop Disney. Now this is Disney's official shop. Not all of the merchandise available in the parks
is available here, but you will find a good amount of it. So if you're missing the Disney parks shop Disney can help fill that
void. There's a variety of merchandise available at shop Disney; everything from clothing to toys
to home accessories. You can also typically find Disney inspired Dooney and Bourke bags
on shopdisney.com. Shop Disney occasionally has sales, including sometimes free shipping promos.
Additionally sometimes shop Disney will go on promo at Rakuten where you can save six to eight
percent cash back instead of the standard one to two percent. If you don't know what Rakuten is it's
simply a website where if you sign up at Rakuten and then you shop through their sponsored links
you can get cash back. Shop Disney also sometimes has savings promotions for annual pass holders and
or those Disney visa credit card holders. If you're lucky you might be able to stack multiple savings
and some Rakuten cashback all together. I don't personally tend to shop at shop Disney too much,
but if you want something like a spirit jersey or one of those beautiful Vera Bradley bags this is
definitely a great place to start. Other big box retailers in my opinion are both Hot Topic and
Box Lunch. I believe Hot Topic actually owns Box Lunch so I sort of consider these the same company
even though they are distinct brands. Depending on what age you are you may associate Hot Topic
with goth and punk things like skinny black jeans with bright neon straps. While they certainly do
still carry those things, there's actually a lot of fandom related articles at Hot Topic and Box Lunch.
I have this really fun Pixar shirt from Hot Topic, which is both very cute and also super
comfortable--it's really soft. Hot Topic and Box Lunch also often have promotions for 30%
or more off things like t-shirts, and they also both have their cash back programs where if you
spend a certain amount now you'll end up getting sort of 20 or 40 cashback for a later purchase.
Using these programs it's definitely a great way to have savings on Disney inspired merchandise,
including things like Loungefly bags. And if you aren't finding the bags you want through Hot Topic
or Box Lunch or shop Disney of course you can go directly to those retailers like Loungefly.
Fun fact: Loungefly also sells their products directly on Amazon, which can sometimes be cheaper
than what you would find on the Loungefly website itself. Aside from shop Disney, Hot Topic, Box Lunch,
and Loungefly, there are plenty of other big box retailers that offer Disney merch. Things
like Target, Kohl's, and Walmart. I also really love the merchandise that's offered at Uniqlo, although
online it can be kind of hit or miss. The Uniqlo in Disney Springs--if you are located in central
Florida or you make time to visit that Disney Springs Uniqlo location during your vacation--is
always a hit. They have a lot of really cute Disney merchandise that's at super affordable prices,
we're talking about t-shirts in the $15 range. I have this very fun Winnie the Pooh Uniqlo t-shirt
that I ordered online, as well as this Beauty and the Beast inspired but very subtle t-shirt. I want to
spend the bulk of this video though talking about not big box retailers, instead talking about small
shops. Disney has a wide fan base and many of those are super creative people that end up selling
their products on the internet. Sites like etsy.com for example are a wealth of resources for Disney
inspired merch. I will note that Disney of course does have legal rights over their property; for
the most part the Disney designs are trademarked or copyrighted to some extent. That being said I'm
under the impression that Disney is well aware of how important the small shop culture is for their
fan base and to have more and more unique products out there. Ultimately, I will note that Disney
has the legal right to order cease and desist to small shops that they feel are infringing on their
intellectual property. I have no statistics about how often this does or does not happen.
That being said, for the most part I think that the small shop scene for Disney inspired merchandise
is flourishing. Note that when shopping on etsy.com in particular you may have to be a little bit
creative with your search terms. For example, instead of searching for Tangled Minnie mouse ears
you might search for something like lost princess mouse ears. Due to this threat of cease and desist
many shops take on the strategy of not using the trademarked names in their listings. Instagram is
also really helpful for finding new and wonderful small shops. Once you follow several small shop
accounts often the algorithm is actually pretty good at suggesting other small shops to you.
It's also a really wonderful community where many small shops will feature other small shops in
their instagram stories. So definitely be engaged with small shops and watch their stories to learn
about not only their new products but also other small shops that you might be interested in. Of
course links to everything relevant will be in the description below, and for all the small shops that
I have not yet purchased from and therefore cannot provide a detailed personalized review I did ask
for their explicit permission to feature them in this video regardless of the threat of cease and
desist orders from the Disney company. This will be a woven intermix of places I have shopped from and
places that I hope to shop from sometime in the future. I really just have to find an excuse to do.
So I try very hard not to be a materialistic but ultimately this also means that I don't
necessarily support as many small businesses as I would hope to. Frozen Reflections Design
Company on etsy at etsy.com/shop/frozenreflections offers Disney and pop culture inspired stickers.
I personally really love the ones in the mickey head shape. They have an entire lineup of princess
inspired stickers in these mickey head shapes that I think are super charming to affix to a laptop, a
water bottle, or anything you see fit. Castle Co has these beautiful bags and backpacks inspired
by Spaceship Earth in EPCOT, aka that golf ball. I really love these because outside of Disney
it passes as a normal bag, but when you're in Disney you can clearly see the inspiration.
Castle Co offers other products as well like t-shirts, but I am really drooling over this bag.
I think it's definitely something I might end up purchasing for my next Walt Disney World trip.
Uncommon Plans I believe is primarily a sticker shop on etsy and they feature a lot of very cute
Disney inspired designs. I recently purchased two sticker sheets from them: one is Christmas inspired
baby Yodas or the child from the Mandalorian, and the other is Christmas or holiday inspired
villains. I just love the chibi art style that they have. They also threw in a free half sheet
of Halloween inspired stickers, and while the whole half sheet is not Disney inspired it is a super
nice gesture. These are the kind of extras you can often expect from small shops that you just won't
find from big box retailers. Magic Mouse Ears, which you can find at magicmouseears.com, are some of the
most exquisite mouse ears that I have ever seen. I've been following this instagram account on my
private instagram for several years--long before I ever started YouTube. They are lovingly custom
made and come in a variety of themes. These ears also often sell out very quickly, so you definitely
want to follow on instagram @MagicMouseEars to learn when they will be releasing the ears. I don't
yet own a pair of Magic Mouse Ears ears, but it's definitely on my to-do list. Recently, I also bought
this mask from Mouse and Magic Designs. Mouse and Magic Designs is currently offering face masks
like this park purse white one that I have, but they also have a lot of other products like very
cute clutches for your wrist and keychains. They also feature card holders, hand sanitizer holders,
and cosmetic bags. Ultimately, the fabrics that the shop manages to get--I don't know if they custom
make them or what, but anyway--are beautiful. I ended up purchasing this purse park white face mask
essentially on a whim. I noticed that it matched my recently acquired Disney Sketch Dooney and Bourke
bag, and I just had to have it. Even with shipping I thought that the cost was extremely reasonable and
it's a very cute and comfortable mask. Wish Upon Magic, which you can find at etsy.com/shop/wishuponmagic,
has these really beautiful stickers. Again there are other products, but
I am absolutely in love with some of their sticker designs. For example, Emperor's New
Groove doesn't get nearly as much love in the community as I think it should and they have a
super cute llama potion sticker with a transparent background. They also offer keychains. One includes
a picture of cinder Ella castle in the style of an instagram post and I think it is just
the most charming thing. The folks behind Wish Upon Magic definitely are creative minds, so for
sure check out their shop for inspiration. Disney offers free buttons to guests--for now at least--
but you can also get custom buttons ahead of your trip if you want to make your button extra special.
I did this with my last trip with a friend when we were both celebrating having finally finished
our PhDs. We got these custom I'm celebrating my PhD buttons from Bippity Boppity Button on
etsy and I couldn't recommend them more. There are loads of amazing button patterns to choose
from and you can customize almost all of them. If you're looking for something to Disney up your
pool time check out Enchanted Bikinis. This is an entire swimmer line inspired by Disney including
princesses as well as villains. They have loads of different styles inspired by a lot of different
characters--everything from bikinis to one pieces and Tinkerbell to Maleficent. Whether or not you'll
be enjoying the pool or the beach at Disney, this is definitely a great way to insert some Disney
into your life. One of my favorite pairs of ears is actually the first pair of ears that I've gotten
as an adult, and they're these pineapples with this gold bow from It's A Ear World on etsy. These ears
were originally listed with a green bow, which I didn't necessarily want, and after messaging
the owner they were so accommodating in finding me a custom sparkly bow instead. These ears are
the puffy style but they are both comfortable and light, which is kind of a miracle. They've held up
really well over the years as well, so I definitely recommend you check out It's A Ear World on etsy.
Lottie Does Disney make some of the absolute cutest Disney inspired clothes that I have
ever seen. There are some more flagrant things, like a giant mickey mouse, as well as some more subtle
things, like designs inspired by the mad teacups. I really think Lottie has something for everyone.
Lottie's designs are honestly so cute, and recently Lottie has had custom fabric even made to fit this
Disney niche. Definitely check out Lottie Does Disney if you want some very fun, unique Disney
clothes. The other pair of ears that I absolutely love are these almost holographic purple sparkly
ears from The Mouse Crafty Shop. The Mouse Crafty Shop has loads of designs, but particularly
if you want some sparkles that'll really stand out I would definitely recommend you check them out
over at themousecraftyshop.com. Another small shop I like a lot is Fantasyland Apparel. Particularly
I really love the t-shirts and sweatshirts they have with Disney inspired embroidery.
I own a lot of screen printed merch, and no hate to that, but embroidery is just a different level
of luxe in my opinion. I would also classify the Fantasyland Apparel merch as a little more subtle.
By this I mean a Disney fan is absolutely going to get what's on your t-shirt, but
an average regular day person who maybe isn't quite as obsessed with Disney as you or I are
is just going to view it as like "oh that's a nice t-shirt." I have no problems with bold
mickey mouse patterns or similar, but sometimes I just want to be able to wear Disney inspired
merchandise that will pass at work. Fantasyland Apparel has options for everyone--whether
you want it to be very obviously bold and Disney, or something a little more subdued.
Best Day Evear--of course a play on the words best day ever--is a custom made mouse ear and
shirt shop. The shirts there are lovely, but I am particularly obsessed with the ears that they make.
If you have a theme in mind there is a very good chance that they have a pair of mouse ears for you.
Recently I have been eyeing all of their Tangled theme ears including the corona sunburst as
well as everything Pascal. They feature really eye-catching designs and I hope you check them
out if you're looking for a new pair of mouse ears. in general If you're looking to buy Disney
merchandise shopping small is a great way to go for this upcoming holiday season. And for whenever
your next trip to Disneyland, Disney World, a Disney cruise, or any other Disney resort is
I hope you consider shopping small to enhance your wardrobe or accessories. And don't forget
that right now small shops are a great way to support cast members who may have been laid off
in the recent sweeping layoffs from Disney. While there's nothing wrong with those big box retailers,
it's always nice to support a small shop. This is just a tiny selection of small shops that I got
explicit permission and/or I have shopped from in the past in order to highlight in this video.
Definitely let me know what small shops you love to shop at in the comments down below! If you found
this information helpful or at all inspiring for your upcoming Disney merch needs, please consider
hitting that thumbs up button to "like" the video and subscribe to the channel--ring the bell icon
for notifications whenever I post new videos. Those likes and subscribes really do help me out so much,
and if you want to chat about Disney small shops or anything else Disney World, Disney Vacation Club,
or Disney in general outside of the comments go ahead and find me on Twitter and Instagram
@PixieDustPhD. I hope you're having the best day ever, and we'll see you real soon at Pixie Dust PhD!