The Opening of Magical Maribel Finds!

In a blog post in the past, I wrote about how it is so fun and fulfilling it is to find really great deals at Thrift stores. This is honestly something I do a lot because Disney merchandise can sometimes be a bit pricey. I live in central Florida near the Walt Disney World area, so I tend to find a lot of really good Disney items and in really good condition. This is both a blessing and a curse because I want it all but I also can’t keep it all or I would be a serious hoarder! So, the solution… open up a small thrift shop online! Magical Maribel Finds, which you can easily find on Depop or Instagram by searching that name, is now open for business! This is where I will be selling gently-used items in good condition, items that are brand new with the tags still on them or thrifted items that have been up-cycled to add some magic to them! All items can be purchased on the MagicalMaribelFinds instagram page through direct message and I will send and invoice to your email where you can pay through paypal OR you can purchase on my Depop page which is an online second-hand/vintage store which can also be found as MagicalMaribelFinds. All of the items I will be putting up for sale are very gently-used and in good condition, they are all items that I would personally buy and wear/use myself. If there are any issues with the item, I make sure to note that in the description. I also have a rating system that I use to rate the condition of the items, 1-5 stars meaning 1 star is poor and 5 stars is brand new in perfect condition. All prices also include shipping fee! So please go check out Magical Maribel Finds for some great prices on good Disney items. Remember in school when you learned about the importance of “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle”, well thats what buying second-hand is. Helping the Earth by being resourceful, all while looking cute in your magical clothes!

http://www.depop.com/magicalmaribelfinds             http://www.instagram.com/magicalmaribelfinds

Quick Review: LeFou’s Brew

In the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World, there is a little place to get some treats and snacks in the new Fantasyland area. Right by Be Our Guest in the Beauty and the Beast section is Gaston’s Tavern where they are known for their GIANT cinnamon rolls and a drink called LeFou’s Brew. On top is a layer of foam that has a tart, fruity taste to it and the rest is this blended ice apple juice drink with hints of toasted marshmallow. It is a strange combination because the top is very summery tasting, whereas the bottom is fall tasting in my opinion. I did really enjoy it and would suggest it to someone else to try, but its more of a one time purchase for me. As delicious as I do think it is, it’s probably not something I would find myself randomly craving or drooling over…

But now I need to get my hands on that giant cinnamon roll.

Flower & Garden Festival at Epcot Pt 1

Spring for most Walt Disney World enthusiasts equals Flower and Garden Festival at Epcot! A time to look at beautiful flowers and topiaries while enjoying delicious food! I highly HIGHLY recommend visiting this festival! Here are just a few food related items that I totally suggest you try if you make it to this awesome event! I’m sure there will be a part 2 (or 3 or 4) once I try more food and explore this year’s festival a little more.

First, we tried the Braised Beef and Seared Scallops from the food stand in Canada! They both were absolutely delicious! Braised beef came with creamy mashed potatoes and sweet carrots. Seared scallops came with bacon on top, as well as potatoes and green beans. It was a good amount of food, but wasn’t too heavy.

Next, we HAD to try the fruity in Japan. Two of my favorite things, fruit and sushi, combined! There was pineapple, melon and strawberry inside the roll. Even the drizzle of raspberry sauce and dollop of whipped cream on the side was good! Perfect light dessert to eat while exploring the other pavilions.

And last but NOT least, the famous Violet Lemonade. What can I say? IT LIVES UP TO THE HYPE! So refreshing, delicious and a MUST try. 10/10 would recommend. Its slightly tart and sour, but still very sweet. If it is hot and you need a pick me up, GET THIS.

(Side note: I tried the “edible” flower that sometimes comes on top of the drink at last year’s festival and it is disgusting. You have been warned…)

What I pack for a Disney day! 🎒

After many years of going to Disney (my entire 25 years of life to be exact) I have come up with a list of items that I always bring with me. This is pretty much how I keep my backpack packed at all times so I can be prepared to go to the parks on any given day. These are the things I bring with me almost every time I go, plus or minus a few things depending on the time of the year or how many hours I will be there.

1. Minnie ears (because duh)
2. Hat (to help keep the sun out of your face)
3. Sunglasses (refer to above reason, it’s Florida)
4. Hoodie or light sweater (for chilly nights or cold indoor areas)
5. Umbrella (in case of rain, unexpected rain is to be expected in Florida)
6. Poncho (also refer to above reason, can be used as shield on water rides)
7. Water bottle (water is free in most places in the parks, but just in case)
8.  Hand sanitizer (lots of people = lots of germs)
9. Chapstick (chapped lips aren’t cute)
10. Gum/Mints/Candy (you get the idea)
11. Deodorant/Perfume (hot weather causes sweat which causes unwanted odors)
12. Portable charger (if you are anything like me, your phone will die)
13. Wallet (with ID, money, credit cards and passes)
14. MAGIC BAND (if you don’t have a magic band… get one)
15. “Extras” (extra hair ties, feminine products, etc.)

AND THAT’S IT! Just a little help if you are packing for a trip and need a little reminder. I genuinely use almost all of these items on almost every single trip. Hope this is helpful!

Don’t be afraid of thrift shops! 😳

Dear Disney Fans,

DO NOT BE AFRAID TO CHECK THRIFT STORES FOR DISNEY MERCH! I will be the first person to admit that I normally do not think of visiting thrift stores and consignment shops instead of going places like Target first. So, one fateful day (yesterday to be exact) I was driving by a Goodwill and thought to myself, “I haven’t gone thrifting in a while… and I’ve bought every Disney shirt that target currently has to offer… maybe I should go in there and check it out!”, so I did just that. I parked my car, walked right into the store and became completely overwhelmed. I forgot how huge and disorganized stores like that can be. Feeling slightly stressed out, I decided to just suck it up and dive in. I began making my way up and down every aisle and before I knew it my arms were full of clothes. Once, I had gone through the entire women’s section, I even went and checked out the men’s section and found a few shirts there too. Oh, and I almost forgot that I passed by the random household items section and even scored a cool christmas Disney mug!

Below is a little haul of an hour and a half worth of Disney damage I did at the thrift store. I also bought other items not pictures because they weren’t Disney related which makes them irrelevant. These 8 shirts came out to around $30 total, which is a steal because as you probably know, sometime just ONE Disney shirt can be around $30. Moral of the story is, don’t forget that thrift store can be a gold mine for Disney merchandise!

Best Stores for Adult Disney shirts!👚👕

When it comes to Disney merch, there are a lot of options for children. You can find some sort of Disney related item in almost any children’s section at almost any store. For adults, it’s a little bit harder. As childish as I am, I am indeed an adult. So, I’m going to break down which stores I like to get Disney shirts from and why. Note: this is more focused on places with relatively low prices mixed with good quality and many options.

(Sorry for the wrinkly shirts as examples pictures. I’m not very good at adulting.)

Khols 

Every time I have ever been in Khols, I have always found all kinds of adult Disney merchandise. In fact, I have often found Disney shirts in 2 for $20 sales sections which is where I found the shirt pictured above. Hunt around a little bit more and you are usually able to find Disney jewelry, pajamas and more. Also at Khols is Lauren Conrad’s clothing line which most of the time happens to have a Disney theme to it.

Forever 21 

Forever 21 is hit or miss when it comes to Disney merchandise, but you can truly find some gems. I’ve gotten inexpensive shirts, hats and pajamas that are all Disney themed from Forever 21, but they were definitely not all in one shopping trip. I usually will check the website often to see what new Disney items they have in stock or keep an eye out for anything when I go to the stores which is how I was able to snag the shirt pictured above.

Hot Topic

For more unique Disney merchandise, Hot Topic is the place to go. There are usually items from Disney movies that are “less popular” or underrated, so if you’re favorite movie/character isn’t as well known check here. Prices are a little bit higher, but for the uniqueness and many variations of styles and products, it is worth it most of the time. I love Aladdin, but don’t have very many clothing pieces from the movie because they are a little harder to come by, so I checked Hot Topic and found the tank top pictured above a few years ago. I wear it often and tend to get a lot of questions as to where I got it.

Target 

Target, Target, Target… what more can I say? My opinions on Target may be very biased since it is my favorite store. Target always has Disney merchandise in stock. I am usually able to find great Disney shirts in the women’s section and if I can’t find anything there, I go to the men’s shirts and if I find something I like I buy it in small. The shirt above is from a shopping trip many years ago, but I have also bought really nice Christmas, Halloween and other themed Disney shirts over the years.

Walmart

Surprisingly, I have found many different types of Disney items at Walmart. Not to mention, since it’s Walmart it usually ends up being very cheap! The shirt above I bought for $5… I repeat… $5! Literally, $5. Also, check through the pajama section and even the home decor section for more Disney merchandise. A little bit of hunting and patience, since it is such a massive store, can score you some pretty good deals!

💰 FREE Disney Souvenir ideas!

It isn’t a secret that anything you can buy on Disney property is pricey. When you add up the necessities like the price of the tickets with parking, food, drinks, etc. there might not be much left in your budget for fun things like souvenirs! So, I’m going to list some ideas of absolutely free souvenirs you can get from the Walt Disney Worlds parks. Yes, I said FREE. Just a few items you can keep for the memories of your magical day!

1. BUTTONS
   When you first get to the parks and are at the ticket/will-call booths, you can ask for a button. If you forget to get one then, you can walk up to cast members at any time throughout any park and ask for a button, they will either give you one or point you in the right direction to where you can get one. There are different buttons for different occasions, so depending on what you are celebrating you can get a pin. If you think you aren’t celebrating anything significant or don’t know what to get a pin for get a plain “I’m celebrating:” button and make something up! For instance, you could be celebrating visiting Walt Disney World for the 10th time.

2. Sticker

Stickers are all over the parks! Not only can you get them at so many different stores and other places, but depending on where you ask for a sticker depends on what TYPE of sticker you get. If you go to Momento Mori outside of The Haunted Mansion and ask for a sticker, you get stickers with the hitchhiking ghosts on it. This could even make for a fun game of collecting all different types of stickers from around the parks.

3. Maps

As soon as you walk into any park, you can easily get a hold of a map. This could be considered trash to some people, but with a little creativity you can make a nice souvenir out of it. You could frame it (example below) and even add letter stickers or write out the date of the trip so you will always remember it. The crafting options are endless with these maps with a little help from mod podge or a quick trip to a craft store.