Hi Gary, and a warm welcome to planDisney from Ottawa! I'm thrilled to have you here and can't wait to help you with your first question. Another amazing thing? You will be at the
Walt Disney World Resort on my birthday week! How awesome is that? I'm delighted you will enjoy the Most Magical Place on Earth during this special time.
Even though I'm not usually a big shopper, I must admit that I can't resist some things at the Resorts,
Disney Springs or the theme parks. Everything is just so incredibly cool and magical that I end up bringing back loads of stuff to Canada. So I totally get where you're coming from with your question.
At this moment, the souvenir pick-up and Resort-hotel delivery services are currently unavailable for Guests. I've reached out to some fantastic Cast Members, but unfortunately, I don't have any news yet on when this service will return. I would keep hope, though: many services have made a comeback over the past few months, so I would ask again when you arrive at your
Disney Resorts Collection hotel. You never know; you might just get some great news then!
I understand this answer may not have been what you hoped for, but don't worry! I've got some tips that can make your shopping experience a whole lot better. And the best advice I have is to
rent a locker inside the theme parks. You've got three different sizes to choose from, and you can even use your Disney Band to pay for it. It's super convenient to just pop back to your locker whenever you find something unmissable. Trust me, you'll thank yourself later!
When it comes to the larger items, wait until the middle of the day to make your purchase. That way, when you're done shopping and ready to take a break back at the hotel, the transportation options are way less crowded. You can easily carry your shiny new park souvenirs without any fuss and enjoy the rest of your day without any extra weight to hold you down.
My final tip is to save shopping time until the end of the day. The larger shops, like the
Emporium in Magic Kingdom Park and the
Creations Shop at EPCOT, have everything you could possibly want, so you won't need to keep going back and forth. Plus, these shops stay open late after the theme parks have closed, so you can make the most of your day and then enjoy some relaxed shopping while waiting for the crowds to disperse.
Gary, I hope you have an absolutely incredible time in Florida! Please come back and
ask us any questions you might have in the future. We're always here for you and happy to assist however we can!
Cheers
Nilson