Imagine wanting a pair of Mickey Mouse overalls that were not available on shopDisney – would you go above and beyond to get them in your possession? I know I did when I realized how much I had to have them!
After searching on social media, I found out that I could own my very own pair of those Mickey Mouse overalls, just by hiring a personal shopper. I thought it was amazing that I could easily hire an individual to shop for my Disney needs, without ever physically stepping foot in the park myself.
I started to learn more about the details of a personal shopper, and wanted to become part of the action of bringing that incredible magic to others.
What is a Disney personal shopper?
Disney personal shoppers are real people who go to Walt Disney World parks, to obtain Disney park exclusive items that are not normally (or easily) available online.
@shopminniemart is a family-owned personal shopping business in Orlando, Florida. We physically go to the parks to experience the magic of Disney, and offer our customers the best Disney merchandise and shopping experience.
We wanted to ensure that every shopping experience was not just about our customers paying for a service to retrieve merchandise. Instead, we wanted to provide an authentic and unique experience while building Disney relationships with others.
What are your prices compared to competitors?
We charge 40% of the merchandise’s retail price plus cost of shipping. Our competitors’ range in their shopping fees, and may charge anywhere from $5 per item, to 20% or more on the retail cost of the product. We consider ourselves a premium shopping service, because we stand out with the benefits and service we provide. We do not (and cannot) use our Disney World Annual Pass (AP) discount for items not purchased for ourselves. As stated in the AP terms and conditions, you cannot use your AP discount for someone else.
We are personal shoppers, and not resellers. As personal shoppers, we go out and shop to order per customer request. We never buy items to keep in stock and sell at a later date. Resellers often go to Disney parks and overbuy products (and wipe out shelves!), to then resell the merchandise at a much higher price later. Resellers are often termed “scammers” because of their significantly high mark up on prices. In 2021, Walt Disney World begun taking steps to curb reseller habits with “2 per person per item” purchase limits, as never-ending empty shelves, and sold out merchandise, began dampening the magic for daily Disney theme park visitors.
Why a 40% shopping fee, and what does it include?
Our 40% shopping fee is a price that includes premium service and delivery from @shopminniemart.
- Park Passes & Gas
First, we love physically going to Walt Disney World to shop for our customers. It is an exhilarating experience for us, as we are crazy Disney lovers and fans. However, getting out to shop for you on Disney property comes with considerable expenses on our part. We purchase an AP (with no block-out dates) that allows us to visit multiple parks daily, and we can’t get into the parks to shop for your order without tickets or passes. Keeping gas in the car is important when driving across Walt Disney World property daily, which is the size of San Francisco (crazy right?!)… and so, gas and mileage are also an expense. - Time
We take pride in trying our best to be one of the first shopping services to share pictures of newly released Walt Disney World merchandise the day it drops. It takes time to capture those photos and upload them for your enjoyment. It also takes time to field your comments and messages. We are quick to answer direct messages and order requests, and every customer will receive updates throughout the day regarding their shopping order. We dedicate time each day to invoice for items picked up that day. We also spend a good portion of our shopping trip waiting in long checkout lines. We drive to Disney World daily and spend hours visiting all four theme parks to shop for you. We also make time to visit the 15+ resorts, and Disney Springs as well. Therefore, we spend hours each day striving to provide the best possible shopping experience for all our customers. - Navigating Crowds
Disney World is a huge vacation destination that draws massive crowds (and crowd levels increase dramatically depending on the time of year). Peak season is from June – August, and those crowds are tremendous due to families spending their summer vacation together. During summer, Disney World is booked non-stop and parks often reach capacity. The October-January holiday crowds are also enormous, and it takes time and effort to navigate around the park. We must also navigate crowds when visiting the resort gift shops. - Weather
Walt Disney World is in Central Florida! This means baking in the Florida sun and sweating from the humidity, while carrying your orders around property… or even getting soaked from head to toe during Florida rainy season, while trying our best to keep your order dry. We love personal shopping so much, that we shop and stand in lines for you in 80+ degree weather, and 100% humidity. We love the Florida winters, however, the summers require taking breaks, which means driving home and returning to the parks again for you at night time. - Shipment
We have factored in the time we spend packaging your items, along with the shipping supplies we must purchase and use (such as boxes, bubble wrap, labels, tape, etc.), and dropping your order off at the post office, into our 40% shopping fee. We send out our invoices the same day we pick up the item, and after payment is received, we ship within 3-4 business days. During the holiday season, we send out shipments within 1-3 business days of receiving your invoice payment. We will gladly overnight products, or provide a two-day shipping method, for an additional cost, at any time of year.
Final Thoughts
We are dedicated personal shoppers who provide quality and authentic experiences for Disney lovers like us! We want to give our customers not only the merchandise that they request, but also the chance to see Disney magic from our eyes. Make sure you follow us on Instagram at @shopminniemart to catch a live-streamed shopping experience, and sometimes even just a live tour around property!
Let us shop for your personal Disney needs today! Consider our business because we strive to provide a magical experience for every one of our customers, and want to help make your Disney dreams come true. It is crazy to think it all started with a mouse, who inspired the cutest pair of overalls, who inspired this business!