Earlier this year, we ticked off a huge family bucket list item — a month-long trip to the United States. And right at the top of that list for me? Taking the kids to Disneyland. It’s something I’ve dreamed of doing with them for years, and the magic of finally being there together was everything I hoped it would be.
There’s something about Disneyland that brings out the kid in all of us. The excitement, the characters, the parades, the churros… I mean, what’s not to love? It’s the kind of place where memories feel extra magical — and I knew before we even arrived that I wanted to find a souvenir we could bring home that wasn’t just another stuffed toy or pair of Mickey ears (though, no shade if you grabbed those too — we definitely did!).
And while the shops are full of tempting keepsakes, it turns out our favourite Disneyland souvenir wasn’t something we could buy at all.
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Before our trip, I saw a similar idea shared in one of the many Disneyland Facebook groups I’d been stalking — and I instantly knew this was the keepsake I wanted to create.
The idea was simple — as we met different characters in the parks, we’d ask them to sign photo frame inserts (we took three with us – one for each of our kids). Then, once we were back home in Australia, each of the kids could choose their favourite Disneyland photo to print and pop inside their signed frame.
I know signature books are a classic Disney souvenir, but I really wanted something that wouldn’t just get shoved in a cupboard the minute we got home. I loved the idea of having something we could display — a little piece of Disneyland up on the wall with a photo and the signatures to remind us of those special moments.
With everything else we already had to pack and carry around with us on our trip, I had to make sure it wasn’t going to take up much room — but they also needed to survive another three weeks of travel across the US after our week in Anaheim. So I grabbed the white card inserts from an 8×10 inch frame and left the frames at home, packed a set of coloured Sharpies so the characters could each sign in a different colour, and stored everything in a hard plastic A4 folder to keep them flat and safe. The folder held the inserts and pens, and the firm cover gave characters something to lean on when signing.
Click here for the links for the frames, the coloured Sharpies, and the plastic folder we used.
I wasn’t sure how it would go. Honestly, I would’ve been happy with just a signature from Minnie and Mickey. But by the end of our four Disney-filled days, we had fourteen character signatures on each insert — and it’s now one of my absolute favourite keepsakes from our trip!
Want to try this? Here’s how to make it easy!
If you’re heading to Disneyland (or Disney World, or any theme park), I highly recommend giving this a go! Here’s what worked for us:
Keep the folder with you at all times – You never know when you might bump into a character! The folder also made it easy for the characters to lean on while signing.
Use coloured Sharpies – The kids loved choosing which colour each character signed with, and it makes the final souvenir look bright and fun. We kept our Sharpies with the frame inserts inside the plastic folder to keep everything together.
Watch the Disneyland app for character appearances – It was so helpful for knowing where and when certain characters would be. We managed to meet everyone we hoped for.. except Belle – maybe next time!
It started as a simple idea, but it turned out to be one of the most special, cost-effective souvenirs we brought back. I love that it captures not just the photos but the memories of meeting those characters, watching the kids’ excitement grow, and seeing Harrison’s confidence bloom over our four days in the parks — from refusing to get out of the pram for a photo with Mickey on our first morning, to chasing Goofy down the street on our last day.
I can’t wait to pop their favourite Disneyland photo into each frame and hang them up in their rooms — a beautiful, personalised keepsake they’ll treasure long after the trip.
If you’re planning your own Disney adventure, I’ve also shared my go-to tips for travelling with little ones. Click here to read how we managed 40+ hours of travel with our three kids!
Lycie x
