Spirit Halloween Post-Season Clearance: 2022

Yes, you read that date in the title right. Last year, after the Halloween season was over, I went to Spirit Halloween and picked up a few keychains during their post-season clearance sale. But I kept misplacing the shopping bag with the keychains in it before I could get them photographed. I finally did get the pictures taken, and now I can share my finds with all of you, almost a year late. But hey, better late than never.

This keychain is shaped like one of those old hotel or motel key tags. Except the ‘hotel’ in this case is The Haunted Mansion attraction at the Disney parks. Longtime readers of this blog will already know about my fondness for Disney in general, and for the Disney theme parks in particular. I’m especially drawn to keychains promoting ‘classic’ Disney parks attractions, and The Haunted Mansion certainly qualifies there. According to the tag, this keychain was produced by Open Roads Brands LLC., for Spirit Halloween stores.

Speaking of The Haunted Mansion, pictured above are two Disney Haunted Mansion Figural Bag Clips. These bag clips were produced by Monogram International Inc and were sold in blind bags. I have here Hitchhiker #3, one of The Haunted Mansion’s famous “hitchhiking ghosts”. The character is also known as Phineas or The Traveler. The second blind bag contained the Foolish Mortal Badge bag clip, which is shaped like a Haunted Mansion candle sconce.

And that’s it for this post. I know that this wasn’t a large keychain haul by any means. But there really weren’t that many keychains left by the time the post-season discounts at Spirit Halloween kicked in. You have to be fast to nab the good deals at Spirit Halloween after the holiday is over, but before the stores shut down for the year. So, that’s your keychain shopping tip for the day.

Signed, Treesa

Disney Parks Lanyard Medals

Ok, so the items pictured above aren’t technically keychains. At least, they didn’t start out as keychains. I had to add a split ring to the original metal clip on each one of them before I could justify calling them keychains. Cheating? Maybe. However, when I first started buying these items second-hand, I had no idea what exactly they were. I just knew that the Disney fan in me thought they looked really cool. And that some of them were obviously souvenirs from the Disney parks, and as such must’ve been pricey at original retail. Never underestimate the lure of a perceived bargain. Anyway, it wasn’t until I found one of these at a thrift store, with the original backing card, that I learned what their intended purpose was.

Disney lanyard medals appear to have been marketed to visitors at Disney’s theme parks as accessories for pin traders. The basic construction on the medals is very similar to the Disney park pins, but on a larger scale. Also, the medals in my collection are marked on the back as “Official Pin Trading” products. As the name “lanyard medal” implies, these items were intended to be hung on pin trading lanyards. They could also be clipped to pin trading bags. In my opinion, a lanyard loaded down with metal pins tends to be heavy enough without the extra weight of a lanyard medal. Maybe that’s why lanyard medals don’t seem to be very common on Disney’s official online shopping site anymore. At least, they weren’t the last time I checked. The last lanyard medal I purchased, shown below, was found on clearance at a Disney outlet store quite some time ago. Brick and mortar Disney stores themselves have become a rarity in their own right.

That’s all the information I could find to share on the subject of Disney parks lanyard medals. However, I would like to pass on a warning to other collectors who may be considering seeking these items out. I bought the Stitch lanyard medal, based on the character from Disney’s Lilo And Stitch franchise, used at a flea market. After I bought it, I ended up having to glue some of the enamel bits back into place with strong craft adhesive because they’d come loose and fallen out. I don’t know if this is a common problem with lanyard medals as they age. But I wanted other collectors to be aware of it. So, my secondhand shopping tip for today is, always examine used lanyard medals carefully to check for missing or loose enamel. I currently have all of my lanyard medals stored in individual, sealed baggies, just to make sure that none of the enamel pieces get lost if they start loosening and falling out.

Signed, Treesa

Walt Disney World Vacation: 2019 (Keychain Souvenirs Haul)

I posted back in March of last year that my family was planning to take a trip to Walt Disney World near the end of 2019. Back then I had this crazy idea that I could save some cash in the long run by shopping for used Disney parks keychains online beforehand. The plan was to buy only secondhand keychains that were priced more reasonably than regular retail, in the hopes that I wouldn't be as tempted to purchase more souvenirs once I actually got to the park. I was also hoping that, if I was tempted at all, seeing the full retail price would send me into sticker shock and I'd put things back without actually buying them.

That was the plan anyway. In reality I not only went a bit overboard with my online 'shopping spree', but I also ended up buying several keychains at the park anyway, though not as many as I was tempted to buy. However, my admittedly limited willpower wasn't entirely due to sticker shock. I was very disappointed by how cheaply made some of the keychains sold at the park were, especially considering how much Disney was charging for them.

Three keychains in particular stand out in my mind. One was a Buzz Lightyear keychain with a battery operated, light-up 'laser'. The proportions of this keychain strongly reminded me of the 'mini Buzz' fast food toy character from the Pixar short Small Fry. However, when I took a closer look I noticed that most of the keychains were already broken, with one arm snapped off and dangling by the wire used to power the light-up 'laser'. There was one keychain that did seem to have an intact arm, but it also had a chipped helmet. Even if I had managed to find one that wasn't damaged, by then I didn't see the point of buying a keychain that was all but guaranteed to break.

The second keychain that disappointed me was based on the ride vehicles from the Alice In Wonderland themed Mad Tea Party attraction. The keychain looked nice, but the plastic used to make it was so thin that I was worried it would crack. The most disappointing moment for me, however, came when I saw the Disney autograph book keychains in person for the first time. I'd seen these keychains before online, and I'd had my eye on them for a while. But when I was looking them over at the park I noticed that the shiny 'plating' on the keyring was already flaking off, on all of them. These keychains weren't cheaply priced either. You'd think that if Disney was going to attach their name to something, and charge so much for it, that they could at least sell a quality product. If nothing else, you'd think they'd want to maintain a good reputation for the company.

As I stated earlier in this post, I did pick up several keychains on my trip. The prices ranged from $3.99 to $9.99, not including sales tax. Half of the keychains I bought were actually from the World Showcase pavilions in EPCOT, and weren't technically Disney themed.

For example, I bought this keychain from the Canada pavilion. Priced at $9.99 before tax, this little black bear with his plaid printed hoodie was one of the most expensive keychains I got on the trip. However, he and his 'brothers' at the store were just so cute that I couldn't leave without getting one.

This keychain came from Epcot's China pavilion. As you can see, it has my name in both English and in Chinese characters. I'm always happy when I find a keychain with my name on it, because this particular spelling seems to be less common. From what I've seen, most keychain manufacturers spell my name without the letter H.

To fully appreciate this next keychain from Epcot's Japan pavilion, here's a little background information. One of the most prominent attractions at the Japan pavilion when I was there was a large store called Mitsukoshi. This store was made up of a series of interconnected rooms, and it took up a good sized chunk of real estate. Because the store was so big, there were multiple register locations strategically placed at different points throughout the building. And at each checkout counter there was a basket of 'lucky cat' figurines for sale. From what I understand, these cat figures with their one raised paw are supposed to bring good fortune. When I found the keychain pictured above of Godzilla in the 'lucky cat' pose, it amused me so much that I bought it. I'm often drawn to things that are quirky, and I'm a bit of a pop culture junkie as well.

Here is yet another keychain from Epcot. This one is based on the Figment character from the Journey Into Imagination attraction. Figment has become a Disney icon of sorts with, I believe, a rather large fan following. I would've preferred a keychain that showed Figment's full body, but this was the only Figment keychain the park seemed to carry.

Speaking of classic Disney attractions, this keychain is based on Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room. The figure's mouths can actually open and close somewhat. This Tiki Room keychain was also my other most expensive keychain purchase of the trip, since it was the same price as the black bear keychain I bought at the Canada pavilion.

This last keychain was in fact the first one I bought on the trip. It came from The Lego Store in the Disney Springs shopping district. It was also the least expensive keychain I purchased, priced at $3.99 before tax. Some of you may remember that I already have a different Lego Star Wars Princess Leia keychain, which I showed off in my February Shopping Spree post. This version of Leia has her white Senate robes and her 'iconic' side buns hairstyle.

Well, I guess that wraps it up. All in all, I think I got a good haul on this trip.

Signed, Treesa

Disney Keychain Shopping Spree Haul: February 2019

I think I mentioned in a previous post that my favorite 'vacation destination' is the Disney parks. Ever since my family's last trip to Walt Disney World in 2011, several family members, including myself, have been putting aside money for a return trip. My third sister, A., had been lobbying for our next family trip to Disney to be during the winter holiday season. From what I understand, the Disney parks really go all out for Christmas. Well, it looks like A. might be getting her wish. Barring any unforeseen events or expenses, the next family trip is tentatively scheduled for the beginning of December 2019. I think I'll be riding up and down on that wave of anticipation for the rest of the year, especially since my birthday is also in early December. How cool would it be to spend my birthday in one of my all-time favorite places?

Being a keychain collector, I also started thinking about vacation souvenirs. Things are frequently overpriced at any popular tourist destination, but the Disney parks can be especially pricey. When my family was taking the shuttle bus back to the airport after our last Disney trip in 2011, the driver even made a joke about the price of a bottle of water at the park versus the price of bottled water in the 'real world'. Now that my family's next Disney trip has a more definitive time frame, as opposed to being at some undetermined date in the hazy future, I've found myself wondering if I should start putting aside even more money for a souvenir fund.

That's when I came up with a crazy idea. What if, instead of buying keychains at the park, I tried to save myself some money in the long run by going online and searching for Disney parks souvenir keychains at a discount on the secondary market? I know I stated in a previous post that I don't buy a lot of keychains online, mostly due to shipping costs. However, I figured there was no harm in looking around. Online 'window shopping' wouldn't cost me anything but my time, and if I couldn't find anything at a price I was willing to pay, then I could just log off empty-handed.

I discovered something while I was searching online that other keychain collectors might find useful. If you're searching for keychains from a specific Disney attraction, then there will be fewer search results, and the prices will be harder to justify budget-wise. On the other hand, if you're searching for more general Disney parks keychains, there will be more results at a wider range of prices. So consider that your secondhand shopping tip for the day. I was personally able to find a number of what I considered good deals. In fact, I sort of went overboard. I can definitely understand why people say that online shopping is addictive.

The first keychain I picked up on my "shopping spree" was this one. The words "Disney Parks", and a small castle in the clouds design logo, appear to be etched into the metal. This was, by the way, a bit tricky to photograph due to the reflective surface. Overall, I think the combination of the metal with the red leather or faux leather strap, I'm not sure which, gives this keychain a very classy look.

The next keychain I ordered had a nice design of the Disney castle on it, though again, the reflective surface made it difficult to photograph. However, this keychain isn't actually from the parks. I knew this was the case before I bought it, but I still really liked the design. According to the text on the back, this keychain is an advertisement or a premium of some kind for Partners Home Mortgage.

I looked up Partners Home Mortgage online, and the name seems to be connected to Partners Federal Credit Union, which, according to their website, "provides financial products and services" for Walt Disney Company employees. I wasn't aware that the Disney Company has its own private credit union. You learn something new every day.

This Lego Star Wars Princess Leia keychain probably didn't come from the parks either, although there was a Lego store located in a shopping district at the Walt Disney World resort the last time I visited. However, I'm fairly sure that the Star Wars franchise didn't officially join the Disney 'family' until more recently than that. Still, now that the Star Wars films are being produced by Disney, Leia should totally count as a Disney princess.

Truthfully, I've wanted one of these Princess Leia keychains ever since I first saw them at a shopping mall based Lego Store a while back. The thing about this particular version of Leia that got my attention was that she has a second facial expression on the back of her head.

I liked the idea of going from smiling Leia to frowning Leia.

This letter T monogram keychain was originally made for the Disney parks. It says so plainly on the back.

I also bought some theme park nameplate keychains that have my full name on them. In a shocking twist that will surprise no one, my real name is...

Obviously, the Harry Potter Gryffindor crest keychain did not come from the Disney parks. However, it is from another Florida theme park, namely The Wizarding World Of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando. Both keychains are marked on the back, with the Disney one specifically being from Disneyland.

Next, we have a Walt Disney World 25th anniversary keychain.

I picked out this keychain because it had The Genie from Aladdin on it. The Genie was one of my favorite Disney characters when I was growing up.

This next keychain depicts Disney's famous Partners statue, with Walt Disney and Mickey Mouse holding hands.

If you look closely at this photo of the back of the keychain, you should be able to make out the words "Walt Disney World".

I'm not sure if this coin purse keychain is actually from the Disney parks, but I doubt it. Other keychains that I've seen from the parks with fabric labels will say "Disney Parks Authentic", or something similar. The fabric label on the inside of this coin purse keychain says "Mickey Unlimited". According to the online listing, the seller attributed the design on this keychain to artist Andy Warhol. I'm not sure how accurate that information is, but I do like the design.

This last online purchase was sort of an impulse buy. By the time I stumbled across the listing, the auction was almost over. I quickly looked over the page and noticed that the cost was low, that there were no bidders, and that the seller had an excellent feedback score. I also liked the 'Mickey Mouse head' shape of the keychain. So I took a chance on it. The Disneyland castle design on the keychain is a little more stylized than I would've preferred, with its heavy, black outlining. But overall, I'm happy with my purchase.

While I was in a Disney mood, I also picked up this item from my favorite thrift store. It's meant to be the rose with bell jar from Disney's Beauty And The Beast animated film. I found it attached to the zipper of an empty Beauty And The Beast themed art kit. Because the kit was missing all of the art supplies, the price on it was low enough that I felt ok with buying the case and then donating it after I removed the keychain. I suppose it's actually more of a zipper pull than a keychain but hey, my collection, my rules.

I also picked up this Lego Star Wars landspeeder keychain while I was at it. This keychain was purchased from a store called Andy's Brick Shop, which specializes in Lego items, mostly second-hand pieces and sets, but also old stock still in package. I'm assuming this particular keychain was used, since it didn't come with a cardboard tag or any other original packaging.

So, this wraps up my "shopping spree". Like I said, I sort of went overboard. But at least I can own up to that fact.

Signed, Treesa

Been There, Done That, Bought The Keychain (Souvenir Keychains)

Keychains have been a popular vacation souvenir for decades. Unfortunately, if the lack of keychains stocked by the gift shops I've visited on my most recent vacations is anything to go by, then that popularity seems to be waning. It used to be that no matter where you went, any gift shop worth the name would typically feature a rack of keychains. The display would most often be located either on the counter by the register (a prime location for impulse buys) or on the opposite side of the rotating rack where the postcards were displayed.

One of my very first keychains was a souvenir from the Pocono Mountains in Pennsylvania.

My mom still likes to tell the story about the nice people at the leather shop who gave each of us kids a free keychain, and gave my then baby brother a scrap of leather to chew on.

My all-time favorite 'vacation destination' has got to be the Disney parks. I've been lucky enough to visit Walt Disney World three times in my life and Disneyland once. As someone who had multiple siblings and could only get to Florida or California by airplane, I can say with certainty that these trips were huge undertakings for my parents, both logistically and financially. It took my mother and father years to put aside enough money for each of these vacations, but they did it because they wanted their children to have the chance to go. I happen to think that the memories we made on those trips were worth the cost, even if I still have nightmares about that Snow White dark ride.

Here are just some of the Disney parks keychains I've collected.

There are keychains here from Walt Disney World resort, Disney's Animal Kingdom park, Epcot, Typhoon Lagoon water park, and even Hong Kong Disneyland. Most of them were purchased secondhand. I can't seem to resist Disney parks keychains when I find them at flea markets or yard sales, especially knowing how much they must've originally cost at the parks. There was one time when my parents and I went to a pop-up Disney outlet store that had leftover merchandise from the parks, deeply discounted. I must've bought half a dozen keychains.

One great thing about buying keychains on vacation as souvenirs is that their small size makes them easy to pack for the trip home. Keychains are also, for the most part, fairly sturdy. Try packing a souvenir snow globe or sand sculpture in your luggage and you'll see what I mean.

It saddens me that souvenir keychains appear to be going the way of the dinosaurs. But then, unless they end up in someone's permanent collection, souvenir keychains tend to have a rather limited shelf life. Sure, they're fun to buy while on vacation. But when it comes time to do the spring housecleaning, chances are the souvenir tee shirts and the souvenir keychains will be the first to go. I've been shopping at thrift stores long enough to know that vacation souvenirs are some of the more heavily donated items.

However, in the back of my mind is a nagging worry that fewer souvenir keychains in gift shops will mean fewer souvenir keychains ending up on the secondary market. There may come a point in the future when the supply of souvenir keychains available to collectors dries up, which could cause the prices of the remaining keychains to rise. Granted, this isn't really likely to happen, since I can't imagine that collector demand will ever be high enough to exceed the available supply, even if the supply of souvenir keychains dwindles in the future.  However, it may already be happening.

I was at an antique show recently, and one of the dealers had a basket of souvenir keychains. Due to their appearance and the materials used to make them, it was obvious that these keychains were not 'antiques'. However, the dealer was charging three dollars each for them. In the past, these same keychains would likely have been priced at a dollar each or less at a flea market or yard sale. Of course, the pricing may have had more to do with the venue than with the keychains themselves. As I wrote in a previous post, adding the word 'antique' to anything always seems to up the price.

Signed, Treesa