Inside Disney’s Exclusive AP Shopping Event: Our Insider Experience

When Disney announced a special “AP shopping event,” I didn’t think too much of it. Most of the AP special events are kinda duds, like the “Lounge” that was a blocked off seating section of Sunshine Seasons with expired M&Ms.

Here’s Disney’s official message about the event:

Passholders, join us for a special event full of shopping, snacks and more!

We invite you to take part in this unique shopping experience coming to ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex from 9/20–9/23 where you can shop apparel, collectibles and more from past merchandise collections for up to 60% off!

This event will be held at the AdventHealth Arena and will run from 10 a.m.–7 p.m. daily. Passholders can secure their spot to shop by visiting the My Disney Experience app and joining the virtual queue starting at 8 a.m.

Passholders can also be amongst the first to preview and purchase some items coming to Walt Disney World® Resort this fall using their regular Passholder discount!

Food trucks, photo ops and exclusive food & beverage items will also be available to enjoy in and around the arena before and after shopping.

So get ready to save big and savor all this special event has to offer!

That sounded like just a jazzed up visit to the outlet mall. But it seemed like everyone was jamming to get into this event.

Truth be told, I didn’t wake up early to grab a virtual queue spot. I actually waited until 8:30AM. The line opened at 8, and I was already looking at a call back time of 6:44PM. Since the event closed at 7PM, I didn’t think that I would have time to shop or even get into the event. 

But as I’m waiting (and working) from home, I saw something that I wanted: the chip and dip set from Trader Sam’s for $20! Now I knew I had to go!

The Arrival

While the line didn’t move that fast in the morning, by the afternoon, handfuls of group were getting the call to come on down. What was an initial 6:44 time, whittled down to 4:06. So plenty of time to look and shop.

If you’ve picked up a magnet at EPCOT, you already know the process of showing your AP card, MagicBand, or virtual card with an ID. Same thing here. Plus, you had to show your callback QR code as well. 

Because it is Disney, there were photo ops at the entrance. You could take a pic with a black and white “Steamboat” Mickey and a vintage cartoon car parked outside of the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. 

The walkway winded through the halls of the AdventHealth Arena. Since it was a special event, all the APs walked on the red carpet.

At the end, there was another AP photo op.

And finally, the entrance that was flanked by two golden Mickeys. 

The Shopping

So there’s a reason I hate places like Costco… I can’t stand when you’re looking at things and people hover over you to grab things. Yeah, it was like that times 100.

Walking in and seeing tables and tables of boxes and people was a little overwhelming. I knew I wanted that Chip and dip set, so my main priority was that. But where to begin?

The sections were clearly marked, but some of the merch was torn apart, especially the clothes. 

I didn’t know what to expect with the merch, but there was plenty of old 50th stuff, Loungeflys, and outlet leftovers. 

The Bad

While the Cast Members did their best to keep everything organized, shoppers were ripped through the boxes and leaving random merch in every nook and cranny. 

Some of the shoppers weee a little crazy. I tried to look at the Crocs and had two women push pass me and tear into the boxes. 

I also was looking at an Orange Bird mug from the past Flower and Garden festival. The moment I put it down, some woman grabbed it and ran off, telling her husband “I found an Orange Bird cup!” Yikes!

Of course, there were plenty of resellers, grabbing up the Dooney & Bourkes, Coach bags, and LoungeFlys. You can usually spot them because they’re huddled off to the side, looking at their phones, and have several bags packed to the brim. 

The Food

While there were food trucks, they were all on the outside of the event. And once you left the arena, you could not come back inside. There were a few goodies at the snack stand. You could get lemonade-drinks for $2, Mickey pretzels, and a Mr. Toad popcorn bucket for $5. Yeah, I grabbed that bucket! 

Atmosphere 

Yes, it was chaotic. I did hear that the morning was even crazier with lines wrapping around the building. We didn’t experience that. However, getting there later in the day meant that everything was picked through and thrown haphazardly all over the place. 
 
As we were shopping, a DJ was spinning a few 2000s pop tunes. He kept mentioning that there would be new merch on the floor everyday of the event.

When there’s an event, party, or holiday, it is a sure bet that Disney will have a DJ there. 

Once you had all your goodies, you were directed to use Mobile Checkout. Then you had to go through another line to have the bag checked. 

After that, you did receive a few freebies: a small 50th bag, another Galaxy’s Edge opening day bag, and two 50th plastic cups. 

Final Thoughts

Yes, I picked up more stuff than I needed. My bags were packed with the chip and dip set (Yes, I found it), some Christmas houseware stuff, random 50th merch, and the Mr. Toad bucket. 

Most of the stuff has been in the outlet stores for months. There were good deals on the higher end handbags. However, the clothes were a mess. I thought I would get a few shirts or leggings, but it was slim pickings. 

It was nice that APs had the opportunity to attend to this event. However, it was just an excuse for Disney to get rid of stuff that was sitting in a warehouse for months. Still, I picked up a few things that I really wanted. So in the end, Disney got some money out of my pocket. 

Should you go?

If you hate pushy people, loud music, or weird lighting, then you may want to skip this event. It was extremely overwhelming for someone who doesn’t have any sensory issues. And if they hold this event again, I’ll definitely make sure to try to get an earlier queue spot. By the end of the day, we were looking at all the leftovers.