For as much as Disney likes to shake things up, some things never change at a Disney theme park: Mickey Mouse is always somewhere in the parade, strollers always clog the paths around It's a Small World, and there's always at least one family walking through the park in matching, customized T-shirts.
Search online and you can find plenty of websites that will print up shirts for your Disney family reunion, often featuring images and typefaces that are close to Disney's originals but just "off" enough to avoid action from Disney's trademark police.
With the number of shirts being sold daily, I suppose it was inevitable that Disney would decide to get into this business for itself. And so it has. You now can buy your own customized T-shirts on Disney's website — complete with official Disney graphics and typefaces.
Prices run from $20 for basic shirts up to $50 for hoodies. We've talked before here on Theme Park Insider about the appeal of family reunion T-shirts as well as about theme park T-shirt etiquette. Disney has established a pattern of selling to fan-driven trends in its parks, from Disneybounding to Gay Days, so this is just the latest example of that practice.
Personally, I cannot imagine buying "Niles" family T-shirts for my relatives, but I totally would be down with buying a bunch of "Griswold" T-shirts and wearing them into the park. Or maybe "Laemmle," if I want to make a joke that maybe two or three other people might get.
Hmmm... what would be the best "gag" family name for Disney's personalized T-shirts?
Disney's customizable shirts are available online only, at www.shopdisney.com/personalization/disney-parks-authentic-custom-t-shirts-gear.
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I'm amazed it's taken this long. My family went on a big cruise last year to celebrate my parent's 50th wedding anniversary and had special shirts printed up for it. You'd think Disney would have latched onto that market long ago.
It sounds like a good idea in theory, but as long as those roadside gift shops keep offering the knockoff shirts at a fraction of the price the Mouse charges, I don't see why families would go with Disney in this case.
@James - They would go with Disney, because Disney makes it part of a package along with the tickets, transportation, hotel, etc... Disney already makes billions on souvenirs sold in the parks that you can find at a fraction of the price at knock-off stores along I-Drive. Selling custom t-shirts for family reunions will be no different.
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I'm kinda surprised Disney hasn't entered this market before. I could see this being an easy add-on provided to guests booking reservations for larger groups, just like adding PhotoPass, DDP, or other extras for a WDW vacation.