Recently, the Target in Mandarin debuted a Disney pop-up shop. (Think the Disney Store, but incorporated within Target.)
This is super exciting for our area because these shops are limited across the country. Only 25 different Targets have them.
This got us thinking -- which is cheaper? Target's Disney shop at 10490 San Jose Blvd. or the Disney Store at the St. Johns Town Center?
1. Toys
The Disney pop-up shop is located right next to the toys section. Similar to the Disney Store, it is separated by Disney's different franchises: Frozen, Toy Story, Star Wars, Mickey & Friends, etc.
Speaking of toys, there are plenty of toys to go around in the Disney pop-up shop at Target. They do have some figurine sets, but these are pretty limited compared to the selection at the actual Disney Store. Most of the toys at the pop-up, however, are either plushies or dolls.
Plushies
To my surprise, Target's Disney pop-up offers plushies that the Disney Store also carries.
When to buy at Target: If you're looking to buy one small plushie, your best bet would be to buy it at the Target Disney shop. It costs $12.99 each vs. $14.95 at the Disney Store. (Medium plushies were 5 cents more expensive at Target [$20 vs. $19.95].)
When to buy at the Disney Store: But, if you're wanting to buy multiple plushies, either small or medium, the Disney Store is your best bet because it usually has "buy two or more for x price" deals. At the time I filmed this video, small plushies were $12 each when you buy two or more whereas medium plushies were $18 each when you buy two or more.
PRO TIP: Always keep the time of the year in mind. You are likely to stumble upon better sales for plushies and toys around the holiday season. A small plush at the Disney Store could sell for as low as $10 during Black Friday sales, for instance.
Dolls
If you're looking to buy a doll, Target is your winner. The Disney pop-up shop in Target has all of the popular Disney princesses as dolls: Elsa, Anna, Ariel, Merida, Snow White, Rapunzel, Belle, Tiana, Aurora, Mulan, Moana and even Pocahontas. These dolls run as cheap as $9.
At the Disney Store, the normal price for dolls is $14.95. (Similar to plushies, there may be some deals where they could be as low as $10 each during the holidays, but I haven't seen them go lower than that.)
When to buy at the Disney Store: During the holiday season, you can expect Disney dolls will be on sale. When they are, splurge the extra dollar. You'll be paying for better quality, including a better costume design.
When to buy at Target: To my surprise, Target also sells the Disney Animator Dolls line. They have the same selection of dolls and some of them are being sold for a few bucks cheaper than the Disney Store.
2. Clothing
Shirts
If you're an adult like me who loves to wear Disney garb whenever you get the chance, don't expect to find any shirts for you at the pop-up shop in Target -- unless you're a Star Wars fan. The shirts on display are only for children and they vary in sizes XS to XL. Thus...
When to buy at Target: If you're shopping for children's shirts.
The children's shirts are unique in design at Target; You can't find any of the designs at the Disney Store. Plus, the shirts are only $12, about $5 to $8 cheaper.
At the Disney Store, children's shirts can range from $17 to $20. Sure, they may have "buy one get one half off," but for two shirts, you'll still be spending around $25.50 to $30 plus tax.
When to shop at the Disney Store: When you want to buy an adult shirt. You can mix and match and apply the "buy one get one half off" discount to children's shirts, too.
TIP: If you are a size small in an adult unisex shirt, then you could fit an XL at Target's pop-up shop!
Costumes & Holiday clothing
Target's Disney shop sells both children's costumes and holiday sweaters for significantly cheaper than the Disney Store (even with a good sale). What's even better: Target sells the exact same ones, so you know you're not risking quality!
At the Disney Store, children's costumes can start at $50+. At Target, you can find costumes of the Disney princesses (Jasmine, Aurora, Belle, Rapunzel, Anna, Elsa) for $44.95. They even have accessories like shoes, purses and crowns to complete your child's ensemble, as well as costumes for boys, as well (Woody, Buzz).
When it comes to holiday sweaters, Target carries both adult sizes and children's sizes. For adults, you can find the exact same holiday sweater being sold at the Disney Store for only $34.95 vs. $49.95.
For kids, holiday sweaters are $24.95 at Target and $34.95 at the Disney Store.
When to shop at the Disney Store: Only if you're looking for a costume or holiday sweater design not sold at Target... and if you don't mind paying an extra $5 to $15.
3. For adults
So, you can't fit a children's XL and you're not really looking to buy yourself a doll or a plushie. What does Target's Disney pop-up shop have for adults?: Minnie ears and coffee mugs.
When to shop at Target: If you want a pair of Minnie Mouse ears, definitely buy them at Target. This is one item you'll save the most money on. Yes, the selection is limited, but you can buy a pair of good-quality Minnie Mouse ears at Target for only $10 versus the expensive selection at the Disney Store (and Disney parks) for $30. (They just raised the price from $27.99!)
If you're looking for a new coffee mug, or you are an avid collector, Target's Disney shop is also the place to shop. It has a unique selection just for the store, but it also carries mugs found at Disney Store, too. Those same mugs are $2 cheaper!
When to shop at the Disney Store: Something I've noticed with the Disney Store is that lately, its been rolling out more and more items for adults, making the experience more magical for people our age.
Unfortunately, Target's Disney pop-up shop doesn't have many items to choose from if you're an adult. So, if you're looking for shirts, home decor, kitchenware, jewelry, purses, backpacks for the parks, etc., check out the Disney Store or shopDisney.com.
Melissa Guz is the digital content manager at First Coast News and creator of First Coast Foodies. When she's not stuffing her face or finding the latest food news, she's likely at one of the Disney parks.