Early Black Friday is Amazon’s new week-long sales ‘event’ before Thanksgiving that promises holiday shopping season savings. This post rounds up the best buys during Amazon’s ‘Discounts Before Dinner’ special for your Walt Disney World vacations, plus products that will make great gifts for yourself or others.
If you feel like you’re having deal déjà vu (déal-jàvu?), that’s because this follows a trend that started last year…and then got even more aggressive this year. A little over a month ago, Amazon added a second Prime Day in October to go along with its annual sale in July. The company spun it as “early access” to Christmas shopping so you could beat the rush. However, that also opened the floodgates for other retailers to follow suit and start their own season of holiday sales well before Thanksgiving.
If you’re anything like me, you’ve already been bombarded with dozens–maybe hundreds–of emails and alerts about early Black Friday deals and ‘sneak peek’ sales. Many of these are nothing but marketing, but others are actually good–better and earlier than the last few years. We’ve discussed it before, but that’s because of both the bullwhip effect (retailers have too much inventory on hand and need to unload it) and a slowdown in consumer spending. Long story short, it’s a great set of conditions for great deals for the Christmas 2023 shopping season!
If you want a broader selection of the current deals, check out Amazon’s Early Black Friday Sale page for the biggest savings and most popular deals. Even then, the options can be overwhelming, as there are literally tens of thousands of items on sale. (If you’re not already a member, click here for a FREE 30-day Amazon Prime trial membership. Also a great way to watch Thursday Night and Black Friday Football!)
Additionally, you might want to check out the following early Black Friday sales at other retailers:
- shopDisney Early Black Friday – Already a bunch of deals on Disney stuff, including Christmas decorations and Disney Parks merchandise!
- Target Early Black Friday Sales – Several of the top picks here are available for “today only” with categories that will rotate throughout the week.
- Best Buy Black Friday Deals – Everything from televisions to video games to home appliances.
- Home Depot Black Friday Page – Substantial savings on a lot of Christmas decorations. We plan on stocking up!
- Walmart Early Black Friday Sales – Early access doesn’t start until November 22, 2023.
Below, we’ve combed through the various deals on Amazon’s Early Black Friday Sale page and are sharing only those we deem good. We receive a small commission from Amazon for your purchases, so buying through these links helps support the site. However, neither the price you pay nor our recommendations (or lack thereof) are impacted by that.
For the Early Black Friday Deals, we’re going to start with Toys & Games, since Amazon is highlight “Disney100 Deals” on these products on its Black Friday home page. You can browse all of them for yourself here.
Disney Toys
KidKraft Disney Princess Cinderella Castle (Over 4 Feet Tall!) – I’ll be 100% transparent here–I’m leading with this one because this looks awesome to me, is on sale at a deep discount, and I’m kinda wondering whether it’s worth it from anyone who’s already purchased? Reviews are amazing, and I’m guessing I’m not going to hear from anyone…so this is likely going under our tree! (Hey, I’ve been storing the LEGO Cinderella Castle for several years, what’s another?!)
Encanto Garden Room Playset – Not nearly as tall, but an equal discount. Seems like a good deal for Encanto fans–jump on this Lightning Deal!
Elsa Ice Palace “Little People” Playset – Cute Frozen figures, neat light-up set, and good price. What’s not to love?
Disney Princess Dress Up Trunk Deluxe 21 Piece – This is a great deal on an item that’s really popular among Walt Disney World fans as an inexpensive alternative to doing Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique.
Mirabel Dress – Same idea, but with Mirabel.
Mirabel Encanto Fashion Doll – A mini-me, of sorts, for the child dressed as Mirabel.
PlayStation 5 Console – Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 Bundle – This is a great deal on the updated PS5 slim along with one of the hottest and best new games for the holiday season. It’s also available at the same price with the “new” Call of Duty but, parents, don’t buy that.
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor PS5 – At half-off, this is another good game to pick up. I’ve never played, but people love it and the Metacritic score is high.
Up to 49% Off ‘Construction’ Toys – Lots of LEGO and other building sets, including princesses, Pokemon, and totally non-Disney stuff. (I’m a sucker for the LEGO Christmas sets, a couple of which are on sale.)
LEGO Disney and Pixar ‘Up’ House for Disney 100 – This 598-piece LEGO Disney toy set includes a partial house built with balloons, different rooms and functions, plus Carl Fredricksen and Russell LEGO minifigures, and a Dug LEGO dog figure for dog lovers. According to LEGO, the set is “made for unlimited adventures on land or floating through the clouds.”
LEGO Star Wars Luke Skywalker’s X-Wing Fighter Toy Set – Features a LEGO brick-built version of Luke Skywalker’s iconic toy X-wing Fighter to recreate the legendary action-packed scenes from the Star Wars original trilogy movies.
LEGO Disney Princess Rapunzel – One of a few new LEGO sets that are on sale for the second day. Only 20% off, but LEGO deals can be tough to find.
Lionel Disney Mickey Mouse Express Train – Join Mickey and Friends to spread Christmas spirit in this present filled Disney train set that makes a great gift for kids and train hobbyists–perfect for around the tree, and an excellent deal at 42% off!
Disney Doorables Pixar Fest Collection Peek – These look creepy to me, but who am I to argue with 65% off.
Alice’s Wonderland Bakery Chat & Glow Cheshire Cat Stuffed Animal – This is from the weird Disney Junior show with (IMO) creepy character CGI, but you can’t tell that from this Cheshire Cat plush. Well worth it for 68% off!
Disney Games
Funko Disney It’s a Small World Game – It’s the happiest cruise that ever sailed! And you’ll be truly happy when cruising through checkout saving a whopping 52% off this game!
The Little Mermaid Monopoly – Take 32% off this version of Monopoly, which celebrates Ariel’s under the sea world.
Disney-Pixar Monopoly — Another good-ish Monopoly deal.
Haunted Mansion: Call of The Spirits Board Game – I’m a total sucker for cheesy and cheeky board games, as well as Walt Disney World board games. This is the perfect intersection of those interests. It’s a fairly strategic game that’s easy enough for kids but also deep enough for adults. At 54% off (or only $11!), this one is a MUST BUY!
Magical World of Disney Trivia (2,000 Questions) – This game is perfect for superfans to casual viewers questions covering a wide range of Disney and Pixar stories, and with easier questions for kids.
Disney Eye Found It Card Game — A card game version of the standard board game that we normally recommend—and an even better deal (40% off).
Funko Disney Big Thunder Mountain Railroad Game – Another ride-specific game from Funko, this one for Walt Disney World’s 50th Anniversary. It features a sculpted mountain peak and mine tray, and features dynamite and dinosaur discoveries…what’s not to love?!
Sorry! Board Game: Disney Villains Edition – This family game combines classic Sorry gameplay with a wickedly fun Disney Villains inspired board, Spell cards, and 16 Villain pawns.
Candy Land Disney Princesses – Speaks for itself–32% off.
Disney Travel
Loungefly Ghost Minnie Mouse Bag – Presumably on sale because Halloween just happened, but if my sources are correct, it’ll happen again in ~11 months. If true, that makes this a hot deal at 50% off!
American Tourister Minnie Mouse Suitcase – I’m not a fan of this, but I’m also not the target audience. Objectively great deal at 55% off.
American Tourister Disney Kids’ Bags – Cute bags for kids at great prices–some designs are up to 46% off, others aren’t on sale at all.
Hanging Travel Toiletries & Makeup Bag – Someone in my life will be receiving this for Christmas.
Anker Magnetic Power Bank 10,000mAh Wireless Charger – Slightly more expensive than the option below, but the key difference is that this is wireless. A gamechanger for travel!!!
Anker Slimline Phone Charger 10,000mAh Battery (USB-C) — Even before Genie+, we recommended bringing a backup battery pack to charge your phone while using My Disney Experience or social media at Walt Disney World. This one has great capacity and the fastest quick-charging capabilities. This is the battery pack we bring to the parks now—perfect for the two of us.
Anker PowerPort Cube Strip with 3 Outlets and 3 USB Ports – Disney has refurbished many of its rooms, adding USB ports in the process, so this isn’t really necessary for those. It is for many off-site and older hotel rooms, though. Plus, this has fast-charging to get devices recharged quicker and USB-C.
Sukeen Cooling Towel 4-Pack – The cooling system on these towels uses moisture from the towel to draw the sweat away from your skin to keep you cool. We still prefer the Frogg Toggs Chilly Pad, but some Walt Disney World fans prefer these. At nearly half-off, they’re definitely worth giving a try!
Crocs Women’s LiteRide 360 Sandals – Same deal here, and there’s also a clippable coupon. Note that this is not the version Sarah wears–hers are the beach stretch variety, with fabric straps.
Save Up to 60% on Crocs – The classic Crocs clogs are up to 60% off, depending upon size and color combos–you can browse the options here.
Gonex Compression Packing Cubes – They key here is that these are compression packing cubes, which normally cost more and will save you even more space when packing. If you need the suitcase space, we recommend this set over the one below. Be sure to clip the coupon for $9 off (the only way this is a good deal!).
Packing Cube Sets (Multiple Sizes) – Another staple of our packing list, we are fans of packing cubes and these are a solid deal. (With that said, there are a LOT of packing cubes on sale, so you might want to browse the results for “packing cubes” on the Amazon Early Black Friday page and see which sizes/colors/etc. best suit you.)
Gonex Packable Backpack — Another excellent innovation from the fine folks at Gonex…a brand I’ve literally never heard of outside the ‘packable’ space. This takes up minimal room in your suitcase and more importantly is super lightweight. That minimizes the amount of back-sweat you’ll have to endure from the Florida heat and humidity. Be sure to clip the coupon–that’s the only way this is a deal.
Knockoff Loungefly Bag – Calling a spade a spade, this is basically a bootleg Loungefly bag. Now, I am definitely NOT the target audience for such a product, but as someone who doesn’t “get” how on earth Loungeflys are so expensive, I think this is a far, far superior option!
Apple AirTags – We use these to “track” a lot of things, and already have one ready to roll in our stroller. Several readers have recommended them for this purpose, complaining that Cast Members relocate parked strollers, making them difficult to find. AirTags should offer a great solution to this problem! Clip the coupon for another 86 cents off, lol.
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Personal Neck Fan – We bought this little device during Prime Day two years ago, and it’s shockingly effective. It’s like that refreshing feeling you get when walking past an open doorway of an air-conditioned building. It’s not perfect, but it’s a really fantastic idea, and is a breath of fresh air during hot and humid days in Florida (which is ~10 months of the year). Now, when I’m overheating while wearing the baby carrier, I’ll have this to offset that! 😂
Handheld Portable Small Fan (USB Chargeable) – If you don’t want to be quite as dorky with the neck fan and don’t want to wear a cooling towel, this classic handheld fan is the more traditional option for keeping cool. It ends up being under $10 after discount and clipping the coupon on the product page.
BCOZZY Chin Supporting Travel Pillow – This is new-to-us travel pillow is incredibly popular, rating better than our favorite pillow (that had its design cheapened and no longer scores well).
Baby Stuff
BABYBJÖRN Baby Carrier Mini, 3D Mesh – We are currently the owners of 5 baby carriers, and this is our favorite. It’s the easiest to use and the 3D mesh material makes it more breathable. At 20% off, this is cheaper than what we paid–seems like this brand seldom goes on sale.
LÍLLÉbaby Baby Carrier – Our second favorite baby carrier so far. I’d buy the top one over this, but to each their own. A lot of readers recommended and love this one!
Snoo Smart Sleeper Bassinet – We deliberated over buying this thing for weeks due to its high price and polarized reviews. It has been a godsend for us–we’re absolute true believers. At 35% off, this is the cheapest we’ve ever seen the still very-expensive item. (If you’re on the fence, one thing that convinced us is the very high resale value–so long as you keep it in good condition, your actual cost of use will be a few hundred dollars after you sell it.)
Disney Books
Disney Parks Little Golden Book Library – A bunch of the titles below in a great collection for Walt Disney World or Disneyland fans.
There are other Disney Little Golden Books, which each appear to be $1 or $2 off today. (Savings might be better during Cyber Monday, as there’s typically a ‘book bundle’ discount for spending $25). In any case, here are the other titles:
- “it’s a small world” Little Golden Book
- Space Mountain Little Golden Book
- Encanto Little Golden Book
- Pirates of the Caribbean Little Golden Book
Disney100 Little Golden Book Box Set – This collector’s edition boxed set contains 12 iconic Disney, Pixar, Marvel, and Lucasfilm Little Golden Books, brought together for the first time to celebrate Disney100!
Disney Wish Little Golden Book – My hype level is off the charts for Wish, so I’ll pay the extra dollar or so for this brand new release.
Disney Who’s Who (Autograph Book Substitute) – Finally going to find out if this works as well for an autograph book as so many of our friends claim!
Bedtime Favorites Storybook Collection – With 18 stories and 250 illustrations, this is a great option for bedtime reading to little ones.
Disney Princess Cookbook – From Rapunzel’s Frying Pan Eggs to Ariel’s Sea Turtle Cupcakes, this beautiful cookbook is filled with delicious recipes inspired by the Princesses’ many adventures.
Disney Storybook Collection — A large, 300+ page hardcover book retelling several classic Disney stories complete with 250 pieces of artwork from the Disney Archives.
A Portrait of Walt Disney World: 50 Years of The Most Magical Place on Earth – Our favorite Walt Disney World coffee table book ever. The best thing to come out of the 50th Anniversary celebration, with tons of rare photos and concept art. You can read our full review if you want, but the bottom line is that this is the best book about Walt Disney World.
Walt Disney’s Disneyland — One of my favorite Disneyland books of all-time at a crazy-good price. Anyone who has owned or even held a TASCHEN book knows why this is something special. This is an incredibly high-quality coffee table book, and well worth more than the $33 price tag.
Holiday Magic at the Disney Parks: Celebrations Around the World — This is an incredible deep dive into the holidays (mostly Christmas and Halloween, but also Easter and other seasonal events) with great photos, detailed information, and rich history. If you love the seasonal events, this is an absolute must-own.
Walt Disney Imagineering: A Behind the Dreams Look at Making More Magic Real — This huge book by WDI is a classic that belongs in the library of every fan. This beautiful title is actually a sequel to another excellent book that’s now out of print (that we’d also highly recommend).
Maps of the Disney Parks — This is a staple of our gift-giving guides, and that’s in part because it looks really nice, making it an eye-catching gift. We covered this in our Top 10 Disney Park Books list, but it bears mentioning again.
The Story of Disney: 100 Years of Wonder – This coffee table book showcases the company’s history and rich legacy―past, present, and future―with text plus concept art and photographs.
100 Disney Adventures of a Lifetime: Magical Experiences From Around the World – We’ve had a few of these National Geographic “100” books, and they are excellent at generating two things: hype and conversation. Put one of these on your coffee table before a gathering, and travel will become the topic of conversation.
Delicious Disney: Walt Disney World – This is a cookbook, with recipes for iconic dishes like the Grey Stuff, Tonga Toast, Kungaloosh, Ronto Wrap, and much more. You’ll also find rare restaurant concept art, history (my favorite is “Walt Loved Fried Chicken”), and old menu scans.
Thomas Kinkade Disney Coloring Books – Given that color and light are the whole point of Kinkade paintings, this strikes us as an odd one. Still, a great deal at 48% off.
Poster Art of the Disney Parks, Second Edition – This new title is an expanded and updated edition of the beloved book that ranks highly in our library. The second edition renders the first obsolete, as the 85+ new posters and behind-the-scenes development info nearly doubles the book in length. It’s worth it for all of the awesome new posters made for EPCOT’s reimagining alone. (Currently a Lightning Deal for $25.76!)
The Walt Disney Film Archives. The Animated Movies 1921—1968 – Another great TASCHEN title, for an unbeatable price.
The Art of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge – This offers an inside look at the magic behind the Disneyland and Walt Disney World lands, documenting the art and innovations that led to the creation of Galaxy’s Edge. Featuring hundreds of full-color concept artworks, sketches, blueprints, photographs, and more, the book reveals Walt Disney Imagineering’s creative process.
The Ride of a Lifetime: Lessons Learned from 15 Years as CEO of the Walt Disney Company — This is past/present/(future?) Disney CEO Bob Iger’s memoir, and it’s shockingly candid and compelling. Iger is clearly a smart and interesting guy, but all of his interviews are played fairly close to the vest and feel meticulously scripted.
Okay, that’s it for right now. There are a bunch of other great deals that are irrelevant to Disney and travel (but also don’t appeal to me) on the Amazon Early Black Friday Sale homepage. We recommend browsing for yourself a bit, and checking back often, as new deals are regularly appearing–and disappearing. Just be mindful of the fact that some of these offers are time-sensitive, so you don’t want to spend too much time procrastinating and end up losing out!
Be sure to check back here throughout the coming days, as I’ll share new discounts and more Lightning Deals as they become available. Oh, and if you find anything that you think would be useful for other Disney fans, please share in the comments below!
Need Disney trip planning tips and comprehensive advice? Make sure to read Disney Parks Vacation Planning Guides, where you can find comprehensive guides to Walt Disney World, Disneyland, and beyond! For Disney updates, discount information, a free download of our Money-Saving Tips for Walt Disney World eBook, and much more, sign up for our free newsletter!
Your Thoughts
Any deals you’ve found on the best Disney or travel-related products discounted during the 2023 Early Black Friday sales that we’ve missed? What have you scored thus far during the holiday shopping season? Will you be doing your holiday shopping before Thanksgiving, or holding off for potentially better deals on Black Friday and Cyber Monday? Have any product recommendations (or dislike any of the items listed here)? Any questions? We love hearing from readers, so please share any other thoughts or questions you have in the comments below!
