Weekly Tip #31 – Picking a Pearl in Disney World

There are lots of activities to check out on Disney property. Some of them are more “Disney” than others. If you are looking to try something that doesn’t revolve around Disney, but not leave Disney property, then you should try this. It helps if you like pearls and jewelry too.

Picking a pearl in Disney World has become a very popular thing to do. If you only buy the pearl the cost is pretty low. For less than $20 you can pick a pearl at multiple locations around Disney World. Of course, you can add on to that price by purchasing chains and/or settings for your pearl, but lots of people just get the pearl, because it’s a fun experience.

I’ve tried most of the pearl picking experiences in Disney World and I think my favorite was this past trip. I picked a pearl at the Pearl Factory location at the Yacht and Beach Club and loved the experience. The woman who helped us was very friendly and very patient (it took me a while to decide on a setting).

There are four separate locations in Disney World where you can pick your pearl:

• Epcot
• Disney Springs
• Yacht Club and Beach Club
• Typhoon Lagoon

I have not picked a pearl at Typhoon Lagoon, but over the years I have experienced the other three locations. Disney Springs and the Yacht and Beach Club are a more relaxed and less “show.” If you want the show I would go to the Epcot location in the Japan Pavilion. They do a countdown in Japanese while they are opening the oyster you picked and turn the countdown into a show where they get other guests involved in the countdown. It’s fun, but definitely not a quiet experience.

All locations should offer settings and chains for your pearl. The options will vary by location, but all of the locations usually have cages to put the pearl in for necklaces, ring settings, earring settings, and other settings for necklaces. I love the setting I chose for my pearl. This was definitely one of our splurges during vacation, but I wear the necklace almost every day.

It’s a simple setting with an amethyst sitting on top of the pearl. They were able to drill a little hole in the pearl and set it right there while we waited. It was a pretty quick process. Plus, we had the scenery of the Yacht/Beach Club, the lake and the Boardwalk Inn across the way. You take the pearl with you once they set it, but there is a waiting period of 24 hours before you can wear your new jewelry. This time allows it to set.

If you are getting a necklace, you can buy the chain there as well as the setting. That’s what I did and I went with a lower cost chain, figuring I will get a better chain down the road. They should have inexpensive chains available, so make sure to ask.

Something I really liked about this location is that I got a cute cloth bag to keep it in. There is a snap on the little bag to keep it closed and it has a pretty design on it. The bag came with my purchase, so that was nice.

Here’s a tip for picking a good pearl, make sure to pick the ugliest one. How do you spot the ugliest one? Pick the one that has the most white on it. The white sections are where the barnacles were and those tend to be the ones with the bigger pearls. I followed this rule, as did a very good friend, and we both got pretty big pearls.

If you have any questions about picking a pearl feel free to put them in the comments below, email me, or you can join our Facebook group. Picking a pearl is a fun activity in Disney, because you have the anticipation of what color and size your pearl will be. I definitely recommend this experience!

Have you ever picked a peal?

Thanks for reading!

*Liz*

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