Location: Gilroy Premium Outlets
Type: Retail and outlet merchandise
Specialty: Overflow merchandise
Cost: Normal Disney Store prices with some GREAT bargains thrown in
Craig’s Favorite: Unique San Francisco Disney Store merchandise

On our way to San Jose (thank you Dionne Warwick!) we stopped off in Gilroy for a light snack at the Gilroy Premium Outlets and while we were there we discovered this little gem.  What makes the Gilroy Disney Outlet fun and different is that being in between San Francisco and Anaheim, it gets the best of both worlds – a little of this and a little of that.  The Disneyland selection is not vast (and with the other Disney outlets and the character warehouse in Fullerton I’m sure the bulk of their merchandise goes there), but they do have some fun products at great prices.  They get a shipment from Disneyland about once a month and you are invited to call and find out ahead of time if their shipment has come in.  They don’t have a large selection of San Francisco only merchandise, but then again, usually the Disney Stores keep a limited supply of region specific merchandise available anyway.  Still if you’re visiting from far away, it is what makes going to a Disney Store fun.  Shops in Hawaii, New York, and even Venice carry in-store specific location merchandise which is always great.  This outlet receives overflow stock from the San Francisco location and at the time we were there, they had umbrellas, sweatshirts, and even Mickey Mouse plush all specific to the city by the bay and at discount prices.

In most respects, this is a regular Disney Store.  They carry all the regular Disney Store merchandise, but just have additional items available at discount prices.  They had many outlet exclusive merchandise pieces as well as clearance items (generally near the front but some spread throughout the store).  Towels from summer, sweatshirts and sweatpants from winter, souvenir shirts from the park, and other great stuff made looking through the racks exciting and fun.  It reminds me of the old Disney Store days when they would have some neat and different merchandise available, and they do at this location.  If you happen to be traveling near Gilroy, the garlic capital of the world, be sure to stop here and take a look around.  You’ll be glad you did!