I got a hand-carved ring at Disney Springs, and it cost less than my meals and other souvenirs
- At Disney Springs, you can get custom-carved rings made in 15 minutes.
- The rings cost upwards of $19 and can be personalized with names or designs.
When I visited Disney Springs in July, all I could think about was buying a Mickey Mouse pretzel.
But my sister, a jewelry fanatic who joined me at the Orlando, Florida, shopping center, had other plans. Before I could reach a food stall, she led us to a tiny booth adorned with vintage-looking green signs advertising ring carvings.
To my surprise, our quick stop at the jewelry stand turned out to be the highlight of our vacation.
You can find ring-carving stations at Disney Springs and Disney World theme parks
The one I visited was located across from the Earl of Sandwich restaurant on the east side of Disney Springs, though you can also find them at Magic Kingdom, Epcot, and other Disney World locations.
At the stall, we encountered one employee who was hard at work carving rings for a group of tourists. And as she worked, we were able to browse glass cases filled with different ring options that were available.
When we visited, there were thin brass rings for $19, thicker ones for $25, and sterling-silver rings in various sizes that cost between $39 and $75 each. Additionally, there were 14-carat gold options for upwards of $240.
Once you choose your ring's metal and size, you can then pick a word or design to be carved into the ring. Each letter costs an extra dollar, while designs can cost upwards of $3.
And don't worry if you don't know your ring size — the carver has samples for you to try on.
My custom, sterling-silver ring cost $45 and took 15 minutes to make
My sister and I both opted for the thinnest, sterling-silver options, which cost $39 each. We also wanted to get our names carved into them so we could have matching jewelry to commemorate our vacation.
Our names — Amanda and Alyssa — both have six letters, bringing our totals up to $45 per ring.
The employee at the ring stand gave us order slips and instructed us to pay at the adjacent Disney Pin Traders shop. We then brought our receipts back to the carver, and she got to work.
We were welcome to wait there, or we could walk around, enjoy Disney Springs, and come back 15 minutes later. Because it was nearly 100 degrees outside and we needed water, we opted for the latter.
When we returned, both of our rings were completed — and they fit us perfectly. The jewelry also ended up being the least expensive part of my day at the shopping center.
While my sister returned to our hotel shortly after getting our rings, I stayed at Disney Springs until the evening. During my solo stay, I spent more than $60 on food, $30 on a phone charger, and more than $100 on souvenirs, excluding my ring.
Then the day after visiting Disney Springs, my sister and I were set to go on a Disney Cruise. But she tested positive for COVID-19 at the port, and we were both sent back to the airport.
So it's safe to say our custom jewelry became the highlight of our trip. Instead of having three fun days at sea, we left with inexpensive, high-quality rings — and a funny story that we'll think of every time we wear them.