My family of 5 has been visiting Disney World for over 12 years. Here are 8 things I never buy for my kids.

As an annual passholder and frequent Disney World visitor, there are some things I never purchase there if I can help it.

For example, water is free at Disney World. If you walk to any quick-service counter, you can get a small cup, and you can ask for as many as needed.

If we plan ahead, we take empty water bottles to the parks and fill them with free water.

Unfortunately, I broke my rule last year when I left my son's sippy cup in our hotel room. He needed a cup with a lid and a straw, so I bought him a plastic one. It lasted us approximately a week before the straw broke and the lid cracked — never again.

Balloons at Disney World are expensive, even the most basic kind is around $20.

I have three kids, so that's $60 for something that could fly away or accidentally pop after a few hours. I'd rather spend my money on something with more lasting value.

I've learned my lesson with light-up toys. In my experience, they cost between $12 and $23 and provide immediate joy for about 24 hours — before they break or the batteries run out.

Instead, bring some light-up toys or glow sticks from the dollar section at your local big-box store. When they break or get lost, it won't hurt your wallet as much.

Mickey-shaped treats and Dole Whip are hard to say no to. But basic candy packaged in a bag with a character on it isn't.

Save the gummy worms, chocolate candies, and sour bites for gas-station purchases on the way home.

I practice a lot of restraint when it comes to decorative popcorn buckets, the cheapest of which costs around $13. My kids usually want one at every popcorn stand, so I have to draw the line somewhere.

We're not locals, so we're usually driving or flying home. I've taken a few buckets home that ended up cracked or broken after the journey. For the most part, they're simply not a practical souvenir for us.

My one exception is my Christmas-themed popcorn bucket, which I've been using to decorate my house around the holidays for years.

In my opinion, there's nothing too unique about the in-park autograph books and pens. Amazon, eBay, and even shopDisney have options that are cheaper than the ones in the parks.

Buy them before you come and save that money for a Dole Whip float.

Inexpensive clothing items such as socks, underwear, and sandals are on our no-buy list unless there's an emergency and someone needs a change of clothes.

We purchase socks, underwear, and flip-flops with fun characters on them outside of Disney World, where they're less expensive.

Kids and teens 13 and younger can wear costumes to the park all year round as long as they follow Disney guidelines.

Children often wear them after visiting the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique for a makeover. My daughter has participated in the makeover experience twice, but I'm grateful that she's always chosen the T-shirt/skirt combination over the expensive gowns.

If she wanted a princess gown, we'd purchase a cheaper one elsewhere and bring it to her appointment instead of dropping $50 or more at the parks.