Pick a Pearl

[Keneva]

I have been reading threads about Pick a Pearl in Epcot. Can someone briefly explain where it is & what it is all about? Will a DD 7 and DS 3 enjoy it? Does it cost extra?

[dixielandings]

It's in the big Mitsukoshi dept. store in Japan. It does cost money - you pay the money, pick an oyster, then watch as they open it and get the pearl out. You can then choose to buy a setting for it, etc. I did this in Hawai'i - same experience. It's kinda cool - though I don't know how young kids will feel about it. They'd probably get a bigger kick out of the Kidcot Fun Stops.

[disneymom15]

The kids will love it. My daughter was 5 the first time. She's now 18 and does it almost everytime we go. One time she had twins, 2 pearls in the oyster. In 3 weeks we're taking my niece who's 7, she's learning Japanese in school and I think it will be exciting for her to pick a pearl in Japan.

[Jasper]

This is kind of neat and fun but it is a little on the pricey side especially considering that the pearls themselves are normally of just average to sometimes poor quality. There is no guarantee about what kind of pearl you will get. Also, these are all cultured pearls, but then again most pearls these days are. I don't say these things to discourage you but just so you go into it with reasonable expectations. We have done it as well and the kids really enjoyed it.

[PopDivaPaige]

This sounds like lots of fun! I am totally going to ask my parents if I'm allowed to do it. I love pearls, they remind me of my favorite disney :princess:, Ariel.
:diver::diver::diver:

[wdwvacationeer]

It is a lot of fun - all three of my daughters have picked a pearl at one time or another. They also have a stand at DD, but the one in Japan is much nicer. Last year they had them set while we waited- rings and a cute necklace. There is a little element of surprise because you never know exactly what will be in the shell. Two years ago one of the girls got an enormous pearl and last year one of them got a goldy, yellow pearl- very pretty.

[Imagineer1981]

I believe they will buy your pearl back too if its a nice one worth buying

[4myprincesses]

My daughters did it on our trip in May. They are 6 and 7 and loved it! They waited patiently and whispered under their breath for no one to take "their" oyster. When it was their turn we were so surprised. DD7 had picked a silbery blue pearl that was 7mm and DD6 picked a very pearly white 8.25mm!!! They both wanted something a little different and they both got it.

All the one's we watched get opened before theirs were your standard white 6.5mm-7mm pearls (give or take on size.) So, honestly I was very surprised to see what they had picked. The cost was around $16 a pearl if I remember right. They do have some inexpensive settings there, as well as fancier ones. They each chose a necklace. The large white pearl is in a pretty silver cage and the blue one is mounted in gold with a little sparkly stone.

I highly recommend it!

Here's a link to a photo of them with their pearl: http://www.flickr.com/photos/4myprincesses/2698966829/

[dixielandings]

Since a PP mentioned settings, does anyone know where the prices start for those? I have a pair of pearls from another "pick" somewhere else and would like to have them set but my choices were limited and quite expensive where I got the pearls themselves. Plus, it'd be cool to be able to have them set at Epcot!

[garthbarth1]

Wow I did not know that this existed before now! That is why I love this site...I can't wait to pick one in September:mickey:

[tinksmom02]

DD did this in January 2007, so I'm not sure if prices have gone up, but she got a pearl, the least expensive silver setting (pendent), and the least expensive silver necklace, for $40 total. Not really cheap, but there were a LOT more expensive options (gold and such).

[MickeysEars]

My DD would love this. She love when she can interact with cast members and nature. She can do both. Although she will probably be concerned with killing it...:sad:

[Keneva]

Thanks for all of the replys. Can you eat the oyster if you want? If so, I'll plan ahead and bring my cocktail sauce!::ack:

[Tinkermom]

We did this for DD when we were at WDW for her 6th birthday. The settings are a bit pricy and they really try to talk you into buying a setting. Our DD got so excited I could not say no to getting the pearl set. She ended up wanting a gold setting with a diamond chip. It cost us $120 including the $15 for the pearl. We do not normally spend this type of money but this would be her first piece of REAL jewelry. Once the pearl was set they presented it to DD in a special pouch and gave her instructions on how to care for her new necklace. We keep it in the special little pouch and DD treats this necklace very carefully - it is so sweet. She only wears it on special occasions and sometimes to church. We make a big deal about her "real pearl" necklace whenever she wears it. It has become a very special memory and gift for her.:mickey:

[garymacd]

You can also pick a pearl at DTD and Typhoon Lagoon (at least, last time we were there).

This was so much fun that we have to do this every time we are down there. Even if our girls aren't with us, they get a pearl, too.

The cost was about $16 each. Pick the ugliest oyster you can find. They usually have the most colourful pearls. Tap the shell three times, ring the bell and the CM opens your oyster.

We usually just get a cheap pendant setting put on, but you can also get rings, tie tacks, necklaces, etc.

[FUN]

I will have to do that when i go in november.

[cjb121879]

Just a quick note for those considering earrings:

My boyfriend and I went to the pick-a-pearl place in Japan and I already knew I wanted a pair of pearl studs. I asked the gentleman working the counter what happens if the pearls from two diferent oysters do not match, and he told me that they would gladly switch out either pearl to give me a match from their stock with the one I wanted.

I'd heard that advice about picking the ugliest oyster too, so I picked one and inside was a fairly large white pearl. While considering which oyster to pick next, we talked with the guys at the counter to find out which was the rarest color of pearl found in these oysters. To our surprise, he told us that those oysters do not produce black pearls and showed us the inside of an opened oyster to show the different gradations of color possible for the pearls they produce. He said the rarest color for those oysters was blue. A few moments later, I settled on another oyster and surprisingly, inside there was a large blue pearl! Even the man at the counter couldn't believe we had just been talking about them and I'd picked one. Though I'd gone in with my heart set on a pair of white pearl earrings, I couldn't believe my luck with the blue one and so I had them switch the initial white pearl out. They brought out three other blue pearls from behind the counter and let me choose the one that was closest in size and shape to the one I'd picked. I then had them set on a simple silver post and I believe the total cost, including the price of picking the oysters and the setting, was somewhere around 35-38 dollars. I thought that wasn't bad.

I think this is a great idea for kids.

[princessjojo]

While we were on our June trip, my sister did this. It cost about $15/oyster and then whatever the cost is for the setting you want. She got lucky and her oyster had "twins" that were roughly the same size. She never had them set though. Later that same week, we went back and I tried it. I had been looking at a particular black pearl in the Mikimoto (sp) shop inside the store, but the ring was insanely expensive. Low and behold, the oyster I chose had a "silver" pearl inside. Looks black to me :shrug: I had it set in a silver pendant along with a very inexpensive chain. I think over all it cost me $45 give or take. Sure, they're cultured but it was still fun and I was someone actually commented on it later that week.

Go ahead and do it. It's fun. It is what it is...

[BraddyB]

There is a Mikimoto shop in Disney ??????? If there is please tell where to keep wife to be away from !! Even though she is probably getting a set to wear on the wedding day

[disneymom2000]

My first trip to Disney in 1993, we stayed at the Beach Club. They had a couple of kiosks on the sidewalk to the lighthouse. One was for braiding and the other was a choose-a-pearl oyster. They told what each color meant and then you picked your oyster and they opened it. It was really for the experience but we had the pearl set in a cage off a necklace. It didn't last very long (about two years) before it started fading. My kids loved doing it but preferred real Disney souvenirs.:blush:

[princessjojo]

There is a Mikimoto shop in Disney ??????? If there is please tell where to keep wife to be away from !! Even though she is probably getting a set to wear on the wedding day
It's in the Japan pavillion. In the Mitsukoshi store, kinda in the middle of the store in a corner. They had a beautiful ring I would have loved to have, but would have had to kill DH and collect the insurance to pay for the ring...Not really, but it cost more than my first car.

[Simba's Mom]

If anyone's romantic, here's what we did for our anniversary-DH picked the pearl, I picked the setting and had the pearl set (total cost was about $200 but.....) I now wear it on my left hand like an engagement ring because when we got married, a diamond ring just wasn't in our budget. It's also a nice souvenier from WDW, but no one but DH and I know that.