A new pressed-penny machine at Disney's Polynesian Village Resort has replaced two designs tied to the hotel itself. In their place are more animated characters, including Moana, Mickey Mouse, and Stitch.
A Cheap Collectible With Staying Power
Pressed pennies are among the most affordable souvenirs at Walt Disney World Resort. Location-specific designs turn up at nearly every park, hotel, and shopping area, and with hundreds of options, nearly every favorite character is covered.
The U.S. Mint has discontinued the penny, but pressed copper coins remain popular across the Central Florida Disney parks, Disney Resort hotels, and Disney Springs. Over the past year, Walt Disney World Resort has been replacing classic hand-crank machines with modern dispensers that have screens. Guests can buy a single design for $1 or up to eight designs at a discount with a credit card.
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Guests don't need to bring their own coins, either. The machines are stocked with blank copper-colored medallions that resemble pressed pennies once flattened and stamped.
What Changed at the Polynesian
New designs regularly appear as next-generation machines roll out, but this swap removed two options that celebrated the resort's own character. WDWNT reported on October 26 that a new machine had arrived in the Great Ceremonial House at Disney's Polynesian Village Resort. Some designs repeat from before, but two are missing: one inspired by the Great Ceremonial House and another showing the tiki at Trader Sam's, the hotel's well-known bar.
Every penny features the same Disney's Polynesian Village Resort logo and sawtooth border. The current options are:
- Donald Duck playing a bongo drum
- Heihei the chicken
- Minnie Mouse in a tropical floral-print dress with a lei and Hibiscus flower
- Stitch hugging Scrump
- Mickey Mouse in a Hawaiian shirt, shorts, flip-flops, and a bucket hat
- Angel and Stitch in grass skirts and floral headdresses dancing the hula
- Minnie Mouse in a grass skirt, lei, and flower accessories dancing the hula as Mickey Mouse plays the guitar
- Moana hugging Pua
Pricing and Availability
One penny costs $1, and all eight designs cost $5. The machine takes cash and cards, but card users must buy the full set of eight. A collectible medallion machine with designs also inspired by Disney's Polynesian Village Resort sits nearby.
Walt Disney World Resort hasn't said whether pennies featuring the Great Ceremonial House or the Trader Sam's tiki will return. For now, they're no longer available to guests at the Magic Kingdom Resort Area hotel.
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