Sunday, January 12, 2014

How to save money on a Disney vacation


It is no secret that a trip to Walt Disney World can get expensive. It's also no secret that it will be one if the most unforgettable vacations that you will take! How do you weigh the price against the benefits of a vacation to the Most Magical Place on Earth? You make sure to follow these guidelines to save some serious cash, that's how! 



1. Take advantage of the FREE things you get at Disney
Those park maps and paper Fastpasses make fantastic pieces to add to pictures in frames or to add to your vacation scrapbook! Not only can you save these but Disney offers a plethora of FREE pins to commemorate your trip spanning from birthday buttons to "I'm celebrating..." Buttons that you are able to wear throughout the day. 
Also, be sure to visit Club Cool at Epcot and try the coke products from around the world for FREE! These flavors have recently changed so check out my review of the new flavors here

2. Stay on site
Now, hear me out on this one. I know that it seems like staying on property would be most expensive but in my opinion staying on-site at Disney has enough benefits to outweigh the price of the room! They also have many different room-type options for any budget. When you are deciding between staying on-site vs off-site remember that on-site you have Disney transportation to rely on and that will save you money for a rental car, parking, and gas! Also, on-site hotels have different events that you can participate in such as movies and campfires at no extra cost. Check out this list of FREE things to do at Disney Hotels 

3. Shop for your tickets online:
When you are booking your Disney vacation always buy tickets online. You will get the best deals if you do so and also potentially save yourself some time at the beginning of your Disney day!

4. Be selective about buying Park Hopping tickets
When planning your Disney World trip make sure to think about how much time you will actually want to spend at each park and then add 2 more hours to that. There will always be unexpected waiting or extra fun stuff to do in the parks and you do not want the weight of an expensive "park hopper" ticket rushing you. 
My advice is to decide on a day (or two if you have an extended stay) during your trip (probably towards the end) that you'll want to revisit your favorite attractions and then buy a park hopper just for those days!

5. Plan your meals ahead of time
Food is probably one of the biggest expenses on any Disney trip, but that can be easily avoided by planning your meals. If you wish to save the most money on food during your trip pack a lunch to bring to the park and make breakfast at the hotel. This may seem like a hastle but in the long run if you only pay "Disney food prices" for one meal a day it is an easy fix. Plan to have a few sit down dinners during your visit and make Advance Dining Reservations as soon as possible. Be aware that Disney allows you to make ADR's 180 days in advance online. Check out my favorite Quick-service restaurants to visit at each park here.

6. Bring your own water bottle... BYO(W)B:
At most quick service restaurants and counter service snack stands you can get them filled with nice cold water for FREE! If you don't wish to carry a bottle around with you just go up to the window and ask for an ice water and you will get a refreshing cup of water, also FREE!
7. Buy some "Keepsake" souvenirs ahead of time:
There are many different places you can buy a nice autograph book for much less than you'll pay at the park. Check out my customizable autograph books on Etsy at https://www.etsy.com/shop/KaseysGrotto
Autograph books are a great keepsake for you or your little one! 
Also you can find a lot of Disney Pins on Amazon or Ebay to trade when you get to the parks. Trading pins is a great way to create your own personal souvenir collection because each pin is something you picked out. No one pin collection is ever the same as another!

8. Create a souvenir budget:
If you are traveling with kids ( or you typically overspend on souvenirs) you should create a budget for souvenirs. You can load the allotted amount of money onto a Disney Giftcard and spend that amount only on souvenirs! 
This idea is great for kids because they can earn their money for the trip by doing chores and extra nice things around the house to earn their Giftcard before the trip!

9.  If you are traveling with little ones, bring your own "glow" souvenirs:
It's easy to be coerced into buying that $15 glow bracelet at a show after a long park day. Instead of enduring the never ending "but mommy pleaseee" surprise your kids with a few glow bracelets and glow wands/swords. The best part is that you can find these at a Dollar Tree or WalMart near you for quite cheap!

10. Let someone plan your trip for you for FREE: 
This service may sound too good to be true but, if you book your Disney vacation with Rebecca you can save a ton of money and possibly the headache of planning. She is an Independent Travel Agent that is certified in planning your perfect Disney Vacation! Not only do you get a FREE travel agent but you also get the best deals for your vacation. She will work with you to plan every last minute of your trip! Check out her site here and also her blog full of great trip reports here

I hope these tips help you! Have any good money saving tips? Share them in the comments and have a magical day!

2 comments:

  1. They have hotel packages that include two day park hopper passes. There is Disneyland and California Adventure and i also want to go after complete the tour of charleston sc to new york city

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  2. You can also try booking a hotel a little outside Orlando if you re with car. You will have transport but you will save a lot of money form the hotel price. I went to Omni Hotel Resorts last year with my family and it was great. We booked the hotel from http://www.reservationcounter.com/hotel/orlando/ and we payed only $90 a night and the hotel could easyly get $200 with that luxury inside.

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