Save more money in your pocket by following these 9 tips for visiting Walt Disney World on a budget.
1.Travel during Value season – room rates are a lot lower and usually during the end of August through October they offer the free dining plan. This will save you hundreds of dollars. You can use your Table Service Credits for special character meals including Chef Mickey, Cinderella’s Castle and more.
2. Bring your own stroller. The airline doesn’t charge you for checking a stroller unlike other luggage. Stroller rentals at the park are $15 a day. By bringing your own (even if it is just an umbrella stroller), you will save $105 over the course of 7 days.
3. Bring your own items into the park. If you are traveling during hot weather, bring your own misting fans and pack dollar store ponchos if there is rain in the forecast. Pick up some glow sticks to surprise the kids with at night instead of purchasing the expensive light up toys.
4. The longer you stay the cheaper the tickets per day. A 10 day ticket is $135 more than a 4 day ticket.
5. Shop at ShopDisney.com before you leave. They always seem to have sales and their stuffed animals go on sale regularly. Shop before you go to the park and hide the souvenirs in your suitcase to surprise your children with them.
6. Make your own breakfast each day instead of eating out. We always eat breakfast in our room. We bring Styrofoam bowls and plastic spoons. I often ring shelf stable soy milk and boxes of cereal from my stockpile.
7. Walmart near Walt Disney World has shirts for $5, Towels for $5, and posters for $4. You can save a lot by stopping here for your souvenirs.
8. If you stay in the resort, try watching the Magic Kingdom Fireworks from the beach at the Polynesian Hotel. It has the firework music piped in and is a good choice for nights you aren’t planning to be at the park. They sell Dole Whip nearby too!
9. Pack snacks. My kids will still wear fanny packs and I pack them the night before with a small juice box, a granola bar, gum, candy, wet wipes and anything else that will keep them from asking for snacks before lunch. I tell them that they can eat/drink it without asking.
Don’t miss the BounceBack Offers at Walt Disney World.
Learn more about all the Disney Deals you can use to pay for your next trip. Also my friends at Destinations in Florida can help you find Disney Vacation Deals.
Christy is a fellow Disney lover who blogs over at Thrifty and Thriving. Her blog focuses on smart living for a richer life.
Brooke says
The Downtown Disney Resort Area Hotels are walking distance from DD and always have good deals: http://www.downtowndisneyhotels.com/
The biggest money saver of all is that kids under 3 are 100% free, including character meals!
Things You Must Bring:
– backpack (not a purse) — more storage; won’t spill on rides
– closeable beverage containers for each person — you can’t take cups on rides, but the kids always seem to have juice left from their meals…
– small snack containers — they can’t get crushed; good for snack-able leftovers
– rain jacket + baseball hat + fleece — FL weather is weird and that sun is HOT!
– a pouch or lanyard (like from a conference) to store your park tix
Maggie says
Good article, we do a lot of those things. Here’s a couple more of our favorite $ saving tips:
Don’t forget to try Harmony Barber Shop for their cool $7 hairdo instead of spending a lot more at Bibbidi. They have fun styles for boys too!
Consider going to the character greeting spots at each park instead of booking a character meal. You still get to spend a lot of time in a semi-private area with your favorite characters. The kids will never feel like they are missing a thing!
The unicorn suckers sold at the parks are a really inexpensive way to take home souvenirs to friends, you get 6 in a bag and they used to be less than $4.
When my daughter was little I made a Disney mystery gift bag for her and we gave her one every night after going to the parks. I purchased Disney stuff at garage sales and inexpensive stores ahead of time. Knowing she was getting a goody bag at the end of the night helped keep her out of the stores. Now that she is older, she likes to save a set amount of $ to take so she can do her own souvenir shopping in the parks. As soon as we get to a park, we change her money for Disney dollars and she can have fun spending it as she chooses.
Kristin of Couponing to Disney says
Good tips!