There are savings to be had during your next Disney World vacation. Use these pro tips to have a magical time, without breaking the bank. Now read, 35 Money Saving Tips For Your Next Disney World Vacation!
1. Pick up your free Celebration Button. If you are celebrating your First Visit, a birthday, anniversary or another milestone, pick up your free button from one of these 3 locations.
2. Buy pins for Pin Trading before your trip. One fun and popular activity at Disney World is pin trading. By purchasing pins before your trip, this activity costs nothing while at Disney. Look for reputable sellers on ebay and pins with the official Mickey Head backings. Even still, trading you may come across scraps (fakes) therefore, trade for the fun and not the value. Look for cast members wearing Lanyards, Pin boards at resorts and some stores too. Read: How to tell is a Disney Pin is Real.
3. See Free Concerts at Epcot included with your admission! With the Garden Rocks Concert Series during Flower & Garden Festival or with Eat to the Beat concert series during Food & Wine Festival. Also see concerts at Disney Springs various venues.
4. Save on Souvenirs by snagging free souvenirs. Read through these 41 FREE Souvenirs To Get At Walt Disney World!
5. Buy discounted Disney Gifts and use for dining and shopping while at Disney World. Disney Gift Cards can be used for most things at Disney World. Learn locations to buy discounted Disney gift cards.
6. Eat breakfast in your resort room. Save on the cost of one meal per day by doing this. Learn more tips on eating breakfast in your Resort room.
7. Save money by shipping water to your Disney Resort. Bottles of water in the parks are 3.00 each! Have a case of water waiting for you when you arrive and this savings quickly adds up. Or, bring a Brita Water Bottle.
8. Save on your Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique visit by bringing your own dress/costume. Save big by NOT purchasing a dress through Disney World and brining your own instead. Learn where to shop beforehand.
9. Pack snacks for Park Days. Instead of having to stand in line for a snack, save time and money by packing your own. This is especially helpful when traveling with younger children. Learn 10 Favorite Snacks to Pack for a Disney World Vacation.
10. Save hundreds by Skipping Park Hopper. Park Hopper allows entry into more than one park per day, without it guests are limited to one park choice per day. While the flexibility is great, the savings is a reason to skip it.
11. Stay on-site and save on parking fees & a car rental. By staying on-site at a Disney World resort guests get complimentary and continuous transportation. This eliminates the need to rent a car and avoids parking fees! Learn more benefits of staying on-site.
12. Earn Free Disney Gift cards. Another way to off-site your Disney expenses is to earn Free Gift Cards, learn these 7 Savvy Ways to Earn Free Gift Cards.
13. Purchase Minnie & Mickey Ears before your trip. These currently cost $29.99 + tax at Disney World. Instead shop places such as eBay, Etsy, Walmart and more to save big. Ones pictured above were spotted at Claire’s.
14. Bring Dollar Tree items with you. There are many useful items one can find at the Dollar Tree for a Disney vacation, even better each item is just $1.00! Learn these 16 items to purchase from the Dollar Tree.
15. Have a non-park day. Have one or even 2 no park ticket days at Disney World and save big. Experience the magic of Disney outside the parks with these 75 Things To Do WITHOUT a Park Ticket!
16. Get your monies worth out of Memory Maker. Memory Maker is a wonderful add on giving you unlimited digital downloads of all photos taken by a Disney PhotoPass photographer. Get your monies worth by knowing these 8 locations to use it.
17. Split Meals to save on dining out. If you have a couple light eaters in your group consider sharing a meal to save on cost. Ideas are below!
- Pinocchio Village Haus In Magic Kingdom – Split the Pepperoni Flatbread
- Casey’s Corner In Magic Kingdom – Split the Macaroni & Cheese All-Beef Hot Dog
- Columbia Harbor House in Magic Kingdom – Split the Combination Platter
- Tangierine Cafe in Epcot – Split the Shwarma Chicken & Lamb Platter
- Via Napoli In Epcot – Split the Wood Fired Authentic Pizza 20″
- Flame Tree Barbecue in Animal Kingdom – Split the Ribs and Chicken Combo
18. Pick up Pressed pennies as an inexpensive souvenir. Find them at Disney Resorts, parks and Disney Springs. Cost is just $0.51, 2 Quarters and a penny!
19. Eat at your favorite restaurant for lunch instead of Dinner. Simply by eating during lunch hours, guests can save if there favorite eatery has a lunch menu versus dinner menu prices!
20. Share snacks and save. Just as guests can find meals to share, some snack portions are generous enough to share too! Consider these snacks to share.
21. Save on Character Dining by doing a breakfast experience. The price point on a Character dining breakfast is often less expensive than a lunch or dinner experience. If a Character Dining experience is a must do, check out the breakfast options to save!
22. Pack Tinkerbell Gifts to cutdown on your souvenir budget. The options to purchase merchandise are endless at Disney World. Offset some of this by packing your own Tinkerbell Gifts.
23. Go to Disney World before your child turns 3. Did you know children under age 3 do not need a park ticket? They are essentially 100% Free to enter! Therefore, plan a trip before your child turns 3 and save big.
24. Become an Annual Passholder. Do you find yourself heading to Disney World multiple times a year? Becoming an Annual Passholder may make financial sense. Crunch some numbers and see if this could be a savings.
25. Use Disney’s Magical Express. Those flying into MCO for their Disney vacation do not have to worry about transportation to and from the airport, by utilizing Disney’s Magical Express.
26. Take a DVC Tour. DVC stands for Disney Vacation Club, and by learning more about this membership option you could score Fastpass+ or even a Disney Gift Card! Learn incentives past guests have been offered.
27. Skip Housekeeping for your Resort. By Skipping housekeeping at your resort you can save on feeling like you have to leave a tip. Plus, some Disney Resorts actually pay you in Disney Gift Cards to skip Housekeeping aka Mousekeeping ($10 per night is standard)!
28. Have groceries delivered to your resort. If you really want to save big on dining, have food and drinks delivered to your Disney resort. Learn 6 ways to get groceries to your Resort.
29. Do not forget to pack anything. By simply packing the right items, you can save by not having to pay Disney prices on items you forgot! Print, pin or save this list now: Ultimate Packing List.
30. Get your Free Ice Water from Quick Service locations. Instead of paying for water, simply ask for a free cup of ice water. Not only is water frugal, it is the best and most healthy way to stay hydrated at Disney.
31. Make your own autograph book. Collecting Autographs from Disney Characters is a must do! Before you head to Disney consider making your own autograph book and then collect autographs for free.
32. Go Resort Hopping. Not only does resort Hopping cost you nothing, there are many fun activities to try. Consider these 35 Free Resort activities!
33. Skip or add the Dining Plan. Guests have the option to add a Disney Dining plan to their Disney vacation. Do some math, by reviewing Disney World menu prices, and see if a Disney Dining Plan would save or cost you money before you decide.
34. Use the perks of your Disney Visa card. Check before your vacation to see what perks are offered such as discounts on merchandise, and if you have accumulated enough points to cash out for a Disney Gift Card. Plus, enjoy an exclusive Meet & Greet at Epcot and a Star Wars Meet & Greet at both Disneyworld & Disneyland.
32. Military members can score discounted Disney tickets. Retired & Active Military can score discounted tickets for Disney World or Disneyland from participating military sales outlets or on base.
33. Pack your own stroller. If you are traveling with a little one and plan on using a stroller while at Disney, save big by packing your own stroller. Stroller rental prices will add up quickly!
34. Eat at a Budget Friendly Table service location. Dining at a sit-down restaurant means a break from the hectic parks and heat. Consider one of these Budget Friendly Table Service eateries in the parks to keep your costs down.
35. Utilize your snack credits. For those guests on the dining plan, use your snack credits wisely. Read through this list of 176 Best Snack Credits. You will want to spend at least $5 per snack to come out ahead.
Learn more tips and tricks for your next Walt Disney World vacation. Destinations in Florida can also help you add tips and tricks to your next vacation.