5 Ways to Save Money at Disney Parks
If you're ready to save big on your next Disney trip say "haaaayyyy"!
Just kidding, you don't have to say that...I can't hear you through your screen anyway (heehee). What I can do, is share some of my favorite money saving tricks for traveling to Walt Disney World Resort.
1. BudgetJust kidding, you don't have to say that...I can't hear you through your screen anyway (heehee). What I can do, is share some of my favorite money saving tricks for traveling to Walt Disney World Resort.
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| Anyone else think Disney Dollars should make a comeback?? |
This is the first thing I do when I start thinking about my next visit. I know, I know, one more thing you have to plan out, but I've found that writing out a budget is a big help to me when it comes to planning my overall trip. If you have an idea of how much you want want to spend, it can narrow down your choices for hotels and restaurants. You're less likely to overspend if you're set on your budget ahead of time. Keep in mind that a Disney trip budget probably includes hotel, airfare/gas and tolls, park entrance (unless you already have an annual pass), food/drinks, and souvenEARS (see what I did there?).
Budgeting Pro Tip: Load up a Disney gift card (like the wristband one pictured below from Flower & Garden Festival 2018) with the amount you've allocated for spending money as soon as you get to the park. Then reload it each day according to your budget. That way, you won't be tempted to "accidentally" spend too much.
2. Pack Smart
Taking time to strategically plan what to pack can also end up saving you a lot of money! For example, if you are visiting during the summer, having your own ponchos/rain jackets, sunscreen, and aloe (if you're prone to sunburns, like me) can save you from having to overpay for these items in the parks. During the winter and spring, packing a sweater can also save you from having to buy a $60 one when the sun goes down and it gets chilly. It's always better to be over-prepared than under. You can check out Gaby's earlier post for some more handy tips about what to bring with you on a Disney vacation!
Taking time to strategically plan what to pack can also end up saving you a lot of money! For example, if you are visiting during the summer, having your own ponchos/rain jackets, sunscreen, and aloe (if you're prone to sunburns, like me) can save you from having to overpay for these items in the parks. During the winter and spring, packing a sweater can also save you from having to buy a $60 one when the sun goes down and it gets chilly. It's always better to be over-prepared than under. You can check out Gaby's earlier post for some more handy tips about what to bring with you on a Disney vacation!
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| Poncho, snacks, sunscreen, Disney gift card, and Passholder discount guide! |
3. B.Y.O.Snacks
As yummy as Disney Parks food can be, it can also be a little pricey. It's very easy to prepare a sandwich to enjoy on the hub grass, or keep small snacks (like the ones in the above picture) in your bag to tie you over while you're waiting the 3 hour line for Flight of Passage! Even if you only pack one meal per day, you could save anywhere from $18-$70 on a weekend trip. Saving that much can mean you get to ~TREAT YO SELF~ to a refreshing Dole Whip when the heat gets too real!
4. Travel with a Friend (or Four)
This one’s simple: if you travel alone, you have no one to split the bill with! Doing Disney with your friends and family is way more fun than doing it alone anyway, and it can cut the costs of hotel, travel, and even meals significantly. To put it in perspective, a hotel room that costs $150/ night by yourself, suddenly becomes less than $40/night when 3 friends join you. When it comes to Disney vacation planning, the more the merrier...and the cheaper!
This one’s simple: if you travel alone, you have no one to split the bill with! Doing Disney with your friends and family is way more fun than doing it alone anyway, and it can cut the costs of hotel, travel, and even meals significantly. To put it in perspective, a hotel room that costs $150/ night by yourself, suddenly becomes less than $40/night when 3 friends join you. When it comes to Disney vacation planning, the more the merrier...and the cheaper!
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| Love making Disney memories with my girls! |
5. Take Advantage of Discounts and Free Stuff
Yes, Disney does actually give out free stuff! For example, lots of people still don't know that you don't need to spend $4.50 on a bottle of water at Disney World. If you get thirsty while visiting the parks, just walk up to any quick service dining spot and ask for a cup of water. It's totally free! Some places, like all the Starbucks locations, even have water coolers set out, so all you have to do is walk in and fill up a cup. There are also tons of free gifts available for passholders (and for non-passholders as well), especially during each of the various festivals EPCOT hosts throughout the year. In fact, you may even find you don't need to spend your souvenir budget with all the free goodies Disney gives you!
There are also tons of discounts available around Walt Disney World on everything from hotel rates, to dining, to experiences and tours. If you are an Annual Passholder, Cast Member, or Disney Vacation Club owner, make sure to ask where your discounts apply! It never hurts to ask, and it can end up saving you a lot over the course of your trip.
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| Some of the goodies I got for *FREE* over the last year. |
I hope some of these tips can be helpful to you on your next Disney vacation! If you put any of them to use, come back and let me know how it went! Do you have any favorite money saving tips of your own? Leave them in the comments, so I can learn some more money saving hacks ;)
Blessings,
Sarah
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