The biggest drawback to taking a Walt Disney World vacation for most families is the cost. While it is the Most Magical Place on Earth, it is certainly not the cheapest! The best way to make your trip possible to is take advantage of the promotional deals that Disney offers throughout the year. These can include promotions such as Free Dining, Buy "x", Get "x" free, or Room Discounts. While these offers can save you big bucks, some people may find their dream vacation is still out of reach.
With the recent rash of price increases and extra-cost events announced by Disney, making your trip affordable can be harder than ever. Here, we will give you our Top 10 ways to trim even more out of your budget and make that dream a reality!
1. Gift cards
If you have a lot of time to pre-plan, you can take advantage of many ways to earn gift cards at a discount or even free! Here are some of the most popular ways:
- Start a Disney Vacation Account. Use this account to save for your trip and you will earn a $20 gift card for free with every $1000 you spend on your Disney vacation. Get more information on how it works HERE.
- You can buy discounted multi-packs of Disney gift cards at big box stores like Sam's Club and Costco
- You can buy Disney gift cards at Target at a 5% discount when you purchase using your Red Card
- There are many websites and apps where you can earn points for shopping online, visiting websites, taking surveys and many other activities. These points can be redeemed for free gift cards. While most do not offer Disney gift cards, they can still be useful. Some offer GCs for Starbucks, Gas cards you can use if driving or Landry's Restaurants. Landry's cards can be used at Rainforest Cafe, T-Rex Cafe or Yak and Yeti in Animal Kingdom. Others offer GCs for stores like KMart, Walmart or Target. You can use these cards to purchase Disney gift cards in retail stores. Some of the most popular sites are MyPoints , Swagbucks, Shopkick and more. A quick Google search will find more!
2. Skip the Disney Dining Plan
The Disney Dining Plan has raised it's prices again. While some people enjoy the convenience of having their meals pre-paid, many find that the plan includes much more food than is really needed resulting in waste and leftover credits. All dining plan meals include drinks and desserts which may not be necessary at every meal for all people. This all adds up to wasted money. Of course, you need to decide what and how your family eats to see if it's really worth it for you. But, should you decide to skip the plan, there are several other ways you can save while dining at WDW restaurants.
- Split a meal! most meals at WDW have very generous portions which can easily be shared by 2 people, especially if you have light or picky eaters. You can share entrees, split a double cheeseburger into 2, or (where available) use the toppings bar to beef up that sandwich or salad into a satisfying meal for 2.
- Have brunch! If you would like to try a character meal, prices are much lower for breakfast. Try to schedule your reservation for very late morning closer to lunchtime. This way, you can fill up enough to last through the afternoon until dinnertime meaning you will only have to purchase 2 meals per day instead of 3.
- Don't pay for food you don't want! Meaning if you aren't very hungry, you can order from the kids menu. Sometimes at a table service restaurant, an appetizer and dessert can be a very satisfying meal. Most Counter Service locations list a combo price for meals. If you don't want the sides, you can order without and it will usually take a few dollars off the price. Smaller portions, smaller prices and no waste.
- Florida residents, DVC members and AP holders can join the Tables in Wonderland program. This program offers 20% off food and beverages at many WDW restaurants.
3. Apply for a Disney Visa card from Chase
The Disney Visa card from Chase allows you to earn Disney Dream Dollars which can be used anywhere for dining or shopping at WDW or Disneystore.com. I had enough built up to purchase a $500 gift card from Disneystore.com and apply that to my trip balance as well. A good way to build up Disney dollars without putting yourself in debt is to use the card for your everyday purchases such as gas, groceries, utility bills and other necessities. Then pay the balance in full each month. You will earn Disney dollars without paying any interest on money you would have been spending anyway!
The card also has perks which can be used while on vacation. You can get discounts at select shopping and dining locations at WDW, discounts on tours and recreation experiences and private character meet and greets.
As you can see from the photo, Chase periodically offers incentives to apply. The current offer is a free $100 gift card if you are approved and make $500 in purchases. If you use it like I suggested above, you can earn this easily in the first month or two. You must have the referral information to qualify for this offer. I have available referrals left. If you would like to apply, send me a message through Facebook HERE and I will give you the information. This offer is available until April 30, 2016.
4. Forget the rental car!
If you are flying to Orlando, you can save hundreds of dollars by NOT renting a vehicle for your stay. If you plan to stay on Disney property, Disney provides free transportation to all locations on their property PLUS to and from the airport. While Disney transportation can be crowded and inconvenient at busy times, just keep in mind: it's free! Even if you plan to venture off-property to shop or visit another theme park (gasp!) you can get shuttles, taxis or Uber a ride for much less than the cost of a car rental.
5. Save on strollers, scooters and wheelchairs!
If you are traveling with littles or people with mobility issues, you may have need of one of these items. They are all available to rent in Disney parks, but you have to consider a few things: They are available on a first-come, first-served basis so you are not guaranteed to get one. They can only be used in the parks. And, they can be expensive. Save some money by renting from an offsite company. Disney has a list of approved vendors that will deliver and pick-up right from your resort! You can rent for the entire length of your stay at a much lower rate than the daily park rentals. And you will have use of them for your entire stay, inside AND outside of the parks.
For a way to save even MORE, we have a pretty successful guest-to-guest sharing group on Facebook called WDW Recycle, Reuse and Regift where a number of strollers have been donated that guests can use for their entire stay absolutely FREE. You can check it out HERE.
6. Skip the Park Hopper and Water Parks and more options.
Purchasing Base Tickets allows you entry into one of the four major parks each day of your visit. The Park Hopper option allows you to visit more than one of the four major parks in one day. However, depending on the tickets you buy, it will usually add a cost of anywhere between $45 and $75 per ticket. With a little bit of pre-planning, you can schedule all your Fastpass and dining reservations for one park per day. You will find that there are more than enough things to see and do to keep you busy in one park for the day. You will save time traveling between parks and save money.
The Water Parks and More option gives you admission to Disney's two water parks, plus DisneyQuest and Disney's miniature golf courses. While this option can be a very good value if you plan to visit all these places during your stay, it can also be expensive. Currently, the cost to add this option is about $64. Take a look at your vacation itinerary ahead of time and decide if you will really have the time to fit all this in. If the answer is no, skip it. If you would like to try just one of these activities, check the current one-day admission prices and see if it would be cheaper than purchasing the add-on.
7. Save on Memory Maker
Memory maker now includes all your photos taken by Photopass photographers, plus ride photos and character dining photos (where available). It also includes cute videos and gives you the ability to edit and add custom content to your photos. Memory Maker currently costs $169. But, you can save $20 by pre-ordering before your trip. You must order at least 3 days before your trip to have all your photos included. If you are traveling with other friends and family members, you can save even more by sharing the cost with them. Just link everyone together using Friends and Family on My Disney Experience and everyone's Memory Maker photos will be included in one account.
To save the most money, you can opt not to purchase Memory Maker at all. All Photopass photographers will take photos using your own camera as well as theirs so you can get the same shots without the added cost. Just keep in mind, you will not get any of your ride photos unless you purchase them separately. Doing so can cost much more than the Memory Maker package price.
8. Save even more on food, bring your own!
You can save a lot on snacks and drinks by bringing your own to the parks. You can even pack a lunch. Be aware that you can not bring in glass bottles, alcoholic beverages or hard-side coolers. You can also cut down on purchasing meals by bringing your own simple breakfast foods to the resort. Most food courts have toasters and microwaves you can use, along with utensils and condiments like jelly, peanut butter or cream cheese. There are many items you can pack right in your suitcases. Or, you can have foods delivered to your resort from outside companies for a small fee. Many people on property use Garden Grocer or Amazon Prime.
9. Magical Extras Card and more
When you purchase a vacation package from Disney, you will receive some magical extras with your travel documents. The Magical Extras card lets you save at various restaurants, shops and select activities throughout Walt Disney World resort during your stay. You will often also find vouchers offering free admission to places like DisneyQuest or miniature golf, discounts for Disney Springs restaurant locations or free play in your resort arcade.
10. Save on souvenirs!
With so much great stuff to buy, souvenirs can be the biggest budget-buster you come across! But there are ways to make everyone happy without breaking the bank. Here are just a few tips:
- Bring your own! Stock up on low-cost toys, clothes and novelty items at home before you go. Pack them in your suitcases to surprise the kids when you arrive.
- Many must-have souvenir items are available on Disneystore.com. Watch their site for sales on park merchandise or free shipping offers.
- Hit the outlets! Visit some of the outlet stores in the Orlando area to find park merchandise at deep discounts!
- Set a souvenir limit! Give each person in your party a set dollar amount or a pre-determined gift card to spend. Be sure they understand that when it is spent, they are done buying!
What do you think of our ideas? Do you have any we missed? Discuss all these and much more by joining 1,000,000 Disney SUPER Fans on Facebook!
