Did you create your Disney World budget and say wow this just too much money? Maybe you just are hoping to find some ways to cut back so you can afford a special event on your trip? There are so many reasons why you would want to save some extra cash at Disney World. It’s important to know that there are endless ways that you can save money at Disney.
In order to help you stop paying extra when you visit Disney World, we have pulled together all of our top money-saving tips.
- Go during the free Disney dining planning promotion. Or opt to skip the dining plan altogether!
- Stay off property. If you have a large party you are traveling with your best bet is to look into splitting a vacation home rental.
- Drive instead of flying.
- If you choose to fly, skip renting a car. Stay at a Walt Disney World Resort and get free transportation to and from the Orlando International Airport.
- Stock up on those credit card rewards points! You can use your SPG points to stay at the Swan and Dolphin Hotel. Or you can get a Disney Visa card to earn points towards your next stay.
- Buy your Disney souvenirs before you leave for your trip. There are loads of great Disney treats you can pick up for your kids. Hide them away in your luggage and surprise them over the course of your trip.
- Buy discounted Disney gift cards to use over the course of your trip.
- If you are a Disney Pin Trader/collector get a bunch of cheap pins from eBay or Amazon to trade with Cast Member during your trip.
- If you want to eat at sit down locations we recommend going at lunch instead of dinner. It is cheaper and the menus are often near identical to dinner.
- Don’t rent a stroller through Disney instead use an off-site company like Kingdom Strollers or alternatively bring your own from home.
- Skip the park hopper option on your ticket. It offers a lot of flexibility during your trip but if you have young children they often times get too worn out to do more than one park a day.
- Travel during off season at Disney. The off-season is during January, the first half of February, later half of August and then September.
- Stock up on important supplies before you leave for Disney World. For a full list of these items read 20 Items to Buy Online Before Your Next Disney Trip.
- Skip the weekends, not only are they more crowded your hotel room will be more expensive as well.
- Dining at Disney can be costly so one great way to cut down is to bring or buy your own food at Disney. We spill the beans of this one during How to get Groceries Delivered to your Disney Resort. If you want to eat on property save money by reading How to Save Money When Eating at Disney.
- If you are renting a car or drove be sure to fill up your tank on Walt Disney World property. Have I lost my mind? Not yet! Disney price controls the gas stations on their property so they can’t price gouge like a lot of the places right off property do.
- If you are active or retired military be sure to use your military discount on park tickets.
- Invest in an annual pass. Just because you don’t live close to Disney doesn’t mean that this isn’t a good option for you. If you need a ticket for 8 or more days over the course of the year it pays for itself. Not to mention all the great annual pass discounts that you will get with that.
- If you are looking to save money and be on Disney property a budget resort is the way to go! The Best Disney Value Resorts Ranked makes it easy to choose which value hotel is right for you and your family.
- If you don’t have an annual pass and want to save money on dining you can always purchase what is called Tables in Wonderland Membership.
- Skip character dining meals it always cost extra.
- Establish a souvenir budget before you leave for your trip and then hold to it. Loading a gift card with the budgeted amount is the perfect way to stop you from overspending.
- Book your next trip to Disney before you leave and save up to 45% on your vacation. This must be booked before you check out of your Disney resort.
- Did you know you can rent DVC points and save thousands on staying at a nicer hotel with a bigger room? There is a whole guide that breaks down exactly how you do this!
Disney gets a bad rap for being overpriced but there are still plenty of options open to families to save money and cut down the costs of taking a vacation at Disney World. What are some of the ways your family saves money at Disney World? And better yet we want to hear your stories of the most you have ever saved on a trip!
I have been visiting the parks annually since my parents first brought me at just a year old. Recently I was able to fulfill my life long dream of being a Florida local and moved from the wintery Northeast to the sunshine and fun of central Florida. Now I am hoping to share my Disney knowledge with you so you can have the best vacation possible!