The happiest place on earth has often been declared as one of the Disney parks and with Spring Break just around the corner, we know many of you will be planning treks to California or Florida to spend time with the kids at one of these great parks. Years of travel experience and multiple trips to these parks have given us these 5 Money Saving Tips For Disney Vacations. These can help you save money on passes, lodging, and in-park experiences. These tips can help you save enough to even stay an extra day at the park of your choice!
5 MONEY SAVING TIPS FOR DISNEY VACATIONS
- USE CITYPASS OR COSTCO FOR DISCOUNT PARK PASSES: Both Orlando and Anaheim locations have great discounts on passes to the Disney parks for multi-day visits through Citypass. These passes also encompass other local attractions and transit systems that could give your family a larger entertainment budget quickly. Southern California Costco locations routinely offer day pass discounts for the Disney parks. Check online before travel and pick up your pass once you get to your destination. Verify ahead of time if you do not have a Costco account if the discount would be available to nonmembers.
- BUY SOUVENIRS OFF SITE. Every corner you turn in the park you will find vendor booths and stores with great and unique souvenirs. Kids and adults alike fall into the trap of splurging on these treats and end up spending twice as much if not more on them than they would have if purchased off site. Stores like Walgreens, Target, and Wal-Mart, will have many of the very same costumes, t-shirts, keychains and more offered in the park. Additionally, the Disney Store online routinely has clearance sales with free shipping that will provide you with a chance to pick up unique offerings typically only found in the park at deep discounts. Plan and shop ahead so you can present your kids with special treats at the park without spending the extra money there.
- CHECK FOR LOW COST FOOD PASSES: Routinely Disney World offers a food pass good at select restaurants and vendors inside the park that is at a deep discount compared to what the average meal would cost. Check sites routinely for the special offers. Grabbing this pass can make in park foods cheaper by up to 50% over the course of a 3 day visit for a family of 4.
- STAY IN A WELL KNOWN CHAIN MOTEL/HOTEL AWAY FROM PARK AND COMMUTE. Traffic in unfamiliar places can be a headache but often times it is well worth the difference in cost. A recent stay in Anaheim at a common chain hotel only 1 mile from the park offered the same room, pool, breakfast amenities at literally half the price per night. We rented a car and commuted having to pay a parking fee each day that was still overall cost a savings of over 40% per day on our hotel. Shop around to local hotel chains before spending the extra on the “in park” or “near park” specialty hotels.
- VISIT THE PARK ON A HOLIDAY. While Christmas is one of the busiest times of the year and offers no discount, there are some holidays that offer special ticket pricing for late in the day arrivals. We have went to the park during September and October and received half price day passes on Friday & Saturday when we entered the park after 4pm. Those nights also offered extra late hours, so we were able to experience a lot of the park without the cost normally incurred. Check the park sites near holidays for special park pricing and offerings.
*Be sure to start your trip off right by planning ahead! Order your FREE Disney DVD to give you Disney tips and help with you to take the stress off of some of that planning! Or if you’re planning a Disney Cruise (on my bucket list) then grab this FREE Disney Cruise Planning Tool!
There are numerous ways to save money on any vacation and especially on amusement parks like Disney. These 5 Money Saving Tips For Disney Vacations are a great place to start saving toward an unforgettable vacation with your family this year. As always we recommend checking for coupons, special discounts and mostly planning ahead.
More Travel Tips can be found here:
- Way to save– put your vacation on layaway: Sears Vacation- Put Your Vacation on Layaway! <- What?
- How to Save on Hotels
- Our California Dreamin’ Trip – how we saved big! 5 people for $3000!
More Disney Ideas:
Why Every Kid Should Go To Disney At Least Once In Their Life!Â
5 Secret Things I Bet You Didn’t Know About Disneyland
Suzi Satterfield says
These are some wonderful tips to make a vacation a little bit less painful on the checkbook!
Brittanie Pyper says
After our new baby is born we are hoping to take a Disney Trip as a family so these tips will certainly come in handy! Thanks for sharing!
Terri | Sugar Free Glow says
Souvenirs off site! Who knew? Great tips–thanks for sharing! We always spend a fortune at Disney!
Micki says
Oh – thanks so much for the tip to check out passes through Costco. I never would have thought of that. And love the idea to check out souvenirs off site too.
Samantha Angell says
I didn’t know Costco sold discounted passes to Disney. I will definitely have to keep this in mind for when (if) my husband and I ever have the chance to go!1
Angelic Sinova says
I just got back from Disney World (I spend Christmas and New Years there) and these are GREAT tips! I definitely agree with buying souvenirs other places! I LOVE the Disney outlet in Orlando. When we went it literally had the SAME toys are the parks but 40% off! Staying on non-Disney hotels help too (although I recommend staying at a Disney hotel at least once in your life because it’s a truly magical experience!)
Tanya says
Thanks for these tips. I wanna go back to Disneyland!
Echo says
Thank you so much for posting this! We are in the midst of planning a trip to Disney within the next two years and will definitely be in need of these tips!
Alisha says
We go to Orlando every year for Spring Break and these tips will def come in hand when I’m planning our day excursions. Disney can get pricey so it’s always nice to know little ways to save money!
Local Adventurer (Las Vegas Blog) says
great tips!! souvenirs are SO expensive at disney. It’s pretty ridiculous. I can’t believe I bought a mickey and minnie plush there the first time i went. you can get the same thing at the disney store for way less.
XmasDolly says
We have been to Orlando at least four times prior to my back surgeries. We have visited there because he loves Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios. Your tips will to just great for there too. Thanks for sharing. Very nice to meet you and I’m now following all your social networks I can find. Hope you have time to come over and stop by me too. Have a great week.
Sam says
Thank you for sharing these resourceful tips. While the memories are priceless a family trip to a theme park can be very expensive.
CourtneyLynne says
Omg these are fantastic tips! I lived in Orlando for years and definitely shop off site! The random gift shops are dirt cheap compared to Disney!
Lauren says
I never realized there were so many ways to get discounts for disneyland! I haven’t been for a long time, but the next time I go I will use these tips!
vidya sudarsan says
Good tips! Disney vacations if not planned well can rip you off.. and are the best when you think of these money saving tips before the trip 🙂
Alysia from My Domestic Dish says
These are great ideas! Very common sense tips but ones rarely considered in the excitement of the moment. I’ve never thought of the food passes but, then again, we’ve never gotten to take a family trip to Disney. On the bucket list but it wouldn’t be done until mine are older.
Penny Struebig says
We love going to Disney and are always looking for ways to save. We haven’t done the food pass before — I’ll need to look into that a bit more. The Citypass sounds like a great idea also!
Chrissy Mazzocchi says
These are great tips! Disney can get so expensive!