People often ask me how we stay under budget when we travel to our Disney destination and how we get to go so often. We go on vacation once a year, so it is really not THAT often, but I know it is more than some people are able to do. I wanted to share some of my tips for you in this post, so that you can look for some creative ways to save money on your next Disney vacation (and maybe splurge on that character dining or extra magical experience!)
1) Prepare a budget up front. YOU know what your family can afford. YOU know what you want to spend. No matter what your budget is, I can plan an awesome trip for you and your family/group! There are really many options at all of the destinations and by booking as far out in advance as possible allows you more time to save up for your vacation!
2) Buy discounted Disney gift cards! The best place that I have found is Target. If you have a Target red credit or debit card, you can get Disney (or any gift card that they carry) for 5% off! You can buy as many as you want at a time. Note: These only come in multiples of $50, however, you can go to the Disney gift cards website to combine multiple gift cards into one or two. You can use these gift cards to pay your trip deposit, balance, at Disney.com, the Disney Store, and pretty much everywhere at the parks, on the cruise ships, etc. You can also get larger multiples ($150 and $500) for a savings at Sam's Club.
3) Souvenirs - BUY AHEAD OF TIME! It is SO much fun for the kids (and cheaper for mom and dad too) to bring a few special souvenirs from home to surprise them with! You can do this on your first night or throughout the trip for behavior rewards. I like to watch Disney store sales online and purchase a few things throughout the year, but there are so many stores that sell Disney items. We let the kids get 1 special thing on the trip and that way we don't spend a ton on souvenirs and it is extra special for them!
4) Amazon and grocery delivery services are your friend! - Amazon prime pantry will become your new best friend. Hotels allow deliveries during a certain window before your trip (usually up to 7 days but be sure to check with them regarding guest deliveries). At both WDW and Disneyland I have ordered a shipment through Amazon prime pantry and have saved a ton of time and money. I have bought things like cereal, healthy snacks for the kids, pop, water, and gatorade for us, diapers, baby food, wipes, sunscreen, bowls, zip loc bags, spoons, etc. so that you already have it at your hotel waiting for you and you don't have to figure out how/when/where to go shopping once you check in. Grab some milk from the hotel gift shop and you have breakfast! There are also grocers that deliver at both parks - Garden Grocer is a great option at WDW and Vons Grocery at Disneyland. For a small fee (unless you meet the minimum delivery amount), you can have fresh foods like fruit, milk, muffins, bread, beer, pop, water, etc. delivered to your hotel room, even prior to your arrival (again check with your hotel for cold storage options).
5) Know what you can find for free. A great example of this - water! Bring a water bottle and refill it throughout the day. You can get free ice water at any quick service restaurant with fountain drinks! The water is horrible tasting at Magic Kingdom so I bring my Brita water bottle with the filter. Another tip - buttons! There are many celebration buttons that you can get for free at pretty much any store - birthday, first trip, honorary citizen, I'm celebrating (fill in the blank), Just married or engaged, happily ever after, etc.! These are fun ways to celebrate your trip and stand out to cast members who will usually give you a little extra pixie dust :)
6) Photo packages! - Photopass at Disneyland and Magic Maker at WDW are one of the best deals that can be purchased for your Disney vacation. The cruise ships do offer a photo package as well and you can save money if you book these in advance of your vacation. You will get several photos, including ride and attraction, and character photos, and it just gives you a great remembrance of your Disney vacation. Photographers will take your photo with their cameras, as well as with your camera or cell phone, so you can get a more professional picture taken for free!
I would love to hear your money saving tips and things that you have been successful with on your vacations! As always, let me know if you have any questions, need planning assistance, or are ready to book! Check out my ready to book page or email me at Cristie.murphy@magical-vacations.com and have a magical evening :)
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