Does anyone know of any ways to save money at Disney World?

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www.plan-a-magical-vacation.com

Hi,
I see it a little bit differently than the other people who have answered.

Staying on site allows you to use the magical express (free transport to and from the airport).

Eating at Disney World Parks and Resorts is part of the magic. The resort restaurants are fantastic. You can purchase a dining plan, and if you actually plan out your meals ahead of time, it is possible to save on dining without sacrificing quality.

If you are not on a dining plan, I would pack breakfast foods and eat in your resort room every morning. I would also pack lunch. And then treat yourself to a nice dinner at a Disney restaurant - this is vacation after all! We did this exact thing for one of our vacations and it worked out nicely. But I will say that the amount I spent on that one dinner each night could have paid for the daily price of the dining plan (and I wouldn't have had to pack breakfast and lunch!!)

Also, you can stay at one of the Value Resorts - they are just fine and a lot of fun!

How about making a Disney Fund to help save for souvenirs? The last link below shows the piggy bank my family made for saving for Disney.

In a nutshell, I say go to Disney World when you can comfortably afford to "do Disney" in the style you will be happy with.

Have a great time - check out the links below for info and planning help.

jmk_jenmarie

Don't eat at the parks. Eat a large breakfast before you go and pack some fruit, granola bars, and water to munch on while there. You can easily drop $100 a day just by eating a meal and a snack. Make sure you bring a water bottle that you can refill. Pack it all in a backpack and you are good to go.

I have taken many Florida vacations and will say this about a Disney vacation....it is tiresome. Plan your last day for a relaxation day by the pool. You run run run all day and night at Disney, you and your family will need a day to recoup after all that. When I was a kid we went on many Disney vacations which were spent running around all day long. We didn't even have time to take a swim in our hotel's pool...not even once. Take your time and enjoy it.

Mom of 2 great boys

We just got back from Orlando, and really the only way to save money is to watch what you spend.
If you have a refridge and a micro in your room, (if you don't have one, request for one) go to Walmart and pick up some quick foods or even microwavable ones for dinner. Get drinks too. Bring them with you in the parks.
Going out to eat outside of the parks are just as expensive.
McDonalds inside the parks don't even have a $1 menu.
Gas is really expensive down there too.
Pop Century is the cheapest hotel there. You get what you pay for too.
There is really no cheap way out, but you can always look online for discount tickets to get into the parks.
:-)

~Miss Molly~

Food! Don't go out to eat all the time. I have a family of 4 and we brought food with us and/or hit a grocery store while in Orlando. You would be so surprised how much money you save by eating in, instead of eating at the Parks and resturants outside of the parks.
Other than that, watch the extra's you buy. I let each of my children pick out ONE reasonably priced souvenir.

FKF

Rent a condo which are somtimes just as close to the main gate as the "official" disney properties theselves, are much larger and have full kitchens and washer/dryers(www.vrbo.com); bring lunch and water; buy souveniers at the local Wal-Marts; buy princess costumes on E-Bay (cost is double at the park); buy admission tickets on E-Bay or a local ticket broker (http://www.dwtickets.com/Discount_4day_disney_park_hopper_tickets_s/27.htm).

William K

I haven't been to DisneyWorld in 33 years. Yikes! I've been meaning to go back, but the prices make me gawk with awe. What would I do?

Find a motel nearby that has lower rates. This is hard to do with Orlando having two major theme parks nearby. Rent a car and drive there from the hotel. My Mom is the queen of savings. Back then, as a recent divorcee, she had three kids and a limited budget. We took the train to Jacksonvile and rented a car, driving to Orlando. We bought all of our meals at grocery stores. Mom had a little kettle to heat water, and we used it for coffee and iced tea (free ice from the ice machines). We ate PB&J sandwiches and cereal and either canned beef stew (cold) or deviled ham and cheese. The room had a little bar fridge, but that was it. We brought snacks in Mom's big purse.

If I take my wife I'll weigh driving versus flying. It is about a thousand miles from West Houston to Orlando. That's about 15 hours driving including stops. Two thousand miles of driving would be maybe 90 gallons of fuel, but let's round it off to 100 gallons at three bucks a gallon. So three hundred for gas plus another twenty for meals. We could do that. Prepackaged foods are readily available now that weren't back then. We'd stay at one of those cheaper guest suites (I just found a Days Inn with refrigerator and microwave on request for $44 a night.). Don't go into sticker shock over the price of a ticket. I just checked: $71 for a single one-day pass. That's ridiculous. A two day pass for two people is $278.

So, for $300 in gas, $278 for a two day ticket, $132 for three days in a hotel, and maybe $100 in food my wife and I could have a four day vacation. That's $810.

EDIT: I've been reading about the restaurants. Honestly, I can eat just as well at a four star restaurant here in town (City of Houston, Texas) for a fraction (read 1/3) the price. I've eaten at restaurants all over the world in my life (mostly picked up by travel expenses), so whatever Disney would throw at me just wouldn't impress me too much. The "packages" are an incredible rip-off, based on my calculations. Yes, they're convenient, but while I live very comfortably, I don't have money to burn.

itchianna

I arrange trips through www. waltdisneyworld.com and pay monthly payments. When we arrive our trip including meals are prepaid. The dinning plan saves you a fortune. The value resorts meet your basic needs. Shopping in Downtown Disney for souvenirs also saves.

amyb

yes use this site for lodging
www.vrbo.com
much cheaper than a hotel... buy groceries...

Steve Harris

Advice for the cheapest tickets - trust me here and read on...

Most of the shopping malls and Hotel receptions run a time share visitation system where you can save HUNDREDS of $$'s on tickets for everything. You can do ones with different companies too! You get a free breakfast if you start at 7:15 ,a tour and chat for no more then 90 mins, get your tickets and go! I saved nearly $1000 in September

These 'tours' are tightly regulated in the US by FEDERAL law, so nothing like the Spanish horrors of years ago. Just say the maintenance charges are too high (which they are) and that will suffice.

Another scam if you are really tight is you will have to pay to park at all the attractions now (a rip off I know). If you get a Flex ticket you pay one parking for the day and go to any participating park for free, the same day! The tip here is that Wet n' Wild offers the cheapest parking and is only half a mile from Universal! So, drive into Wet n' wild, pay to park drive straight out again and down to universal, show them the ticket and get in without paying any more!

You WILL have fun, Orlando is THE place to go, I've been 7 times now!

amanda b

I agree with "K". Also, try and eat breakfast in your room before you leave. We packed instant oatmeal and some cups. Went to the food court and got hot water in our souvenir cup, and just ate out of the room. Also try and pack granola bars, protein bars...stuff that stays in your stomach for a while.

Also try and take along a water bottle for everyone in your group, or just purchase them at the park. We just refilled ours throughout the day.

Part of the magic is eating at the parks. You don't have to eat at the fancy places, the counter services are just as fun for kids (especially Pizza Planet MGM/Hollywood studios).

hope that helps :)

â™¥ILOVEMEâ™¥

well erm we went in 2004 and we've got three kids. eldest was 11 that day but we said she was nine and they didn't even notice because kids aged 9+ have to pay an adult price so try and just pay for kids ticket if your child is just a bit older than 9

Kayla F

search on google their website and usually they have discounts and stuff.

JUSTME

Ha yes don't go!

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