20 Tips to Save Money at Disney

Did researching the cost of a trip to Disney quickly make you change your destination to somewhere cheaper? We get it. Browsing hotel, ticket, and parking prices for just five minutes is overwhelming. It is enough to keep any hard-working, middle-class parent awake at night.

Whether you go Disneyland or Disneyworld, it’s destined to be an epic vacation you’ll never forget. You’ll leave the happiest place on earth. But you end up feeling sad if you come home to a drained savings account. Walt Disney himself said, “People spend money when and where they feel good.” Yeah, Walt, you’ve capitalized on that “feel good,” and now we’re all poor.

Every kid deserves to experience Disney at least once in their quickly fleeting childhood. So, we’re here to help! If you follow the 20 tips we’ve compiled, you save upwards of $15,000. Yep, it sure adds up fast.

Book a Vacation Package

You can book a completely customizable Disney vacation package by paying a deposit. You can even make changes or cancellations penalty-free. A family of four could spend six nights at a Disney hotel. They could visit all four parks and use the Quick Service Dining Plan for about $134+ per person a day.

Find Cheaper Rooms and Resorts

Staying off property will save you big bucks. Most of the surrounding hotels and resorts offer free shuttles to and from the parks. Airbnb provides many nearby places for rent at a lower cost. They offer bigger rooms, full kitchens, and pools. But, if your heart’s set on staying at Disney, the Value Resorts usually have affordable rooms. The Campgrounds are fun and will save you a lot of money, too.

Avoid Holiday Weekends

This can be hard to do because of work and school schedules. Typical school breaks and holiday weekends will always be busier at Disney. They are also more expensive at Disney and all the other surrounding tourist hot spots. Check out this site that rates every day of 2019 for how busy it will be. You can also review their suggestion for the five best weeks to visit Disney World.

Buy Disney Gift Cards

Wholesale stores like BJ’s, Costco, and Sam’s Club sometimes sell discounted Disney gift cards in bulk. Usually, you can get $500 gift cards for $470. Gift yourself some of those cards and use them to pay for tickets, meals, etc. Those small amounts of savings add up.

Skip the Park Hopper Passes

This is a tempting add-on, but one park a day is probably plenty. Trying to see and do all you want to in one day at one park is exhausting enough. You’ll save a lot of money by sticking to the regular tickets. It’s about $350 more for six days for four people.

Open a Disney Credit Card

The Disney Premier Visa will get you two percent back in Disney dollars. It also provides ten percent off at Disney stores and most Disney dining locations. Plus, you get a $200 statement credit after $500 in purchases on the card in the first three months.

Add Club Level to your Stay

Now this is going to cost you more upfront, usually at least $150 more per night. If you take advantage of the included food and drinks, you can save money. You can also buy extra fast passes. Using shuttles and later checkout can help save money too. This add-on saves you money in the end.

Watch for Disney Deals

On the official sites, Disney World and Disneyland, there are special offers. Check the discounts sections before buying your tickets or booking your room. And, some websites even have discount codes and offers historically mapped out so you can predict when they’ll be released.

Invest in Annual Passes

You will save money if you’re visiting Disney more than once a year. You will also save if your stay is longer than ten days. Besides the ticket savings, annual passes offer perks that save money. These perks include free on-site parking and free photo-pass downloads. Additionally, you get resort discounts (30%), dining discounts (20%), and merchandise discounts (10%). Plus, you only need one annual pass holder in your group for you all to take advantage.

Ask for a Free Upgrade or Discount

One of the simplest ways to save money is to just ask for it. You are going to be shelling out a lot of money on this vacation, so it’s worth a shot. You ask for a later checkout. Do ask for a room discount or a better view. You can even try asking for a free upgrade. Ultimately, go for whatever it is your heart’s set on. It worked for this family.

Rent Disney Vacation Club Points

Some people don’t even know about this choice. You can rent Disney Vacation Club points and save big bucks on a resort room. Renting a DVC owner’s unused points saves you 56 percent off of a room.

Take a Timeshare Class

Like Disney, Hilton, and Marriott also use point packages for people to invest in their new form of timeshare ownership. If you are interested, or even if you just pretend to be, you can often attend a free class. They will tell you about how the ownership works. Usually, they will try to hook you by giving major room and ticket discounts.

Buy Tickets Early

As with the cost of most things, the price will increase with time. Another advantage of buying early is that you can keep an eye out for better discounts or price drops. Some tickets come with a 365-day return policy. Most places will also let you apply an extra discount to your existing booking.

Look into Multi-Day Tickets

A two-day ticket is going to be cheaper than two one-day tickets. And multiple-day passes don’t need to be used on consecutive days, just within 14 days. Plan your trip. Buy multi-day tickets for the parks you want to visit more than once.

Bring Your Food

This choice isn’t going to be the easiest. It is especially challenging if you flew in for this vacation. But, it will save you a lot of money. The food and drinks at the Disney parks are far from cheap. Go grocery shopping or get groceries delivered before your first park day. Pack lots of snacks and full meals to save even more. Don’t forget to pack water—you’ll get thirsty!

Ignore Park Souvenirs

These are super-tempting, especially for the kids. But, you will quickly spend a lot of money on WAY overpriced stuff. The best way to avoid getting caught in this money trap is to buy Disney stuff ahead of time. Get wallets, tee shirts, glow sticks, bubble wands, light-up necklaces, stuffed animals, etc. that your kids can earn for good behavior at the parks. There are also cheaper stores where you can buy stuff right outside of the parks.

Build in a Park Free Day

You might not realize this when planning your Disney trip weeks, or even months, ahead. Yet, it will save you a lot of money, and you’ll be so glad you did. Having park-free days during your vacation will give you some much-needed downtime. You can put your feet up or lounge by the pool. Check out a museum or do some shopping at the outlets. This way, you’ll save a lot of money on park tickets.

Master the Fastpasses

Mastering FastPasses will save you money. You won’t have to revisit a park because you missed a much-anticipated ride. FastPasses book up fast. There are many rides at each park you will want to fit in. We suggest you read a couple of how-to articles and maybe watch a video with FastPass tips.

Skip the Dining Plan

There are a few reasons why food and drinks appear often in this money-saving tips article. First, food and drinks at Disney are expensive. 2–if you’re smart about where/how you eat, you can save a lot of money. Additionally, you’re going to work up a serious appetite walking through these parks. This is especially true if it’s hot out. The dining plan has its benefits, but it’s costly. If you want to save money, definitely skip it, and look out for some free alternatives.

Get a Refillable Mug

While there aren’t refillable mugs at the theme parks (yet), the Disney resorts have options. You can buy refillable, collectible mugs. These mugs can be refilled with soda, tea, coffee, and hot chocolate during your entire resort stay. With each soda costing upwards of $3.50, you’ll save money. Remember to bring these mugs with you for meals, snacks, and hanging around the resort. Even bigger savings will come if families just get one or two of these 14 oz mugs and share.

You Can Afford a Trip to Disney

This article is dedicated to the sweet kids who work hard all school year to make good grades. It also goes out to those who find joy in making their parents and teachers smile. It’s in honor of all those who befriend the bookworm. They share their lunch and invite the shy kid over to play. They also help with the trash and dishes. You know who you are. The above money-saving tips will help your parents realize they can afford a Disney trip. It may be possible over your next school break. You’re welcome.