"How do I save money on my trip?"
If there is one bad thing about a Disney vacation, it is the price. Yes, they are expensive... or they can be. Believe it or not, you can go to Disney World without having to drain your kids' college savings. My parents are the masters of planning a vacation on a budget. (They had to be with a daughter who just HAD to visit Mickey every single year. LOL) They've passed their secrets on to me, and now I'm sharing a few of them with you :). So here are my tips for cutting costs at WDW.
1. Timing. You can save a lot simply by choosing the right time of year to visit. Disney's value season is January to March (excluding holidays like New Year's and MLK Day). In February, a family of four can vacation for 4 days and 3 nights for less than $1000. The prices get higher as summer approaches, then drops again slightly as school starts, before reaching its peak around the holidays. Going during the value season also means much lighter crowds and almost no waiting in line.
2. Picnics. Food in the parks is expensive, even for just a snack. That's why we always like to bring our own. Pack a cooler of sandwich meats and drinks for a parking lot lunch while you're at the parks. It gives you a break, and saves a lot of money. You can also bring cereal bars and muffins for breakfast. This way, you only have to worry about purchasing one meal a day. You can also bring snack bags into the parks with you, so you'll have something to munch on inbetween.
3. Hotels. There are four different price levels of hotels to choose from. I've covered all of them in detail in previous posts, but I realize I didn't really give you much on my opinion of which is best. To be honest, while the deluxe resorts are AMAZING, I can't justify paying such a high price for a room that I'm hardly ever in. We love to spend as much time as possible in the parks, so we're basically only in the room to sleep. While the rooms at the value resorts are much smaller, they are MUCH cheaper and we're too busy having fun to care how big our room is. This, of course, is just a personal preference. If having a spacious hotel room is very important to you, then you might want to spend the extra money for a moderate or deluxe resort.
4. Avoid the unnecessary. This one is also a personal preference. Disney loves to push their dining plans by claiming they will save you a big percentage on food. And they do....if you like to eat a four course meal three times a day. We tried the dining plan when they first came out, and found that it was entirely too much food. Normally, we would never eat that much (and therefore, spend that much). Plus, we spent so much time eating that we weren't able to do all the attractions and shows that we wanted. I'll admit, it was nice to just swipe the room key and know the expense was already covered, and we got the chance to try a lot of amazing food. If you're going to do a dining plan, I recommend the Quick Service plan that includes two quick service meals a day. That is plenty!
5. Watch the mailbox. Disney almost always has some sort of special deal going. We get teasers in the mail all the time. The offers are so tempting, it's really hard to ignore them! You can go to the Disney website and sign up for the mailing list. You'll also get special offers through email.
6. Shorten your stay. Despite what Disney tries to tell you, you don't have to have a whole week for a vacation. Four to five days is really all you need. (Don't get me wrong though. I'd live there if I could!) That gives you an entire day for each park (plus extra magic hours), and an extra day to do anything you missed or want to do again. Cutting your days can save you hundreds per person.
7. Disney Rewards. If you have a Disney Visa card from Chase, you can earn enough reward points to pay for your vacation. I was out of pocket only $400 for our trip in February because my husband and I have Disney credit cards with reward points. It does take a while to save enough points (depending on how much you use your card), but it is such a great feeling to know you'll be able to treat yourself in the end.
8. Start a Disney Fund. Paying for a Disney trip isn't hard if you save for it one dollar at a time. I am always putting money back, even if I have no idea when I'll be returning. When you book your trip through Disney, you can also make interest-free payments to pay for your trip. You can make payments every month, every other month, or however often you wish.
Too many people use money as an excuse not to go to Disney. But if you just play it smart and take your time, there is no reason why you can't afford a few days of unforgettable memories. A Disney vacation is worth every penny it costs and more. You can't replace the moments of magic you'll come back with.
Until next time!
