Whether you think a day at Disney World is the best day ever or the most expensive day ever – I think it’s safe to say that Disney Magic is worth every penny!
But it’s always nice to save a few extra dollars on all of that magic!
10 Money Saving Tips at Disney World
- Bring Your Own Food
Disney World allows you to bring in food and drinks. Invest in a cooler backpack and pack some sandwiches, snacks and treats.
You can also bring insulated water bottles and get free ice water at certain locations.
You can have groceries delivered right to the front desk of a Disney Resort.
Bonus Tip: Freeze water bottles to keep in the insulated backpack. They will keep everything cool without leaking AND you can drink them.
2. Buy The Memory Maker in advance
Sure, you can take a lot of images with your cell phone but with the memory maker you will have tons of high quality photos from your trip.
Buying this in advance will save you some money. You will be able to download every image from your trip, including ride photos.
Bonus Tip: Go to the Photo Pass studio at Disney Springs and enjoy a studio session. It’s included with your memory maker package!
3. Apply for the Disney Credit Card
This may seem counter intuitive to some but you receive $200 if you spend $500 in the first 3 months.
Let’s be real, you will definitely spend $500 if you are planning a trip to Disney World.
3. Book a Character breakfast
Character dining is a great way to see lots of characters without having to wait in line. Many people also really love this magical experience!
But character dining is usually around $50 per person for dinner. Character breakfast is around $35 per person and you still get to meet the characters!
4. Disney’s Character Warehouse
Instead of buying pricey souvenirs at the parks, you can head to the Orlando Premium outlet mall on Vineland Ave.
The Orlando outlet mall has an official Disney Store that sells discounted merchandise. You can score those cute Mickey hats for $2.99 if you get lucky!
5. Hire a Disney Vacation Planner
The key to having a great Disney trip is having a plan. A Disney Planner will truly save you time and money.
They will also know all of the ins and outs of planning a trip which will help you make the most of your vacation. Like Fastpass + and dining reservations for example!
6. Skip on Park Hopper Passes
Adding the park hopper option to your standard ticket could easily set you back an extra $50 or more per ticket.
For me, I think it’s better to buy a standard ticket. There is so much to do and see at each park that it’s not really necessary to park hop.
7. Go during off season
Going to Disney World during slower seasons will save you some money and the crowds will be much lighter. Google the best times to go, usually September and January are great months.
8. Buy Disney Gift Cards
You can usually buy discounted Disney Gift cards from apps like Raise. This is also a great way to budget for your spending!
9. Refillable Options
If you are staying in property, get the refillable Resort mug for $18.99. It’s well worth it!
I would also suggest buying the refillable popcorn bucket. It’s a snack that everyone can enjoy and it’s also a great souvenir.
10. Value Resorts or Stay off property
You can shave thousands off of your trip by staying at a value resort or staying off property.
If you are bringing your own car, look for hotels that don’t charge for parking. Value Disney resorts charge $13 per day for parking.
Many people enjoy the convenience of staying on property. You can still enjoy this convenience by staying at a non-Disney hotel like Swan and Dolphin or the Hilton by Disney Springs.
