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Give up your money saving secrets!
- Thread starter rachels
- Start date
rsoxguy
Well-Known Member
Hello rachels.
I don't have a lot to say about lodging, simply because I usually travel to WDW for single day trips. I usually stay at a Disney resort when I do go for an extended trip. I believe that Disney resorts are a good bargain when acquired with a discounted price. I have stayed at a lot of the local dumps over the past 20-25 years, and Disney resorts remain a good bang for the buck.
You can save money on food by purchasing items outside of the park and taking them in a backpack or small cooler. Publix makes subs for about $6, and they are quite filling. If you stay in a hotel that has an in-room fridge, you can make your own sandwiches daily and take them to the park. A cooler of ice, filled daily via the hotel ice machine, can help with the in-room storage needs. Any factory packed food or snack also helps to feed the flock throughout the day. Small water bottles save a bundle, and juice boxes are also a good idea. Eating two of the big three meals per day with food that is brought in a backpack makes the one Disney meal seem less of a financial burden.
I don't have a lot to say about lodging, simply because I usually travel to WDW for single day trips. I usually stay at a Disney resort when I do go for an extended trip. I believe that Disney resorts are a good bargain when acquired with a discounted price. I have stayed at a lot of the local dumps over the past 20-25 years, and Disney resorts remain a good bang for the buck.
You can save money on food by purchasing items outside of the park and taking them in a backpack or small cooler. Publix makes subs for about $6, and they are quite filling. If you stay in a hotel that has an in-room fridge, you can make your own sandwiches daily and take them to the park. A cooler of ice, filled daily via the hotel ice machine, can help with the in-room storage needs. Any factory packed food or snack also helps to feed the flock throughout the day. Small water bottles save a bundle, and juice boxes are also a good idea. Eating two of the big three meals per day with food that is brought in a backpack makes the one Disney meal seem less of a financial burden.
epcotWSC
Well-Known Member
1. Definitely go to Publix and get food. You can eat in your room or bring stuff to the parks, it definitely saves money. Not every meal needs to be eaten at a park or resort. Quite honestly, most quick service & snack spots are nothing extravagant, so if you have a cheaper option, take advantage of it. I enjoy going to many TS restaurants when I'm in Disney, but going to a QS to get chicken strips or a pull pork sandwich or something isn't something that I'd care about missing.
2. If you're planning on going to Disney again in your life, then buy a 10 day ticket with no expiration. Prices raise every year, so getting a 10 day plus no expiration will save you money in the long run.
3. Disney's trend has been to raise prices every August. Buy your tickets before August if you plan on going anytime after. Otherwise, you'll be wasting some money.
4. If you plan to spend 10 or more days in the parks in multiple visits in one calendar year, get an AP. The TiW perk is an added bonus. It definitely works out cheaper overall. If you're slick, you can even do something like August 2011, July 2012 and use the same AP for both trips.
5. Some of the more expensive restaurants offer the same food in just smaller portions for less money for lunch. If you want to eat somewhere but don't want to spend as much money, do lunch instead of dinner.
6. Character meals, the food isn't as good and you'll be charged the same as an expensive meal. Don't forget you're paying for the show. So if the characters aren't your #1 priority or can get away with not having as many character meals then skip them.
That's all I can think of right now.
2. If you're planning on going to Disney again in your life, then buy a 10 day ticket with no expiration. Prices raise every year, so getting a 10 day plus no expiration will save you money in the long run.
3. Disney's trend has been to raise prices every August. Buy your tickets before August if you plan on going anytime after. Otherwise, you'll be wasting some money.
4. If you plan to spend 10 or more days in the parks in multiple visits in one calendar year, get an AP. The TiW perk is an added bonus. It definitely works out cheaper overall. If you're slick, you can even do something like August 2011, July 2012 and use the same AP for both trips.
5. Some of the more expensive restaurants offer the same food in just smaller portions for less money for lunch. If you want to eat somewhere but don't want to spend as much money, do lunch instead of dinner.
6. Character meals, the food isn't as good and you'll be charged the same as an expensive meal. Don't forget you're paying for the show. So if the characters aren't your #1 priority or can get away with not having as many character meals then skip them.
That's all I can think of right now.
rreading
Well-Known Member
Solid advice, epcotWSC! Been considering all of those things for some time....
If preferring to dine at the parks/resorts, a late breakfast (perhaps after grabbing some fruit/coffee/pastry in the early goings) then early dinner - or substantial breakfast, little snack at midday; then solid late lunch can avoid three large meal costs during the day.
But then I can store up calories and keep going through the day.
If preferring to dine at the parks/resorts, a late breakfast (perhaps after grabbing some fruit/coffee/pastry in the early goings) then early dinner - or substantial breakfast, little snack at midday; then solid late lunch can avoid three large meal costs during the day.
But then I can store up calories and keep going through the day.
ewensell3
Well-Known Member
The adult breakfast platter at the value/moderate resorts usually have enough food for two kids or light eaters. Ask politely for an extra plate. Augment with some fruit or yogurt (which you brought with you naturally).
Edit - And get your pineapple Dole Whip at the Polynesian.
mikeymouse
Well-Known Member
stay off site. http://www.floridadreamhomes.com we stay here every year CHEAPLY. buy the tickets from them ... cheaper! go in the fall. late august, early september. rates are lowest. eat breakfast home, 1-2 meals in the parks (we do 1 counter service, 1 sit down) or 1 meal and a snack/dessert. take as many people as you can. lodging and gas are much cheaper when you split between how many ppl. we stay 12 days or so. 10 day ticket with park hopper. hurricane? add the no-expiration when you get there, if necessary. will need a break here and there. take a small water bottle to the parks and refill it in the fountains (the ones without coins in the bottom). don't buy soda. ice water is free and thirst-quenching.
beyondyou
Member
If you stay off site and want to save money on not paying for parking, try this out.
Now this takes a bit of extra time, so plan accordingly. Drive to DTD and park for free. Take a bus to any resort(one closer to the park of your choice may be better or one that is connected to the monorail line if youre going to Epcot or MK) then just hop on the free disney transportation! They dont card you to see if youre a on site guest or anything. The only set back is catching buses which can take some extra time but sometimes its more worth it than paying whatever theyre charging for parking
Now this takes a bit of extra time, so plan accordingly. Drive to DTD and park for free. Take a bus to any resort(one closer to the park of your choice may be better or one that is connected to the monorail line if youre going to Epcot or MK) then just hop on the free disney transportation! They dont card you to see if youre a on site guest or anything. The only set back is catching buses which can take some extra time but sometimes its more worth it than paying whatever theyre charging for parking
Mikester71
Well-Known Member
I agree with the suggestions of buying some groceries off-site; it really can save you a lot of money in the long run. We drive down from up here in Canada and usually bring a cooler with us, although this year, we are actually bringing a dorm room sized fridge with us. We usually drive off property the first or second day of the trip and pick up a few things (bottled water, cereal, plastic spoons and bowls, bread, milk, snacks, granola bars, etc) at a nearby Walmart, Target or Sams Club. This allows us to eat breakfast right in the room before heading out to the parks for the day (none of us are really big eaters) and we will usually throw a few bottles of water and some snack foods in my backpack to hold us through the day until dinner. Some days we might grab a bite in whatever park we are in, but most days we are so busy that the snacks usually will tie us over until dinner. With four of us, I figure this probably saves us quite a bit of money over the 10 days we are there. :wave:
joannecasey
Active Member
:ROFLOL:Some day I would love to do this, but I don't think my 5 year old would let us right now ... maybe in a few years !
WDWmazprty
Well-Known Member
Plan your trip a year ahead of time so you can start saving early. Also, look into getting Disney package. Some say it isnt worth it, but in the end, it comes out about the same and most of the time you'll see you've saved money with what you're getting from Disney.
mickeysshoes
Well-Known Member
Please clue me in on how to do this...I have not been able to figure this one out yet. My oldest is going on 20 and we still seem to be paying for her!!! :ROFLOL:
toolsnspools
Well-Known Member
Book airline tickets as soon as possible. Most airlines have tickets available up to 8 months out. The best deals are always as soon as the tickets are offered.
Another tip about buying airline tickets early, the airlines will often adjust the flight times, and then ask you to confirm via email that you accept the new times. If/when this happens, call them instead of just accepting the new times. I told them the new times didn't work for me, and they gave me a direct flight, instead of my original flight with a layover, and at a better time. Had I purchased that flight schedule when I initially bought the tickets, it would have cost me about $100 more per ticket.
Another tip about buying airline tickets early, the airlines will often adjust the flight times, and then ask you to confirm via email that you accept the new times. If/when this happens, call them instead of just accepting the new times. I told them the new times didn't work for me, and they gave me a direct flight, instead of my original flight with a layover, and at a better time. Had I purchased that flight schedule when I initially bought the tickets, it would have cost me about $100 more per ticket.
If you stay off site and want to save money on not paying for parking, try this out.
Now this takes a bit of extra time, so plan accordingly. Drive to DTD and park for free. Take a bus to any resort(one closer to the park of your choice may be better or one that is connected to the monorail line if youre going to Epcot or MK) then just hop on the free disney transportation! They dont card you to see if youre a on site guest or anything. The only set back is catching buses which can take some extra time but sometimes its more worth it than paying whatever theyre charging for parking
2 notes on this one:
1 - buses from DTD to resorts may not start until close to 9am, the same time as the parks open. If you are trying to get into the parks as early as possible, this strategy won't help
2 - taking a bus to a resort and then a bus to the park (and then back again at night, could take anywhere from 60-90 minutes each way, eating up 2-3 hours of your day. Parking costs $14 per day. I'd personally rather pay the $14 than waste the time on transportation for "free".
captainkidd
Well-Known Member
1.Book as far in advance as possible.
2.Every day, transfer money from checking to vacation spending account, whether it be $5, or $50, whatever you can swing for the day.
3.If you get tax refund or commission checks, put large chunks into vacation spending account.
2.Every day, transfer money from checking to vacation spending account, whether it be $5, or $50, whatever you can swing for the day.
3.If you get tax refund or commission checks, put large chunks into vacation spending account.
captainkidd
Well-Known Member
FTR, that is not accurate. Most airlines have their cheapest fares about 3 months prior to travel. Right now, SW is charging $169 each way from Providence to Orlando for July. I promise you, it will not be that high in May.