Jeremy and Rhonda are back with their Disney Prep series where they get you ready for your trip and this time are giving you a ton of ways to save both on and for your Walt Disney World vacation.
Ways to Save
by Amy Frazier
One thing that Disney fanatics, first time visitors, and those who are only just beginning to dream of a Walt Disney World vacation can all agree on: Disney is EXPENSIVE! If you spend much time on social media, you will see tons of comments like “Where can I get discounted tickets”, “When is the cheapest time to go”, “How do you afford to go to Disney so often” and so on. There are ways to save and budget, but it will take some planning and discipline to lessen the sticker shock.
Everyone who has ever gone on a vacation has had to make decisions on what can be afforded comfortably, what might be a stretch but still worth it, and what trips to put on their Lottery List — that list of things you’ll buy and places you’ll go when you win the lottery. 😉 Regardless if it’s Disney, a trip around the world, or anything else you are saving for, the most important thing when planning your budget is that you have to make it a priority. Put your dream as a line item in the monthly or weekly budget and “pay” that bill the same as you would any other.
Disney Gift Cards
One of the most recommended ways to save is to pre-purchase Disney gift cards. You can find gift cards at many locations such as Walmart, CVS, etc., and can often get them for a discounted price. Target Red Card gives you 5% off the purchase of Disney Gift Cards (as well as most other things) which is $25 off of $500. When you look at the total cost of a Disney Vacation package, that 5% discount could add up to a few hundred dollars in savings. Plus, pre-purchasing gift cards helps those of us who may not have a lot of discipline on our spending since we can’t use a Disney gift card to shop at the local department store! You can also find discounts on Disney gift cards at some wholesale clubs such as Sam’s or BJs. If the timing is right, these stores will often run a Black Friday deal on gift cards for even bigger savings.
Chase Disney Debit Card
A few years ago, I discovered the Chase Disney Debit card. Yes, DEBIT. This account works just like any other checking account at any other bank but comes with the added bonus of all the perks of being a Disney Chase Visa Card holder like in park discounts on food and merchandise. My personal plan is having a set amount from each paycheck direct deposited into this account. This helps me because the money is never in my regular or daily use account so I don’t have to intentionally save the funds; it’s automatically done for me. However, unlike the Chase Disney Credit Card where I have a big bill at the end of a vacation, I have a nice balance at the beginning of my trip! We use the money saved in this account as our food and souvenir budget when we are visiting Walt Disney World. Also, since this is technically a checking account, should an actual emergency happen, we can access these funds at any time. There are additional benefits to be had with the Chase Disney Credit Card, such as special financing options, rewards points/dollars, etc. so be sure to consider both options!
Use a Travel Agent
Something you may never think about for saving money on a Disney vacation is using a travel agent. The great agents over at Main Street Magic Travel are always watching for discounts to drop and adding the savings opportunities for clients often before the client even realizes there is a deal to be had. Using a TA will never cost you more than booking yourself and can actually help you find less expensive alternatives, deals, and discounts on rooms and packages. A good agent will also price out different options and help you decide between Option A and Option B, because sometimes, you can afford more than you think.
Pre-purchase Souvenirs
We have alluded to this one in previous articles, but one way to save when traveling with kids who have really big eyes and really tiny wallets is to pre-purchase some souvenirs. You can find a lot of great Disney themed merchandise at your local Walmart or even the Dollar Stores. Stock up on a few smaller prizes to sprinkle throughout the trip and then give each child a gift card with a set amount to spend on something really special. Of course, this depends on the age of your children and how much they can comprehend about spending, saving, and being selective with purchases.
Save on Dining
Once you arrive at the Most Magical Place on Earth, one very simple way to save is on food. I almost always order from the kids menu when mobile ordering at quick service locations. Often there is little to no difference in portion size, and usually $3 – $5 difference in cost. While that may not seem like a lot, multiply that $3 by three meals per day, for seven days. That’s $63. For two people — $126, which could justify a splurge on a table service meal. Along the same lines, since the portions are ample, share meals. Whether it’s dividing one combo between your two kids or you and your significant other, sharing meals is a great way to immediately cut the price in half. Pro Tip: you can even share meals or order off the kids menu at table service restaurants. The exceptions being anything that is buffet or family style, or any pre-fixe menu locations such as Cinderella’s Royal Table, and dinner shows. My husband and I will often share one appetizer and one entree between us. Other times, I will order an appetizer as my main course because it is more appealing to me than the entree options; Whispering Canyon Burnt End Nachos, anyone? Now, with all of that being said, the return of the dining plan in January 2024 will change things up a bit. For more information on the dining plan, be sure to go listen to Episode 574 of the Main Street Magic Podcast.
Use Vacation Grocery Delivery
You can further stretch your food budget by bringing in your own snacks. This little trick will help you twofold — one, it’s just plain cheaper. And two, having a snack on hand can prevent the hangry, impulse snack buying. We highly recommend Vacation Grocery Delivery for all of your grocery needs, they are run by and employ current and former Cast Members, have one set delivery fee, no mark ups on items and they drop off at bell services for you. As long as you are bringing snacks, don’t forget to bring your own water bottle. Ice water is free at any quick service location, including any carts or stands that have a soda fountain plus there are an increasing number of water bottle refill stations throughout the parks. This will help keep you hydrated and keep that $4.50 per bottle in your wallet!
Implementing some or all of these trips will not make your dream Walt Disney World vacation cheap. They will, however, allow you to budget and plan for a financially comfortable trip which will increase your overall enjoyment exponentially.
We would love to hear how you save for your Disney vacation in the comments!
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