For so many traveling to Walt Disney World can be the trip of a lifetime. It can also take a lifetime to pay for! Yet this doesn’t have to be the case. Smart planning and knowing a few tricks can make your next trip to Disney more affordable. Here are my top tips to save money on your next vacation.
1 Stay During the Off Season
Summer may seem like the best time for a vacation, kids are out of school and the weather is nice, but when trying to save on your Disney trip it’s best to avoid this time. The summer months, along with major holidays like Thanksgiving, Christmas a
Art of Animation Resort (c) Disney
nd New Year are peak times for Walt Disney World. Thus, it’s also peak cost. If you’re looking to save, the better times to go include the winter months and right after school starts back up in late August/early September. Typically, during these time periods, the resorts at Walt Disney World offer room savings of 20-30%, plus many times they will offer a free Disney Dining Plan with your stay. Other added benefits of traveling during the slower time periods are smaller crowds and a more comfortable temperature.
2 Save on Flights
Airfare is a major cost of any trip, cut this cost, and you can save. When I have to fly, I try to start researching flights as early as possible (usually 4-6 months in advance). Airlines change their pricing frequently (sometimes daily) based on demand, so if you start looking early you’ll start to know when prices drop. Plus, costs tend to rise as you get closer to the flight date since most people wait to book flights and demand increases.
I recently booked a flight to Orlando about 2 months before my trip for $300 round trip. I checked the airfare about two weeks before my trip and they had skyrocketed to $300 each way! By booking early, I cut my cost in half.
Another way to save on airfare is to travel on days that air travel is typically slower. Usually, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays see fewer air travelers, so airlines offer lower prices. If you can be flexible with the day of the week you’re flying, you will be able to save even more.
3 Pack Your Own Food
Maybe you like paying $8 for a hot dog or $14 for a burger. If you do, then can skip this tip. If not, then my next tip is to skip the park food and pack your own. The great thing about Walt Disney World is that they allow you to bring in outside food. If you packed one meal, a family of 4 could save at least $40 a day. Maybe packing a full meal is too difficult. Even by packing snacks the savings can add up. The typical snack at a Disney park costs at least $5-6, so you could easily save $20 a day by bringing your own.
4 Ask for Water
Let’s face it, it gets hot in Florida! With the average summer temperature being in the 90s, staying hydrated is important. However, buying bottled water can get costly in a hurry. One of my favorite tips is to skip the bottled water and just ask for a cup of ice water. Any location that offers fountain drinks will give you a cup of water for free. Many times, the cups are the same size as the fountain drinks, other times they are smaller cups. However, in this case, I just ask for two or three.
5 Share a Suite
A few of the Walt Disney World Resorts offer suites that can sleep up to 6 people. These are great for larger families, but they also offer a way for those traveling with smaller groups to save. When traveling with another family or friends, instead of everyone getting their own room, get a suite and split the cost. While the suites cost more per night, when you divide the cost among two or three families, the per night cost can drop below the price for an individual room.
Lion King Suite (c) Disney
6 Stay Cash Only
Magicband (c) Disney
Walt Disney World implemented MagicBands in 2013. They act as your room key, FastPass+ and tickets. If you’re looking to save on your Disney trip, don’t connect a credit card to them.
By connecting a credit card, you are able to pay for everything with your MagicBand. The issue here is that they are so easy to use, you can quickly forget how much you are spending. Some estimates showed that after the initial rollout in 2013, guest spending was up 8%. So, if you don’t want to fall into a spending trap, pay with cash.
That little extra step of thinking before you pay will help keep your spending in check. Plus, thanks to human psychology, you don’t like to give something up. If you only have cash, you’ll think twice before spending it, since you won’t want to “lose” it.
What’s your favorite way to save a little extra when visiting the parks?
