How to Save Money on Your Disney World Vacation

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Disney isn’t cheap, folks. Let’s just acknowledge that right now. But lucky for you, I’ve compiled a few tips to help you save some money on your next Disney vacation – both before you go and after you’re there.

Saving for Your Trip.

• The best way to save is to start planning early. To save for your trip, try saving $1 the first week, $2 the second week, etc. After 52 weeks, you’ll have over $1300 saved. After 2 years, you’ll have over $5000 saved.
• Another idea is to never spend your change. Collect every penny, nickel, dime, and quarter and watch those pennies add up!
• If a payment ends, keep making it — to yourself! For instance, if you pay off a car or a credit card, keep making that payment, but instead write the check to yourself and deposit it into your vacation savings account.
• Make a rule that “found” money goes in the vacation fund. For instance, if you get a rebate, tax refund, gift check or work bonus, deposit it in the vacation account.

Travel Agents.

It sounds counter intuitive, but using a travel agent to plan a Disney vacation is actually a smart way to save money and time. Why? In general, they’re free. Disney pays them, not you. Agencies like Mouse Fan Travel and Small World Vacations specialize in travel to Disney destinations, so they know how to find great deals on hotels and flights.

Flights.

Flight prices can vary greatly from airport to airport, so be sure to check all your options since sometimes you can save a lot of money by driving a bit to a different airport.

When searching for airfare, use Kayak.com/flights to see if now is a good time to buy.

Gift Cards.

You can get discounted Disney gift cards at Sam’s Club ($150 worth of gift cards for $142.98) or by using your Target Red Card for 5% discount.

Where to Stay

Stay off site. We had the most amazing AirBnB away from the park that had fun themed rooms, a pool, and so much space (7 beds) for less than $300 per night. You will want to book this place.

Park Tickets.

Disney park tickets often go up in price once or twice per year. To save, you can buy park tickets now to use later and pay the lower rate. Check out the best sources to get each type of ticket.

Booking.com

Food & Snacks.

To save money, purchase snacks ahead of time and group them in Ziploc bags for each day of your trip.

Just about anywhere at Disney World (including small kiosks) will give you cups of ice for free.

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