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1. Pack Snacks – Pack a bag full of snacks to eat along the way. ?To make it a little more fun, add snacks you wouldn’t normally purchase on a day to day basis along with healthy choices that will sustain a hungry and tired crowd! We allow one purchased snack of choice throughout the day and eat out of our bag the rest of the day. ?It works wonders for the spending budget and no one is hungry or feels like they’re missing out on Disney’s many treats!
2. Eat Only One Table Service Meal A Day – Part of the Disney experience is the fantastic dining options offered in all of the parks and resorts. ?Not only is the food yummy, but the atmosphere, shows and characters that are part of the dining experience, make it all that much more exciting. ?That being said, I don’t think you should skip eating while you are there. ?To save money, we bring one meal a day in our bags. ?We typically pack sandwiches and chips but I’ve been known to bring full meals as well.
3. Share Meals – Instead of ordering each of your kids a kids meal, order an adult size meal and split it between them. ?There is plenty of food and it will save you a few bucks every time! ?If you have the Disney Dining Plan, most Table Service locations will let you split meals as well and of course you can always split when ordering quick service options.
4. Pack Water Bottles – If you bring along your own water bottles any quick service restaurant will refill them for you for free. ?We like to pack 2 water bottles a piece and freeze half of them. ?They serve as ice packs for the one meal we bring in and are still cold in the afternoon when we are ready for them.
5. Hire A Travel Agent – Travel agents cost you nothing! ?Yes, you read that right! ?Disney pays us! ?You can book the same trip for the same price as a travel agent online. ?The value in using a travel agent comes with the services they provide. ?Make sure you choose an agent who has passed the “College of Disney Knowledge” course and has spent time in the park themselves. ?Not only will you benefit from their knowledge of Disney’s latest and greatest promotions, they will also be able to tell you when and how to do things on your Disney trip. ?Make sure to choose an agent that can help you with your dining reservations, Fast Passes and touring plans. ?It will save you money and help to make your trip that much more magical!
6. Bring Your Own?Souvenirs – The shopping at Disney is extensive! ?They have everything and it’s at a premium! ?To save yourself big bucks, bring along souvenirs. This doesn’t mean you can’t shop at all, it just means you’re limiting the amount of shopping you?re doing. ?I typically let my kids have one item, or for older kids you can offer a spending limit and help them manage it. ?You can find Disney items everywhere including the Dollar Store and drug stores like CVS and Walgreens.? They often have great discounted items as well. ?If you have time and access to a car, you can visit the Character Warehouse at the Premium Outlets, 8200 Vineland Avenue (407) 238-7787?in Orlando. ?This is a great place to buy official park merchandise without paying park prices! ?If you don’t have a car but would like to visit you can always use Uber. ?Your first ride is free (up to $20) if you use my code jamier1674ue
7. Bring Your Own Autograph Book and Pens – You can buy pens and autograph books in the parks, but why do that when you can customize and bring your own for less! ?Pinterest has some great ideas so go searching on our Love of the Mouse Pinterest page and see what you can find! ?Not crafty? ?That’s ok; Etsy has some great pintables for a bargain!
8. Spend A Day At Your Resort – Yes the parks are fun, but there is fun to be had outside the parks as well! ?I’m not saying that all of this fun is free, but it’s minimal compared to a day?s park ticket. ?I also 100% believe that everyone needs a sleep in/rest day half way through your vacation! ?Disney is exhausting. ?Take a day to sleep in and then explore Disney outside of the parks. ?Check out the awesome swimming pools your resort has to offer, take a bike ride among the trails, and enjoy the playgrounds Disney has to offer. ?Coming soon I will have a list of things to do outside the parks!
9. Pre-Purchase Trading Pins – Pin trading at Disney is a lot of fun and can be a great way for you to interact with the Cast Members, however getting started can be expensive. ?Before you go, check out EBay to buy a “lot” of pins there. ?This will provide you and your children the opportunity to enjoy the world of pin trading without having to spend big bucks! ?Please make sure you are buying the pins from a seller in good standing and that can guarantee the pins are legitimate.
10. Skip The Park Hopper -? The Park Hopper ticket option is nice; it allows you to visit more than one park a day. However it is a big expense that may not be necessary. ?It is completely possible to spend the entire day in only one park!? You can visit a different park each day and still have the most magical vacation and see it all! ?For a family of 4 not purchasing the Park Hopper Option will save you $200. ?If you are at the parks and decide you would like to Park Hop you can always visit Guest services and add on the Park Hopper to your ticket.