Five people for 10 days at Disney World. The cost? An arm and a leg? Nope, just over $5,000 including airfare, lodging, meals, park entrance – everything. Yes, that’s a lot of money, but not by Disney World standards. Today Brandy’s guest post will let you in on her secrets.
Check out Brandy’s other guest posts about vacationing on a dime here and here. (One addition is to set aside money every paycheck into a “vacation fund.” Have it automatically withdrawn from your primary checking into a second account or set aside the money you save every week at the grocery store. When your vacation comes you’ll have money in the bank to pay for it.) Now to Disney…
Visit Disney forums online
A few that I found very helpful include Dis Boards, Walt Disney Radio Forums, and Disney World Forum. These forums (discussion boards) provide a wealth of information for Disney lovers, veteran Disney visitors, first-time Disney trip planners, and everyone in between.
Learn more about Disney
The forums were a start, but we took it a step further and listened to Disney podcasts and read books. Getting the “inside scoop” before we left home helped us make the most of our money and our time. For instance, we learned that Imagineers teach short classes on how to draw one of the Disney characters and it is included in the Disney Hollywood Studios ticket. My favorite book? “Disney on a Dime” by Chris and Kristal Carlson. I recommend you check it out from your library and read it cover to cover. You’ll find some of this same content there. (If you want to buy it, Amazon.com has it used from $6.06)
Buy tickets early
Buy your tickets as soon as you have decided you are going. Whether you buy them online and have them mailed to you, at the Disney Store or at the gate, be sure you use a reputable company. Ticket prices have gone up on the first Sunday in August for the past three years. You don’t need to pick specific dates for your trip to buy the tickets. As long as you have not activated your ticket by using it the first day, an inactivated ticket is good forever at the price you paid for it (assuming you can find it in your house forever).
If you visit Disney on your exact birthday you can get in free during 2009. More details here.
Give Disney gifts in advance
A year in advance of our trip I gave each kid 2 Disney t-shirts, 1 Disney pajamas and a Disney stuffed animal of their favorite character that I bought on clearance from the Disney Store. They received them as birthday gifts, but could not wear them until the trip. Similarly, for Christmas, my kids got Disney trading pins (bought off EBay for less than $2 per pin) and a lanyard. They earned more pins with good behavior during and before the trip. They traded them with cast members while they waited in line and experienced it as if they had bought the souvenir there.
Get around cheap
If you stay on Disney property, take Disney’s free airport service and transportation around the property. It’s the cheapest. If you stay off-property, then you will need to rent a car. Take the time to check multiple internet sites for rental prices, then google the rental car company looking for a coupon code (search “rental car company” and ”coupon code”). Once you make your reservations, periodically check back with that same company looking for a better price. If they advertise a better price, then cancel and rebook your rental car.
Choose accommodations wisely
Your basic choice will be between staying onsite at a Disney property or off-site. Staying at a Disney resort may be your best bargain during particular times of the year and with certain family composition (2 adults, 2 kids max). They occasionally run promotions including a free dining plan, that can make it a great value. For our 5-person family and 2 grandparents we discovered that renting a vacation home through Closest to Disney was by far the best bargain in town.
We paid a mere $155/ night for a 5 bedroom/ 4 bathroom home with its own pool in the backyard. Being in a house allowed us to have space for the kids to run and play. That helped the whole trip be more enjoyable as they could let off steam and not be on top of each other all day, every day. We also had access to a full kitchen and our own washer and dryer.
Use the full kitchen
We took advantage of the full kitchen by stopping at a grocery store when we arrived. We stocked up on things for cheap and varied breakfast as well as a few dinners. I used the grocery shopping principles Carrie talks about at Pocket Your Dollars as I checked the internet for two stores near our house, checked their ads for the week online, made my own list and clipped my coupons before I left Minnesota. All in all, I bought enough food for 9 breakfasts, 3 dinners, 1 picnic lunch (for the day we went to the beach), 2 cases of pop, 2 cases of bottled water, and some snacks for about $75.
Plan your route
Who wants to go to Disney and spend most of the time waiting in line? We don’t. That’s why we spent $8.95 for a one-year subscription to TouringPlans.com. We used it before we left home to establish a rough schedule and then everyday while we were there to plan our route through each park. The longest we ever waited in was 24 minutes, which was 50% to 80% less than anyone else we talked to. It’s 9 bucks well spent.
Bring in your own food
Disney World allows you to bring your own food into the park. Yes, it is true. I packed a soft sided cooler from home, filled it daily with snacks and beverages and we saved huge money. Security will check your bag/cooler before you enter the park and many guards will applaud your forethought! We slid the cooler into a stroller’s basket and sent the kids to it when they were hungry or thirsty. As a special treat for the kids, we carried some Kool-Aid singles and poured them into our bottled water instead of plain water.
Buy the kid’s meal
We used Disney’s counter service meals instead of bringing sandwiches or meals into the park. Disney allows anyone to order a kids meal (just like anyone can order a Happy Meal) which comes with a cookie and soft drink, whereas an adult meal does not. Since we knew there were other snacks available, we didn’t mind a smaller portion at meal time.
Budget for souvenirs
Everyone, adults and kids alike, had an established budget for souvenirs. We put the money in cash, in an envelope and let everyone decide how to spend it. I know some parents that matched the spending money their kids saved toward their trip. Giving kids control of some money teaches them to be wise, but also kept us from answering “mom, can I have this?” since they could buy what they wanted with their money. They also didn’t spend as much as other tourists because they came with souvenirs in hand from home.
The bottom line is to research, plan ahead, and remember that the trip is about creating memories. It is not about buying stuff you’ll eventually throw away, but enjoying time as a family.
Brandy has agreed to refine this list because as she wrote this last week her family decided to do another Disney vacation for Spring Break 2010. They booked round trip tickets to Orlando for $260 per person. Too bad she isn’t for hire as a tour guide, huh?
Your turn: I’d love to hear your tips and tricks for an affordable Disney (or other) vacation. Also, if this post inspires you to take a trip to Disney, please let Brandy and me know.
About Carrie Rocha
Great tips! The Disney transportation system–not just buses, but boats and monorails–is very good, and we use it every day we spend in WDW.
I agree about packing water and snacks, too. You can also check the menus for both table service and counter service online, before your trip. Sometimes you’ll find the same dishes on the menus at the corresponding Epcot restaurants, but the items are less expensive at counter service.
This post has perfect timing! We’ve been doing some research for our own trip to Disney this winter – (first time as a family!) I’m going to check out the Disney on a Dime book from the library this weekend…thanks for the tip!!
We’ve got enough FF miles for 2 airline tickets and should have a 3rd by the time we go (I’m taking advantage of charging everything on my miles CC and paying it off every month).
Yay for saving money and having fun doing it!
I’m glad that my tips are going to help someone. P.S. I would be happy to be hired as a tour guide to just about anywhere in the world, Carrie.
Thank you for the tips! We have a trip planned for the end of September. We got tickets for $120 round trip per person earlier this summer – we couldn’t pass that up for that price! The entire family of 5 (one is still an infant) for less than $500? But now we’re struggling with where to stay and how to buy tickets.
I have a couple of questions. First of all, what else *besides* Disney and the beach do people recommend as family friendly activities in and around Orlando? We’ve got 7 full days and are only planning to spend 1, maybe 2, in WDW. Our oldest is 5, middle will be 3 by then, and baby is 1. I’d like to take them to Kennedy Space Center, but what else?
Second, has anyone done one of the time share presentations that give free tickets to WDW? We’re considering one of those but hear mixed reviews. I have no intention of buying but it is worth it for the tickets?
Something for others to check out: I’ve been watchin E-bay for timeshare rentals. You can get a home or condo with multiple bedrooms and a full kitchen for under $500 a week right now – the time share associations are renting them out, and so are individual owners who can’t or won’t use their time this year. We want a place with a full kitchen and space to spread out – with 3 little ones, I can’t imagine spending 9 nights in a cramped hotel room!
We did disney last Thanksgiving with a 13 yr old and an 8 yr old, we bought pins ahead online, too, and the kids LOVED trading and finding ones they wanted on the lanyards of the employees, and we met alot of NICE employees this way!
The other souvinir thing we did was bring a roll of pennies and some quarters, put them in the mini M & M tubes for holders, and bought the Pressed Penny Holder at the hotel gift shops. Then we stopped in the Grand Floridian and asked for a list of all the pressed penny machines around the whole Disney property. We took the monorail to the hotels and found the machines there, as well as the parks and inserted the quarters and a penny, poof – souvinir! The girls loved the hunting for the machines!
We brought water and snacks in, also – good idea. It also seems like some of the “sit down” reservations restaurants ended up costing the same as the “fast food” options! Just eat one larger meal mid afternoon, and you’re set for lunch and dinner.
I recommend staying far, far, far away from the time share for tickets bit. I sat through one and it was a high-pressure sale with the seller being borderline rude, insulting, and obnoxious. The experience didn’t take but a few hours, but it totally ruined my vacation mood for the rest of the day. Not worth the hassle!
I’ve been to Disney quite a few times, and I’d recommend staying away from the high volume days. Weekends and holidays at Magic Kingdom (the one with the rides) are overly crowded, and expect to wait in line there. For the best experience, go there midweek or during a time when kids are in school. Also, since mostly kids are at MK, it clears out early in the evening–so if you rest up, you can go afternoon into the night for a somewhat smaller crowd. Epcot will be the least crowded on those high volume days. If you are only taking in one day at DW, the new Animal Kingdom is a neat experience–sort of like a zoo and amusement park all in one.
Another cheap souvenir idea– one of the hot items at DW two years ago were autograph books that kids would carry around to parks and get the characters to sign. Instead of buying one there, you can pick up a neat autograph book (even a Disney one) at the dollar store and have kids be on the lookout for characters to sign throughout their stay. My nieces and nephews loved this better than any souvenir they purchased–and it was free! They would even plan their route around the parks based on getting a signature, which helped with lines!
Oh Disney…where do I start?? We have taken lots of trips and I’m always figuring out the best way to get a deal. Here is what comes to mind off the bat. I’ll post more as I think of it.
* Favorite book is The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World.” This book has a wealth of information in it. Check out your local library for this gem and other Disney resources. I reserve the ones I want to have along by putting them on request w/ the date suspended until right before we leave.
* I strongly recommend going to the mousesavers website and getting their monthly newsletter.
* While in Orlando, check out the Disney outlets (there are a couple of them and they are listed in the book I mentioned about). GREAT deals on souvenirs and merchandise.
* Pin trading for kids is a blast but can be super expensive. We bought our pins for dirt cheap at the outlet (the kids didn’t care that they didn’t like the pins because they knew they would trade them). Others have bought them on e-bay. Before you buy on-line, go through ebates first to earn rebates on your purchase (sign-up @ http://www.ebates.com/rf.do?referrerid=RcvjvPlN66YYfS6vcmEkfw%3D%3D and get $5 after your first purchase!!)
* Sign up for the Disney Visa card. It offers discounts at the park and earns points to use towards Disney. It also allows you to have a special photo setting w/ Disney characters @ Epcot (usually Mickey and friends) and a free 5×7 photo. They often have deals running that give you Disney $ for signing up for the card.
* Check out the clearance/sale section on Disney.com for merchandise. I have bought clothing, light spinners, hats etc ahead of time. They are on ebates as well so be sure to follow the above link to sign up.
* Check out ticket prices closely. Sometimes it will only cost a couple of $’s to add additional days to your ticket (if it is an expiring ticket). We bought 10 day tickets for our trip this past January and opted not to get the hopper ticket. We usually “hop” but this allowed us to go some ½ days that we might not have gone and saved us a ton.
* Don’t forget about Downtown Disney. It is free and a fun place to hang out!
* My daughter lost a couple of teeth while at Disney. With a little of pre-planning, we were prepared for the official Tooth Fairy—Tinkerbell to pay her a special visit w/ pixie dust, a special note and more!!
* We booked a lunch at Cinderella’s castle but didn’t tell our girls. We printed special invitations and put a glass slipper charm on it (purchased from the outlet mall) and brought them to the desk at the campgrounds (which is fantastic!). They had an employee come to our camper to deliver the special invites to our princesses.
* As listed in the above article, packing snacks is a must. I think even when my kids are teenagers, I’ll be pushing around a stroller so I have a home for our gear (coats, food, drinks etc). It is good to have some portable items to eat/drink while standing in line!
* In 2004, my daughter had her first haircut at the barber shop in Main St. @ the Magic Kingdom. They covered her head to toe w/ Mickey stickers and pixie dust. She received a certificate w/ her name and date on it and to “top” it off, she was given a free pink mousketeer hat that was stitched “First Haircut” on the back. It is a treasured keepsake and she gets a kick out of telling folks her first haircut was @ WDW!
That is my first installment but I’ll add more as it comes to mind. I’d also love to hear your feedback on these ideas (and read your tips for our next trip!!).
Free Food at Disney.
I’ll try to make this short. I have a relative who is a travel agent. We booked a Disney vacation with her for this fall. She just emailed me a week or so ago to tell me we now have a free dining package. (She’s awesome and keeps checking for better deals/lower prices and Disney just added this promo). We are staying on Disney property (which I highly recommend for the transportation and experience) and got our tickets as part of the room. So I don’t know if this hotel/ticket package is how we got the free dining or what but I’m sure a travel agent or the Disney customer service could help you figure out how to qualify. Bottom line is every person who has a ticket gets 2 quick service meals and 2 snacks per night of the stay. Each person also gets a refillable drink mug. I don’t know how to attach a pdf so if people want to email me I can send the 2 page PDF to you so you can see what you get and where you can eat on the plan. Here’s my email (take the space out when you email me) karen @pantheonbulldogs.com
Here is a great deal for Disney Visa cardholders. Valid for stays most nights 03/14/10 – 8/14/10.
Purchase a 4-night/5-day Magic Your Way package with the Quick-Service Dining Plan and kids age 3-9 will receive 5-day park tickets and the Quick-service plan for free!
http://wdwinfo.com/disneypackages.htm#visa
I worked at Disney for 6 months and you deffinately have the right ideas:) Even if you don’t buy souviniers ahead of time buying them at the local Wal-mart or anywhere off Disney property will be cheaper:)