Don’t think you can afford to do a Disney vacation ?

You can IF you make a point to save up for it and IF you stick to a strict budget once there .

Here’s many ways to do Disney on the cheap , so you can stick to the budget you have in place !

1.) Drive to Disney, instead of flying –

Airfare (even what’s called Cheapo air flights) is expensive!

Save a couple thousand depending on the size of your family and drive it .

2.) Go at off-peak times –

You’ll even find there are lower crowds by going during off-peak time , and you can usually save 25-30% on resort costs . (January, February, parts of March are great off-peak Times)

3.) Pass on the meal plans –

Buy food for your room for breakfast , and pack lunches for the parks ! And enjoy dinner at a more budget friendly restaurant in the parks . You’ll be saving a ton on food costs .

4.)Stay on Disney property –

You get free Disney transportation to the parks and also enjoy extra Magic Hours and other perks.

5.)Skip the Park Hopper Pass –

Hopping between parks at Walt Disney World is time-consuming and expensive. Save money by picking your park for the day and staying there . Plus, you’ll be saving a lot of money by not buying Hopper Passes !

6.)Skip the “Bings & Whistles” –

When it comes to Disney, you will be tempted to buy everything they offer to make sure your trip is “magical”. But even the most budgeted trip to Disney , is still quite “magical” !

So don’t buy the Memory Maker photo package (Take your own photos) and don’t pay extra for water parks (remember, your resort has one or many pools to use ) .

7.) Let kids pay for their own souvenirs

Set a souvenir budget before leaving for the trip, as well , they can add their allowances and gift money to that budget .

Kids are better at evaluating their options when their own money is on the line. Once you are done with purchases, make a point to quit visiting souvenir shops.

When kids understand their own spending limits up front, it works .

8.) Purchase Disney trinkets/souvenirs at home (Walmart/Target/Dollar Store) before you arrive –

Bringing souvenirs from home is a great way to give a child /kid a surprise souvenir.

Slip the souvenir/s near them while their sleeping (maybe a stuffed Mickey or Minnie) , so when they wake up in the morning , the Disney Magic gets them as they open their eyes !

You can get creative with this , and save money as well !

9.) Beverages/Souvenir Mugs –

Disney Resorts sell refillable souvenir mugs for $16.99, but the catch is that this mug can only be used at Disney resorts and not at the 4 theme parks . (Don’t get sucked into these unless you know you’ll be at the resort a lot) .

Explain and remind to your family about your budget . Maybe you could have one sugary drink a day (maybe at dinner? ) and bring your own water bottles and keep them filled with water the rest of the day .

10.) Bring rain ponchos –

Bring rain ponchos from home and DON’T leave the parks when it rains. People tend to leave the parks or hide in stores/restaurants the entire time it’s raining .

Well, if there’s no lightening, throw those ponchos on and hit the rides ! Yes, most rides are open during rain and you’ll have hardly any wait times and get to enjoy more rides !

11.) Split Snack Food –

Disney has a huge abundance of snacks , and they add up . But if you have budgeted some “splurge snacks” into your money. Here’s an idea to try for say a family of four .

Consider buying two Mickey Pretzels or Churros (instead of four) and splitting them . Which can save for snacks for another day as well !

12.) Extra Magic Hours –

Another great way to maximize your family time at Disney World is to beat the crowds by arriving early (or staying late). Guests of Disney resorts can enjoy extended Magic Hours at Magic Kingdom .

It’s a “Perk” for staying at a Disney Resort and won’t cost you anything extra! So you get more time in parks & don’t interrupt your budget.

13.) Have groceries delivered to your Resort –

If you do drive and can’t fit groceries/food in your car , you can utilize things such as Amazon Prime and Garden Grocer , Which deliver food/water/drinks/snacks right to your resort.

So you don’t have to waste vacation time by driving to try to get food for your room !

So In a nut shell, by sticking to a budget you really can do a Disney vacation, and enjoy it .

And remember, just because for this trip you don’t have the top Resort , purchase Park Hoppers or get all the Bings & Whistles , Your still experiencing all the Magic of Disney !

Disney is not going anywhere, don’t forget that ! So future trips can be planned/saved for and include a different resort or some of those “extras” then !

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