Now that Walt Disney World is re-opening you might start thinking about planning your next trip. No matter when you plan to visit, Disney trips are always expensive! With that in mind, we decided to put together a list of money-saving tips that you can use when visiting the parks. These are easy steps that you can take that add up to big savings. Check out how to save big bucks on your next Walt Disney World vacation and let us know what your favorite Walt Disney World money-savers are!
Disney Gift Cards
Whenever I go to Disney I make sure to purchase Disney Gift cards at the grocery store. The trick is to use a credit card with 5% cashback at grocery stores. Many major credit cards feature this on a quarterly basis allowing you to load up Disney gift cards and get that 5% back! There are MANY ways to use this system, like a credit card that is matching your cashback the first year or finding more ways to stack deals. I haven’t delved too far into this hack, but at the very least get the 5% back. Every little bit helps! I also enjoy the ease of having all (or most) of my Disney money on a pre-purchased card. It’s an easy way to keep track of your spending!
Disney Visa Card
The Disney Visa card isn’t as amazing as an everyday credit card. BUT, they usually give a nice sign-up bonus statement credit. You may want to see if they send you any special targeted deals for an even larger sign-up bonus (no guarantees, but sometimes this works out). I got mine when I went on my first Disney cruise, it was 0% APR for 6 months on my cruise package. Select vacations packages offer that 0% APR for six-months deal, which can be nice when you are planning your trip. You also get 10% off at select Disney World restaurants and merchandise locations, just make sure you check the website for eligible locations and remind the cast member when you check out.
Disney Hotel Discounts & Disney Vacation Planners
One thing I want all my Disney vacation planning folks to take away from this post is to never pay rack rate for hotel rooms! Disney is always running a promotion on rooms, whether it’s a dining discount or vacation package discount, just keep an eye on the website! An easier way to do this might be to contact a certified Disney vacation planner and have them help you. They are free to use, and they will gladly keep your reservation up to date with any new discounts that might be offered. I’ve used several different agencies, and they were all great! Dreams Unlimited Travel is owned by the folks who run the Dis boards, and they are all fantastic. Disney Food Blog, another personal favorite, recommends Be Our Guest Vacations.
Stay Off-Site & Hotel Loyalty Programs
To save even more dough, you can always stay at non-Disney owned hotels. Hotels off Disney property are going to be much cheaper than the on-site options. Hotel rewards programs are usually free to join, and you can rack up points towards free stays each time you book. You can even earn free stays at the on-property Swan and Dolphin hotel using Marriott-Bonvoy points! My husband has a Marriott-Bonvoy credit card, which also gives him special perks.
If you want to stay off-property there are plenty of hotel options. You can choose a Hilton, Wyndham, Best Western… the list goes on. Just look around for those reward programs and see if you can use them to help build towards free stays!
Airline Reward Programs & Credit Cards
If flying to Disney is a necessity, costs can get out of control quickly. To help with the cost of flights I usually fly my favorite airline using their rewards program. This way I am always building points that I can cash in for free flights! I also have the airlines’ credit card which gives me point multipliers when I book so those free flights come even quicker.
Purchase Park Merchandise Online
Depending on your situation this could save some serious cash on souvenirs! You can usually save on Disney park merch when you buy it online at ShopDisney.com. These are REAL park souvenirs sold by Disney, but by checking online you can get whatever deal they are currently running. They constantly have sales, so keep an eye on their website. I’ve even been able to get great deals on those oh so pricey (and lovely) Dooney bags!
If your kiddos aren’t too picky, you might be able to snag some Disney toys online at places like Target for cheaper prices than anything you’ll find in the parks.
Landry’s Select Club
If you plan to eat at Rainforest Café, T-Rex, or Yak and Yeti Restaurant (Quick Serve is excluded) then you may want to consider joining Landry’s Select Club. It is $25.00 to join and you get $25.00 off your first purchase using the card making this a free program! You also get a $25.00 reward for your Birthday, 1 point for each dollar you spend, and priority seating. There are even hotel discounts and many more perks. Take a look and see if it makes sense for your family!
Eat at Quick Service / Choose One Table Service a Day
My husband and I typically plan one table service meal a day and one quick service. We usually eat breakfast in our hotel room. This way our dining costs stay reasonably low. Disney restaurants are expensive, so by limiting those pricey table service experiences you can help save some money!
Use the Epcot Festivals as a Meal
I can’t count the number of times we’ve been tasting at food booths all day in Epcot, then by the time our table service meal came around we were too full to enjoy it! Think of the Epcot festival food booths as a meal and you won’t run into this planning tragedy!
Split Meals
Entrees at Disney are HUGE! Look into splitting a main and grabbing an appetizer for a filling (and less expensive) meal!
Bring Your Own Food
This may seem obvious but bring your own meals or snacks. If you have kids that are constantly snacking or very particular eaters, bringing your own food can save you a lot of money and stress! Even just having something in your bag for “emergencies” can help anyone out who tends to get hangry and needs something pronto!
Bring Reusable Water Bottles
Water is expensive in the parks! By bringing your own water bottle you can fill it up at the new water bottle filling stations, or good old fashion water fountains, to save money. Florida is HOT, so you need to stay hydrated to ensure you have a magical trip! Make sure you and your family are constantly drinking water. (Check out my favorite bottle for the parks HERE!) For some ice water keep an eye out for ice water stations throughout the park, or ask your quick service cast member for a cup. There is nothing more refreshing than cool water on a hot day!
These are my top tips on how to save big bucks on your next Walt Disney World vacation! What are your favorite tips? What did I miss? Let me know in the comments!
For more great Disney Vacation planning tips check out my favorite Disney blogs in “10 Disney Blogs You Should Be Reading“!
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Thanks for sharing this wonderful piece of information online. I’m a frugal person so I would definitely love to bookmark this.
These look very helpful. I have never been to Disney, but with a young family, these look like great tips!
Great tips- thanks for sharing! I never thought of buying gift cards at the grocery store for the cash back!
Wow, great tips and ideas! Thanks for sharing this.
These are great tips! We want to go at the end of 2021 with 2 kids and a baby, so we can use all the tips we can get.