Happy Friday: Doing Disneyland on a Budget
Sent from reader, Sherry:
I recently took my family to Disneyland and like all of us on this site, I wanted to find ways to save money on the fun stuff. I was able to use my Amazon delayed shipping $1 credit to purchase Disney Movies which then credited my Disney Movie Rewards account in order to earn $30 in Disney gift cards. This was the spending money for my child & all free! Not to mention the free movies to enjoy anytime!
I also picked up a Cinderella t-shirt at Kohl’s for $4 after coupons and other items like Rapunzel socks, necklace, puzzle towel & autograph book at the dollar store and then the ears we had from another promotion on Hip2Save.
It was freeing to know I had items which my child would enjoy so she would not necessarily want everything that was offered around her and then we could focus on the activities instead. We brought snacks and breakfast meals & were able to eat well under budget. For those with small children, I highly recommend a stroller even though it can be cumbersome as we used it to store all the snacks, jackets & water (I know you can get free water all over the park but with small kids, they will want water and NOT want to wait in line and there were lines for everything, despite going in the very off season!)
Hope this inspires others as well!
HAPPY FRIDAY!
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Nice job! And, you’re also teaching your daughter to stick to a budget (her gift card.). Bravo to you!!
We just got back from Disney World. We saved 5% on the whole vacation by paying for it with gift cards purchased with our red card (debit card) at Target. We saved so much money by bringing water bottles with filters too. We got water from the water fountains and it was filtered.
I didn’t know you get 5% off gift cards at target using red card… we have annual passport so we would just have to pay for parking, can we pay for park using gift card?
Double check it. I think they changed the policy recently to stop this. I think that’s done.
I’ve heard the 5% no longer comes off of gift cards…is there a Target employee on here that could let us know? Sam’s Club (and I believe Costco too) sell gift cards with a few bucks savings. I just bought $150 (3 $50 gift cards) sold together and it rings up $144 and some change.
We just went to Disney 2 weeks ago and it worked. We got 5% off the gift cards.
So the old scheme was to buy online using discounted target gift cards – you could buy Disney gift cards with target gift cards and still get 5% off. What they changed was that you can’t buy gift cards with target gift cards – you can still use your target card online or in store for the 5% discount, but no more stacking with discounted target gift cards.
We brought water bottles but learned before we left that you can ask at any food location in Disney for a cup of water and they will give you them free. Much easier than keeping track of water bottles 🙂
Oh but the lines! Seriously I can’t imagine the place at “peak” time. Everything from, food to restroom to rides to character visits involved an extensive line. Just be prepared! I really had no idea there would be so many people. It was exhausting
We went at the end of May to Disney world and it was insanely crowded and my kids were pretty young. It was so exhausting and hot. The rides and exhibits were awesome but the high prices, crowds, long waits for everything and expensive everything just made it not worth it. We aren’t going back. I’d rather spend the money going somewhere else.
It was.so worth it.to lug water bottles in a stroller, who wants.to wait in line for a nessesity? Especially w/ kids. And the water.heavily clorinated
I will be going to WDW soon. I bought gift cards at Sam’s Club (already 5% off) with my Discover Card (right now 5% off warehouse purchases) and get 2% back with my Sam’s membership for the purchase. Beats Target. I think the best savings is Kroger’s 4x fuel points on GC’s if you can get a lot of fill-ups in the allotted time.
We just got back from a Disney cruise. I went to the Dollar tree and got several Disney items to have my stateroom host put out for the kids each night.We just avoided the Disney stores onboard. There is nothing in there for $1!
Out of curiosity, if you don’t mind sharing this information, how much did you pay for your Disneyland trip?
I was thinking the same. Or where and how did you plan for it. We really want to get there this summer.
I love using Hip2Save to live frugally so that we can splurge when we go to Disneyland. For our family meals in the park, souvenirs and extra magic (that may or may not cost money) is part of the experience. We budget and save about $4500 for a family of six. That’s for hotel, food, souvenirs, photopass, five days in the park (one park per day), and gas for travel (we live about 10 hours away).
I love the memories we make!
Go through getawaytoday.com they are the cheapest package deals I’ve ever been able to find. Plus they have coupon codes if you ask. I have been using them for 4 years now and never had a problem. They are willing to work with you on anything.
We went a year ago and it cost $3200 for 4 of us. This included flight, hotel, car rental, two meals in the park, 3 days in the park (one per day) and groceries for lunch and snack in hotel room. My kids got one souvenir each in the park and the rest were things I brought with us like mentioned in the post. For their autograph book, I took 5×7 cardstock and small clipboards for them to sign. Then when we got home I took pictures of all the cards and created a photobook. Also, the kids were able to draw pictures while we were waiting for things. It turned to be very handy.
I am a travel agent that specializes in Disney vacations and I would love to help you! I do not recommend booking through discount sites due to the fact that they cannot help you should you need anything before during or after your trip, you have to pay in full at the time of booking, and a whole host of other things! My planning and booking services are 100% free if you book your trip through me, and you’ll get the same prices as you would through Disney themselves–except you get someone to do all the planning and reservations for you! If you’re interested, send me an email at nicole.gillette@keytotheworldtravel.com!
Please also keep in mind that prices can absolutely vary! It depends on length of stay, level of hotel, dining plan options, park ticket options, etc!
And as your travel agent, I would monitor any new offers that may be released to save you money! I just saved clients over $1000 and upgrade their room on their trip, and they didn’t have to do anything!
Let me bookmark this and check back. I want to go for my birthday.
We never got into Disney but one of the moms on our PTO is obsessed–they go 1-2 a year. She racks up tons of Swagbuck points and then uses the points to buy Disney gift cards. She really knows how to squeeze every point out of the site- she’s constantly running videos, taking surveys, etc. and telling everyone how to do it on her FB page. She’s like a guru, lol. If you want to try it out I’d love to earn a referral credit (I turn my points into other giftcards.) https://www.swagbucks.com/refer/bargaingirl
if your iphone cuts out part of the comments, you might have missed my link… https://www.swagbucks.com/refer/bargaingirl
Love these tips, thanks Colin! We just launched a Disney prize package giveaway that includes a $200 gift card, mickey ears, and a Disney Autograph Book! https://www.mrsfrugalfind.com/giveaways/
We go to Disney a few times a year and are passjolders. As a single mom, I never thought I’d be able to give my son these trips but with careful planning, it’s very possible! One trick I use is every week, I buy whatever I can spare in Disney gift cards. Some weeks it’s 15, some weeks it’s 150. But it adds up! We just got back last week and since the beginning of January I had purchased over $500 in gift cards by buying in small increments. If you have a sams card, they sell $150 Disneyland gift cards for $143. Every penny saved helps!
Great idea this is something I can do, thx for sharing.
Another great way to save money is checking with an authorized Disney travel agency. Most agencies are free to use! I am part of one and am happy to help those who are looking to plan a Disney vacation. Please email at jenniferdanaher@mickeyworldtravel.com. 🙂
Another great way to save money is by using an authorized Disney travel agency. Most are free to use! I am part of one and am happy to help plan someone’s Disney vacation to make sure they are getting the best deal. Feel free to contact me for more information at jenniferdanaher@mickeyworldtravel.com.
We are planning a trip to Disney and want to stay at a Disney resort. Any suggestions how we can save on resort?
It is so so much cheaper NOT to stay on Disney property. We actually liked the trip better too. We rented a house near by – with its own pool. Washer, dryer, full kitchen. Took the kids to Legoland one day. It was about half the price of our previous “on-site” Disney trip and everyone liked it better.
We have been to Disney world three times and have stayed on property every time. I would never do it any other way! The benefits outweigh any cost savings, and you can get package deals and discounts if you are flexible on dates.
I think everyone might like a different kind of trip. Maybe the ages of the kids matter too?
Agree! also free dining is coming up anytime now which makes it so worth it to stay on property. The difference is night and day in my opinion a true disney experience is staying on property! We stayed in a cabin at Ft. Wilderness which worked great for our family of 5.
Another option is to rent from DVC. DVC members rent out points that they don’t plan to use that year and you can buy those points to stay in a DVC property. The DVC properties have full kitchens, washer/dryer, etc. Totally worth it, especially with small kids!
Hi where do you see the hotels for DVC members?
Thanks!
Non-Disneyland hotels are really close. Think we spent $200/night with Disney shuttle next door. Used our cc points on hotel.
Book with a travel agent who can monitor pricing for you – I upgraded my recent clients room AND saved them over $1000 by watching the offers for them! Nicole.gillette@keytotheworldtravel.com – services are absolutely 100% free if you book with me!
We have made the trip 10 times (soon to be 11), driving from Seattle area and back. Family of 6, spending less than $3000 including gas, a hotel along the way there and back, tickets, 5 days in the park, one Character Dining meal, and Good Neighbor hotel stay. I use my Target gift cards that I earn to buy Disney gift cards, and I also buy gift cards for places like Starbucks, Subway, even Disney, when Safeway or Fred Meyer has a 4x fuel rewards when you buy gift cards. (saving on gas during the trip). I bring all our own water, drinks, and snacks, and make sure to stay somewhere that offers free full hot breakfast, or at the very least where kids eat free. (free breakfast can save you around $200-$300 for a weeklong stay)
Smashed pennies make great souvenirs, and they don’t break! I will gladly recommend Getawaytoday, I’ve used their services the majority of the times that we’ve gone, and they’ve always taken care of everything. But sometimes the a la carte prices are better—try all the combinations to see what you can get. This time, AAA got me a better rate on the hotel than the bundled deal.
Wow! How does the family like the cross country trip and how many stops?
Disneyland in CA. She said one overnight stay on the trip. Must be nice!
My kids had enough Disney after 2 days. It wasn’t even peak time and it was packed. How do people do it for a solid week? Just buy a 2 or 3 day pass – check out a few parks then lay low – off site- and save a ton of $
For first time visiting Disney, would out recommend staying on the resort or fishing close accommodations? Would like it to be memorable and a great experience for the kids. TiA
I’d recommend finding a place close by instead. Much cheaper. I stayed at the Disneyland Hotel once and while it was nice to walk right over the to park, the room wasn’t as magical/special as I thought it would be. Get a place within a couple blocks and you’ll be happy.
My kids just wanted to swim all the time lol!
Disneyland is MUCH different from Disneyworld, especially when it comes to on-site properties. I agree that while on-site properties at Disneyland are very convenient they’re really nothing special in terms of Disney magic. But staying on property at Disneyworld really feels special and inclusive to extend that Disney magic through your whole trip 🙂 Of course, everything is everyone’s opinion, so you just have to decide what’s best for your family. What parts of the experience are most important to you? And what parts do you not care so much about & could save money with?
Honestly my younger kids like legoland better than Disney. I would recommend renting a house instead is staying on property. There is so much to do in the area (putt putt golf, dinosaur world, shopping at Disney springs, tree trek adventure ropes course) plus you’ll save $
Trust me – 1 day at Disney will be plenty. Find a house to rent in the area. Pool and full kitchen. There is so much to do and so much more freedom than staying on Disney property.
Tips on where to locate a house to rent?
I used vrbo.com. It’s a little overwhelming at first but take your time and narrow down the area you want to be in. Last time we stayed in Haines city (farther away than we usually stay from Disney). It was a very nice house and reasonably priced. Close to many restaurants & a wal-mart.
Check out VRBO dot com. We have rented from there many times. They map the house, show photos, share reviews and price it with taxes and fees.
I was told you can use Starbucks gift cards at the Starbucks in Disneyland.
BEST tip we had when we went was to buy official Disney trading pins from eBay. We got about 30 for $20 (make sure official Disney pins). You can trade them with other guests or with employees (cast members). The kids each had a lanyard with their pins and everywhere we went they were trading for something they loved (cast members have to take any trade offered by a child). They weren’t asking to buy souvenirs everywhere because they felt like they were already getting something. Tip, if there is a pin they get but can’t live without, pack it! We lost one and had a sad kiddo for a bit.
A little unrelated but anybody knows how much is a trip to Oahu, Hawaii for a family of four? TIA
Great question! Would love to know this and also a ballpark for how much to save for a family of 4 to Disney World for a week. Thanks!!!
It really depends on the kind of trip you want. Some people view it as once in a lifetime and go deluxe. I would rather skimp and go more than once. We don’t stay on Disney property. A 2 day pass is plenty. We pack food/cook when we can. It’s really what you want to make of it.
Also interested in this!
Hawaii is really expensive I went there about 10 years ago and it was insane. I can only imagine how much it is now! Most of the cost is your flight. I was living on the east coast then so the ticket was a lot. But if you live near LA or Seattle you may be able to get a cheaper flight. If you can afford it I would definitely recommend going there over Disney. It’s so beautiful and you’ll see so any different types of plants and wildlife that you never see on the mainland.
I’d skip Hawaii & go pretty much anywhere else instead. We were stationed there for 3 years & don’t plan to ever go back. It’s so expensive, so overly conjested, and only certain parts are that lovely postcard picture you think of when you think Hawaii. Honestly huge parts of it look like third world country with tarps out as people’s porch covers, etc. We never made it to any of the other islands, but I do hear that the other islands are MUCH nicer. If you really want to go I’d pick any island but Oahu.
I agree with Pam & Shannon. I’d skip Oahu & opt for Maui instead. It’s just as beautiful, but a bit less crowded. There’s still lots to do there & you won’t be fighting crowds at the beach as much as you would on Oahu. There’s still lots of great restaurants & things to do as well!!!
We just returned from a trip to Disney a week and a half ago, and I highly recommend staying offsite at Buena Vista Suites. The hotel is close to Disney, and offers a free shuttle to and from all Disney parks. So by taking the shuttle you save $20 in parking. The rooms are HUGE! Two Queen beds with TV and bathroom, then a separate sitting area with fold out couch, lounge chair, mini fridge, microwave and additional tv. They also have a large, decent quality free breakfast, which includes made to order eggs. We paid $119 a night which is a steal! There is both a Publix and WalMart within 2 miles of the hotel so you can stock up on water and snacks.
We saved a lot by staying there and taking the shuttle to the parks. We also brought water and snacks with us into the park, so we only had to purchase dinner out.
This is so smart! Thanks for sharing. We stayed at a condo in January and loved it too. Personally I could never justify the $3-4 thousand Disney packages.
Anyone in the military going to Disney World should check out The Shades of Green – formerly the Disney Inn and now part of the MWR program. It’s very nice and much less expensive than Disney resorts. They book way in advance but we live in Florida so I sign up for the waiting list and have always gotten a room. Of course, that only works if you’re nearby and can go on short notice. 🙂
They also sell the discount military tickets and has a shuttle to the park.
Thank you!!!!
If want to stay on site you could consider renting DVC (Disney Timeshare) points. The owner has to make the intital reservation but after that you can do the rest yourself. You can make dining reservations and fast pass reservations before everyone else. Some of the resorts have a lot you can do on site for free. We are planning to stay at Animal Kingdom Lodge and their activity schedule has a full day of free fun and includes cookie and small cake decorating, and animal face painting. You can even earn free beads you can turn into a necklace. The Art of Animation gives free drawing lessons. You can take time to enjoy the transportation system monorail, boats, and buses on a non park day. Several resorts have campfires where you can make smore’s. They sell the kits or bring your own. They also show a Disney movie.
I just went to disneyland 2 weeks ago. I found it to be so frustrating!!! Lines for everything! I waited 45 mins to get food and then it was cold by the time I got a table to sit at. For the price….it’s not worth it in my opinion. Save the money and go on a disney cruise!!!
Yes! Totally agree with you! They even raised the ticket price recently.
In 2015 I went to Disney get 4 tickets for free but need to attend 2 different timeshare. Timeshare presentations about 2 hours. They are really tough, but just say no to them. Also stay in the Holiday Inn Orlando for 5
days paid arround $300..was a package for the time share and get 2 tickets for one day in Disney. The other timeshare just gave tickets no hotel deal include it. One day is enough for me. The kids like swimming better.
My family and I (family of 6+mom) are planning a trip to Disney world. We are going next month. What I did was bought tickets through my husband’s workplace discount site for park tickets. Can’t remember exactly but paid around $145 pp for park hopper. I thought it was a good deal. Plus got the 5% off Disney gc from target to pay for it. Got a townhome 5 mins away for $550 (for 5days). Bought flights month ago at $100 each person! RT! Also bought some activities through Groupon during times when they offer percentage discount off! Not going until next month but so far I have almost everything paid for already before leaving. All the spending left do to there are souvenirs/food/drinks.
What airline and from where? That’s a great deal!!
Airfare for $100 per person! Yes, please share how you did that🤗
We just booked a trip through Costco to Disney World. We paid $5100 for a family of five and this includes airfare, resort, passes to Disney (5 days) and a rental car. We added a trip to the beach for a day too. I thought this seemed pretty reasonable. Our resort is 2 bedrooms with a washer/dryer and full kitchen, plus it has a free shuttle to and from Disney. Costco has vacation packages to everywhere so definitely worth checking out!
Thank you for all the opinions! This is the FIRST time I’ve ever heard (read) ANYONE have a similar view to mine. We went last year & I could not understand why people love it so. It was soooo crowded, expensive & hot. The lines were so, so terribly long & that reallu ruined it for me (we weren’t even there at these highest peak time).. We used fast pass but it wasn’t enough. My kids enjoyed it but not more than other family adventures. I have shared my opinion with a number of friends & they have all looked at me shocked because “disney is the greatest place on earth!” So, thanks for the honest opinions. I just realized I’m not the only one!!!
You’re definitely not alone in feeling this way. We just got back yesterday and it was fun but challenging with our younger children (toddler and infant). Lines to ride and even to meet characters were long and strollers are not allowed in lines. It quickly got old carrying a baby and wiggly toddler for 45 plus minutes in a line to meet characters. The crowds were shocking and stressful to try to get through. I may go in a few years when we’re done with strollers but I need a real vacation after Disney!
The Disney employee outside every ride who’s sole job is to scramble the field of strollers is positively maddening. Seriously they just move them constantly. And when it’s 100’s of strollers to search through I became increasingly frustrated throughout the day.
This is annoying! I took a scarf and tied it to our stroller handle. Made it so much easier and quicker to locate ours:)
Great idea!
I don’t understand why so many people go back so many times! Personally I am not a fan of Disney at all, but for princess-loving little girls, I can maybe understand the draw–once! I couldn’t go back over and over again. There are people who go ten-plus times. At that point, you could have bought a new car.
Lol!!! We went for the first time again in 20 years with our two toddlers. I thought it would be different now, having kids. Nope. I didn’t feel the magic. I was frustrated with everything about Disney from the parking situation, to the trams that take you to the entrance where you have to take everything out of the stroller, to folding it up, to getting your toddlers into the tram, while holding the stroller & all its contents while people behind you are trying to cut in front of you, , to the long lines (in mid-Feb!)… Parking is insanely expensive, but we opted to pay for that because waiting for the shuttle wasn’t convenient with two littles. While taking a break by the carousel, I looked at my husband & said “I don’t see the appeal behind this!” The saving grace was I was overly prepared so I had everything my kids needed during our 3 days at the Park, so they never wanted any souvenirs or the food. We went home with the bubble wand machines though, because which toddlers can resist bubbles!!??? I will say our kids had fun, especially my older toddler. So if it was magical for them, then it was worth it, but we probably won’t go back until they don’t need strollers. Lol…
Yes! People think I’m crazy when I tell them we went and didn’t like it! I will say that there was a family with teens in front of me in line and they were laughing and having so much fun so maybe it’s just miserable to go with babies and toddlers.
We’re locals who live about 20-30 minutes from Disney World. We’ve had annual passes a few times. I’d say the best time for Disney is when kids are past stroller age, tall enough for most rides, not too easily frightened but still young enough to be caught up in the magic (so roughly 4-7). Even when our daughter was stroller age we left it at home and carried her when she got tired of walking. Of course we had the luxury of not trying to squeeze every second out of an expensive limited-time vacation so we could leave after a few hours when we got tired. We also won’t go if it’s hot or peak season. But if you can hit the parks on one of our rare perfect weather days in fall or spring (low in the 50s, high in the 70s, crystal blue sky with no hint of rain) while most people are tied up with work/school and play with your kids more than care for them – it can be a great time.
I discovered that we just aren’t Disney people! Kids have never asked about Disneyworld. They didn’t even like Disney movies that much. Cars maybe? My daughter is NOT a princess kinda girl. My mil smothered the kids with Disney stuff when they were little. Maybe that’s why?
I’ve been to Disney World 4x and will be going to Disneyland for our first time next month! What my family does to save $ is get the Chase Disney card, you only have to spend $500 w/in the first 3 months and you get a $200 Disney gift card. We used our gift card for parking, souvineers, food and snacks. If you get referred for the card, there’s NO annual fee (if you apply on your own, there’s a $49 annual fee each year). So I have the card and didn’t put my husband on it then referred him and he got the card ($400 total in gift cards!). Please email me at rainyangel175@yahoo.com if you would like a referral 🙂
I’d like a referral smurf00@hotmail.com
Thanks
Referred you, you should get email within 7 days 🙂
Thanks!
Please! sarahkbroadhead@hotmail.com
Referral sent!
We’ve been to both Disneys and went during our spring break each time. Not very crowded and had a great time. We also stayed at the Buena Vista Suites with a discount coupon. Check with the chamber of commerce or coupons and other info.
It wasn’t busy during spring break??? Are you sure you were at Disneyworld? Lol! We we were there and it was solid people! Long lines for everything from food, restrooms and rides. Really not that enjoyable for us.
We didn’t allow our child to do any shopping inside the park. Park tickets are too expensive to spend time doing that. We went to Downtown Disney on a different day for shopping and sometimes you get a coupon on your food receipts. I prefer buying the Disney stuff at other stores like Walmart–so much cheaper. Parking is free for that for a limited time period at Downtown Disney. We also would choose to do something less exhausting inbetween Disney park days if possible. In CA there is so many other things to do on those days.
If you apply for the Chase Disney Visa card and spend $500 within the first 3 months, you will get a $200 gift card to Disney. Every little bit helps. If you want a referral, send me your email address and I will get you referred. No annual fee! jlk702@yahoo.com
I was going to suggest that the easiest way o save it for 2 people , mom and dad, to both get the Chase Disney card and each pay for half of the trip and both get 200 dollar statement credits, that’s a savings of 400. the bonus is good every 24 months. I use a Disney Vacation club exchange website to use other people’s vacation points and I have stayed at the Contemporary and Wilderness lodge for 7 days each and only paid 800 dollars total for a 7 day stay.
You say bonus good every 24 months, does that mean you can get more than one gift card. Also do the $200 gift cards expire? Thanks so much for your time
Does anyone have tips on how to save on a Disney cruise?
A few tips from some native Floridians- if you are open to it, Fort Wilderness is a wonderful, inexpensive place to tent or pop-up camp and you get all the magic and perks of Disney resort staying. We have done full weeks just camping and there is so much to do and see on property! Plus just a quick ferry ride to Magic Kingdom. Weekday annual passes can be very affordable ways to get a whole year of fun in all 4 WDW parks. Bring your own snacks and bfast/lunches/drinks in parks. Buy fun Disney stuff with deals from hip2save before you go. SO much fun findinh you can do it all on a budget!