Budgets

 

No one is going to tell you a week at Disney is cheaper than a week at home! But it's also certainly a lot more fun! Here are some ways to save for your trip and to keep your costs down.

 

Impose a fine for things around your house, such as a quarter every time a family member leaves a room with a light on, or every time someone says a swear word. Put the quarters in a "Disney fund" jar.

 

Clip coupons and each week set aside the amount of money you saved in a Disney account.

 

Ask your friends and family members to give you Disney Dollars, which are sold at Disney Stores, for your birthday and holidays.

 

Give up cable for a few months, or even a year, and set aside the money you save. It could be hundreds of dollars.

 

Hold a garage sale.

 

Travel on the off-season, when it's less expensive.

 

Keep your eyes and ears open for special sale rates.

 

At first it may seem cheaper to stay off Disney property. But actually that might not be the case. The small cost savings you might gain by staying off Disney property is far outweighed by the benefits you receive by staying on Disney property, such as extended theme park hours, complimentary transportation to and from the airport via Disney's Magical Express (this would save a family of four $140 over taking a town car service), free parking at the resort and parks (this will save you $70 if you go to a park each day in your week-long vacation), free delivery of purchases from the parks to your room (so you don't have to tote them around all day), complimentary transportation from your resort to Disney's parks and recreational facilities. But best of all, if you stay in a Disney Resort, you'll be immersed in the magic 24/7.

 

At your first meal at your resort, buy refillable mugs for everyone. They cost around $12, but you can refill them for free as many times as you want at your hotel's food court. The beverage choices usually include sodas, iced tea, coffee, hot tea, and hot chocolate. We fill our mugs while we eat breakfast at the resort each morning and then refill them and take them along to the park each day. (I always carry a backpack anyway so once the mugs are empty, I dry them out with paper towels and stash them in the backpack.) Before we return to our room each night, we refill the mugs again. The price of a large soda at a counter-service restaurant in the parks is $2.59. For a family of four, refilling their mugs three times a day each day for seven days, that's a savings of $217.56! Plus the travel mugs are themed to each resort and they make great souvenirs.

 

Officially, Disney does not allow people to bring food and beverages into the parks. Unofficially, if you're discreet about it, you should be fine. Bags are searched, but they won't question a few items in a backpack or small soft-sided cooler. For example, I always carry a backpack to the parks each day stocked with snacks. You'll pay around $4 for a snack in the parks, so for a family of four with each person eating a snack once a day for seven days, that's a savings of $112.