7 Tips! Stay in Budget – DISNEY (guest post)

You can visit Disney with a budget!

Guest post by Krystel at Planning the Magic.Net

No matter what’s going on in our pockets, our travel dreams remain strong. The cost of a Disney vacation can climb quickly but what’s most important is how you manage your budget, and then use those skills to create a better trip. Let’s make sure your hard-earned travel dollars go far with these 7 budget-saving tips for your next Disney Vacation.

7 Ways to Stay Within Budget – Disney:  Refillable Resort Mug

I just got back from a Disney trip a few weeks ago where I got the chance to take my grandparents. It was a great time but one of the best decisions I made was getting us the Disney Resorts Refillable Mugs. For a one time fee you get unlimited refills during your Disney stay. Online resources quote the price at $17.99/each but I’m pretty sure I paid $19.99 two weeks ago. The cups can be used at any Disney resort but not any of the parks. We shared the cups between couples because why not, but I did keep track of how many refills we got per cup. 15 in 4 days. The only other time I had to worry about buying drinks was during meals. We spent a day at the pool and refilled the cups at least 6 times each that day. Obviously, there is soda, water, lemonade but there is also coffee, tea, and hot chocolate! This is a great value.

7 Ways to Stay Within Budget – Disney: Plan and Do Research

There are some people who research college professors before they chose which class to take on RateMyProfessor and some who don’t. Who do you think ends up better off? This is not only a budget saving tip but also a sanity-saving tip. You’re reading this so you’re on the right track but don’t stop here. Don’t buy the first flight you see, where are you going to eat? What will burst your budget bubble at Disney is being unprepared so make sure to plan this vacation out.

7 Ways to Stay Within Budget – Disney: Guide Books

There’s so much information on the internet about planning a Disney vacation it can definitely get overwhelming. In fact, many people describe it as such. The easiest way to efficiently obtain all the information you need is through guidebooks.

The only 2 guidebooks you need to accomplish the Disney vacation:

The Unofficial Guide To Walt Disney World and Disneyland

Walt Disney World On A Budget – The eBook

If you read those and want to read even more, fine, but the point is you won’t have to and there will no longer be an information overload. Make sense?

7 Ways to Stay Within Budget – Disney: Staying at a Disney Deluxe resort?

Stop here first to get your info on Disney resorts.

Don’t book through Disney and pay non-discounted prices. Rent DVC points! Really quick; Disney Vacation Club is Disney’s timeshare program where an owner is allotted a certain amount of points every year. I’m an owner and sometimes things happen and you have to spend a long year away from Disney. In those cases, you rent your points. For you, that means at least a 30% discount.

I always suggest David’s Vacation Club for this but take a look at photos below for price difference.

(Stay at Boardwalk Villas for 4 – June 2-6)

7 Ways to Stay Within Budget – Disney: Character Meals

Dining with the characters at Disney is a long-time favorite addition to any Disney vacation. But sometimes it can cost a bit more than what you actually want to spend on a meal. There are some tips to help you get the most bang for your buck here. By choosing breakfast as the character meal not only will you save over a lunch or dinner meal but you’ll also start your day on a wonderful note. Do research on character meal locations such as the Tusker House in the Animal Kingdom or the Grand Floridian to avoid the top dollar prices for the more popular locations.

7 Ways to Stay Within Budget – Disney: Souvenirs

Check out these shoes that are part of Anna’s costume (Frozen). Pay close attention to the price.

Okay, now I want to show you her shoes that are a little different but will provide the same quality and serve the exact same purpose.

How about these?

You want to buy souvenirs at home and bring them with you. It doesn’t have to be all the souvenirs but the majority would be nice. On most of these things, you can save 30-70% off what it would cost at Disney World. I know of people who surprise their kids with these souvenirs at Disney and avoid buying any there at all. That’s what I call smart spending. There’s no need to spend double.

7 Ways to Stay Within Budget – Disney: Saving on Disney Park tickets

Ding, ding, ding. We have a winner. The most searched Disney discount is for theme park tickets. You know why? Because they’re so darn expensive! I have to be honest and let you know there isn’t a ton of savings here. The most impactful thing you can do is a ton of research to make sure you’re purchasing the right ticket options and then head over to UnderCover Tourist for the purchase. Most people overbuy on theme park tickets and therefore waste money.

We work hard so we can play hard and live a fruitful life. For many of us travel is at the top of the list and there are so many families who dream of going to Disney. I want to make sure you have the best vacation you can and still maintain that budget. Get ready for those Mickey ears!

Halfway through college Krystel decided to take her 10-year-old little sister to Disney World on a shoestring budget. In order to have the most magical vacation possible, she had to find every tip, trick, and best-kept secret to go to Disney on a budget. They had a great time! Learn everything she knows by visiting PlanningTheMagic.Net and checking out her eBook.