Ok, so the title may be a little misunderstood since you’ve already spent a lot of money just to GO to Disney World. That being said, there exists this list of “Don’ts” you can use to save money, which will seem logical. If you’re on a really tight budget yet still just want to go see and do everything, you can.  Somethings may be easier to do/not do than others, so take them or leave them as you see fit. Use good discretion when thinking about where you want to spend your money. Not everyone has the advantage of showing up to Walt Disney World (WDW)/Orlando with a 100lb. box of $100 dollar bills. If that’s you, then this article isn’t for you. It’s for the broke artist or the college student or the family who’s been saving up for this trip for years. I came up with this list for two reasons:  1) because people tell me how expensive it is and the price keeps a WDW trip out of reach for them for a long time, and 2) because I’ve seen how much we (two people, male & female hetero couple) spend.

#1. No Drinking.  Yeah, sorry, the adult beverages and tasty libations they serve at three of the Disney Parks in WDW are expensive. You’ll spend upwards of $13+ on mixed drinks and beers are no better at $6-$8 in the parks and Resorts, depending on what you get. Even the smaller premium bottles in the Gift Shop will run you plus/minus $20 and you get about two and a half drinks out of them. Buying booze off property and bringing it to your room would save you a lot of money; however, you can’t walk around with it in the parks.

#2. No Fine Dining.  Seems logical, right? But Fine Dining in WDW is also very pricey.  It’s food and usually you get what you pay for – good or excellent quality of food and service. Still, if you’re on a budget, keep the Fine Dining to a minimum. Once is good for a couple; however, for a family of 3-4 or more people you can easily break the bank with one meal.

#3. Don’t buy Souvenirs.  Yeah, I know, your kids want something fun to play with or that awesome light-up toy at night; but you know the batteries are going to wear out in a few days. Still, tell the kids you need to hold off or “next time”. Save the toys for before you leave or set some money aside for these things. They’re usually a high desire item for the kids. Figure $15 to $30 for each light-up toy item and a little more or less for things that don’t light up. Even we have a tendency to say, “OK, we’re not buying a bunch of stuff this time..” and then we get there and see new coffee mugs we love and end up having a few sent home. Same with Mickey underwear and other clothes that we like. I saw one statistic that Disney makes over a BILLION dollars a year just selling memorabilia and toys and other “junk”. If you’re going to spring for something like that, make sure it’s something you’re going to use or wear often. Try to get things that won’t break easily or fall apart after you get home. Any kind of useable item to keep the Disney World memories fresh in your mind are great.

#4. Lay Off the Sweets & Confections.  Unfortunately, your sweet tooth has to take a backseat. It’s a horrible thing to say you can’t have ANY sweets, since Disney is very good at providing high quality treats at all the parks. Some are even handmade in the Confectionary shop. Try to keep the sweets, including desserts to a minimum. Everyone loves the Dole Whip ice cream and pineapple juice treat; so maybe have one of those. Just remember, for a family of four to each have one, that’s more than $20 out of your pocket.

#5. Eat Off-Property Whenever You Can.  If you’re staying off-property, meaning not in a Disney World Resort hotel, you’re probably already saving money. It’s a good idea to have family meals outside the parks to save money, because inside “The World” they have you as a captive audience, and we all know that prices are higher inside the parks. In WDW it’s highly inefficient to leave a park, go back to the parking lot and drive out several miles just to eat.  People have done it. We’ve even done it. When it comes to eating off-property, it’s best to have a solid breakfast or a nice dinner off-property either before going into the parks or after a long day. We are fond of Perkin’s restaurant and one or a few of them are open late or 24 hours, depending on location. Their prices are reasonable compared to inside the parks.

• A big, lesser known trick is No Kids Meals. I’ve heard people say these are a “rip-off”; although they’re not a rip off if your kid eats the entire thing. The trick to eating in WDW and saving money is to not get a kids meal. Sometimes the kids don’t eat very much of it or they don’t want it right away.  What you do is feed them off of your plate.  Order something both you and your kids will eat.
• Another option is ordering pizza from off-property places, which is not a big deal and can save you money. If you’re staying on-property, you can still order Domino’s Pizza for delivery. It’s usually cheaper and better quality than the pizza you get from any of the eateries in the Resorts. We’ve done this and Domino’s was our go-to pizza. It took a bit longer, but we didn’t mind the wait.
• If you’re staying off-property, you have a very large selection of options. Check local maps on your mobile device for restaurant and fast food locations.  There’s everything from Subway to steakhouses and even fine dining spread around “The World”.
• Don’t bother with buffets, unless you’ve specifically chosen a Character Dining Meal. All the buffets are very expensive and the quality of food is not worth the price you’re paying. In some locations they have some really nice food selections of good quality; yet in others, breakfast for example, is pretty average for what you’re paying. With the Character Dining Buffet Meals you are really paying for the interaction with the characters, not the food.
• Bring Snacks! Disney doesn’t mind if you bring in snacks. Buying or bringing snacks with you is perfectly acceptable. If you ever get hassled by any Disney CMs or security for any reason about the food you’re bringing in, simply say that you or your children have a specific dietary requirement and they’ll leave you alone. It’s not a big deal and I’ve never heard of anyone having any issues with CMs or security about it. My sister’s family brought lots of snacks and even made small sandwiches for her girls to eat. The only issue is keeping them cold so they don’t spoil, so keep that in mind.

#6. Travel:  Fly vs. Drive.  This is often a tough question, as flying is far more efficient than driving many hours. My opinion is if you’re on a budget, drive, unless you’ve already prepared to pay for flights. If you’re still not sure about whether to fly or drive, compare the cost of driving down and back to the total price of airfare. Figure out how many hours in the car you are willing to deal with vs. how much money you’re willing to spend to take the trip. Then figure out how many miles you’ll get per tank of gas and add up those costs, including meals for everyone in your party, to and from, and any extra days of missed work from driving. Some people have a finite amount of vacation time, so flying might ultimately be better overall. Compare that number to the cost of flying to make your decision. If the numbers are close to one another, fly. If your drive is under 8 hours, drive.

We’ve driven to and from WDW from the DC Metro area, it’s easily 13 hours one way. If you can afford it and live further than 12-13 hours from WDW, I suggest flying. The advantages of flying in time management might balance out or justify the cost. Do the math though, figuring out the numbers will help tremendously, and remember, if you’re staying off-property, you’ll need to pay for parking at each park you visit daily. It’s $20 per park, per day. If you’re staying on-property, you can park your car for free and take the free Disney Buses to the parks.

#7. Wait.  If you’re worried about exceeding a planned budget, just wait to go and save up more money. Disney World will always be there and they will always welcome you and your family. It will always cost money to travel there; so saving up doesn’t hurt you.

#8. Look for Deals Online.  Look for deals that fit you or your family very well and plan to go during off-peak times. If you can deal with having the kids out of school for a few extra days, or a week, there are several times a year when the special offers and deals can save you a lot of money. For example:  If you can stay on-property for a week for under $1,000 in any Disney Resort Hotel, grab it!! These special deals tend to pop up on the Disney World website soon after or shortly after school starts. September, November, early to mid January, and some other weeks throughout the first half of the year will also have some good deals. Basically, NOT Summer. Still check airlines for special deals during the Summer. Sometimes they equal out and you may want to drive instead.

Other Things to Consider.  Staying on-property may cost a bit more; yet might be worth it because you won’t have to pay for parking every day and you won’t have to spend extra money on gas driving around. Compare costs of flying vs. driving and the value of your sanity. Also remember that Orlando is a vacation heavy traffic area and you’ll want extra time to get to/from the airport or simply drive on the freeway. If you fly and are staying on-property, Disney offers Disney’s Magical Express, which is a FREE bus service you can take directly from the airport to your Resort hotel and then back to the airport when it’s time to go home. Check the website for details as there is an easy process for taking the bus.

Good luck, have FUN, and enjoy the Magic!

#2disneyenthusiasts