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10 Best Ways to Save Money at Walt Disney World

We always love a great deal, so it is definitely helpful to learn more ways to save money when planning a magical Walt Disney World Vacation.  Check out these 10 best ways to save money on a trip to Walt Disney World:

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10. Have flexible travel dates.

If you have flexible travel dates to travel during non-peak times, then you can take advantage of great discounts on packages and promotions.  You will be able to find discounted resort options and may even be able to visit when the Free Dining promotion is running.   These can definitely help save on the overall cost of your Disney vacation.

9. Use discounted Disney Gift Cards.

There are different ways that you can get discounted Disney Gift Cards.  One of the most popular is to use a Target Red Card to purchase gift cards from Target with a 5% discount.  You can also earn free gift cards from various survey and reward sites.  You can use Disney gift cards to pay for just about anything at Walt Disney World including vacation packages, park tickets, meals, snacks, souvenirs and more.

8. Don’t purchase the Park Hopper tickets.

Park Hopper tickets options are definitely helpful to add convenience and flexibility to a Disney vacation, but they aren’t necessary.  If you plan your days to where you will only visit 1 park each day, then you can definitely save funds by not purchasing park hopper tickets.  Your Disney vacation definitely won’t suffer either.

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7. Use credit cards that give rewards.

This option may not work for individuals who don’t want to leverage credit cards for purchases, but if you have credit cards that offer cash back rewards and other perks, then you may want to consider this option.  You may be able to get money back on your purchases, which will take away from the overall cost of your vacation.

6. Don’t purchase soda and drinks in the parks.

If you purchase sodas and bottles of water throughout the day, the cost will start to add up very quickly.  It can get expensive very quick and you don’t have much to show for it afterward.  You definitely need to stay hydrated so check out quick service options where you can get free cups of ice water.  A good rule of thumb is to check if the kiosk or location serves fountain soda, if they do you can typically get a free cup of water for each person in your party.

5. Consider grocery delivery options.

If you want to save money on meals, you can have groceries delivered.  There are services offered by Disney as well as other vendors that will deliver groceries to your resort.  You can have snacks, waters and other meal items delivered so that you don’t always have to pay to eat in the parks.  This can definitely save you money over the course of the trip.

4. Only order the entrée instead of the full meal at quick service locations.

When you are dining, you can always opt to skip the full meal and just order the entrée.  There is usually plenty of food without the fries and other side items and you can save a few bucks with each meal.  You can order a cup of water on the side instead of a soda like we previously suggested and then save even more!

3. Use a travel agent to book your vacation package.

If you make use of a travel agent that is authorized to book Disney vacations, then you can end up saving extra money.  One of the services that most travel agents offer is that they will keep an eye out for cheaper promotions for your travel dates and call to have them applied.  This could save you more funds than when you originally booked the vacation.  Many of them also send free gifts and extras for working with them!  You don’t have to pay anything to use an authorized Disney travel agent, either!

2. Get creative with souvenirs.

If you want to save money on souvenirs, you can do some advance planning to bring a few key items with you.  You can do things like bringing your own autograph books and pens so that you don’t have to pay the higher price to buy them there.  You can also get creative and bring things like shirts, photo frames and more with markers to have the character sign instead of the usual autograph books.  They make fantastic souvenirs for a fraction of the cost.

1. Do the math before selecting Disney Dining Plans.

The Disney Dining Plans are great add-ons to a Disney vacation, but they don’t always make financial sense for every family.  Before opting for one of the Disney Dining Plans it would be a good idea for you to do all of the math to see if you will get the same value out of it.  If you don’t plan to order specialty beverages, appetizers and desserts, you will probably pay more than you would just dining without the plans.

About Christy Caby

I am a diehard Disney fanatic! I fell in love with all things Disney from an early age and that only increased once I first visited Walt Disney World! It led me to complete a yearlong Disney College Program working at merchandise locations within Disney’s Hollywood Studios (Disney-MGM Studios at that time) and I worked for Disney Parks & Resorts Technology in Project/Program Management. Now I get to write about Disney and help others plan their magical vacations! Disney holds a special place in the hearts of my entire family as my husband proposed there, we honeymooned there, took trips while pregnant with each of my boys and have visited with them many, many times from 8 weeks old through now. One of my favorite memories from each trip is always the look on my kids’ faces the first time they see the castle. I’d love to help you plan your magical vacation! Request a free quote at http://magicalvacationplanner.com/staff/christy-caby/ or look for me on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/christy.caby. Have a magical day!