Isn't that an oxymoron?
Apr 08 '00
Disney on a budget? The two words don't really go hand in hand, do they? Your Disney vacation will be expensive, regardless of what tips and tricks you use, but there are ways to make it cost less.
We just returned in January from our first trip to "The World", and actually came in under budget! There are ways to save money.
1. Magic Kingdom Club
A lot of larger employers offer this card for free, but I had to pay $65 for mine, but it more than made up for it in the amount of money we saved on our room. Disney offers discounts for Magic Kingdom Club members above and beyond the off season rates at different times of the year. When you call to reserve your room (and do all of this yourself -- you can usually book cheaper than a travel agent who will steer you towards packages that they get a kickback from), ask what discounts are available. Disney won't volunteer any, but they will tell you if you ask.
2. Where to stay
You can obviously stay off site cheaper than on site, but we chose to stay on site and I am glad we did. If you decide to stay off site, I know that priceline can get you rooms for about $40 a night in the area.
3. Food
Food is one of the biggest expenses at Disney World. Since we drove, I loaded the back of the van with a cooler (since it costs $10 a day extra to have one in your room), a case of soda, a case of water, lots of snacks, and plenty of breakfast foods. We ate breakfast in the room each morning, which saved us time as well as about $30 each day.
You can also plan to have your lunch in one of the "nicer restaurants", eat late and then have a light supper. Lunch menus are generally cheaper than evening menus, and that way you will get to try the restaurants that you want without breaking the bank.
We also put a few snacks and bottles of water in our backpack each morning. We would still end up buying some at the park, but we were able to save a little bit of money that way.
Also, some portion sizes are quite large, so if you have two small eaters, they can share a meal and just purchase two drinks.
4. Plan ahead
Try to decide ahead of time how many days you will actually spend at the parks. If you are staying on site, and decide to buy the length of stay pass, but don't use it for a day because you've decided to go to Universal, then you've wasted about $160 for a family of four. Hopper passes, which never expire and can be used on another trip might be a better choice. It depends on your situation, but check ALL of the options.
5. Souveniers
We found that the Character Warehouse at Belz Outlets on International Drive in Orlando is much cheaper for T shirts and other souveniers. It is run by Disney, so this is real stuff, not knock-offs. It is often last years' merchandise.
This will give you some ideas, but the most important thing is to get as much information as you can before you go. Two resources I highly recommend are www.disneyinfo.com, which has fantastic message boards, and The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World which tells you just about everything you want to know.
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Epinions.com ID:
shirleybonsell
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Member: shirley bonsell
Location: State College, PA
Reviews written: 34
Trusted by: 39 members
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