Disney World Resorts are one of the most fun and entertaining places for a family vacation. There you can find something for everyone in the family, from adults to kids. However, when you have a large family it can be expensive to take this type of vacation, and sometimes frustrating. Frustrating because the money signs are dancing over your head trying to save every penny while you are on vacation – saving on food, transportation, souvenirs, and other items. Saving money becomes such a focus that the parents might not get all the enjoyment out of their vacation.
There are many tips on saving money at Disney World Resorts, and some of them will help a family enjoy their vacation more.
Most people book online these days, however sometimes there are discount codes that are not available online and can be obtained by calling directly. It is best to look, compare prices online, and call to request any special offers that are not available online. Most likely, you will get one. If you do plan to book online try Southwest Vacations. They usually have great Disney promotions like getting 7 days for 4 nights. Sometimes if you use a southwest vacations coupon, you may be eligible for even more savings.
How about making your reservation months ahead of your trip? This way you will be able to make payments during those months and by the time you are ready to take your vacation, it is all paid for. You will most likely have extra money to enjoy and will not have to worry about cutting corners to save money while on vacation. Also, use your frequent flyer miles if you have any.
If you have group discounts, such as AAA membership or others, use them so you can save money on room and tickets. It may be cheaper than buying a whole family package. Also, use an entertainment book discount, but call the hotel first to see if they have a better deal.
If you want to splurge at dinnertime at the restaurant, you can pack your own lunches and snacks during the day, as many families do. Get backpacks for the entire family or use the lockers at Disney. Pack a cooler, drinks can get expensive at the park. Some families pack a box with snacks and necessities and UPS it to their hotel ahead of time. It saves them money.
Compare gas prices at Disney, some gas stations may be significantly cheaper than others. Staying on site will also save money on gas. You can hire a transportation company to take you from the airport to the hotel. For goodies, you can stop along the way, and buy some snacks and breakfast items.
Some families are buying annual passes, which they can use when they want. The difference in cost is not much, and they can visit the park when the crowds are less.
If you are planning to eat at the hotels make sure you purchase the Disney Dining Plan. It will save you significantly and it’s well worth it. You need to know that the meals are allocated for the group days you purchase. So if you didn’t spend any meals on the first day, you will have twice as many meals the next day.
If the kids want souvenirs, some stores outside Disney sell them, and at MUCH cheaper prices. You can buy them ahead of time and have them ready for when they ask.
Some families decide to stay at the campgrounds (Fort Wilderness) for more savings. You can store your food there or even use a Crockpot to have your meal ready for when you return.
Some All-Stars deluxe resorts will have better prices during the fall. Consider and off season vacation.
The close Wal-Mart seems to be a favorite of many families to stock up in supplies, snacks, have a cheap lunch, and even buy Disney shirts.
Many large families are renting a home nearby the park, which is cheaper, and sometimes the agency will throw the rental car free. You may have to stay 2-3 miles away from Disney, but it is worth it if it saves you tons of money.
You can save money in your theme park tickets by actually planning your vacation and the activities you want to do, instead of buying tickets that your family will not use.
The Five Day Hopper Pass saves families money, instead of paying separate for the water parks or Pleasure Island – which can add to hundreds of dollars more for a single trip.
Visit forums and get ideas from other families on saving money, and how they did it.
The website mousesavers.com has tons of information, over 300 pages on how to save money on your Disney vacation, with coupons and tons of valuable tips. This is an independent site and not affiliated to Disney.
There are many ways to save on your Disney trip, but much research has to be done and leg work in order to find the best deals available. Asking for discounts is the best way to start saving. These are only a few tips on saving money at Disney World Resorts.