Whats the cheapest way EVER to go to DL?

[Caprice]

okay, so my friend has had like, the worst year EVER and we both really want to go to DL to make up for it but we're seniors in high school so we have hardly any money. we can go to DL in november, december, february, or april and of course any time in the summer. if we had an idea of how much money we'd need to raise then we could start saving. do you have any idea how we could possibly go for CHEAP and spend two days in DL? we have a place to stay before and after our trip to the park so we don't have to worry about that.
thanks

 

[iheartdisney]

Some our best money-saving tips are:

We always take the camelback to avoid paying$$$for drinking water. (I think they put something in the water from the fountains, because I'm even thirstier after drinking) We fill the bladder full of ice, and then what water will fit, and put a Dr. Pepper or two in the bag with it to keep cool. This one step saves us the most money in my opinion!

We don't usually get there by opening, so we grab an early lunch at one of the fast food places on Harbor Blvd before entering the park, and then we will only need dinner in the park, or a good snack to hold us over until dinner time. We never do more than one meal in the park.

Don't buy tickets at the gate. There are all kinds of places to get tickets less than gate price (and that saves you from one of the WORST lines of the day.)

If you want Souvineers, wait until the end of the day, so your not buying on impulse, plus you won't have to carry around additional things. There is a reason they put all those shops on Main Street! (And DTD is open later than the park!)

 

[mikayla73]

For stuff, try going to the Character warehouse. See this thread.
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1182138

 

[50thisyeartoo!]

Eat outside of the park; bring your own water; stay in a budget motel. Don't buy souvenirs. Come early and stay late.
Have a big garage sale...ask for donations from family and friends...don't be shy. You need the $$ for DL

 

[Tink33]

If you go after the holidays, make sure to let everyone know that you are planning on a trip to Disneyland and want either money, Disney Dollars or the Disneyland Gift cards for your gift this year.

 

[Caprice]

thanks so much, guys

 

[hlbtimes2]

All of the restaurants in the park with fountain drinks (pop on tap rather in bottles) will give you a cup of ice water for free. The water in the first aid station is filtered and cold- and they have cups!

Share meals. Most are big enough to share, and then you still get to try a variety of foods. Eat a big breakfast before you get to the park. Then have a big mid day meal, and just a small snack for dinner. Carry small, sturdy things, like granola bars to munch on during the day.

If you dont have to worry about a hotel, its really pretty easy to do the park cheap. All you need is tickets and a little food money.

 

[eduk8r26]

We have APs, so go fairly often, and usually spend about $20 apiece for food. (I'm cheap!) Of course, when I take my 9-year-old neice, I don't have to spend a lot. She doesn't eat much.

 

[TheZue]

They also don't generally question if you order a kids meal at the buffeterias. They are about half the size of an adult meal and give you an option if you and your friend don't want the same thing

 

[Disney Anna]

1) Eat breakfast before- go to McD's before park opens or eat your own Pop tarts or milk and cereal...
2) Bring in your own water and soda too...apples...
3) Bring snacks - - gum, candy, chips, etc...
4) Stay at cheapo motel - maybe you can get an Entertainment book coupon from someone and stay at a good hotel like the Howard Johnson's
5) Don't buy souveniers in park...
6) Split meals - many are large enough for two

Have a great time...

 

[darph nader]

See all of the above. If you don't mind camping there's a camp ground just NE of the park.(if its still there). Take 'lots-o-snacks'.
Buy film,and/or cameras "outside the park".
I see you're still in high school so byob is not an issue.

This advise brought to you from a MAJOR cheapskate.

 

[mAlien13]

See all of the above. If you don't mind camping there's a camp ground just NE of the park.(if its still there). Take 'lots-o-snacks'.
Buy film,and/or cameras "outside the park".
I see you're still in high school so byob is not an issue.

This advise brought to you from a MAJOR cheapskate.

Sending you a a pm so I don't hijack

 

[darph nader]

Sending you a a pm so I don't hijack

pm'd you right back,hope it helps.

 

[kuusimo]

Ticket prices are generally cheaper from Jan-end of April. That is when they normally do their "adults pay kids prices".

Bring a loaf of bread, sandwich bags, peanut butter and jelly and bring your own sandwiches into the park. Pack a lunch, put it in the lockers and then eat it there.

Since you are still in high school- I think just telling people you are willing to earn money for a special trip to Disneyland you should be able to get the $$ you need.

 

[UnderTheMistletoe]

If you have airline miles or belong to a frequent flier club (credit cards or just enrolled at the airline's website a lot of time), it can cut costs dramatically if you're planning on flying.

We're flying Baltimore/Washington-LAX
LAX to Honolulu
Honolulu to LAX
LAX to Baltimore Washington
for free. If you look at it, it's two round trip tickets for each of us (one in bold, one in italics). It's saved us about $1400 for our honeymoon.

Check into it. Rapid Rewards through Southwest was our saving grace because we fly all the time. Despite the fact I perfer other airlines to Southwest, I love my free flights! Depending on how far you'd be driving, find out if gas vs airline tickets is cheaper. Remember to book early and price shop for airline tickets! Compare LAX and Orange County prices, too.

If you're going to fly, try to find a hotel that has a shuttle to annd from Disneyland so that you won't have to rent a car. I'm not sure they'd let you anyway without paying high premiums for being under 25. Also check and be sure they have transportation to and from the airport. Be sure to find out all the specifics as far as times of the shuttles, etc. Saving yourself taxi fares could help quite a bit.

Check into package deals as well on websites like Expdia.com, Travelocity.com, Orbitz.com. I was just looking at the Disneyland website and they have some pretty good package deals on hotel and tickets if you book by the ed of the year and travel between January 3 and April 22, 2007. I know for us, we're eligible for a $150 gift card, as well. I'm not sure what the terms/conditions are. It may be that we're staying a required number of nights or something. Also check into that. (ETA: Didn't mean to imply using only the DL website! Try to avoid paying rack rate on the room. The DL website has access and prices for the Good Neighbor Hotels, too. But, check things like the others listed above and hotels.com and see what they're offering. Also, call the hotels and ASK if they have any special bargains. A lot of times, they do, but no one is going to volunteer to save you money. The worst that happens is that they say no.)

Cuts costs by eating outside the parks and hotels and bringing some of your own food. We never pay for bottled waters at the park. We added it up when we were in Disney World in late May that we would have spent $128 in 6 days on bottled water for two of us. Instead, go to the concession stand and ask for a cup of ice water. It's free.

By eating outside the resorts and parks, you can save quite a bit on food as you're not paying the premium. Plan on eating breakfasts and one other meal outside the park. Carry your own snacks. This way, you'll only pay for one meal a day on Disney property.

Budget early! We put all our money aside as we go along- everything from tips for housekeeping to airport parking to kennel fees. We stick them in marked envelopes and fill them as we go. You'd be amazed how quickly you've amassed and paid for your trip and you've hardly even realized it. It helps to do things a little at a time instead of all at once. Try paying for any hotel nights one at a time before you get there. That way, at check in, you don't go into sticker shock. It's already paid for and you've got the money allotted for the remainder of your trip.

Remember when budgeting to include everything! For example, our lists include:

-Airfare
-Hotel accomodations
-Airport parking
-Kennel fees
-Payment to friends who check in on our cats
-Food and beverage (check for online menus and price it out rounding up; include tax and tip)
-Rental car
-Extra event tickets (for example, in October, we have FUNAI Classic, Typhoon Lagoon, and MNSSHP tickets)
-Spending money
-"Pleasure money" for an incidental meal, spa treatment, etc.
-Money at home to pay for groceries, etc., upon return

With careful planning and budgeting, you can do anything. I can't tell you how many trips DH and I took when we were first married that, by the numbers, we couldn't afford. We always found a way to put it aside and scrounge pennies. We had some of the best trips that way becuase it's a true reward when you sit back and look at what you've accomplished. It's a great life lesson that applies to everyday, as well.

Check with the Budget Board here, too.

Best of luck!
xoxo

 

[Caprice]

this'll really help, thanks so much