Disney on a Nickel

[M-I-C-K-E-Y]

Last Update - with your wonderful ideas - 4/30/08


BEFORE YOU GO:

Planning:

- Make your dining reservations for WDW exactly six months in advance – cancel or modify if your plans change…Table Service meals can be expensive and might not be well suited for this discussion of “budget” travel; nevertheless, at least one should be planned, to enhance your WDW experience
- Join a "Fridge Swap," "Coffee Pot Exchange" or "Cooler Exchange" (check Disboards)
- Buy souvenirs from the Disney outlet stores instead of from the parks (if you are not close to one of these, there is the www.disneyshoping.com outlet store or "hit" your local Disney Store for $5 t-shirts)
- Join a Photopass Share Group (set up before leaving and finalize upon returning home)
- Read the DisBoards consistently and subscribe to all relevant newsletters
- Order free customized maps from Disney for your upcoming trip (order well in advance)…great keepsake, so don’t fold it up and use it at the parks

Purchase & Pack:

- Water Bottles…some prefer filtered bottles
- Ponchos…either the cheap Wal-mart versions (about $1 each) - for carrying in your back pocket or purse – recycle or dispose of after one use…or nice ponchos, that may be packed and dried in your resort room after use
- Hoodies…cool evenings
- Swim Suits…for the WDW resort “pool scene”
- Sandals or Crocs…for the walk to the pool and around the resort – that pavement can be burning hot in the summer
- Sunscreen, aloe lotion and bug repellant (for that inevitable sunburn and pesky insects)
- Hats/Mouse Ears…re-use those from previous trips
- Mini Medicine Kit (Band Aids, anti-biotic, pain reliever, allergy meds…)
- Glide Stick (for chaffing that might result from all that walking)
- Disney Light Spinners…from past trips, yard sales or flea markets
- Mini-Fans…with water spray attachment
- Batteries…for above
- Glow Sticks/Bracelets/Necklaces…for night-time events
- Film/Digital Camera Memory Cards, Disposable Cameras (for kids)
- Chargers for digital cameras, camcorders, cell phones…
- Disney Trading Pins (cheap, in bulk, from online auction websites)
- Lanyards…for above…from previous trips or via online auction sites
- Autograph Books and Sharpies (for character signatures)
- At least one spare, large I.D. tagged duffle bag (load with dirty laundry and fill your suitcase with souvenirs, or visa versa)
- Rolls of quarters and a bag of pennies (for Pressed Penny machines)
- Postcard stamps and pre-printed address labels - saves time and hand cramps


WHILE YOU’RE THERE:

General:

- If you can drive to WDW in one day, definitely do so...if an overnight is needed, carefully weigh roadtrip gas/hotel/food prices vs. airline tickets
- Visit Downtown Disney and window shop (it doesn’t get more frugal than this!)
- Character hunt for autographs (homemade autograph books are affordable and unique) then turn the autographs into something creative at home…don’t forget to snap photos of family members with associated Disney characters, to accompany autographs
- Photo scavenger hunt and search for "Hidden Mickeys”
- Some of the best souvenirs are the photos you take of your friends and family having a great time
- Buy gifts for friends at home with your snack credits or "cash in" those credits and bring a huge bag-o-snacks home with you (if on Disney Dining Plan)
- Take the DVC tour…a couple of hours of interesting information, play area for the kids and free ice cream when it’s all over
- Earn your “Sea Legs” – log as many hours as you can on the various boats of WDW – free “Pirate Adventures” (without park admission or boat rental fees) for your little “Scallywags”…get off and see some of the resorts along the way…especially impressive during the Water Electrical Parade
- Monorail Madness – ride the Resort Loop and/or take a trip to Epcot…doesn’t require park admission or any cost and you might get to sit up front with the driver…get off see some of the resorts along the way

Finances:
- Don't take a credit card or any spending money into the parks until the last day...cuts down on impulse souvenir purchases
- Ask for Disney gift cards or Disney Dollars for birthdays, Christmas or allowance
- Save all your change in a jar before the trip, and be sure to decorate the jar, to make it fun for everyone
- Earn gift cards and Disney Dollars with rewards programs (MyPoints, Sunshine Rewards, etc.)
- Buy Disney Dollars ahead of time and give each child a pre-set spending limit...when their money is gone they're done…teaches fiscal responsibility while having fun
- Yard Sale: “Getting rid of crap and earning money for WDW” – a classic quote!
- Book through AAA Motor Club and get the "Diamond Card" - 10% off at the World of Disney Store
- Disney Reward Dollars from Disney Visa cards can be used to pay for park admission tickets...transfer those points well in advance
- Sign your children up to participate in an online survey group...surveys only take a few minutes and they can earn hundreds of dollars for their Disney spending or savings...www.kidzeyes.com

Parks:

- The more days on your admission ticket/pass, the more affordable it is, per day (do the math and figure out what you actually need)
- To save money, do not purchase "Park Hopper" or "Water Park" options - just the main four parks, once each day
- Buy an "Annual Pass" and go to WDW twice in a year - perhaps 11.5 months apart...this gives you built-in Park Hoppers, too...and some food and shopping discounts, to boot
- Use Fast Passes and take advantage of Extra Magic Hours (for those lodging with Disney on-property)
- Travel during Free Water Parks & More Hopper Upgrade and then upgrade to an Annual Pass

Resorts/Lodging:

- Use Disney's Magical Express to travel to resort – a free comfortable ride to the resorts (but you must reserve your seats in advance, via Disney)
- If you must rent a car, relentlessly shop for the best car rental rates using tips from the DIS Transportation Board and through your airlines (40% off prices are hard to beat)
- If you have a car, consider lodging "Off Property" at a hotel or condo…weigh the pros and cons
- Stay at Pop Century during September's "Free Dining"
- Sleep in a tent at Fort Wilderness (best value in all of WDW)
- Only travel to WDW during "Value Season"
- Only stay at WDW resorts from Sunday through Thursday, to avoid the weekend premium rate
- DVC...Disney hotel rooms go up every year – Annual Dues only experience minor increases
- Take a free tour of a resort…Wilderness Lodge offers tours about its architecture (not sure about other resorts)
- Keep calling to check for discount PIN codes (at up to 40%, it's worth it) attached to your name

Dining:

- Take advantage of the Disney Dining Plan - BUT FIRST - carefully examine your circumstances to determine whether it's the best value for you (do you necessarily need all those meals and desserts?)
- If you have a car, consider eating "Off Property"…weigh the pros and cons
- If you have a car, stop at Target or Wal-mart and buy groceries…those taking Disney’s Magical Express should consider having food (including water) delivered by Garden Grocer or one of the personal shoppers that are often mentioned on the Disboards
- Bring snacks in a carry-on size bag so you can have them while in the hotel and in the parks…then use the bag to carry souvenirs or dirty laundry home
- Try MREs (Meals Ready to Eat)...but only if you can find them cheap in advance
- Bring a Crock Pot…you can have dinner in the room when you get back from the parks (check with your resort before departing to see whether this is allowed)
- Bring a cooler (disposable or, more preferably, from a Cooler Exchange) and use your resort’s ice for keeping drinks and food cold
- Order an extra bun for your double burgers and split the burgers into sandwiches for two (NOTE: Disney reportedly now charges at least $2 for the extra bun, so BYOB – Bring Your Own Bun!)
- Share some Counter Service meals
- Eat at Counter Service restaurants and attend the 9:30 PM Fantasmic show (no need for the Fantasmic package and it will be less crowded)
- Bring boxes of cereal, snack-type breakfasts or purchase the eight-pack of doughnuts from your resort’s food court or store and eat them in your room (especially frugal if you have also purchased a refillable mug)
- Have a light breakfast in the room, followed by a Character Breakfast at the latest time (10:10AM...which also serves as lunch) and then an early dinner
- Give older kids/teens the "opt out" option at dinner...sometimes they are much happier hanging out in the food court and arcade, or ordering-in pizza to the room
- Dehydrated fruits are a great snack while in the parks

Beverages:

- Purchase refillable mugs and use them with your meal
- Bring a case of water as a Checked Bag on your flight to Orlando
- Get bottled water for your drink at resort Counter Service meals (if on the Disney Dining Plan) BUT use your refillable mug instead…use the bottles later as you tour the parks
- Load wide-mouthed refillable bottles with Disney resort ice (made from filtered water) and attempt to refill from counter service restaurants with their ice (also filtered)…if the local water is acceptable to you, also utilize this in conjunction with the ice
- Freeze water in your bottle the night before and let it defrost in the warm air - you have cold water all day long
- Take pre-sweetened flavored drink packages to mix with the water
- Bring a can of soda to the parks and ask for a cup with ice
- Portable Mini-Bar…mix your own drinks while vacationing - bring supplies in old, CLEARLY MARKED water bottles

Kids:

- Visit WDW just before your children hit the age three and age ten ticket price increases
- Bring your own stroller (the lighter and cheaper, the better, and make sure it folds well)
- If you must rent a stroller, do so for a one week term vs. per day
- Check online auction sites for Disney Princess dresses and Disney pirate apparel ahead of time - many times you can get the same clothing Disney sells for about half the cost
- Dress Disney Daughter in a princess outfit or Disney Son in a Pirate outfit for your next family dinner - you may encourage a Grand Gathering trip
- Make and travel with gift bags filled with affordable Disney items from the Disney Outlet Store...young children might think that Tinkerbelle or Mickey left them gifts
- Pressed Pennies...kids go into a store and often ignore “big ticket” items, opting instead to squish a penny for 51 cents...bring rolled quarters and pennies
- Give each child a disposable camera (Disney themed cameras are an affordable, fun option for them) and develop “their” photos upon returning home


As you post more ideas, I'll add them here (when I have a chance!) Remember, we're going for the most frugal way to experience WDW

 

[maxiesmom]

Stay at the Disney resorts only Sunday-Thursday nights so you don't pay the weekend night premium. And only go during Value season.

 

[Stitchfans]

I'll just post here so I can find the thread later. From our trip this past March I proved I am not good a "saving" us some money. that trip was the most expensive one yet. If it could go wrong it did as far as money goes.

 

[Terry36]

These are my ideas:

Bring boxes of cereal for breakfast.
Bring your own snacks and water.
Buy glow sticks and disney paraphanalia beforehand.

HTH

 

[Poohbear123]

These are my ideas:

Bring boxes of cereal for breakfast.
Bring your own snacks and water.
Buy glow sticks and disney paraphanalia beforehand.

HTH

Yes Dollar Stores and Walmarts are good for these items, plus Disney Shirts! Also, share a can of corn with the family on the steps of city Hall. Bring a Crock Pot, you can have dinner in the room, when you get back from the parks!

 

[LoveTwoTravel]

No park hopper
no water parks, just the main 4 parks!

 

[Not so Dumbo]

order an extra bun for your double burgers
ask for ice water
rent a stroller for a week vs. per day or better yet, bring your own.
buy soveniers from the outlet stores instead of from the parks

 

[DisFlan]

Buy an AP and go to WDW twice in a year - like 11.5 months apart. This gives you built-in hoppers, too. And some food and shopping discounts, to boot. Maybe even a good room discount - you can get just the room because you already have a ticket for the parks.

I hesitate to bring up THE big, long-term saver for WDW addicts. DVC. Ours paid for itself two trips ago. Our vacation stays are now pre-paid through 2042 - Disney hotel rooms go up every year, but not for us. We can eat (whole meals in a real kitchen) in the villas if we want to, or we can do the Dining Plan. And with an AP (used twice in a year), all we have to do is get there.

But I guess I'm thinking about saving a bit more than the cost of a few souvies or bottled water here. If you go to WDW every year or every other year, in the long run it can save you thousands.


DisFlan

 

[marypoppinswannabe]

Take advantage of the dining plan.

Don't take a credit card or any spending money into the parks until the last day. Typically, the parks all sell similar, if not the same, items. Cuts down on impulse souveneir purchases.

Take a bottle of water, can refill it at the water fountains. Take flavored drink packages to go with the water.

Bring a poncho and/or hoodie into the park. (These are items I always bring into the park, because I would be buying one if it started raining or I got cold).

Buy snack type breakfasts and eat in your room.

Definitely, plan ahead... Don't forget a hat, sunscreen, bandaids, etc... These are all small items, but can add up quickly if you have to buy them when you get there.

 

[pooh2001]

Eat at CS and do the 9:30 PM Fantasmic show.
No need for the Fantasmic package and it will be less crowded.

Take a free tour of a resort. WL offers tours about it's archeticture. Not sure about otehr resorts.

Go to DTD and window shop.

Use FP's and extra magic hours to get your money's worth out of your ticket.

Share some meals at CS. Flame Tree in AK has Smoked 1/2 Chicken served with baked beans and corn muffin - $7.99 - Share the chicken for lunch. One person eats the leg/thigh, other person eats the breast/wing.

 

[victorandbellasmom]

We're planning our 1st trip to WDW this Aug during free dining. Some of the things we're doing besides staying at a value hotel (POP) is joining a fridge swap and a photopass share. We're also on planning to order a couple cases of water from costco too.

 

[silverarrowknits]

I bring a can of soda with me to the parks and for my CS lunches I ask for a cup with ice. This saves me $2!

I save the hats I buy when I go to WDW and bring them with me on future trips. It decreases the likelihood that I will buy more hats and it makes the hats more cost effective (in my mind at least).

I also like to think about what I want to buy before I go on my trip. I make a list of everything I want and try to narrow it down before my trip. This way when I see all the temptations, I am able to ignore them since I already have a good idea of what I want to buy.

 

[jak07]

-We eat "off" property too. We can sometimes get better food off property for cheaper.

-Refillable mugs

-We stop at Target or Wal-mart (if we drive) and buy groceries so that we are not nickeled and dimed to death in the food court.

-Bring a cooler and use their ice. This will save from renting a refrigerator.

 

[LadyTrampScamp&Angel]

Many of my ideas have already been posted so I'm just subscribing . . .

 

[addicted2dizney]

Many of my ideas have already been posted so I'm just subscribing . . .

mine too! lol..

buy the 8 pack of Entemens (sp) doughnuts in the food court/store. Use them and refillable mug for coffee/hot cocoa for a few breakfasts.
I did this last year on the DDP- at that time we were able to get the 8pack for one snack credit. I was able to save my CS's for lunches/dinners. It's not allowed anymore!

 

[EMom]

You can't get the 8 pack of doughnuts for 1 snack credit anymore? Is it 2 snack credits? Could you clarify exactly what isn't allowed anymore, because we did just what you did in 2007 and if I can't do it anymore, I need to know how to change my strategy.

Thanks!

 

[pilgrimr]

I saw this mentioned before about outlet store. If you are not close to an outlet store, there is the www.disneyshoping.com outlet store. There are some good deals if you watch it. We bought disney clothes before hand which is about a 1/4 of the price at wdw.

 

[ReadingMama]

would love to hear ideas! We ate in our room every morning for breakfast and had free dining.

 

[addicted2dizney]

You can't get the 8 pack of doughnuts for 1 snack credit anymore? Is it 2 snack credits? Could you clarify exactly what isn't allowed anymore, because we did just what you did in 2007 and if I can't do it anymore, I need to know how to change my strategy.

Thanks!

If you look on the threads with information about the DDP they show updated lists of approved snacks. The doughnuts were taken off it. I have heard others on other threads confirm that as well. I think there is a price limit as well as a "serving size" limit. I'm guessing because that would feed more than one person it's not counted. I plan on paying the $3.50-$4 for the box and saving my counter services for other meals. That works best for me. I hope this helps and it's not too confusing!

 

[addicted2dizney]

Here is a link to the snacks thread!
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1683477