How do you save for Disney?

[lennyd]

I plan my trip at least 6 months in advance , and as time goes on you will see that the hotel prices will change and I will bounce to another hotel that offers a cheaper price , I stay on property so I dont have to pay for parking, i dont get a park hopper, because one park a day is more then enough parking 20 dollars a day, the savings on the hopper over the whole trip could be 300 dollars or more, you can share meals they give you more then enough for 2 adults with a adult meal, bring my own water to drink at the parks bring cereal and boxed milk for breakfast if you do these things you could save alot of money on your trip or plan your trip around the free meal program that helps.

 

[MrPTato]

• We purchased DVC, so the lodging is all set when we go.
• Amex Blue Cash Preferred, 6% back from grocery stores so I will usually purchase $100 a month in Disney giftcards from a grocery store, plus my normal groceries net me back 6% as well. 3% gas. Everything goes on this card. When I cash out right before the trip, I buy a Disney gift card with the total amount of cash back I have in my Amex account, again from the grocery store, to get the 6% back, really for the next time trip.
• Wife has Disney Visa so restaurants get put onto her card for 2%, plus was can save with the discounts in the park and get the redemption card loaded before we go with whatever is on her card for Dream Dollars.

 

[AKL_Megs]

We pay for everything on our Disney Visa, making about $500 a year. I sell DDs old clothes and toys twice a year at mom-to-mom sales (summer/winter for clothes, bday/Christmas for toy purge), and it immediately goes into the Disney fund. I occasionally purchase gift cards. I also add change or random monies into a jar towards future trips. The rest we just pay for outright.

 

[edk35]

We are DVC members so we are covered there. Paid off. Joined in 2007. We dump all our change into a bank type thing and let it pile up. A few days before we go on our trip we cash it in at our credit union. We are always SHOCKED at how much has added up. I also buy Target gift cards from Raise.com and then in turn get Disney gift cards online at Target. I use my red card to save an additional 5%. I also have a set amount biweekly as an automatic transfer to Direct ING acct. It has been renamed but I started out when it was Direct ING. Just small ways that add up to offset the trip cost.

 

[edk35]

I just went into my wallet and took out the cash I had.....which was six one dollar bills. I put them all into a container I marked for Disney and put it away in my desk drawer. I am going to start putting all my ones in there between now and Oct. If nothing else...it will be good for the snack carts for treats and drinks/tips at the airport and at resort.

 

[myrtleturtle]

I only buy things with cash and I save every $1 bill that I get in an envelope. When Kroger has 4x fuel points on gift cards, I take my singles and buy them.

 

[CapeCodTenor]

I have plastic bins on my dresser where I put my change, and if left over time can build up to a sizable amount. The last time I let the change bins sit for quite a while and wound up with over $800. So I figure I'll do that again which will hopefully pay for my resort. My wife and I both have credit cards that have enough points built to pay for the airfare. And as for the park hoppers? Not sure yet, but I am cutting down on how much I eat out each week, which is saving me money, so....

 

[scrappinginontario]

I save for dining tips by creating a 'Disney jar' about 6 months before our trip. Each night I go through my change and split it 50/50. 50% goes into the tip jar and 50% goes back in my wallet. By the time our trip arrives there is plenty there for tips. Must add that as a Canadian it adds up quicker as all of our money under $ is coins so I'm often throwing $1 and $2 coins in.