How do you save money while at WDW?

[PrincessNancy96]

Another cost effective thing to do.. is buy the cheap rain ponchos at the dollar tree.. We have a family of 5... I buy 9 packages (2 per package) and we can toss them if we need too.. I bring a plastic grocery bag to put them in and hang them up when we return to our hotel to dry out.. Haven't had any issues...
We share meals...my kids would rather adventure than eat on vacation.
When we stay in a pool home, we eat there for breakfast and some dinners... we bring water from home to the parks.
Usually about a month before our trip I hit the dollar store for notepads/crayons/stickers; water flavors, snacks and ship them down to the resort/or to friends in the area who bring them to the off-site destination for us...
ETA: a small first aid kit to put in your backpack is great... We used it several times as DS8 tends to turn around just as he is about to go up a curb...
Also: A misting fan can be bought at walmart for much cheaper than the park. I think at the park last year we spent $16.00 on one... found them at walmart later that day for $5.00. We still use ours from last year routinely. My kids take it to their sporting events and are the cool kids w/ a mister!

 

[jmkford4]

I have a Disney box as well!

CVS, if you have one, is a great place to get some summer stuff now for the parks. They have misters, flexible fans, collapsible coolers, and large sun umbrellas with spf50. Mine attaches to my stroller with a clamp and covers both the boys in the double tandem stroller. Much cheaper than a ray shade. The flexi clip on fans are $5.99. Plus, if your trip isn't very soon, wait for the clearance. It will be great!

We got in on free dining, but we still need breakfast. A friend of mine suggested using snack credits for breakfast foods. My idea is that I am packing a large suitcase with food, all non-perishable. Instant oatmeal, fruit snacks, coffee, dried fruit, granola bars, pop tarts, and possibly some muffins. Then it will be our souvenir case on the way back.

I haven't decided on the resort mugs yet.

 

[Epcot4Me]

Great tips!

I think staying offsite is such a great way to save money, though I hate to do it as well. A lot of times, if we are arriving late at night, we'll spend the first night in an offsite hotel and then check in to the WDW hotel bright and early.

Also, when we eat counter service, we always get our sandwiches or burgers with no fries. It's not on the menu that way, but you can save a bit by not having the side item added on.

We also set up our ADR's for a very late breakfast buffet, last possible time. It's cheaper than the lunch prices and we love breakfast food anyway

 

[njmom47]

Groceries delivered to our room (CBR w/fridge); ate breakfast in
the room; brought bottled water into the parks along with snacks
and sandwiches for lunch (although DH usually bought lunch in the
park, a pbj sandwich wasn't enough for him!); no souveniers (my
kids are all teenagers, they didn't really ask for any); purchased
2 mugs and took turns if someone wanted to walk down to get
a drink (yes, we washed them out!! and it was really mostly for DH to
get coffee in the AM and the kids mostly drank water and gatorade
but in case they wanted soda or iced tea they could get it)...
I guess our trips were a bit different because we were there for sports (cheering and baseball) so it wasn't as if it was a total Disney trip.
That's why we need to go back - so it can be ALL Disney!

 

[bburgs]

We did the backpack with snacks and water...really saved quite a bit over the week.

The other successful thing was to put our two girls, ages 9 and 6, on a budget and let them know they could have X amount of dollars per day. If they spent it all the first day, they wouldn't have any until tomorrow. If they saved some (or all), they would have double the next day, etc.

This allowed us to budget for souvenirs and "blow money" easily and also helped teach the kids about budgeting, saving, spending, value, etc.

They actually ended up with money left over at the end of the week.

 

[mouserus]

Not that this saves a lot of money but I usually start buying Disney gift cards as soon as I book my trip. Say a $100.00 here or there throughout a few months adds up. That way when we are ready to leave I feel like I have some things prepaid already. Hope this helps, have a great time!

 

[Mufasa&Simba]

On our last trip in Sept. we:

-brought along our own cereal/oatmeal packets and ate breakfast in the room.

-split meals; it was cheaper this way and the portions are HUGE. I, personally, have a very light appetite.

-bought a fresh bottle of water each in the giftshop at our resort every morning (or just about) and then refilled them in the parks at the Bubblers (I'm from Milwaukee, so yes I call them "Bubblers"!! AKA drinking fountains) They weren't exactly cold, but better than nothing. I discovered that at all the parks when I refilled my water bottles- the coldest one was in Future World EPCOT- on a path between The Land and The Seas with Nemo and friends!

-Except for food and drink (and a little notebook my dad wanted so he could write about the trip, and tips) we didn't spend money on ANYTHING until our last night when we went to DTD and shopped at World of Disney. So, we knew exactly what we wanted for souvenirs. I found a cute tote bag for 50% off! Oh, and my dad's haircut at Harmony Barber Shop. We're not big on souvenirs... to me, just being there and having pictures for the memories is enough for me.

That's all I can think of now.

 

[Maryland_Mommy]

I always get a photopass when I go to the parks. Did you know if you hand your camera to the CM, they will take a picture with your camera also? Just hand them your photopass and your camera. The pictures are almost identical. I send my password to my family back home - they can see pictures of us everyday and I got great shots of the family in front of Cinderella's castle, the Tower of Terror, the Tree of Life, etc. with my camera!

 

[MichelleVW]

-bought a fresh bottle of water each in the giftshop at our resort every morning (or just about) and then refilled them in the parks at the Bubblers (I'm from Milwaukee, so yes I call them "Bubblers"!! AKA drinking fountains) They weren't exactly cold, but better than nothing. I discovered that at all the parks when I refilled my water bottles- the coldest one was in Future World EPCOT- on a path between The Land and The Seas with Nemo and friends!
.

You can ask for ice water at the food stands for free! Cold and way better than the nasty stuff from the fountains. We do that and pour it into our empty bottles.

 

[Mufasa&Simba]

You can ask for ice water at the food stands for free! Cold and way better than the nasty stuff from the fountains. We do that and pour it into our empty bottles.

Yes, I know! I knew about that before we went, but we stilll did the drinking fountains.... I don't remember that water being that bad though actually. Next time we'll have to try it though.

 

[MichelleVW]

Yes, I know! I knew about that before we went, but we stilll did the drinking fountains.... I don't remember that water being that bad though actually. Next time we'll have to try it though.

When we get it from the fountain we add crystal lite to the water. It's the only way we can drink it.

It's a big money saver for sure because soda is expensive, plus I don't want to drink syrupy soda when it's hot.

 

[DVC Erik]

I always eat most breakfast in the room, buy water, juice, beer, mixed drinks offsite if you can. Thats a few that pop into my head that save me tons.

 

[Loves The Mouse]

Hi I'm new here. I have been a lurker for a while. I just love Dis. Great tips on how to save money. But I was wondering do the filter bottles help with the taste of the Florida water ? And does the little flavor packs that you put in water bottles help make Florida water drinkable ? Florida water is gross!!!!
My skin even smells after a week of showering with it !! Thanks Dee

 

[Dawnand4kids]

wow where do I start?
My family is so cheap, but, if it wasn;t for saving the money, we would never be able to go!! My sister put me in charge for her honeymoon, I am under 950.00 so far!!
So tips:
Target- shop there before leaving for Disney, they always have Disney stuff!
Go see the free stuff- chip and dales sing a long, movie at the pool, dance party, electric water parade, fountains at dtd.
Eat breakfast in the room- bring drinks, granola bars, fruit, cereal, bowls, spoons, oatmeal, trail mix , pop tarts,ect
Bring drink mix tot he park, buy one bottle of water and add the pack mix in, then just fill bottle in water fountain. The packs are tiny enough to fit into a fanny pack!!
If you eat at counter service places and your kid don;t eat a lot, ask for just the entree, you save like a buck by not getting the mickey shaped plate!
Get a double cheeseburger, ask for another bun, they only charge liek 85 cents now, and you split the meal!!
Buy your rain ponchos before you leave! They are very expensive int he park!
If you do wash while at the hotel, bring those new purex sheets!
Go online to disney outlet.com..they have tee's right now as low as 2.99!!!
If you are a pin collecter go to ebay, they have them as low as a buck a piece if bought in bulk!!
If you have the money in dtd, go to once upon a toy, buy a mr potato head, but dont get the potato, fill the box with parts, then on Halloween, use the parts to decorate smaller pumpkins!No cutting them, and they last longer!
Go to the dollar store for glo stuff! They are super expensive in the parks, don't let your kid feel left out!! We always pay it foward, and bring more than we use and give them away!
Don't waste money buying those stupid hats, we let the kids put them on and take silly pics of them!!
This is a tip i have heard many times, bath your child right before bedtime, and dress them in there outfit for the next day, the kids are all ready when ya wake them up, brush there teeth, and hair, and there out the door!!
Pack some snacks to take to the park, cinch bags are the best! Bring sm chips, granola bars, crackers, fruit snacks!!
If you rent a stroller, tie a bandana on the handle to be able to spot your stroller easier!!
If you collect the pressed pennies, bring the pennies in a m&m tube
If its your birthday or anniversary be sure to stop and get a pin, the staff will pay extra attention to you!

Thats about all I can think of at the moment!!
Have fun relax!!

 

[Peanut&Piglet'sMom]

This is a tip i have heard many times, bath your child right before bedtime, and dress them in there outfit for the next day, the kids are all ready when ya wake them up, brush there teeth, and hair, and there out the door!!

I'd love to do this for the night before we have an early breakfast ADR at the castle....but my DH would think I've completely lost it!

 

[Goopy]

Obviously bringing some snacks in helps but a nice trick we have picked up is freeze about 4 of 5 bottles of water solid the night before and then during the day while you see everyone filling up there bottles and downing some cool/warm water you call pull our your bottle of ice and enjoy a nice ice cold bottle of water, then when you finish just top it off at a fountain and it will stay cold most of the day.