Least expensive things at Disney World.

[TXAKDisneyFan]

They're a little more expensive than the items in the above posts, but I was surprised at how affordable the cutout silhouettes are (I want to say it was like $8 per person).

 

[icicle]

You can get a side of black beans in Epcot in Mexico for $2.00. It's a decent sized portion and they have hot sauce or salsa verde you can add. I think you can get a side of sauerkraut in Germany for $2.00 as well.

 

[kathy884]

It's free to ride Disney transportation and look around resort hotels. We like to park for three hours at the Polynesian, check out the grounds there and take the monorail to the Contemporary and Grand Floridian and check out those resorts also. The Grand Floridian especially is very cool at Christmas. If the weather is nice, we like to take the little boats over to Wilderness Lodge and check out that resort property too. You can do all these things as an offsite visitor. We just tell the parking guard we are there to shop, and he give us a three hour parking pass.

 

[kathy884]

Also don't overlook spending time at your resort swimming pool and hot tub (if your resort has one), a free and very enjoyable activity for the kids. Most offsite resorts have free tennis too, although at Disney you pay for this. // And after busy theme park days we just enjoy sitting out on our balcony (almost all offsite condos have these) and visiting in Florida (we usually travel with extended family, so it's really fun to catch up) and watching some family friendly movies at our offsite condo (we usually bring a few DVDs). This may sound lame, but these are super enjoyable activities that complement busy theme park days for us and cost nothing.

 

[NH-to-FL]

Don't forget a visit to the AKL. Great theming and another chance to see some animals.

And while I might be biased a visit to the Boardwalk and the Epcot resort loop is worth considering. I love the theming of the Boardwalk.

 

[DisneyDude71]

As far as the silhouettes go if you have kids that's a great thing to get every trip to see how your child has grown! Next trip if my 16 month granddaughter can hold still long enough I plan on starting her collection!

 

[Dr.Mickey]

I love the free things you guys have mentioned.

As far as things you pay for?
Kids meals for adults at QS restaurants are a great deal for us (and a primary reason that the dining plan is a bad deal for us). And I realize this is debatable, but I find Disney clothes reasonably priced (better than name brands at the mall), and the quality is pretty good.

 

[CodeGoddess]

Smashed pennies! $.51 souviners. Can't beat that.

Seconded! This year I am going to bring them home and make some jewelry with them:

Also big fan of getting a low cost item from one of the stores and turning it into an ornament for that year. Use a sharpie and someone with good handwriting to put the date on there for you.

 

[loves to dive]

As far as the silhouettes go if you have kids that's a great thing to get every trip to see how your child has grown! Next trip if my 16 month granddaughter can hold still long enough I plan on starting her collection!

I have one of these my mother had done of me when I was about 1 at DL, I had one done at DW of my son when he was 3. They are hanging side by side on my wall, priceless.

There are free movies at all the resorts at night, you don't have to be staying there to enjoy them and some, if not all, have some sort of marshmellow roast to go with them. I'm not sure if the marshmellows are free or not.

 

[GreatLakes]

The Behind the Seeds tour of the Land pavilion in Epcot is only $20 per adult and $16 per child and a lot of fun. Not as cheap but still a great value is the Dine with Animal Specialists at Sanaa. I believe it was $50 when we did it in June but for the amount of time you get with the specialist along with the tasting you get to enjoy I think it is totally worth the money.

 

[pampam]

I'm pretty sure when you go to the Ghirardelli shop at DTD, you still get a free square of chocolate just for going in! Who doesn't like free chocolate?

I made the mistake of trying to get the chocolate at the ice cream shop. Didn't work. Make sure you go to the candy shop entrance near WoD.

 

[leebee]

I have a cutting board that I LOVE! It's flexible and has brightly-colored Mickey heads all over it- lime, orange, yellow, red, pink, blue. The only place I can find them is at the Disney store at Downtown Disney/Springs. $4.99 plus tax, and it lays flat in the bottom or your suitcase so you can easily get it home! I've gone through two of them, and will pick up a couple more in November!

 

[Indio]

The antenna toppers are cheap - around $4. I've had a bunch of them - notice I said HAD - they've all managed to disappear off my antenna!

 

[wilkeliza]

Seconded! This year I am going to bring them home and make some jewelry with them:

I did something similar with some of my pressed quarters. Epbot has a great tutorial about how to turn pressed pennies and coins into jewelry. Mine was a Tower of Terror quarter turned into a leather cuff.

 

[Simba's Mom]

Specifically at AKL, there are 2 free tours, one of Boma and Jiko, the other at Sanaa. At the end of both tours they give you (or at least did when I went on them in the last couple years) a free appetizer at the end. At Sanaa it's the bread service, and since I was the only one on the tour, I had the bread service for dinner with a drink. Another inexpensive souvenier at some DVC resorts is the ceramics class in the community hall. At AKV-Jambo, I made my own coffee mug that I use regularly

.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

Also don't overlook spending time at your resort swimming pool and hot tub (if your resort has one), a free and very enjoyable activity for the kids. .

These aren't free, they are included. (I could say the same of many other items listed in this thread)

That is an important distinction because the WDW resort pools are only for registered guests of that hotel, not just anyone who wants to swim.

Funny thing is, we've been at (non-WDW) hotels where non-guests snuck in to use the pool.(I-Drive) We also stayed at a non-WDW hotel this summer that allowed non-guest locals- to use the hotel pool for a small fee.

Some WDW pools are now guest card-access only. I've also seen CM's checking guests. the bands make it easy to do a quick look-see.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

My other thought was to say semi-jokingly - the less expensive option for us was to think beyond WDW/MCO. I originally came to the DIS to find less $ ways to visit WDW/Orlando, so in the most positive spirit, here are a few vacation options we now enjoy:

1. Instead of MCO try TPA or even another airport further away. You'll need transportation, but we always get a rental car.

2. Another little known spring option is one-way car rentals. You fly into FL, then drive home- or at least outside of FL, for a fraction of the normal price. Typically offered in spring after Easter. You have to shop around a bit among the airlines for decent one-way fares. It is a budget way to visit beyond the mouse.

3. Instead of fake BC beaches, you can enjoy the real deal for a pittance. The Atlantic side beaches have big waves, the Gulf side has amazing shells. National and FL state parks are all but free to visit! Plus amazing food, for far less than WDW.

4. Spend just arrival or your last night offsite. Easy way to save at least $100!

 

[disneyseniors]

We've had a lot of talk about high prices lately so it got me to wondering.....what are some of the things with the lowest prices at Disney World?

Food, merchandise, etc. Name your cheap finds!

Thanks for this thread; I've gotten some great ideas already

I would add to check out the cute key chains. Some of them make awesome ornaments, and are cheaper than the regular ornaments.

 

[missmaryl]

Yes, thanks for the thread. It's easy to focus on the expense of a DW vacation, but we all must see some value in it, or why do it. I'm so excited about our upcoming trip, DW at Christmastime! The decorations, the walk down mainstreet, I feel like a kid when I think about it all. Yes, we pay a fee to get into the park, but, sorry, I still think it is worth it. And Disney still gives me a LOT of value for my money! Parades, fireworks, shows and rides, more than I will be able to do! But I'll have fun trying!

 

[chelynnah]

Seconded! This year I am going to bring them home and make some jewelry with them:

Also big fan of getting a low cost item from one of the stores and turning it into an ornament for that year. Use a sharpie and someone with good handwriting to put the date on there for you.

Hmmm I might have a new 'thing' to collect now. Will have to figure out where to get a stash of pennies