Let's start a list on how to do Disney cheaper, better, etc.

[Bete]

I would love to get hints from all the savy, Disney fans on how to get more out of your Disney/Orlando vacation. Give us your best, unknown secrets. It can be a tip on how to save money, or what's your best place to eat at Disney and why, or a great place for a photo opportunity at Disney, or your favorite place to catch a Disney character, or whatever........ Give us your best tip. The more tips the better. Let's make this the longest and best list ever!

My favorite is taking a pic at the Disney Winter Wonderland miniature golf course on one of the holes you like best and using it as a Christmas card. Also, I love all the tours you can take for a behind the scene look at Disney. If you can afford two trips or more in the same year, I strongly recommend getting an annual pass. The discounts available on the resorts are great and you can get other discounts too. My annual pass paid for itself this year with the discounts I was able to get for rooms and tours.

 

[Humpbacks1962]

OK, here's my two cents:

Before you book with a travel agency, do your research. Itemize your expenses, compare the offers and total cost of booking on your own. Book your trip on value season dates or other days covered by a discount code.

Reward children with Disney money throughout the year. It forces them to save that money for the parks.

Open a vacation club account or set an amount to be directly deposited into this vacation fund every time you get paid. If you don't even see than money, you plan aound it and may not miss it as much.

Save your pocket change for your trip.

Wanda

 

[CarolAnnC]

We have a Disney Tips Board here on the DIS where this would be better suited than our Attractions Board. I shall move it over for you.

 

[jaletu2000]

I love this post! Always looking for a bargain somehow. My tip is to share as many meals and/or treats with your spouse as possible. You want to enjoy all that WDW has to offer foodwise. Sharing makes it easier, you don't get as full (some of those meals are awesome!), and you save money. Just split something down the middle.
Jaletu

 

[fostrmom2mny]

Here is a link to a review about a place in Epcot where you can actually drink for free. (soft drinks) This is one way that it can help to save a few bucks.

Edited by moderator; per DIS guideline rules, no referrals are allowed. Thanks!

The lady that wrote this is a CM at WDW.

By the way, I joined the Epinions site in 2000. This is one way that I have earned, then saved some $$ for my WDW trip. It also has helped me become a smarter consumer by having the benifit of other everyday people's opinion of products, servises and destinations.

 

[Ms. WDW]

Food has always been a "BIG" expense for us.

I'm in a 1 BR Villa at the Boardwalk so I can stock up on snacks and sandwich items if needed. We're not big on breakfast.

One of the things that my friend and I are trying this year is less "sit down type" meals. My friend and our two boys will be in WDW for 11 days. I have PS for only 7 restaurants and 2 of those are for breakfast and the other 5 dinner. We usually alternate picking up the checks since most of the restaurants have similiar priced items.

We're going to give the counter restaurants a try and see if 1) we like the food and 2) see if we can save a few bucks! I mean last year on the average, a sit down meal for the 4 of us was in the neighborhood of $60-70. The meal at Ohana's was over $100.

Maybe it'll work and maybe it won't! But I'll give it a shot!

 

[BevS97]

Ice Station Cool (the place with the free drinks) is great for cooling off, but the drinks are disgusting... Don't think you are going to refresh yourself with a free drink. When we were in there, noone had more than a sip of anything before spitting it out.

If you want a character meal that's a bit cheaper, then you can do the Ice Cream Social at the Garden Grill. It's about $8 and you get a massive ice-cream, and chip/date/mickey and goofy come by to visit.

Bev

 

[raytheyounger]

My tip: Remember that lunch is usually less expensive than dinner.

jaletu2000

I totally agree with you. After my last trip, I decided that splitting meals was a good idea. Do you just ask for an extra plate? Do they frown on this?


fostrmom2mny

I grew up in Harrah, OK. Nice to see someone from my neck of the woods.

 

[Mom+4]

The best tip I can give is one I learned on these boards before our first trip last year. Divide your food money in envelopes marked with each day's date and take ONLY the envelope which corresponds to the correct day. We budgeted $100 per day for a family of 6 last summer, and actually had money left over almost every night. With the extra cash we splurged on Chef Mickey's for breakfast the last day! It was awesome!

I also separated the kids money into envelopes for each child so there was no whining about who got what.

 

[JAYNED]

We never do PS but we eat lots - go to "all you can eat" restaurants

Ponderosa is a brilliant restaurant - good value for money lots of food and "Nice" - cost about $40 for 4 (Me DH DD and DS) and the kids like it too

Also if you have a large lunch somewhere the kids will also love going somewhere like McDonalds or Burgerking because thats what kids like and also costs next to nothing. You could always have a light supper later!!

KFC is good value - $30

Pizzahut is good value - $40 dollars for 2 extra large pizzas

Anyway thats it.

Most of all have fun

 

[Disneydays]

In regard to food: Its my understanding that Disney does not at all frown upon splitting of meals....this probably does vary by restaurant...but from my research...it does appear to be a "standard practice" by many......also....adults can order off the children's menu at most restaurants....with the exception of buffets.

Buy all of your film at home....much less expensive than purchasing it at WDW.

Take drink containers into the parks.....frozen bottles of water...or empty containers into which you have added a dry pre-mixed drink powder...ice tea...kool-aid...whatever...and then fill with water from the water fountains.

Take small snack items....granola...peanut butter crackers...whatever you like into the parks....and munch to your heart's content.

To save refrigerator rental costs.....pick up a styrofoam cooler and pack with ice from the hotel....

Great thread!!!!...........Keep those ideas comin'!!!!!!!

inkbounc

 

[jaletu2000]

raytheyounger -

Sorry for the delay - wouldn't let me post! I also don't think WDW minds you splitting meals. From what I've learned on these boards they willingly give you an extra plate. This is going to save our family a lot when we go next time. Also the tip about lunch instead of dinner is a great idea.

 

[Shelly S]

If you live near a Disney Store, buy $10 or $20 disney dollars each week. Also give to family members for holidays etc. Since our trip last august, we have aquired almost $900 this way and will use it this Sept.

If you find a great pair of walking shoes you just love, buy an extra pair. That way you will know they feel great and won't have to go around looking for them before your trip only to find out the store doesn't have your size or that they were discontinued.

Happy planning!

Shelly

 

[LiLPrincess]

Frequent flyer miles!

I took a few business trips last year and opened a frequent flyer account. I seldom travel and really didn't expect that I would ever have enough miles for a ticket, but I signed up anyway. I was surprised to later learn that there are lots of ways to add miles without actually flying. I almost have enough miles for 2 tickets and hope to have enough points by our next trip to cover air fare for all of us.

 

[Susabella]

We saved a lot on drinks by carrying the Brita water bottles. We each had one. I filled them with ice and a little water in the morning, and as they were emptied, either added water from water fountains or requested cups of ice when ordering meals. I also found mesh holders with a shoulder strap at our grocery store for carrying them in.

Also, eating breakfast in the room saved time and money. We brought cereal, pop-tarts, etc. Also had a hot pot which was great for making instant oatmeal, and instant coffee or cocoa.

Take advantage of the refillable mugs.

Bring rolls of pennies and quarters (film cans are good for carrying them) if your kids like those pressed penny machines.

Get a waist pack for each of your kids so they can carry their wallets (if old enough), kleenex, sunglasses, disposable camera, whatever. (Less stuff to have to carry in your own pack!)

Last year when we went, each child (then 7 & 10) was responsible for their own souvenir money. I matched whatever they had been able to save during the trip. I think they were more judicious about their selections, knowing it was their own money they were spending.

If you have a Toys R Us credit card and put your hotel bill and tickets on that, that will go a long way in earning those cashback coupons which certainly come in handy at holiday time. Just make sure you pay the credit card bill in full to avoid finance charges!

I'm sure I can come up with some more, but this is getting long!

 

[Loan]

We stopped at Publix and bought groceries for our stay.
6-3 through 6-9. The grocery bill for my family of 4 and my sister and nephew was 150.00. We bought milk, cereal, chips, granola bars, lunchmeat,fried chicken,lots of water, etc. We ended up only spending about 150.00 total for us 4 the whole time on other food and snacks and that included a character breakfast at AK that was 60.00. We do have a weakness for those turkey legs, but we would buy 2 and share them. We did share most things like snacks to tide us over till we got back the room to eat. Everyone had their own fanny pack and water bottles. We rarely had to buy a drink in the parks, especially since we had breaks at mid-day each day. Sandwiches did become tiresome, but we did not go to Disney for cuisine. (We save that for New Orleans!) I had a zippered money bag with our plane tickets etc. in it and 4 bundles of envelopes. Each bundle was marked
with the date and DS and DD names. We had an envelope each day also and there was one for "mousekeeping". Each night before bed I repacked fanny packs, put in envelopes and in the morning we were ready to go! I put the housekeeping envelopes on the mirror. My kids were very good at budgeting, because when that days money was gone, they were done till the next day. I am proud to say that my family of 4 stayed at ASMu for 6 nights, had 4 day hoppers, airfare, rental car and spending money for a total of $2800.00! (kids had 200.00 each of their own money that I separated into the envelopes. I forced daily budgeting, but not what they purchased)
We came home with a ton of nice stuff, had a fantastic time, and did not feel deprived at all! We decided on the plane ride home we are going back in 2002. We will save further money by just the 4 of us driving down, so that will save on plane tickets and the rental car. My 9 year old DD wanted to know if she could get a job to help save! Have fun everyone !

 

[adamak]

My money-saving tip is to schedule 1-2+ off days in between your park days. You will be tired anyways. Schedule a late buffet breakfast on these days, sit back and relax in the hotel pool. There are plenty to do for free (e.g. Boardwalk), yet you still feel you're in Disney. And the best part is you know you're going back to the park after the off days.

 

[jaletu2000]

Loan,

How did you store that food? Did you rent the frige or did you use a styrofoam cooler with ice? Is ice available readily for room use at all the resorts? I think I read it was but not sure. I really like the envelope budgeting! I've read it in several posts and I believe it would make spending for a long stay easier to manage.

Adamak's tip is key. We're on vacation so we should rest and not just go commando to the parks.

One thing I could add if you're staying on site is taking advantage of those early entry days - not just using them but being aware of which day may be the most crowded in the afternoon because of EE. Make other plans for your afternoons - swimming, another park, site-seeing, etc. Don't forget Downtown Disney and the Boardwalk!

 

[Loan]

We did have a refrigerator that was 10.00 per day, but we split that with my sister. Even so, it was worth it. A cheap styrofoam cooler would have worked just fine too.
There was always plenty of ice in the machine, but as far as we could see, there was only one per building. I thinhk there should be one per floor. The kids would go down and fill each ice bucket in the morning and at night for drinks.

 

[wendyww]

Hi everyone I read somewhere that you should make your dinner ressies at 4:00 pm that way you still get the lunch prices. Thats if you don't mind having dinner that early. Has anyone done this?