Magic on a Budget?

[Jaina]

Our 3 kids have been raised on a steady diet of all things Disney (including lots of old Disney cartoons) and we've been talking up Disneyland since they were tiny. Life hasn't gone quite how we thought, and we can't afford it as easily as we thought we'd be able to, but we're still going to try to go the very end of February. (Thanks, tax return!) We haven't said anything, and probably won't until soon before in case the trip falls through.
That being said, we're going to try really hard to make it, and it will probably be at least 3 years before we can afford another trip, at which point they'll be at completely different ages. (They'll be 6.5, 5, and nearly 3 when we go) What are some good ideas for making it a magical trip for them, even though we can't afford things like staying onsite, character meals, (we'll probably only eat in-park once a day to save money) or fancy souvenirs?
A few specific questions:
Can they get a first-time-visit button? Is that at the town hall? Is that special at all, or not worth our time?
I'm confused about the early entry (we'll have 3-day hoppers) vs. EMH. I mostly want to avoid bad experiences, which would include saving much of Fantasyland for our EE and then having it be super crowded. Can someone advise me on the best way to have some short lines? (We'll be going Wed-Thurs-Fri)
How do I find specific princesses? I have never been into princesses (or characters in general) but my girls definitely are, and my oldest DD is obsessed with Aurora... When is a good time for that?
My DH's only must-do is WOC. Any good kid-specific tips for that one? It kind of stresses me out just thinking about it...
We'll have to do child swap quite a bit with the almost-3-year-old. Having never really been at Disneyland with kids young enough for that, that's stressing me a bit too. Is it simple, or can it get complicated?

I've already gotten several souvenirs (including some cute fleece hoodies, since it may be cold while we're there!) at the Disney Store outlet, and plan to have "Mickey" leave something at the room (wherever we find to stay) for them each day. I just want to make sure it's a good experience, and they have some little bits of magic here and there, so they can live on the memories until we can afford another trip!

Any more ideas to make our first family vacation (with all 5 of us) a good experience?

 

[Geemo]

Our 3 kids have been raised on a steady diet of all things Disney (including lots of old Disney cartoons) and we've been talking up Disneyland since they were tiny. Life hasn't gone quite how we thought, and we can't afford it as easily as we thought we'd be able to, but we're still going to try to go the very end of February. (Thanks, tax return!) We haven't said anything, and probably won't until soon before in case the trip falls through.
That being said, we're going to try really hard to make it, and it will probably be at least 3 years before we can afford another trip, at which point they'll be at completely different ages. (They'll be 6.5, 5, and nearly 3 when we go) What are some good ideas for making it a magical trip for them, even though we can't afford things like staying onsite, character meals, (we'll probably only eat in-park once a day to save money) or fancy souvenirs?
A few specific questions:
Can they get a first-time-visit button? Is that at the town hall? Is that special at all, or not worth our time?
I'm confused about the early entry (we'll have 3-day hoppers) vs. EMH. I mostly want to avoid bad experiences, which would include saving much of Fantasyland for our EE and then having it be super crowded. Can someone advise me on the best way to have some short lines? (We'll be going Wed-Thurs-Fri)
How do I find specific princesses? I have never been into princesses (or characters in general) but my girls definitely are, and my oldest DD is obsessed with Aurora... When is a good time for that?
My DH's only must-do is WOC. Any good kid-specific tips for that one? It kind of stresses me out just thinking about it...
We'll have to do child swap quite a bit with the almost-3-year-old. Having never really been at Disneyland with kids young enough for that, that's stressing me a bit too. Is it simple, or can it get complicated?

I've already gotten several souvenirs (including some cute fleece hoodies, since it may be cold while we're there!) at the Disney Store outlet, and plan to have "Mickey" leave something at the room (wherever we find to stay) for them each day. I just want to make sure it's a good experience, and they have some little bits of magic here and there, so they can live on the memories until we can afford another trip!

First off if you don't have a place to stay, find one and make your reservations. We have found the cost go up the closer it is to your travel dates. Many places do not require any money to hold the room.

First time buttons are fun for the kids and they are free! We got our when we checked in to the hotel, we were staying on-site.

The best place for ALL the princesses is a meal (reservations) at Ariel's Grotto. Otherwise the various princesses can be found around the castle on the walkways along the water. For times as a CM...

WOC My recommendation is to see it the first time it's offered during your trip. For the timing and wait..... Our group had a few stay in the holding line while one adult kept the kids entertained do a ride or what ever. Small kids aren't know for waiting in the WOC pre-line.

With a three day hopper your only day for getting in 1hr early to Disneyland is Thursday.

Good luck

Geemo

 

[scoker]

It sounds like you've already put a lot of thought into some inexpensive magic Buying souvenirs ahead of time is a great idea. Do you already have hotel reservations? Try to get somewhere that has breakfast. I would think even the most basic hotel breakfast would satisfy most small kids.

Don't pay for drinks in the park. Ask for ice water in a cup from any counter service restaurant. If your family isn't big water drinkers (like mine) bring a little bottle of Mio or store brand drink mix with you. Definitely bring your own snacks too.

You can get the first visit buttons from town hall and it only takes a couple minutes. Cast Members will make your kids feel special when they see the buttons.

You will get a magic morning with your 3 day park hoppers. You can use it only at Disneyland. With the current schedule you would use it on Thursday. It is possible to get a lot done in Fantasyland during that hour if you line up a little before the Magic Morning starts.

There is a great thread by Hydroguy about WOC. Don't stress about it just plan to see it the first night you can in case of cancellation due to weather. I've seen it a few times and never had the "perfect spot" and had a small child with me and still enjoyed it immensely. Get your kids some cheap glow sticks from target or the party store before you go. They will be a big hit for a few dollars and keep them occupied during any pre-show waiting you might do.

If you do wind up with any extra money in the budget and can splurge for a character meal Minnie's breakfast at the Plaza Inn is the most affordable. You can get a fairly late reservation and treat it as Brunch. I think adults are $23 and kids $12. We have really enjoyed it there and got to see lots of characters. I'm sure you don't want to do separate things but you could always send Dad off to do some intense grown up rides while you take the kids to save some money.

As far as finding specific princesses I'm not sure but I think you can ask at City Hall who is going to be where when during the day.

 

[nikkislaght]

Hope you all have a fantastic time..

We stay off site in a suite with a kitchen.. so when we arrive the first thing we do is hit Von's (Safeway) and get stuff for breakfast, and meals and snacks...

Also the month before our trip every grocery shopping trip, I will add an extra snack or two to my cart .

I go to Michael's, Target and The Dollar store and buy Disney stuff and take them with us and give the kids at different times of the trip. The dollar store has magic towels that the kids just love....

Food that we take into the park with us.....
Tuna salad , with cracker packs....
string cheese.
beef jerky.
chips and dips..
dried fruits and nuts.
and some kind of candy..

We take reusable water bottles , fill half way with water and freeze to take into the park with us... we also take the individual packs of crystal lite ..
The meals are large so you can share, I get the kids meal at the Cocina Cucamonga at C/A they serve the meal in a Mickey head shaped plate that you can take home... and its more than enough for an adult.



You can get a first time button at city hall. or most of the stores in D/L or C/A.
I feel it is worth it,, its fun, and they will have it forever.. and free..

Feb shouldnt be to busy. I would use your EE sooner into your trip rather than later. as you may be too tired to use it later....

The princess I cant really help you with ,
WOC by the time we got to see that, my son 6 at the time was well and truly over being at Disneyland and we left before the end of the show.. there is no were to sit , so be prepared to hold your kids.?? on shoulders for them to see... get your fastpass ticket for the shows early at the Grizzly River Run ride....

photopass photographers.. most of the time they are more than happy to take a photo with your camera ,so make sure you have it ready for them...

Again hope you have a great time..

 

[jordansmomma]

If I were you, I go after the end of Feb. There is a cheer comp thing and everything seem to be more expensive this week/end.
For the PFF get there early, like before they open early and wait in line. Because after they open at 9 AM, it can be up to a 60 minute wait.

 

[Geemo]

WOC by the time we got to see that, my son 6 at the time was well and truly over being at Disneyland and we left before the end of the show.. there is no were to sit , so be prepared to hold your kids.?? on shoulders for them to see... get your fastpass ticket for the shows early at the Grizzly River Run ride....

I have read and heard CM/Disney discourage parents from having children on shoulders during the program. With planning, we have always been able to find a place for the kids to see, without being on shoulders. It's not only a safety issue but courtesy for others behind you.

Geemo

 

[AmericanItGirl]

Ask for times for Aurora at City Hall when you pick up the First Time pins (since they can immediately call the people in charge of the schedules for the day). And, yes, get the pins because it's at least a "free" souvenir and take no more than a few seconds to get.

If you do eat in-park, remember that most adult meals can be split between two people with small-ish appetites (my mom and I almost always split a meal, one great meal to split between two-three kids is the grilled cheese-soup combo at the Jolly Holiday Cafe).

For waiting for the WOC, that's the best time to eat a meal, imo, since you'll be stuck waiting in one spot (and if you feel like splurging, you can get the $16 WOC picnic meals that come with a viewing pass). I recommend bringing activity books for the kids and glow sticks (you can usually get a container of them for $1 at Target or Michael's), since both will probably keep your kids busy (and awake) while you wait.

 

[lovebug33]

Please don't put your child on your shoulders. My best friend's dad had her son on his shoulders. He tripped, the boy fell and hit his head, and had a concussion. Thank God no brain damage, but it's just so scary. Don't do it! TO save money, DH and I always get one meal and share it. We bring lunch into the park and water. That saves a lot of money!

 

[RedRosie]

Target and Dollar Store/Tree have some things that can be souvenirs. If you want something from the park, tell the kids they can have one thing on the last day and keep their eyes open during the days you are there. It will help them to be more selective.

We always bring a gallon-size baggie with a few paper plates so we can split dinner meals. We also bring in food, lunchables, drink-mix envelopes (usually $1 for 10 at Target), so we don't buy much food in the park. I used to bring in bottled water, but you can get a free cup of water at counter service food places.

I highly recommend the Creative DISigns section of the DIS. There are wonderful people there that have amazing creations and can add your children's names to almost anything. I print the art on shipping labels and put them on baggies for snacks. It makes the crackers much more exciting when it has a picture of Aurora and your daughter's name on it! I also made personalized note paper with the artwork and simple lines, and bookmarks (so many options!). And it is very easy to print the designs on iron-on transfer paper and iron on the T-shirts. Michael's has solid color shirt (lots of colors) for about $3 each.

Have a wonderful time!!

 

[KCmike]

Your family is adorable. I hope you have the best of vacations! Take many pictures. I mean it! They grow up so fast and we have such fond memories of our kids through the years. We take pictures of each other in the same spots when we get back to Disneyland/Disneyworld and they are such keepsakes and most of the time better than the actual souvenirs we get while we're there. It becomes second nature to get a shot with us all in front of one spot or another. Treasure these moments and your first family vacation.

1st visit buttons are available at City Hall. There are other buttons you can get for free as well.

You can get a "fake" drivers license when you ride in the Autotopia cars.

I think you can get a free Jungle cruise map if you ask a CM.

I think you can get a certificate if you ride in the wheel house of the Mark Twain too.

Where are you staying when you go?

 

[sasywtch]

since you are in AZ, I assume you are driving.
We stayed at the Anaheim Plaza for 59 a night. It's a block away, very short walk. (if you look at a DL/DCA map, it's across from the Tower of Terror).

The room was very large.

Ice chest. We packed milk, juice, 2 liter of soda for the room. Took cereal, oatmeal (can't bring fruit across the state line) but we take bananas for breakfast. (don't forget bowls, a few plates, knife, spoons etc) Lunch meat for sandwiches at lunch time. One year we went early at rope drop at 7am, went back to the room at 11:30, ate lunch, rested and went back, ate at a counter service for dinner.

As previous posters mentioned, we always take a water bottle in and refill.

One trick a friend did, they make rice krispee treats in the shape of a Mickey Head, dipped in chocolate (the ears) and put them in plastic for when the kids wanted a treat. The next day, she had chocolate chip cookies from home. Our biggest problem is the treats all over the park so that's a big saver for us.

I use to take a tupperware (I had a bigger purse) full of trail mix or goldfish for the hunger pain whines of waiting in line for a ride.

I think your kids won't know the difference of a budget Disney vacation vs a big one. It will probably be the adults that will feel the pang of a discount vacation. (guilt that you should buy more for the kids?).

 

[Jaina]

First off if you don't have a place to stay, find one and make your reservations. We have found the cost go up the closer it is to your travel dates. Many places do not require any money to hold the room.

Thanks. I hadn't been looking at getting a reservation yet since we're not sure. I'm going to take care of that today though, because our options are already limited, it seems...

Do you already have hotel reservations? Try to get somewhere that has breakfast. I would think even the most basic hotel breakfast would satisfy most small kids.

Don't pay for drinks in the park. Ask for ice water in a cup from any counter service restaurant. If your family isn't big water drinkers (like mine) bring a little bottle of Mio or store brand drink mix with you. Definitely bring your own snacks too.

You will get a magic morning with your 3 day park hoppers. You can use it only at Disneyland. With the current schedule you would use it on Thursday. It is possible to get a lot done in Fantasyland during that hour if you line up a little before the Magic Morning starts.

If you do wind up with any extra money in the budget and can splurge for a character meal Minnie's breakfast at the Plaza Inn is the most affordable. You can get a fairly late reservation and treat it as Brunch. I think adults are $23 and kids $12. We have really enjoyed it there and got to see lots of characters. I'm sure you don't want to do separate things but you could always send Dad off to do some intense grown up rides while you take the kids to save some money.

I will look into Minnie's breakfast. How late would be too late to get a reservation for that, do you think? (I've never done a character breakfast) Also, my husband is gluten-free. Is that something they can help him with at the buffet? Would I need to speak to them ahead of time? I'm excited to see that the 2-year-old wouldn't actually cost!

What I'm wondering about our EE (we always get there early, which is easier when the parks open later...) is what about EMH? Is it the same day, and will that make it super crowded anyway?

If I were you, I go after the end of Feb. There is a cheer comp thing and everything seem to be more expensive this week/end.

I can't find any info on that. Touring Plans says the 27th and 28th (Weds and Thurs) should be less than 2/10 (with Friday hopping up to 9/10) on the crowd scale. Do you think they're accounting for that?

I highly recommend the Creative DISigns section of the DIS. There are wonderful people there that have amazing creations and can add your children's names to almost anything. I print the art on shipping labels and put them on baggies for snacks. It makes the crackers much more exciting when it has a picture of Aurora and your daughter's name on it! I also made personalized note paper with the artwork and simple lines, and bookmarks (so many options!). And it is very easy to print the designs on iron-on transfer paper and iron on the T-shirts. Michael's has solid color shirt (lots of colors) for about $3 each.

Thanks! I will check that out! We might even just do some Disney stickers and decorate that way. I don't remember the last time we bought colored ink for our printer... one of those little luxuries at this point. ;-)

Your family is adorable. I hope you have the best of vacations! Take many pictures. I mean it! They grow up so fast and we have such fond memories of our kids through the years. We take pictures of each other in the same spots when we get back to Disneyland/Disneyworld and they are such keepsakes and most of the time better than the actual souvenirs we get while we're there. It becomes second nature to get a shot with us all in front of one spot or another. Treasure these moments and your first family vacation.
Where are you staying when you go?

Thanks! We are excited and I hope we can pull it off. It will probably be one of those things where we tell them we're driving to Grandma's (3 hrs the other direction), and see how long before the 6-year-old picks up on the road signs as we approach California instead... We will stay the first night (Tuesday) in La Habra at my friend's house. (to save money, and to see them) We will do a hotel W-F or even just W-Th if it's getting too expensive. The Plaza is looking like our best bet at this moment. I've never stayed there.

since you are in AZ, I assume you are driving.
We stayed at the Anaheim Plaza for 59 a night. It's a block away, very short walk. (if you look at a DL/DCA map, it's across from the Tower of Terror).

The room was very large.

Thank you! The Plaza is actually what I'm looking at right now. Does anyone know, if I reserve it for 3 nights, then a week or two before we decide to stay just 2 (I have a friend in Orange County we can stay with a night or two if needed, money-wise), can I call and -alter- the reservation? Also, how bad is it (do you think) to just list 2 of our kids? If I try to put in the 2-year-old, too, they don't have a room big enough for us, but she'll be completely fine on a blanket on the floor... If we avoid ALL going to check in or out, do you think it will be a problem?

Ice chest. We packed milk, juice, 2 liter of soda for the room.
One trick a friend did, they make rice krispee treats in the shape of a Mickey Head, dipped in chocolate (the ears) and put them in plastic for when the kids wanted a treat. The next day, she had chocolate chip cookies from home. Our biggest problem is the treats all over the park so that's a big saver for us.

I think your kids won't know the difference of a budget Disney vacation vs a big one. It will probably be the adults that will feel the pang of a discount vacation. (guilt that you should buy more for the kids?).

The rice krispy treats are a fun idea! You said you had an ice chest, but the hotel says they have fridges. Did your room have a fridge? We're already planning to take our double jogger stroller (The 5- and 6- year old will do much better if they can take turns riding, too) so space in our mini van might be at a premium...

I think you're right about them not realizing it's a budget trip. If I think about it, ALL my trips have been budget trips (ie. never stayed on property, never had a character meal, etc.) but you're right, now that I'm -aware- of what some people are able to do with their vacations, I wish I could give our kids that! But if we can afford a few of those extras in future years, they'll be all that much more excited, right?

Thank you everyone so much for your comments and ideas! I'm up WAY too early this morning because I couldn't go back to sleep because I was thinking about it all!

 

[larina]

...I'm going to take care of that today though, because our options are already limited, it seems...Does anyone know, if I reserve it for 3 nights, then a week or two before we decide to stay just 2 (I have a friend in Orange County we can stay with a night or two if needed, money-wise), can I call and -alter- the reservation?

Yes, do this as soon as possible. Make sure to confirm their cancellation policy before you make the reservation.

...Also, how bad is it (do you think) to just list 2 of our kids? If I try to put in the 2-year-old, too, they don't have a room big enough for us, but she'll be completely fine on a blanket on the floor... If we avoid ALL going to check in or out, do you think it will be a problem?

Room capacity is set by the fire department, not the hotel/motel. You HAVE to list every single person in the room or risk being kicked out and losing out on your money (they get to keep the rate for the entire booked stay, even if they ask you to leave the first night). I wouldn't chance it. Most rooms allow 5 guests, but check to be sure before you book.

I will look into Minnie's breakfast. How late would be too late to get a reservation for that, do you think? (I've never done a character breakfast) Also, my husband is gluten-free. Is that something they can help him with at the buffet? Would I need to speak to them ahead of time? I'm excited to see that the 2-year-old wouldn't actually cost!...

Don't know what time you should make your reservation, but I do know they can handle a gluten-free eater, no problem. Let them know when you make the reservation and again when you check in.

 

[lovebug33]

I went to Disneyland for the first time when I was five. According to my parents, they didn't want to pay for ride tickets (this was back in the day with ride books and I guess an entrance fee???). So, we only went on a few rides and then did all the "free" things, like shows, and parades, and Tom Sawyer island. I honestly had no clue. All I remember is getting to meet Goofy because I thought he was the coolest thing EVER! I still remember that day! I don't remember that we didn't get fancy food or get to go on every single ride. I got to meet Goofy. Your kids will remember things like that, not that they ate at a character breakfast or got to have ten thousand souvies they won't even play with later!

 

[VandVsmama]

If you can't afford an expensive vacation, then you can't afford it. We're in the same boat. Your kids will be in Disneyland, so it's awfully hard to have a bad time. You can have a WONDERFUL time without character meals. After all, they ARE horribly expensive. Right now, I am having to decide between a character meal or a 3rd day at the parks. And honestly, I am leaning toward skipping the character meal altogether because I want to make our $$ stretch and get the most bang for our buck.

When your kids see all of the yummy treats available for sale everywhere, will they ask for one? Likely yes. But you perhaps could budget for ONE treat per child ONE TIME during the trip as a splurge (I think a friend of mine said the cupcakes were $5-6 each).

Like you, I am doing the whole Dollar Tree/Target/Michaels disney stuff thing, so we'll whip out cheap trinkets at pertinent moments during the day...when they are getting tired of standing in line or whatever. To make it more special, when you pull the item out of your bag, you could tell your kids something like, "Oh! Look what Tinkerbell/favorite princess/favorite character put in our bag! How did this get here? Look, kids! It's a ___!" And if one of your kids is inquisitive and asks a lot of questions, just tell them, "Well, we're in Disneyland. DL is full of magic. This sort of thing happens all the time here! Isn't this great?"

And your children will have no idea that you bought the stuff ahead of time on the cheap.

Sure, staying on site and having a character meal each day is probably fabulous. But so is affording your vacation. Don't feel guilty. Your family will still have an awesome time even if you feed your kids PB&J sandwiches from home for lunch each day.

 

[Midnightred]

I think anytime you go to Disneyland it's a magical time. My Mom took us to Disneyland twice when we were kids, and on a major budget. The time when I was a teenager growing up in Texas, she didn't pay our gas bill for heating water and for heat in our house. I think this is crazy btw, I would never condone nor recommend this. My Mom does have some mental Issues. My point is, the trip was pure magic! I never remember eating in any restaurant. I do remember all of us splitting a beef skewer near the castle. Another time when I was 5, we have just a little bit of money, packed up our VW bug, and drove from Del Rio, TX to California. We got to visit my Great Grandmother in Carmel, which was the last time we saw her alive. She did buy me a Minnie plush toy, which was my constant companion for years to come (I could not fall asleep without her). I am much more conservative than my Mom, thank goodness. I sure did develop my love of all things Disney from her. The first 5 trips to Disneyland with family, I only got to enjoy it for 1 day. It was a dream come true to be able to bring my kids and stay for 4 nights! My kids didn't ask for much. Theye seemed to love the Mickey balloons, so we will get one of those for each. You all will have a very magical time no matter what!

Midnightred

 

[Jaina]

Room capacity is set by the fire department, not the hotel/motel. You HAVE to list every single person in the room or risk being kicked out and losing out on your money (they get to keep the rate for the entire booked stay, even if they ask you to leave the first night). I wouldn't chance it. Most rooms allow 5 guests, but check to be sure before you book.

I'm confused by this, because if I try to book directly through the hotel, it says it doesn't have any rooms for 2 adults and 3 kids (it doesn't ask for ages) but if I go through expedia and list everyone (with ages), it offers me rooms, just not the 2 queens that I want (it offers 2 doubles, a 4-queen "family suite", and says that we exceed the # of children for a single king - so it does address our family size there). Annoyed. I already reserved a 2-queen regular room, but only listed the 2 kids, or no choices came up. Any idea why this is? I guess I can call the hotel and ask general questions...? Why the discrepancy, do you think?

 

[Bossy22]

I'm confused by this, because if I try to book directly through the hotel, it says it doesn't have any rooms for 2 adults and 3 kids (it doesn't ask for ages) but if I go through expedia and list everyone (with ages), it offers me rooms, just not the 2 queens that I want (it offers 2 doubles, a 4-queen "family suite", and says that we exceed the # of children for a single king - so it does address our family size there). Annoyed. I already reserved a 2-queen regular room, but only listed the 2 kids, or no choices came up. Any idea why this is? I guess I can call the hotel and ask general questions...? Why the discrepancy, do you think?

We went with 5 last time and out hotel would not let us book. We called and the hotel said it was fine, just book with 4 and they would put a note in their books saying 5. No extra cost, hotel room we wanted, no chance of getting in trouble.

 

[Jaina]

We went with 5 last time and out hotel would not let us book. We called and the hotel said it was fine, just book with 4 and they would put a note in their books saying 5. No extra cost, hotel room we wanted, no chance of getting in trouble.

Awesome. Hopefully that's our experience. I e-mailed the hotel with my question. The nice thing about staying at the Plaza is that we can afford 3 nights for the same price many hotels are charging for 2. If we have to, we can stay at my friend's house after we leave the park Friday night, but it would be SO much more convenient to just crash at our hotel, since it will be the later night. Also, it would be nice to have an afternoon break on Friday with the later evening.

 

[ColoradoGirl85]

We are planning our second Disneyland trip this May with our son (who will be 4) Both trips were budget trips for us, here are a few things we did:

1- We ordered food from Vons, your first delivery is free! We ordered bread, lunchmeat and yogurt so we could come back and have lunch in the room. With a little guy we have to go back and at least take a little nap anyways, so it didn't mess up our schedule to eat a quick lunch at the hotel. We also brought some simple breakfast foods with us (pop tarts, oatmeal, cereal) and ordered milk and bananas from Vons. This saved us a lot of money.

2- For dinner I did research on the out of park restaurants and ate at places that offered coupons or e-mail discounts like MiMis, Millies, Ihop (kids eat free!). We splurged on 1 dinner in the park on our last day.

3- Instead of spending a bunch of money on souvenirs we spent about $15 playing games on the pier and we won our son 3 large Disney stuffed animals and a few small ones. I understand that it's not a guaranteed win, but it worked for us and I'm glad we played some games before shelling out cash at the gift stores.

As far as saving for the trip goes, you would be amazed how quickly that spare change adds up!

I understand everyone has different priorities but for us, we were willing to give up some fancier meals and presents to just enjoy a week together with the magic of Disney