Money Saving Hacks

[sky2823]

I like with DVC there is no parking, taxes or resort fees. I also like being able to order groceries to the room and all the discounts for AP, Visa and DVC.

I recently found out about using the Target Red card to get 5% off Disney gift cards.

Does anyone else have any suggestions for ways to cut costs on DVC trips to WDW through discounts or other tactics? (Legally of course)

Example: can we save using certain dining plans etc?

 

[kniquy]

Some people booking a split stay will get the deluxe dining plan for just a day or two and have a ton of credits to use. That is one of the few ways the dining plan can make sense, but when we have gotten TiW card it worked out to be better for us and our traveling party than getting the deluxe.

 

[Matty B13]

Costco and BJ's have discount gift cards as well from 4-5% off. Airline credit cards are also good, if you fly.

 

[sky2823]

I just saw someone post on Facebook about Tables in Wonderland. Does anyone have an opinion on this program? Thanks!!!

 

[DizDaD7]

I just saw someone post on Facebook about Tables in Wonderland. Does anyone have an opinion on this program? Thanks!!!

It used to be way better bargain...
@ $75 just a few years ago, to $100 still reasonable...Now @ $150 it just means that you'll have to spend more to break even...

So If you plan on going to WDW for multiple trips, or eat at TS restaurants for 7 or 8 nights with a party of four or so, then it might make sense...Me personally with an AP, ( we get 10% on most TS, so the break even point is even larger....

 

[southerngirl528]

Costco and BJ's have discount gift cards as well from 4-5% off. Airline credit cards are also good, if you fly.

I WISH the Costco's here had Disney gift cards!! I have never seen them..... but that could have something to do with me living in the Orlando area.....

 

[DisneyStarWisher]

I pay our dues with Disney GCs that I purchase at my local Kroger. I buy them in April when Chase Freedom offers 5% cashback at grocery stores. I also make sure to download a 4x fuel points coupon on GCs. For every $1000 I spend, that means $50 cashback and $140 in free gas, which equals a 19% discount!

ETA: I also use GCs for our food purchases.

 

[hakepb]

Compare dining discounts here:
http://allears.net/pl/disc_dining.pdf
I kept a tab open with this on our last trip

 

[kniquy]

Does anyone have an opinion on this program?

The program is good if you figure out the numbers and compare all options - AP or DVC discounts are out there too. If you go a lot, spend a lot on TS meals then it can save you money after the $150 buy in. I played with number before our recent April trip which was with my in laws - so 7 of us total -- it saved us money and will be used for our November trip too. But if it was only my family of 5 and for only one trip no it would not have been a wise purchase.

 

[sky2823]

In regards to TIW, Is valet parking is covered? If I am staying at AKL and eat at BOMA every night, can it cover my valet parking for the whole stay or just my time at the restaurant?

 

[Marionnette]

In regards to TIW, Is valet parking is covered? If I am staying at AKL and eat at BOMA every night, can it cover my valet parking for the whole stay or just my time at the restaurant?

No. It covers valet parking while you dine at a resort restaurant but not overnight valet parking.

 

[Marionnette]

I like with DVC there is no parking, taxes or resort fees. I also like being able to order groceries to the room and all the discounts for AP, Visa and DVC.

I recently found out about using the Target Red card to get 5% off Disney gift cards.

Does anyone else have any suggestions for ways to cut costs on DVC trips to WDW through discounts or other tactics? (Legally of course)

Example: can we save using certain dining plans etc?

Credit card points for rental cars and airline seats. TiW card for dining discounts (including the lounges and alcohol at restaurants). Follow the threads on the Budget Board for deals on Disney GCs and other GCs (like Starbucks, Landry's, EoS, etc.).

We own a small business and all of our overhead goes on a Chase Ink. We have a Chase Sapphire Reserve for all of our recurring expenses at home. The points are very flexible in how they can be applied. I opened a Discover IT card and I max out the 5% cash back categories every quarter. Since this is my first year, I will get matching cash back on my one-year anniversary.

We often travel to Disney as a large group of adults (7 of us going in October). The TiW pays for itself after just a few meals. But you need to do the math for yourself. We visit for at least one week two times or more within a 365-day period, so we get plenty of use out of the card. We also get APs so that our park admission is covered for more than one trip.

I do online rewards programs to earn Disney GCs. Last year, I had to declare $3,000 in income on my taxes. Almost all of it went toward Disney, either dues or tickets or dining.

And if I rent out my points, like I did this year, I use the cash to purchase Disney GCs at a discount to pay the dues. I follow the Disney Gift Card Deals thread on the Budget Board to get the most bang for my bucks. I save around 20%-25% off of the face value of the GCs just by snagging the deals they post there. Not every deal saves that much but I don't settle for just 5% off.

 

[Best Aunt]

I think the most important thing is to know yourself and the people with whom you normally travel. There are a lot of tips here on the Dis, but you need to ask yourself if they really apply to you. It's really easy to caught up in the enthusiasm.

Example: I have a cutting board and a paring knife in my Owner's Locker because people on here said that they like to use it to cut up fruit when they stay in a studio. What was I thinking? I typically stay in 1-bedrooms, not studios, and I'm just not someone who cuts up fruit and vegetables often at home, and never when I'm on vacation. So it's great advice for some families, but not for me.

When you say you are ordering groceries to the room, I assume you mean that you are using an outside company to deliver to the rest, not using the service where you order ahead of time using the form on the DVC website. The DVC service might be convenient, and might be cost-effective if you only need a few things, but might not be cost-effective if you have a large order.

 

[sky2823]

Thanks!
What is an owners locker?

 

[Marionnette]

Thanks!
What is an owners locker?

It's a small storage box for the things you don't want to lug back and forth between home and Disney. The company delivers your locker in time for check in and then picks it up when you depart. In between, they store it in a climate controlled facility. They have a variety of plans depending on how often you will want to have your locker delivered and picked up each year. And of course, the fees reflect the frequency.

https://m.ownerslocker.com/

 

[kboo]

We are TiW fans too - we often do a lot of TS and signature restaurants, so the 20% over 10% (AP/DVC) is worth it. Also TiW covers alcoholic drinks too. In the past, we have met up with friends, and one signature dinner (6 adults at California Grill with wine) or 1 character dinner (Akershus with 5 adults and 4 kids) pretty much covers it.

We are actually considering an owners’ locker for our upcoming stays now - we have 5 stays (some short, some long) planned for the next 16 months, so it would be nice to be able to store some things instead of bringing them down each time. (Ponchos,sweatshirts, and cooking utensils and non-perishable things). An owners locker is a service you pay an annual fee for that delivers a crate that you fill yourselves - they store it when you are not at WDW.

 

[Dean Marino]

A good hack (at least for US)... break down the costs of your LAST WDW trip....
Consider:

1) Airfare (or driving cost)
2) ROOM cost.
3) TICKET cost.
4) DINING cost.

Now - find the BIGGEST COST (being an old Chemist, I refer to this as what is "rate limiting". Start by attacking this . Years ago, Dear Wife and I saw this as "ROOM cost". In our case? We became DVC owners.

But what if one has four hungry youngsters? DINING may be rate-limiting. OR? Airfare. The idea is to find the MOST EXPENSIVE item for YOUR family. Then? Do all you can to drive it down, and still have the vacation you wanted .

All personal opinion - I'm not necessarily right, no one else is necessarily wrong.

 

[Cyberc1978]

Maybe not a "hack" but if you buy an AP then if you schedule another trip less than 12 months(minus duration of trip) apart then you save money on tix.

 

[crisi]

Rather than renting a car because you will need it for a few trips when Disney transportation isn't convienent, take a cab or MinnieVan

 

[aoconnor]

Rather than renting a car because you will need it for a few trips when Disney transportation isn't convienent, take a cab or MinnieVan

Second this - Uber really. You can get pretty much anywhere on property for $8-12, so you can take it a couple times a day and it's still cheaper than renting a car.

I generally take the bus on the way to the parks when I'm not in a rush, but after a long day of walking I'll happily pay $10 for a private ride on demand back to the hotel.