Please please help!!

[StlBelievinNTheMagic]

Hi there! My family and I will be returning to WDW in July!! Anyone have any great money saving/budgeting tips for me!? Any suggestions would be appreciated!! Thanks!!

 

[cglaura]

Don't spend money on sodas and bottled water. You can get a free cup of ice water at counter service restaurants. Be sure to ask for a "cup" though and not just a water

Or - Wyler's, Crystal Light etc. make those single serve add to bottle packets. They are great if you just want to fill up your own bottle at the water fountains (some people find the fountain water not so tasty...I've never found it terribley gross though). I found mine at the dollar store and brought them with us.

If you are not big eaters, the meals are pretty large and can be split.

For table service meals, lunch is usually less expensive than dinners.

Have a great trip!

 

[EvanMaddieMouse]

We learned the magic of soft-sided coolers. We have been lucky enough to have a child small enough to ride in a stroller, so we stock up on our bottled water and soda off-site, along with snacks, and pack up the cooler before we leave the room, getting ice out of the ice machines in the hallway. All we have to do is unzip it at security check in (to show that there is no glass or alcohol in there) and then we are free to go.

This worked out wonderfully for DH; he is a die-hard Mountain Dew fan and Disney only sells Coke products!

 

[StlBelievinNTheMagic]

Thanks!! those are great tips!! I wish we had a reason to push a stroller or something around to take a cooler, because that would be a huge savings! Any other tips?

 

[MiMi2Three]

We always eat breakfast in the room. Bring cereal and granola bars, buy or milk in hotel quick service location or gift shop(we fly,so can't bring our own milk) Makes milk more $ than grocery, but we still save money in the long run by eating b'fast in room.

We have used DDP ,but I think for saving $ you could pack a lunch and take it into the park or eat lunch(normally cheaper prices) and eat a sandwich in the room later. If you are driving there is a Wal-Mart and a Publix both close to the world.

 

[Ms.Grumpy]

We always take snacks and drinks down with us. Keeps us from spending extra money on sweets and drinks. Lots of people order groceries to be delivered to their rooms instead of carrying it in their luggage.
Have an awesome time.

 

[mommy22pumpkins]

Not sure if this applies to you or not but a fellow disser had a GREAT idea to get MYW base tickets instead of park hoppers. It's an easy way to save a couple hundred dollars unless you are going commando We buy park hoppers every year and use them mabye once the whole trip so not worth it IMHO.

HTH and good luck

 

[Smile4Me]

If you have kids and they tend to want the flashy spinners in the evening-stop by wal-mart, the dollar store, or target and buy some much cheaper glow sticks and necklaces. Bring them to the parks with you, they don't take up much space and are light weight, and bring them out when it gets dark!

Here are some Great counter service locations that are favorites of mine and that offer big portions that can be split:
MK-Cosmic Rays
EPCOT-Sunshine Seasons
AK-Flametree BBQ
DHS-Pizza Planet

Also you don't have to order full meals-its cheaper and easier on the waistline and on waste period if you just want a burger and a drink,,,just get the burger and drink...don't get the meal just cause you think you're getting a deal,,cause often you aren't!

 

[minnie1928]

If you plan on going to Rainforest Cafe, check out their website under the promotions tab they have a $10 off $25 coupon that's good thru July.

 

[ugadog99]

We always bring our waters into the parks. I mix them up the night before with Crystal Light (or the Walmart variety), put them in the fridge in the room, and they are very cold and almost frosty by morning. We also bring in can drinks (coke zero, sprite zero, etc) for having with our snacks. I just put the cans in our backpacks along with snacks in ziploc bags or 100 calorie packs. It cuts down a lot on the $$ spent on food in the parks.