Tickets: It's impossible to save BIG on tickets, but you can save LITTLE: Choose a reputable online seller (I've used Ticket Mania with success, and it's been around for years) and buy the biggest ticket they offer -- I haven't bought in a while, but it might be something like a 10 + 4 day ticket. Be SURE to get no-expiration tickets. This type of ticket gives you 10 days of major parks and 4 days of minor parks (most people use them for water parks, but they're good for a few other things). We personally like the Park Hoppers, though that seems to be unpopular on this thread. Plan your days carefully: For example, never use a park ticket anytime you can't stay ALL DAY; so never use a park ticket on your arrival day (when you probably can't get into the parks 'til afternoon). Then, after you stay at the Magic Kingdom a long time to see the last fireworks, plan to sleep in, then go to a character breakfast at one of the hotels (no park ticket needed), then use one of your "plus days" to go to a water park in the afternoon. Or, if you're planning to do a boat ride or mini-golf or whatever, do it on a no-park-ticket day. With careful planning, you'll get at least two weeks out of this big, expensive ticket -- and each day will cost less than if you'd bought ticket for just this trip. Plus, you can be sure that tickets will cost more next year . . . so buying tickets early is a good value.
[B]Lodging: I disagree with the idea that once you've stayed in a moderate or deluxe, you can't go back to a value. When we go to Disney, it's for the parks. What we value in a Disney hotel is enough space for us all, easy transportation to the parks (which does not mean our own car), and a low price. When we want to stay in a fancy resort and enjoy the pools and other amenities, we can stay in a nicer place for less money at the beach or in the mountains. [/B]
Food: Because Disney has some cool, unique restaurants, we tend to enjoy a big breakfast, then snack on things we brought from home, and then have a nice dinner somewhere. Because we always go in the hot-hot summer, we don't really want BIG meals, so we do look for opportunities to share. And sometimes we choose appetizers as meals. And kids' meals are a good value. However, the counter service meals are the worst value in the place; they're almost as expensive as a sit-down restaurant, yet they only serve one person.
Transportation: Flying is always more expensive. We started long drives with our kids when they were toddlers, and they're always been GREAT travelers. One hint -- don't count on electronics to keep their attention.
Extras: We just don't do them. For example, we never buy souveniers. They're just junky things anyway, and they end up in next year's yard sale. We cut them out more than a decade ago, and the kids didn't even care. They realize that they travel (Disney and other) much more often than their friends do, and they realize that cutting out unnecessary junk is one reason they get to do that.
The other side of this coin is, Bring along everything you need. For example, sunscreen is crazy-expensive in Florida, and only moderately-expensive at home. Asprin, water bottles, whatever else is all cheaper if you bring it with you.
