TOP 10 Disney money saving ideas

[shelle94]

bump

Very helpfull thread.

 

[tar heel]

One thing to add about ordering those large drinks without ice -- they will give you small cups with or without ice for free. You don't have to share a cup to share a drink!

You also can ask for an extra cup (so you can split between two kids) when you get icee-type treats at carts.

And don't forget to stop by Ice Station Cool and have a few free soft drinks, too.

 

[PrincessEilonwy]

My Tips:

-I waited to book my room until like a month before going and found a 3-letter code in the newspaper for 25% off room at All-Stars.

-Eat lunch at food court with refillable mug, it seemed to me that the prices at the ASMu was a little better than MK counter service, and you get the drink refill "free" (plus a needed break).

-Save spare change all year in a jar or piggy bank, get it counted at the CoinStar machine at the grocery store & then exchange your new cash for Disney Dollars. I managed to save $60 last year from change I didn't really miss that I used for souvenirs.

-Drive instead of flying! I'm so excited that my boyfriend and I are going to get to drive from our new home~Alexandria, VA~ to Orlando this October and it's I-95 like the whole way! The cost of driving for us is about 25% of 2 regular price adult airfares. (We lived in Chicago last October and had to fly...too far for me to drive!)

-Get cute Disney t-shirts from Target or Walmart *before* you go so you don't have to pay theme park prices for them (I got a great Alice-in-Wonderland Tee from Target that Alice loved when I met her at 1900 Park Fare).

-Do character breakfast instead of dinner...I did Chef Mickey's for dinner and in retrospect I don't think it was the most economical choice at like $25 a person for buffet food.

-Do Epcot counter service instead of Epcot sit-down place.

-Check-out guidebooks from the library instead of buying them (of course I highly recommend buying the PassPorter~I love mine!)

 

[Janell Ebert]

We fly in on the red eye from West Coast. To excited to sleep well anyway. So don't have to pay for hotel room that day. Leave on late flight on way home. Another day in the park with out paying for hotel. We all can sleep on the plane.

 

[SusanD]

Janell's idea is our usual game plan. The hotel costs are a big factor and arriving in the early a.m. and leaving in the evening gets you the most bang for your buck. It also seems a shame to waste a vacation day in the airport...we also come from the west coast.

 

[mad4themouse]

Originally posted by PrincessEilonwy
My Tips:

-Save spare change all year in a jar or piggy bank, get it counted at the CoinStar machine at the grocery store & then exchange your new cash for Disney Dollars. I managed to save $60 last year from change I didn't really miss that I used for souvenirs.

DO NOT USE COINSTAR! They keep between 5% and 7% of what you put into the machine! That's a lot of bucks! Count and roll the coins yourself or take them to the bank to be counted. My bank has a free coin counter for anyone who has an account with them. Just dump the coins in, let them count and then take the receipt to have them deposit the money to you account.

 

[frannn]

1. Keep checking for discounted hotel ressies- use DC, AP's, AAA
2. Keep checking rental car discounts- make new discounted one
3. Pack everything you may or may not need- do not buy onsite
4. Pack snacks and non perishable bkfasts/lunches-you can use the empty bag for souvies later
5. Buy most souvies at the outlets at one time & have them shipped home- no sales tax
6. Eat offsite after park closing time or for a break
7. Take a brita water bottle for the parks- filters the taste
8. Stay at the least expensive resort you are comfortable in
9. Limit character meals- do breakfasts & Ice Cream Social
10. Buy film, etc. before you go, at a discount
11. Keep checking flight prices after your visits, you can get credit for a future visit if price goes down
12. Buy APs if planning two trips within a year.
13. Take me!

 

[beansmom]

DO NOT USE COINSTAR! They keep between 5% and 7% of what you put into the machine! That's a lot of bucks! Count and roll the coins yourself

That may be but I'd rather pay 7cents for them to count out the pennies and nickels. I do my own dimes and quarters. Coinstar is usually conveniently located and the fee isn't that great.

 

[Dis#1]

This may not be an option for everyone, but last year (October 2002) it worked out great for us.
We rented a house for the week and went with family(5 adults, 4 kids under 4). Split the cost by 3 (each family paid $225 for the week).

Had our own pool. Ate breakfast home each AM and ate one big meal out each day. My total cost for the trip (lodging, airfare, 4 day hoppers & one day at Sea World) was $1500 + food for a family of 4.

We're going back in September (21st-29th). Will be staying Courtyard Marriot for $20.03 x 5 nights then going to stay at Caribbean Beach for 3 nights. By using an annual pass discount for our CB stay, I figure our overall average cost for lodging will be $53.00/night.

I'm soooo excited, can't wait to go back!!!!

 

[momof2OH]

An easy way to roll pennies is: count out 50 pennies and roll those, then just fill up all the rest and line them up to match the first roll. We have done this for years and never have had a problem being short in any roll. It is so much easier and faster than counting out 50 pennies every time. Just a thought

 

[Deb & Bill]

Two things:

Picnicing in the Park: Technically, Disney doesn't allow you to bring food into the parks. But everyone does it. Just don't take up a table (and use the salad bar for your own grazing without paying for it) if you don't purchase something at that food area. It's tough enough to go through the line to get a meal without having to fight the non-purchasers for a table. And try not to linger at the table if you can help it.

The Old "George" Debate: Try to think about safety and food odors in your room. Not everyone wants to check into their room that smells like your hamburgers. If we thought the smoking debate was bad, this one can be almost as bad.

We all want to save money. We just need to remember our fellow travellers as well.

 

[beansmom]

Deb, points well made. I DON'T want to smell your burgers, hot dogs, chicken, etc in the room that I'm paying $100+ per night for.

And, again, having to prepare and carry meals isn't much of a vacation for the cook. Some things are just impractical. If you don't have a fridge, how do you keep burger meat? Just curious. With the price of the fridge, you could eat an extra meal a day (cheaply but a meal).