Budgeting and Maximizing the Magic at Disney!

Today we are going to discuss planning your Disney vacation on the cheap to maximize the magic for your family! Well, cheap might be going a bit far, but cheap(er) anyways.

What stops most people from going on the vacation of their dreams?

1. Work/Family Obligations
2. Money

Money usually plays a BIG role in determining what, if any, vacation you will be taking. For those of us who don't swim in a pool filled with gold sparkles and unicorns, then dry off on a towel made of hundred dollar bills, this is going to be a major concern.

So, what can I tell you about cutting costs and saving money to hit up Disney World?

Let's make this trip a thing.

First off will be your tickets. You can sometimes get a discount on tickets throughout the year. As tickets don't expire, you can purchase them now to use at a further date. You can also get discounts on Park Hopper (affiliate) tickets, where you can visit multiple parks in one day. One thing I'll mention that Canadian citizens can regularly get discounts on tickets on the Disney World website. My husband and I saved 25%! Magic maximized! Sorry, Americans :(

Next, let's discuss sleeping arrangements. There's always Airbnb, but other affordable options exist as well. As discussed in my article regarding the pros and cons of both on-resort and off-resort, you have options. In fact, some Disney accommodations even have deals from time to time. I can hook you up.  (affiliate). Additional options are to stay in nearby hotels or to use David's Vacation Club (affiliate) rentals to stay on resort in a timeshare you might otherwise have not tried. More on how that works in the previously mentioned on-resort, off-resort article.

What else adds up on a Disney Vacation? Food, obviously. Disney food ain't cheap. And neither is the Disney Dining plan. Unless you plan to spend a lot of time sampling Disney food, I would argue the dining plan isn't for you. My husband and I can easily get by on an appetizer and an entree to feed both of us. Another alternative: order off the kids' menu. A lot of adults can be easily filled by a smaller portion and this will save you some serious coin. Additionally, you can ask for free water any place that serves food at Disney. Be forewarned: it has a certain 'acquired taste' to it... A.K.A. swamp. I'm going to give it another go, but if it's a no-go I'll just choke back my Coke (RIP wallet).

Something you may or may not be aware of: it rains in Florida. A LOT. Like every day a lot. You need a poncho to make it through the day. Disney sells ponchos that are about $15. You can get $2 ones at the Dollar Store. Enough said.

Flights are also a good way to save money. You can use discount sites like Expedia (affiliate) or look for last-minute deals (a little too close for comfort for my liking, but everyone plays the game a bit different).

Now that you know where there may be some cost savings, let's talk about where your vacation money will come from.


Tips to Save Towards Your Disney Trip:
1. Pay yourself first. Determine when you want to go to Disney, how much it will cost, and this will help you figure out what you need to save. So, say you want to save $4000 over an 18 month period. That's $222.22 a month, or $51.28 a week you need to save for your trip.

2. Determine cost savings for you and your family. Maybe you don't need your $7 triple latte mocha rainbow frappe every single day. In fact, cutting it out for half the work days each month is roughly $70 in savings right there. Another cost savings could be buying meat that is on sale, NOT buying Halo Top when it is $7 per pint (guilty!), or having one week a month be Pantry Week: you don't buy groceries but rather eat whatever you have stockpiled up.

3. Consider using credit cards or membership cards that give you points, money, or rewards towards your travel. I use the Capitol One Aspire card and have enough for about one night of our hotel stay (every little bit counts, right?). As long as the card is being paid off in full every month, it's all gain, no pain.

4. See which services you have that you can get for cheaper. This could be switching internet or cell phone providers, getting a cheaper gym membership, or even switching home or personal insurance providers if you can.

5. Think about what you pay for. Do you really use everything your money is going towards? If you don't use that gym membership or satellite radio, cancel it. No use paying for something that is giving you no return on investment.

Hopefully this article has given you some strategies towards making your Disney dream a reality!



What strategies do you use to save money? Comment and subscribe :)






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