Hey, y’all! It’s been a few weeks since my last post. It’s been a busy season with all the holiday festivities, but the busy travel season is about to begin and I want to share some money saving tips with you. We all know Disney World isn’t cheap, but there are always ways to help save and savings do add up! Let’s get started.
One of the first ways we save money on our WDW trips is by driving. We live about 600 miles away from the Most Magical Place on Earth so it’s a pretty good drive, but it definitely saves us money. The obvious savings would be the cost of air faire, but we also save money by being able to pack extra snacks/food. Even though we usually get a dining plan, we will usually have pop tarts or cereal for breakfast and it is nice to be able to not have to purchase those while in the parks. We also pack lots of extra snacks for the ride and for the kids. I believe I mentioned this in one of my earlier posts, fed kids are happy kids so we ALWAYS have the snacks. We also take our double stroller. This saves us money from renting a stroller while on our trip. We have even packed a toddler mattress in our car before…driving is more flexible for us at this stage of our lives. I am not mentally prepared to take my two tinies on an airplane…yikes and honestly, it is sort of fun road tripping with my little family…I mean there is usually a lot of crying and whining, but there is also excitement, laughter and if we are lucky…naps!
Another way we save money on our Disney World trips is by taking advantage of discounts when offered by Disney. Even if there isn’t a promotion/discount when we book, they can be applied later if one becomes available. We have saved a lot of money over the years with free dining and room discount offers. One of my favorite discounts offered are the bounce back offers. This is a promotion for Disney guests who are currently on property who book their next vacation. We saved 25% on a room at Port Orleans French Quarter this summer with one of these offers! The discounts vary, but if you know you want to come back, why not book while you are still there and save some money?
Stocking up on Disney gift cards is another way that we save money on our WDW trips. We buy discounted gift cards at Sam’s Club and Target and usually save about 5%. It may not seem like much, but it definitely adds up! You can combine your gift cards on to one at www.disneygiftcard.com. Disney gift cards can be used to pay on your trip, merchandise on property, food, and more. I also like to get some gift cards for my kids and let them use those to buy souvenirs while we are there. It helps us make sure we spend the same amount of each of them. Disney will often have promotions where they will give you gift cards. There is a promotion now where if you turn down Mousekeeping (Disney’s version of housekeeping), they will give you a $10 for every night of your stay, minus the first night. For example, if you are staying 4 nights, they will give you a $30 gift card…that is a quick service meal or a couple of souvenirs. We have done this the last few trips and having the extra gift cards is so nice. Another perk of driving is that we can pack extra trash bags to empty our trash and things to straighten the room. You can always request extra towels, coffee, and toiletries from Mousekeeping, but they won’t come in every day and empty your trash and make the beds. For us, this is not a big deal because we are usually in our room trying to nap/rest during the time they come to clean so it works out. This tip may not work for everyone. If coming back to a made up bed and having your room picked up every day is super important to you, then just keep Mousekeeping as it is…I like saving the extra cash. I don’t mind throwing a trash bag out on my way to the parks…there are always trash cans conveniently located throughout Disney property.
This one may be a stretch for some people, but I also save some cash to put towards our trips with cash back apps. The main ones I use are Ibotta and Rakuten, but I am starting to use Shopkick too. Why not get paid for things you buy anyway? This isn’t a top saver, but it definitely adds up over time. If you would like to check these out, I will leave my referral link at the bottom.
We also pack little surprises/souvenirs for the kids for on the way and while we are there that helps us save money. We always carry some of those dollar tree glow sticks in our park bag that help prevent the “please can I have one, mommy?!” when the carts come out with lots of flashy light up toys before fireworks or parades. I also pack these fun little bags for when we are driving. It’s full of little prizes/activities and I give them one surprise for every hour of traveling (while they are awake). I got this idea from a good friend and tried it out this summer and it was genius! It keeps their little hands busy, gets them excited (it’s usually Disney themed) and helps the time go by a little quicker.
Another way we save money, is to take advantage of the free things at Disney…wait a minute, did I say free? We love to get our celebration buttons when we arrive at our resort (you can also get them at the parks). This is a fun way to celebrate whatever special is going on and makes for a sweet souvenir. We also get free ice water (available at any quick service locations) to refill our bottles while out in the parks. It’s important to stay hydrated, especially in the summer! Cast members will often give out stickers to the kids which is a sweet gesture and what kid doesn’t love a Mickey sticker? Ghirardelli’s Chocolate Shop in Disney Springs will sometimes offer free samples of yummy, delicious chocolate. Also, who doesn’t love chocolate?! Those little freebies can really make you feel like you are saving big.
Well y’all, there ya have it. Here are my top money saving tips. One of the most important I would like to add, would be to use a travel agent! Travel agents can help you apply those discounts/promotions when they become available and book those bounce back offers! I would love to help you save money on your next Disney World trip by being your travel agent. My services are completely free to you and you save money so it’s a win-win for you! I can’t wait to help you plan your trip!
See ya real soon,
Kelly
Referral Links:
Ibotta: https://ibotta.com/r/tejqdlh
Rakuten: Have you signed up with Rakuten yet? It’s the best site for earning Cash Back. Get a $10 bonus when you sign up with my invite link and spend $25. It’s free! 🤩 https://go.ebat.es/KDOVER19?eeid=44971
Shopkick: Try Shopkick and we’ll both get points toward a free gift card! Use code FREE815186 or download https://getsk.co/free815186
Wish Upon A Star With Kelly 