As you all may know, Walt Disney World and Disneyland can be pricey if you don't plan accordingly. Today I'm going to talk about some of the best money saving tips you can use on your trip to do Disney on a budget.
I go to Disney World often and here are some of my favorite tricks that can help you save money on your trip!
#1: Staying off property in a hotel
This option is meant for people who don't mind not staying in the Disney bubble and may want to experience other theme parks as well. There are plenty of hotels or home rentals around the Orlando area that can provide you and your family a chance to save while unwinding from all the magic. You can also find Disney's good neighbor hotels that are still on property & you'll be saving a handful by booking through them as well.
#2: Eating more quick service or counter service meals
When I tell you that table service restaurants are not meant to be done every single meal of the day, I mean it! Not only do you rack up a lot of money spending $30-$50 a person, but you're also spending 1 to 2 hours eating at a restaurant while you could spend your time doing other activities. What I tend to do to save money on dining, is to eat two quick service meals and one table service meal at dinner or breakfast.
Don't get me wrong, I am a sucker for table service dining at Disney. There's something luxurious about taking a lift off of your feet and having a nice sit down meal. I tend to feel like it's better to split up your meals so you're not racking up your credit cards while eating at the most magical place on earth.
#3: Not buying Genie+
In my opinion, sometimes Genie+ is really not needed in parks like Epcot or Animal Kingdom where there's not a whole lot of rides.
Genie+ is a paid for system that launched in October of 2021 that allows you to bypass the traditional standby queues. Not to get confused with the regular Genie app that is free that gives you tips on the lowest ride wait times and attractions.
I did a blog post the other day on the ins and outs using the app on my Disney experience if you want to go check that out. I really think Genie+ is only needed during busy seasons and if you can afford to spend up to $25 per person per day of your trip.
#4: Not doing add-ons to your park tickets
One of the best things you can do to ball on a budget is not add on a park hopper to your ticket or water park if you know you're going to spend four or five days in the parks. This is one of my best money saving tips as these additions can cost up to $100 or more a person per day of your trip.
At Disney the costs add up, and it's actually cheaper on most days to just extend the amount of days you'll spend in the parks rather than do a park hopper add-on. It is nice to park hop over to Epcot if you finished everything that day in Animal Kingdom, but this way you and your family can save money while knowing you have more days in the parks to enjoy!
#5: Using a Disney Travel Agent
I can't stress this enough, if you're going to Disney World for the first time not knowing what to expect, I would recommend using a travel agent. Most agents can book virtually anything, while helping you with finding a place to stay at a discounted rate, booking dining 60 days out, and making sure you have everything you need before your trip.
If you are interested in using a certified Disney agent, I can help book your trip for you! All you have to do is go to the questionnaire form at the top of my blog page and fill your request out there. My services are totally free and I will certainly provide you with the best rate possible.
Thanks for reading this blog post have a magical weekend friends!
-Shandilyn.
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