How to Spend Less Money at Disney World
Travelling to the Magic Kingdom without Spending a Fortune
Souvenirs, character breakfasts, swirling tea cups, fast water slides and a whole lot of memories. A trip to Disney World can be magical, if you can pay for it.
Donald, Mickey, and mountains of debt. That’s what you can look forward to if you’re planning to visit the land of make-believe any time soon. But the whole experience doesn’t have to be reality jolt. You can take your family to this iconic American vacation spot without breaking the bank.
How to Spend Less at Disney and Still Enjoy a Memorable Vacation:
- Drive instead of flying. Unless you live on the West Coast (in which case you’d be visiting Disneyland in CA) you’ll save by road tripping instead of hitting the friendly skies. Even if you’re only taking one child, and barring any super airline specials, you’d be better off packing the family car and making the trip down there as much of a vacation as the actual destination. You’ll also be able to cart boogie boards and lawn chairs a lot easier in a car. Be sure to join AAA and order their free guide books for each state you’ll be driving through. Pick out interesting or historic places to stop. Also, consider vacationing with another family and splitting the gas.
- Find accommodations away from the property. Sure, staying at a Disney resort has its benefits. One of the parks will open an hour early for you each day. But so what? You can stay in a five-star three bedroom condo five minutes away from the front gates of Disney for the price of a small cramped hotel room on the monorail line. Also limit eating at the park to just snacks. Have dinner off-property. You’ll save money and probably eat a better meal. Ask the receptionist at the front desk of your resort, where the locals dine. You’ll pay less and get better food.
- Set a limit on souvenirs. Give your kids a set dollar amount for take-home treasures. They’ll learn very fast how far a dollar will go, and they won’t nag for more (hopefully.)
- Don’t forget about other Orlando attractions. They can be more fun and a lot cheaper than Disney. Consider a day at Universal Studios, Sea World, Ripley’s Believe-It-Or-Not, Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaverl and Busch Gardens in Tampa. Search for coupons online before you go.
- Remember, pace yourself. Try to plan on visiting only one park a day and allow time to just relax and hang out by the pool. Besides glimpses of Donald and Mickey, you’ll see a lot of stressed out families while you’re there.
The copyright of the article How to Spend Less Money at Disney World in Consumer Education is owned by L. Marie Dubuque. Permission to republish How to Spend Less Money at Disney World in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
