This is a collaborative post – HOW TO DO WALT DISNEY WORLD ON A BUDGET
I may have only been in my teens the last time I went to Walt Disney World Florida, but I sure got the bug for the Mickey inspired, rollercoaster loving holidays that lots of us all know and love. That means I’m frantically always looking for the best deals and ways to cut costs on another trip back now I am of course in my *whispers* thirties! So, for those who are savvy and want to get the most out of their trip here is a guide of how to do Walt Disney World on a budget & save time.
If you’re heading for a two week break, you’re more than likely to want to fill your boots with plenty of rollercoaster and ride action whilst you’re there. By far the cheapest way to do this and time saving exercise is to do this by booking park tickets separately. Buy your tickets to the parks in Florida as a bundle where it includes all the Disney Parks, Universal Studios and more and there’s plenty of combinations that you choose. You can save hundreds of pounds doing it this way, especially if you are travelling as a big party and want to explore more.
It sounds obvious, but you’re going to get the best deals at the Walt Disney World hotels if you don’t travel in peak times such as school holidays or holiday celebrations. If you have no choice I recommend using the February half term or the last two weeks of the school summer holidays to travel as this tends to be when prices are slightly cheaper if you do have to travel during the busiest times. Using skyscanner is a great way to find cheaper flights too!
If you’re wanting to be in the heart of the magic I thoroughly suggest that you book one of the cheaper Walt Disney World Hotels. We stayed at the Pop Century Resort and is part of the “value” tier of hotels, but to be honest, you’re hardly ever in the hotel that it’s simply a base as you do your exploring of the magical parks (and quite frankly not much different to the mid/moderate tier hotels either!) You’ll still get fab benefits such as free buses to the parks, extra magic hours and fast pass tickets too – such a great way to get good value for money and get back the extra time you might spend queuing for Big Thunder Mountain!
It also gives you access to booking the Dining Plans before you go. This is a great way of knowing that your finances are already taken care of when it comes to food. I know it was a massive weight off our shoulders when we made use of this!
There’s no denying that merchandise in Disney is pretty expensive, and if you’ve got kids they’re going to want to buy every plush toy that they can shake a stick at, so why not pre-pack a cute Disney rucksack for them with things you’ve bought beforehand so they can go in to the parks ready and raring to go (and hopefully less likely to want you to spend more money!) These cute mouse ears are perfect, this character autograph book is certainly much cheaper, plus don’t forget a cute cuddly toy and finally you can pack them all in this Disney rucksack too. You’ll save a small fortune!
The Walt Disney World Planning tools are amazing if you are travelling with kids or teens. It cuts through the crap and can suggest all the family friendly restaurants, the Disney Guest services such as in room childcare and pushchair hire etc and the parades, shows and rides that will suit your parties age groups. Having a key plan in place is the best way to save time and having a “Little Book of Magic” to circle with the little ones is really going to bring the holiday to life before you’ve even set foot on a plane.
These are sometimes included in the Disney Dining Pans but if you are staying off-site these refillable mugs can be purchased from most Disney Food Courts for around $20. A great way to save money on drinks, espeically when it’s extremely hot in the parks! Plus, you have a cute memento to take home with you after the holiday and it’s a bit more environmentally friendly.
If you liked this post then check out our hady guide to saving money for Disneyland Paris!
