So the number 1 question I get from clients, friends and family who are thinking about a Disney vacation (whether it’s Disney World, Disneyland or a Disney Cruise) is how much does it cost? I’m going to be honest- a Disney vacation is an expensive vacation. That being said, you’re definitely getting what you pay for!
But it can be overwhelming and you do need to save and be prepared to spend some money. How much you need to save is really dependent on several factors: how long are you going to go? What type of resort are you going to stay in? Will you be purchasing extras like a park hopper pass or a dining plan (in the case of a Walt Disney World vacation) or excursions or signature dining (in the case of a cruise)?
Ways to Save for a Disney Vacation
While you’re working with your travel agent to answer these questions, you can begin to put aside some money. The good news is, that in order to book a reservation, a very small percentage of money is due up front.
This gives you ample time to slowly save the rest (for Walt Disney World, and Disneyland, a $200 deposit is required, or one night of the resort reservation when you book a room only package; or 20% of the cost of your stateroom when booking a cruise). Here are some creative ways my family saves for our Disney vacations!
1. Count your pennies!
Whenever we pay cash for something, we collect the change due from our purchase and put it aside. We literally save our pennies. If we’re booking our vacation 7-12 months in advance, that really adds up!
2. Rewards
Sign up for credit cards and other programs that give cash back! My husband and I both have Disney Visa cards as well as Southwest Airlines credit cards with which we earn points toward travel with each purchase. Be sure to read the fine print and choose a card or two that will give you the maximum rewards!
3. Who Likes Cash?
We also are registered with cash back apps that reward us for the purchases we’re already making! One such app that we use is Ibotta. This app rewards us with cash savings for purchasing in stores such as Walmart, Target and our local grocery stores. Every little bit helps and it’s really easy to register and use!
4. Make Memories…and Magic
Make vacations a priority in your family and instead of, for example, spending $200 on birthday gifts for a spouse or a child, put that money toward your vacation. For a family of 4, that could mean about $800 of vacation money.
It could be even more if you decide to forego your usual birthday party and, instead, put that money away as well. Fill your life with adventures, not things- have stories to tell, not stuff to show!
5. Have a garage sale!
When is the last time you did a deep clean of your house and took an honest inventory of the things you had and don’t need? Do this once a year with one big yard sale event, or do it on a smaller scale periodically through Craigslist or apps such as Letgo. Check your neighborhood and see if they have a multi-family or neighborhood sale you can get in on. These tend to draw larger crowds of shoppers to maximize you’re selling potential.
6 Gift cards
This is perhaps my favorite hack and a great way to save about 5% on your travel. I use my Target card to purchase Disney gift cards. My Target card awards me with 5% off all purchases. So, essentially, I’m paying $95 for a $100 gift card.
I typically purchase several of these in the months leading up to our vacation and then use the Disney gift cards to make payments toward our Disney vacation. This is a great savings! I know there are other stores that sell Disney gift cards at a discount so do some research and definitely take advantage of this great perk!
What are your favorite ways and best tips to save for a vacation?
Thanks for visiting MickeyBlog! Are you thinking of taking a Disney vacation? I’d love to help! Please, contact me and I’ll handle all the details and make your Disney vacation MAGICAL!
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