The Best Money Saving Tips For Visiting Disney World
On all family bucket lists, Walt Disney World holds a special top-tier spot. Not only is it the one-a-kind getaway that your children start talking about from the moment they tune-in to their first animated film, but there’s something special and priceless about watching your kiddos experience this wondrous place. For some families though, the idea of a trip to Disney World seems like a pipedream – something unachievable on budgets that don’t allow much wiggle room. Luckily though, there are smart solutions, trips and tips that can make your family getaway less about crunching numbers and more about savoring the experience. Here, the best ways to cut corners and save big when you finally make the journey to the happiest – and if you play your cards right, affordable – place on Earth:
Get started early.
Even if post-college you let the wind of your backpack propel you toward whatever train, bus or cheap plane ticket you could find, that type of exploring isn’t always the best idea when you’re trying to stay in the green. Because you aren’t just looking out for yourself anymore, but your whole gaggle of kiddos and your partner, the further ahead you can secure your dates and begin planning, the better. This way, you can keep an eye-out for last-minute deals, packages that could go on sale and other loopholes that aren’t possible when you’re mapping out your vacation a mere month before.
Use a travel agent.
Thanks to their extensive, specialized knowledge about all-things-Disney, a travel agent can be your best resource for saving money. In addition to understanding the best times of year to travel, the most affordable on-site resorts and how to make your little one’s wishes come true, they also have the perk of relationships. After all, travel agents work tirelessly to build healthy connections to vendors, allowing you to sit back and enjoy the vacation, instead of cutting costs.
Plan a longer trip
Depending on where you’re traveling from, one effective way to stay in budget might seem counterproductive: stay longer. Because of how Disney ticketing works, if you stay for a longer amount of time, the cost goes down per person, per day, meaning you’ll save in the long run. This also allows time to take some down days (more on that later) which can be a way to free yourself from the many additional expenses that vacationing inevitably presents.
Pack snacks and a water bottle.
As you venture through the rides, the character meetings and the photo-opp spots, keep your eyes peeled for the plethora of water fountains the park offers. Instead of buying countless plastic water bottles, bring your own to refill. And even though the countless food options are alluring, packing sandwiches and snacks will help you from dropping $5 here and $10 there when one of your rugrats is hungry (again).
Use travel credit cards.
Though of course you want to be smart about opening up a new credit card, ensuring you can pay off the bill each statement, if you have large purchases coming up, it might be worth putting them on a travel rewards credit card to earn the points. For example, the sign up bonus with Chase Sapphire Reserve will give you thousands of bonus points if you spend at least $3,000 in the first three months. This could easily pay for you and your partner’s plane ticket to Florida, a significant savings when you have children to fly the friendly skies too.
Have a free day.
And by free, we mean lounging by the pool at your Disney Resort. Especially if you take advantage of a lengthier trip, you might need some downtime to rest your feet from all the walking and to make sandwiches at home, instead of buying breakfast, lunch and dinner out each day. Who knows, you might even get a little peace and quiet to catch up on a book or actually have a full conversation with your partner. After all, it’s your vacation, too!
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