Disney magic can still happen on a budget
Last week we explored several ways to save on travel by land, sea and air. This week, let’s hone in on “The Happiest Place on
Earth.”
Walt Disney World is one of the most popular travel destinations in the world. The most visited theme park worldwide,
Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom is visited by more than 20 million people annually.
It’s easy to see why. It’s a haven of happiness for those who pine to dine with princesses or wander a land of make-believe filled with costumed characters, enchanting music, thrilling rides and spellbinding shows. But, sometimes the most magical thing about a Disney vacation is how fast your money can disappear.
Disney has never been a cheap family vacation, but since parks reopened following an extended COVID-19 closure, a lot has changed and not necessarily for the better.
To manage crowd size, Disney instituted a park reservation system that still remains in effect. Once free, the Disney FastPass+ Service has been replaced with a new paid service dubbed Lightning Lane that will cost you at least $15 per person, per day. The company discontinued its free airport shuttle service, Disney’s Magical Express. Ticket prices have gone up, select restaurants are still closed and Extra Magic Hours — extended time in the parks granted to those staying on Disney property — have been significantly scaled back.
Alas, can you really put a price tag on magic?
As frugal as I am, I’m still willing to indulge, but I’m not about to do so without seeking out every source of savings because at first first glance, the total cost of a Disney trip can seem more disheartening than the beginning of “Bambi.”
You can create memory-making Disney magic without splitting meals, donating blood plasma or depleting your savings faster than you can say supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.
Here are some tips:
Finance your trip with discounted Disney gift cards: Shave a smidge off your Disney spending by purchasing discounted gift cards. If you’re a Target REDCard credit or debit cardholder you’ll save 5 percent. If you’re a BJ’s Wholesale Club member, you’ll save from 4 percent to 8 percent (if you order online, membership isn’t required unless there’s a special promotion). Sam’s Club and Costco are two other sources. Disney gift cards can be used toward your resort stay, park tickets, dining plan, souvenirs and more. So, if your hotel fee is $2,000, you’ll save an instant $100 by purchasing through Target. Something is better than nothing.
Seek out discounted theme park tickets: There’s a good chance park tickets will cost more than your hotel stay. If you are a parttime Florida resident, AAA member, government employee or military personnel, you may be eligible for discounted passes. If not, you can still save some cash. There are legitimate ticket agents offering discount passes, including UndercoverTourist.com and Orbitz.com. If you book a flight through JetBlue, you can use your flight confirmation code to log into paisly.com and unlock exclusive deals tickets.
Skip the Park Hopper: If you want to visit more than one park a day, you can purchase a Park Hopper ticket, but the upgrade will cost you at least $30 or more per person, per day. You can easily fill a full day at one park. Hopping to another park isn’t allowed after 2 p.m., plus the parks aren’t very close together, so you may end up spending a chunk of your day traveling and standing in security lines.
Travel during off-peak times: If you’re flexible with your dates, you can save money on a resort stay, as well as park tickets because in an effort to evenly distribute crowds, Disney will offer discounts at select times of the year. Typically, off-peak travel periods include January to mid-February, the tail-end of summer and early fall.
Have your groceries delivered: If you purchase a single bottle of water on property you can expect to pay at least $3. To save money, purchase a case for almost the same price and have it delivered to your resort. Likewise, you can have snacks, adult beverages, personal care products and more sent to your room through services like Amazon Prime, Walmart Plus, Instacart and a local service called Garden Grocer. Guests are allowed to bring non-alcoholic drinks and snacks into all parks. Or, you can ask for a free cup of ice water at any quick-service dining location.
Rent Disney Vacation Club points: Disney has a timeshare program dubbed the Disney Vacation Club. DVC members pay for, accumulate and own points, which are used to reserve villa-style rooms at the premier resorts on Disney’s property. Owners can opt to rent the points out to anyone, and in exchange for payment, the owner makes a room reservation for a rentee. It’s possible to save 30 percent to 50 percent on deluxe accommodations if you rent rather than purchase directly through Disney. Look to brokers David's Vacation Club Rentals and DVC Rental Store for guidance.
Book through big travel portals: Of course, you can book packages — including special room discounts — directly through Walt Disney World. But those special seasonal room rates are often available on sites like Orbitz.com and Cheaptickets.com, too. What's more, you can use available discount codes to save as much as 20 percent on your stay with coupon codes. The big chains are almost always excluded — Hilton, Marriott, etc. However, Walt Disney World's privately owned, on-site resorts are not. Link via a cash-back website like Rakuten.com or RetailMeNot.com and earn up to 10 percent cash-back, too.
Stay off site: Staying on Disney property can come at a premium. There are perks: 30-minute advanced entry to the parks, free transportation and early access to Genie + Lightning Lane passes. But, are those advantages compelling enough to stay within the Disney bubble when you could potentially save hundreds of dollars by staying at a nearby hotel?
Explore Disney’s free attractions: They do exist. Take a spin on the monorail and explore the resorts location along the railway, many of which offer musical entertainment throughout the day and movies under the stars; cruise across the Seven Seas Lagoon on the free ferry location by the entrance of the Magic Kingdom; walk along Disney’s Boardwalk and enjoy the Coney Islandesque sites — 8including jugglers, magicians and midway games. There’s the sprawling retail/restaurant district, Disney Springs, too.
Don’t forgo a Disney foray because you think your kids are too young:Yeah, they may not remember it, but you will. If your child is younger than 3, you won’t have to pay for his or her park tickets, hotel accommodations or food if you opt for Disney’s Dining Plan (when it returns). If your child is younger than 2, he or she can fly for free on most carriers.