5 Tips for Disney Savings
by Susan Kelly
If you are looking for ways to save money and not compromise your experience at Walt Disney World, here are a few simple practices:
Skip the park hopper option.
At close to 60.00 per person, this is a luxury, not a necessity. Park hopping allows you to go to more than one park within the same day. You just have to be disciplined and decisive to make the base pass work. If you think through the night events and available Extra Magic Hours (for on-site guests only) – you can maximize your day and save quite a bit of money.
Stay on site.
When you consider that you get free transportation to and from the airport via the Magical Express bus and extended park hours, there is a lot of value in staying on property. Resorts at Walt Disney World can start as low as 100.00 per night so that rate will be hard to beat elsewhere. You won’t have any ground transportation costs, which can quickly add up when visiting from the outside and paying for parking and gas every day. One other huge advantage of staying on site is that you can make your Fastpass reservations 60 days in advance, compared to 30 days in advance if you are off property. Your time has a value too, and that 30 day Fastpass lead time just saved you a whole lot of headache!
Stay longer.
The one day visitor pays the highest price to enter the parks. Compare a one-day visit at 129.00 to a 10 day ticket, where your admission breaks down to 44.50 each day. The reduced rate on multi-day tickets yields the best savings starting at 4 days. We recommend planning for between 4-10 days for the best per-day rates for park admission.
Pay attention to your travel dates.
A standard room at the Beach Club can go for as low as 450.00 per night in value season – yet that very same room will sell for 675.00 in peak season. Further, if you are able to layer a promotion on top of these standard rates, you can save up to 30% off or possibly get a free dining plan included. A good travel agent (at Travel Magic!) will advise you on your best value dates and combine it with a discount.
Cut back on food.
It is no secret that portions are way out of control and it is no different at Walt Disney World. Consider sharing an entrée at a sit down restaurant or having an appetizer for your main course. You can also order a kid’s meal at counter service locations. Sure you can splurge one or two nights during your trip, but eating full entrees every day can add up to high costs and high calories!
