Wanting to find a way to save on a shorter Disney vacation? That is one of the best ways to save.Rather than plan 4 days or more, why not opt for just a short trip staying only one or two days?
I reached out to several Disney Travel experts to get some tips and ideas from them on what to do to make sure do just that. These people have some great ideas to help you enjoy the park during that short time you might have to visit. We’ve also included a link to the website and/or Facebook page here as well. That way, if you want to learn more or need some help planning your trip, you can reach out to them directly.
1. Stay on the Disney property.
This will save you the cost of parking ($20 a day). You will also be submersed in the magic the entire time you are visiting – allowing you to fully enjoy the experience. You might check out the value resort, which is a lower cost stay, but still allows you to stay on the property. (Tip from Lisa with PixieandPiratesDestinations.com).
2. Take advantage of resort freebies.
There are always parties, games, art projects and more going on at the pools. Find the times and you can have a chance to enjoy a little something FREE during your visit! (Tip from Liz with PixieLizzie.)
3. Skip the Park Hopper pass.
On a shorter trip, you won’t want to bounce around because the travel between wastes time. Pick the parks you want to be in the most and choose 1 for each day of your trip. Once you have the parks picked, take a look at the attractions for each park and earmark your faves and the ones you want to skip. You should also use the My Disney Experience app and website to pull up each ride and seeing the description of each one. Using the new fast pass+ guests can pre-select 3 rides per day. This will also save time.
4. Stock your fridge.
Make sure you visit a local grocery store and grab breakfast and snacks. Then, stock your fridge! Now, you’ve got breakfast and all of your snacks, which you can stuff into your bag. Add in some bottled water and now, you’ve got inexpensive snacks, instead of the expensive ones you will find through the park. It is also an added bonus when you are in your room at 9 pm and everyone needs a bedtime snack too.
5. Use Your Disney Vacation Account.
This is a great way to save money and gift cards to use towards your trip! The great feature about this is that when you save $1,000, you will receive a FREE $20 gift card! You can sign up HERE. That can be used towards souvenirs and other trinkets. (Tip from Gundi with Wish Upon a Star with Us).
6. Use a reputable travel agent.
This may seem like it would cost you more – but it does not. When you utilize a reputable agent, they can really help you make sure you get the most out of your trip while ensuring you stay in budget! All of the tips on this post were provided by such agents, so feel free to reach out with any of them.
7. Plan your meals ahead of time.
You can find menus and prices for the various restaurants online. This way, you can make sure you dine where it fits into you budget. You might even be able to split meals with your kids! They never seem to eat it all anyhow, so just clean up their left overs and skip paying for a meal.
If this doesn’t work for you, look into the meal plan option, as you may save more going this route (it is all pre-paid before you go). (Tis from Lindley with Mickey Adventures and Krissy with Magic of Mickey Travel).
8. Wait and go when you can afford a longer trip.
If your budget doesn’t work for a longer trip one year, you may want to save and try to go for a longer period of time in the future. You can actually save hundreds and catch more venues if you plan your trip for one week or longer. (Tip from Kim with Magical Vacations by Me).
9. Plan your park visit.
Get into the park the minute it opens and head to the back of the park to hit those rides first. Most start at the front and work back, making for longer lines. You can sometimes find little to no lines at all – making sure you get the most out of your trip to the park. (Tip from Trevor with Middle of the Magic Travel).
10. Go during off season.
Try to plan your trip during values seasons which are January – early February or September. The lines are shorter and you can get more bang for your buck! (Tip from Heather with AAAMagicCreator).