Today I have a guest post for you from Emma Drew who blogs at EmmaDrew.Info. Emma blogs about ways to make money, save money and live the life you want. She also loves visiting Orlando and Disney World, and has come up with some great ways to save money. Over to Emma...
A trip to Disney World, Orlando, is often a once in a lifetime trip because it can cost a lot of money. The good news is that there are still plenty of ways to save money whilst visiting the mouse. Here are 5 ways to save money at Disney World.
Don’t discount Disney hotels for being too expensive
The price of staying in a Disney hotel might put you off, but did you know there are plenty of benefits for staying at a Disney hotel? These benefits mean that a Disney hotel isn’t quite as expensive as you think.
If you choose to stay in a Disney hotel you will get:
Save money on food and drink
Food and drinks could make up a large portion of your spending money, but there are plenty of ways to save money on them. The portion sizes are huge, and combined with the temperature, I really struggle to eat 3 meals a day. Don’t be afraid to share a meal or ask for a doggy bag for your leftovers. You can save money on food in the parks by bringing your own snacks with you into the theme parks. Make sure you never buy water in the theme parks (which can reach almost $5 per bottle) by either bringing water with you, using the water fountains or asking for free iced water at any locations with a soda fountain.
Eating off site will save you a lot of money, but you need to consider the time it takes to leave a theme park and get to where you want to dine. If you are only visiting for a short time you might want to maximise your time in the parks.
Working out your spending money
When I am asked how much spending money you should take to Orlando, I usually suggest “as much as you can!”. When you are making your budget for Disney World, don’t forget to account for sales tax (usually 6-7%), gratuity (18-20% on top of your meals) and parking costs. If you have the Disney Dining Plan and you are staying at a Disney hotel, you will need less spending money than someone who isn’t on the dining plan and isn’t staying on site.
Visit the outlets to save lots of money
Did you know that there are 3 official Disney outlet stores around the Orlando area? These are a great place to pick up souvenirs or gifts. There are plenty of Disney outlet stores to choose from. There are also massive savings to be made aside from Disney - I love the Yankee Candle outlet store where I can pick up a large jar for around £8, instead of the full price of £27.99!
Sign up for free coupons
If there is one thing that America does right, it is coupons. You can pick up coupons in newspapers and at the front of grocery stores, but there are also plenty of Orlando coupons to sign up for before you go, including free food! Sign up for these about 3-5 days before you travel.
I hope that you have found these Disney World saving tips useful.
Pin it:
A trip to Disney World, Orlando, is often a once in a lifetime trip because it can cost a lot of money. The good news is that there are still plenty of ways to save money whilst visiting the mouse. Here are 5 ways to save money at Disney World.
Don’t discount Disney hotels for being too expensive
The price of staying in a Disney hotel might put you off, but did you know there are plenty of benefits for staying at a Disney hotel? These benefits mean that a Disney hotel isn’t quite as expensive as you think.
If you choose to stay in a Disney hotel you will get:
- Free magic bands for everyone in your party.
- Free transfer to and from the airport with Disney’s Magical Express.
- Get extra time in the theme parks with extra magic hours.
- Free parking at the theme parks (usually $20 a day - over two weeks this could cost you $280).
- Free transportation across Disney property with a monorail, boats and buses.
- At certain times of the year you can get a promotion that offers you the Disney Dining Plan completely free.
Save money on food and drink
Food and drinks could make up a large portion of your spending money, but there are plenty of ways to save money on them. The portion sizes are huge, and combined with the temperature, I really struggle to eat 3 meals a day. Don’t be afraid to share a meal or ask for a doggy bag for your leftovers. You can save money on food in the parks by bringing your own snacks with you into the theme parks. Make sure you never buy water in the theme parks (which can reach almost $5 per bottle) by either bringing water with you, using the water fountains or asking for free iced water at any locations with a soda fountain.
Eating off site will save you a lot of money, but you need to consider the time it takes to leave a theme park and get to where you want to dine. If you are only visiting for a short time you might want to maximise your time in the parks.
Working out your spending money
When I am asked how much spending money you should take to Orlando, I usually suggest “as much as you can!”. When you are making your budget for Disney World, don’t forget to account for sales tax (usually 6-7%), gratuity (18-20% on top of your meals) and parking costs. If you have the Disney Dining Plan and you are staying at a Disney hotel, you will need less spending money than someone who isn’t on the dining plan and isn’t staying on site.
Visit the outlets to save lots of money
Did you know that there are 3 official Disney outlet stores around the Orlando area? These are a great place to pick up souvenirs or gifts. There are plenty of Disney outlet stores to choose from. There are also massive savings to be made aside from Disney - I love the Yankee Candle outlet store where I can pick up a large jar for around £8, instead of the full price of £27.99!
Sign up for free coupons
If there is one thing that America does right, it is coupons. You can pick up coupons in newspapers and at the front of grocery stores, but there are also plenty of Orlando coupons to sign up for before you go, including free food! Sign up for these about 3-5 days before you travel.
I hope that you have found these Disney World saving tips useful.
Pin it:
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