{"id":651,"date":"2018-07-08T09:35:34","date_gmt":"2018-07-08T16:35:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.hoteldealsrevealed.com\/blog\/?p=651"},"modified":"2018-07-08T15:49:15","modified_gmt":"2018-07-08T22:49:15","slug":"disney-world-money-saving-tips","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hoteldealsrevealed.com\/blog\/disney-world-money-saving-tips\/","title":{"rendered":"Disney World Money Saving Tips"},"content":{"rendered":"

Looking to travel to Disney World in Orlando for cheap? \u00a0I recently booked a trip to Florida and wanted to share some great Disney World Money Saving Tips<\/strong> that I unearthed during the last couple of months researching, preparing, and booking my travel to Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida.<\/p>\n

Flights<\/b><\/h2>\n
As with most flights, it’s best to be as flexible as possible when booking a flight. \u00a0This means flexibility on flight dates, airlines, and airports. \u00a0As a Canadian living on Vancouver Island, taking a plane off the Island can be expensive. \u00a0Although I looked for cheap flights from Victoria, none were to be had.\u00a0 Instead, I looked at surrounding airports and managed to find a great deal from Seattle to Orland. \u00a0I’m leaving a day later than I would have preferred, but the price was so good I could not resist — only $99 per person. \u00a0On the way home, I had to be even more flexible. \u00a0I’m returning on a Monday instead of a Saturday or Sunday (my preferred dates), but I don’t mind because weekend flight prices were just too expensive. \u00a0When looking for a return flight, I searched for flights not\u00a0only out of Orlando but also from Fort Lauderdale and Miami. \u00a0I realize this might not be ideal for everyone, but for me, it worked well since we wanted to do a bit of traveling throughout the state of Florida. \u00a0The total cost of the flight to Florida and back:\u00a0 less than $250 per person.<\/p>\n
Accommodation<\/strong><\/h2>\n
I am dividing our two-week trip into two parts. \u00a0For 9 nights, I will stay in the Orlando area and for the remaining 5 nights,\u00a0I will travel south and stay in and around Fort Lauderdale and Miami. \u00a0For the Fort Lauderdale \/ Miami leg of our trip,\u00a0I simply used Priceline and\u00a0received a great deal on hotels considering it’s spring break. \u00a0As for Orlando, I saved a lot of money by staying off-site.\u00a0 That is, I chose to stay at a hotel not on the Walt Disney World Resort itself but one that was about 15-20 minutes drive from the resort.<\/p>\n
Staying on the Walt Disney World Resort vs Off-Site<\/strong><\/h3>\n
This is probably the first decision any traveler needs to make when planning their trip to Disney World. \u00a0There are many benefits to staying on-site (which I will not go into) and the truth is, it’s hard to put a dollar value on these benefits. \u00a0Ignoring intangible benefits, I calculated the cost of staying in WDW versus staying at a hotel nearby. \u00a0My results were consistent with what most travel books (including my favorite, the Unofficial Guide) have to say: \u00a0You’re paying a premium for staying in Disney, even after you factor in the cost of renting a car (which is recommended if you’re staying off-site), Disney dining plans and discounts, vacation packages, and other variables. \u00a0The cost difference is so significant that I simply could not justify the extra expense of staying in WDW. \u00a0Off-site is cheaper, hands down.<\/p>\n
Once a decision is made to stay on or off resort, next, is deciding what hotel. \u00a0Prices can fluctuate wildly from website to website, so it is best to check a variety of sources. \u00a0I also recommend reserving something early as long as the reservation can be canceled. \u00a0This protects you against price increases but allows you to find a better deal in the months or weeks prior to your trip. Additional accommodation money saving tips:<\/p>\n
\n
If you do not mind an extra 5 or 10 minutes drive, you can save $20 or so per night for comparable rooms by going further out.<\/li>\n
Look for rooms with a kitchenette. \u00a0You’ll save a lot of money by eating meals in your room where possible.<\/li>\n
Many hotels have resort fees. \u00a0It’s good to know the full costs and factor these into your decision making. \u00a0Some hotels charge for parking and wifi too. \u00a0These additional fees can add up over the span of a trip.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Should you use Hotwire or Priceline for your Orlando stay?<\/strong><\/h3>\n
This website, HotelDealsRevealed.com is all about Hotwire and Priceline, but it might not make sense to book through these sites. \u00a0If there are only 2 people in your party, use Priceline. \u00a0You will almost certainly save money compared to other sources, but there are some risks involved (such as non-refundable reservations). \u00a0For families, Hotwire is usually a better choice because they allow you to specify the number of people who will be staying in your room and assure you the appropriate amount of bedding. \u00a0Plus, Hotwire tells you the hotel amenities before you buy. \u00a0If a kitchenette is important, for example, you know before you purchase.<\/p>\n
[By the way, don’t forget to use HotelDealsRevealed to help you with your Hotwire or Priceline purchasing. \u00a0The hotel lists<\/a> can help reveal your hotel before you buy, and the list of winning bids in our Hotwire and Priceline forum<\/a> let you know how much others are bidding.]<\/em><\/p>\n
Saving Money on Disney World Tickets<\/strong><\/h2>\nUndercover Tourist and a few other places sell tickets for slightly less than Disney. \u00a0They are legit. \u00a0I saved $16 per ticket x 5 = $80. \u00a0Not bad. \u00a0One other thing I would recommend people do is to buy tickets for fewer days than they’ll be visiting the park, then upgrade. \u00a0For example, if you’re planning to visit the park for 8 days, buy a 5-day park pass because this leaves your options open. \u00a0You might get tired, sick, or simply change your mind about the number of days you want to visit the park. \u00a0You can always upgrade but you cannot downgrade.\u00a0 When you upgrade your ticket, you only pay the difference in price. \u00a0There are a few nuances with upgrades, so if you’re thinking about doing this, be sure to check out Disboards.com<\/a> for more tips and info on how upgrades work.<\/p>\n
Disney offers a plethora of other add-ons that are actually quite expensive. \u00a0The basic ticket, called Magic Your Way, is the cheapest. We decided to skip extras like the Park Hopper and the water parks.<\/p>\n
Another tip for saving money on tickets is this avoid visiting Disney World and other theme parks such as Universal.\u00a0 The cost of a single day at Universal, as an example, is around $125. \u00a0An extra day at Disney World can be as little as just $10.<\/p>\n
Car rentals<\/strong><\/h2>\n
One of the questions you’ll need to ask yourself is, should you rent a car? \u00a0The general consensus is, if you’re staying on site, you will not need a rental. \u00a0If you are staying offsite, it usually makes sense to rent a car.\u00a0 My family likes to visit the shopping malls and outlets, and we will definitely be hitting up the grocery store. Not to mention the back and forth between the and our hotel.<\/p>\n
Car rental insurance can be expensive. \u00a0Check with your current vehicle insurance provider to see if your insurance is transferable.\u00a0 In my case, I had to pay $29 per year extra for the\u00a0privilege of being able to transfer insurance from my personal vehicle to a rental care.\u00a0 This small charge saved me $15 per day.<\/p>\n
Disney Dining<\/strong><\/h2>\n
This is unavoidable. \u00a0You are going to have to fork out money for food in the Disney Parks at some point during your trip. \u00a0Here are some tips to avoid this as much as possible, thereby reducing costs when you have to eat at the Resort.<\/p>\n
First, try to get a hotel with a full kitchen or kitchenette. \u00a0If you cannot, even a fridge and microwave can go a long way. \u00a0Failing that, you would be surprised how many meals you can cook with a coffee maker. \u00a0Eating your breakfast at your hotel and returning for dinner are the two biggest ways to save yourself heaps of cash. \u00a0Eating dinner at your hotel, of course, means that you’re leaving the park in the middle of the day. \u00a0This is something I recommend doing anyway.<\/p>\n
Another great way to save money on food is to bring your own food into the Parks with you.\u00a0 Disney does allow this, so feel free to pack drinks, snacks and even full meals.<\/p>\n
Souvenirs<\/strong><\/h2>\n
One of the books I read said that at some point, you’re going to end up buying your kids that $10 helium balloon. \u00a0Accept it. \u00a0I agree. \u00a0But here are some tips for saving money on Disney World souvenirs. \u00a0Princess dresses — we are not buying them at Disney. \u00a0Instead, we picked one up at Walmart for $20 and brought it with us.\u00a0 As well, many of the Disney souvenirs can be purchased much cheaper off the Resort itself, like at Walmart! \u00a0So if you have to satiate your child’s’ appetite for a souvenir in the park, buy them something small and inexpensive. \u00a0Save the bigger items for off-Resort shops.<\/p>\n
Time of Year<\/strong><\/h2>\n
You will not likely see Disney prices fluctuate but pretty much everything else does, depending on the season.\u00a0 This is particularly true of hotels. \u00a0Going in the off-season can save you a lot of money (and is much less crowded). \u00a0In our case, we had 1 window in which to go — spring break — one of the busiest and most expensive times of the year. \u00a0Good times to\u00a0visit Walt Disney World are: January, February, April (after Easter), September and November.<\/p>\n
Additional resources for Disney World money saving tips:<\/p>\n
\n
Disboards.com: \u00a0<\/strong>Love this site. \u00a0The board moderators and hardcore enthusiasts are super helpful and always willing to lend a hand.<\/li>\n
Unofficial Guide:<\/strong> \u00a0Borrow from your local library all the Disney World books you can, but buy this one. \u00a0It’s the tops.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Staying on the Walt Disney World Resort vs Off-Site: This is probably the first decision any traveller needs to make when planning their trip to Disney World. There are many benefits to staying on-site (which I don’t go into) and the truth is, it’s hard to put a dollar value to them. Ignoring intangible benefits, I calculated the cost of staying in WDW versus staying at a hotel nearby. My results were consistent with what most travel books (including my favorite, the Unofficial Guide) say: You’re paying a premium for staying in Disney, even after you factor in the cost of renting a car (which is recommended if you’re staying off site), Disney dining plans and discounts, vacation packages, and other variables. The results were so lopsided that we simply couldn’t justify the extra expense of staying in WDW. Off site is cheaper, hands down.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1842,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5,47],"tags":[135,134],"class_list":["post-651","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-travel-deals","category-travel-tips","tag-orlando","tag-walt-disney-world"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hoteldealsrevealed.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/651","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hoteldealsrevealed.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hoteldealsrevealed.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hoteldealsrevealed.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hoteldealsrevealed.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=651"}],"version-history":[{"count":15,"href":"https:\/\/www.hoteldealsrevealed.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/651\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1843,"href":"https:\/\/www.hoteldealsrevealed.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/651\/revisions\/1843"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hoteldealsrevealed.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1842"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hoteldealsrevealed.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=651"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hoteldealsrevealed.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=651"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hoteldealsrevealed.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=651"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}