My family made a trip to Disney World for vacation a few weeks ago. I thought I would compile a list here to share the frugal tips that worked for us.Food
1. All counter service restaurants will give you free large glasses of ice water if you ask. At lunch time, we ordered 2 sodas for my husband and I and 4 glasses of ice water. I brought along Crystal Light To Go packets and made lemonade for the kids. We used the 2 extra cups to refill our water bottles.
2. If your kids love their PB&Js, then pack their lunch and bring it to the parks. My kiddos would rather have a packed lunch of their favorites than the expensive purchased lunch.
3. Bring your own breakfast or split large meals. My kids ate bagels with jelly, a juice box and applesauce or fruit bowl (all of which we brought with us to the resort) every morning. My husband and I split a breakfast sandwich or omelet from the food court. The portions were too large for us to each order a separate breakfast.
4. Where did we get the food to do 2 & 3? We stopped at the grocery store on the way to our resort. We purchased peanut butter, jelly, bread, bagels, Diet Coke, juice boxes and bottled water for $30. I also had packed in our suitcase applesauce, fruit bowls, goldfish, pretzels and a few more snacks. We saved at least $225 by doing this.
5. I ordered off the kids menu from counter service restaurants when I wasn't too hungry. Food portions are large at most counter service restaurants.
6. Research menus before your trip at allears.net. You will know ahead of time which restaurants serve food you enjoy and which restaurants you can afford!
7. Bring bottled water with you to the park. We brought 1 per person. Then refill it with cold water throughout the day. (see #1)
Souvenirs
1. Do not go into the gift shops if you can avoid them! I really wanted a $6 Mickey Mouse Kooky pen but I stayed strong. I just kept reminding myself that I didn't really NEED a $6 pen. You can't always avoid the gift shops since attractions sometimes exit through them.
2. Make your kids spend their own money on souvenirs. Once it's gone, it's gone. Or in our case, the kid decides the souvenirs aren't worth the money.
3. Buy some souvenirs before you arrive. I purchased these fan bottles at Walmart for $6 each. They were for sale at the parks for $16 each. Trust me- in Florida in July you will want one of these. My husband used it just as much as the kids. We purchased autograph books at the World but we brought our own Sharpies so we didn't need to buy $6 pens (see #1)!
General Tips
1. Book your vacation through a travel agent knowledgeable about Disney World or do research on vacation deals and discount codes to find the best deals. Hotels and park admission are the bulk of your expenses, so be diligent about researching a good price. Also if you are flexible with travel dates, check the calendar for peak, holiday, regular and value season times. Mousesavers.com is a good place to start.
2. Find free things to do. My kids loved playing in the fountains that squirt out of the sidewalks in Downtown Disney. The Lego Imagination Center also has bins of Legos outside for kids to enjoy. At Epcot, make the (free) masks and collect all the mask decorations from the Kidcot Stops in the World Showcase.
3. If you are renting a stroller, buy multi-day rentals to save a few dollars a day. We purchased the rentals two days at a time instead of all at once just in case we decided we didn't need a stroller one day.
4. Do your best to pack everything you will need during your stay. How much does sunscreen cost at a Disney gift shop? $13
