PlanningThe ParksTips

Tips for Saving Money In Disney

It isn’t a surprise that a trip to Walt Disney World is expensive. The cost of the magic adds up when you budget for your hotel, tickets, food, and those fantastic souvenirs. To help you save some money, we have a few tips that we are going to share with you.

We hope that by sharing them, you can save some money on your Disney vacation while still enjoying all the magic it has to offer along the way.

Regal Eagle
Credit: Disney

Share a Meal

Walt Disney World portions are often huge. Because of this, a way to save some money is by sharing a meal. Consider splitting an entree at a quick service or a table service meal instead of having everyone purchase one individually. Doing this can cut down on costs as well as eliminate some food waste that often happens.

We like to do this at a few places: Flame Tree Barbecue at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Columbia Harbour House in Magic Kingdom, and Regal Eagle at the American Pavilion in EPCOT. Each of these quick service locations offers large entrees that are easy to split.

Both Flame Tree Barbecue and Regal Eagle provide platters or combos. These offer a nice large portion of protein and numerous sides to share. This is more than enough for a meal on a busy, hot day in Walt Disney World.

When we eat at Columbia Harbour House, we enjoy sharing the combo platter that includes fish, shrimp, chicken nuggets, and fries. There is always enough variety and just enough to fill us up without wasting food.

Before you order a full meal for everyone, consider what you can share to save some money while still enjoying the food.

spring roll cart
Credit DisneyDining

Snacks for Food

Another money-saving tip for food is to turn snacks into meals. There are so many unique, large snacks around Walt Disney World that you can quickly turn these snacks into a nice, quick meal.

The spring rolls at Magic Kingdom are one of our favorite snacks as a meal during our Disney vacations. We also stop here at least once, if not multiple times, for a meal.

Over in Disney’s Animal Kingdom at the Yak and Yeti quick service, Guests can enjoy chicken fried rice for a low price of 6.99, which is a significant portion.

Check to see if there are sides that you can enjoy as a meal to save some money along the way.

Chef Mickeys
Credit: Disney

Breakfast and Lunch Are Cheaper

If you are a group that loves to enjoy some sit-down meals during your trip but also want to save some money, know that dinner is always the most expensive meal of the day. Consider having a meal for breakfast or lunch to enjoy some characters or a nice meal, but save a little money per person.

Although most table service meals will be pricey compared to what you might see at home, having breakfast or lunch can help with the cost.

Snacks

Bring In Your Food

This might be surprising to many Guests, but Walt Disney World allows Guests to bring food to the Parks. This is a fantastic way to save money throughout the day. Consider bringing your snacks or even making a picnic for lunch over a few days.

By bringing in your food, you can save a lot of money throughout your trip. There are some rules, so check the website for official policy, but overall, grab those goldfish and head on in.

bottled water
Credit: Amazon

Don’t Buy Water

It is so important to stay hydrated while in Walt Disney World. This can be extremely expensive if you don’t plan. Ensure you bring your refillable water bottle or have water delivered to your Disney Resort.

Don’t spend money on water in Disney Parks. These bottles are costly, and you can often get a whole case for the price of one bottle in a Park. Plan so you can stay hydrated but also save money.

Big-Blue-Pool
Credit: Disney Tips

Save On Tickets

It can be easy to get wrapped up in the magic and think you must purchase a Park ticket for each day of your trip. One way to save money is to enjoy a Resort day. This can save you money on your Disney Park ticket and allow you to enjoy the Resort you are paying to stay at during your trip.

This can be hard to resist as the more days you purchase, the cheaper it gets per day; however, if you are trying to save some money, take time to enjoy that Disney Resort.

Disney Gift Card

Gift Cards 

If you are like us and get wrapped up in the magic and start spending like crazy when you arrive at Walt Disney World, consider using gift cards. Purchase gift cards that hit your budget ahead of time and use those for items like food and souvenirs.

Gift cards can also be a great way to tour and enjoy the different festivals at EPCOT. Use a set amount on the gift card when you visit the booths. When your gift card runs out, so does your festival tour.

Some tips and tricks can help you save money while enjoying Walt Disney World’s magic. We hope that these will be helpful to you as your budget and plan your Disney vacation. Disney is expensive, but there are some great ways to make the magic while still staying within your budget and that’s just what these tips help you do.

Jennifer Retzlaff

Jennifer became a lifelong Disney fan during her first trip to Walt Disney World in 6th grade. From that moment, Disney became a big part of her life. She quickly started to introduce her love of Disney to her family with a Disney honeymoon and then family trips when her youngest was 18 months old. She loves the magic that Disney brings to people through theme parks, cruises, and adventures. As a teacher, she tries to bring Disney magic into her classroom to help kids believe that “If You Can Dream It, You Can Do It.” She is also part of the Magic Vacation Planner team as a personal travel advisor. With this team, she can now help others plan magical vacations. She loves bringing her love to Disney to readers with How to Disney.

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