Want to get the most out of your Disney World Vacation? To get the most out of your vacation, park planning is essential. It is a great way to maximize your time and save money too! You don’t want to miss out on all the key attractions and experiences by spending wasteful time wondering around the parks and spending money on unnecessary purchases. Let’s us be your guide to Free Tips & Tricks to Saving Money in the Disney World Parks!
I’ve learned over many years from visiting the parks, how to make my money go a long way without sacrificing the magic of a Disney vacation. Between high ticket prices, resort fees, and the increasing issues of dining cost, it can be a bit frustrating to try and plan a stress free trip. But we can help you do that with a few tips & tricks.
Book Early
It is not uncommon for the best deals to book up fast at Disney. My advise is book early enough to get the best savings on ticket and resort packages. Disney is flexible, you can change plans as it gets closer to your trip if needed. Booking early can give you a head start on paying off your trip before you even arrive for your visit.
But no need to fret, there are many money saving tips that can help take the strain off your pocketbook. Visit our site for the 2025 Disney Resort Savings and Disney’s Good Neighbor Hotels with more details on the best deals & prices to magical savings.
Have a game plan when visiting the Disney parks! Know which park you want to visit each day. Spend time reviewing the park map on your My Disney Experience App before heading to the park. This will save you time navigating your way through the park. Besides, it can help you plan what rides and attractions you want to accomplish that day, where they are located, and give you a general idea of wait times.
Most importantly, know what you DON’T want to do. No one wants to waste time in lines for rides that are scary or intense, that your kids might not be tall enough to ride, or that cause motion sickness. Choose your top 5 attractions and plan your day around those.
Planning Ahead
It is good to know rides that have the longest wait times. You can try to jump on these rides early in the morning at rope drop (rope drop allows you to enter a park 30 minutes early before the rides open) or jump in line right before the park closes (if you are in line before the official closing time you won’t be turned away). Don’t care about watching a Disney parade or fireworks show? This is another perfect time to ride your favorite rides without waiting in long lines.
My family and I utilize all that the parks have to offer from single rider lines (you will not be able to sit with your party but it guarantees you a shorter wait time), to mobile ordering on the My Disney Experience App, to the rider switch (this allows parents with younger children to swap out to ride a ride). Know before you go is always a great plan.
Did you know that there are lots of “freebies” and ways to save money in the parks?
Souvenir Savings
Souvenirs can cost a hefty price in the Disney parks. Ways I have saved money over the years is by buying souvenirs for my kids ahead of our visit. Find out what they like. You can purchase cheaper items that still look good at places like Amazon, Walmart, and online at the Disney Store. Hit up all the sales for t-shirts, lanyards, autograph books, bags, ears, and trading pins. Then, put a limit on what they buy in the parks. Make purchasing park souvenirs a special event by helping them find that one special park item they can’t live without.
Consider purchasing a Disney pressed penny coin collector’s book. This is a cheap way for your kids to have a fun magical experience in the parks and around the resorts. Pressed penny books range from $10 to $24 online. Coin pressed penny machines can be found all around the Disney parks, resorts, water parks, and Disney Springs area. To view machine locations click here on the Disney Pressed Penny Locations.
CLICK HERE TO FOR DISNEY PRESSED PENNY BOOKS AVAILABLE ON AMAZON
Amazon offers some really great and cute choices for Disney pressed penny collection books for just $9.95. Choose from a selection of covers; Bella, Coco, The Jungle Cruise, Buzz Lightyear, Buzz & Woody, Ariel, Alice in Wonderland, Elsa, Snow White, Tinkerbell, Minnie, Mickey and so much more available on amazon. This is a great savings deal.
Did you know that you can bring your own food into the Disney parks? I know right, this alone can save you hundreds of dollars. We’ve learned to start off our day by eating breakfast before we go to the parks. If you are staying at an off-site Disney Good Neighbor Hotel then booking one with free breakfast is a plus. If you are staying at a Disney Resort maybe eat a lighter breakfast by bringing your own granola bars, individual cups of cereal, or fruits. Most hotels are equipped with a mini fridge for all those cold food needs.
Bring Your Own Food
Many times, we have packed sandwiches, PB&J, and drinks (no alcohol permitted) in a mini backpack cooler to take into the parks. And don’t forget to load up your backpack with lots of snacks. It is great to have your own snacks to enjoy while waiting in lines.
Tip of the day! Don’t spend $4 on a bottle of water in the parks, if you ask a cast member at any quick-service location for a cup of ice water, it is free. Yes, you heard me right, it is free! You can also fill up your water bottles at a water fountain or bottle refill station.
CLICK HERE FOR AUTOGRAPH BOOKS AVAILABLE ON AMAZON
Make character memories with a Disney autograph book. These are a great souvenir that your kids will cherish for years to come. Autograph books at the Disney parks can cost a hefty price. A Disney park autograph book will cost around $19.99, but the good new is, you can get the same look with a pen included on amazon from $6.99 to $8. There are a variety of options for great savings!
There are so many ways to save in the Disney parks. If you need a stroller, bring your own. Get free celebration buttons for 1st visits and birthdays, get autographs at character meet & greets, ride the skyliner, monorail, & Disney buses instead of driving to the parks, and enjoy all the live entertainment and activities available at each park.
To find out more planning ideas visit our Planning Guide in preparation for your next Disney ‘World vacation.