Just returned from a trip to Disney World with my family. We stayed on the property and were able to take advantage of the meal plan, which seems expensive at first but is a money saver. The plan gives you one snack, one counter service meal and one sit down dinner per day.
On the last day, we realized we had several counter service meals that we had not used and found out by asking that we could cash them in for snacks - 1 counter service meal = 3 snacks. We purchased Mickey cookies prewrapped and brought them home as gifts instead of just leaving the dollar amount at Disney unused.
By Jeannie from Williamsburg, PA
Here are the questions asked by community members. Read on to see the answers provided by the ThriftyFun community.
This will be my daughter Mackenzie's first time going to Disney in Florida. We saved and saved for this trip. I found a FANTASTIC deal on the non stop flight there and back for $76.33 and we got a 4 star hotel for $31.00 a night. Passes for Disney were a huge chunk out of our money, but again I found a fantastic deal on those. 6 days of passes for 215.00. We are super, super excited about this trip.
The counter service type restaurants inside the parks will have the cheapest food although still can be expensive, but portions are usually generous so you can share. My biggest advice is have some water bottles or some sort of sports bottle for each family member that you can refill with water. Drinks in the parks are very high and you don't want to be drinking sweet stuff all day anyway. If one of you carries a backpack, fill it with some cereal bars, fruit, etc. to snack on. If your hotel provides a complimentary breakfast, eat big so that you can snack for lunch and then have a nice dinner.
I grew up with four brothers and my parents took us to Cedar Point every year. One thing we did was in the middle of the day we got our hands stamped and went to the hotel to swim and cool off. If you have a younger one, he may need a nap. While we were there, we had cold meat sandwiches and whatever snacks my mom brought on the trip or bought at the grocery there.
Sounds like everyone has some great ideas! My best advice, eat breakfast in your room before you leave (pig out!), take bottles of water and snacks for the day, and eat a nice chain place for dinner. Tell your daughter she can have one "yummy" at the parks, like an ice cream as a treat, that will be expensive enough. I can't agree more to get that fridge in the hotel room. Worth every penny! (And I remember lots of drinking fountains in the parks!)
We are planning to go to Disney World. Does anyone know if I can have someone in Florida buy tickets to Disney for me, or do residents have to show ID?
By Lee from Waterford, WI
Unless things have changed you should be able to buy the tickets in line/at the door once you arrive at the park whether you're from Wisconsin or even from Japan without ID. If you're worried about it contact Disney World itself about ticket purchase.
Unless you have family who work there, you get to do it the old fashioned way, wait. We have family who work there, they are allowed 4 tickets per employee when they bring guests. So plan accordingly.
Not worried so much about getting tickets, It's just that Florida resident tickets are so much cheaper. Just trying to save a buck.
We are planning a Disney World trip for the week after Thanksgiving 2014. It will be my 3rd time going and the first time for my dh, dd, and ds. (MIL and FIL's first time too if they decide to come with us.) We are planning on letting the kids know this Christmas and having that be the "big" shared gift with a Disney shirt, stuffed animal, rolling backpack, and book for each of the kids, as well as using other "gift giving opportunities" throughout the year, i.e.
birthdays, to acquire more things they will need or want to take. We are planning to stay in one of the resorts as well as using one of the dining packages.My questions are these:
Thanks in advance for the great advice I know is soon to come!
By Jessie
Save time and frustration on your Disney World vacation by preplanning the rides and places of interest that you want to see. Then order the FREE customized keepsake quality maps of each of the parks.
Link: http://customizedmaps.disney.go.com
A trip to Disney World is fun and can also be very expensive. There are some easy ways to save money, such as taking your own water, food, and snacks.
