My Favorite Money Saving Tips and Tricks For a Disney Vacation On Any Budget!
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Tip of the Day
Tip #1- Take Advantage Of Disney's Payment Options
Many people don't know that when it comes to paying for your vacation, Disney is actually very flexible. Vacation packages can be booked well in advance of your travel dates, over a year in advance in some cases. To book a vacation and lock in your room rate and ticket prices, you need just a $200 deposit. Now for the really fantastic part; Disney will allow you to pay the balance of your vacation package, in any amounts, at any times you want, up until 30 days before your arrival date. No interest, no fees, no charges, no catch! Just pay as you want, to break down the payments into manageable amounts. Another benefit, if for some reason you change your plans, your payments are full refundable if you cancel before the 30 day mark. Breaking down your trip into interest free monthly payment is a fantastic way to save money on your next vacation.
Tip #2- Pay with discounted Disney Gift Cards
As I mentioned in Tip #1, Disney is flexible when it comes to payment options. One of those flexible options is paying your vacation balance with Disney gift cards. The trick is to know where to buy those gift cards. Stores like BJ's, Sams Club or Costco will sell Disney gift cards at a slightly discounted price. The best discounted gift card option is available at Target. By paying for your gift card with your Target Red card (credit or debit), you will save 5%. It may not sound like a lot but if your Disney vacation costs $5,000, and you pay for it with your discounted gift cards, that will save you $250. Who can't use another $250 to spend at Disney!
Tip #3- Use Your Shopping Apps
Now that you know you that you can pay for your vacation with gift cards, why not find more ways to earn FREE gifts cards! My favorite shopping App right now is Shopkicks. The process is simple, you download the app and shop in your local stores or online. You earn points for things like walking into the store, scanning select items and making purchases. Your points from your everyday shopping trips add up to $25 Disney gift cards. Before me last trip, I was able to earn a $75 gift card using this app. Use code YAY659231 when you sign up and you will receive a bonus 250 kicks use the app within 7 days! Other great options include Rakuten (formerly ebates) and survey junkie. These site allow you to earn cash for your online purchases or survey taking. All of these simple apps add up to a pocket full of spending money for your trip!
Tip #4- Eat Wisely
A large portion of any vacation budget is always dedicated to Food. If you are not lucky enough to score a vacation package during Disney's annual free dining promotion, then learning how to eat at Disney can save you a fair amount of money. Knowing what, when and where to eat will be the key to keeping your food budget in check. For starters, it is important to know that Disney allows outside food and snacks into the park. This is a big savings especially if you have young children who like to snack all day. A bag of goldfish crackers, granola bars or fruit will keep everyone well fed and on budget. Another big money saver is picking the best time for your meals. If you want a character meal, or a sit down dining experience, know that the breakfast option is always the cheapest. Lunch will also be lower in price than dinner with a very similar menu offering. In addition to bringing in your own snacks, you can have groceries delivered right to your hotel. Places like Garden Grocer, Amazon Prime and Instacart can send essentials, snacks and easy to eat breakfast options for your room. And lastly, the best money saving option is to bring your own refillable water bottle with you to the park! No need to buy pricey bottled water. If you forget the water bottle, don't worry, you can get free cups of ice water at any quick service location in the park.
Bonus tip- the best snack purchase is the refillable popcorn buckets. Not only does the bucket make a great souvenir, you can refill it at any park, as many times as you would like for the entire length of your stay for just $2.50.
Tip #5- Take Advantage of Disney Promotions
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Book your vacation package early and modify later if needed. By booking your trip now, you lock in the reservation and the current rate. But what if the price goes down? Several times a year Disney releases room rate specials or even the famous free dining promotion. Your qualifying reservations can be modified to take advantage of these rates at any time. Even better, book with me and I will modify your reservations for you as soon as a promotion is announced! No need to track your reservations or call Disney to compare prices. I’ll do all the hard work while you get to take advantage of the savings!
Tip #6- Look into the Disney Visa Credit Card
Consider opening a Disney Visa credit card. Among other benefits, this card offers a $250 statement credit when you open the account, and 6 months interest free on any Disney vacation you charge. An extra 6 months to pay off your vacation is a big savings! Other benefits include card holder room discounts, access to private card holder lounges, private card holder character meet and greets, dining discounts at select locations, shopping discounts at select locations, reward points programs and more. All of those options add up to BIG savings if you plan on visiting Disney multiple times.