If staying on the resort appeals to you, there are ways to lower costs elsewhere. Remember the original estimate that our Disney expert provided for a family of four flying in from Pennsylvania? Jennifer has whittled away at certain options to lower the original cost of $3687.34 to $2,340. Here’s how:
- Bring breakfast foods, such as cereal and snack bars, from home and enjoy them in your room as you’re getting ready to go to the parks. Estimated savings = $120
- Eat supper at a counter-service place instead of a sit-down restaurant. Estimated savings = $270
- Stay in a standard room instead of a preferred room. Estimated savings = $81
- Skip the Water Park Fun Option. Estimated savings = $174.74
- Skip the Park Hopper Option. Estimated savings = $172.88
- Drive instead of fly. Estimated savings=$529.52 [Cost of flight $1038.40 minus cost of two hotel nights on the road ($65.00 X 2 = $130.00) and gas (1044 miles at 30 miles per gallon = 34.8 gallons X $2.57 per gallon = 89.43 X 2 ways = $178.88) and eight fast-food meals ($25 X 8 = $200)]
Total estimated savings = $1347.34
Each family can find ways to save that better reflect the type of experience they hope to have. For Elizabeth, who was driving, staying off-site and buying the no-expiration-date tickets made sense. For Jennifer and Lori, it didn’t.
“Every family travels differently,” Jennifer says. “We usually save money by eating at less-expensive counter-service meals for breakfast and lunch, but we splurge on sit-down dinners most days, such as at character buffets.”
More Money-Saving:
- Bring snacks like granola bars and crackers and juice boxes in a backpack
- If staying at a hotel on the resort, Jennifer advises that you buy refillable mugs for everyone at the first meal. “They cost around $12,” she says, “but you can refill them for free as many times as you want at your hotel’s food court.”
- Research additional discounts such as those for Armed Forces service members and their families. For instance, Shades of Green is an Armed Forces Recreation Center located on Disney property where certain members of the U.S. Armed Forces community, their families, and certain civilians in the Department of Defense can stay for very low rates.
