Tips for Saving Money at Disneyland

September 10, 2018

This week we will be going over ways you can save money when visiting Disneyland. Whether you go by yourself, with friends, family, or your kids these tips will hopefully help you save some money and make your time a little more magical for everyone!

Tip #1: Bring in your own food and water.

That’s right! Disney allows you to bring in your own food such as sandwiches, snacks, and water. If you are trying to save money pack your own lunch! I have done this plenty of times and it has saved us quite a bit. We pack in peanut butter and jelly or ham and cheese sandwiches and eat them for lunch! You are allowed to bring in small coolers and you can store them in one of the rental lockers if you need to.

Tip #2: Eat breakfast in your hotel room before you enter the park.

This tip can be a big money saver because the food at Disneyland is rather pricey. We always pack pop tarts, and quick easy breakfasts so we can have breakfast in our hotel room before heading to the parks. You can also try to book a hotel that has a free breakfast as well. This will save you time as well because you can get breakfast done before the park even opens.

Tip #3: If you choose to eat in the parks share meals or order off the kids menu

This tip works for small eaters! If you are eating at a sit-down restaurant you may think about sharing a meal, some restaurants serve rather large plates that can accommodate two smaller eaters. Some of these restaurants like French Market, Rancho del Zocalo, and Plaza Inn have some larger portions of food. If you are at a quick service restaurant you can order from the kid’s menu and they will not ask about it. You can check out a meal from plaza inn and French Market below.

Tip #4: Use Gift Cards for Souveniers Savings and Grab Free Items

If you are one for souvenirs there isn’t much in the way of saving unless you happen to have an annual pass or a Disney Chase credit card. If you are traveling with kids I suggest purchasing ears and such beforehand on the Disney store website, sometimes they have deals on Disney park merchandise that can save you a few bucks. Another thing you can do is use the target red card to purchase Disney gift cards for souvenir purchases. I do recommend setting a budget though and buying Disney gift cards to make your purchases in the park so you don’t spend more than you want to. Another fun souvenir you can get for free is the different buttons, celebrating, just married, birthday, etc. You can get these at most places in the park especially the town hall in Disneyland.

Tip #5: How to get Ticket Savings

There are very few places that offer saving when it comes to tickets, but places like Get Away Today and AAA offer small savings on multiple day park hopper passes. Getaway today also offers small discounts on character dining vouchers for places like Minnies Breakfast and Goofy’s Kitchen. These restaurants allow your kids to dine with their favorite Disney characters.

Tip #6: Bring your own stroller or wheelchair

This tip can save you quite a bit of money. You can rent strollers and wheelchairs at the park, but they are limited and cost quite a bit per day, so if you are traveling with little ones or someone who is in need of a wheelchair, I recommend bringing your own stroller or wheelchair.

Tip #7: How to save on Lodging

Obviously staying at one of the Disneyland resorts is very pricey, but there are quite a few hotels within walking distance of the parks and they are nice! They call these Disney Good Neighbor Hotels. Traveling during off-peak times will save you some money at these hotels. Also, some have rewards programs through them, so if you are an avid Disney goer you can save points and earn some free nights. You can also book your whole package through places like Get Away Today and Costco.

Overall Disney is an expensive trip, saving and planning out a budget is your best bet. If you are saving for a while you could also ask friends and family for Disney gift cards for birthdays or special occasions as well. Happy planning!!