How to Save Money at Disney World
- In This Quick Guide:
- Savings in General
- Great Trade-Offs
When you go to Walt Disney World, there are so many “Must Do!” dining, resort, and specialty events that appear to be essential to your vacation experience. But if you start to add their costs, your vacation budget can quickly veer off track and out of control. Although Walt Disney World Vacations can be expensive, there are ways to save; one that is often overlooked is the fine art of tradeoffs—replacing an expensive experience with a less-expensive one is easy to do. The challenge is swapping a budget-buster for a more reasonable alternative while retaining all of the fun, ambiance, and memorable enjoyment along the way. Here’s how you do it.
Savings in General
For many of the more expensive, seemingly irreplaceable choices that you have before you, there are often less expensive, even free alternatives. If you like the theme of a Deluxe Resort, then consider some of the Moderate and Value resorts with a similar ambiance. Or maybe consider off-property resorts that can be even cheaper, and only a short drive away. With dinners, a table service meal might be easily replaced with a counter service one to save money. Or have the big meal of the day at lunch, where the same meals cost less than the same option at dinner time. There are lots of tricks to use, but you have to know what the trade offs are when you use them.
Great Trade-Offs
Here are a few great examples of trade-offs.
Chuck Wagon Dinners
The most fabled meal at Walt Disney World, even above dining with the Princesses in Cinderella Castle, is the Hoop Dee Doo Review. Combining family-style chuck wagon grub with a G-rated saloon entertainment, this hoot of a good time can set your vacation back a bit. As an alternative, the Whispering Canyon Café offers better food and a similar-styled fun ambiance. While you don’t get the dinner theater, there are plenty of theatrics that make the evening special. Just be sure to ask for ketchup!
Expensive: Hoop Dee Doo Review ($62 per adult)
Affordable: Whispering Canyon Café ($30 per adult)
Bottom Line: A family of four can easily save over $100, even after a generous 20 percent tip to the fun, well-trained Whispering Canyon Café serving staff.
Disney World Beach Resorts
It is great when you go to Florida on vacation, especially if you are coming from a snowed-in Northern state, to really feel like you are at the Florida beaches even though they are over an hour away. Disney has more than one beach-themed resort, and while the more expensive Beach Club Resort has more dining options, slightly larger rooms, and more amenities in general, the Caribbean Beach Resort saves you lots of money. You can use that extra money to dine at the restaurants at the Beach Club or some other deluxe resort.
Expensive: Beach Club Resort (starting at $335 a night)
Affordable: Caribbean Beach Resort (starting at $155 a night)
Bottom Line: Pick the Caribbean Beach over the Beach Club on a 7-day/6-night vacation and you will start your trip off with more than $1,000 back in your wallet.
Fireworks Parties
People love to watch fireworks, and at Walt Disney World they are taking that to a nightly art form. And because crowds are getting thicker, and guests are looking for more special and memorable experiences, Disney is meeting the need with fireworks parties. Two in particular are at the Magic Kingdom, and include the Pirate and Pals Fireworks Cruise and the Fireworks Dessert Party. The first is an all-night event, complete with pre-boarding party, character greetings, and more. But at $170 for that family of four, let’s compare the other party to a lower cost alternative. The Fireworks Dessert Party offers a reserved viewing area and some nice sweet treats, making for a delicious and lower stress way to take in the view.
So what is a lower cost alternative? Well, leave the Magic Kingdom and take the monorail around to the Polynesian resort. Grab four Dole Whips (a popular soft-serve ice cream), and head to the resort beach. The fireworks soundtrack is piped in to speakers on the beach, you can sit down on the sand, a hammock, or chairs, and your cozy retreat can be either a romantic escape, or a fun family moment.
Expensive: Fireworks Dessert Party ($68 for that family of four)
Affordable: Ice cream on the Polynesian Resort beach (under $20 for the family of four)
Bottom Line: Save $40, skip the packed crowds of the park, and enjoy the head-on view of the fireworks while relaxing in your tropical paradise.
As you can see, Disney World vacations can be expensive, but you don’t have to break the bank if you know where to look. Now that you have an idea of how the savings might work, see if you can find others of your own! Happy travels!
by Doug Ingersoll, author of The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Walt Disney World, 2012 Edition
