The Rambling Introvert

Your guide to the world of Disney and beyond

Categories: Disney

How to do Disney on a Budget

Taking a Disney vacation is always an amazing time, but if you are on a budget, it may seem out of your price point. But I’m here to tell you that you can do Disney for cheap and still have an amazing time. If you plan ahead of time and follow the tips I’m about to share with you, you can do Disney while staying within your price point. So let’s get in to 20 ways that you can save money on your trip and do to do Disney for cheap!

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Book with Get Away Today

First and foremost, you need to get the best deal possible on tickets and hotels. I’ve been to Disney many times, and I never do Disney without booking with my travel partner Get Away Today. They have the lowest prices on Disney tickets, which are also refundable, they have awesome rates for various hotels at various prices ranges, as well as other great benefits. Many of their hotel partners offer special perks for just for Get Away Today guests and you can book your tickets, hotel, and even travel costs all together so it’s in one convenient package. Get Away Today also offers various deals all the time, whether it’s extra nights free at hotels, discounted rates, discount Disney tickets like Adults at Kids prices or 5th day free tickets, which makes them the perfect way to book your trip. You can book your trip here and use code RAMBLING10 at checkout or by calling 1-855-GET-AWAY and make sure to tell them I sent you for an additional $10 off your package! If you can’t pay the full price up front, you can secure a Layaway Plan for your package for just $200 down with final payment due 8 days before you trip. I have used Get Away Today for 10 years and I have absolutely loved them, that is why I feel confident in referring them to you because I know you will have an amazing experience!

Now is also the best time to book your tickets as Halloween Time and the Holidays are very popular times in the parks, so booking early gets your the best rates, first pick of hotels, and allows you to book your theme park reservation as soon as they open up. You can also book your 2023 vacation now as well, so you can lock in the lowest prices possible before ticket prices increase next year. Book your trip now for the most magical vacation ever, I promise you will love Get Away Today and how easy it is to work with them to make your trip the best that it can be.

You can find more information at Halloween Time at the parks here and info about the Holidays at Disneyland here.

Book early

The best way to save money on your Disney trip is to book early. Booking early will get you the best prices on hotels, airline tickets, transportation, etc. It will also give you the most options when it comes to hotels so you can get everything you need for your trip for the cheapest price. If you wait until the last minute, prices will increase, so plan your trip early and take advantage of the lowest prices you possibly can.

Do one park per day

The biggest way to do Disney on a budget is to stick to one park per day tickets. While park hoppers are nice for flexibility, they are an additional $65 per day per ticket so if you are on a tight budget, single park per day tickets are the way to go. Both parks have plenty to do for an entire day, so once you know how many days you will be visiting the parks, decide which parks are the highest priority to you and make your theme park reservations accordingly.

Buy multi-day tickets

The best way to get the best deal on Disney tickets is to do multi-day tickets. The more days you book, the less your tickets cost per day, so if you can afford to do multiple days at Disney, that will give you the most value for your money. Purchasing a multi-day ticket through Get Away Today will always get you the cheapest tickets you can find, you can grab your tickets here.

Go during the off season

When you go to the parks will impact not only crowd levels, but ticket prices as well. If you go during the summer or around holidays like Halloween Time and the Holidays, ticket prices are higher and most hotels will charge more for rooms during those times. The best times to visit the parks for the lowest prices are mid-January to mid-March, early May, early-mid September, and early November. Not only do prices tend to be lower at this time, but crowds are also lower which will help you get more for your money in the parks as you will accomplish more during your trip.

Skip Lightning Lanes

If you are trying to do Disney for cheap, you are going to want to avoid adding lightning lane multipass onto your tickets. At a minimum of $30 extra per ticket per day, that can really add up if you are traveling with a family or doing multiple days. Even adding the additional a la carte lightning lanes will add up quickly as well, so while skipping the lines may be appealing, if you’re on a tight budget, skip these options all together. You can still accomplish a lot in the parks by rope dropping in the morning and closing out the parks.

Choose the right hotel

Finding the right hotel is a game changer for your budget. Everyone’s needs are different, so make sure you find somewhere that checks off all your boxes. My recommendation for picking your hotel to get the most value for your money is to stay within walking distance of the parks so you don’t have to pay additional transportation costs. Also look for hotels that offer free breakfast, hotels with kitchens to prepare your own meals, free or reduced parking rates, and if you can find hotels that offer extra nights free. All of these things will help you save as much money as possible. Whatever you are needing out of your hotel, plan accordingly so you can find somewhere that has everything you need. If you are looking for extra night free deals, you can always check out Get Away Today’s options here.

Bring your own food

Did you know that Disney lets you bring in your own food? Whether it’s snacks, drinks, or stuff for meals like sandwiches, as long as it fits in a cooler that is within the dimensions of 4″ long x 15″ wide x 18” high and does not have loose or dry ice, then you can bring it in! All coolers will be subject to security screenings upon entry, but you can easily bring in your own food to cut down on dining costs in the parks. Food in the parks can get very pricey, especially if you are traveling with your family, so having this option is huge for doing Disney on a budget.

Eat off property

One of the nice things about Disneyland is that it is surrounded by dozens of restaurants and spots to grab food. Heading off property and eating at a nearby restaurant is an easy way to save more money on meals and you will have a ton of options to choose from. There’s a great mix of sit down and fast food spots to choose from so everyone will be able to find something they like!

Share meals

While eating at Disneyland can be expensive and out of the budget, you may not want to leave the park to grab a meal or go through the hassle of packing in your own food. If that is you and you still want to enjoy the food that the parks have to offer but save money at the same time, there are plenty of options in the parks that are very large and can easily be split between 2 people so you can get your food at a cheaper price. Here are some meals that are large enough to share:

  • Count Down Chicken Fusilli from Alien Pizza Planet
  • Fried Chicken from Plaza Inn
  • Lobster Nachos from Lamplight Lounge
  • Bengal Rice Plate from Bengal Barbecue
  • Buttermilk Pancakes from Carnation Café
  • Not so Little Chicken Sandwich from Pym’s Test Kitchen
  • Biscuits and Gravy from River Belle Terrace
  • Whole pizza’s from Alien Pizza Planet and Boardwalk Pizza and Pasta
  • Fried Chicken from Flo’s V8 Café
  • Mac and Cheese Bread Bowl from Pacific Wharf
  • Various dishes from Rancho del Zocalo
  • Baked nachos from GCH Craftsman Bar and Grill
  • Chicken tenders and fries from Stage Door Cafe
  • Bread bowls from Royal Street Veranda

For more info about the various quick service restaurants in the parks, check out this post.

Meals under $10

Another way to save money in the parks is to go for the cheaper meal options. Here are several of the cheapest options in Disneyland and California Adventure to look out for:

  • Slice of pizza from Alien Pizza Planet and Boardwalk Pizza and Pasta
  • Hot dogs from Angry Dogs and Award Wieners
  • Various skewers from Bengal Barbecue
  • Corn dogs from Corn Dog Castle, Little Red Wagon, and Stage Door Café
  • Chili Cone Queso and Bacon Mac n’ Cheese cone from Cozy Cone
  • Breakfast sandwiches, wraps, and pastries from Fiddler, Fifer, and Practical Café
  • Breakfast offerings and Veggie Wrap from Galactic Grill
  • Fish and chips from Golden Horseshoe and Stage Door Café
  • Toasted cheese sandwich and Jolly Holiday Salad from Jolly Holiday Bakery Café
  • Chimichangas from Poultry Palace and Ship to Shore Marketplace
  • Breakfast and Flatbreads at Red Rose Tavern
  • Basket meals at Refreshment Corner

Cheap snacks in the parks

There are so many snacks in the parks that it can be hard to navigate, and it’s hard to know which ones are worth the price, which ones aren’t, etc. I’ve had my share of treats that I didn’t feel like were worth the money, but there are several snacks in the parks that are definitely worth spending a few dollars on. Here are my favorites and where to find them:

  • Raspberry Rose Macaron from Jolly Holiday
  • Cream Cheese Pretzel from Refreshment Corner, Tomorrowland Pretzel Cart, or Bayside Brews
  • Beignets and Mint Juleps from the Mint Julep Bar
  • Dole Whip from the Tiki Juice Bar or Tropical Hideaway
  • Boyzen Apple Freeze from Maurice’s Treats
  • Jungle Julep from Bengal Barbecue
  • Various sweets from Candy Palace and Trolley Treats
  • Jack-Jack Cookie Num Num from Jack-Jack Cookie Num Nums
  • Grey Stuff Gateau from Red Rose Tavern
  • Bao and lumpia from Tropical Hideaway

Take advantage of freebies (or almost freebies)

The parks have a few freebies that you can take advantage of. They have various buttons for birthdays, anniversaries, and more that you can pick up at Town Hall in Disneyland, at Guest Services in California Adventure, or at the registers at various shops in the parks. These buttons make great souvenirs of your trips to remember what you were celebrating and sometimes you’ll get some extra magic in the parks when Cast Members see them. Another great souvenir is autograph books. Buy a cute, cheap book before your trip and fill them up with autographs from all your favorite characters. You can also sometimes get stickers throughout the park, if you go to Redwood Creek Challenge Trail you can get a ranger badge sticker as you leave or you can ask Cast Members if they have any stickers, it’s not a guarantee but sometimes they do!

One of my favorite freebies in the parks is hand drawn animations from Animation Academy. These are free classes in California Adventure lead by Cast Members where you learn to draw your favorite characters and you get to keep the drawings you did. This is a super fun class and a great keepsake to take home. While you’re in California Adventure, if you find yourself feeling a little hungry, you can find free samples of chocolate at the Ghirardelli Soda Fountain and free samples of sourdough bread at the Bakery Tour, both can be found in the Pacific Wharf area. You can also get free ice water from any quick service restaurant so don’t waste your money on water bottled water with your meals, get it for free in a cup!

And lastly, even though it isn’t free, pressed coins are a fun souvenir to get in the parks that only cost $.051 to $1 each. You can find the machines by getting on the app, going to “shops”, then “show list”, scroll down to Pressed Coin Machines and then select “find on map” to find every location.

Bring your own stroller

If you are traveling with kids, it may be a bit inconvenient to travel with a stroller, especially if you are flying, but you definitely need a stroller. Disney is a lot of walking for little legs, even if you think they’ll be able to handle it, trust me, you’ll want the stroller. And you for sure do not want to waste money from your budget on renting a stroller in the parks. You will save yourself a decent amount of money by bringing your own stroller, plus your kids will be much happier and they will provide extra space to store your stuff while in the parks.

Bring your own water bottle

Staying hydrated in the parks is huge, but always running around finding water is a huge waste of time and buying water bottles is a waste of money, so you need to bring your own water bottle. You can fill up your water bottle with the free ice water from various quick service restaurants and use the water bottle refill stations around the park. Another tip is to fill your water bottle the night before and keep it in the fridge so it’s nice and cold or freeze a water bottle so as it melts throughout the day, you have cold water for hours.

Buy merch before your trip

It’s no surprise that everything in Disney parks is more expensive, so one of the best things that you can do is to get everything you may need before hand. You can find lots of Disney shirts, toys, ears, and more from small shops, Amazon, or other stores at a fraction of the cost.

Pack a park bag with all the necessities

When you’re heading to the parks, you want to make sure you have everything you need before you get there so you can avoid unnecessary expenses in the parks. This does require some planning on your part, but it’s totally worth it to save your money for other more important things on your trip. You will want to have a designated park bag to take in the parks with you so you have everything you need in one convenient place. Here are some must haves in your park bag:

You can shop my entire Amazon storefront with my favorite products for Disneyland and must haves for kids here!

Gift cards for kids spending

If you are traveling with kids, you know seeing new things can be so tempting for them and they will want almost everything they see. If you want to put it in your budget to let them pick out souvenirs in the park, you can get Disney gift cards with a certain, predetermined amount on it that they can use to get whatever they want from the parks.

Cut down on transportation costs

There are plenty of ways to cut down on transportation costs when visiting Disneyland. If you drive to the parks, find hotels that don’t charge a parking fee or have a discounted rate. Booking with Get Away Today will often get you a cheaper parking fee at many hotels. If you fly to the parks, monitor airline prices so you can find the best deal possible on your tickets or if you have a Sky Miles credit card, use your miles to save money. Also don’t check any bags, pack light so everything will fit into a carry on and personal item. Not only will this save you money but it will also save you time by avoiding baggage claim.

If you need transportation from the airport my top recommendation is to use Karmel shuttle services. They have amazing services, great prices if you’re traveling with a family, and they’ll drop you right at your hotel. If possible, stay within walking distance to the parks so you don’t have to pay for an Uber or bus and spend that extra money, but if you do end up staying far enough away that you don’t want to walk, using the Anaheim Regional Transportation system, or ART buses, is a cheap way to get around. You can get a day pass for $6 a person or you can buy multi day passes using their app.

Kids 2 and under are free

Did you now that you don’t have to buy tickets for kids under 3? If you are traveling with little ones, taking them when they are 2 or younger is a great way to get in a Disney trip without having to pay for them to get into the parks. This is a great way to stay under budget on your next trip.

I hope these tips help you plan the most magical trip while saving you money! Have any questions? Drop me a comment, I’d love to help you out or you can find me on Instagram and I’ll happily answer any questions you have!

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