Remember that awesome trip Ollie and I took to Disney World in April? You won't believe it, but we managed to do the whole trip to Disney World for under $400! Yep, you heard that right. Let me spill all the secrets on how we made it happen.
If you're looking for more tips on how to make the most of your Disney vacation, check out my other travel blogs, from Disney tips and tricks to travel adventures beyond the parks. And don't forget to follow me on Instagram for behind-the-scenes magic and family fun!
Fly for Free
First up, we scored free flights. How? We put all our recurring bills on our Southwest credit card last year. This got us the coveted Companion Pass. I used points to cover my ticket, and Ollie flew for free as my companion. Easy peasy and totally worth it! If you don't have a Southwest credit card, they are offering an amazing deal on referral sign-ups right now (June 2024) which can help you get well on your way for Companion Pass. Find out all of the details right here.
Disney Vacation Club Magic
We’re Disney Vacation Club (DVC) members, and I always make sure to get the most out of our membership. We plan our trips for low "points" days and stay at the less popular DVC resorts. Disney Vacation Club has been one of the best investments of our marriage. It lets us pre-pay for our vacations and get more bang for our buck. We stay in nicer resorts and larger rooms for the same out of pocket cost as most who visit some of the lower end resorts. If you are interested in learning more about Disney Vacation Club, check out this link or shoot me a DM and ask all of your burning questions.
If you’re not a DVC member, no worries! You can rent Disney Vacation Club rooms at a cheaper rate than booking directly through Disney. Sometimes you can score mind boggling prices. Renting DVC points and rooms is the next best thing to owning the membership itself. You are booking directly from a DVC member who can't vacation that year... and leveraging their exclusive rooms! I'm talking Animal Kingdom Lodge, the Grand Floridian... all of the fun favorites. Check out DVC rental available for your next trip with this link.
One Park Day Strategy
Here’s where some people think we're nuts: we only did one park day. Park tickets can get pricey, and our philosophy is go a little or go a lot. We chose one park hopper day and hit three parks. Yes, it was a lot of walking, but it was totally worth it and kept our costs down. This also really helped us keep the four-day Disney World trip for under $400.
Discounted Water Parks
For a fun day without the Magic Kingdom price tag, we hit up the water parks. Thanks to our DVC membership, we spent a full day at the water park for under $100 for both of us. In 2025, there will be even more savings options, but this was a great budget-friendly alternative for now.
Food Hacks
Food at Disney can be expensive, so we got creative. I had most of our food delivered to our room via Instacart. We did breakfast in the room and packed snacks for the park. We eat small, eat often, and share meals. One adult meal can easily feed an adult and a child, saving us a ton.
Gift Card Hack
Here’s a pro tip: we buy Disney gift cards at Sam's Club or Target before our trip. These gift cards save us 5-10% right off the bat. Plus, we used our Disney Visa credit card rewards points to cover some of our meals and tickets. It’s like free money!
Say No to Most Souvenirs
I know it’s hard, but we keep souvenir spending to a minimum. Our kids have never had a bubble wand or a stuffed animal from the parks. Instead, we buy Dollar Tree items and Amazon clothing ahead of time. This trip, Ollie only got two trading pins using his Christmas money.
Pool Days
One of the best days was our pool day. We spent the entire day at the pool, playing games and swimming. We had snacks and lunch from Instacart, making it a super low-cost day. Disney does a great job keeping the kids entertained with poolside activities, and we played countless rounds of Uno. It was perfect!
So, there you have it! With a bit of creativity and some smart planning, you can have an amazing Disney World trip for under $400 and without breaking the bank. It’s all about making memories, not spending money. Who's ready for some Disney magic on a budget?
