Anyone know tricks to save money on a Disney World trip?

We saved a lot of money by purchasing tickets that only had the options we needed. We hired a planner and she did our itinerary and then told us which tickets to get. We realized that we had planned on getting tickets with options we would never use! She saved our family of 5 over $300 on the tickets alone.

We stayed off Disney property in a condo and it was great. I loved having our own kitchen for breakfasts and even some dinners.

We also bought lots of snacks for the parks. We brought raisins, granola bars, peanut butter crackers, fruit snacks, etc. I told each child that they could have one purchased snack each day, but the rest had to come out of the bag. That saved us so much money.

We bought those water mix in packets and brought our own water bottles to the parks. We would refill them in the water fountains and use the mix in packets because we didn't like the taste of the water.

Finally, we gave each child a set amount of money for souviners. Once the money was gone, that was it. This really helped with the begging for everything.

The park tickets cost what they cost. So, hotels, transportation, and food are the places where you can save some money. Tickets. Go more days at Disney and don't go to Universal or Sea World. Look at the ticket calculator. After 4 days the Disney tickets per day cost is just a couple bucks. You can get hotel rooms outside of disney that are cheaper for the same room type than a disney room. However, you then have to pay to park each day at disney world. That parking fee can even out the offsite prices quite a bit. Most people here recommend that you opt for a smaller room at the all star resorts instead of staying offsite. We usually get a condo offsite and cook breakfast and some dinners there. It just depends on what you want to do. Also, if you are flying in and staying onsite, there is no need to rent a car. That can be a huge savings. If you are driving down, this is not an issue. Food. Carry snacks. The fried rice side dish at the yak and yeti fast food place at the animal kingdom is cheap, pretty good, and filling. Go when there is free dining. Eat cereal in your room for breakfast.

Go ahead and make your reservations. Ask about specials. As your vacation date gets closer, keep calling the Disney reservations number to check on more specials.

With a four year old you will spend most of your time in the Magic Kingdom. For convenience, if financially possible, stay in one of the resorts there. This makes it very easy to get out to parks early to avoid the crowds, and then back to the resort when people get tired and hungry.

Stay on the concierge level and you get to enjoy snacks and appetizer buffets all day long. You also get complimentary beer and wine. One day, going back and forth to the resort to enjoy the lounge, my family spent $6 on food in the parks. It's not always a full meal, but it keeps you going and it's an easy way to eat and keep up with constantly snacking kids.

The Polynesian has a great concierge and the view of the park's fireworks is incredible. I've also heard good things about the concierge levels of the Contemporary and Wilderness Lodge. And all of these, along with the Grand Floridian, are just a quick ferry ride from the Magic Kingdom. If you want to get to EPCOT the monorail is right there also.

If you haven't already made reservations, I'd say to stay off property. You can save a load of money and many of the hotels have free shuttles to the parks. They also have free breakfast.

We did lots of shopping at the Wal Mart in Kissimmee. They have real Disney merchandise for about half what you'd pay on property.

Get a room with a microwave and refrigerator & do some grocery shopping when you arrive.

Give these websites.

They do allow coolers, I saw a couple go into the park today with one. But it can't be one of those big rolling ones. There are apparently little coolers that look like they can hold five water bottles or so that you can carry. Just NO glass or they won't let you take it in.

If you're using a stroller for the four year old, jam that with snacks and stuff! My family used that trick.

Also, souvenirs can get expensive. I usually limit myself and my siblings to one each, and it shouldn't be more than ten to twenty dollars. If we want more Disney stuff, we can get it online for cheaper.

I only know about the little stuff. The passes, I can't help you with. I sing in the Disney Candlelight every winter, so I get free passes. I hope it helps!

Stay at Disney Pop Century resort. It's a value resort but it's new and lot's of fun for a four year old! Ask to stay in the 70's building as close to the food court as possible so it's easier on you.

If you stay on Disney property then you also get to use Disney's Magical Express service for free. They pick you up from the airport and take you back in perfect time, free of charge. They also take your luggage from the airport and put it in your room for you. It's very convenient and easy to understand.

Bring snacks with you because they can get pricey in Disney World. This also goes for eating breakfast in the room. Bringing granola bars and such with you is less expensive then eating breakfast in the parks.

Have a great trip!

You can take your own food/snacks in. You just can't take a big rolling cooler or suitcase and you can't take glass bottles.

The best way to save money is on food. I always stay outside of Disney in a house with a full kitchen. We eat a big breakfast there, then a late counter-service lunch at Disney, then we have supper outside the parks. If you do decide to splurge on any sit-down meals, be aware that due to the popularity of the dining plan you MUST make reservations ahead of time now. They are taking them 180 days out now. So call early.

ya know - Disney is expensive - Go on the websight and see if they allow you to pack a cooler -After 911 they stopped allowing them..

You can get really cheap rooms right now. I see people leave cooler in car and come out for lunch the food is awful anyway and allow the kids 1 or 2 snacks- Also tell them if they behave they can pick out a toy at the end of the night so your not buying stuff all day. Your better off going to the outlet stores hetting the disney stuff and spending less.

Buffets - Parks well 3 day pass ect work.. I am a resident so they have a residence discount. different price for rooms

Buy your disney tickets online - you can often get them cheaper. Disney are doing an offer that if you buy a two week park hopper ticket you get it for the price of one week. Or look on Orlando ticket deals.

Take your own food into the park. Bottles of water, crisps (or chips in you're from America), make sandwiches, and so on. You save so much money - believe me, we do this every year and save on average $40 a day for the whole family!

Look for budget hotels. Don't hire a car and use the public transport instead, I drive or lynx bus. Your hotel may even offer shuttle services, you will save $12 a day for parking.

Shop savvy. Gifts can add up, buy only one gift per person. Go into discount stores, they have a really great Disney store in the Florida outlet mall and everything's on sale all year. Or go to the bueana vista shopping area to the Disney Character store. They have cheap disney gifts and all are authentic.

Go to dinner and cheap and cheerful places. I suggest Beef O'Grady's or Ponderosa. Or you can even buy different types of roast chicken (BBQ, lemon, plain, etc) from Publix, it is so yum! Or make your own food if you have a kitchen area to do so.

Have fun! Enjoy yourself, relax and let loose. Get fastpasses for the rides to cut down on queuing times (these are free in disney).

Enjoy it :-). Email me if you need more info. Hope this helps :-)

I know many people are going to suggest cheaper places to stay besides Disney resorts, but believe me it is worth the money. And if you are on a budget take advantage of Disneys Value Resorts. By staying at a Disney resort, you are provided with free transportation to hotels, parks, waterparks, downtown disney etc... Disneys Magical Express is also complimentary-- (Upon arrival at Orlando International Airport you simply check in at the Disney's Magical Express booth and get on the bus, you dont need to worry about picking up your luggage at the baggage claim because it will be delivered to your room.

Depending on how much and where you plan to eat the dining plan can be to your advantage. If you plan on eating in the parks everyday and want to eat at nice restaurants the dining plan is well worth it. But if you plan on bringing your own snacks to the park, eating offsite, or mostly quick service places, you'd be better off without the dining plan.

Hope this was helpful.