What Are Your Best Money Saving Tips at Walt Disney World?

DH and I split meals and I feel like that saved us more money then anything else we tried. We did one appetizer and one entree at every table service meal that we went to and we came in well under budget on food and didn't feel like we sacrificed anything.

We always take breakfast items with us and eat in our rooms. Saves a little money and time!

You beat me to it. We were on a pretty tight budget this last trip and I did not think we were going to stay within our food budget. But we did this same thing, splitting meals and maybe adding an appetizer. And sometimes even trying to sneak in a kids meal. And I was amazed how much we got by on. It works well at either counter service or table service. Table service meals are often such big portions and eating for half the cost is just a no brainer. They will even bring extra plate.

We do the same thing. It truly does save $$$

Annual pass- then try to do at least two trips during the twelve months of your annual pass. Or three or four or five.

Buy DVC. I did in 2003 and I've saved a bundle.

Stay off property 130$/night

I bring nips of rum and vodka to enjoy an adult beverage by the pool. I mix it with pop that I get with my resort mug.

Not a rip off at all. Amortize the cost over a 50 years. Then factor in that room costs are rising twice as fast as maint fees. There are spreadsheets out there that show the savings under various scenarios.

My kind of gal.

Save Money?

Bring a refillable water bottle with a filter!! $4 a pop for a bottle of water in the parks is ridiculous. And I'd rather have water than have soda!

We stay at BWV. Morning after our arrival day, we walk across the street to the Hess station for soda and snacks. A case of soda from the Hess, is about the same price as a couple 2 liter bottles from the Boardwalk Screen Door General Store.

If you're staying in a Villa with a kitchen and you have access to a vehicle... There is a Walmart about 15 min down the road from the resorts. A few years ago we stocked up on lunch meats, bread, fruits, snacks, and we made dinner ourselves a couple nights... We would make sandwiches and bring them into the parks with us... along with other snacks and water bottles... We saved a TON of money doing this and I still feel like we ate at a bunch of great restaurants that trip!... I think we also picked up a few six packs at ABC liquors for our room .

*pack and eat breakfast on the way to the park
*bring snacks to the park
*bring shooters of booze to mix
*drink tap/fountain water - I know this isn't popular, but I'm telling you, I do it every time and it is NOT bad water.
*give your kids a set amount of $ that is theirs for souvenirs or snacks. "Well, spend your gift card" is a sure test of whether they want something. You can do this for yourself as well.
*wait until you get home to order souvenirs from disneystore.com...there are %off deals all. the. time. plus you get to make your vacay last a little longer.
*pack your own poncho for rainy days

LOVE this!

Like others have said, we bring or buy our own breakfast stuffs (usually Cheerios and pop tarts and some fresh fruit), and we go to Costco and buy 2 cases of water. That alone saves us a ton vs. buying at parks.

I agree about the water. Buying a couple of bottles each every day for a two week vacation would cost around $200. We also buy our water somewhere else eg. Walmart, Publix etc. we buy small bottles for taking out and about, but also large bottles for the room and to refill the small bottles.

Oh yes, another tip, buy your wine by the glass it is usually cheaper than buying a bottle (for the same quantity of the same wine). This is the opposite of the UK where it is almost always cheaper to buy a 750ml bottle than three 250ml glasses.

Annual passes and DVC... We've been DVC members for 4 years and I think Mase said we are at the point now where we have broken even and we still have 46 more years to go.... Also being DVC members we got a discount on annual passes... We paid 400 a piece for them but we would of gotten three trips out of them for a total of 30 days in the parks... That's a definate deal cause they have the water parks on them, park hoppers and Disney quest. Especially when just a one day ticket to the parks is 89 dollars.

Also taking snacks and drinks into the park and taking empty water bottles to refill at the fountain

In addition to all the stuff you guys have said, I discovered this last trip that I could really just have one "meal" in a day. I can eat breakfast in the room, have a later lunch (I did TS this time), and have a great Disney snack around dinner time like a carrot cake cookie or a cupcake. Those snacks are huge.

Joe says "Take away Jeff's credit cards"

We found that the Hess gas stations are a great source of relatively inexpensive snacks and beverages. A six pack of domestic beer was around $7 at the Hess and $15.95 at the gift shop in the Wilderness Lodge.

Also if you have a rental car and need to fill it up before returning it, the Hess stations in WDW are convenient and "cheap" and the car is still full when you get to the airport.

Have I entered these tips before??????

God no the banks would fold and the market would crash.

Re the water thing, I have heard you can go and ask for water and ice for free at the counter service places, haven't tried this but sounds good to me. Also DVC my DH always looks and pros and cons before entering into any large scale purchase and initially it isn't that economic but as time goes on it becomes cheaper. I liked the fact it could be transferred to our daughter for her to use. We also liked the idea of being able to stay all the world and the variety it gives.

Mr Hub a man after my own heart re saving on holiday! Holidays for us are splurge time, to do those expensive restaurants and out of the ordinary things, that doesn't mean I don't have several melt downs a month about it though!

Yup! We get the water & some soda & beer at the grocery store and maybe some munchies, but that's about it. Not gonna cook on vacation! We do Disney breakfast, lunch & Dinner. We used to eat outside the resort area, but not anymore. The meals are part of the experience we go there for.

EXACTLY!! And I'm not going to be responsible for that!

Thank goodness there are people like you, hubs, who think like I do and get it.....I'm so showing Joe this.

Your ears may be ringing (or burning something terrible) in 3....2......1......

Oooouch! Your welcome Jeff, got your back anytime you need it!

I give my kiddos a set money amount limit for souvenirs each day. They can "bank" their money and roll it over to the next day (daughter), or use it all at once, on a smaller, trinket-y thing (son).

I usually order a Disney shirt for each family member BEFORE we leave, so we don't shell out that extra dough when we get there, since I've ordered them at a lower price before our trip.

I make my kids their own autograph books (regular 4 x 6 notebook decorated on the front with stickers).

We bring our own water bottles and use Crystal Light packets to add to them.

We also do Pop-Tarts, Granola Bars, or Oatmeal in the rooms for breakfast.

I hadn't thought about splitting entrees for the adults, but that is a GREAT idea! Thanks, guys!