Good Evening Main Street Mouse Family!
I hope your week was good! Happy November. Down here in Florida we are gearing up for the holiday season with Thanksgiving this month and our very first Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party later this week! Halloween came and went and I have already heard people are starting to shop for Christmas gifts. I mean I have thought about it too if I’m being honest. So that got me to thinking, how can you cut cost while you are at Disney to have more money to splurge on gifts? Even if you live here, how can you go to Disney and spend less money while in the parks? Impossible right? Wrong actually, here are my top five ways to cut corners at Disney!
- Make your own autograph book
Part of the fun in the parks is collecting those autographs from characters. The autograph books can be very expensive. Why not make a special one from home and bring it? All you will really need is a notepad and some stickers. You could get one with outlines on the pages and a plain cover that you draw on. If you use the clear packing tape you can cover your design and it’s like laminating the book. This could be part of the fun of planning the trip, making the book together! If you already bought Michele’s book, “How Many Sleeps Till Disney?” well you have an autograph book in the back! Option two!!
- Take photos with your phone not photopass
Have you looked at the quality of phone photos? I know the new phones are taking some really great photos and it’s nice to see. If you want that special photo in front of the castle you don’t have to buy the memory maker, just give the photographer your phone and he/she can take the picture for you! If you happen to get one of those cameras in a box, ask the person behind you! I do this all the time and I get a photo pass with my AP but sometimes I just want the picture with my phone too. Now you won’t get the magic shots but you can always get the cast member to scan your band, or give you a photo pass card and you can just pay for the shots you want if they are special to you. Memory Maker can be expensive so if you save money here you can spend it in other places.
- Refillable Water Bottles
Did you know that any quick-serve location will give you ice water? Well, now you do. If you go to the quick-serve locations where you fill your own cup there is a button for water. If you bring a tumbler or some other type of refillable cup, you can fill it with ice water all day long. Now if you don’t like plain water you can purchase a drink enhancer beforehand and bring it with you to add some flavor to your water. I do this every trip and it is a savings. You don’t have to refill at the water fountain you can go to any quick-serve location and ask for a cup or two of ice water or fill it yourself and you can stay hydrated. I know it seems like not much, but if you buy a water every time you are thirsty you could end up spending 30 dollars by the end of the day. Hey, and if you really want the mickey pretzel, there you go right!? You saved money on drinks!
- Take advantage of Free Activities
You can do a ton of stuff at Disney World that is included with your admission. For example, there are two games to play at the Magic Kingdom – the Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom, and A Pirate’s Adventures: Treasures of the Seven Seas. Both are kind of like scavenger hunts. Sorcerers give you cards to use to fight off the villains and the Pirates game gives you a map with directions to follow around Adventureland. If you are in Epcot you can use your phone to play the Phineas and Ferb game around World Showcase. You can become a wilderness explorer at Animal Kingdom, and be like Russel from Up! If you happen to be at Hollywood Studios, why not venture over to Galaxy’s Edge and try to learn the language on all the signs. It actually has a name Aurebesh, there is a key in the guide book!
- Bring in Food and Snacks
Now I know you want the pretzel, we all do. Does that mean you need to have one every day? Ok maybe it does, but my point is if you bring snacks some days it is more cost-effective than spending money on the snacks. If you must have the snacks maybe bring in one of your meals instead of eating the food in the parks? My little one is young so I am not going to spend money on a PBJ sandwich when I can make my own, but sometimes I bring my lunch too we find a quiet spot and eat picnic-style and relax. It is a lot easier than balancing a tray and a toddler that’s for sure! If you must eat at the quick-serve location you can order off the kid’s menu, if you are not that hungry it’s a great option! Granted, I’m not saying do this every single time, but if you can save some money bringing in food, or even ordering off the kids menu, you can use it for something that means more.
Well, there you have it, folks! That’s just some of the ways I save money at Walt Disney World! If you have any ideas or suggestions for what you would like to see in a top-five blog, let me know I’m all ears!
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