Marc Serafino
Disney knows you (and me). When we visit Disneyland, they make sure we spend much more than we’ve planned. They are waiting you at every point of the journey throughout the park to take an extra dollar from your wallet. They also take credit cards.
You don’t want to overspend on your Disneyland trip. And we want to help you out.
There are some things you should know to help you along the way — here are 10 which we think are the most important. And which will help you save money while in the park. Let’s roll…
1. Stock up on Disney gift cards
You have started planning your Disneyland trip… It’s time to ask your family to bring Disney gift cards to your kids as gifts. Stock up on those and when the time comes — when you visit Disneyland — use them.
These cards can be purchased at just about any big grocery store, and later be used on admission, food or merchandise in the parks and on souvenirs at the World of Disney Store. Using these gift cards will help you save on in-the-park purchases.
Related: 7 Money-Saving Gift Card Hacks
2. Travel during off-season
Summer is a no-no. To save money, you’ll want to visit Disneyland during fall, winter or spring, and even then make sure you’re not visiting during holidays. Otherwise, you will be paying more for airfare and accommodation, whether it’s hotel or Airbnb. Summer is the peak season for visiting Disneyland, hence the travel costs are much higher. And the same goes for major holidays.
3. Don’t stay at Disney hotels
Yes, it’s convenient but it costs much more. There are many great hotels you can find in Disneyland’s vicinity most of which cost less than what Mickey & co. will charge you. Also, you can try to get an Airbnb place and save even more. Personally, that’s the way we at Wallet Weekly like the best. It almost feels like home.
4. Set a budget
And stick to it. Or try your best, cause you will be tempted many times. Do you need all those souvenirs many of which you can buy at a local Target?
How about snacks? Are you really that hungry all the time? The Disneyland management will try its best to sell you overpriced items throughout the journey. You will be hungry, no doubt about it, but think about it — will a $25 popcorn served in a fancy fighter ship bucket replace a dinner or lunch? Tell your kid to wait for the real lunch, and — if you have to — promise him/her a reward when you leave Disneyland.
5. Don’t buy clothing at Disneyland
Disney is notorious for licensing its characters to other clothing manufacturers so there is no reason to buy t-shirts with Disney and Star Wars characters while in Disneyland. You will pay more for the privilege. Sure, you can get some exclusive designs at the park’s stores, but are they really worth the premium? We don’t think so.
6. Don’t have a breakfast in the park
Once you’ve set the stage — you don’t stay inside the Disneyland — you should NOT have a breakfast inside the park. It’s an expensive experience and we doubt it’s worth it. The Disneyland restaurants serve thousands of clients pretty much every hour so you can’t expect great quality. Eat before visiting the park — you’ll not only save, but most likely also have a better meal.
7. Pack in snacks
Related to the previous point — bring your own snacks. Disneyland has no problems with you (or anyone else) bringing his/her own food, nonalcoholic drinks and backpacks into the parks. Hard-sided coolers are not allowed, though. Also, if you want to bring a family-size picnic meal, you will have to use the picnic areas just outside the gates. Not a problem since this place is within walking distance of both Disneyland and California Adventure.
On the other hand, such requirement does not exist for fruits, bars, sticks, water and formula/baby food. So pack in those as much as you can (or as much as it makes sense).
8. Have reusable water bottles with you
So you are never thirsty and don’t spend money on bottled water. You can get free cups of water at any of the restaurants, and refill your bottles at drinking fountains and at some of the filtered water stations. Not buying water alone is a big money saver.
9. Find (almost) free things to do
It is not necessary to spend a ton of cash to have fun at Disneyland. In fact, there are a number of things you could do, like take art courses, catch some beads, color some pages, do crafts at the special events, or get free face painting at special occasions. Heck, you can take family photos all day long. The scenery is nothing short of amazing and you’ll enjoy going through those photos when you get back home.
10. Bring your own stroller
As I’m writing this, strollers were renting for $15 per day with no option to get double strollers. So if you visit with two kids, you’ll need two which go for $25 per day. Say you’re in the park for two days — that’s $30, or $50 if you need two strollers. That money could be better used.
Conclusion
As we said it at the beginning of this article, spending money is easy, but saving it doesn’t have to be that hard, either. There is no good reason to overspend, especially on things you don’t need. Go through this list, talk to your family and ultimately — enjoy your visit to Disneyland. Without spending a small fortune, that is.
