With four theme parks, two water parks and tons of activities, tours and special events, it is impossible to do it all in one trip. To make your Disney trip go more smoothly you need a plan. Planning begins before you set your reservation. If possible, choose dates when the parks are at their lightest capacity.With dates set, visit Disney.com and create your own Vacation Plan with “My Disney Vacation” on the website. This great tool allows you to create an itinerary, bookmark your favorites, customize maps and record all your reservation numbers including dining reservations. You do not have to plan every day by the hour but even a little planning definitely can reduce stress.* Make dining reservationsIf you are staying on the Disney property, it is recommended to (a) use the Disney Dining Plan and (b) make your dining reservations before you arrive at Walt Disney World. The Disney Dining Plan (DDP) is extremely user-friendly and removes the stress of having to worry about meal prices. Different tiers of the DDP are available to fit different budgets.Many favorite Disney restaurants have long wait-times if you do not have an advanced reservation. Le Cellier in the Canadian pavilion in EPCOT is one where a reservation is usually needed due to the restaurant’s popularity. Character meals require reservations also. If you wait until you arrive at Walt Disney World to make these reservations, you may miss out. Dining reservations can be made online at Disney.com or by calling (407) WDW – DINE or (407) 439 – 3463. It is not impossible to walk-in to many of Disney’s amazing restaurants, but to guarantee a meal at your favorite, make a reservation.* Be prepared for crowdsWhen visiting a place like Walt Disney World, remind yourself that you will not be the only guest. Disney draws crowds. Christmas, Easter and the summer holidays are some of the busiest times for the parks. Mentally prepare yourself for the crowds and lines, especially during high-traffic times. Use the FASTPASS® option for quick entrance into your favorite rides and attractions.When travelling with children, prepare them. Discuss safety and the importance of staying with a trusted grown-up at all times. Make a family plan for each park; a place to meet should you become separated. Some families choose to wear the same colored shirt in the crowded parks so they can identify each other easily.* Take advantage of Disney’s Guest ServicesWhy make things more difficult than they have to be? When flying into Orlando, take advantage of Disney’s free airport to resort Shuttle Service, known as Disney’s Magical Express Service. Arriving by car but before check-in time? No worries. Leaving your luggage in your car, you can still check-in, receive your park Guest Passes and go visit one of the parks. Check the ready-status of your room from any Park Guest Service phone. Visit the Guest Services page at Disney.com for all the helpful services and amenities the resort and parks have to offer. From Baby Care Centers to First Aid stations to kennels for your four-legged family members, Disney Guest Services is designed to make your vacation go more smoothly.* Relax!Remember, it is a vacation. Not everything may go exactly as planned or expected, but how you deal with it can affect your mood and vacation vibe. Let little annoyances float by and focus on the magic and memories you are creating. A Walt Disney World vacation is a great opportunity to leave behind the stress of daily life. Enjoy, relax and if you encounter a bump simply stop, breathe deeply and have a Mickey Ears ice cream bar. It is hard to remain frustrated when enjoying a delectable Disney treat. author, Barb Hopkins.While Walt Disney World is one of the most visited vacation spots in the world, it can also be one of the most expensive. Even a seasoned pro can spend upwards of two thousand dollars for a family of four on transportation, lodging, park tickets, and food, not to mention souvenirs! However, you don’t have to break the bank to have a great vacation in the Happiest Place on Earth. The following money saving tips are so good, even Scrooge McDuck would be proud.Lodging:Part of keeping the price of the vacation down is knowing when to go. Not everyone can vacation in the dead of winter, right after New Year’s and right before President’s Day when rates are their lowest, but there are other times of the year when lodging is not at a premium. Specifically, the end of August through early October, and the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas are good times to stay. Disney also has value properties, where rooms can cost as little as $79 a night. A great reason to stay on Disney property is their transportation network.Transportation:One of the perks of staying on Disney property is the Disney Magical Express. This complimentary transfer to/from your hotel can save you $100 or more (for a family of four) on transfer costs. Disney also has its internal transportation system which includes the Disney buses, water taxis, and monorail. If you’re staying at the Magic Kingdom resorts, the monorail can take you to the Magic Kingdom or Epcot. If you’re staying at Epcot resorts such as the Yacht/Beach Clubs, Boardwalk or Swan/Dolphin, the water taxis can get you quickly to Epcot or Hollywood Studios. Everywhere else in the world, you can rely on the Disney bus to get you there, and the best thing about all of these Disney transportation options, they are all free to Disney property guests.Food:Food can be very expensive at any tourist attraction, but with a little know how, anyone can save a good deal of money on food. Unless you are going for a special breakfast like a character breakfast, try to skip breakfast at the parks, or even at the resort. One really great way to do this is to shop before you leave home for travel cereal boxes, or doughnuts, and pack them in your luggage. Not only will you save a bundle on breakfast, but when the food comes out, you’ve left yourself room to pack all those extra souvenirs!Disney restaurants can provide fantastic dining experiences, but can put a big dent in your wallet. Before going, check out the menu online. One great website that provides updated menus and prices is AllEars.net. Once you’ve checked out the menu, you may notice that some of the pricier restaurants have some of the same offerings for both lunch and dinner, but at an added savings. You may want to go to these restaurants for lunch instead of dinner. Disney parks and resorts also have “quick serve” locations that have affordable breakfast, lunch and dinner options. For example, a family of four could eat at El Pirata y El Perico, a “quick serve” taco location adjacent to the Pirates of the Caribbean for under $40.Another option is the Disney Dining plan. Although the plan fluctuates in both price and what it includes from year to year, the idea stays virtually the same. There are several types of plan, even one with an add-on wine option, but the basic plan includes a “quick serve”, a sit down dinner, and a snack. This plan can save you a great deal of money, if you are planning on trying a few different restaurants or if you are planning on a character dining experience. Buyer beware: Any unused food credits, including snacks, must be used by the end of your stay or they will be forfeited. Also, some upscale dining and character dining may require two full service meals.Park Tickets:Disney runs special promotions several times a year which include lodging, park tickets, and sometimes a meal plan. These packages can sometimes save you a good deal of money. That aside, there are other ways to get discount park tickets. Disney is currently running a promotion called “Give A Day, Get A Day” where you volunteer for a qualifying organization for one day, and you will receive a one day park ticket for free. Go for one day, or combine that with a multi-day ticket. Unless you’re a Disney Weekend Warrior, you may want to skip the Park Hopper option on the multi-day tickets. That can be an added cost of $26.00 a day for a two day ticket. Granted, the more days you stay, the less it costs per day, for both base tickets and add on options. You may also be able to save money on park tickets by purchasing them ahead of time online.Two ways to save if you plan on visiting two or more times in a year would be a season pass. If you want to come back again but don’t think it will be within that year, opt for purchasing a 10-day ticket and get the no expiration option. It’s $20 a day extra, but may save you from purchasing a new ticket with fewer days.Free Stuff & Everything Else in the World:Two great (and free) areas of Walt Disney World are Downtown Disney and the Boardwalk. Downtown Disney offers lots of shopping, dining, and activities such as the Characters in Flight hot air balloon ride, Disney Quest Indoor Interactive Theme Park, and AMC Theater Pleasure Island. Throughout Downtown Disney there is free entertainment during the day and evening, and it can be a great place to unwind after a long day at the parks. Similarly, the Boardwalk at Disney’s Boardwalk Resort features strolling entertainers, a Wyland Gallery, and two clubs: Jellyrolls and the Atlantic Dance Hall.There may be free activities at your resort as well, especially if you are staying at one of the Disney Vacation Club resorts. These resorts have daily activities, many of them free, such as make and take crafts, outdoor movies, bingo, and much more. Don’t forget your resort may also have free activities such as tennis, ping pong, and shuffleboard!Another great freebie is the pool. Disney’s resort pools are themed pools, some are so amazing, you don’t even have to go to the waterparks to have a great time. Many resorts encourage pool hopping, where you can stay at one resort and play in another resort’s pool. Some highlight pools include the Boardwalk’s clown-roller coaster themed waterslide, and the Yacht/Beach Club’s Stormalong Bay. Stormalong Bay is a sand-bottom, massive pool that features a shipwreck waterslide, multiple lagoons and waterfalls, and even a lazy river. Although Stormalong Bay is this author’s favorite Disney pool, there is no pool-hopping allowed; it is also only available to guests staying at the Yacht/Beach Clubs.Souvenirs can be costly, but you can get discounts in certain shops (and dining) if you are a DVC member or if you have a season pass. Be sure to check the literature for either of these in regards to participating shops. Disney also has an Under $10 shop in Downtown Disney. This can be a great place to let the kids find good, affordable souvenirs. One souvenir of note is the grab bag. It’s inexpensive and contains a few souvenirs, rather than just one, and can be exciting for children to discover what’s inside. It can be a pleasure, or a drawback, because you never know just what is inside the grab bag.Walt Disney World vacations can be exciting and expensive, but they certainly don’t have to bust your budget. Keep these tips in mind the next time you’re planning your Disney vacation and you may find at the end of your trip that you have extra cash in your McDuck vault!Special Offer….must not miss this!Another suggestion would be to take advantage of this special offer in the link below for a Walt Disney World Orlando Savings Guide: Click Here!
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