Disneyland on the Cheap!

Disneyland, the happiest place on earth and can easily be one of the most expensive places in the world for family vacationers. There are a few ways to save your wallet and still have a great time.

1. Consider your timing and if you are considering cost, try to avoid the “busiest” seasons at the park. The busiest times are the Holiday Months (October-December), Easter-April (spring break time) and the summer (though the summer months are still not as busy as the holidays). This will determine the costs of the hotel and the business of the park. It is also told that prices go up around 23% for food and other items around the park for these busy times.


2. Stay close to the park. There are many advantages to staying at a hotel that neighbors the park. First being avoiding to pay to park inside the park at a crowded structure especially if you are visiting multiple days. There are hotels that are directly in front of the entrance way that are actually fairly reasonable that you can easily walk to and from the park. This will save you at least 30-45 minutes which is the time it takes to wait in line to park and wait to get on a tram to and from the parking lot. It will also save $14.00 a day, the price it now costs to park in the Mickey and Friends structure. This also helps when it’s time to take the kids back to the room for a “rest”.


3. Bring snacks and food. This can easily save at least $20.00 a day depending on what you bring,. It helps with those moments when the kids go “I’m hungry” and “I’m thirsty”. We bring granola bars, goldfish, cookies, baked chips, cracker sandwiches, beef jerky, candy, juice boxes and water. For lunch we will make good ole PB&J sandwiches. By taking lunch and drinks it will definitely save you a good amount of money. The park does not really want you bringing coolers in but they are fine with food in back packs. It is fairly easy to store the backpack on your stroller if you have ,one, if you don’t and do not feel like carrying the load all day, rent a locker they work all day for in and out access.


4. Eating at the park? Be a kid again. Kid’s meals are almost half the cost of a adult meal and they have many healthy options throughout the park. I recently found out that the Coffee Shop (not the bakery) on Main Street offered a deal where you buy 1 cup of coffee, and bring your receipt back for free coffee the rest of the day!! It got me thinking, I wonder what other Disney Deals aren't revealed yet. That I don't know but you may want to ask the next time you get coffee or a souvenier cup if there are any refils offered.


5. Buy your souvenirs before going. Buy light sticks and other Disney items at the dollar store, scope out for a local Disney warehouse in your area. We found a gas station on the corner right next to the park that had souvenirs actually pretty cheap.


6. Looking for cheap souvenirs at the park? Smashed pennies are a big hit, it gives the kids something to hunt for and collect. Pick up a penny holder book for around $5.00-$6.00. Another cheap souvenir is taking pictures with the characters and bringing your own camera. This way the rights to the photo are yours, and you can pay to have them printed yourself which is much cheaper.


7. Find your Disney wear at stores such as Walmart and stores around the mall prior to leaving on your trip. They will end up being considerably lower then anything you would pay at the park. Also, head on over to the dollar store before leaving town and pick up a set of ponchos for only a dollar. This is of course for the unpredictable weather and those fun rides that have water. At only .50 cents a poncho, it makes it a fairly cheap way to stay dry and avoid paying for an expensive one at the park.

Other Tips for Disneyland:

1. Bring a jacket or at the very least a light sweater, no matter what season you are in Anaheim weather can be unpredictable.


2. Bring extra set of clothes for each child. There is a very good chance someone will get wet or spill something on their clothes and this will avoid having to go back to a hotel or car..
   Bring items such as a small first aid kit and sunblock to be prepared for warm weather and a possible “owie”.


3. Going during the busy season? Prepare for enormous crowds, especially in the evening with the shows. For Fantasmic, people are getting their seats at least 4 hours early and the fireworks show about 3 hours early. This causes the Disney Crews to start roping off areas and making smaller walkways which are not stroller friendly. Do the park rides during the day and this will give you time to relax later while waiting for a show and then you will not have to fight the crowds trying to get to different areas of the park.


4. Plan your trip wisely. If you plan on doing both parks and going to Disney is a rare occasion, look into a package deal with the resort. Here is a current special: Disney Resort Package


5. Do take advantage of the entertainment, check out the schedule here: Disnleyland Calendar We had a prime seat in front of the Bakery/coffee shop on Main, this is where Mickey Stops and dances. Get an even better seat to shows by sitting at a restaurant in plain view of what you want to see.


6. We have been blessed with free admission to the park so we have become quite the experts. It is impossible to do Disney in a day, if you are going for a short trip, pick out what you are wanting to wait for beforehand so you have a plan. Lines currently average about 30 minutes to over an hour.
   

Remember to have fun, its easy to get overwhelmed by the crowds, lines and all the activity. Just relax :)

Interested in more savings tips? http://www.mousesavers.com/disneyland.html Has some awesome tips!