We just spent the most wonderful week in Florida at Walt Disney World and I wanted to share some tips for frugal vacationers and photos to entice you to plan NOW for your trip next December! Once you become an extreme couponer there is nothing you can’t do with all the money you can save!
Before I get into some frugal vacation planning tips for your family let me say that Disney at Christmas is a MUST SEE! It was by far the most beautiful site I’ve ever seen. Everything is decorated for the holidays and it even snows every night at the Osborne Spectacle of Dancing Lights! The castle turns 4 amazing different colors at night and everywhere you go is another great photo opportunity for your family (parents everywhere yelling at kids to stand still while they snap a quick photo ;)) Christmas trees are 4 to 6 stories high decorated with the most breathtaking decorations and poinsettias everywhere! The life like nativity scene is watched over by 100 lighted dancing angels and is such a breathtaking & moving experience!
Ok – on with the frugal vacationing tips. Well the 1st thing you can do is plan your Disney vacation for next year with another family and cut the cost of your room in half. This was the 1st year we invited friends and we’re so glad we did that we plan on doing it again next year….. the kids behaved better and I didn’t have to ride the Tower of Terror since my teenage son had a crony along – Hooray for me!
2nd Pack food and snacks for the parks. We ate a big breakfast each morning before catching the FREE Disney transportation to the parks but we were always sure to pack water and snacks. Many people don’t realize that Disney does allow you to bring food into the parks (not huge coolers but snack and drinks are fine). So we ate breakfast at the room, lunch in the parks, then back to the room for dinner before we headed out for a late night in the parks. Since dinner tends to be the most expensive meal we always at back at the room and it gave everyone a chance to rest or take a relaxing swim (or dip my feet in the hot tub since they were aching after walking all day).
When I’m at Disney, I bring whatever are their favorite snacks and I don’t worry about “healthy” eating while I’m at the parks (but that’s just me). I pack cookies, gold fish, finger foods and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches or lunch meat sandwiches. I freeze (if you have a room with a refrigerator/freezer) drinks to keep the sandwiches cold and everyone (except the baby) has to carry their own food – period! Belly packs and backpacks are great. Disney does a bag check at the entrance but there are no signs that say “No food Allowed.” My understanding about the issue is that you cannot bring in big coolers but some food in your person bag or a bottle of water is certainly permitted. Food is extremely expensive at Disney so you’ll want to stay away from the restaurants if eating out each day means breaking your budget for the trip. I find that if you allow them to eat their favorites while on the trip they won’t miss the restaurants. (FYI – the parking lot is way to far away to pack a cooler and go back to the car to eat)
3rd Bring Disney paraphernalia with you that you find on sale in your home state on your trip to Florida (or CA) and surprise your family with T-shirts or hats or bracelets etc at the hotel so there isn’t as much of a need to buy things (if you cannot afford them) in gift shops. Disney is great with their marketing and many rides end and release you through a gift shop so its impossible to just ride the rides and not hit a gift shop. If you know your child has a favorite, like Pirates of the Caribbean, then find things in your home town on clearance etc and bring them in your luggage. If you plan your trip 6 months to a year in advance there will be plenty of time to find Disney themed sale items. (Princess dress after Halloween etc – Get creative in your thinking) Bring glow bracelets, necklaces etc from the dollar store or left over after Halloween. Every kid seems to have these and they’re sold on the streets of Disney after dark. Every kid wants them and they cost a fortune. Pack them in your bag and surprise them! (I packed glow sticks, bracelets and necklaces that I purchased after Halloween on 75% clearance and the kids wore them each night in the parks)
4th Take a Disney vacation club tour while you’re in Disney and you’ll get FREE fast pass tickets or a FREE $50.00 Disney Prepaid Credit (or whatever great perk they’re offering). Many people don’t know that Disney has on site hotels similar to a time share program but a thousand times better (and NO PRESSURE SALES – REALLY!). Ask for Todd Bearden @ 866-615-3336 and tell him Maggie Miller sent you. That is who we took a tour with. No high pressure sales – just smiles and fun (I promise!!). Disney doesn’t need to harass you – once you go you’re hooked and Disney is way too classy to worry about that! We purchased into the Disney Vacation Club after we became addicted to Disney and we’ve never regretted it! (about 6 years ago now)
5th If you can’t afford to fly then drive! It is a rough long drive from Maryland but we leave about 6pm at night, pack sandwiches to eat in the car and drive straight through while the kids sleep. It makes for the least amount of ” he touched me, she poked me” arguments in the car between our 4 kids and to us that is worth its weight in gold! LOL!
6th 
Bring a stroller – They cost $19.00 per day to rent a double stroller in the parks and they do not recline for small children to sleep.
7th – Coupon your way to Disney! Follow Family Frugal Fun and keep couponing all year and save your money for that dream vacation. Remember – extreme couponing is about doing more, NOT doing less. Once you’re saving more at the grocery store you’ll have more money for vacationing and family fun. Those are the important things in life – the experiences your children will remember as they grow. 4 days of theme park tickets for Disney for 2 adults and two kids age 9 or younger are just around $900.00 – A family of 4 should definitely be able to save that much by extreme couponing! I hope this post helps make your dreams come true!
8th Consider getting a credit card with a rewards program and saving your rewards points up for a FREE hotel stay. Now, I know some families like to use cash but this is where serious financial discipline come into play. If you get the rewards credit card to build up points for your trip its important to pay the bill in full each month. We use a no hassle Visa but you can check into different cards like a Hotel Marriot card etc (a Disney rewards card) and see which is right for you to start earning FREE rewards. We charge everything – our electric bill, our trash bill, gas, groceries – you name it! Remember, it only works if you pay it off every month! (otherwise its not a deal if you’re paying interest every month) Speaking of rewards, be sure to find and sign up for a hotel rewards program or hotel discount program. Many hotels offer a specials like buy 5 nights and get 2 FREE. Don’t forget, you’re looking for a place with a kitchen or FREE daily breakfast. Depending on what you charge you could have the hotel paid for on your rewards card in 1 to 3 years. (meaning you’ll earn enough points to get the free room) Disney offers their own rewards Visa see photo. Click here!
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p.s. Don’t forget to visit Beth – my best friend since age 12 and partner on Family Frugal fun ~ She lives just 45 minutes from the mouse in Florida!
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