• GIFT IDEAS
  • CRAFTS
  • ORGANIZE
  • CLEAN
  • BEAUTY
  • STYLE
  • GARDEN
  • HEALTH
  • BABY
  • HOME
  • DISCLOSURE

The Frugal Girls

Recipes, Money, Home & Garden, DIY, Beauty and Travel

  • EASY RECIPES
    • ALL RECIPES
    • 5 INGREDIENTS OR LESS
    • APPETIZERS
    • BABY FOOD
    • BREAD
    • BREAKFAST
    • CANNING & PRESERVING
    • CROCKPOT
    • DESSERTS
    • DINNER
    • DRINKS
    • HOLIDAYS
    • INSTANT POT
    • SALADS
    • SAUCES
    • SEASONINGS
    • SIDES
    • SOUPS
    • COOKING TIPS & TRICKS
  • ENTERTAIN
  • TRAVEL
  • RESTAURANT HACKS
  • STORE HACKS
  • SAVE MONEY
  • ABOUT
  • WORK WITH ME

62 Disneyland Travel Tips! {Secrets to Planning a Trip on a Budget}

March 10, 2013 By Heidi 9 Comments

I may get paid for ads or purchases made through links in this post.

Use these Disneyland Travel Tips and Advice and Disney World Tricks to let your Disney dreams go wild!

Disneyland Travel Tips and Advice

Disneyland and Disney World Travel Tips from TheFrugalGirls.com

So are you planning a trip to Disneyland or Disney World?  I’ve put together a list of Savvy Disneyland Travel Tips and Advice + Disney World Tricks to help you get the most out of your time at Disney World and Disneyland!

Not only will these tips save you money and show you how to visit on a budget, but they’ll also save you time and help you get the most out of your Disney vacation.

It’s time to plan your next fabulous Disney adventures!  So check out this HUGE list of tips for how to take your family on a Disney vacation without spending a fortune… and let the fun begin!

Related:

  • CityPASS – How to Save up to 50% Off Local Attractions!

Disneyland Travel Tips + Disney World Tricks

So You’re Planning a Trip to Disneyland or Disney World?  I’ve made so many fun memories at both parks, and still love visiting again and again.  There’s just something so sweet and nostalgic about a day spent at Disney!  Let the magical kingdom trip planning begin!

Now to visit Disney Parks without spending a pretty penny, the first step is to start stashing money away now for your trip!  Even just a few dollars here and there will really start to add up over time, and you’ll never regret having that nice stash of cash when it comes time to head off on your Disney vacation!  Here is one of my favorite tricks for ramping up your travel cash stash…

Top Survey Sites to Make Money Online

Top Survey Sites to Make Money Online

Ready for more Disneyland Travel Tips and Disney World Tricks?  Let’s get planning this trip!

How to Visit Disneyland for Cheap + Disney World Budget Tips:

–> Buy Your Disney Tickets Online.  You will save time not waiting in the ticket lines the day you go to the park.  You can also save some money if you’re planning on going more than one day and buy a multi-day pass.  Get a City Pass to pay for your park passes to save both your time and money!

Southern California CityPass Discount Deal!

{Includes Disneyland, Universal Studios, SeaWorld, San Diego Zoo & Legoland}

–> Get Military Discounts on Admissions when purchased at “participating U.S. military sales outlets.”

–> Visit During Non Peak Times.  Try visiting at a time of year when hotels and airfare are cheaper.  Summer and Christmastime are the most expensive times.  I like to visit midweek in the Spring or Fall, when school is still in session.

–> Score a Deal on Your Hotel!

How to Earn Free Hotel Nights {7 Secret Tricks}

How to Save Money on Hotels

If you don’t have a rental car or your own car with you, you’ll want to consider staying at a location close to DisneyLand or Disney World with Free Shuttle Service.  Keep in mind… you’ll save a bundle if you stay at a non-Disney hotel outside the park.  You won’t be spending much time at your hotel, so this is an easy way to save.  Most days you will spend up to 12 hours in the park.  Save even more when you use these credit card hacks to save big…

Best Travel Hacking Credit Cards! {How to Get FREE Hotel Nights + Flights}

Hacking Credit Cards Travel

–> Save Money on Your Rental Car.  Find a hotel with a Free Shuttle Service that will take you to Disney World or Disneyland each day.  If you do still need a rental car, check out these tips to help you keep some extra cash in your wallet…

20 Ways to Save Money on Rental Cars

Ways to Save Money on Rental Cars Tips

–> Be Prepared on The Road.  Don’t leave home without bringing these tips:

20 Road Trip Must Haves

Road Trip Must Haves for your next Vacation

Ways to Entertain Kids on a Trip

M4034S-4211

–> Get Cheap Airfare.  I like to earn Free Travel Gift Cards for Southwest, American, or Delta Airlines Gift Cards.  Then I shop their online sales to save even more.

25+ Southwest Airlines Hacks! {What To Know Before You Fly}

Southwest Airlines Tips and Tricks for Flights

17 American Airlines Flight Hacks {Tricks To Know Before You Fly}

Then, don’t leave home without these 19 Carry On Must Haves!

Carry On Must Haves for Long Flights

–> Don’t Buy Souvenirs in the Park.  Save a ton of money when you buy your souvenirs outside the park at stores like Walmart and Amazon.

Frugal Tip: Purchase your Disney Mouse Ears ahead of time before you go, then pack them with you to the park.  You’ll save a bundle!

Disney Mouse Ears on Sale

–> Bring Refillable Plastic Water Bottles.  I bring one sealed water bottle per person and refill at drinking fountains inside the park.  You can also bring refillable plastic water bottles {not glass} and just refill those again and again!  This alone will save you SO much money on drinks and is an easy way to make sure everyone stays hydrated!

Refillable Plastic Water Bottles

–> Eat the Free Hotel Breakfast.  This is an easy way to score free food without making any extra stops.

–> Pack Snacks in Your Purse.  Put a few pre-packaged snacks in your purse before you head into the park.  This will keep the kiddos happy between meals.

–> Eat Outside the Park.  Take a break in the middle of your day, and eat a homemade meal in your hotel room, or eat at an inexpensive restaurant outside the park.  We scored a great deal on Restaurant.com to eat at the Downtown Disney House of Blues just outside the park… it was delicious, fun, and a super frugal meal!

Check The Current Restaurant.com Deals – Pay $10 for a $25 Gift Certificate!

Downtown Disney Restaurants

{House of Blues – Downtown Disney}

–> Use Your Own Baby Stroller to avoid paying to rent one.  Disney World and Disneyland are all about lots and lots of walking, making strollers a necessity for younger kiddos.

Disneyland Travel Tips and Advice + Disney World Tricks

Now, check out more Disneyland Travel Tips and Advice plus Insider Disney World Travel Tips shared by your frugal friends here…

Kimberlee said: “We live near Disneyland and go a few times a year. My advice would be get the Adult Chicken Meal at the Plaza, located at the end of Main Street. We get two dinners and two extra biscuits, and it feeds our family of four. And when I go with my mom, we get the Alfredo Chicken at the Pizza Port to share. Don’t buy the kids meals, they are not worth the $$$!”

Disney Souvenirs

Disneyland Autopia Cars

Tiff said: “Get drinks at Rancho Del Zocalo (at Disneyland), and go back for free refills all day.”

Disney Luggage Sets on Sale

Meg said: “We go to Walt Disney World almost every weekend & the biggest savers are to pack food, drinks, rain gear & use your camera instead of photo pass.”

Katie said: “I paid off the vacation buying Disney Gift Cards through our Giant Eagle that offers Gas Rewards.  So probably we had $8.00 of 30 gallons of gas = $240 of free gas for paying for a vacation we were going on anyway.  Best vacation ever!”

Stacie said: “The cheapest and best thing we did was take lots of colorful cardstock (from my stash of scrapbook stuff), and sharpie markers. Then we got autographs from all the characters we saw (and they are everywhere), and took photos with them. When we came home we put together a scrapbook with all the photos and autographs! So fun and special and almost free!”

Gale said: “Get discount tickets for admission to Disneyland.  We are taking one of our granddaughters and one of our grandsons there next week or so!”

Peggy said: “We got the Flex Passes, which also include Universal Studios, Sea World & The San Diego Zoo/ Wildlife Park. It was SO much cheaper than buying directly from these parks (you can get adults & kids)!!”

Southern California CityPass Discount Deal!

{Includes Disneyland, Universal Studios, SeaWorld, San Diego Zoo & Legoland}

Laura said: “Eat at Pecos Bill’s Cafe in Frontierland at Walt Disney World. They have a free toppings bar where you can get caramelized onions and sauteed mushrooms and cheese sauce for fries.”

Frugal Tip:  Avoid sunburns on your face by wearing a hat during the day.  Purchase your Disney Hats before you go, and you’ll save big by avoiding the high souvenir hats sold there.

Disney Hats on Sale

Rebecca said: “Book through Disney. They have the best rates, and sometimes they give away the dining plan which is an amazing value.”

Frugal Tip: A day at Disney can mean a full day out in the sun!  Keep baby in the shade and protected from the sun during your day at Disneyland or Disney World with a Free Carseat Canopy! 

Free Carseat Canopy

Baby Carseat Cover Canopy Purple

Cheryl said: “We often shared meals and brought our own water bottles to refill instead of buying beverages in the park.”

Tiffany said: “I always stop in the quick service restaurants to get cups of water instead of paying for bottled water.”

Frugal Tip: Skip the expensive souvenir tees at the park, and order your Disney T-Shirts to wear during your stay ahead of time!

Disney T-Shirts on Sale

Myra said: “Several restaurants from Disneyworld participate in Restaurants.com.  I’m not sure if Disneyland offers the same, but it’s worth checking.  Also if you are a AAA Member you can get discounts on the rental car, park tickets, hotels, etc. Have fun!”

Ashley said: “Disneyland Travel Tips?  We try to eat outside of the park, especially at ‘All You Can Eat’ buffets for lunch. It is usually cheaper, and you can have a big meal and a light snack at dinner time. You can go in and out of the park all you want.”

Frugal Tip: Keep Baby adorable during your days at Disney with 3 Free Ruffle Buns in Mickey and Minnie colors! 

Free Ruffle Buns

Christine said: “Go off season if at all possible with a special. Don’t buy souvenirs until near end of your trip, after you have really decided what you want.  Set a budget for gifts, and take a list of people who you are buying for.  You can get free water at any place in the park, so take Crystal Light Packets to make it taste better.  Enjoy the free things like monorail rides, boat rides and touring some of the resorts.”

Crystal Light Packets On-the-Go

Karen said: “Pack food and drink! I didn’t know we could take into the park, but we stocked up with food from Walmart and ate our snacks and lunches from what we had packed – we saved TONS of money!”

Amy said: “I take all of our own “glow” toys.  Glow Bracelets, Glow Wands and Glow Swords are perfect for a little Tinkerbell or pirate.  We also did pin trading this year for the first time.”

Lori said: “Bring a loaf of bread and PB&J to make sandwiches to take with you to the park.  It is easy to eat a quick lunch while in line.  If your kids are “I want” kids, hit the dollar/discount stores before you leave for Disney.  Pick up little trinket Disney items to give the kids each day.  Could be candy, bracelets, shirts, toys, etc.”

Michell said: “We went with the grandkids and for snacks I made homemade Rice Krispy Treats that I wrapped individually.  They were great snacks for waiting in lines, they packaged easily and everyone loved it.”

Maura said: “We pack up one suitcase with snacks, bowls, cereal, spoons, foam coffee mugs and lids (and coffee/ filters), juice boxes, and eat breakfast in our room in the morning. Then we have an empty suitcase at the end of the week for any souvenirs we may want to bring back.  We fly Southwest Airlines so we don’t have the extra bag charge.”

Mary said: “Buy your souvenirs at Downtown Disney rather than inside the park.  Buy your autograph books before you go into the park.”

Brooke said: “There is a discount store in Downtown Disney that has everything under $10 if you have kids that want something small to bring home.”

Lori said: “I went to a local Disney Outlet Store and stocked up on shirts for the whole family to take along… only $4-6 per shirt there, rather than $20 in DisneyWorld!”

Becca said: “All the Walmarts near Disney carry many isles of Disney merchandise. T-shirts are $5.00… not $20.00! The products are all authentic Disney merchandise! Before the parks open, head to Walmart and make it a “that day” event! Buy everyone a shirt to wear to Disney that day, a hat, and a toy for after, or a stuffed Mickey to carry that day!”

Nikki said: “Buy trading pins and a lanyard on eBay!! Save major $$ and it does not matter what pins you get, since you will be trading them in the parks!! Buy tickets from local hospital, Disney donates them and the hospital discounts them to make money for the hospital!!”

Lauren said: “The Free app Undercover Tourist gave accurate wait times for rides, parade times and restaurant menus!!”

Shannon said: “Just went in July.  Download Ridemax – totally worth the money ($15).  It prints you a schedule – we didn’t wait more than 20 min. for any ride!”

Lela said: “If you want something really cheap you can Camp in a Tent for around $50 a night.”

Monica said: “If you haven’t found a place to stay, check out Homeaway. We got our OWN house with a pool for $500 a week (all taxes & cleaning included!). Three bedroom, two bath, ten minutes to the parks!”

Best Insider Hacks for Disneyland and Disney World at TheFrugalGirls.com

Disneyland Disney World Travel Tips

Frugal Disneyland Travel Tips and Disney World Tricks: Don’t forget to cash in your Swagbucks for Free Gas Cards, Free Hotels, and Free Airfare, too!  Then buy your park passes at a discount with City Pass!

Make the most of your time and money spent to get to Disney World and Disney Land by visiting some of the other local attractions.

Check out these fun travel tips for destinations near DisneyLand and DisneyWorld.

When your Disney adventure is over, there is still so much to see and do…

Knott’s Berry Farm Tips – Top 10 Things To Do

Inside Medieval Times (tips and tricks)

SeaWorld Top Attractions – Top 10 Tips

34 Los Angeles Travel Tips

35 Orlando Travel Tips

17 Tampa Florida Travel Tips

Tampa Florida Travel Tips and Vacation Ideas

35 San Diego Travel Tips

San Diego Travel Tips Family

10 Most Romantic Honeymoon Destinations

14 Ultimate Beach Getaways {plan your perfect beach vacation}

10 Winter Family Vacation Ideas

Winter Family Vacation Ideas! {Top Destinations}

10 Most Spectacular National Parks in the US

Most Spectacular National Parks in the US

30 Eat Out Cheap Ideas! {How to Save Money Eating Out}

12 Eat Out Cheap Ideas! {How to Save Money Eating Out}

How to Travel for Free or Cheap! {Budget Travel Hacks}

How to Travel for Free or Cheap! {Budget Travel Hacks}

101+ Frugal Travel Tips and Best Kept Secrets

So now that you’ve scored all of these Disneyland Travel Tips and Disney World Tips, don’t miss out!  Get all the latest fun new Frugal Girls Tips, Recipes + more here…

Frugal Girls Email Updates

Instagram The Frugal Girls

The Frugal Girls on Pinterest | TheFrugalGirls.com

So what are your favorite Disneyland Travel Tips or Disney World Tricks? 

We’d love to hear.  Leave a comment and share!

Disney World Tips and Tricks Disneyland Secrets
Best Disney Park Tips
Disneyland and Disney World Travel Tips at TheFrugalGirls.com
Insider Disney Park Tips
Disney Insider Park Tips

Filed Under: Theme Parks, Travel

Comments

  1. Jess Munday says

    May 26, 2017 at 2:25 am

    I love Disneyland these tips are very useful thanks!

    Reply
  2. Heather says

    June 23, 2016 at 7:01 pm

    Disneyland no longer has free coffee refills now that Market Place coffee is a Starbucks. Good news is, the coffee is tastier now!

    Reply
  3. Katharina says

    December 4, 2015 at 9:45 am

    Very helpful thaks

    Reply
  4. Linda says

    March 6, 2015 at 10:13 am

    My uncle worked at Disney World for many years, so my aunt had lots of little tips for getting the most out of your Disney adventure! Here are a few that she taught us & a few we learned on our own:

    #1 – when you arrive in the morning at whatever park you are going to, don’t start your experience at the FRONT of the park. Ride the monorail, ferry, train, or just walk to the back of the park & make your way forward…the majority of people start at the beginning so it’s very crowded in the a.m.!

    #2 – eat your meals at “off” times – Noon & 5:00 – 6:00 pm are the WORST times to eat! Most people eat then & the lines are LONG!

    #3 – if it’s a super-hot day, plan an attraction where you can sit down in the A/C around 2:00 pm. The Hall of Presidents was always our fave – I’ve taken more than one cat nap in there! LOL

    #4 – If you are staying in a time share or any place that has a freezer/frig, freeze partial bottles of water to take with you. Top them off with water before you head out for the day + take extra bottles of water to continue topping off the ice bottles. Put everything in a back pack [insulated if you have it]. Even though Disney doesn’t want you bringing in your own soda & stuff, they don’t say a word about water! I loved the idea that someone else posted about taking the Crystal Light or Kool-Aid sticks to add flavor – some of those are “energy” drinks too…always a good thing on a Disney day!

    #5 – I agree w/ other commenters about taking your own snacks – apples work great [but not bananas], and INDIVIDUALLY WRAPPED protein bars, nuts & salty snacks. Having snacks & water makes waiting in line…and staying on BUDGET sooo much easier!

    #6 – Remember sunscreen, hats, sunglasses, fold-up rain ponchos, band-aids for cuts/blisters & your own tylenol/advil…yes, everyone will need a backpack to help carry all that! lol Don’t get discouraged at Disney World if it rains in the afternoon during the summer – that’s just a Florida thing & it will most likely clear up within an hour – it’s a good time to eat lunch! 🙂

    #7 – I know this is a repeat, but I do this all the time: Shop at Dollar Tree, Wal-Mart, Disney Outlets, Downtown Disney, online, etc. for cheaper than in-park prices on souvenirs & trinkets! I always get glow sticks at Dollar Tree for cheap & fun nighttime parade/firework-watching. We even shared with some little kids beside us waiting for the Laser Light Show at EPCOT…they were thrilled & it made my kids think a little about sharing during the overwhelming glut of entertainment & materialism that unfortunately accompanies the “Magic”. 🙂

    #8 – If they are still doing it this way, follow this tip: When you go to Hollywood Studios, if your kids want to be in the Jedi Training Academy [they wear brown capes, get toy light sabers & “fight” Darth Vader], sign up for a time ASAP before you do ANYTHING else! It fills up sooo fast but it is an amazingly fun & FREE experience for the kids…get a couple of cameras going if you can – for video & snapshots! When my older boys were into that, they just picked from the audience – we never got picked – and that was sooo disappointing. Two years ago, my youngest son actually got to participate because they were doing the sign-ups!

    #9 – Take some time before hand to go online & see what attractions you just HAVE to do – you WILL NOT have time to do everything!

    #10 – This goes w/ #9 – PLAN an itinerary so you aren’t criss crossing the park a hundred times & wasting your time & energy walking! But remember that the itinerary should be FLEXIBLE!!!! 😀

    That’s all I can think of now…except I’m thinking I should write one of those “Tips for a Disney World Vacation” e-books! LOL

    Reply
  5. Logan Hartley says

    February 28, 2015 at 11:52 pm

    If you intend to take your child out of school for your Disney vacation, look into the Disney YES! (Youth Education Series) programs that Disney offers throughout the year (not during summer months). You can score a big discount on your whole family’s park tickets for enrolling your child in an educational program run by the park (and maybe even some overdue “parents only” time!

    Reply
  6. Summer says

    March 1, 2014 at 11:35 pm

    A Disney World tip for everyone:
    Disney world hosts national cheer competitions during the months of January-April. They are only 1 or 2 weekends per month. Unless you want to get completely overrun by loud cheerleaders everywhere you go: in the parks, in the hotels, on the buses, in dining areas, DON’T GO when there is a cheerleading competition. Check the UCA website for information when competitions are held.

    Reply
    • Rachel says

      February 21, 2015 at 1:09 am

      And it’s the same at Disneyland too! So check that!

      Reply
  7. Susie says

    March 10, 2013 at 6:11 pm

    As a Disneyland Annual Passholder, I want to share a warning about this: Nikki said: “Buy trading pins and lanyard on eBay!! Save major $$ and it does not matter what pins you get, since you will be trading them in the parks!! <>

    Also, regarding this tip: Laura said: “For free coffee refills, get them at the Market House on Main Street. You *must* keep your receipt to show the cast member each and every time you stop by for a refill.” <>

    Reply
    • Susie says

      March 10, 2013 at 6:13 pm

      Whoopsie! I lost my remarks to these tips. As a Disneyland Annual Passholder, I want to share a warning about this: BEWARE OF SCRAPPERS, aka counterfeit pins. If the eBay price seems too good to be true, it probably is. These pins are worthless. This goes both ways – beware of what you are trading for in the parks. Many people unknowingly pass on scrappers without knowing they are fakes (or knowingly trade them to gain real pins).

      Disneyland’s Market House is scheduled to close for refurbishment/transformation into a Starbucks. They will no longer honor free refills with a receipt.

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Hey there... it's so nice to meet you! I'm Heidi: a Frugal Girl living in sunny Arizona! I love sharing Easy Recipes, DIY Decor, Style & Beauty Hacks, Gardening Tips, Travel Hacks, and Creative Ways to Live the Sweet Life on a Budget. I'm so glad you're here!
More About Me >>
 

Don’t Miss These New Posts!

Deviled Egg Recipe with Bacon {The BEST!}

Teriyaki Noodles Recipe {20 Minute Ramen}

What Other People Are Reading:

Homemade Toilet Bowl Cleaner Recipe

Homemade Toilet Bowl Cleaner Recipe! {All Natural DIY}

Mini Roast Beef Sliders Recipe Easy

Roast Beef Sliders Recipe! {5 Ingredient Arby’s Copycat}

Fresh Squeezed Lemonade Recipe Easy

Easy Lemonade Recipe! {Just 3 Ingredients}

Florida Keys Travel Tips Vacation Ideas

70 Florida Keys Travel Tips! {What to Know BEFORE You Go}

Copyright © 2009 - 2023 | Work With Me | Disclosure Policy | Privacy Policy | Home