Spring break is approaching in about a week and this year my boyfriend and I decided to go to Disney World. We are the definition of broke college kids and spent quite a bit of money on tickets, the flight and the hotel. However, we also found ways to save quite a bit of money as well. Here’s how:
1. Don’t Stay at a Disney Hotel
Most people won’t agree with this, but we found that it was about $200 dollars cheaper and you get much better deals. For four days we are spending about $700 dollars on the hotel. Yes, it’s still very expensive, however, the benefits make it worth it. You get free breakfast everyday, which knocks off one meal you need to pay for, you are in a less populated area which will be quieter and you get free transportation. Although you get free transportation to the parks with a Disney hotel, they are crowded and more expensive which essentially means you’re still paying for transportation.
2. Bring Your Own Food
You are allowed to bring food into the parks, so bring it! Food at Disney World can be so expensive, which means it’s almost impossible to spend less than $50-75 dollars just on meals and snacks. If you pack a lot of snacks and at least one meal (like a sandwich) you can save a ton of money. This way, you can spend money on more fun things such as drinking your way around the world at Epcot!
3. Bring Your Own Water Bottle
Disney lets you fill up water for free at fountains. If you’re like me and drink a ton of water, a water bottle at the park can cost about five dollars. This will also save you a ton of money just on things to drink.
4. Budget Your Money with Gift Cards
If you only want to spend a maximum of $50 dollars at the parks, then consider buying a Disney gift card with the set amount that you want to spend. This is a great and easy way to make sure you don’t spend too much at the parks. Decide how much is a reasonable amount to spend, purchase the gift card, and when the money runs out on the card you know not to spend any more money at the parks.
5. Shared Shuttle from the Airport
Transportation from the airport to your hotel can be up to $55 dollars one way. A way to avoid this expense is to do a shared shuttle from the airport and back. These shared shuttles stop at several hotels which can take a little longer. However, they can be only about $17 dollars. This can save you almost $100 dollars to spend somewhere else on your vacation. If you’re like me and are too young to rent a car, then this is probably the best option for you.
Even if you aren’t going on spring break or Disney World, keep these tricks to any vacation and look around for your best deal to get your money’s worth. Vacations are expensive, but if you do it right, they don’t have to be!