Disneyland on a Dime
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You can’t live or travel in California without a trip to Disneyland. Sooner or later, I think a trip to Disneyland, the original Disney theme park, is in order. Yet, the tricky part is finding a way to afford it.
Amusement parks are never cheap. And while Disney, in my opinion, is the creme de la creme of theme parks, it also has the price tag to go with being cream of the crop.
A few weeks ago our family headed to Disneyland, taking our six kids for the first time. I grew up going to Disneyland at least once a year, and FishPapa, though not as often, went regularly. But, our kids had never been, due in part to living in Kansas for five years, waiting for “the right time,” and wondering how to swing it on a tight budget.
This year we decided to make it part of our vacation fund. And while, we certainly weren’t able to go for free, we were able to cut some corners to make it more affordable than many Disney vacations.
Preplanning is Key
I asked friends and readers about what they did to make their Disney days a success.
Amy told me about Disney trading pins, something I’d never heard about. Alyssa gave me the heads’ up on Disney apparel for cheap. Jessika clued me in about the cheapest souvenir in the park.
And my readers told me about all the tips and tricks they could think of as well as shared their Disney adventures.
What a help that was!
Here are some of the things I did before our trip:
:: Reading Research – First, I purchased the book, The Unofficial Guide to Disneyland. Great book! It made me laugh and it gave me a much-needed reality check about how to maximize our day at the park and set realistic expectations for Disney with kids. I highly recommend it. Read my more in-depth review for more ideas.
Cost = free with SwagBucks
:: Tickets on a Discount – This is probably the hardest pill to swallow. We missed out on the Give A Day, Get a Day Promotion. Instead, we bought our tickets from FishPapa’s work where he gets a discount on Disneyland tickets, $68.50 for adults and $60.50 for children.
Cost for two adults and five children = $447.50
:: Dressing the Part – I logged onto the Disney store and ordered tshirts for me and the kids at a discount. I went through ShopAtHome so that I could get an extra 5% back from my purchases. I only bought shirts that were on low sale, about $5-6 each, so that we could dress the part of Disney tourists. Not a necessity, but fun, nonetheless. Next time, I’m buying all red Disney tshirts in order to keep better track of everyone. Counting six heads in a crowd is kinda tough. Cost = $43.00
:: Geeking Out with Waist Pouches – Remember fanny packs? Well, the Unofficial Guide recommended getting them for the kids and I’m so glad I did. I shopped around and found some on Amazon. Don’t worry about getting “kid size” bags, just cut the straps to make them fit. The point of the waist pouch is to let your kids stuff them full of snacks, like granola bars, fruit leathers, and crackers, so that they can snack whenever they want. This worked like a charm. Loved it and we will be doing it for more outings in the future.
Cost = free with SwagBucks
:: Ordering Trading Pins – These are a phenomena that have been around for about ten years. Disney sells pins that you can trade. They’re quite cute and quite expensive. Instead of paying $15 a pin (which I would never do), I ordered a lot of 20 from Ebay (via Ebates for 3% back) and split the pack 5 ways. Each kid got to choose four and they had a great time trading them with castmembers at Disney. It was an economical way to have souvenirs and participate in a Disney tradition without breaking the bank.
Cost = $20.00
:: Packing Snacks and Lunch – Since I have two great cooler bags, I packed those full with cold drinks, water bottles, cheese sticks, and sandwiches. In my backpack I had some cookies and crackers. We grazed throughout the park and since the kids had their waist pouches full, they weren’t hounding me every five minutes for a snack.
Cost = same as it would be if we ate lunch at home
Saving Money At the Park
Since we were treating this day as a vacation, we didn’t want to go without fun stuff. But, since the kids already had snacks, Disney tshirts, and trading pins, there wasn’t a whole lot that they wanted. We did splurge on a few things.
:: Free Coffee Refills – We were pleased to see that the coffee shop on Main Street offers free refills all day long. Just keep your receipt. I don’t know about other coffee locations throughout the park, but Main Street isn’t too far of a walk from anywhere, really.
Cost for coffee for the Resident Caffeine Addict = $3.00
:: Yummy Frozen Lemonade – I knew that we would want a cool afternoon pick-me-up, so I had mentally prepared myself for a splurge later in the day. We found the Frozen Lemonade near Haunted Mansion to be the perfect thing.
Each cup was $4. Yikes! But, it was vacation! We ended up getting 8 cups for a whopping $32. More than I would spend on dinner! As it turns out they really were big enough for two people to share. So, next time we would buy 4 and split them. We made a sweet memory, nonetheless.
Cost = $32.00
:: Dinner at Downtown Disney – To browse the Disneyland menu options is to have a minor attack of sticker shock. Heaven help my bank account! Thanks to my sister’s iPhone, we were able to check out the offerings at Downtown Disney.
We found the best deal at the Jazz Kitchen Express. Just hop the monorail and it practically drops you at the front door. Nine of us (my sister included) ate dinner and dessert for less than $45 by sharing large orders.
Cost = $43.00
:: Cheap Souvenirs – My friend Jessika always has wise ideas. She suggested that the kids bring two quarters and a penny for a fun souvenir of the day. Two quarters and a penny – you know what I’m talking about…. Those penny squashing machines were just the ticket. The big boys bought them while me and the littles met Tigger and Winnie the Pooh.
Cost = $1.53
Sweet Memories are Priceless
We had a fantastic day and we didn’t spend as much as we could have. Certainly, we could have scrimped a little more. But, considering what Disneyland costs, I think we did pretty well:
Total Cost for day at Disneyland = $590.03
Memories made with FishKids and Auntie Jamie = priceless
What have you done to make to make Disney Parks more affordable?
For more budget ideas for California fun, check out my series, California on a Budget.
One of the best ways we saved money and our sanity was by staying at the campground. The first time we went (with a five year old) we rented a Fort Wilderness cabin. That way we had room to spread out, a kitchen to make our meals in, and all the amenities of a Disney resort – swimming pool, etc. Plus when you stay “on Disney” you get to enter a lot earlier than the rest of the crowd so it made our time more efficient… and we were able to come back home for lunch and naptime when the crowds hit. Then we’d go back around 4:00 Pm when everyone else was on their way out. The 2nd time we went, we took our own camper. That was a good way to travel, too, but it rained nearly every evening which cut into our plans to do a lot of outside cooking. On that trip (in the middle of July) if you picked up a free wristband, you could go in at 11:00 PM until 2:00 AM with just 5000 others. Our 13 year old thought this was the best thing in the world… so we napped in the hot afternoons and did the park at night with very few others. Both times we went we were able to buy tickets through our work with special rates for the # of days you went (cheaper than daily rates).
That sounds very fun. I don’t think they have camping at Disneyland, do they?
they do have camping around the Disneyland ares. You have to ride a shuttle, but you can watch the fireworks at night from your campsite.
Anahiem Resort RV Park is the name and yes they have a pool.
Wow, sounds like you had a great day! Disney is expensive but then again almost any vacation destination these days costs a pretty penny. We love going to Disney World and look forward to trying Disneyland someday, we’re hoping 2012 when the new Carsland is open.
We use the waist packs too! Never hear “I’m hungry, can I have a snack?”.
LOL! I about fell out in the floor at $32.00 for the frozen lemonades!!!!! 🙂 It was a special day, so it calls for some special concessions! 🙂 Glad you all had a great time!
I know. I almost didn’t tell. But, we drive used cars, eat leftovers, and don’t shop extravagantly. So, I figured the frugality was for some purpose just like this. 😉
I loved this post! It reminded me our our last trip to Disneyland, you share so many wonderful ideas. We have a large family too (5 kids). We are headed to Disneyworld at the end of the summer, and we are doing our best to save money where we can.
Thanks for the fun read! I linked back to you on my blog for my “Disney on a Budget” series
We are on the same page. I am trip planning today too:-)
Thanks for this update. I linked up back in the spring when you were planning your Disney Trip:
http://frugalforyou.blogspot.com/2010/03/disney-land-fun.html
But I’ll be pouring over your tips carefully since we plan to go back for an extended trip next year. Glad your family had fun!
I love learning all of these tips for Disneyland with kiddos! My husband and I honeymooned at Disneyworld in Orlando, and we loved it! I will definitely be checking out “The Unofficial Guide to Disneyland” either before or soon after we move to LA, CA, since a trip to the Happiest Place on Earth will likely be in the plan shortly thereafter!
I love this post. You’ve got some great tips.
I grew up going to Disneyland just about every year like you. When my son turned 2 we got annual passes and went all the time. But now with 3 kids, annual passes and even day passes are a tough pill to swallow. We’ve only taken my 4 year old to Disneyland once and my third who is almost 2 has never been. I’m going through withdrawls!!! I want to go so bad… but… we’re going to wait until baby number 3 is at least two and can really enjoy it.
Thanks for all of these money saving tips. I’m gonna need them!!!
We’ve never taken our kids to Disney before, though I went once when I was a teenager.
I’m sitting here in sticker shock over what the non-discounted prices must be for a single day. How in the world do people manage to go for a whole week??
I think we’ll probably take our kids at some point, but it’ll probably be when they’re all a little bit older, as we have to do a lot of traveling to get to a Disney park!
@Kristen@TheFrugalGirl, I know. I think you have to think in Disney currency, as if you’re going to a foreign country.
When I added it all up for a final total, my mouth dropped open. Tickets are basically non-negotiable. We could have brought all our own food to reduce expenses. But, that’s a lot of food for 9 people for a whole day. Plus, it was “vacation.”
Honestly, we had SO MUCH fun. I’d totally do it again. Praying for a good ticket deal… 😉
@Jessica Fisher, I totally understand. We fork over $1200 to stay in a beach-front condo for two weeks each September. And we also spend some money on eating out, playing mini golf, getting ice cream cones, and so on.
The money we spend feels like a lot to me…but it is vacation, we save for it all year long, and we only do it once a year. It’s all about balance, you know?
I’ll go look at ticket prices now, and hopefully in a few years my mind will have adjusted to Disney currency! lol
How did your little one(s) do? Are there things for them to do or were they in the stroller most of the time?
They did GREAT. And there was always something to go on. In comparison to Legoland, which we did last year, it was amazing. (Legoland is lame for small children.) When the boys went on a bigger ride, I took the girls on a smaller ride. They never had to just sit.