Money Saving Hacks

[Candlelady]

Second this - Uber really. You can get pretty much anywhere on property for $8-12, so you can take it a couple times a day and it's still cheaper than renting a car.

I generally take the bus on the way to the parks when I'm not in a rush, but after a long day of walking I'll happily pay $10 for a private ride on demand back to the hotel.

This has been our biggest savings over renting a car that sits parked most of the time.

 

[robinb]

It used to be way better bargain...
@ $75 just a few years ago, to $100 still reasonable...Now @ $150 it just means that you'll have to spend more to break even...

So If you plan on going to WDW for multiple trips, or eat at TS restaurants for 7 or 8 nights with a party of four or so, then it might make sense...Me personally with an AP, ( we get 10% on most TS, so the break even point is even larger....

We stopped buying the TIW card when it hit $150. Our TS meals have been fewer and we have DVC/Visa/AP discounts on most restaurants anyway.

 

[sky2823]

Do you bring your own car seats with Uber or do they already have them or is it kind of NYC rules where you don’t need them on property?

Thx

 

[Deb & Bill]

We stopped buying the TIW card when it hit $150. Our TS meals have been fewer and we have DVC/Visa/AP discounts on most restaurants anyway.

We only bought it when our son was a CM at WDW. We'd take him and a few of his friends to dinner and spend enough on two meals to cover the cost of the card. Now, since he lives in Miami and doesn't join us as often, it's not cost effective.

 

[crisi]

We stopped buying the TIW card when it hit $150. Our TS meals have been fewer and we have DVC/Visa/AP discounts on most restaurants anyway.

About the time TiW went up in price, the DVC discount started covering a lot more. I'm not sure if the discounts cover resale buyers (we are, but we are old grandfathery DVCers). I suspect they are trying to kill the TiW program to move to a loyalty discount program to increase AP and DVC purchases. One less program to administer.

 

[crisi]

Second this - Uber really. You can get pretty much anywhere on property for $8-12, so you can take it a couple times a day and it's still cheaper than renting a car.

I generally take the bus on the way to the parks when I'm not in a rush, but after a long day of walking I'll happily pay $10 for a private ride on demand back to the hotel.

We use Lyft due to the Dudebro Uber corporate culture. But yeah, pretty much anything other than calling a limo to take you from place to place once on property will be cheaper than a car rental if you only use it a few times.

 

[crisi]

MinnieVans are more expensive, but the drivers are Disney employees - so if you are someone who is willing to pay a little more so the driver doesn't have the issues of the gig economy - its still cheaper than renting a car if you'll only take a few trips. And the MinnieVans have carseats - with rideshare services its up to the driver - and most aren't going to make the investment - and cabs don't usually have them either.

 

[mustinjourney]

Do you bring your own car seats with Uber or do they already have them or is it kind of NYC rules where you don’t need them on property?

Thx

ride sharing drivers cannot let small children without car seats. Uber in Orlando typically has an option for a car seat. With that said, I've never used Uber with our kids since the Minnie vans have two car seats included and they are more fun. I also have two kids, so most uber drivers aren't going to be able to fit 2 car seats -- and if they did, it would be Uber XL -- which is about the same price as a Minnie Van.

If you do Uber/Lyft and need a BOOSTER seat, check out the MiFold booster seat. It's highly portable and great for those types of short trips.

 

[mustinjourney]

make sure you buy your park tickets from parksavers or undercovertourist or another reputable 3rd party. They are typically $40+ cheaper than Disney. I usually buy whichever ticket has the steepest discount and then bridge that when I upgrade to an AP, which effectively gives you a $40+ discount on your AP.

 

[sky2823]

If we are a family of five, 1 car seat and two booster seats needed. How do I plan for the minivans

Do the cars have car seats or booster seats? Can I remove the car seat? Should I bring and extra booster?

Thanks for all of the advice!!!

 

[aoconnor]

make sure you buy your park tickets from parksavers or undercovertourist or another reputable 3rd party. They are typically $40+ cheaper than Disney. I usually buy whichever ticket has the steepest discount and then bridge that when I upgrade to an AP, which effectively gives you a $40+ discount on your AP.

Just curious- what tickets do you typically buy? I just went on those two websites and I don't see the discounts they are claiming. It says $40-60 off of gate price, but if I go on the official Disney site the same tickets either cost the same or within $15.

 

[Jennifer Bowers]

Maybe not a "hack" but if you buy an AP then if you schedule another trip less than 12 months(minus duration of trip) apart then you save money on tix.

Yes! And sometimes it's worth it to buy just one AP for the traveling party(as long as park hopper doesn't matter to you) This is what we do and take 2 trips 9-11 months apart.

As a new resale buyer (Jan 2017) I have to scheme in order to get my hands on some discounts....

 

[Bing Showei]

Just curious- what tickets do you typically buy? I just went on those two websites and I don't see the discounts they are claiming. It says $40-60 off of gate price, but if I go on the official Disney site the same tickets either cost the same or within $15.

I’m pretty sure they’re comparing to the gate price not the online price.

 

[Marionnette]

Just curious- what tickets do you typically buy? I just went on those two websites and I don't see the discounts they are claiming. It says $40-60 off of gate price, but if I go on the official Disney site the same tickets either cost the same or within $15.

Tax.

Disney's website doesn't include it until you go to checkout. The other websites factor tax into their posted prices.

 

[bumbershoot]

We are actually considering an owners’ locker for our upcoming stays now - we have 5 stays (some short, some long) planned for the next 16 months, so it would be nice to be able to store some things instead of bringing them down each time. (Ponchos,sweatshirts, and cooking utensils and non-perishable things).

Remember to see how much extra those 5 dropoff/pickups will cost, though.

Just curious- what tickets do you typically buy? I just went on those two websites and I don't see the discounts they are claiming. It says $40-60 off of gate price, but if I go on the official Disney site the same tickets either cost the same or within $15.

Are you looking at the tax on the WDW site?

I’m pretty sure they’re comparing to the gate price not the online price.

I don't think gate and online have been different for several years.

 

[mustinjourney]

Just curious- what tickets do you typically buy? I just went on those two websites and I don't see the discounts they are claiming. It says $40-60 off of gate price, but if I go on the official Disney site the same tickets either cost the same or within $15.

disney has an online price and a gate price

 

[mustinjourney]

If we are a family of five, 1 car seat and two booster seats needed. How do I plan for the minivans

Do the cars have car seats or booster seats? Can I remove the car seat? Should I bring and extra booster?

Thanks for all of the advice!!!

the minnie vans have two full sized car seats. no booster seats. If you want a booster seat, you'll have to provide that. The Mifold works well for that.

 

[Bing Showei]

I don't think gate and online have been different for several years.

Per Disney’s online ticketing page:

Save $20 when you purchase 3-day or longer tickets online!*

*Savings compared to the price of the same ticket sold at park ticket and Guest Relations windows

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/tickets/

 

[James Rhoades]

Some people booking a split stay will get the deluxe dining plan for just a day or two and have a ton of credits to use. That is one of the few ways the dining plan can make sense, but when we have gotten TiW card it worked out to be better for us and our traveling party than getting the deluxe.

How does this work exactly? I understand the split stay portion but how long are the credits good for once you check out of the first resort?

 

[Marionnette]

How does this work exactly? I understand the split stay portion but how long are the credits good for once you check out of the first resort?

Dining credits are good until midnight of the day that you check out of the resort.