When I received my credit card bill after our first trip to Disney, I gasped when I saw how much our trip had totaled up to.  There were many incidentals we had not planned for which added up quickly to a hefty sum.  If you’re heading to Walt Disney World in Orlando, here are some tips to help make your Disney dollars stretch.

When it comes to Disney, planning ahead pays off because you’ll be able to take advantage of package deals for meals, figure out the best time of the year to visit when the parks aren’t as crowded, and minimize last minute purchases.  Here’s a list of the Best Disney Trip Planning Resources available to help you with trip planning.

Stay at a non-Disney hotel with kitchen facilities

About a third or more of your trip cost to Disney will be for accommodations, so choose wisely for your Disney adventure.  If you’re looking for convenience and perks, it’s tempting to stay at Disney Resort properties.  However, if you’re cost conscious, you can stay close to the parks for 40 to 50% less at a non-Disney property.  It’s useful to weigh how much the perks are worth to your family.  Are the extra Magic Hours that allow you to get into the park an hour earlier worth a few hundred dollars?  What about the free shuttle from the airport to the hotel and between Disney properties?  If the answer is no, then opt to stay at a nearby non-Disney property.  Some hotels embrace the Disney theme even if they aren’t owned by Disney.  A few offer a free shuttle to the parks.  You’ll save even more if you pick a hotel that has suites with kitchen facilities.  The cost of meals at the Walt Disney World resort park and hotels can be expensive.  With kitchen facilities, you can minimize meal costs considerably and use those saved dollars on a few fun Disney character meals.

The Homewood Suites in Orlando offers a free shuttle to Disney, but also to Universal Studios, Wet ‘n Wild, SeaWorld and Aquatica.  In addition, their suites have full kitchens.  They also provide complimentary hot breakfast, which will help you to save you a bundle and fill everyone up for a fun day at the parks.

Mix in Non-Disney Days and Purchase Park Hopper Passes

You’ve moved heaven and earth to get your family to Orlando either by car or plane.  Naturally, you don’t want to just spend a day or two there.  However, you don’t need to spend every day in Disney.  Mix in a few non-Disney days.  Believe me, your kids will remember a day chilling at the pool just as much as a day in the Magic Kingdom. Explore some of Orlando’s other top-rated kid-friendly attractions that are more budget friendly.  Doesn’t the idea of taking a break from standing in line all day sound blissful?

If you’re spending multiple days at the Disney Parks, purchase a multi-day park hopper pass.  The passes are good for 14 days.  Ask friends who live in Florida to keep an eye out for park hopper deals being advertised to Floridians. Disney often advertises their best deals at the beginning of the year in state.  You can also get discounted park hopper tickets through AAA, Costco or Sam’s Club.

Courtesy: p_a_h | Flickr.com

Maximize your fun and minimize how many days you spend at Disney

As you plan your trip, research the various rides in each park and create your own list of rides and shows you “Must do” and those that are “Nice to do”.  Map your days out so that you get to do what you want in an efficient manner.  One of our favorite Disney resources is Ridemax – a software program that does the thinking for you.  Ridemax maps out an itinerary that minimizes wait times at each ride.  When we used Ridemax, we were able to do everything we wanted to do at the Magic Kingdom in just one day with minimal wait times.  There are also several useful iPhone apps that provide wait times.  Read Trekaroo’s full review of Ridemax

Give the kids a souvenir budget or purchase outside the park

Temptations to purchase Disney souvenirs are found at every corner within each Disney Park.  Give your child a budget of how much they can spend during their entire trip.  Once they’ve spent their trip allowance, they can’t purchase anything else.  It’s a great lesson in managing money for the kids.  Another great way to save on souvenirs like autograph books, pens, and pins, is to purchase them at stores like Walmart outside of the parks.  Bring the souvenirs into the park with you and get them autographed by the characters.  Your kids and their friends will barely know the difference, but your pocketbook sure will.

Do you collect Disney pins?  Did you know that you can trade pins with cast members?  If you ask politely, they’ll almost always oblige.  Cast members also tend to have some of the more rare collectible pins.  You could even purchase pins just to trade with cast members.

Kids love to dress up for their visit to the Magic Kingdom.  Instead of purchasing costumes in the park, arrive prepared.  Stock up on Cinderella dresses or pirate outfits immediately after Halloween and stash them for your trip.  A visit to the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique won’t be any less magical for your little girl.

Courtesy: larryvincent | Flickr.com

Bringing along snacks

Although the official policy is that you’re not allowed to bring in food and drink, Disney is pretty lax when they check your bags.  Don’t bring a cooler full of food and drink, instead, pack a few snacks, a couple water bottles that can be refilled, or juice boxes in your day bag.  You might even be able to fit in a few sandwiches for lunch.  You’ll pay a hefty premium for every snack you purchase in the parks and before you know it, you’ve spent $100 on incidentals.  When you’re standing in line waiting for a ride, the snacks can also be helpful for keeping the kids entertained.  With full tummies, they’re less likely to beg you to buy snacks at the stands.

Another little known fact is that you can ask for free ice water at any snack stand or restaurant.  Take advantage of this service and if you really can’t stand the taste of water, bring along a few packets of crystal light or a water bottle with a built in water filter.

Disney Meal Plan

If you’ve got older kids with healthy appetites, the Disney Meal plan can be a great deal because the portions are big.  It’s less of a bargain with picky preschool eaters.

The Disney meal plan gives you a certain number of credits that you can use. The credits can even be used towards character dining experiences.  Since portions are large and you can often spilt your meal with your kids or another adult to save even more.

Disneyworld can be a wonderful experience for your family.  Enjoy your trip and bon voyage!