Are you thinking you’ll never be able to visit Disneyland because of the cost? Find out how one family was able to do a Disneyland on a budget for under $1,000. Scroll down for all their tips and tricks!
This Disneyland on a budget post was co-written by family travel expert Marcie Cheung and contains affiliate links which means if you purchase something from one of my affiliate links, I may earn a small commission that goes back into maintaining this blog.
Guest post by Valerie Hansen of Maple Leopard
Fall is a great time to plan a trip to the Happiest Place on Earth.
The crowds are less, and you won’t be dealing with peak prices for hotels etc.
Whether your kids are 9 or 29, you can do Disneyland on a budget, for around $1,000.
This price is based on two adults and one grown kiddo. (Our son couldn’t come, he had to stay and work.)
If you have two small children, the cost would be in the same ballpark.
How to do Disneyland on a Budget
DRIVE INSTEAD OF FLY
I know this is not possible for all families.
If you have extra time to make the trip, driving usually saves money. Gas prices aren’t too bad right now; it’s a great time to hit the road.
We traveled from Seattle to Anaheim and back for $200.00, in a Kia Soul.
Some other stops were even included in that price: San Diego, Palm Springs and San Francisco.
PURCHASE DISNEYLAND TICKETS OUTSIDE THE GATE
Every time we visit Disneyland, the admission tickets put a big dent in the trip budget.
This time we decided to do research, to beat the prices at the gate.
We asked around at our hotel, where to find cheaper tickets. The concierge was selling them for $105 each. This saved us about $75 on 3 tickets.
We only spent one day in the Disneyland park.
If you are planning on visiting more than one day, of course a hopper pass is the way to go.
In addition, retailers such as Costco or Sam’s sell them in a bundle for less.
Get Away Today also has great deals on Disneyland tickets!
EAT & SHOP OUTSIDE THE DISNEYLAND PARK
Say what?! Did I just say that?
We did eat some food in Disneyland, but not our main meals.
Like most fans of Disney, we are there when the park opens and stay until closing time.
If you eat all day in the park, it will clean out your wallet!
Eat breakfast at McDonalds before heading to the park. Later grab a stamp on your hand, and leave for lunch and dinner.
On our last visit, we found delicious Mexican food close by on Harbor Blvd- Sabrosada . It was delicious, and very reasonable in price.
Snacks, drinks and keychains are all we purchased inside the park.
Target and small vendors on Harbor Blvd, sell Disney souvenirs for a fraction of the price at the park.
LISTEN TO A TIME SHARE SPIEL TO SAVE ON HOTEL
I have a friend that belongs to the Wyndham timeshare group, perhaps you do too.
She gave me a certificate for 2 free nights at any of their locations in the world. The voucher gave us the option to stay 3 additional nights for a total of $150.
We stayed at the Anaheim Garden Grove hotel by Wyndham. We so loved our stay!
The rooms were spacious, cozy and inviting. The pool was wonderful, and the staff was very accommodating.
I would love to stay here again. It’s totally fine for non-members to reserve rooms here anytime.
Of course the catch is you have to listen to a 2 hour presentation about purchasing a time share. The presentation wasn’t hard to endure and we escaped without being forced to purchase.
Actually there was no high pressure sales tactics used. Of course they wanted us to buy, but we stood our ground, and all was good!
BUDGET YOUR TIME WHEN VISITING DISNEYLAND
Another great way to save dollars: is to actually plan a schedule for your time in the park.
Creating an agenda, will actually help save money! If you wander around aimlessly, you can end up spending more money than planned.
It’s also easy to get caught up in pressure to purchase extra tours, park souvenirs etc. There are tons of things to see and do, included in the entrance price.
Disneyland on a Budget: Summary of Expenses for a 5 Day Disneyland Road Trip:
Gas: $200
Hotel: $150
Disneyland Park Passes: $315
Food & Shopping: $325
I hope this inspired you to start doing Disney on a Budget and plan your next vacation! It really can be done without breaking the bank.
