Disneyland is the happiest place on Earth, but not the cheapest place on Earth. It gest expensive quickly, so saving money anywhere you can will help. These are the best tips for saving money at Disneyland.
Buy Park Tickets Elsewhere
Buying your park tickets directly through Disneyland is not always the best deal. You can get discounted tickets through Undercover Tourist or you can use your Target credit card to buy them on Target’s website and get 5% off.
Buy Single Day Tickets
Disneyland tickets have different prices depending on how many days you’ll be there. Look at buying a couple of single day tickets to make each day cheaper than if you buy 2 or 3 day passes. This depends on the day you want to go though.
Look At Multi-Day Tickets
If you’re going to spend 4 or 5 days in the parks, this can be the best and cheapest ticket option. Compare the multi-day passes to single day passes to see how they add up.
Buy Discounted Disney Gift Cards
You can get Disney gift cards at a discount sometimes from Costco and Sam’s Club. You can also buy Disney gift cards from Target and get 5% off if you use your Target credit card. So a $100 Disney gift card would cost $95, but it would still have $100 on it. You can use it to buy park tickets or use it in the parks to buy souvenirs and food.
Stay Off-Property
The Disneyland hotels are very pricey, so stay off-property to pay less for your hotel. The hotels along South Harbor Blvd are nice and close to the parks, like the Fairfield Inn Anaheim Resort and Grand Legacy at the Park.
Bring Your Own Food And Drinks
Disney food is part of the fun of Disneyland, but it also gets expensive. Bring your own food or drinks for all or some of your meals to save a little money. You can bring outside food into Disneyland and you can even bring coolers that are a certain size.
Stay Within Walking Distance
Stay at a hotel within walking distance, like those on South Harbor Blvd, to save money on transportation. Walking to the parks saves time and money so you don’t have to pay for an Uber, a shuttle, or parking.
Look For Ticket Sales
Sometimes Disneyland will offer ticket deals that will save money. Some they’ve done in the past are adults at kids prices, kids for $50/day, and buy 2 days get one free for Disney+ subscribers. Check if there are any that will work for the dates you’re wanting to go.
Visit During Off Times
Hotels and park tickets are cheaper during the times of the year that are not as popular and busy for Disneyland. If your dates are flexible, compare prices for different weeks.
Use A Disney Rewards Card
If you have a Disney credit card, you can earn rewards to use with Disney and you can get discounts in the parks.
Bring Your Own Souvenirs
Souvenirs in the parks are expensive, so you can save money by bringing your own. You can bring toys to give your kids, princess dresses, and plushes.
Bring Ponchos
If the weather forecast shows there will be rain during your Disneyland trip, buy cheap ponchos for your group before your vacation. Ponchos in the parks are pricey and the lines can get long to buy them.
Share Meals
Sharing meals will help keep costs on food down. There are some larger meals in the parks that are great for sharing, like soup in a bread bowl and fried chicken from Flo’s V8 cafe. You can also share snacks, like popcorn. When you buy one, ask for an empty carton and you can split it so 2 people can each have their own popcorn container, but you only bought one.
Get Free Water
You can get free ice and water from quick-service restaurants in Disneyland. You can ask for a cup for it or bring a reusable water bottle to fill.
Don’t Park Hop
A park hopper ticket is where you can go to both Disneyland and California Adventure in the same day. This costs an extra $65 per day per person. I do no think it is worth it and there is plenty to do in each park to fill a day.
Don’t Buy Lightning Lanes
Lightning Lane Multi-Pass and Individual Lightning Lanes are great if you want to go on a lot of rides and not wait long, but they get pricey. Skip this extra purchase to save money. Go on the majority of your rides first thing in the morning or at the end of the day when lines aren’t as long.
Enjoy The Included Entertainment
Disneyland is full of things you can pay extra to do, like get a makeover at Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique or build a lightsaber in Galaxy’s Edge. There are so many things to do that are included in your park ticket though, like the rides, meeting characters, parades, fireworks, and more.
Eat Breakfast Before Going To The Parks
Eating breakfast outside of the parks will save you money everyday. You can eat things like muffins in your hotel room, book a hotel with free breakfast, or grab McDonald’s on your walk to the parks.
Bring Your Stroller
If you have toddlers or babies with you, you’ll definitely need a stroller on your trip. Do not rent one from Disneyland though. They cost $18 for a single or $36 for a double and they’re clunky and uncomfortable for kids. You can check strollers for free with airlines, so bring your own to save money and keep your kids more comfortable.
Book With A Travel Agent
Travel agents can help you find deals on travel, so if you’re on a budget, this is a good way to go and they will also save you a lot of time since they’ll be doing all the planning for you.