Heading to Disney Soon? We’re Sharing 16 of the Best Ways to Save!
Looking for discount Disney tickets?! You’ve onlinee to the right place for all the best ways to save at Disney!
Ready to plan your next Disney trip? Let’s save you some money!
A Disney family vacation can be a magical experience, but it can also be a very expensive trip. The cost of tickets, lodging, food, and souvenirs can easily put a Disney vacation out of reach for the average family.
But you don’t need a fairy godmother to make a Disney vacation more affordable! With a little research and some smart planning, you can still make magical memories on a more manageable budget.
Check out these tips and tricks to get the best deal on your next Disney vacation…
Know this before you go to Disney!
Disney’s health and safety policies have largely returned to normal following the peak of COVID-19. Reservations are still required to enter Disneyland, though. At Walt Disney World, you may need a theme park reservation, depending on the date of your visit and the type of admission you purchase.
1. Check out the year-round Disney ticket offers for state residents and military members.
If you’re able to plan your trip based on discounts and special offers, you can save big on ticket prices! For instance, California and Florida residents can save up to 40% off select tickets, and military members can get specially-priced theme park tickets at both Disneyland and Walt Disney World.
Take advantage of the various discounts that may be available to you at the park you’re wanting to visit. Note that blackout dates and specific purchasing instructions may apply and prices are subject to change based on the date.
Be sure to look at all the current Disneyland specials and Disney World specials before planning your trip!
2. Sign up for the MouseSavers.online newsletter, as it’s one of the best ways to save on Disney tickets.
MouseSavers.online is a popular site devoted to helping you save money on Disney and other theme park vacations – whether you need a Disney ticket discount, Disney World hotel discount, a Disneyland vacation package discount, OR any other Disney discount, deal, or offer!
Sign up for their free newsletter to stay in the loop about updated Disney deals and news. They share so much information about discounts, including ways to get Disney discount tickets for teachers, college students, and more for Disneyland! They also show you step-by-step guides to ensure that you’re constantly getting the best deals and freebies.
3. Shop through Get Away Today for discount Disney tickets.
Another site we love to use for booking our Disney trips is Get Away Today, for both the added savings and convenience, too!
For example, theme park reservations can now be made up to 180 days in advance at Disneyland (where reservations are still required), but the actual purchase of tickets and/or hotels extends beyond that. With Get Away Today, they take care of all of this for you, so you don’t have to stress about availability when buying tickets for the days you want. They do it for you!
With Get Away Today, tickets are:
- Always discounted off the gate price
- The only authorized refundable Disneyland ticket option
- Delivered via email within minutes of booking
All plans by Get Away Today are subject to charges for making changes to your itinerary and cancellation. They offer something similar to travel insurance known as the Peace of Mind Plan. It costs $99 and covers all changes to your travel up to 72 hours before your trip.
Below is the difference between the change fees when booking with the Peace of Mind Plan versus without it. Note that these fees are only subject to changes you want to make to your vacation booked through Get Away Today, and booking through Get Away Today does not require you to purchase the Peace of Mind Plan (although it is highly reonlinemended).
Normal Change Fees vs Peace of Mind Plan:
Ticket Voucher Change: $50/Ticket
With Peace of Mind Plan: FREE
Hotel Reschedule Fee: $150
With Peace of Mind Plan: FREE
Hotel Change Fee: $150
With Peace of Mind Plan: FREE
Dropped Night Fee: $150
With Peace of Mind Plan: FREE
Hotel Cancellation Fee: $250
With Peace of Mind Plan: FREE
Package Cancellation Fee: $250
With Peace of Mind Plan: FREE
4. Check AAA for Disney discounts.
If you’re a member of AAA, be sure to take advantage of their Disney discounts! While specific savings can vary based on the options you choose, you may be able to save up to $50 per ticket!
This can add up to significant savings when you’re booking a multi-day trip for the whole family, so be sure to double-check AAA before buying your tickets. You may be able to earn AAA cash by booking in person!
5. Avoid booking your Disney trip during peak season.
Depending on the time you travel, both crowd levels and ticket prices fluctuate, but you can still save by knowing which “slower” seasons generally offer the lowest prices and booking.
While it used to be that mid-September through mid-November was Walt Disney World’s “slower season,” the park’s Halloween festivities and EPCOT’s International Food and Wine Festival are now drawing larger crowds during this time of year.
We like to check out Undercover Tourist’s Best Times to Visit Disney before purchasing tickets. They consider the park’s special events and previous years’ attendance data to make their annual Crowd Calendar, and we’ve found this to be so helpful!
The best times to visit Walt Disney World in 2025:
- Jan. 14 – Feb. 27
- March 1 – 6
- April 22 – 30
- Weekdays in the first half of May
- The second half of August
- Most days in September (minus the days around Labor Day)
- Most weekdays in October (minus the days around Columbus Day)
- Weekdays in November (minus the week of Thanksgiving)
- Weekdays in December (minus the weeks of Christmas and New Year’s Eve)\
6. Book now, hunt for discounts later.
One of the smartest strategies to save big on a Disney vacation is to book your trip as soon as you know your travel dates, and then keep an eye out for special offers all the way up until your trip. You can apply these discounts to your booking even after you make your reservation! 🙌
One of our Hip team members has saved a ton of money doing this. She regularly visits Walt Disney World, and it’s her favorite way to save!
Walt Disney World and Disneyland frequently release limited-time promotions like discounts on resort stays, package deals that bundle tickets and hotels, or special rates for Disney+ subscribers. The best part is that if a deal pops up that fits your trip, you can easily modify your existing reservation and apply the new discount directly through Disney’s website.
Even if today’s available offers don’t work for your exact dates or hotel, it’s definitely worth checking regularly. I’ve cut the cost of my vacation by as much as 50% this way, just by staying alert and updating my reservation when a better price appears. It does require a little extra vigilance, but I like to think of it as a game where the prize is a cheaper Disney vacation! – Hip Team Member Liza
7. Take advantage of your Disney Resort’s “bounce-back offer.”
If you’re having such a magical time at your Disney Resort that you’re already thinking about planning your next stay, be sure to take advantage of your resort’s “bounce-back offer.” These deals give you a 7-day window after your stay to book your next trip at a steep discount (often up to 30% off)! Look for a card or a flyer in your Disney Resort hotel room with an offer on it. If you don’t see one, you can still call Disney within 7 days of your trip and ask about a bounce-back offer.
Availability is limited with this type of promotion, so flexibility with your travel dates or resort choice can help you snag the best deal. This is another fantastic way to lock in your next trip at a great rate while you’re still riding that post-Disney high. And there’s no financial downside to booking early, since you can watch for special offers and other discounts right up until your next visit (see tip #6)!
8. Be strategic about your use of Lightning Lane Passes.
Lightning Lane (Disney’s line-skipping service) can save you a ton of time at Disneyland and Walt Disney World, but using this service can drastically increase the overall cost of your vacation if you use it every day.
Lightning Lane uses dynamic pricing, so the cost of this add-on varies based on the date, park, and ride popularity. While it’s hard to say how much Lightning Lane passes will cost in your situation, it may be as little as $10 for a single attraction up to $400 per person for Walt Disney World’s multi-use Lightning Lane Premier Pass.
Our best advice is to save your Lightning Lane purchases for the busiest days and most popular parks, like Magic Kingdom and Hollywood Studios. Then, you can save some money by skipping Lightning Lane on slower days or when you visit the smaller parks.
9. Consider staying off-property.
While Disney’s resorts can be super convenient and they offer lots of perks, you’ll pay a premium for the luxury of staying at a Disney property. You can usually find much cheaper aconlinemodations nearby, but off-property.
Many off-property hotels near the Disney parks offer free shuttles, free breakfast, and extra space, which may be well worth the trade-off for families or larger groups. And some are even within walking distance of popular Disney attractions!
10. Book longer Disney stays for maximum savings (and maximum fun!)
Believe it or not, another way to save on Disney tickets is by extending your stay. If you’re able to plan a longer vacation, you’ll actually save more money per ticket. The longer you stay, the less you’ll pay per day!
Be sure to pay attention to the ticket expiration dates, though:
- 1-day – The ticket expires on the selected start date.
- 2-day – The ticket expires 4 days after the selected start date.
- 3-day – The ticket expires 5 days after the selected start date.
- 4-day – The ticket expires 7 days after the selected start date.
- 5-day – The ticket expires 8 days after the selected start date.
- 6-day – The ticket expires 9 days after the selected start date.
- 7-day – The ticket expires 10 days after the selected start date.
- 8-day – The ticket expires 12 days after the selected start date.
- 9-day – The ticket expires 13 days after the selected start date.
- 10-day – The ticket expires 14 days after the selected start date.
11. Pay with discounted gift cards.
Did you know that you can pay for a Disney vacation with gift cards? Although not an enormous difference, Sam’s Club offers small discounts on Disney gift cards (usually around 3%). Other retailers, including Target, Costco, and even Amazon will sometimes have a gift card sale that includes Disney gift cards, and Sam’s Club occasionally increases their discount to a larger percentage.
Plus, if you’re a Target RedCard holder, your 5% discount applies to Disney gift cards, so that’s an easy way to save 5% on your trip before you even leave the house!
Disney gift cards can be used on park tickets, food, souvenirs, and more. With this tip in mind, some people have paid off their entire Disney vacation with discounted gift cards!
12. Bring your own snacks and drinks.
Buying food inside Disney parks can add up fast, but Disney does allow you to bring your own snacks and non-alcoholic beverages! So study the park’s food options ahead of time and budget for the special meals you want to eat and any can’t-miss treats you can only get at Disney. Hello, Dole Whip!
For quick snacks and drinks, pack a small cooler or backpack. Not only will you save a ton of money, but you’ll save time by avoiding the food lines every time someone in your group gets hungry or thirsty.
13. Share meals or order kids’ meals.
While it’s true that the food at Disney is pricey, the portions are also huge. Many meals can be easily shared between adults.
There are also countless quick-service restaurants that allow adults to order kids’ meals. Note that there may be some restrictions or extra charges if you order from the kids’ menu at a table-service restaurant, but if you’re just getting a quick bite, ordering a kids’ meal is such a simple way to cut food costs without cutting into your fun. We highly reonlinemend it!
14. Save time, money, and space in your luggage by having bulky items delivered to your hotel.
Instead of packing bulky consumable items in your suitcase, you can free up space in your luggage and avoid overweight baggage fees by ordering essentials ahead of time. A grocery delivery service like Walmart+ will even let you schedule a delivery so that your bottled water, snacks, and sunscreen will be waiting for you at the hotel when you arrive!
If you’re not a Walmart+ member and you don’t mind spending a little bit of your vacation time at the grocery store, you can still scope out the area around your hotel for nearby shopping options. While it’s not as convenient as having everything delivered to your hotel, this method will still save you lots of money.
When you can buy a whole case of water for roughly the same price as a single bottle from inside the park, it’s definitely worth planning a grocery delivery to your hotel! 😱
15. Buy souvenirs outside the parks.
We regularly see the cutest Disney merch at local retailers for exponentially less than what you would pay for similar items at Walt Disney World or Disneyland. Dollar Tree usually has a good selection of Disney items, and you can often find Disney toys, party favors, Squishmallows, and apparel on clearance at stores like Walmart and Target.
Consider buying some inexpensive Disney mementos for the kiddos ahead of time and pack them in your suitcase for a fun surprise, or use a delivery service like Walmart+ (see tip #14) and have them delivered straight to your hotel.
If it’s important to your young Disney fans that they choose their own souvenirs while on vacation, check the area around your hotel for a Dollar Tree, Five Below, Walmart, or Target. Stop in and see what they have before shelling out the big bucks for a souvenir from inside the parks!
16. Consider booking an After Hours Party.
Both Disney World and Disneyland offer additional opportunities to experience the park with special After Hours parties and other themed events outside of the park’s regular operating hours.
This genius tip onlinees to us from a Hip2Saver who’s an annual Walt Disney World passholder and Disney expert! These events can be a bit of a splurge, but she explains how an After Hours party can be the best way to squeeze the most magic per hour out of your Disney vacation.
Consider an After Hours party, especially if you are looking to gain the most out of your experience at the parks. For 3+ hours, party guests can gain exclusive access to the park with little to no wait times. You can aconlineplish everything you wished to get done in those few hours!
You’ll also get other perks like snacks and character meet and greets included with your admission.
Prices vary, but it’s totally worth the splurge because you’d have to spend multiple days at the same park to get a similar experience. This onlineing from an annual passholder who frequents the parks OFTEN (I’m talking even after work for just a few hours)! I love taking advantage of the After Hours events. One of my favorite aspects is that it’s also cooler at night here in Florida! No heavy lines, crowds, and definitely no sunburns!
Do you have any tips for scoring discount Disney tickets? Share with us in the onlinements!
