We're Back From Disney World (Plus a Few Money Saving Tips)!

 

Well, we made it! We survived 7 (hot) days in Disney  World with our friends Nicholas, Crystal & their sweet little girl Isabella!  We'd been looking forward to this trip for months, so it was nice to finally have a week to relax & have fun together! 

The Stephens & the Hensons

Traveling with 2 little girls, both under the age of 2 was definitely a learning experience. Although there were times when both girls were cranky & unhappy, somehow we made it through without too many tears & only a few tantrums:) We learned our lessons regarding what to pack, when to rest & what to remember for future vacations!  And on top of everything, both  families stayed under budget without even restricting ourselves too  much! 

Here are a few of the money saving and time saving tips we came up with throughout our time in Disney:

• Buy a few souvenirs ahead of time & take them with you...most likely, young children won't even notice the toys you hand them weren't bought in the park. 
• We purchased princess light up toys for the girls at our local Walmart & Michael's for $5 each & gave them to the girls to hold during the night time parades. In the parks, similar toys cost approximately $15-$20 each!

• On the same note, consider stopping by the Walmart in Florida located only a few minutes away from Disney World.  They carry a huge amount of Disney products, such as tshirts, mugs, stuffed animals, picture frames, autograph books, pens, magnets, toys, etc.  
• We were able to find tshirts for the girls & even our husbands less than half the price of the shirts we found in the parks. Of course, these shirts do not say "Walt  Disney World" and may simply say "Disney", but if you are  looking for a Disney character shirt, it's a great place to pick one up at a good price.We found shirts starting as low as $7, while the ones inside of Disney started at $28!
• I was also able to find Disney character magnets for only $2, keychains as low as $1.25, mugs as low as $6 & Disney bags as low as $10. 

• If you are staying on Disney property, purchase a few "Mickey" straws in your hotel's food court...they are only $0.53 & a great little souvenir for your children!

• Don't forget to ask for your free Disney button when you check in or arrive at the parks.
• They have a number of options including "I'm Celebrating", "Happy Birthday", "1st Visit", "Happy Annivesary" & "Family Reunion".  It's an easy (and free) souvenir.

• Bring breakfast foods with you to eat in your hotel room before you head out to the parks.
• We brought pop-tarts, oatmeal & fruit with us & always ate before we left the room.
• We also brought enough snacks for the girls to tide them over before meal time each day.
• If your hotel room does not have a mini kitchen in it, at least ask for a small refrigirator.

• Definitely consider purchasing the Disney Dining Plan if you are staying on property.
• We purchased the Quick Service Dining Plan (gave us 2 meals & 2 snacks per day per person) & we agree it is well worth it!  Besides not having to fork over money every time you're ready to eat, you definitely get more than your fair share of food!
• Another reason I like the idea of this is because you plan for the price of this in the beginning  when you are budgeting  & when you arrive for vacation, everything is already paid for.

•  Take advantage of the Baby Centers each Disney park has. 
• Inside each air conditioned baby centers are rocking chairs, high chairs, changing tables, tvs (playing Disney movies, of course), baby supplies you can purchase, etc.  It's a great place to go when your little one is exhausted or breaking down.

I took advantage of the baby center in Hollywood Studios while Cooper, Nicholas & Crystal went to a show

• Each day pack an extra outfit for your child just in case they have an accident. Also, consider packing their pj's...you can change them into their pajamas at night before you leave the parks (i.e. during the parades, fireworks, etc) so even if they fall alseep you can just put them to bed without having to wake them up.

I changed Piper into her pajamas before the nighttime parade so she was free to fall asleep & go straight to bed when we got back to our hotel.

• Remember you can ask for ice water for free at almost any counter service restaurant in the parks.

• No matter how tired you are when you get back to your hotel each night, take just a few minutes & set out your clothes for the next day & repack the bag you carry with you during the day. It will make getting up & out of the room much easier the next day!

• Remember that this is supposed to be a vacation, so don't schedule too much & take time to go back to your room each day to rest, swim or simply enjoy being there.