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Heading to a Disney park soon? You probably know the hotel room can easily suck up more of your vacation funds than anything else. Fortunately, there are a number of ways to save money on accommodations at Disney Parks. Don't be surprised if they don't fall into your lap, though. Sometimes, you have to do a little digging to find the discounts you're looking for. But I promise if you do, you could save quite a bit of money on your accommodations.
Traveling to and staying at Disney can set you back big time, when you think about it. Vacation Kids once estimated the total cost for a family of four to take a six-night, seven-day vacation to Disney World, and while there are many variables at play here, they ended up at $3,485 for the trip, all costs included.
If you feel like you just got punched in the gut, you're not alone. Thankfully, there are all sorts of ways to cut down on your hotel bill, and hang on to some of your hard-earned money. If you want to let loose and have fun at Disney but still do it on a budget, check out these eight hacks for more affordable accommodations.
1
Swap Your Deluxe Resort For A Moderate
Typically, when you visit a Disney Park, you have a few options available in terms of how fancy of a hotel room you want. For instance, at Walt Disney World in Orlando, you can choose between a Value, Moderate, or Deluxe room, shares Traveling Mom. Compare the rates of each — plus what you get, and reviews people have left — to see if you might be willing to part with some of the Deluxe amenities in favor of a more affordable stay.
2
Find Other Ways To Chow Down
If you've been to Walt Disney World lately — or if you're planning a trip in the near future — you've probably wrestled with the idea of the Disney Meal Plan. Disney Tourist Blog points out how expensive this can get. Exactly how pricy, you're wondering? According to the Dad's Guide to WDW, it can get as steep as $116.24 per adult per night! There are cheaper options, of course, and you can also plan to eat another way entirely. Those who are extra committed can look into the upcoming Free Dining Dates and the conditions that apply.
3
Try Booking Through A Third-Party Website
You definitely want to read the fine print any time it comes to using a third-party site for traveling; but this can be an excellent way to save some money. Undercover Tourist, for example, will find you Disney hotel deals for the various resorts, and they even have traveler reviews.
4
Rent a Deluxe Disney Vacation Club Villa
This might be one of the best kept secrets when it comes to Disney travel hacks. Services like David's Vacation Club Rentals can help you save serious dough on Deluxe rooms. You reserve a room through them for prices way lower than you'll probably find elsewhere.
Disclaimer: I have not personally used this service! Do your homework and make sure you're familiar with all the small details of services like this.
5
Use Points To Book Your Room
Depending on what credit cards you use, you might be able to book your hotel room using points you've earned from charging purchases. Check the various sign-up bonuses, too. Sometimes, there are some pretty sweet deals in there that will help you travel on a budget.
6
Figure Out The Best Way To Group Your Squad
Some of the Disney rooms fit two people, and others fit up to 12. Depending on how many people you're traveling with, you should be open to splitting everyone up — or possibly not splitting up at all — in order to save the most money booking your space. Compare prices and explore your options.
7
Check Back For Deals After You Book
Nothing is more annoying than purchasing something online and seeing a sale pop up on it after the fact. When it comes to booking your Disney accommodations, though, you might just be in luck. If a discounted rate shows up after you've gotten your room, you can sometimes call the resort and rebook at the cheaper rate. This means you should be checking the numbers a few times a week, at least.
8
If You're Celebrating Something, Ask For A Free Upgrade
Are you heading to a Disney resort for your birthday party? Your bachelorette party? If you're celebrating, sometimes you can casually drop this into the conversation with the friendly front desk person, and they'll give you a discount or possibly a free upgrade. Obviously, don't lie about it just to save money. That's not nice. But if you're going to celebrate, it wouldn't hurt to mention that.
