[aamove]

When the Disney Store in our area quit selling Disney Pins we bought over 150 pins on clearance and only paid 25 cents a piece. We now take them and do pin trading at the parks. It is a cheap and exciting way for the kids to share in the magic. And after two trips we still have over 50 pins to deal with.
When the wife and I go to Cosmic Rays, we usually split a meal and make a cheap salad off the fixins bar to fill us up.

[gingles]

Originally Posted by aamove

When the Disney Store in our area quit selling Disney Pins we bought over 150 pins on clearance and only paid 25 cents a piece. We now take them and do pin trading at the parks. It is a cheap and exciting way for the kids to share in the magic. And after two trips we still have over 50 pins to deal with.

That was a great deal!

[lil'pocahontas]

Originally Posted by Disneywife

A friend of mine who just went to WDW suggested that you would buy a double cheeseburger for one person, and then just buy a bun for about 20 cents, and in that extra bun, put the extra patty, and fill it with fixings from the burger bar, and you have two burgers for almost the price of one.

(We didn't do this, but she did, and says she saved a lot of money)

Now that's cheap. I like it.

[rhodisney]

My cheap idea is to go on a diet the week of my trip eating kids meals, and scheduling our lunch as brunch around 11 and our dinners around 5 p.m.and skipping breakfast. I can drink a Coke out of my refillable mug and call that breakfast.
I got 4 yellow Disney brand Mickey ponchos at a garage sale the other day for a quarter a piece! I also look for free souvenier info before we go to WDW. Last trip my daughter got the free Robot at Innoventions as well as her Epcot mask of the countries. In AK she got the free Discovery guides and did the Hidden Mickey hunt at AKL. She got a certificate of completion and a badge from the gift shop there when you turn in your answers. She also got a free giraffe shaped sugar cookie that she got to decorate herself at Jiko. She got the free sand pail and shovel with her Blizzard Beach hot dog meal. I bought the Rainforest Club card which gives me priority seating as well as a free appetizer every time I use it at AK. I'll definitely rake advantage of the free Disney Magic transportation from the airport this time. That'll save my family $60 right there. Always be Frugal; but never be Cheap!

[rhodisney]

rake advantage???....I mean Take advantage of!

[gingles]

Originally Posted by rhodisney

My cheap idea is to go on a diet the week of my trip eating kids meals, and scheduling our lunch as brunch around 11 and our dinners around 5 p.m.and skipping breakfast. I can drink a Coke out of my refillable mug and call that breakfast.
I got 4 yellow Disney brand Mickey ponchos at a garage sale the other day for a quarter a piece! I also look for free souvenier info before we go to WDW. Last trip my daughter got the free Robot at Innoventions as well as her Epcot mask of the countries. In AK she got the free Discovery guides and did the Hidden Mickey hunt at AKL. She got a certificate of completion and a badge from the gift shop there when you turn in your answers. She also got a free giraffe shaped sugar cookie that she got to decorate herself at Jiko. She got the free sand pail and shovel with her Blizzard Beach hot dog meal. I bought the Rainforest Club card which gives me priority seating as well as a free appetizer every time I use it at AK. I'll definitely rake advantage of the free Disney Magic transportation from the airport this time. That'll save my family $60 right there. Always be Frugal; but never be Cheap!

It's obvious you're not a mere amateur! You get a virtual gingles Disney Cheapskate Badge! Excellent ideas.

[Pooh Fan]

Originally Posted by rhodisney

I also look for free souvenier info before we go to WDW. Last trip my daughter got the free Robot at Innoventions as well...

I don't know about the Robot at Innoventions. What is that?

[dhoughton]

Going to WDW is going into the best reality for us. We save up, treat ourselves to WL and don't worry about anything except how many times to ride Splash Mountain! Hey! It's vacation! Of course, I defer to many of you--we don't have kids--just our own inner children!

[SplashMtnMan]

All great tips I have read here...unfortunately I always say I am going to do little things here and there, but NEVER do. This is not just at WDW, but pretty much any vacation the family goes on. We look at the food part as being part of the vacation...meaning that we budget groceries week in and week out for the home, so when on vacation and other people are cooking, we splurge and enjoy all that great food which we would most certainly never prepare at home!!! As far as souveniers, we don't buy hardly any because the Disney stores near us always have good sales going on, and the Disney Direct store online has great sales also...so we buy Disney merchandise pretty much whenever we want. I guess being military has it's advantages money-wise at WDW, I can stay at the SOG Resort for a flat $97 per night...and Disney categorizes SOG as a deluxe resort...I agree, it is very nice and you can not beat the prices they have for admission tickets or the prices of Disney merchandise in the gift shop...so if you can utilize the SOG facilities...Do IT!!! Other than that...we fall into the category of most other families...vacation with one mind set.....HAVE A GREAT TIME AND FORGET MONEY....it's a vacation and you have the rest of the year to pay it off in time to do it all over again!!!

[dhoughton]

SplashMtnMan has got it right!
" Have a great time and forget the money!"
Amen my brother.

[acarballo]

We usually bring water and fruit into the parks but that's about it... for all the rest we pay whatever price Disney have us pay!

Ciao,
Alfredo

[JM0318]

It is according to how broke we are when we get the chance to go.... if really strapped... we bring sodas and sandwiches.... if money is ok... then we eat in the parks... we do bring a bottle for water and we get Ice from the resturants... because the bottled water just does not stay cold for us...

[jjblond]

Okay, I always bring back my refillable mugs, year after year, until they switch them, I cant help it. I have bag in the basement with about 5-6 different resorts refillable mugs. I may buy one each year, but there are six of us. if you go to the water parks. you can buy a sticker for your water park mug. instead of buying a new mug. that is like 6 dollars, and you can use one mug at both water parks. ( that is alllowed), just keep buying the stickers, they ask to see the mug and disney will put it on

[jjblond]

hey I forgot to mention. adults can order kids meals. they are usually close to the same portions, at 1/2 the price, ( especially pizza and cheeseburgers!!)

[gingles]

Originally Posted by jjblond

Okay, I always bring back my refillable mugs, year after year, until they switch them, I cant help it. I have bag in the basement with about 5-6 different resorts refillable mugs. I may buy one each year, but there are six of us. if you go to the water parks. you can buy a sticker for your water park mug. instead of buying a new mug. that is like 6 dollars, and you can use one mug at both water parks. ( that is alllowed), just keep buying the stickers, they ask to see the mug and disney will put it on

That's cool, I think we've got some BB mugs in the cabinet.