Walt Disney World Vacation on a Budget!

We have finally decided to take the plunge and do the whole Disney vacation thing. It has caused me a ton of stress because I am a very frugal person and I hate spending all that money! I know that our kids will love it and it will be something they'll always remember so I just try to think of it in those terms. Of course we are going the week of spring break. Not a smart move there, but it's a bit late to make changes now so we'll just have to deal with it. So, I've been writing things down and researching and these are the ways in which our family is going to save money doing the ultimate Disney vacation!

1. Research, research, research! - I can't tell you how many hours I've spent looking for a place to stay. We will be there for five nights so I wasn't wanting to spend a whole lot on a room, but I wanted something nice. The rooms at the Disney resort were not cheap at all so I decided that was not an option early on. I also wanted a room that had a kitchen combo if possible so most of our meals could be made at eaten at the hotel. After searching for hours I found the perfect spot for our family. There is a nice little resort two miles from Disney that had exactly what I was looking for. The best part about it is that I was able to get it for $60 a night. You really can't beat that. Our hotel part of the trip will cost us less than $400.

2. Hotel Amenities - I feel like this can either make or break your vacation. Make sure you are staying someplace that suits the whole family. One of the main things most people probably want on a Florida vacation is a pool. After a long morning or afternoon at Disney there is nothing better then coming back to the hotel to relax in the pool or hot tub. I also think if you can get a hotel with a kitchen in it you will save a lot of money. Ours has a full kitchen and we will be eating breakfast in the room daily along with at least one other meal. Bringing something quick and easy to make that everyone likes so you don't have to eat out will save you a lot.

3.View all options - The one thing my daughter wanted to do more then anything else was to eat with CInderella. Well, when I got online and started looking at the prices I could not believe how much that was going to cost us. I really wasn't sure how to get past that one though since she's talked about it nonstop for weeks on end. Then I found this neat little place called Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique. It is located in Cinderella's castle and my daughter can get her hair, make up and nails done for a whole lot less then it would cost us to eat with Cinderella. I think it's something she'll love and while it might not make up for eating with Cinderella it will hopefully be enough to take her mind off of it!

4. Take a backpack with snacks to the park with you - We are planning to rent a stroller once we get to Disney and will also bring a backpack full of snacks for the kids. We are also going to freeze some gogurts and capri suns the night before and bring those along as well. This way when the kids get thirsty we won't have to spend a lot on drinks. I imagine that will save us a bit as I know the drinks and snacks in the parks are not cheap.

5. Give your children a budget and stick to it! - One of the grandparents sent each of our kids $50 to spend at Disney. Now they are only four and six so I'm sure they'll need some help figuring out what to buy when, but this is all the money they will be allowed to spend at Disney. I am going to order shirts and Mickey ears from the Disney Store online before our trip so that will be taken care of before we ever get there. When their $50 is gone, it's gone. That should cut down on the constant asking for this and that.

I know there are several other ways to save money on a Disney vacation and I'm sure I'll continue to figure them out as we go along. For now this is what I've got and what I plan to try. I'll be sure to keep you posted and share any other good tips I come up with along the way!