Saving for your Disney Vacation-2023

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Disney vacations can be expensive. I’ve got 4 kids, I know! Your dream Disney vacation is not out of reach. I’ve got some tried and true ideas that can make saving for your Disney vacation simple and quick! Follow these easy recommendations to get you started. You’ll be saving for you Disney vacation before you know it!

I’ve got an episode on my podcast about saving money for your Disney vacation. Make sure you check it out!

Saving For Your Disney Vacation

I’ve got an episode on my podcast all about saving for your Disney vacation! You can find it here if you listen to apple podcasts. It’s also available wherever you listen. Just search for Mix In Some Magic and you’ll be able to find it. This episode is a helpful tool when saving for your Disney vacation.

1. Set A Goal

A goal without a plan is just a wish! Stop wishing and start planning. Saving for your Disney vacation might take a little effort, but you can do it! Do some research. Figure out a ball park figure for what your vacation will cost. Dream big or be conservative! This is your vacation. Do it your way.

Write down your goal and put it in a place where you will see it often. Add some pictures of some of the things you’re excited to do on your vacation and place them with your goal.

2. Open A Vacation Savings Account

Open a vacation savings account. Don’t skip this step! You need a place to put all your hard-earned money when saving for your Disney vacation. Plus, watching the balance grow will give you the motivation to keep going. Having a separate place to put your money will help make saving for your Disney vacation easy.

3. Buy Discount Park Tickets/Hotel Stays

Please, please don’t pay full price for your Disney park tickets or hotels! My partners at Getawaytoday have the best prices anywhere! Please don’t pay full price for your park tickets. Save the money and put it towards other things for your trip. Important things like churros, Mickey ears and Minnie mouse sweat shirts!

They offer Layaway plans. Yup! That’s right! You can put down $175 on your dream Disneyland vacation and make payments. Your trip must be paid in full 5 days before you leave.

You’ll receive electronic tickets, this allows you to bypass the ticket booth and go straight to the gates.

Tickets at these prices seem too good to be true, but I guarantee they are authentic, legit tickets. I know you will love Getawaytoday! If you book a package(tickets with a 2 night or longer hotel stay) you can use my promo code MSM10 to save an extra $10! That’s just more churro money, friends! Getting a discount on park tickets is a huge help when saving for your Disney vacation.

You can also snag a great deal on a hotel from Get Away Today! They partner with over 40 properties all around Disneyland to bring you the very best prices! You can often get exclusive perks by booking through Get Away Today. Things like free parking, free ART shuttle passes or free breakfast!

I have a bunch of hotel reviews that might be helpful for you if you’re still trying to decide where you’d like to stay. A great deal on a hotel makes saving for your Disney vacation seem easy!

4. Set A Grocery Budget

Sit down and plan a realistic grocery budget for your family. Each week see if you can come in under budget! Make sure you save the difference. I like to make this into a little game for myself! I plan our meals based around sales. Focus on using things you already have at home and maybe skipping out on some extras you don’t really need to come in under budget.

To win the game, come in under budget! I transfer the difference into our travel savings account. You’ll be amazed at how quickly these savings add up. I find it’s easier to come in under budget if I shop online and pick up groceries. This keeps me from impulse buying!

5. Ibotta

This is one of my favorite ways to earn extra vacation money! Ibotta allows you earn cash back whenever you shop, both online and in stores. All by using the app. This free, cash back rewards program usually gives me around $100 or more per year! The more you use it, the more you earn! You can even link your loyalty cards in the app and it will search for deals for you. Don’t skip this easy way to earn a little extra Disney money.

6. Cancel Nonessential Subscriptions

Cancel subscriptions. Go through your subscriptions and weed out any you’re not using anymore or can live without. Chances are, you have a subscription you’ve forgotten about that you’re paying for monthly! This money is better put to use saving for you Disney vacation! Make sure you send that extra money to your vacation savings account. You’ll be surprised on how quickly saving for your Disney vacation goes when you get rid of things you don’t need!

7. Save Your Pennies

Save your pennies. I’m not joking. Literally, save your pennies(and all loose change). Get your whole family involved. Make a special jar just for coins. Your kids will love watching it grow and you’ll be surprised how much you save! We usually end up with around $75 each year just by saving our pennies.

8. Eat Out Less

I love eating out. It’s one of my favorite pastimes. Not cooking dinner? Yes, please. Sign me up. Unfortunately, eating out can be incredibly expensive. Take a long look at how much your family is spending eating out. I’m not suggesting you cut it out completely! But, see if there’s room to make a change or two. We’ve found we can save a bunch by just ordering water instead of soda! Make sure you save the difference by adding it to your vacation savings account.

9. Shopkicks

Shopkicks is a fun way to earn a little extra cash. You use the app to earn points(called kicks). Earn kicks in stores and online just by walking into stores, scanning products with your app and making purchases with your linked card. Redeem your kicks for gift cards(including Disney gift cards!).

10. Set Aside All Or Part Of Your Tax Return

Hooray for tax returns! If you’re able to save all(or part) of your tax return for your Disney vacation it can really add a much-needed boost to your vacation fund. Saving for your Disney vacation is a little easier if you can add some of your tax return to the fund!

11. Save On Household Bills

Each year give any company you pay money to monthly a call and see if there’s any savings or discounts you’re missing out on. Call your utilities company, insurance companies, phone company and cable company. Ask them if you’re getting the best rates. You will be shocked at how much you can save by simply asking. Make sure you add the difference you’re saving each month to your vacation fund!

12. Have A Bake Sale

Get your family involved and have a bake sale in your neighborhood! Tell people you’re raising money for your Disney vacation. People love getting behind a good cause and saving for a Disney vacation is a good cause! Friends will be excited to help you reach your goal. Plus, they’ll walk away with some delicious baked goods. Win, win!

13. Cut Back On Your Coffee/Soda Runs

Take a look at how much money your spending on coffee/lattes or soda. It’s probably more than you think. Take a minute to figure out how much you could save if you made it at home a few times a week. Cutting back just a little bit can really add up in the long run and help you out when your saving for your Disney vacation.

14. Use A Reward Credit Card

Use a reward credit card for your daily expenses. Be sure to pay it off every month so you don’t get stuck with high interest! Pick a card that has rewards that will help you reach your goal. I love the Southwest credit card. They have great bonuses when you sign up! Our family is able to fly for free all the time because of our reward points through them.

15. Ask For Gift Cards Instead Of Presents

I don’t know about you, but my kids have bunches of toys. Every birthday and Christmas they get bunches more that they really don’t need. Instead of toys, why not ask for gift cards(or cash) to help you out when you’re saving for your Disney vacation?

16. Ditch Your Cable Or Satellite TV

Yikes. Does this one scare you? Cable can be incredibly expensive. Do you really need it? Do some research and see if your favorite shows are available on a less expensive streaming service like Netflix, or Disney plus. Save the difference in your vacation savings account.

17. Cut Out The Gym

Cut out your gym membership and work out at home. This option isn’t great for everyone. But, if you’re able you quit the gym you can save a lot of money by working out at home. You can take advantage of the great outdoors and jog or hike outside. There are also tons of free workout videos on youtube.

18. Rakuten

Rakuten is another rewards app that I love. I get cash rewards for shopping, just like I normally do. Seriously, they send me a check every few months. I usually make around $100 a year doing this. It’s pretty fun getting a check in the mail instead of bills and junk ads! It’s free to sign up and you’ll get $10 bonus when you sign up and spend $25.

19. Pick Up A Side Hustle

There’s tons of things you can do to earn a little extra cash right at home. Offer to babysit for friends or family. Drive for Doordash or Uber. Sell your homemade crafts on ETSY, pet sit So many options! Years ago I ran a little bakery from my house. You better believe I used all the extra money I made to fund my Disney vacation account. A side hustle can really help when you’re saving for a Disney vacation.

20. Sell Your Stuff

Chances are(if you’re like me) you have tons of stuff laying around that you really don’t need. Put that to use to use to help you reach your Disney goals! Have a yard sale or sell things on Craigs List or your local yard sale Facebook group. One man’s trash is another man’s Disney vacation money!

Disneyland Planning Help

I’ve got bunches of information on planning a Disneyland trip that will be so helpful for you! Start with my complete guide to visiting Disneyland. It’s a step-by-step guide for planning your vacation that will be helpful. Check out my top 10 Disneyland tips and my guide to when to visit Disneyland to help you pick the best time for your vacation! I’ve also got a post on rope dropping at Disneyland that’s very helpful.

Make sure you check out my downloadable touring plans if you’d like a step-by-step guide to the parks! 

I have a planning phone call that’s super popular! In this phone call, I can answer all of your Disneyland vacation questions and give you lots of tips and info tailored just to you and your group!

I hope these idea were helpful for you. Saving for your Disney vacation is a marathon, not a sprint. Keep at it, be creative and get your whole family involved in the process. You can do it! When you do start planning your Disney trip, make sure you check out all my planning tips to help.

Make sure to check out my podcast for lots of Disney planning information! You can find it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Just search for “Mix In Some Magic” Follow me on Instagram for more Disney tips and lots of Disney tips and fun!