10 Easy Ways to Save Money at Disneyland
Are high ticket prices stopping you from taking a family trip to Disneyland? It doesn't have to be because there are ways to save money at Disneyland.
You can go on your trip when you use our Disney money-saving tips on how to do Disney on a budget. Here's how you can make your wallet happy at the "happiest place on earth" with 10 easy ways to save money at Disneyland.
Plus we've got a voucher for a free one-night stay at any Country Inn & Suites hotel in North America. You could use it at the new Country Inn & Suites Anaheim near Disneyland or at any other Country Inn & Suites.
To enter the giveaway: visit Country Inn & Suites Anaheim and leave a comment below about what you like about the hotel.
Update: The giveaway has ended but you can still use these 10 easy ways to save money at Disneyland.
10 Easy Ways to Save Money at Disneyland
1. Visit During the Off-Season
Avoid the crowds and visit during the off-season from September to March. Or more specifically:
- The middle of January to the middle of March (except President's Day Weekend)
- Middle of April to the middle of May (exception: Spring Break)
- The middle of September to the middle of November (except Halloween)
By going during the off-season you'll pay less because Disney ticket prices are based on the good old law of supply and demand.
Where there's more demand, there's less supply. Meaning, if Disney thinks everyone wants to visit, the price of the ticket costs more.
Single day ticket prices vary depending on the date. Disney divides the year into six tiers: tier 0, tier 1, tier 2, tier 3, tier 4, tier 5, and tier 6 dates.
Pro-tip: Weekdays, especially Tuesday through Thursday, are less crowded. This means the lines are shorter and you can get on more rides.
Pro-tip: Kids under 3 get in free. So bring your little ones before they age out.
And if you're flying, kids under 2 fly for free! Make sure you know these tips on flying with a baby or toddler.
Pro-tip: Skip the line. You get 3 FastPasses for all rides (except the Radiator Springs Racers) when you listen to a timeshare presentation at the Disneyland Resort.
2. Take Advantage of Special Discounts
Disney offers discounts for groups such as the military, credit union members, and more.
Active, reserve, and retired military can get 5-Day Park Hopper tickets for $246 and 4-Day Park Hopper tickets for $226.
If you qualify, you can buy six tickets to use for yourself, family, or friends. Tickets are valid through December 19, 2018.
Pro-tip: Disney employees get 16 free visits a year and they can bring guests. Plus they get 3 free passes a year that they can give to friends. So buddy up and make friends with someone who works at Disney.
3. Disneyland Passport
Depending on how often you visit (or want to visit), it could be worth buying a Disneyland Passport.
A Disneyland passport is valid for an entire year and comes with certain benefits:
- Disney Southern California Select Passport for $369 (visit both parks on the same day on select days; up to 10% off select dining and merchandise; no holidays or peak days)
- Disney Deluxe Passport is $729 (visit both parks on the same day on most days; up to 10% off select dining and up to 10% off merchandise; no holidays or other peak days)
- Disney Signature Passport for $999 (visit both parks on the same day on most days; up to 15% off select dining and up to 20% off merchandise; free parking; December holidays and other peak days excluded)
- Disney Signature Plus Passport costs $1,149(visit both parks on the same day; up to 15% off select dining and up to 20% off merchandise; free parking; no blackout dates)
Pro-tip: Buy your Disneyland Passport in February, and it's valid for 13 months.
4. SoCal City Pass
You can save $137 per person on tickets to 3-Day Park Hopper Disneyland, SeaWorld San Diego, and LEGOLAND California when you buy a SoCal City Pass.
An add-on option for the San Diego Zoo or Safari Park is available.
The SoCal City Pass is good for 14 calendar days, and you can visit the parks in any order. The Disneyland pass is a three-day Park Hopper with early admittance to the parks, also known as Magic Morning.
Pro-tip: Disney Magic Morning (early admission to Disneyland 1 hour before the park opens) is included in the SoCal City Pass.
5. Eat Breakfast Before You Arrive
Photo courtesy: Country Inn & Suites Anaheim
Disney opens at 8 am (most mornings) and if you have a ticket that gives you Magic Morning, you can get into the park as early as 7 am.
So eat breakfast before you get to Disneyland or you're going to be starved.
And if you're like me, you get hangry. And that is not fun for anyone.
Why pay a small fortune for breakfast when you can eat ahead of time. Or better yet, get breakfast for free when you stay at a nearby hotel that offers free breakfast like the Country Inn & Suites Anaheim.
6. Bring Food and Snacks
You can save a lot of money when you bring your own food and drinks (non-alcoholic) to Disneyland.
Technically you can't bring outside food into the park unless you have special dietary restrictions like gluten-free, etc. But you can eat your food at the picnic areas outside the Main Entrance.
You can rent an unrefrigerated locker from $7 to $15 a day and store coolers up to 18" x 25".
Pro-tip: Here's a list of where to find cheap or free snacks at Disneyland:
- You can buy snacks for less than $5 at Maurice's Treats and the Bengal Barbeque
- Order the "side corn dog" (no apples or chips) for $6 at the Little Red Wagon, the Golden Horseshoe, and other places
- $6 gets you a Kid's Mickey Check Meal (Smoothie, apple, banana, carrots, goldfish crackers, and a water)
- Get a free piece of chocolate from Ghiradelli at California Adventure
- Take the Boudin Factory Tour at California Adventure and get a free piece of sourdough bread.
Thanks to my friend, Steve Franco, for the tip about Maurice's Treats and the Bengal Barbeque.
7. Bring Reusable Water Bottles
Save money and the planet and bring reusable water bottles when you visit Disneyland. I LOVE the Takeya reusable water bottles because they're double-wall insulated so drinks stay cold! With little ones, the stainless steel comes in handy because they don't break when dropped. Buy your 2 pack here.
You can get a free large cup of water with ice at all Disneyland restaurants.
And there are filtered water stations and drinking fountains throughout the park.
Pro-tip: Bring Kool-Aid packets, Crystal light, or ice tea and turn that free cup of water into a refreshing drink.
8. Bring Your Own Stroller
If your kiddo or kiddos are little or may get tired after a long day at the Disneyland, bring your own stroller.
A single stroller costs $15 a day to rent. And there are no double strollers. Wagons are not allowed in the park.
One of the best travel strollers for trips and around town is the Pockit Lightweight Stroller.
Pro-tip: If you're visiting with friends and you each need a stroller, you'll save $5 if one person rents both strollers. You'll only pay $25 for two strollers vs $30.
9. Use the Disney PhotoPass Photographers
You're probably thinking, "What? Are you kidding me? They cost a fortune."
Use the Disney PhotoPass photographers. I'm totally serious.
Don't buy the professional photo.
Pro-tip: Give your camera to the photographer and have him/her take your photo with your camera. Boom, you've just saved money and now have a professional photo.
10. Stay Off-Site
Photo courtesy of Country Inn & Suites Anaheim
You'll save the most money on your Disneyland trip when you stay off-site at a hotel like the Country Inn & Suites Anaheim.
I love staying at Country Inn & Suites hotels. The rooms are clean and there's plenty of space. And the buffet breakfast is filling.
So I was excited to learn that a new one opened near Disneyland.
The Country Inn & Suites Anaheim is a new 174-room hotel that is walking distance from the Main Gate and offers:
- Free hot breakfast including Belgian waffles and yogurt parfaits
- Free Wi-Fi
- View of the fireworks at Disneyland
- Modern interiors with stylish furnishings
- Large rooms with spa-inspired bathrooms
- Bar serving spirits, wine, local craft beer, soups, salads, and sandwiches
- 24-hour fitness center
- Outdoor patio
- Pool and whirlpool
- Reading lending library
Pro-tip: Avoid booking your trip when there are conferences at the Anaheim Convention Center. Because hotel rates will be higher if they aren't sold out.
Photo courtesy: Country Inn & Suites Anaheim
Are you dreaming of a castle, princes, princesses and a visit to the Magic Kingdom? Or is a relaxing trip to the beach more your speed?
Whatever your preference, with over 470 locations worldwide, from as far south as Panama to as far east as India, there's a Country Inn & Suites hotel where you want to travel.
And now there's a Country Inn & Suites near Disneyland. (There's also one near Disneyworld.)
Here's how to enter to win a voucher for a free one-night stay giveaway at any Country Inn & Suites in North America:
- Visit Country Inn & Suites Anaheim
- Leave a comment below telling me your favorite feature of the Country Inn & Suites Anaheim by 9 pm, Pacific Time on January 30, 2017
One winner will be chosen at random at 9:01 pm on January 30, 2017.
You can save money on your trip to Disney. Looking for more money-saving ideas for a future vacation? Here's how to save $5,000 in 3 months.
Conclusion
Don't let the cost of visiting the "happiest place on earth" get you down. These 10 easy ways to save money at Disneyland can turn that dream vacation from a wish into a reality.
Tips such as visiting during the off-season, use special discounts, buy a Disneyland Passport or SoCal City Pass, eat breakfast before and bring your own food and snacks.
Remember your reusable water bottle and stroller (if needed) and let the Disney Photographers take your Photo.
But the biggest money saving tip for your Disneyland vacation is to stay off-site at a hotel like the Country Inn & Suites Anaheim.
Remember to enter our one-night giveaway at any Country Inn & Suites by telling me which is your favorite feature of the new Country Inn & Suites Anaheim hotel.
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Featured image courtesy of Steve Franco.
Great post, would love to go back to Disneyland one day.
I love this post! My daughter and i love anything Disney and we make sure that we grab all the opportunities to go! It would be nice to be able to save money during your trip. I think this is really helpful!
We take food to the hotel room and snacks to the park. It really does save a small fortune. 😉
Disneyland is one of my favorite places to go of all time!! These are such great money saving tips, thanks!
Disneyland can be pretty expensive and it's awesome to be able to save a few bucks so you have more budget! I think a lot of people will appreciate your tips!
We always try to travel in the off-season (for any vacation). I like it when there are fewer people in popular places. I went to Disney World during Christmas one year - it was insanity 🙂
This is some great information for those of us who have never been to Disney. It can be a very expensive trip so being able to save even a little bit of money can go a long way.
Favorite feature of Country Inn Anaheim is that it is within walking distance of so many attractions!
Having a holiday at Disney was the most expensive holiday I have ever done on my own. Thank you for this and I will remember this for next time. xx
Great tips! I totally vouch for going to any top destinations during off peak season bit to save money and for our own sanity, haha.
I'm such a huge Disney nerd. I live right by Disney World, but I still love going to the other coast to visit Disneyland! Staying off property is the way to go. I love how convenient it is to just walk to the parks.
I've never been to Disney and would really love to go. I never knew they did passports, so cool! Will need these tips for when I do go, thanks!
Wow! Great tips on how to save at a place where everything costs an arm and a leg. I love Disneyland - I'll use your tips next time I go.
I've got a friend that's mad about DIsneyland and these are some of the tricks she uses to go a couple times a year, they work!
omg this is very helpful, now i have to plan alrdy to save when we visit disney land, althoguh we're going to disney hongkong, hopefully they have something like this too
Awesome deals! And sound tips to make the most of the disneyland. Love your tip of having breakfast before arriving. I get hangry too. Lol.
I've never been to DisneyLand but I've heard it's expensive! Your tips really seem to save some buck while in there! I totally agree about breakfast: usually it should be the least expensive food of the day, but if you eat at the hotel and out it costs as much as lunch or dinner! Usually I eat peanut butter and bananas for breakfast while on vacation and then get some fresh food at the restaurant for lunch!
You had me at one free night! We are at home visiting family in California and have been looking for an excuse to go back to Disneyland! We used to have season passes back in the day and would go at least once a week since we worked nearby! You have some great tips, I never thought to bring in my own water bottle, it's such an obvious money saver! There are drinking fountains everywhere! We used to bring our own food in though! It's crazy how quickly your bill can add up once you're caught up in all the magic in Disney!
Tons of great tips in here! I've never been to Disneyland, but heard about how crazy expensive it is. These tips seem like it would help keep the cost down a bit.
Great tips I really want to go to Disneyland someday. I love the tip about all restaurants giving free iced water this would save me loads as tend to drink loads of water when im away
These are great tips. Thanks for the info. I want to take my kids back soon.
Luckily my tip for saving money at Disneyland is never going LOL. Since we don't have kids yet, we don't have a reason to go and I used to go ALL the time as a kid since I lived in LA. I do think there's good ways to save money when going to theme parks!
Disneyland is always a complete package of fun and happiness for the entire family. Thanks for sharing such helpful tips. Visited the one in Hong Kong and hope to get to this one some day.
I'm sure this will prove great reading to those families with kids who are already penny pinching to make the whole experience affordable!
I must say I've been to Disney and loved it but the prices they charge drives me nuts. If you are bringing a family of five then $95 a pop is ridiculous. In reality a day out is costing you the best part of $600. I would seriously think twice about it at the moment given our exchange rate but that said, it's always great to get tips about saving money within the parks. I only wish I'd known about the ster refills as I'm sure I must have spent a fortune on water.
Disneyland has always been one of the most important destinations on my bucket list. It is a childhood dream to visit it. But the financial aspect always came in the way. This post is great, I mean now i know the tips to visit this place, live my childhood dream and not drill a hole in my pocket as well. Thanks a ton.
Great tips here. Havent been to Mickey Mouse Land yet but when I do, will use your guide. Great write up 🙂
My husband and I have passes at Disney world so we know exactly how expensive it can be! Will be sharing this!
I've never been to Disneyland but I've always wanted to. All of these tips make sense, especially about staying off-site and booking during the off-season. But I love that you pointed out tips on food and snacks. Food is one aspect of any travel that can easily blow up your budget. Hence, you need to be smart about where and what to eat!
Good reminder to bring your own snacks and to eat breakfast before entering the park. A trip to Disneyland for a family of four can be expensive, but by going during the off-season, avoiding food in the park and staying off-site, it won't necessarily break the bank.
Did not know about the photopass photographer thing. So these guys actually oblige when you give them your camera? Is it a normal thing? I always have hesitated asking them.
Awesome tips! Disneyland is on our bucket list and I'm sure these ideas can also be applied at Disneyworld! Thanks!
Thank you for the tips, now I guess kids will try this for sure! cheers and safe travels to you!
These are really helpful tips to help save at Disney! I know it can get super expensive and this information is very helpful in eliminating some of those expenses. Will be using this for sure!
My favorite feature is the complimentary breakfast.
These are such great tips! I already follow some of these when I am trying to make money but will keep this post as a guide next time money is running low 🙂
Yes and yes to point number 5! I also would get hangry on an empty belly. Eating breakfast at home is a great way to save a little cash when traveling and works for any journey. Thanks for the tip.
Great suggestions! I always find days (or weekends) like these fairly expensive so it's great to see there are plenty of options to save 🙂
I like the proximity to Disneyland and the free breakfast.
I love that it has Free hot breakfast and that you can see Disneyland fireworks from there of course.
Such a great post, I always wanted to go in Disney but so expensive, I will bookmark this for future.
I think this information is invaluable for families to save money when visiting Disneyland. It's great that kids can have fun without parents worrying about spending too much
The best feature of the hotel is the View of the fireworks at Disneyland! I love to see the fireworks but don't like to stay at the park until 9 or 10!
Visiting Disneyland can definitely be a big expense. This is a great list of ways to save money at Disneyland!
Thanks for the very helpful article! I love theme parks since i'm a big child at heart, although you must admit it could really get super expensive going to them, without you even realizing it, especially for families. So kudos for insightful posts like yours!
Wow! This is such an amazing hotel. It is very modern. I love that this hotel offers everything a family would need. it is within walking distance of Disney, offers a hot breakfast, and it has a beautiful pool. If you are going to travel to Disney, you need to think about location and this hotel offers the best.
I like that they offer complimentary breakfast.
I've never stayed at that hotel, it looks fabulous! I like that they offer breakfast, that is rare to find these days especially one that looks that good! I agree these are wonderful tips for Disneyland.
What a beautiful hotel. I like the bright colors and since I live in Western Washington my favorite feature is the outdoor heated pool (we don't have too many of those around these parts). And, it's super great that you can watch the fireworks at Disneyland from the pool!
My favorite feature is the fitness center (after eating the free breakfast I need it)