Hello friends! Today I’m back with another post about how you can save money on your next Disney vacation! And it’s all about Disneyland in California! Many of the points work for both Walt Disney World and Disneyland, but are helpful anyways because they save you some money! Okay, let’s jump in!
do your research
It’s always worth it to put in the time and do your research! You never know where you can find deals to save some money. There are so many websites to check, and I would start by checking the Disneyland website! Disney vacations generally require a lot of planning (less so Disneyland, more so at Walt Disney World), so it’s a good idea to get a jump start if you are thinking of a vacation. I’m going to be posting all about vacation planning in the next few months, so stay tuned!
stay off site
This is definitely easier to do in Disneyland because other hotels exist within walking distance! The Disney owned hotels are the equivalent of Deluxe level- The Grand California, Disneyland Hotel, and Paradise Pier Resort. We stayed at the Best Western Plus Park Place Inn, and while it wasn’t the least expensive resort it was right across the street and super convenient. But the further away you get from Disneyland the cheaper the resorts will be.
get away today & park savers
We used Get Away Today to book our shuttle from LAX and for our hotel. One thing to note is that payment is made at the time of purchase and there is a cancellation fee. It worked out for us, but if you aren’t completely sure of travel dates it is something to consider. We’ve also used Park Savers for Walt Disney World tickets, but checked when we were headed to Disneyland.
ticket deals
While you should check both of the websites mentioned above, if you are Canadian you should also check the Disneyland website to see if there are any deals for Canadian Residents! We actually found this was a better deal than through Park Savers or Get Away Today. One thing to note is you may have to show your passport but it wasn’t a big deal because we had them on us from flying in that morning. Also if you are planning on going often or for a long period of time, check the prices of Annual Passes! As with Walt Disney World, tickets prices are lower per day the more days you go. While I don’t think you’d need a week at Disneyland, it would be worth pricing it out.
bring food
Food in the parks is expensive, so bring your own! Even if you just bring some snacks it can save you some money! You can even bring in a cooler (with ice packs not loose ice) to keep things cool. You can even get groceries delivered to your hotel room to save money on breakfasts if you aren’t going to be in the parks. When I’m in the parks I generally don’t have a huge breakfast, and grab something small from Starbucks or somewhere similar.
share a meal/ kids meal
Portion sizes in the parks are rather large, so often times my husband and I can split a meal! If you are just looking for a smaller portion, don’t be afraid to look at the Kid’s Menu! You can definitely save money by cutting down on food!
use affiliations
If you are a DVC member, Annual Passholder, CAA member, check to see where you can take advantage of discounts! Also check if you can take advantage of discounted ticket packages, which I’ve previously done through CAA.
purchase gift cards
I learned this in some of the Disney Facebook groups I’m in, but if you shop at Target, Sam’s Club, or Costco, you can purchase gift cards at a discount. Also if you have cash back credit cards you can take advantage and buy some gift cards! You can use the gift cards to put towards your room, pay for meals merchandise, or anything really! You can also combine gift cards up to $500.00 so you don’t have to carry so many cards!
If you’d like to hear more about how to save money at Disneyland, check out the video below!
Do you have any money saving tips? Leave them in the comments below!
Other Money Saving Posts:
How to Save Money at Walt Disney World
How to Save Money at Disneyland ( you’re here!)
How to Save Money at Aulani! (coming soon!)
Thank you so much for joining me today!
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