How to Save Money at Disneyland
20 Simple Tricks to Save You Hundreds of Dollars at the Happiest Place on Earth
With a little planning and some simple tricks, you can save tons of money at Disneyland without sacrificing the fun and memories. Here's how!
A vacation to the Disneyland Resort in sunny Anaheim, California is at the top of many family wish lists. However, an oh-so-magical visit to the Disneyland Resort can come with a not-so-magical price tag.
But hold on! Don’t give up on the your family’s dream Disneyland trip just yet!
Down below, you’ll get 25 super easy tips on how to save money at Disneyland.
Castles! Parades! Churros! Rides! Fireworks! Mickey and Minnie!
It’s all within reach, because with a little planning and simple hacking, you can cut the cost of a Disneyland trip without sacrificing the fun and memories. It’s possible!
Be sure you stick around until the end of the post. I’m saving the best tip for last.
How to Save Money on Disneyland Tickets
There’s no denying it. Disneyland admission prices are expensive and can leave you feeling completely sticker shocked.
While there’s no getting around having to pay for entry tickets, there are several simple things you can do to cut down on their costs.
1) Avoid high-demand days and peak-season
As of September 2022, with the tiered pricing system at the Disneyland Resort, guests should expect to pay more on admission tickets on high-demand days and peak-seasons.
A single 1-park-per-day, peak-season ticket alone can cost roughly $165 before taxes and fees. For a family of four, it would cost almost $700! It adds up quickly!
In order to save hundreds on admission fees, skip Saturdays, Sundays, and long weekends. Instead, try going during the week when schools are in session.
Yes, there can be a lot of hesitation when pulling the kids out of school, but going early in the school year before all the homework, tests, and projects really start to pick up can be a budget-friendly time for a Disney trip without completely jeopardizing the family’s education.
Avoiding major holidays can also cut down on ticket prices significantly.
Many families flock to the parks in October when everything is decorated with orange pumpkins for the fall holidays and the Oogie Boogie Bash at California Adventure Park. This would be a good time to avoid going to the Disneyland Resort.
The winter holiday decorations at the parks make November, December, and January another very high-demand time at the Disneyland Resort. Because of special holiday attractions like the Haunted Mansion Holiday and “It’s a Small World” Holiday Lighting, families pack into the park and drive admission prices up. Skipping this time of the year is a good way to save you a lot of money.
And don’t worry. An off-peak day like a Tuesday in September is still just as magical at the happiest place on earth AND is much, much easier on the wallet.
2) Avoid big conventions
The Anaheim Convention Center is located right across the street from the Disneyland Resort.
When the convention center is hosting large expos and conferences, to take advantage of the influx of convention-goers, the prices of surrounding hotels and Disneyland Resort tickets are often times more expensive.
Before pegging down dates for your Disneyland Resort vacation, take a quick look at the events calendar for the Anaheim Convention Center to help you avoid the convention crowds and higher prices.
Photo by taylor gregory on Unsplash
3) Skip the Park-Hopper option
Now this may be controversial, but in many situations, skipping Park Hoppers can save you a significant amount of money on your admission tickets.
Traditional tickets only allow access to 1 park per day, the Park-Hopper option allows you to visit both parks in the same day. While it might sound like a no-brainer to opt to have all that flexibility, there are a couple of caveats to consider.
For starters, Park-Hoppers are more much more expensive. To give you a rough idea of the cost, a single one-day Park-Hopper is $60 more than a single one-park-one-day ticket. That means, for a family of 4, paying for the Park-Hoppers can set them back $240!
Secondly, hopping back and forth between the two parks requires A LOT of walking which require A LOT of time and A LOT of energy. This is something to take into consideration when traveling with younger kids or older adults who might not have the stamina to visit both parks in one day. Splurging on a Park-Hopper just wouldn’t be worth it in this case.
(Note: In our past visits to the Disneyland Resort with our school-age daughters, when we arrived at the parks right at opening, we were easily able to see all of California Adventure in one day and most of Disneyland on a separate day. While each family has different needs, hopefully this gives you a rough idea of what might be possible for your family.
How to Save Money on Disneyland Hotels
There are only 3 lodging options on the Disneyland Resort which all cost a pretty penny, but luckily there are some some other wallet-friendly hotels that can help you stay within your family’s budget!
Here are a couple of tip for saving money on Disneyland lodging.
4) Stay at Good Neighbor hotels
The Disneyland Good Neighbor hotels is a collection of lodging options that are off resort grounds, but are within walking and public transportation distance from the main entrances of both Disneyland and California Adventure parks.
A couple of the many moderately priced Good Neighbor hotels include The Fairfield Inn by Mariott Anaheim Resort and The Castle Inn & Suites. Both are located right across the street from the park entrances and Downtown Disney which make them convenient and affordable options for Disney vacation lodging.
Photo by Dylan Gillis on Unsplash
5) Pay for your hotel stay (and flights) with credit card points
There are many great credit cards that allow you to earn rewards points towards future travel!
If you have any rewards credit cards, log into your online account to see what rewards you have already earn in cash-back, miles, and points. Many people forget about these rewards, so it could be a very pleasant surprise to discover what you might be able to score a hotel with the rewards you’ve already earned on past spending.
Can can also redeem your rewards on flights.
How to Save Money on Food at Disneyland
A Disneyland trip isn’t complete without indulging in some Disney-theme snacks and treats, but like many amusement parks, the prices of food at the Disneyland Resort do not come cheap.
Here are some tips for saving money on food while on a Disneyland vacation.
4) Eat a light breakfast outside the resort.
Eating an hour-long breakfast at a sit-down restaurant inside the park can be very pricey! A single order of buttermilk pancakes and a cup of coffee that the Carnation Cafe on Main Street Disneyland will cost more than $20 after taxes and fees.
One really easy way to save a lot on food without leaving you deprived of all the Disney fun is by simply eating light breakfasts outside the resort.
Grab something easy and quick, like a muffin and fruit at a your hotel or a coffee shop along South Harbor Boulevard (the main strip of hotels and restaurants in the Disneyland Resort area). If you’re staying closer to Downtown Disney, you’ll also have quick breakfast options like Starbucks and Jamba Juice.
This is one super simple way to cut down on food costs. Plus, who really wants to ride a bumpy ride like Indiana Jones Adventure with a stomach full of dense pancakes and coffee anyway?
Quick and light is the way to go!
5) Split larger meals
And with popular Disney dishes like the fried chicken at Disneyland’s Plaza Inn and well-loved Monte Cristo sandwich at the park’s Cafe Orleans, you’ll absolutely want to treat yourself to something bigger than a tub of popcorn.
Photo by Bastien Nvs on Unsplash
6) Enjoy the food carts and stands
A lot of park guests go do the Disneyland Resort specifically for the amazing food. Disney treats are a must have, without a doubt.
Throughout the parks, you will stumble across endless places to grab food, including countless food carts and stands where you can get salty and sweet treats for a fraction of the price of the food at sit-down restaurants.
The lower prices don’t mean less tasty food thought.
At the Edelweiss Snack stand you can score two Disneyland staple foods: the chimichanga ($7) and the turkey leg ($12).
And keep in mind that the turkey leg is massive and is perfect for sharing.
7) Bring your own snacks
It is no secret that theme parks mark up the price of food. In fact, the food sold at amusement parks can cost 20-50% more than they would outside the park!
This is why it would be extremely budget-friendly to bring our own snacks with you on multi-day trip to Disneyland.
8) Bring a refillable water bottle
Just like food, the price of drinks at the Disneyland Resort is extremely over priced.
Luckily there are many bottle filling stations (our favorite is the one hiding in the Black Spire Outpost in Galaxy’s Edge) scattered throughout the park. If you bring in your own refillable water bottle, you can fill up on water, free of charge.
Stay hydrated and save money!
How to Save Money on Disneyland Souvenirs
After a magical vacation to the happiest place on Earth, you will absolutely want a few special keepsakes to remember all the fun you and your family had.
Here are some special, unique, and guilt-free souvenirs you can spoil your family with.
How to save money on Disneyland souvenirs: collect character autographs!
10) Collect character autographs
One really fun souvenir that doesn’t cost a ton of money is character autographs.
During your visit, you’ll likely run into photo opportunities with some of your favorite Disney characters. The photo itself serves as a great souvenir already, but you can easily upgrade this souvenir by asking the character for their autograph.
In most cases, Disney character in the park will sign any thing that’s clean and off your body. You can have characters sign things like white t-shirts and white pillow cases using an assortment of colored permanent markers. What’s great about this is that this souvenir is something that is not only unique, but functional as well.
(Note: Characters are not allowed to sign anything you are physically wearing at the time, so if you’re collecting autographs on a t-shirt, make sure the shirt is clean and off your body.)
And of course, there is always the traditional option of collecting signatures in an autograph book. Get creative and pick something that’s within budget!
Another way to save money at Disneyland: free celebration buttons!
13) Get free park buttons
For example there is one that reads “1st Visit” which would be perfect for any Disneyland first-timer.
The “Happily Ever After” button would make a great accessory for newly weds and long-time lovebirds.
There’s also a “Happy Birthday” button for special birthday boys and girls.
Then there’s the “I’m celebrating” button, which would be perfect for commemorating big accomplishments, major events, and…well…anything!
These buttons can be found at City Hall at Disneyland or Guest Services and California Adventure Park.
Photo by Aubrey Odom-Mabey on Unsplash
9) Buy Mickey ears before hand
Those popular Mickey ears that you see in everyone’s photos vary in pricing depending on their style. However, most mouse ears will cost roughly $30 each.
While this souvenir item is the perfect, must-have prop for all your Disney vacation photos, they can definitely put a good-size dent in your wallet. Matching mouse ears for a family of four can very well set you back $120 before taxes.
As a cheaper option, think about purchasing cheaper ears online before visiting the park. Of course, if you’re an aspiring collector of Disneyland Mickey ears you’ll want to go with the official ones at the parks. If collecting is not your cup of tea, however, consider purchasing the more budget-friendly versions.
14) Get free cartoon drawings
Photo by Haley Phelps on Unsplash
12) Buy princess dresses ahead of time
13) Skip the photo pass
It might seem silly, but this tip can save you a little bit of money. Take your own ride photo.
Other Ways to Save Money at the Disneyland Resort
16) Buy light-up toys ahead of time
Night time is the most magical time of he day at the Disneyland Resort. With all the lights, night parades, and fireworks, it truly is a magical time to be in the parks.
This is also when park vendors start selling all the enticing and tantalizing light-up toys.
These light up accessories are almost a necessity for young families as it can be easy to lose sight of little ones in the crowds once the moon is out.
However, the prices of these glowing toys can also get expensive. One light-up bubble wand costs $30 and if you’re buying these for more than one child, the total price can end up being more than you bargained for.
As a cheaper alternative, purchasing things like glow sticks, blinking wands, and light up headbands before your trip can save you a good amount of money. Plus, it’ll be a wonderful surprise for the kids at the end of the day.
17) Bring your own stroller
The Disneyland Resort rents out strollers to families who might need them. It’s definitely a convenient service, however, as with any rental service, this costs money.
A single stroller rental costs $18 per day, while a double stroller is $36 per day. Paying for a single day rental can certainly be affordable, but the cost of renting a stroller for multiple days can get pretty steep.
Bringing in your own stroller can easily cut down on this expense.
18) Skip Genie+ and Lightning Lane. Go early!
Genie+ and Lightning Lane access is an added paid feature that you can add to you admission ticket and allows you to bypass the long lines for select attractions.
While this add-on sounds all fine and dandy, it can get pretty pricy for a family, especially if a family has younger kids who might not be able to take advantage of the added perks to make make the price worth it.
In most instances, you actually don’t necessarily need Genie+ or Lightning Lane access.
If you go during off-peak season, chances are the lines will be significantly shorter than they would be on high-demand days anyway.
Also, arriving at the parks as soon as gates open will allow you to ride the most most popular rides before the crowds arrive.
19) Keep your trip 2-3 days long
Although taking a nice long trip to the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California would allow you to really take your time exploring both parks and Downtown Disney, keeping your trip short and sweet is likely the best way to cut down on expenses.
The Anaheim’s Disneyland Resort is much, much smaller than Disney World. With only two theme parks as opposed to the four in Disney World, 2-3 days can be plenty of time to see all the main attractions at the Disneyland Resort.
With this said, you can save a lot of money on hotels just buy trimming down the length of your stay.
Also, the more times you visit the parks, the more food, drinks, and souvenirs your likely purchase. That means if you spend less time on the resort grounds, you’ll be less likely to spend on impulse buys and meaningless splurges.
20) Determine your splurges ahead of time
With all the prior money-saving tips, this last one is the best and most important.
When trying to save money on your Disneyland trip, it’s also important to remember that it’s okay to spend on the the things that truly matter to you.
A trip to the Disneyland Resort offers so many priceless, magical experiences. When things are truly worth it to you and your family, you should absolutely allow yourself the freedom to splurge. You’re on vacation, after all!
Guilt-free splurging during a Disney vacation is definitely possible as long as you also stay mindful of your spending. You just have to plan ahead.
So…
Determine your splurges ahead of time, set a bigger spending limit on these splurges, and skip the things that don’t spark tons of excitement for you.
If the sparkly, limited edition mouse ears with the hefty price tag makes your heart skip a beat and leaves you feeling giddy, get it!
If renting a double stroller for $36 a day would make your life a million times easier, get it!
If spending high peak-season prices for a 3-day Disneyland Holiday trip doesn’t seem worth it to you, skip it!
And there you have it!
20 super easy tricks that will help you save money on your next trip to Disneyland and California Adventure. I hope these simple hack will help you have the most magical time at the Disneyland Resort, making precious memories with your family.
Check out these other posts to help you plan your next trip to California!
