Whichever way you slice it, Disney World is an expensive trip. Flight, hotel, food, activities, things add up really quickly. When you’re on vacation you don’t want to feel like your skimping out either. However, there are ways to cut what you’re spending. I have some tips for those with kids too!

One of the biggest money savers I can suggest is to stay off property. Those of your who enjoy the extra magical touches that Disney World has at the resort may strongly disagree and honestly, I did too for a long time. But after my last trip and having stayed off property, I truly recommend staying elsewhere. ESPECIALLY with children. You may be asking why and here it is: for small kids, they are not going to remember the hotel room they are going to remember the rides and characters they meet. So save the money to put toward your next vacation.

My suggestion would be the Bonnet Creek resort. It is on Disney property (SUPER CLOSE TO EVERYTHING), but does not have Disney price tags. Although you do not have Disney Extra Magic Hours, there is shuttle transportation and they have a great pool area for the days you want to stay at the hotel and relax. The resort is located very close to Disney Springs and is a great option. They also have suite style rooms, with several bedrooms, living area and kitchen at very affordable prices. So for those of you with a big group, this is a great option!

While there are definitely benefits to staying on Disney Property, like extra magic hours, if you have little kids, sometimes this can be a lot and those extra hours where the park is open until midnight just isn’t worth it!

That leads me in to the next item: make your own meals! Ok, so some of the fun with going to Disney World is the themed restaurant. And I 100% say that you need to eat at some of these places (the food is mouth watering). However, you are not going to need to eat out every meal. In my opinion, skip eating out for breakfast and munch on a bowl of cereal. For those of you with a suite, you can get way more fancy and cook up something amazing.

Even if you don’t want to eat breakfast in, I suggest at least packing snack to save some money. Snacks at Disney are expensive as well. A pretzel can set you back more than $5, so think about it.

Next up, souvenirs. These bad boys are so expensive now a days, but it’s a necessarily evil when you have children. Disney World is a trap for expensive stuff, so my suggestion to you would be to plan in advance and bring things with you. You can find Disney items everywhere, so maybe look around for those Frozen themed items and pack them with you. You can also purchase things like autograph books before you leave.

Another thing to consider, for those with older children, is giving them a Disney gift card. The limited amount of money will be a good way to keep your kids in check to have a set spending limit and you won’t go crazy.

My last suggestion is the Disney Chase Credit Card. Like many credit cards now a days, you can earn points on this card, but it is redeemable for Disney items and you can also apply the points to vacation expenses. You can cash in your points and put them on a Disney gift card. You can also save 10% on minimum purchases for many of the Disney retailers on property and you can save money on restaurants. If you check out the information on the rewards, there is a list of perks you get with the card.

Now, not all restaurants will offer a discount, but many will. You’d be surprised as some as well, like Le Cellier. Yes, you read that correctly. OK, you do have to go for lunch, but this is a GREAT offer.

On the fence about the card? Well, one other perk that I feel is worth it (and will also save some dough) is the free meet and greet that comes with a photo! You know, the photos that Disney charges an arm and leg for? Yes, those. So, Epcot has a character spot where you can meet Mickey and Hollywood Studios does a Star Wars Character. So that’s awesome too.

The card has other perks, like discounted tours but I can’t comment on that because, well, I’ve never done this. But if you are someone that wants a tour of Living with the Land, go for it!