Hoppe Ever After

What everyone and their mother needs to know about being frugal on their next Disney vacation. Learn the easy way from my money-spending fails.

Take a reusable water bottle

and fill up at refillable water stations throughout Disney resorts and parks! Bottled water costs about $3.50 per bottle and if you’re staying hydrated, that will add up quickly. You can also get free cups of ice water at quick-service restaurants when you order and can use that to refill your magical water bottle or to enjoy with your meal. Disney makes refilling water easy, you can even look up locations of free water refill stations on your MDE app!

*Pro tip: Reusable water bottles make for an awesome souvenir, I absolutely love mine and use it all the time whether I’m at home or visiting Disney!

Pack snacks

Bring your personal snacks and save money on small snacks for kids hungry for more energy to burn at the parks. While the food at Disney is a huge attraction in and of itself, it can add up very quickly so having a little extra something to snack on can ultimately save you money!

Share snacks

My husband and I couldn’t love EPCOT any more than we already do (that’s a lie, I think we fall in love with it more with every visit). We love trying all the various foods along the World Showcase, and especially love trying seasonal and festival menus during the different festivals EPCOT hosts. We consider ourselves “ballers on a budget” and really try to taste as much as possible. We achieve this goal by sharing our snacks and ESPECIALLY our beverages, because those add up quick in more ways than just $$$. By snacking our way around the world, we’re rarely hungry for a full-sized meal and at the same time get to try so many of the endlessly amazing options that EPCOT has!

Take your own portable chargers

Don’t worry, if you do forget to pack this, Disney World and Disneyland parks and resorts have charger vending machines that you can purchase portable chargers and even return them for a fully recharged one! Although, it will cost you $38 + tax, so it’s a good idea to get one before you go for half price or less!

Pack your own ponchos & umbrellas

Disney websites say that ponchos in the park cost $10-$12, but you can get a set or pack of ponchos from Amazon or Walmart for the same price. The umbrellas I’ve bought (when I forget to check the forecast) run at about $25-$30 each. Not only will they cost you money you could be spending on more fun items, but they can be hard to find in a pinch! I had to go through 6 or 7 shops in EPCOT before finally finding small umbrellas in the UK Pavilion gift shop “The Crown & Crest.”

Use resort-supplied toiletries

Save yourself extra spending money and packing space by opting to use the toiletries in the resort. All Disney resorts offer shampoo, conditioner, soap, and body lotion. The quality is great and the scent is even better!  We’ve even bought some as our trip souvenirs to keep at home so when we smell that amazing Disney scent, we’re transported right back to our last vacation! So skip the last minute travel section shopping spree, and know you’ll have these items already waiting for you in your resort room.

Opt for the key cards instead of magic bands

If you do not have magic bands (or in my case just always forget to pack our magic bands), Disney will provide you with free key cards that you can use for room entry, park & ride entry, dining plan, photo pass…everything the magic band does! The only inconvenience about the key cards we’ve found is having to just dig through your bag/pocket/wallet every time you go to get on a ride, which in my opinion isn’t all that bad. This tip will save you about $35+ per person!

Buy portable fans/neck fans and/or cooling towels prior to your vacation. 

These items are sold at higher prices in gift stores and in the parks compared to your local stores like Target, Walmart, or on Amazon. You can also buy bulk packs of these for the same price or less than the one you’ll get per person at the park. You deserve better souvenirs than a spray bottle fan!