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View Full Version : What are some money saving tips for Disneyland?



jrsharp21
11-12-2002, 09:48 PM
What are some things that people do to safe some money while at Disneyland? Things such as food and other things. We already have our AP passes and our just looking for some little money saving tips since we always spend a fortune there.

tabacco
11-12-2002, 10:20 PM
What sort of APs? You get discounts at certain food locations.

By biggest advice is to avoid ODV and merchandise and if possible, eat off-property.

Veritech-1s
11-12-2002, 11:47 PM
yea sadly its best to avoid ODV, if you must have a pretzel or hot dog or something like that go to coke corner and at least get your discount.

MouseWife
11-13-2002, 06:22 AM
No matter how much money we have, {we have gone flush and flat broke!} we are always careful with our cash.

If the hotel we are staying at doesn't have a breakfast, someone runs down to Jack in the Box.

We bring coolers; a big one and smaller ones to carry. We take sandwich meats, cheeses, bottled water and sodas. We also take chips and popcorn {in case the room has a microwave}.

We take the big cooler up to the room and carry the smaller ones in the vehicles with sodas {no need to buy them out}. Or, if it isn't convenient to carry up the big cooler, we fill the smaller ones up and then fill up the fridge in the room with our own foods {again, here, be careful about certain fridges that will charge you for even just moving the food!! Grand Ca. you should request a spare fridge}.

Ziplock up some snackies, cookies, trail mix, what ever you like.

We bring in water and if we can, we take those sodas with the twist caps. {bought on sale}

There are places in the park that aren't too expensive, you don't have to eat at the Blue Bayou or even a sit down place.

Also, at the hotels, don't dismiss the White Water cafe at the Grand California or the Crocks n Bits over by the Disneyland hotel. Both have great prices, we usually get the kids meals, if we want.

Me, I make sure that even though we don't have a lot of cash, I still try and enjoy a churro or a popcorn. If you don't give yourself one or two simple pleasures then you might feel 'deprived'. Limiting it is the key. And, sharing is always good. :D

Have fun!

hefferdude
11-13-2002, 07:05 AM
We've seen the light chasers sold at Wal-Mart for far less than in the park. There are also discount stores that sell the light sticks and light strings for about 99 cents or less. If children are going, purchase a lighted items before going and save it as a surprise for the evening. ( We now buy the strings for ourselves ) :cool:

When our guys were little, we purchased Disney dollars and gave them each a special wallet. Now, they were in charge of their $ and much more selective on their "wants". It may not have saved big $ but it sure reduced the fussing.:)

MouseWife
11-13-2002, 07:38 AM
Originally posted by hefferdude

When our guys were little, we purchased Disney dollars and gave them each a special wallet. Now, they were in charge of their $ and much more selective on their "wants". It may not have saved big $ but it sure reduced the fussing.:)


Really, that does save money!! I mean, when we give the kids money and say 'That is all you are going to get, either for snacks or stuff'. We pay for the meals, and we do pay for the food in the cooler so that still counts!!

I have seen them look at the churros and where before they would ask and ask and ask, you could see them stop and think. And usually walk away..........

And, that is true about the glow sticks. Definitely. I need to remember that. Should have done it after Halloween.......

Oh, we also tell them that any money they don't spend they can keep. This way they don't think they have to spend every last cent.

Man, I need to do this stuff myself again, we are going in less than a month!! {knock on wood!!}

disneyscott
11-13-2002, 09:58 AM
When your ready to eat buy kids meals..they come with a drink and are about he same price if you left the park, with out the walk. Also always bring your own drinks...for the price of one soda at Disney you can get a 6 pack od soda.

hgf1ower
11-13-2002, 10:04 AM
when i was an ap, i used to bring cup o noodles ;) all restaurants will give you hot water for free. and i used to buy a quarters worth of fudge at the candy shop in frontierland too before they started making blocked sizes ;) i think they got tired of me! but really, that's alot of sugar for one person to handle! kept me going all day, better than churros :D

Lani
11-13-2002, 10:19 AM
Originally posted by jrsharp21
What are some things that people do to safe some money while at Disneyland?jrsharp21 -- a lot of folks have posted good tips... I've also written an article called "Disneyland on a Budget (http://www.mouseplanet.com/lani/budget.htm)" for my Trip Planner column. Enjoy!

gn2dlnd
11-13-2002, 11:06 AM
Always ask for what you want (nicely) and see what they can do. Since I've been eating lo-carb, most places will substitute an extra piece of chicken or a rib for the bread & potatoes. Ask for the kid's meal, they don't care if there's a kid waiting back at the table or not. Go to the Whitewater and buy a refillable mug. Its refillable! Ask for a la carte prices on things, you might not like 2 of the 3 things in your meal, no sense paying for what you're not eating. If you're not carb-phobic, get the clam chowder in a bread bowl. Hugely filling, and perfect on a drizzly day. Also, for a good individual pizza, go to Village Haus, for a lousy piece of pizza go to Redd Rocket's.

gn2dlnd
11-13-2002, 11:07 AM
For possibly the worst pizza you've ever had, go to Toon Town. The cinnamon rolls at the Blue Ribbon Bakery are big enough for two, have it heated and slather it in butter. You can have the Blue Bayou experience without all the expense by going in for dessert and coffee. I'm not big on bringing food into the Park, a bottle of water is as far as I'll go, but the Whitewater mug will save you tons of $.
Also, one souvenir tip: remove your Mickey Mouse antenna ball in the parking garage. It just screams 'free souvenir' to people getting back to their cars before you.

mad4mky
11-13-2002, 11:17 AM
Another thing to do is to avoid the stores...I go crazy in them!

But, if you do want to buy...try to purchase all your items in one store...either The Emporium where they have just about everything there that you can find elsewhere in the park or at The World of Disney...and instead of paying cash or a regular Credit card...if you are not a Premium AP holder...use an American Express card...because if you spend $50 or more, you will save 10% on the total purchase price...

:D :eek:

I have saved quite a bit of money using my American Express card while at DLR!:D Sometimes up to $25 or $30 during one trip to DLR. That doesn't seem like much...but when you are there at the park, and the cast member tells you you have saved X amount of dollars, that's a good feeling.

But...to really save, you have to pay that souvenir run all off on the next billing cycle...or you'll get charged that high intrest.
And, before anyone pipes in "oh, but with AE, you have to pay it off each month!" Not so, if you have the AE Platinum Optima card...which I do. But, I still pay mine off right when the bill comes. I plan ahead as to have that money set aside just for paying what I bought at DLR.:cool:

hefferdude
11-13-2002, 11:33 AM
Oh, we also tell them that any money they don't spend they can keep. This way they don't think they have to spend every last cent.

Great touch! And if they're Mickey Bucks - they can say " Hey, now we gotta go to Disneyland again!!!!":D

MouseWife
11-13-2002, 01:37 PM
True. :p

We have our very first Disney dollars. Ah, somewhere........


But really. We started out buying everything and I got tired of bring stuff home that ended up dusty on a shelf. And also buying them munchies. About to drive us to the poor house, laden with amusement park souveniers.

So, this was our answer.

And it applies to dad and I, too. :(

Nancy
11-13-2002, 09:22 PM
I still bring the kids stroller with us just to keep frozen water bottles and crackers and what-not. Then you can push it from land to land and leave it, and still be close to what ever you need. Disneyland water tastes nasty so who wants to pay $2 a shot for water when you can bring your own and you won't have to drag it around with you all day. I know a lot of people hate the strollers but it sure comes in handy. A backpack sometimes gets in the way on rides too.:D

PhilMP
11-13-2002, 09:56 PM
Originally posted by Veritech-1s
yea sadly its best to avoid ODV, if you must have a pretzel or hot dog or something like that go to coke corner and at least get your discount.

But does Coke Corner have the cheese-and-jalapeno filled pretzel?? Or the cream cheese filled pretzel?? Mmmmmm...cream cheese pretzel<various Homer Simpson noises>.:)

Phil

Sailor Butterfly
11-14-2002, 09:30 AM
Bringing in your own water bottles is a really good idea. The bf and I saved some money by sharing meals.

Crazytigger
11-15-2002, 12:57 AM
I know it has already been suggested, but I buy the kids meals for myself. They are filling enough so you dont starve, and you can always eat later. Also if you have the Premium AP make sure to show it at all shops and sit down resteraunts. Most of them will give you a discount.

Morrigoon
11-15-2002, 01:14 AM
If you have an air mile-earning card, use that for your trip, hotel admission, merch, etc.

At Brookhurst and Ball, in the shopping center there (the side that faces Ball, west of Brookhurst) is the best fish 'n chips this side of the Atlantic. I think it's called London Bridge fish n chips. Not much to look at (so clean it looks sterile, but not very frou-frou, y'know), but the guy who owns it is this friendly little old guy, and it's so good I've run into people who drove from Long Beach to get it! However, since it's run by a little old guy who retired from running full-on Chinese restaurants, his hours are not what you'd expect. Great place to nip into for lunch, but he might be closed Sundays. (See if you can get their number from information and call ahead - it's in Anaheim)

Or just drive over, if he's closed there's always the drive through Subway sandwiches or the In-n-Out further up by the freeway on-ramp!