Tips for Using the Affordable Disney Vacation Planning Worksheets

You told me you wanted worksheets to help you budget your Disney World vacation, and ways to stay organized with all the vacation details. Well your wish is my command.

Late last week I finally finished 3 new worksheets for you and uploaded them to the site. If you haven’t yet seen them, you can find links to all 3 on the Planning Worksheets page.

While there is a quick overview of each on that page, I wanted to take today’s post to elaborate just a bit and provide a tutorial that will hopefully help you to use them. But first, a few things for you to know…

First, they were all created as Excel worksheets, so if you have Excel installed on your computer, they should open up just fine. Each link goes directly to the worksheet: simply save each one into a folder on your computer so you can find it later! If you don’t have Excel, no worries because you can download the free program Open Office, that allows you to create documents, PDFs, spreadsheets and more that are all fully compatible with Microsoft Office. And again, it’s free! If you are going to use Open Office, once the program is downloaded, you should be able to open the worksheets in one of two ways:

1. Click on each worksheet and it will open automatically in Open Office (you may need to “tell” it what program to use to do this) or
2. Open Open Office and click on the spreadsheet icon. Once that opens, go to the file menu in the upper left corner, click “open” and select which worksheet you want to use…and it should open automatically.

OK, worksheets open: here’s the second thing you will want to know. Each sheet has cells where you can input your own information, while the rest of the sheet you cannot edit. Sorry, but since I created the sheets, I didn’t want changes to them going all over cyberspace…but still having my name on them. Hope you understand. The important thing here though, is that the things you need to edit for your own use, you can.

The last thing to know is what you do with them once you are finished. Basically, if you have saved your edited version, then when you get ready to leave on your vacation, you can print out what you want to take with you. Even better, smartphones and blackberries make it easy to have an electronic version with you stored in your phone! Just send it to your phone, save it so you can pull it up when needed, and voila, your vacation details in the palm of your hand. I do love technology sometimes……

Now let’s take a look at each sheet.

ADR Information Sheet

First there is the ADR Information Sheet: On this sheet, the Column Headings and top row with examples of how to fill it out (in red) you cannot edit. The rest of the sheet you can. So as you plan your Advanced Dining Reservations, use this little sheet to have all the information for each ADR together, in one place. I have found this truly important to have, in case I need to doublecheck, or change an ADR. I also like to make sure that I have noted when the ADR was made and who I spoke to (in case there is a problem). This sheet will also help you keep track of Disney Dining Plan table service credits, and/or how much you need to budget to eat there, as well as if there is a credit card hold for the restaurant.

Vacation Itinerary

The Vacation Itinerary is a formal version of what I have used on every Disney vacation (or every vacation for that matter) that I have ever taken. (In it’s earliest forms, it was hand written in a small notebook that came with me everywhere on our vacation.) I really like to have all my details for each day, all in one place, so I can at a glance, know who/what/where/when/why we are doing anything. This includes budget: I have found the absolute best way to make sure we don’t go over budget on a vacation, is to know how much I have to spend each day, and on what. That’s how much we take with us, the rest stays back in the safe at the room.

So the Vacation Itinerary basically has one sheet per day. You start with your Arrival Day, which has your travel information, hotel reservations/location, as well as a section for estimated expenses for the day. The left hand column you cannot edit, everything under Information/Numbers and Notes you can.

Next come Vacation Days. I made a number of these so you can have one for each day (if you need more days, then just open it a second time). Here you can enter as much information for each day of your Disney vacation as you like. I know many people get involved with touring plans, etc. We have never been quite so formal: Basically I like to know park hours, what is most important for us to see (so we make sure we get to it), any shows or parades if it matters, as well as ADR information. Take the ADR info from the ADR Information Sheet and plug it in here so you have it http://theaffordablemouse.com/wp-admin/post-new.phpwith you. And again, an estimated budget for the day.

And then lastly is the Departure Day, which is fairly similar to Arrival Day.

Disney Vacation Budget Plan Sheet

The Disney World Vacation Budget Plan basically covers (hopefully!) just about anything you would conceivably spend money on. There are sections labeled “other” for things not listed. The Budget Plan covers Transportation, Accommodations, Tickets, Entertainment, Meals, and Miscellaneous expenses. For every category except Meals, you edit “Column D” by inputting your estimated expenses, and the spreadsheet will subtotal each section for you, and provide you with a total for that entire category:

In the Meals category, you will figure your cost per day (Column B) enter then number of days (Column C), and then Column D will give you the total. There is an area to compute this using the Dining Plan or paying by cash. Important Note: The Cost per adult/day or Cost per child/day for the Dining Plan will be changed to reflect the number of people. You will note the TOTAL amount per day for ALL adults and for ALL children.

At the very bottom of the sheet, the subtotals for each category will be totaled for a complete Disney vacation budget.

So there you have it. Hopefully this tutorial will help you to make the most of these Disney planning worksheets. If you have any questions, please ask in the comments, or send me an email at nancy@theaffordablemouse.com.

Happy planning!

Survey Says: You Have Disney Questions! Now For the Answers…

I really enjoyed reading the survey results from a few weeks ago. I appreciate the fact that so many of you took the time to share your thoughts and tell me what would really help you in planning an affordable Disney World vacation. What was especially interesting to me was the consistency in what you need: a lot of you voiced the same frustrations, and have many of the same questions….and are looking for the same types of Disney vacation planning tools.

Here are the main things that you told me you wanted help with, in descending order:

1. Disney Dining. There are many questions about Disney restaurants, cost of meals, what to budget for food, using the Dining Plan and even just needing more ideas for saving money on food. I agree: this can be an especially frustrating area of Disney planning, especially so because it is such a large part of any Disney vacation budget.
2. Planning spreadsheets. You are looking for ways to keep your planning organized, as well as tools that will help you budget. And a number of you are looking for something small and simple that keeps track of everything, which you can bring to the parks with you.
3. Accommodations. Another big expense on a Disney vacation, many of you want more in-depth information about your options.
4. What is the most affordable way for me? There are a number of you that want assistance trying to figure out the most affordable way to get to Disney World. There are so many options to choose from, you worry that you might not be picking the one that will save you the most money.

Well, your wish is my command. I am happy to help and am really looking forward to being able to provide you with the information you need to save money at Disney World. In fact, I can’t wait to get started.

However, I won’t be able to do it all at once! So, my plan is tackle each item, one at a time, in the following ways:

1. Disney World Dining information will be shared weekly in my Monday blog posts, starting next week. For at least the next couple of months, I will discuss a number of different aspects of saving money on your food. I recognize however, that blog posts won’t necessarily dig deep enough into all the details, so at the same time, I will be creating a Disney World Dining Guide. This Guide will use the posts as a base, but will be far more involved. Some of you won’t need this much detail, but for those of you that do, it will be available for you.
2. Planning spreadsheets are being created as we speak! Since I am a planner by nature and live by my spreadsheets, I will basically be formalizing something for you that I am already using. And I will happily make these available to you for FREE, once I am done…which will hopefully be by the end of July.
3. Accommodations will be discussed, starting in a few months, once I finish the dining. While many of you need help with where to stay, more of you need help with dining, so that is where I am starting.:)
4. What is the most affordable option? This one is kind of tough, because it is so individual! Everyone’s situation is different, so the right thing for one person is not necessarily the right thing for another. At the same time, I also recognize that it can be overwhelming and at times confusing to know the best way to plan for your family. And having someone to just point you in the right direction can be a huge help.

That was one of the reasons I designed the survey, so that I can be sure to be addressing YOUR needs, and answering YOUR questions. However, my worry is that I can’t write everything fast enough to help you in your Disney vacation planning, especially if you are visiting Disney World in the near future.

But….I have an idea, and I am wondering if you might be interested…

Would it be helpful to have someone to just talk to personally about your Disney vacation, to ask questions and get suggestions about the best way to save money at Disney World? One-on-one time to figure it all out?

If so, then let me know! I want to be able to help you out, so I am going to try something out to see if there is a need. If you want someone to personally help you with your planning, email me at nancy@theaffordablemouse.com and I’ll set up a 30 minute Disney vacation planning call with you. Just the two of us, to talk over your questions, and hopefully help you figure out the best way for you to plan an affordable Disney vacation. Kind of like a talking, personalized Disney vacation guidebook.

Now there is one thing: while I would love to be able to do this for free, unfortunately I just can’t.   However, the cost will be minimal, I promise. (After all, I want to help you *save money*!)  So if this is something you are interested in, let me know, and we can chat more.

(Please keep in mind that I am not a travel agent: this does not involve me booking anything for you, nor would I be selling you on any specific type of vacation. This is merely personal assistance in Disney vacation planning that I am offering, if you need it. We’ll talk about it, I’ll help you decide what is best for you, and then you’ll do the rest.)

This is just a trial for now. I’ll see what kind of interest there is, what additional help you need, and we’ll go from there.

In the meantime, watch for your FREE planning tools and spreadsheets in the near future, and the beginning of the Disney Dining posts coming next week!

Oh, and one more thing: let me know what you think, and if I am on the right track for what you need. Either leave a comment, post on Facebook, or feel free to send me an email. Thanks and as always….have a magical day!

Readers Tips for Saving Money at Disney World

There are a lot of great Disney bloggers out there with really interesting and helpful information. Recently, Amanda from The Disney College Blog asked her readers to offer their suggestions for saving money at Disney World, since she has a trip planned and is, in her words “a poor college student”. She got lots of great ideas! Here are a few:

Eating Breakfast in Your Room…
“oatmeal packets for breakfast, pb&j’s for lunch, and trail mix for snacks – saves TONS of $$$ (more for #wdw merchandise!)” – pixienancy on Twitter

“Eat breakfast in the room! Pop Tarts & Rice Krispie Treats work great! ” – BeOurGuestMike on Twitter

“As do Little Debbie donuts ” – bill_in_ma on Twitter

“We usually bring cereal & pop tarts & eat breakfast in our room each day (except last day then character bfst)” – mccato on Twitter

You can read the rest of the post and the many helpful affordable Disney vacation tips over at her blog.

Affordable Disney Vacations Step by Step. Final Thoughts: Keeping the Magic Alive

This is the final post in my blog series: Affordable Disney Vacations Step by Step. You can read the rest of the posts here.

I get many questions from people who are thinking about visiting Walt Disney World and want Disney World vacation tips and suggestions. Disney vacation planning can be very involved and confusing as well, so the goal of this series is to start at the beginning, and look at everything you need to think about, in the general order you need to think about it. Each week’s post will be numbered and link to all the others so that, when complete, you will have a guide with all the steps and information you need to plan your own Disney magic.

Well, you’re back home. Hope you had a wonderful time and if you are like we are, you are already thinking about your next trip…

Once your trip is over, we’re not technically talking about planning an affordable Disney vacation, but most folk return from a magical trip and want to “keep the magic going”. With that in mind, what are some affordable ways to do that?

Well, let’s talk about all those pictures you took to start.

Don’t just upload them to your computer and leave them there! And don’t print them all out and then keep them in a shoebox!

Pick out your favorites and create “photo” gifts for your family or yourself! Calendars, mugs, mousepads and more can create smiles for your loved ones for a long time. My personal favorite: slideshows of my favorite pictures become my computer’s screensavers and remind me of wonderful vacations every time my computer goes to sleep.

And don’t forget to frame a few of your favorite pictures too! I have a line up on my mantel from each of our family trips to Disney World and it is so special to see how we have all changed over the years…especially our daughter.

Have you ever thought of creating a scrapbook? While this can be an expensive and detailed hobby, it does not have to be. In fact, it can be as simple as you like. Collect “things” from your trip: park passes, maps, room keys, confetti, napkins, you name it! Be creative. Add some character autographs and your favorite pictures, jot down some of your best memories, and voila! A treasured memory book that you can look at time and time again to relive your wonderful Walt Disney World vacation.

Then there are your videos. One of the more fun things we have done, is to schedule a video night…but instead of renting a movie, we watch our vacation. Pop popcorn, make a night of it reliving the Disney fun. We have shared so many laughs remembering fun Disney World times!

Lastly, I also like to keep the magic alive with music. I tend to buy CDs of park music while I am there, but you can also download Disney music from iTunes, or buy the songs when listening to a Disney podcast or streaming webcast. Burn a CD of your favorites, and you can visit the parks any time you want…even when sitting in a traffic jam!

I hope you have found this series on all the steps in planning an affordable Disney vacation to be helpful! As always, please let me know if you have any questions, as I am happy to help!

Have a magical day!

Affordable Disney Vacations Step by Step. Part Eighteen: Fun and Cheap Souvenirs

This is part eighteen in my blog series: Affordable Disney Vacations Step by Step. You can read the rest of the posts here.

I get many questions from people who are thinking about visiting Walt Disney World and want Disney World vacation tips and suggestions. Disney vacation planning can be very involved and confusing as well, so the goal of this series is to start at the beginning, and look at everything you need to think about, in the general order you need to think about it. Each week’s post will be numbered and link to all the others so that, when complete, you will have a guide with all the steps and information you need to plan your own Disney magic.

It should be no big surprise that “souvenirs” can be huge budget busters and are one of the quickest ways I know to kill any hopes for an affordable Disney vacation. Especially if you have little ones, the cries for “Buy me this” and “I want that” can be very hard to ignore. So here are a few things that we have found that help keep our souvenir spending from getting out of hand.

1. I am a big fan of setting a daily spending budget…even for kids. On our first trip, our daughter was seven, and we set aside some money each day that was “hers” to spend as she wished. It was not a lot, I promise you, but having her own money to use, meant that when she used it up, she was done for the day. No complaining, whining, or begging. Once it was gone, it was gone.  And it worked.
2. There are a lot of quite inexpensive options for souvenirs! Pressed pennies, postcards, pencils, pins all are quite affordable and can actually be the start of a new collection for a child that gets added to on each vacation. Kids love to collect things!
3. Consider bringing some “souvenirs” with you, or have a box shipped to your hotel. Many families have found that kids love to get a surprise from Mickey when they wake up every morning, and these little surprises can minimize the need to beg for things in the parks.
4. Two words: character autographs. Hugely popular, and really, about as cheap as you get! Bring something other than a book, like a tee shirt, or hat and give the character a sharpie to sign with: instant souvenir that will be cherished for years.
5. Take your own pictures, or give your camera to a castmember to photograph your entire family. You don’t have to pay for Photopass pictures to get your entire group in a picture.

These are just a few ideas, but believe me a little creativity, can go a log away towards keeping your souvenir budget in check. Fun does not have to be expensive! The best souvenirs you will come home with will be your memories…and those don’t cost a thing….but are truly priceless.

Affordable Disney Vacations Step by Step. Part Seventeen:Fun Free and Almost Free Things to Do

This is part seventeen in my blog series: Affordable Disney Vacations Step by Step. You can read the rest of the posts here.

I get many questions from people who are thinking about visiting Walt Disney World and want Disney World vacation tips and suggestions. Disney vacation planning can be very involved and confusing as well, so the goal of this series is to start at the beginning, and look at everything you need to think about, in the general order you need to think about it. Each week’s post will be numbered and link to all the others so that, when complete, you will have a guide with all the steps and information you need to plan your own Disney magic.

When talking about affordable Disney vacations, it is easy to get so caught up in all the attractions, rides, major shows etc. that one can easily overlook the many fun things to do at Walt Disney World that are free….or almost free.

One thing that I have tried to do with The Affordable Mouse is to show that, while Disney CAN be expensive, it does not HAVE to be. The topic of today’s post will show you just how many things you can do at Disney World that won’t cost you additional money beyond what you are spending for room, food, tickets, and transportation.

OK, in no particular order then:

1. Check out the Disney resorts. Whether you are staying on or off Disney property, you owe it to yourself to visit the resorts. Each of them offer a wealth of fun and interesting themes, and you may be amazed at how much time you can spend just wandering around and taking in all that they have to offer. Plan your visit around dinner if you like and try out some of the restaurants or food courts at the resorts too!
2. Related to number 1, but really in a category all it’s own: visit the Animal Kingdom Lodge to animal watch. There are a number of animal observation stations where, believe me when I say that you can  spend a lot of time being mesmerized by all of the animals there.
3. Visit the Boardwalk. Not necessarily the resort (although it is great) but the actual Boardwalk where all kinds of fun and interesting things are happening. Yes, they are not all technically free, but relatively speaking, the cost of renting a bike or surrey for example is minimal compared to how much fun you will have!
4. Take time to smell the roses…literally. We have been to Walt Disney World 11 times and counting and every time we visit we STILL see/find something that we never saw before. Disney loves detail, and some of my favorite memories center around exploring gardens, topiaries and such that sometimes just get passed by in the rush to get to the next ride before the line gets too long.
5. Ride the monorail. It’s  a must do on every vacation we have at Disney World. And for more fun, ask the Cast Member on duty if you can ride “up front”. If you are the first one to ask, they may say yes and I can tell you, that is one fun ride. Plus your kids will get a “Co-Pilot” certificate as well.
6. Pin trade. Yes I will readily admit that pin trading CAN get out of hand and cost a lot of money, but really for a minimal investment, your kids (and you) can start a really fun and interesting hobby. We began our collection during the Millenium Celebration when it was raining every day and night…so we just pin traded. Castmembers love to pin trade with park guests and kids get a real kick out of trying to get specific pins. You don’t have to make it heavy-duty or expensive to start. Set a budget of one or two pins/per day, or get some on eBay before you arrive. And then have fun!
7. Epcot has the KidCot fun stops where children create fun masks and activities at each of the World Showcse countries. What a great way for kids to create, and learn a little about each nation…without them even realizing they are learning!
8. Ride a Segway. Yes you can sign up for an actual tour that is not particularly cheap, but you can get a quick “lesson” …and photo op….at Innoventions at Epcot. Just keep in mind there is a height limit on this and parents sign an “injury waiver” beforehand.
9. Ride the boats that go from Epcot to Hollywood Studios, or around World Showcase Lagoon. Fun, and a great way to cool off when it’s hot.
10. Pools. Pools. Pools. Oh and then there are the pools. Unless you are visiting during the cold weather months, most of the Disney resorts have fabulous pools, and many are open to “pool hopping”: just make sure you check with your resort first if you plan to try out another pool, as some resorts are closed to pool hopping. And even if you are not staying at a Disney resort, most Florida hotels realize the importance of pools for their guests.

I could go on and on, but this is already a pretty long post, so I think I’ll leave it at that for now. There are tons of great “free” things to do on your affordable Disney vacation. If you have “free” ideas of your own, please share!

Affordable Disney Vacations Step by Step. Part Sixteen: Getting Ready to Go!

This is part sixteen in my blog series: Affordable Disney Vacations Step by Step. You can read the rest of the posts here.

I get many questions from people who are thinking about visiting Walt Disney World and want Disney World vacation tips and suggestions. Disney vacation planning can be very involved and confusing as well, so the goal of this series is to start at the beginning, and look at everything you need to think about, in the general order you need to think about it. Each week’s post will be numbered and link to all the others so that, when complete, you will have a guide with all the steps and information you need to plan your own Disney magic.

Up to this point we have been discussing the steps for planning an affordable Disney vacation that need to be done well in advance. As I have shared frequently on this blog, if you want to save money, you need to plan ahead.

Now, it’s time to get ready to go! Whether you are leaving in a few days, or in several months, hopefully you will find these next few blog posts to be helpful.

So finally, after months of planning, you’re going to Disney World! Woohoo!

Before you go though, there are some things you will want to think about.

• Check the weather and pack accordingly. Please don’t assume that Florida is always sunny and hot. The summers frequently have rain showers, and winter can actually get cold! Not packing for the weather will mean that you end up buying ponchos, scarves, hats, gloves, sweatshirts, and possibly even coats at Disney….and I can promise that is NOT affordable at all.
• Go to the Disney World website and check the park hours. Even better, print them out so that you know when you can visit each park. If you will be staying on Disney property and can take advantage of Extra Magic Hours, note that as well. No point in being able to get in the parks an hour early if you sleep in those mornings!
• While you’re on the Disney website, make note of which attractions/rides are closed during your visit. Part of planning an affordable Disney vacation is making the most of your time. Don’t waste your time walking to rides that aren’t even open.
• Get some snacks etc. to bring with you. Whether for the trip, in your hotel, or even to bring with you to the parks, bringing snacks from home can definitely save you money…and possibly be healthier as well.
• I’m a list maker and when it comes to a trip like this, I think having a list is one of the best ways to make sure you keep costs under control. Lists mean you are less likely to forget things….and remember, anything you forget, you will have to buy there. Whether it is clothes, or Advil, if you have to buy it at Disney, it’s gonna cost you a lot more.
• Do you have little ones? Consider bringing your own stroller…or rent one from a stroller company in the Disney area. Renting strollers at the Disney parks will definitely cost you more. Just keep that in mind.

OK, there are a few last minute things to keep in mind as you get ready to leave for your Walt Disney vacation! My next two posts will focus on being at the parks…and ways to have “free fun” while there!

Affordable Disney Vacations Step by Step. Part Fifteen: Know How to Save Money on Disney Parks Tickets

This is part fifteen in my blog series: Affordable Disney Vacations Step by Step. You can read the rest of the posts here.

I get many questions from people who are thinking about visiting Walt Disney World and want Disney World vacation tips and suggestions. Disney vacation planning can be very involved and confusing as well, so the goal of this series is to start at the beginning, and look at everything you need to think about, in the general order you need to think about it. Each week’s post will be numbered and link to all the others so that, when complete, you will have a guide with all the steps and information you need to plan your own Disney magic.

Up until now, in our Step-by-Step Planning Series, we have been talking about aspects of your vacation that need to be thought about as early in the process as possible, if you want to be able to have an affordable Disney vacation. Ideally, most of the previous steps should be researched, decided, and in many cases booked from 4-6 months before your vacation. If you are planning to travel during a high-traffic season, like the Christmas holidays, closer to 6 months is best.

From here on out, I’ll be talking about some other aspects of your vacation that are part of your vacation budget, but don’t have to be decided on quite so early.

Today’s post will deal with tickets, another major expenditure…which is why you want to make sure you are not spending more than you have to.:)

Basically, there are two parts to this discussion:

1. Where you can get Disney parks tickets
2. Where you should NOT buy Disney parks tickets

Let’s briefly discuss the first one:

You can purchase Disney World park passes through Disney, or through an authorized Disney ticket broker. Those are the only two avenues you should consider if you want to be confident that you are getting actual Disney park tickets.

If you are purchasing a Disney resort package, your tickets will be part of that package, so you are good to go! But if you are booking your room individually (no package) at a Disney resort, or staying off-site at a non-Disney hotel, vacation home, villa, or condo, then you will need to order theme park tickets.

You can do this through the Disney website. Or you can get Disney theme parks tickets from a broker. There are a number of reputable brokers that you can purchase tickets from safely, and save some money. Not huge amounts, but enough to make it worth it, especially if you will be staying for several days, and have a number of people in your party.

The company that I have personally used, and recommend highly is Undercover Tourist. Their prices are great, their service is even better, and they are completely reputable. I would not recommend them otherwise. And their website does a great job of breaking down the Magic Your Way ticket structure and that alone makes them pretty awesome.

As to where you should NOT buy Disney theme parks tickets? Well, every place else….

I really can’t emphasize this part enough. Be very, very careful here, as unfortunately, many, many people get burned every year trying to save money on tickets, only to find that their “tickets” were worthless.

So steer clear of eBay, Craigslist, or any website or seller that offers prices that seem too good to be true…because they probably are. Look at the fine print as well, and make sure you are not agreeing to sit through a lengthy timeshare presentation in order to get those tickets…unless you really want to lol.

If you want to learn more, you can a basic overview on the Discounted Tickets page.  In addition, I discuss how to determine a reputable Disney ticket broker in this post. And to learn more about where you should not buy Disney tickets, you can read more in this post.

Affordable Disney Vacations Step by Step. Part Fourteen: 10 Easy Tips to Reduce Your Food Budget

This is part fourteen in my blog series: Affordable Disney Vacations Step by Step. You can read the rest of the posts here.

I get many questions from people who are thinking about visiting Walt Disney World and want Disney World vacation tips and suggestions. Disney vacation planning can be very involved and confusing as well, so the goal of this series is to start at the beginning, and look at everything you need to think about, in the general order you need to think about it. Each week’s post will be numbered and link to all the others so that, when complete, you will have a guide with all the steps and information you need to plan your own Disney magic.

In the last post, I discussed how to use the Disney Dining Plan as a way to help you have an affordable Disney vacation.  Today I want to share some additional tips, ideas, and strategies that can help you save money on food at Walt Disney World.

Let’s start by saying that you CAN spend a lot on your meals on your Disney vacation…but you don’t HAVE to.  Here then, in no particular order, are 10 ways that you can cut your meal costs for a truly affordable Disney vacation.

1. Cook/eat some meals in your room. If you are staying in a vacation home, villa, condo, or even a hotel suite, you will probably have access to a kitchen. Use it to do some simple cooking. Even if you have a traditional hotel room, you should be able to have a small refrigerator: get some milk, juices, and even some lunchmeat and cheese to keep in it. We have done this and had cereal in the morning before leaving for the parks, and made some sandwiches to bring with us for a quick, easy, and inexpensive lunch.
2. Bring your own snacks, juices, water etc. Not having to pay park prices on these things will save you a lot of money…plus it is so much more convenient to just grab a bottle from your backpack instead of standing in a long, hot line.
3. Consider sharing meals, especially if you have little ones who don’t eat much. Disney portions are usually quite large and sharing…whether between 2 kids, or an adult and child…will not leave anyone hungry. This works, by the way, whether you are eating counter service or table service.
4. Speaking of table service, are you planning some sit-down meals? Look for buffets, as you will get more for your money! Or think about having your table service meals for lunch: you will still get a lot of the same delicious food options but at lunch prices rather than dinner prices.
5. Consider foregoing table service meals altogether and just eat quick service. Many families find that this is the best way to go with small children, as there are no long waits for food, and the meals tend to be more “kid-friendly”.
6. Eat some meals away from Disney. Non-park restaurants may be less expensive than those you find in the parks.
7. Consider off-site hotels that offer free breakfast.
8. If staying off-site, ask your hotel for local restaurant discount coupons or promotions. Or invest in a local Entertainment Book for restaurant coupons.
9. Check local Florida/Orlando websites for discount coupons for eating establishments.
10. As mentioned last time: If offered, try to book a Disney Package during any Free Dining promotion. It will save you a LOT of money.

OK, so there you go, 10 easy ways that you can pare down your food budget on a trip to Disney World. Clearly, all will not apply in all situations, but you should be able to use a few on your vacation, and when it comes to trying to have an affordable Disney vacation, every little bit helps!

Affordable Disney Vacations Step by Step. Part Thirteen: Decide if the Disney Dining Plan is Right For You

This is part thirteen in my blog series: Affordable Disney Vacations Step by Step. You can read the rest of the posts here.

I get many questions from people who are thinking about visiting Walt Disney World and want Disney World vacation tips and suggestions. Disney vacation planning can be very involved and confusing as well, so the goal of this series is to start at the beginning, and look at everything you need to think about, in the general order you need to think about it. Each week’s post will be numbered and link to all the others so that, when complete, you will have a guide with all the steps and information you need to plan your own Disney magic.

Now that we have covered some of the major and most expensive portions of your trip…lodging and transportation…let’s talk about food.

One of the best ways to help have a truly affordable Disney vacation is to plan your meals economically. This post will discuss one of the most popular ways to get the most out of your food budget: using the Disney Dining Plan.

On the Disney Dining Plan (DDP), if you have reserved a Disney package, you can have the option of pre-paying for most, if not all of your meals, by choosing one of several plans. (Please note that having a Disney package is a requirement, unless you have Annual Passes or are Disney Vacation Club members.)

With the Quick Service Dining Plan, you get two quick service meals and two snacks per person, per day, and one resort refillable mug per person, per package. With the basic Dining Plan, you will have one table service, one quick service, and one snack per person, per day. And finally, there is the Deluxe Dining Plan, offering 3 table or quick service meals and two snacks per person, per day, plus a refillable mug for each person per package.

So basically, there is a Plan for whatever your budget is.

Since we enjoy a table service meal each night, our family has purchased the basic Dining Plan on each of our last several trips and it is a huge saving for us. We use the counter service meal (entrée, drink, and dessert) for lunch, the table service meal (entrée, drink, dessert) for dinner, and we use the snack credits for either breakfast…or eat light in our room. For us, it is usually way more food than we can usually eat, and so often get our dessert at dinner “to go” since we are so full. Other times we choose fruit and/or muffins for our lunch or dinner desserts and use these for snacks later or breakfast. We have experimented with the plan a number of different ways, and no matter how we do it, we eat very well, have food left over to bring home (snack credits purchase great edible “souvenirs” J), and we save money.

How then does the Dining Plan help us have an affordable Disney vacation?

Currently, the basic plan costs from $41.99 to $46.99 (depending on the time of year) per adult/per day, which for our family of 3 is usually less than we would have spent out of pocket just for dinner itself. So clearly, it is a huge cost-saver for us.

Will it be for your family? Possibly, depending on your family size, eating habits, time of year etc. In other words, like most other things related to planning an affordable Disney vacation, you’ll need to do the research and then do the math. J Compare all levels of the Dining Plan: if you have small children, you may find the Quick Service Plan to be more suited to your family’s needs than the basic or Deluxe Plan.

Related to the Dining Plan, there are a few additional things you should know:

1. Disney has offered for the past few years, a package promotion in late summer/early fall that includes the Disney Dining Plan for FREE. Yup, you have that right: FREE FOOD. This is seriously a huge cost-saver, and if your schedule allows traveling at that time of year, you should really consider it. Now there are no guarantees, but in the current economic climate, and since Disney has offered this the past several years now, it is reasonable to think that they MAY offer it again this year. Stay tuned.
2. While you don’t have to pay for the Dining Plan when you reserve your package, and so technically it is not something you need to decide early in the planning process…..this is so important…..IF you are planning to get the Basic Plan and so have table service meals…you absolutely need to think about what restaurants you will want to eat in, and make your reservations (Advanced Dining Reservations) well in advance. Disney currently starts accepting  ADRs 6 months in advance, and if you are visiting during any of the busy seasons…or during Free Dining…if you don’t reserve well in advance, you risk not eating where you want.  I just can’t stress this part enough…when it comes to Disney table service restaurants during high-traffic seasons, the early bird definitely gets the worm.

So your action plan for this week for planning an affordable Disney vacation: look at the Disney Dining Plan and see if it can save you money!