3. Rain protection

Florida can be a very soggy place—rain can bucket down unexpectedly even on the sunniest days, and during certain seasons, you may see rain every day of your visit.

Once again, Disney knows this, and they’re famous for charging premium prices for character-emblazoned plastic ponchos and Mickey umbrellas.

Unless your heart is just set on buying a Disney umbrella, you’re going to feel huckstered buying an overpriced poncho at Walt Disney World. Instead, your best bet is to bring your own rain gear. Pocket-sized ponchos are available online for cheap (both for adults or in family packs), but even if you wait until you arrive, a quick trip to the camping section at Walmart or Target (about 10 minutes from the resort) will provide easy access to cheap rain gear for reasonable prices.  

4. Snacks & groceries

I want to start this one off with an important caveat—food is part of the magic at Walt Disney World. I do not recommend any cost-saving strategy that involves not enjoying some meals and treats on your trip that you can only enjoy at Disney parks. Where else can you go to enjoy a Dole Whip float, eat in a Star Wars docking bay, savor an ice cream and brioche sandwich, or taste cuisine from six continents in one place? Walt Disney World is the place to enjoy these sorts of culinary adventures…

It's not an ideal place to buy a banana or a granola bar though…

No matter what your Disney dining budget is, no one likes wasting money on overpriced snacks that are exactly the same as what you can get at a local grocery store. The insulated nature of Disney parks allows them to charge extra for everyday snacks ranging from fruit to popcorn to candy bars.

Don’t waste your funds on snacks in Disney parks that don’t add value to your visit. Instead, bring snacks with you from home, or take a trip to a local grocery store at the beginning of your vacation to stock up on a few easy-to-carry staples.

The two biggest areas where you can save money is on to-go snacks and breakfast. Even if you choose to visit somewhere like Trader Joe’s or Sprouts (about a 12-15 minute drive from Walt Disney World) to pick up some premium snacks, you’ll still save money compared to what you’ll find at Disney parks. When we visit the parks, we always keep some munching snacks on hand like meal bars, dried fruit (Trader Joe’s and Sprouts are the two best places for this), and other quick bites. A small snack kit is an especially good idea if you’ll be travelling with kids to calm some of the “I NEEEED it” reactions to Disney’s plethora of treats on display.

As for breakfast, it’s the easiest meal to replace without missing much. If you really enjoy Disney character breakfasts, by all means book one for your trip, but one is often enough. If you’re staying in a standard hotel room, you can pick up some groceries for easy-to-fix quick breakfasts that don’t require much prep. Guests staying in Disney Vacation Club villas or Airbnb-type rentals with kitchens can even do full breakfasts if you choose—this is one of the major advantages of these resorts, particularly for big families.