8 tips to maximize your Disney World budget

There's no way around it, Disney is expensive, and for many it's a trip of a lifetime that requires saving up for. But, there are ways you can stretch your dollars without sacrificing any of the fun.

Buy snacks and breakfast items when you arrive. We usually rent a car, and the first thing we do is stop at Publix to pick up breakfast items, snacks and drinks so that we don't have to pay an upcharge for sodas/snacks at the resort! If you don't a rent a car, you can do Instacart or Walmart+ and have everything delivered to where you are staying.

If character dining is a must, consider going for breakfast. Breakfast will be the lowest priced meals of the day, and if I'm being honest, I like breakfast foods more! You could even schedule it on your rest day!

Do quick service dining, and mobile order so you know costs in advance. Personally, I love the quick service dining spots at Disney sometimes more than table service (especially the snacks!). And with mobile ordering, you can see the prices right there on your phone so it makes it even easier to stick within your budget before you hit pay.

If you use your Magic Bands to pay, still pay attention to the charges! It can be so easy when you're in the moment to just swipe your band and not pay attention to costs, so I try to be super mindful of it.

Speaking of Magic Bands, you don't need the + fancy ones that light and are interactive. I have been reusing my original Magic Band since 2015 and it works just fine.

Visit the local Target or Walmart for your souvenirs -- seriously! Last time we went to Target right outside of the parks, and I found a super cute long-sleeve jersey shirt for $20 -- it would have easily been $40-50 in the parks. Same thing with toys + bubble wands for the kiddos!

You don't need Genie+ or Enchanted Extras to have an amazing time, but do your research and prioritize what's important to you/fits within your budget. With Disney (or any vacation) we all have a tendency to compare ourselves to what we see on social media and it's easy to think we have to have it all in order for the vacation to be "successful." You are making memories with your loved ones in the Most Magical Place on Earth (or Happiest Place in Disneyland!), I promise you'll have the best time!

If you use a travel advisor who specializes in Disney, they can help you maximize your budget! We can keep an eye out for new promos and automatically apply them to your packages to save more dollars, and you can make multiple payments so that you don't have to pay everything at once!