Visit Disney World without breaking the bank!
Ask most people what they absolutely love about Disney World and there’s one thing they will almost never tell you. Sure, they’ll regale you with stories of their favorite rides, tales of meeting the newest characters, and their adventures of a delicious dining experience, but there always seems to be one forgotten attraction that gets people to open their hearts and open their wallets – shopping!
There are so many different places to shop throughout Disney World that it’s typically impossible to remember them all, let alone visit every single one. What is easy, however, is spending a ton of money on action figures, stuffed animals, fashionable jewelry, and dozens if not hundreds of other Disney products that are available. Here are some quick tips that will help you save money when shopping at Disney World:
Ask for Disney World Gift Cards
The best way to save yourself some cash when shopping for anything is when someone else has already paid for it. Shopping at Disney World will be a lot easier if you’ve asked your loved ones to give you gift cards for the holidays, your birthday, or just for the heck of it. You can even add your own bit of money to the gift card amounts and use that as your maximum spending budget.
Figure Out Your Budget Beforehand
Speaking of budgets, it’s never a good idea to start shopping at Disney World before you’ve even taken the time to figure out exactly how much you can afford to spend. Whether your shopping budget is $100 or $1,000, you need to calculate that into the overall budget of your trip. You can also be a bit flexible by deciding on your sweet spot in terms of spending and your absolute maximum amount.
Purchase Disney Souvenirs Online Before Leaving
There’s no rule that says souvenirs can only be purchased while you’re actually at Disney World. In fact, if you already know what your children will love to get while they’re at the park, you can find these items online at a lower price and then present the gifts to them either before you arrive at Disney World or as a reward for good behavior.
Give Your Kids a Specific Spending Limit
We realize that setting a spending limit can sometimes be difficult to do with children, but this is a great way to turn shopping at Disney World into not only a fun experience but also a learning opportunity about managing finances. Give each child a spending limit and let them decide what they want to spend their money on. Just keep in mind that with younger kids, you may need to nudge them along.
Make Your Purchases for Later in the Day
Many visitors treat shopping at Disney World as an all-day event when the best plan is actually to wait toward the end of the day for purchasing anything. Feel free to absolutely pick up an item or two if you know you won’t be coming back to a particular shop. But, as a general rule, picking up the items at the end of the day will decrease the chance that you make an impulse buy or that your child blows through his or her budget early on.
Use Credit Cards with Cashback
Credit cards that offer cash back are always a great choice when shopping at Disney World. Even though receiving 2% or 3% back for everything you purchase doesn’t sound like a lot, it will definitely add up over time. The better strategy, however, is to apply for a Disney Visa card, which will give you a 10% discount on purchases totaling $50 or more, plus 2% back in points that are earned in every Disney store and can be traded later for gift cards.
Don’t Purchase What You Can Get Elsewhere
There are so many incredible Disney souvenirs to be found at the park that it can be very tempting to pick up everything that you like. But, as fun as shopping at Disney World can be, those purchases can quickly add up. Before you buy anything that looks like it isn’t a theme park exclusive, do a quick search on your phone to find out if it’s possible to purchase that particular item at a lower price elsewhere. Doing this will free up more money to buy something else instead.
Contact World Class VIP for the Best Shopping at Disney World
World Class VIP can help you take control of your theme park experience, which will leave more opportunities for shopping at Disney World with a Disney VIP tour. Our Disney VIP tour guides will assist you with spending less time in line, locating delicious food, finding your favorite characters, making Disney hotel reservations, and more. Call our staff at (407) 270-2519 to learn more about Disney World tours and we’ll set you up with a private VIP Disney tour quote.