No matter what your vacation travel budget is, it is always nice to be able to save money.  Perhaps there is no other vacation destination where this is more important than the Walt Disney World Resort.  By following these 8 great money saving tips you can save hundreds of dollars that can either put your dream vacation within reach or allow you to splurge on some added features that you can now fit into your budget.

8 Great Disney World Vacation Money Saving Tips

1. Plan your trip to be 6-7 days long.  With the pricing structure of the Disney World Theme Park tickets it is in your best interest to schedule one longer trip as opposed to 2 shorter trips.  The Disney Theme Park Tickets are one of your largest expenses.  A family of 4 can save nearly $1,000 by taking one longer vacation versus 2 short ones.
2. Disney's Magical Express Service should definitely be used if you are flying.  This provides FREE shuttle service to and from the Orlando International Airport (MCO) to your Disney World Resort Hotel.  By not getting a rental car or paying for a taxi or shuttle you can save nearly $200 for a family of 4.
3. Take advantage of Disney World Resort Discounts.  During most of the year Disney World offers significant discounts for its Resort Hotel rooms.  You can find the current discounts at: Only WDWorld Disney World Discounts - Current.  You can often save hundreds of dollars by using these discounts.  The Disney World Resort Hotels are the one area that Disney World regularly discounts so it is in your best interest to take advantage of it.
4. Purchase Base Magic Your Way Tickets.  The Disney World Theme Park Tickets are called Magic Your Way (MYW) and can be purchased as Base Tickets for the number of days that you wish.  There are also add-on options called Park Hopper and Water Fun & More.  If it is your first Disney World vacation avoid the urge to add these options.  They may unnecessarily add hundreds of dollars to your family's vacation bill.  Even if you think you might need the option, remember this tip: Options and ticket upgrades can occur any time during your vacation without cost penalty, but you cannot downgrade your ticket to one without options if you find you didn't use them.
5. Stay at a Disney World Resort Hotel.  If you do not plan to spend much time in your room, opt for one of the Value Resorts and you still get all of the great amenities like: Free Parking at the Resort and Theme Parks, Free Park Transportation, Free Magical Express, Extra Magic Hours, & close access to Disney World Parks so that you can easily take a mid-afternoon break.  The Value Resorts can be priced as low as $56/night* with some of the discounts that are offered during the year. *Lowest price during 2011
6. Stick to the 4 main parks to avoid the "extra expenses". There are more activities in the 4 main parks than you can do in one week's time. In order to minimize costs, skip the Water Parks, Miniature Golf, Bicycle and Watercraft Rentals and all of the extra expense activities that you can do at Disney World. If you want to get beyond the parks visit the Boardwalk or Downtown Disney, or use the Disney World complementary transportation to have dinner at one of the Resort Restaurants. If you have already paid for the admission to the parks use that admission to the fullest. The extras are nice, but can add a lot of cost to your vacation. Don't forget the parades, nighttime shows and fireworks. This is where Disney World separates itself from other "parks".
7. Set an allowance for souvenirs and impulse purchases ahead of time. Determine your budget for those types of items before your trip and make sure that you and the kids stick to it. There is an endless stream of opportunities to buy items on the Disney World property. Accept the fact that you cannot buy everything and set a budget that you can live with. If you decide after the trip that you really wish you would have made a specific purchase, you can call guest relations and they can connect you with cast members that can take your order and ship the item to you. It is not talked about much, but you can do this. Also make sure you keep copies of the Park Guides and Maps to take home. They make wonderful additions to scrapbooks of your trip.
8. Set A Budget For Food.  There are many different ways to keep for expenses down while still enjoying your vacation.  The Disney Dining Plan will provide some savings, but its biggest benefit is you know ahead of time what your dining expenses will be. 
   
   If you are not using the Disney Dining Plan then consider this tip: Many of the nicer table service restaurants offer most of their dinner menu during lunch at a significant savings.  For example, if you really wanted to try the Signature Dish at Le Cellier - the Mushroom Filet you can order it for lunch for $14 less than what it will cost you at dinner.  This is also true with the Disney World Buffets.  There is a significant savings if you dine there for lunch instead of dinner.  For most restaurants Lunch is considered to be from 11:00 am - 3:00 pm.

Save Money Without Sacrificing The Enjoyment
You can use any or all of these tips to save significant amounts of money without depriving yourself of a great vacation experience.  A Disney World Vacation may never be considered cheap, but there are certainly ways to avoid paying more than you have to and still have the vacation of your dreams!

Besides the park tickets, lodging can be one of, if not the most expensive parts of your visit to the Walt Disney World Resort.

The first decision that you need to make is whether to stay on-site at one of the Disney World Resort Hotels or off-site at one of the numerous Orlando area hotels.

We have done both over the years and now we stay almost exclusively on-site. We do that because the resorts have a lot to offer and we can save money doing it.

Here’s how:

1. If you fly into the Orlando International (MCO) airport and stay on-site you can take advantage of Disney’s Magical Express service that transports you and your bags directly to and from your resort at no extra charge. This is a huge savings versus paying for a shuttle, towncar, or rental car. We have tried all of the options over the years and we are thrilled that Disney offers this free service. For a family this saves you close to $200 per trip.
2. No parking fees for on-site guests. Even if you choose to drive to the theme parks, you get free parking privileges saving $14/day. This can really add up versus staying off-site and driving to Disney World Theme Parks each day and paying to to park.
3. They have resorts for every budget. By segregating their resorts into Value, Moderate, and Deluxe, they offer solutions to meet everyone’s needs. Whether you want the lowest price or you wish to be pampered, they have options for you.  Besides you can't beat the incredible theming that you will find at a Walt Disney World Resort Hotel. 
4. Take advantage of frequent discount codes for Disney World Hotel room discounts on-site.  These codes can save you hundreds of dollars per trip. These are codes issued by Disney for use by the general public. They can be used for making reservations directly with Disney or through your favorite Disney Specialized Travel Agent.
5. Time is money. By staying on-site you save on travel time and can enjoy more of your vacation. Mid-day breaks are also possible. This is a big plus when travelling with children.
6. The Disney Theming extends to the resorts, so they are like a part of the parks. This allows another free benefit that you get more of that Disney Magic during your vacation.

When taking a Walt Disney World Resort vacation deciding whether or not to purchase the Disney Dining Plan option is a big decision.  The cost of the Disney Dining Plan is not inexpensive, so it is important to know how to get the most for your money and if it is a good deal for your family.

There are several different Dining Plans at Disney World to choose from, but we will focus on the popular original Disney Dining Plan.

2010 Disney Dining Plan Prices:
Disney Dining Plan -  Adult: $41.99/night; Child (ages 3-9): $11.99/night

Disney World Dining Plan Basics:
Here are just a couple of basics about the Disney Dining Plan:

• One Table Service Meal per night of your resort stay. Includes: Entree, Dessert, and non-alcoholic beverage. Gratuity not included.
• One Quick Service Meal per night of your resort stay.  Includes: Entree (or combo meal), Dessert, and non-alcoholic drink.
• One Snack per night of your resort stay.

For more details about how the Disney Dining Plan works go to: Disney Dining Plan Facts.

Getting The Most For Your Money:
Getting the most for your money will mean different things to different people.  Depending upon the needs of your family, your objectives will be different.  Here are strategies for three of the most common categories.  Use this information to get the best results for your particular family.

Families with Children (Ages 3-9):
Dining at Disney World is more than just food, it is an entertainment experience.  With young children, we would highly suggest that you use your table service credits to visit the Character Dining Experiences that are available for 1 Table Service Credit.  Suggestions include: Chef Mickey's, 1900 Park Fare, Crystal Palace, & Princess Storybook Dining at Akershus in Norway - Epcot.

The character Dining locations mentioned here are all buffet meals, so you can be fed quickly(important for impatient children after a long day in the parks), find something that suits even the picky eaters, and have portions appropriate to the eating habits of your child.  Plus you get to meet Disney Characters, obtain autographs, and get your pictures taken with them at no extra charge.

There are many Quick Service Meals that have large portions.  Consider sharing them so that you will have extra Quick Service credits to eat breakfast.  You can and should also use some of your snack credits on breakfast items.

Families with no children or older children (10+):
This is your opportunity to try some of the great food that Disney World has to offer.  There are many great restaurants that combine atmosphere with fine cuisine.  With the Disney Dining Plan you can order whatever you want on the menu.  If you want steak each night, you can have steak.  Suggested restaurants include: Le Cellier, Coral Reef, & Les Chefs de France.  This is your chance to try something you have always wanted to try, but changed you mind due to the menu price.

Visit quick service locations like: Sunshine Seasons & Tangieriene Cafe in Epcot, Flame Tree Barbecue in Animal Kingdom, Cosmic Ray's in Magic Kingdom, Fairfax Fare in Hollywood Studios, and Wollfgang Puck Express in Downtown Disney.  Each of these restaurants serves large portions and great food that is much better than your typcial burger and fries.

Families with Big Appetites:
If you want to enjoy the food that Disney World has to offer, but are concerned about the smaller portions that some of the upscale restaurants offer here are some choices to consider: Boma at Animal Kingdom Lodge, Biergarten at Epcot, Crystal Palace at Magic Kingdom, and 'Ohana at Disney's Polynesian Resort.  Each of these are buffets or all you can eat family style locations that give you the opportunity to taste great food and eat all that you want.

These dining locations show that you do not have to sacrifice on taste in order to get larger portions.  These are all family friendly locations.

Again you will want to visit the quick service locations listed above to get large portions, great food, and great value for your Disney Dining Plan credits.

Maximizing Dining Plan Dollars - Summary
Getting the most for your money is more than just obtaining the highest dollar value food.  It includes making the dining portion of your trip stressfree and enjoyable.  Picking the right restaurants for your group is key to achieving that objective.  The stressfree part comes from knowing that you can let each member of the family order whatever they want off of the menu or choose what they want from the buffet.

Since it is prepaid - opt for the restaurants with the higher menu prices when you have similar choices that the family will enjoy.  For example if you are thinking Italian food: try Tutto Italia instead of Mama Melrose or Tony's Town Square.  Get your steak dinner at Le Cellier instead of the restaurant in your resort.  Also use this opportunity to try something that you have never had before, but always wanted to try.

Make the most of your quick service meals.  Skip the burgers and take advantage of the great options that are available at some of the quick service locations mentioned earlier.

Lastly, make use of your snack credits throughout your vacation.  Do not hoard them until the end.  Avoid paying cash when you can use a snack credit instead.  Using snack credits for breakfast items: Muffins, Danishes, Fruit Cups is a great way to maximize the value of your Dining Plan.  Avoiding having to pay additional money for food during your vacation should be a goal.

Still Unsure?
For a financial breakdown of the "value" of the Disney Dining Plan read: Is The Disney Dining Plan A Good Deal?