Let’s be honest, “Disney” and “bargain” don’t usually go together in the same sentence. But working with a good travel planner will help you get the best value for your vacation money. And great value and added magic make for a Disney bargain! Here are some of my favorite Disney bargains.
Harmony Barber Shop
Did you know there is a barber shop in Magic Kingdom? They offer haircuts for both children ($20) and adults ($21) and that is a great value these days.
The best value here is the First Haircut package, which is only $28! It includes commemorative Mickey Ears and a certificate.
A Pirate’s Adventure ~ Treasures of the Seven Seas
This is a really fun and free activity at Magic Kingdom. You can use your MagicBand to search for “treasure” in this interactive scavenger hunt around Adventureland.
Cape May Cafe
Character meals tend to be some of the most expensive at Disney World. But one of my favorite character meals is actually a Disney bargain as well! If you will be paying out of pocket, then breakfast at Cape May Cafe is a bargain for a character breakfast. The prices generally run about $49 for adults and $33 for children. The breakfast buffet here is incredible (and includes Mickey waffles!) and you will get to meet Minnie, Donald, and Goofy in their beachwear.
Memory Maker
Okay, I know most people wouldn’t consider something that costs $189 to be a bargain, but when you consider value, it truly is!
Memory Maker includes every photo that a Disney Photopass photographer takes of you at Disney World. This means that all the ride photos and videos, character meet and greet photos, meal photos, and any photo you stop and have taken is included. Even when I go for only a few days, I always leave with 300-500 photos from our vacation there. And the best part is everyone is in the pictures! It’s like having personal photographers for your family vacation. Considering one 4×6 print is $19.95, $189 for hundreds of photos is definitely a bargain! Be sure to pre-purchase Memory Maker or you will pay $25 more if you decide to buy it after your trip. It is valid for 30 days.
The best part, you can get photos for your family group up to 25 people included. You can also do a one day Memory Maker for $85 if you need that option. Of course that makes the 30 day purchase an even better value.
Chip n Dale’s Campfire Sing-Along
Now this truly is a bargain as it if free! Fort Wilderness hosts a campfire sing-along where you can play and dance with Chip and Dale (who are always so silly!), make s’mores, and sing songs. You can bring your own s’mores fixin’s or buy them there for around $10.
Lego Store at Disney Springs
One last freebie for you! The Lego Store at Disney Springs has bins full of Legos to play with for free! You’ll find a nice shaded play area right outside the store where your kids can play and you can sit and rest (there’s a Starbucks nearby where you can grab a drink).
Disney Resorts
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention what I consider to be one of the best Disney bargains! Most people assume that staying off-site will always save them money, but that if often not the case. Once you factor in other expenses such as a car rental or airport transfers, resort fees, parking fees, and paying for all your meals out of pocket, off-site resorts often end up the same price or even more expensive than Disney resorts. Here are some of the things that make a Disney resort stay a bargain:
- Great Transportation option – Since this is a popular destination there are both private and group transfer option.
- Luggage services so you can skip baggage claim when flying with Southwests (time is money)
- Free parking at the resort and parks for the duration of your stay
- Magic Band+ with a special discount
- Free transportation to the parks/your resort that comes about every 10 minutes (most off-site hotels are every 3-4 hours)
- First pick of lightning lanes, as you can select those 7 days instead of 3 days before your trip
- The ability to reserve up to 10 days of dining reservations at 60 days instead of one day at a time
- Savings on your dining experiences by being able to take advantage of one of the Disney Dining Plans
- Free package delivery to your room (great for shopping in the parks)
- The attention to detail and customer service you expect from Disney
- The ability to book your vacation package with just a $200 deposit so you can make payments instead of spending a large amount all at once
Magical Memory Planners
And, finally, the BEST Disney bargain of them all. You just can’t beat FREE concierge travel planning services for your Disney vacation! We will help put together the perfect vacation for your family, remind you of key dates, make dining reservations for you, and more. Contact us for a free quote and let’s start planning your magical vacation!
