Disneyland on a Dime

Can you really do Disneyland on a dime?

Probably. Did we? Sorta.

Here are my tips and tricks to get through a WEEK at Disneyland without losing your house. And car. And maybe even bring home some souvenirs.

Tickets and Timing:
Go off season if you can. Less people, shorter lines, more comfortable weather, etc. Park hours are shorter from open to close and we didn't want to cut into our time in the park by leaving for lunch and break at the motel. We just brought snacks and copped a squat on a bench and people watched.
The more days you buy the cheaper, per day, the tickets end up being. Disney raised park entrance prices in May of 2012 and we missed the deadline so we ended up paying the inflated price. Nothing to be done about that, so be prepared to spend a grand on tickets for a family of 4 for 4 days in Disney.*

Lodging:
Every time I even think about Disneyland I check the prices and availability at the Disneyland Resort hotels first. And every single time I cry. There's no way that even if I could afford the prices that I would, in fact, pay those prices. Don't get me wrong, the experience is worth it if you can do it, but if you're on a tight budget, Disney Resort prices are not in the cards.

That being said, go for a Good Neighbor hotel. They are hotels near the resort that will provide you with a lower price (usually), and a quality endorsed by Disney.  Now that's not to say that you aren't going to get a stinker, because really, Disney can't do inspections every single day to make sure every single person is happy.

The employees at Good Neighbor hotels are especially informed about all things Disney related so if you have questions you can rely on them for accurate answers.

My tips on finding a hotel that will keep it on the less expensive side are these:
The more nights you stay, the bigger discount you get on your room.
Don't be a diva. If you have to have mints on your pillow you aren't going to be satisfied at a lower budget hotel.
Low budget doesn't mean you have to expect less. My main concerns are cleanliness and helpful, polite employees.
Many of the hotels/motels around the Disney resort are older. Think about it, some have been their for years and years. They make enough money with tourists that they can afford to do updates and often do. But don't expect the most modern decor. Again, CLEANLINESS is the most important thing, in my opinion. Motel art is ALWAYS ugly!

But I will always pick more money to spend at Disney rather than on a fancy schmancy room that I won't spend much time in.

Make sure your motel provides you with these musts:

Free parking. You'd be surprised how many hotels charge you a daily parking fee. Those fees add up fast.
Free breakfast. A meal a day that is covered? This saves big time.
Microwave and Fridge in room. This allows you to save leftovers, bring things from home, etc.
Free shuttle to the park. You won't have to pay for Disneyland parking and worry about Anaheim traffic.
Swimming Pool. Okay, so this might not be a priority for some people, but my boys LOVED the pool. Times that you aren't in the park are easily filled with pool time!

Note: The closer you are to Disney the less likely the place is going to have a shuttle to the park. They figure you can hoof it. TIP: A "couple blocks" in California speak is probably longer than you are going to want to walk with littles!

In the Park:
You can bring as much food, drinks and paraphernalia into the park as you want to haul around. You don't have to buy one single thing while you are in the park! Temptations abound and you might want to set a small budget for a treat now and then, but you don't have to.

Must haves for in the park:

WATER! I can not stress this enough. Unless you are a pack camel there's no way you're going to be able to bring enough water in if you don't have a little one in a stroller where you can store it. Tip: If you bring water bottles with the thought of refilling it from a fountain when it's empty? Don't! The water is ICK! Either get a cup at one of the restaurants and ask for water throughout the park at the restaurants or bring enough water bottles to cover you.

SNACKS! Your kiddos are going to want every churro, popcorn or candy apple they see...if you can distract them with your own snacks you'll put off the, "Mom, I'm hungry and dying!" conversation. If you have the room and ability, you can bring your meals for the day.

SUNSCREEN! Waiting in lines gets you lots of sun. Don't want to burn!

Fastpass: You don't need to have fastpasses but they help tremendously when the stand by line is 2 hours long. Get your fastpass, go do something else and come back for front of the line service at your appointed time.**

Souvenirs:

You might want to budget for a nice souvenir from Disneyland itself, and we did, but here's something that will shock you: We got the majority of our souvenirs from Walmart, Kmart, Target, etc. The big box stores have an extensive Disney "shop" in-store with a great selection and quality Disney products. Great place to buy small things like keychains and t-shirts.

These are just a few of the tips and tricks we used (some of them we didn't use because at some point convenience overrode my patience with preparedness.)

*If you're a California resident you get a special discount on annual membership passes which provides you with special discounts on everything purchased in park including food and souvenirs and you also get free parking!
**The only ride we needed a fastpass on was the Radiator Springs Racers. However, the line to actually GET the fastpass was as long as the line for stand by, so we didn't get one. Also, at some point, they run out of fastpasses for those really popular rides. My suggestion is to get the fastpass as soon as you get in the park to ensure you get one.