Disneyland Resort – Priceless Experiences & Great Deals

Summer is here and the planning of family trips begins! Today I am beginning a series on saving money at theme parks and making sure you get the most experience for your money.

Our family generally visits Disneyland at least once a year. We are blessed to live close enough to most of the theme parks in So Cal to take day trips and that saves us a bundle. Disneyland is not usually the most inexpensive experience, but the amazement and adventure for kids and adults alike can be priceless! The boys all love different aspects of Disneyland and I am hoping we can make it to California Adventure this year too.

First Thing First –Tickets!

If you live in So Cal there is a great saving option you can take advantage of to get your tickets at the very best price and extend your experience.

The Summer Fun Pass – For $99 you get a 3 Day Hopper Pass — that is $33 a day and a great price if you plan to hit both Disneyland and California Adventure. For just $35 more, you can upgrade your Summer Fun Pass to an Annual Pass! July 4 is excluded but it is my experience that you will want to avoid the park on holidays anyway. The passes are good for 45 days from activation. You can get all the specifics for this offer here.

If you will be visiting Disneyland from another area and plan to do a So Cal amusement themed trip I highly recommend the So Cal City Pass option. You get a 3 Day Hopper Pass good for both the Disneyland Parks and you also get admission to Universal Studios, Sea World, and the San Diego Zoo OR the San Diego Wild Animal Park for one price of $259 for adults and $215 for kids. That is a BIG dollar amount — especially if you have a larger family, but when you look at the regular admission prices for a 3 Day Hopper Pass and General Admission to Universal – that is already $266 so you essentially get 2 more parks for free.

If your visit will be a totally Disney focused stay you will want to check out the 5-Day Park Hopper® Bonus Ticket for the Price of 3 Days which includes one Magic Morning** entry into Disneyland® Park before the public arrives!

If your employer, church or community organization offers discount tickets always be sure to check with them too! Disneyland offered our Regional Center a fabulous group rate a few years ago and it made Aaron’s 3rd Birthday a blast!!

Speaking of birthdays — I almost forgot the incredible offer to Get in FREE on your Birthday!! Register for a free Birthday ticket for 2009 here and you will get in on your birthday absolutely FREE!It doesn’t get any less inexpensive as FREE! If you have a pass already and you go on your birthday Disneyland will issue you a gift card for the ticket amount to spend in the park. Rock on!!

The Food — It’s Important

This is where you can really break the bank, but a little planning can save you a lot.

Eat a big breakfast before you get there.We generally have to leave the house very early and eating before the sun is up does not agree with my tummy so we usually plan to hit a breakfast house like Denny’s and fill up on a Grand Slam or the likes before we get there. I also pack some fruit and snacks and ask the kids if they need a snack before we head into the park.

Find a refill option on beverages and purchase that first. I drink a LOT of diet coke in a day. Not so much when we are out but I still need my fix and my kids are big beverage consumers also. The refillable option allows you to drink for less without breaking park rules by bringing in a drink and you can also refill it with water for free!

Lunch - You can always pack a lunch and hike back to the car to eat. I feel like we lose too much of our day by doing this and my secret lunch location is the Corn Dog Cart right on Main Street! For around $8 you get a HUGE hand battered corn dog and a drink! My little 2 share a corn dog and it more than fills the rest of us up!

Dinner - We generally take the monorail out to Downtown Disney for dinner. This is not a cheap option, but a less expensive one compared to eating in a restaurant in the park. Our family favorite is Rainforest Cafe and we have even been able to score $10 off coupons there our last 2 visits! Downtown Disneyhas many different options from Mexican to ESPN’s sports themed restaurant .

My BFF Crissy says you have to eat at California Adventure to complete your experience there…just consider it part of the entertainment fees. You can tour the Mission Tortilla Factory at the Wharf — and they give you a FREE TORTILLA! YUM!! You can also tour the sourdough bread bakery and sample their sourdough goodness. If you did not get enough fill in the hot dog arena at the corn dog cart — or you are on your next visit you can grab lots of hot dog deliciousness from one of many stands and if you are not up for taking a chance you can also sample some McDonald’s fare.

Souvenirs- Here is where I know it can get sticky for some families! In our family we set a limit for the kids before we go. That can buy them a souvenir or a snack but the limit is the limit. I have friends who plan ahead and grab some gifts at The Disney Store beforehand. Because we live so close, I usually don’t feel like we need to buy a lot and my kids know that so it is usually a non-issue but we have had our share of melties too. Knowing your budget and sticking to it is key. The memories won’t be as enjoyable if the unplanned expenses are taunting you.

From Buzz Lightyear’s Astro Blasters Disneyland to Toy Story Mania in California Adventure and all the fabulousness in between a little planning — a lot of saving — and a ton of fun can be had at both of these fabulous parks and as MasterCard says…the memories — PRICELESS.

How do you save money, time or sanity when you visit Disneyland Resorts? Share with us in the comments!

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