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 and adults and $19 for a haircut anywhere is a great value these days.
The best value here is the First Haircut package, which is only $19! It includes commemorative Mickey Ears and a certificate.
Be Our Guest Breakfast and Lunch
A meal at one of the hottest spots at Disney World is hard to come by. Reservations for Be Our Guest often fill up the day they are released! And for good reason. You can’t beat a wonderful meal with enchanting atmosphere. Eating in the Ballroom or West Wing of the Beast’s castle is truly magical!
Dinner here is pretty pricey and sure, you can find a cheaper breakfast or lunch elsewhere, but we are talking value for your money, not rock bottom lowest price here. Breakfast and lunch are both quick service dining experiences (which makes them excellent uses for your dining plan credits!). Even when you are paying out of pocket, these are a great value! The food is of exceptional quality and your meal is delivered to your table after you order on real plates with real silverware. It feels kind of like cheating and getting a table service meal for quick service prices!
Pirate’s League
When most people think of makeovers at Disney World, they immediately think of Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique where little girls are transformed into Princesses. But there is another great makeover option at Magic Kingdom with great options for both boys and girls (of all ages!) with much lower prices than Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique. Prices for Pirates and Mermaids start at just $34.95 and $39.95, which is a great bargain when you compare it to the $59.95 starting price for Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique.
If you are looking for a bargain makeover at Disneyland, then Anna and Elsa’s Boutique in Downtown Disney is perfect! It is only $34.95 for a beautiful makeover that includes hair, makeup, nail polish, and a crown for kids ages 3-15. They also have a really cute Olaf makeover!
Pirate Adventure Cruises
Since we’re talking about pirate bargains already… here’s another! The Pirate Adventure Cruises are fantastic bargains. These are kids only adventures for kids ages 4 through 12. The Disney Cast Members do a great job leading these adventures and for only $37 your child gets a fun pirate adventure and a snack and you get two hours of kid-free time to shop, relax by the pool, or sneak off to ride some rides on your own! Bargain.
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 $28 for adults and $17 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.
Children’s Activity Centers
Want to go on a date night while you are at Disney World? There are many wonderful dining experiences that would make for a fabulous date night. And you can leave the kids (ages 3-12) to enjoy their own fun night at one of the Children’s Activity Centers. These cost $15 per hour with a 2 hour minimum and include dinner and snacks for your child. Considering the going rate for a baby sitter, knowing your child is having a blast at Disney World while you have some kid-free fun of your own, this is a bargain. There is a special program at the Sandcastle Club (Beach Club) and Lilo’s Clubhouse (Polynesian) that includes special programs, dinner, and snacks from 4:30pm-12am for a flat rate of $55 per child.
Memory Maker
Okay, I know most people wouldn’t consider something that costs $169 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 $14.95, $169 for hundreds of photos is definitely a bargain! Be sure to pre-purchase Memory Maker or you will pay $30 more if you decide to buy it after your trip.
Disney PhotoPass+ One Week at Disneyland wins the photo package bargain award, though at only $78 for the pre-purchase! Granted, there aren’t quite as many photo ops since it is a smaller resort, but we still left with 300+ photos from our vacation there in June. Bargain!
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:
- Free airport transfers via Disney’s Magical Express (and the magic starts before you even get to Disney World!)
- Free parking at the resort and parks for the duration of your stay
- Free MagicBands! That is such a fun package to receive in the mail!
- 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 fastpasses, as you can select those 60 days out instead of 30 days out
- The ability to reserve up to 10 days of dining reservations at 180 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!
