If you’ve been following along you know we just took a trip to Disney World last month and here we are again.   We actually had no plans to travel this Winter because my parents were both in the hospital in January.   Because of this both our recent Disney trips were planned about a week in advance.  For this trip I got the opportunity to try out Ebates’ new “Travel Thursday” promotion.  I’m sharing a few pictures from our trip, things we did different this time around, and how we saved in the process.

Tips To Save Money On A Disney World Vacation

There are ENTIRE BLOGS devoted to saving money on a Disney World vacation.  We are relative newcomers so please refer to them too, but since we just took back to back trips I can share what we did differently the second time around.

Bundle the Vacation

If you read my post about being Magic Kingdom newcomers some of this won’t be a surprise to you.  While both our trips were booked last minute, this time we bundled our flight and hotel through Orbitz, via Ebates.   Did you know if you link to travel sites through Ebates you get additional cash back?    They just started a “Travel Thursdays” program where you can get 10% cash back by booking hotels through Ebates!  It added less than 10 seconds to my booking time because I’m already registered with Ebates.

Link To Your Travel Site Through Ebates

Last time we traveled to Disney we stayed off grounds and we regretted it.   We are taking short trips because we have so much going on at home.   This makes it particularly important to maximize our time in Disney.    This trip we booked our stay at the Grand Floridian Resort Hotel WITH flights for less than our flights alone on our last trip.   Bundling the flight and hotel along with the Ebates rebate saved us a lot of money.

Get Groceries Delivered

Another way we saved – that you guys recommended – was ordering groceries!   So many online platforms now offer grocery delivery for a very small fee.  I prefer to eat dinner out, but otherwise I like some healthy options in the room for quick meals and snacks.   Food is usually our biggest travel expense once we arrive so this helped tame that budget.  I also find the Orlando tap water to have a foul smell.   Anyone else notice that?   I blow through bottles of water which cost $3 EACH if I buy them at the hotel or theme parks.

You’ll see below I ordered room service for the first time EVER the morning we want to Magic Kingdom.   While I can walk several miles without getting HANGRY – my kids cannot.   So to keep them content I wanted to really fill their bellies before the long day ahead.

Carry-On Only

Sign of the times – all the airlines are starting to add fees.    I almost always travel with only a carry on (see my tips for traveling light) because most airlines don’t charge for them.   This saves me time and money at the airport.

Is the Meal Plan Worth It?

Some of you mentioned a Disney meal plan after my last post.   I looked into it, but there were no current deals and a lot of reviews said it was made for people who wanted to eat and drink a lot during their stay.   I don’t like to eat very heavy, especially during the day, so we did not go with the meal plan this time.  I’m curious to know if you’ve used it before!   Drop a comment below if you have first hand experience!

Enjoy What Your Hotel Has To Offer

A simple way to save is not to go to the parks everyday.   A day pass to Magic Kingdom is over $100 and my kids are so happy just hanging at the hotel pool.

If you haven’t stayed at the Grand Floridian it was SO BEAUTIFUL.  It’s modeled after the Hotel Coronado. As a kid I traveled elsewhere in Disney World with my family and I never thought I’d be able to stay at the Grand Floridian someday.  You can see from the photos the place is picturesque.  If you think it’s out of your budget I’d encourage you to check out bundling your flight and hotel through Ebates.   Make sure to factor in the rebate they’ll send you for booking through their site.

If you’re budget doesn’t allow you to stay at the Grand Floridian, there are a lot of other great Disney hotel options you can also check through Ebates Travel.  Don’t miss out on 10% cash back at Ebates hotel and more, today only for Travel Thursday.   Today (March 22) Orlando happens to be the weekly destination promotion so check out what deals you can find!   And remember, if you have a credit card with travel rewards, that too can be additional savings.

So many of you are Disney experts!!!   This is only my second trip there as an adult.   I’d love to hear your tips for where you save or splurge in the comments below.

Thank you to Ebates and ShopStyle for sponsoring this post.