Here's one I learned on my last trip. Don't toss out your recently purchased but broken item. I bought a $30 pair of sunglasses at the start of a 2 week trip. A few days into it they broke so I just figured "that's life" and tossed them, buying a second pair. On the last day of my trip the second pair broke. I was in the Animal Kingdom Lodge giftshop debating buying a third pair when the manager ( or some CM in a suit and tie ) told me that all I had to do was ask for new ones. He gave me the third pair for free and credited back the cost of one pair of sunglasses. I was blown away. I knew both pairs broke due to my own actions ( crushed while on rides ) so I just assumed responsibility and figured I'd have to buy them all over again. I had no idea management would replace them for free. Before you toss, at least go ask the gift shop if your can be replaced.
We bought a pair of watches, threw out the packaging (and receipt!!) and went about our day. When I looked down at mine a few hours later, it was dead. Walked into MouseGear, and the CM left what she was doing, took us right over to the display and gave me a new one. No questions asked.
My son's Mickey mouse balloon that I bought in the dollar tree got wet in the rain and weigh down the balloon. So after I got out a ride and went to pick up my stroller an employee told me to go get another balloon free of charge. We just smiled and said "that's ok, it will float again once it dries" which it did once it stop raining and the balloon dried.
Not to mention that there are dozens of shops around the Kissimmee Orlando area that sell cheap Disney memorabilia and souvenirs. May be not the original stuff, but the prices are very convincing.
I plan to use it for a frozen banana, too! $5.75 is not a bad snack credit price, actually. The snack credit is priced about $5 each in the plan. (And I LOVE the frozen bananas! I hope your mom really enjoyed hers :) )
@@JuniperMB I agree that would be a great use of a credit! In this example my mom literally used it on a banana.. like a single banana from the food court at POR. Regular priced like $2 at Disney and at Walmart probably $.30 LOL XD Next time I'll tell her to hold out for a frozen one!
We had to buy a Disney poncho years ago and we still reuse them (almost 10 years later). The good thing about Disney ponchos, if the rip DIsney will replace them for FREE even if it’s on a different tip!
Really?? Wish i had knowm that couple years ago. we were caught in sudden rain at Disneyland and i had to buy ponchos from Disney and they ripped so we just kept finding ways to hold it together until it stopped raining.
I don’t know if this happens all the time, but I lost a pair of sunglasses on space mountain once (they were not on my head, they were in the side pocket of my backpack, I do know to take them off my head on fast rides) and I stopped in the emporium to grab a new pair. The CM at the register asked why I needed a new pair and I explained that they had flown out of my backpack. He told me to hold on for one second while he grabbed his supervisor, and they let me have the new pair for free! This might have just been a nice thing to do, but it got me out of wasting $20 on a pair of sunglasses!
I think she just means for like babies and toddlers, they won't really know the difference if you got it in the store or online compared to like a 6 year old. They can get the same toys but cheaper especially since little kids break toys or get bored with them very fast.
Raisingparker I agree. I also thought that wasn’t relevant to this topic. I know people do that, but it’s not like you aren’t going to buy souvenirs while you’re there, so it’s not that much of a difference.
If you happen to live in a relatively populated area (or at least near by) look into something called a "buy nothing group" (google it), lots of people out there who see that there's still value in things even if they don't need them anymore rather than just throwing them away. My wife picked up a couple extra strollers this way, not the super cheap umbrella foldable ones either, we did get one foldable one but it was like a $150 stroller that's great for trips. Now if this is a last minute thing chances are you're unlikely to find exactly what you want, however if your trip is months out you can start looking early and hopefully get one and stash it away. Upside is strollers don't incur baggage fees on planes too!
Walmart do really nice ones I remember when I was 7 I got a Minnie Mouse one and I remember a Dalmatian one and were good quality lovely designs and cheap!
dont buy the avatar scanned doll in Pandora...looks nothing like you (basically paying big bugs for just the experience). BTW this channel and Tim tracker are your absolute go to channels prior to any Orlando trip :)
jma00a1 yesss I agreee. I watched almost every dfb vid I prior to going to Disney world and now I watch timtracker to get updates as I miss it soooo much
You can also bring your own snacks. Whenever we go, we bring a couple bags of dried fruit, nuts and whatever else isn't too heavy but will tide us over to the next meal.
If you can't afford photopass/memory maker, remember they will take pics with your camera or phone too! If you feel more comfortable you can have them scan a photo card and do the camera after. They are always happy to do it!!
christina giangarra For me it was a hit or miss, some of the workers would grab my phone and treat it like a photo shoot and take some awesome pics! Others would just hold it funny and I got a lot of blurry photos. 🤷🏼♀️
I am not no adult at all but I just suggest to try all the coolest experiences for just you two. Find a cool adult thing to do at Disney. Try all the goodies you can. I feel like it will be so much easier for you guys since no kids will be there :) enjoy your time! Even if your trip doesn’t go as planned, just look at all the cool things to do !
@@izzypeep9176 What "cool adult things" are you referencing? The whole point of having a video for couples without kids is to see things that I might not have thought of or didn't know about.
When my family goes to Disney our parents buy us one souvenir and if we want any other ones we have to buy them ourselves. They even do it with my 7 year old sister and it’s actually really effective because it teaches us how to wisely spend our and how to make decisions on weather it’s a good reason to buy something or not. Now I save a lot of my money and every time we go to Disney I can get souvenirs I will keep and cherish forever!
I lost my sunglasses on the Great Movie Ride two years ago, and a cast member found them for me! They ended up being broken, and they gave me a voucher for a free pair from one of the kiosks. Definitely always worth asking for help.
Extra sunscreen! I packed a brand new bottle of spray sunscreen on my last trip then the nozzle was broken. I had to stomach paying WDW prices for the sunscreen and I was so aggravated bc I had packed it. Bring extra sunscreen or at least lotion backup for your spray :) also oversized pens and any notebook for the characters to sign. My 5 year old couldn't have cared less that I spent money on an overpriced souvenir book. All she cared about was that she got their signature! Those are the few tips I have.
@@kimmccarthy7747 yes! They can't grab a regular sized pen with the big hands. Also I've seen suggestions to make sure your pen doesn't have a cap but that it clicks. Also helpful to the masked characters to handle. Or just make sure you uncap it before handing it to them.
We stock up on bottled water when we eat meals in the food courts at the resorts. We use our refillable mugs for drinks and then use the drink credit that comes with the meal plan on bottled waters. Doing that we are able to grab four every time we eat in the resort food court without having to use up snack credits on them.
If you’re still looking for this, I would suggest allowing them to have some freedom and walk around the park alone or together, depending on how old your teens are. The Disney parks are super super safe and easy to travel between, so if you have park hopper tickets and you have grumpy teens who wanna go to a different park or ride, let them do it! I would also suggest making sure they all have portable chargers, as waiting in the long lines without using your phone is pretty much impossible for a teenager to do, and if you let them go off on their own and their phones die... Not good.
@@theinternethastakenovermyl7209 I'm planning a trip with my mom and my teenage niece. While we're not willing to let her go without an adult, we're going to have a free day where we split up. She'll have one of us but she gets to call the shots. Any ride, any shows, any stores, whatever. She gets to be the boss.
I will be honest, it is easier to buy your souvenirs before you go, I like that. Just a funny thing with me, but a few years ago, my sister went to WDW for a day with her friend and she bought me the Disney Infinity Sorcerer Mickey figure. I know that’s something you could easily get at Walmart, Target, GameStop, etc. But if I’m being honest, getting that figure knowing that it came straight from Disney World itself, it just made it bit more magical for me. 😂
You can't modify same-day ADRs online, only via phone. Because of the tremendous effort involved for guests to make intricate plans 6-7 months prior, I feel no shame offering this tip to cancel a same-day ADR without fees: Call WDW-DINE to 'modify' the ADR you are unable to make that day. Have them change the date to a few days later (don't worry if you won't be in the area, it doesn't matter). Then later, go online and *cancel* the ADR online (or thru the app) sans fees..
My mom hoards dollar tree ponchos and umbrellas for our Disney trips! No need to spend more than that. Also my dad is the king of breaking sunglasses so also dollar tree for the win!
There's an Walmart in Old lake Wilson road, when you go inside the first thing you see is all Disney Merch. Clothes, bags, cups, frames, Mickey ears and so on. I bought somethings there and also some Mickey mouse bubbles and balloons at the Dollar tree near by. Not only was my 4 year old was happy wallet was too. The balloon also help me find my stroller quicker at the stroller parking in Disney
Mommy and Matthew In my opinion, kids could also get toys at other times if they have been very good and good kids all the time. If there is any kind of trip or Disneyland going, then I think the kids should get something out there because the things they bought from the trips are still very valuable souvenirs that are not sold in shops, and every thing that is bought, will be remembered for their wonderful trips. I highly recommend that you let the children choose what they like very much, their biggest dream and buy it. children may not like them at all.Purchase only the things that they really wanted and make them really happy.Sometimes they could rarely allow children to have the toys they deserve with their great nobility.If children are still very good, then, very rarely, they could just as well afford more expensive things. Very expensive things, then for the holidays. I advise against banning things that children really like, because then they start plans to just want more.I advise not to buy all the time, but sometimes very rarely still be able to afford something if they have been very good children for a long time.I certainly also recommend that you let the children choose from online stores, because there are just so many rare, popular, exciting, cakey, and sweet things that may not be available in stores. Hello there! Dear parents! Every child has the right to keep all the toys because they are valuable! If you have space, let them keep everything in their childhood! Keep the toys, if the kids like them very much!!! Could you please forward these messages to the other people and parents too,because it is very important for all of us that every single kid can get the best childhood ever and their dreams should also come true and they will be very happy then!!!It will teach all the parents,how to give the best childhood for their children!!!This is the best lesson for all the parents!!!Thank You!
i love DFBguide so much best disney lists channel. AJ you have the most calming voice lol i always have you on as a background even if im notdoing homework or something lol.
We ordered a Britta pitcher via Amazon and had it shipped to our hotel when we went. This way we always had Coldwater in our room, it was like $15 and super convenient
That's actually a really good idea! Could not tell you how many times I would get back to my room at the end of the day and be way too tired to go to the water refill station. Waking up in the morning dehydrated is not a good way to start the day!
I bought a bulk pack of "emergency" ponchos from a camping/wilderness supply company. They're folded to the size of a postcard, so perfect for packing 2 or three in your backpack for the day. Even if it doesn't rain, they're nice to have on water rides, even if you just sit on them to prevent a wet bottom :) They're a bit wasteful yes, but about on par with a grocery bag which I never use, so I call it even. I also bring my own water bottle, straw and cutlery pack, so I don't feel bad about this small disposable indulgence.
Real tip: if you buy a poncho, keep the receipt...if it breaks you can take the broken poncho and receipt to one of the stores to get a replacement. Always hold on to poncho receipts. Might work for umbrellas too...not sure.
I have to agree. There is a bad taste to the free cup water you get at counter service locations. The best idea is to make time and go to CVS or Walgreens and pick up a cheap case of water for like $3! Best idea we use all the time!!
Tap water in Florida comes in two flavors: Sulphur or chlorine. :) Go with the Starbucks suggestion if you want free water. They triple-filter their water for use in their coffee machines.
Love DFB! If you have someone in your group who can't do a lot of walking don't rent the ECV in the parks use an outside company. Many will deliver right to your resort and then you can use it around the resort and not just the parks. Plus it is a lot cheaper.
That is a great tip. We eventually went one step further: We bought a $150 used ECV off Craigslist. Surprisingly, our airline JetBlu not only made it perfectly easy (and free) to bring aboard, they actually upgrade our party to the "more leg room" seating which is $80rt per ticket. We used that $150 scooter for 5 trips and 3 times JetBlu upgraded our seating for free. That used scooter paid for itself many times over.
Just to clarify, we didn't drive the scooter into the plane but we were able to drive it up the ramp right to the plane's door. From there we put it in neutral and took our key, then staff took the ECV down to storage. Upon landed the ECV was waiting right outside the plane's door, along with other people's strollers and such.
We had a reservation for Mama Melrose this past February and didn't want to keep it. I went into Mama Melrose and asked if we could cancel it the day of the reservation and they cancelled it for me with no problem and did not charge us for cancelling. So I think it's always worth asking. We would have went had they not been able to cancel the reservation without the fee but glad we asked.
Great video! I tell everyone about these tips to save some cash. My favorite is the free water but I would suggest the Brita filtered water bottles if you are not used to drinking water in Florida. We’ve learned from experience this works and ensures no one has to spend their Disney day in the bathroom....
When out shopping for souvenirs I will take pictures of everything I want and decide later and will return to buy if I have time. To be safe I always ask if certain things are at World of Disney at The Springs because as much as they say most things are there, many things you can only find in certain locations!
If you must rent an ECV rent it from an outside vendor. For us to rent one it was $200.00 for an 8 day trip. If we had rented it from Disney it would have been $75.00 a day and you have to leave it at the park. I hope this helps.
Similar to your tip about ponchos and umbrellas, if you know you'll be there when it's hot, and you think you would want a squeeze breeze bottle (the spray bottles with the fan) save yourself a ton of money and buy one before your trip. I used to sell them when I was in the college program 11 years ago. They were $18 then and probably are even more expensive now and they break all the time! Also remember to bring extra batteries for them.
On the subject of umbrellas and ponchos, make sure you keep track of them. We had a couple of them walk off on their own at quick serve restaurants on our last trip. It could have been worse than umbrellas.
Ahhh, yes. I took my daughter to Disney about 25 years ago. We went into the playground of "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids"; when we came out, our Disney stroller was gone! Someone actually took the half-eaten popcorn bag and drink that were in it, and left them on the ground. I couldn't believe it! Had to go all the way back to the stroller place to get another one. Had to carry the 3 year old most of the way. People 😕
I had a poncho and an umbrella on my last trip. They were useless. I ended up just wearing flip flops and putting a change of clothes and a towel in a ziplock bag just in case. Then when it rained, we just dealt with it. When it cleared we changed in a restroom. Was much easier. Maybe it's cause I'm from the PNW but the rain isn't that big of a deal. Sometimes when it's 90 out it's a nice break.
I definitely learned about the overspending on hotels. As much as I enjoy staying at a deluxe hotel, I realized it was not suited towards my touring style - spend all day in the parks. Switched over to values, and I love it!
If you're by the restraunt you have reservations at & find that you won't be able to keep your appointment (like say you have to go back to your resort for an emergency [ shoe mishap]) you can cancel in person & if you explain & request not to be charged, they usually are understanding & will not charge a cancellation fee. So grab a quick meal know by the time you do that canceled reservation will be filled & they knew it would be.
AJ I have to say we love DFB so much and you guys made our last trip so absolutely awesome - we used so many of your tips and ate soooo many great snacks and meals because of your recommendations. THANK YOU so very much for your continued awesome videos!!
Great tips, AJ! I will say if you are frequently visiting the parks or are vacationing during rainy season a Disney poncho can be a good value! Just keep the receipt then if it gets a rip or tear take it to a merchandise location that sells ponchos & they will replace it for free :)
We left our brush at a restaurant and my husband had to buy one at our resort for the next day. It was almost 20.00 for the only brush they had, which is a minnie mouse bow on the back of a cheap black brush. When you try to brush your hair, the bow hits your head and the brush feels like it's going to fall apart if you hit any tangles... terrible waste of money!
I think the worst thing to spend money on in Disney are the balloons. I love balloons and the sight of the huge bunch of them on Main Street USA always makes me tear up, but...if you’re flying, you can’t really take it back home very easily on a plane. Last year, my nephew was so upset to learn he couldn’t bring his home. Not to mention, they are very expensive and unless you have a stroller to tie it to, annoying to carry around all day. Sorry, balloons!! 😬🎈🎈🎈🎈🎈🎈🎈🎈🎈🎈🎈🎈🎈
for a moment I thought this was going to be an April fool's video with content such as "never waste money on souvenirs and dole whips" but it is legit :P
Years ago Disney gave me for free a dinning plan. It way more food than we could eat so we had a bunch of snacks so I went to the store and picked up all kind of danish for the trip home. Also if you need a scooter bring your own or you can rent one off site for $25 cheaper and you can use it outside of the parks.
Honestly I just buy one of those refillable soda cups that you get at the hotels and fill those with water when I go to the parks. It’s like a universal drink cup for everything lol.
If you have toddlers up to 5 year olds bring an umbrella stroller! This will help you get more miles in and is very easy to take on the buses. Wish they had umbrella strollers for adults too!
I was so disappointed when you said to bring a stroller since it’s the most annoying thing when you’re tired and in line for the bus then up struts Sharon and her three six year olds (that can’t use their legs for some reason) and their big ol stroller taking up half the bus
My family has another strategy for the thunderstorms in the summer - go on a ride. Anything that has a roof and a short or covered line works fine. The typical afternoon thunderstorms don't last very long, so odds are good it won't be raining by the time you're done. That said, a poncho is still a good idea if you want to go on a ride like Splash Mountain without getting too wet.
Some souvenirs are so popular, yet completely baffle me as to why. Those Mickey Mouse gloves come to mind, which are expensive and will never be used once you're outside of the park. I also find the Disney clothing in the parks to be so tacky. But hey, everyone is free to spend how they like.
If you are an Amazon Prime member, get things delivered to your resort for free (if Prime eligible of course) - if you are not a member, having a free trial for Prime around the time of your vacation may be worth trying but don't forget to cancel! Travel towels are very light and dry quickly and are a must for water rides! You can get small ones with carabiners attached which are very useful. In a similar vein, water sneakers/sandals which have toggle fastening (no soggy laces!) and perforations to let water drain out are great. I like the type which is a sandal with a closed toe. Outdoor/camping shops sell neck wraps that you soak in water and they stay cold for a long time, which feel amazing in the heat! Also, don't forget a hat - the bucket or explorer type is better than a baseball cap as you get some neck protection (and don't forget to put enough sunscreen on your neck!).
AJ please mention that when taking advantage of free water stops that guests should fill their own containers from the CUPS provided and not directly into their cup or bottle. For sanitary reasons of course. :)
why??? as long as you don't touch the nozzle with your reused cup or bottle then I don't understand the reasoning. Having less waste at Disney or anywhere is a score in my books. Love that they are doing away with lids and straws as well (I'll be bringing my reusable metal straw with me as I hate paper straws)
@@sabrinaspears8902 because it's gross and unsanitary. Not everyone has the common sense to keep their container at a distance, as much as I'd love to think that they would.
I love when it rains. Everyone scatters to cover so I take the advantage to get to where i want to go PLUS I get a nice way to cool off from the Florida heat! It's a win win for me🤣🤣
-21 days! I went 3 weeks ago, on spring break.... honestly it wasn’t as bad as expected, I hope you enjoy it!! I did! ALSO! Be sure when in line for Mine Train or Slinky Dog Dash, if you see people getting out of line and coming back in, or just coming back in saying they “Were already in line” or “had to go to the bathroom” don’t let them back in line! Unless you See they have a toddler with them getting water or going to the bathroom. It costs you 30 minutes of standing! People cut in line all the time now and it makes your experience awful!
Bought my little girl a Disney Princess Dress before we left from Little Adventures. It was cheaper, great quality, washable (multiple times), and she was so excited to wear it to meet Cinderella (plus it was comfortable!). Looked just like something we could have bought at the park and WAYY cheaper.
I have to agree with chimnysweep there are many other Disney videos but AJ is just very nice to listen to and gets the message across is a very happy and fun way thank you.
There’s something about buying Disney gifts for your kids at the parks. There are memories attached to the gifts you buy at whatever park you might be in.
@I Wanna Go Home I'm not sure, we all went on a package price and had 2 rooms to fit us all in. For us, we scored free dining which helped and spent probably 7 grand including our gas to travel to wdw.
I went in October 2014 and we got SUPER lucky weather wise! Hurricane Gonzalo was just turning east well off the coast, and the first day we felt the blast of its humidity, but after that it was clear, warm, and dry the whole 10 days we were there, with highs in mid 80s and lows in upper 60s. So walking to the beach behind our room at the Polynesian to watch the fireworks was a great experience!!
@Bahboo 357 It's in the Outlet mall not far from Disney. It's either Premium Outlets or Prime Outlets. There's two of them that are not far from one-another. Both have a Disney outlet, though.
Omg this channel and AJ helps me so much I'm getting ready for my trip next month to Disney and it's my first time so I'm doing my research to be prepared when I go Update: I'm going to Disney world today!!!
We find that the free water at the parks often has a horrible aftertaste to it. If we're flying, we bring along packets of water flavoring to add to the free water in our water bottles. However if we're driving, we buy cases of water bottles and flavored seltzer water bottles to bring along with us.
I have been to Disney world and let me tell you if you go to a Walmart or a Target a couple minutes away from Disney there most likely gonna have a section just for Disney it’s the same items but cheaper! They have Disney merchandise
One plus to the rental strollers is that if you go to other parks, you can just show them the receipt to prove that you rented another stroller at one of the other parks and you can get the rental stroller for free. I believe the same thing would go for parking as well. That saves you some money, so don’t just throw away those receipts once you get them otherwise you’ll be throwing away money as well!
Re bottled water: we always buy a case from Garden Grocer and have it delivered to our room. I know you can get free water in the parks, but the FLA water tastes horrible!
very very nuanced detail, but grab some of those fan/water bottle combos at the local walmart or what have you. For a family you'll save at least $20-30. They are life/skin-savers on a hot day and guests (from my experience as a cast member) LOVE them. Used to spray ppl with them at the Haunted Mansion queue (with their permission of course!).
A quick tip for buying souvenirs for kids: my dad had a great system for our Disney trips when I was a kid. I was allowed to pick out one small item (I.e a pin, a tiny stuffed animal, basically anything that fit in my hand) per day during our trip. At the end of the trip, I could also pick out a really big item (I.e a playset or doll). That really helped keep costs down in the long run bc whenever I’d get excited about a big item, he’d say “we still have a few days left on our trip-are you sure?”, and I’d decide to wait until the last day. In fact, at the end of the week I’d usually change my mind to something slightly cheaper for my “big souvenir”.
5:30 you can also go to the closest stores arround the down town disney areas like walmart and find stuff on clearance straight from the parks, they send stuff out to other stores instead of stores in the parks because they dont want clearance racks in the parks :) you can even get cheap pin packs at neighbouring stores aswell
May not always work but we got sun baked and over tired one day so tried to cancel our reservation for a restaurant we were booked at in about 3 hours time, we were just honest and said it was too much and they cancelled it no problem. Don't feel embarrassed to tell them if you are sun baked or feeling ill or overwhelmed.
I see people filling entire suitcases with snacks at the end of their trip. It not only saves money, but lets the kids have a bit of magic after the trip. I got a complimentary poncho on a Disney cruise when a Port Adventure to the Mexican rain forest lived up to its name. I know how expensive they are, so have treated my "freebie" as though it were Chanel couture!
Heres a tip from me who has never been to Disneyland but seen many videos NEVER BUY THOSE SWEETS OR CANDY THAT ONLY WRAPPED THEM WITH A MICKEY FACE WRAPPER since at dollar tree you could get a colorful lollipop for 1$ but at Disney it costs 3 or 4 bucks just because it has a Mickey or Disney wrapper just saying try to stay away from those generic candy that has a disney wrapper since the cost a lot just for plastic
Always go to the Disney character warehouse before going to the parks! They sell official Disney merch for a huge fraction of the price. Some things are even sold at the parks for the full price even if it’s in the store!
For hydration, definitely either 1) have a case of cheap bottled water shipped to your hotel, or 2) as others have suggested, bring a Brita pitcher with you to filter tap water, and 3) Invest in one or two of the giant insulated 7-Eleven coffee mug/jugs you can get from Amazon or 7-Eleven to keep a supply of chilled water close at hand, and 4) if the water still doesn't taste great even after filtering, carry a few of those tiny squeeze-bottle "water enhancers" to make your carry-along water supply more palatable.
Re: Disney Umbrellas - I'm surprised to hear that they have gone so far up in price and down in quality. Some odd years ago - literally - we got caught in one of the Florida rains and bought Disney umbrellas from whatever store was close to wherever we were in the park. As I recall they were $10 each or less and I still keep one in my car as a backup. In fact I often travel with it on business because it fits in my tiny carry on bag. These were cheap and great. (Times change and due to the vagaries of current air travel we tend to drive, so we bring large, good umbrellas with us..........)
I just went to Disney last week, brought my umbrella with me every. day. And whenever I thought about leaving it, I wouldn't, because I knew that the day I left it was the day it was going to rain!! It didn't rain any of the days I was there! I call it my lucky (and ironic) umbrella.
Thank you for mentioning the Disney Character Warehouses! They are my favorite stop on any trip to check out heavily discounted merch 😎 And also, take advantage of the free ice water! You can ask at least almost any quick service for a cup of ice water and they give it to you. How I refill my water bottle if I can't get to a water fountain.
