10 Money Saving Tips For Your Disney Cruise
Docked at Disney’s Private Island
On the 5 night Disney cruise aboard the Fantasy Ship, I was able to save some money and not skip on any of the magic!
Here are my top tips to help you do the same:
1️⃣ Booking Early – Book far in advance when the price is at it’s lowest. This also gives you extra time to pay it off over the months that follow.
2️⃣ Sail On Older Ships – The newest ship will always be the most expensive. Booking on ships that have been around awhile could save thousands! Recently, when searching itineraries within the same dates, the older ship was just about 2K less!
3️⃣ Bring Your Own Alcohol – Disney allows two bottles of wine or a 6-pack of beer per adult (21+) to bring onboard. This helps save on the bar bill & Disney will bring you glasses! I loved being able to cheers on the veranda while looking out at the water.
4️⃣ Skip Specialty Dining – The included dining experiences are amazing, so you won’t miss out. The Disney service is well thought out. Each night you rotate to a different restaurant with the same server.
Minnie & Mickey before the parade
5️⃣ Pick Itineraries with Private Island Stops – Disney's Castaway Cay and Lighthouse Point offer lunch, beverages, and all the ice cream you can eat! There are plenty of included activities, saving you on pricey excursions. On Castaway they have a dance party with the characters and on Lighthouse they have a parade with Minnie and Mickey.
6️⃣ Shop the Dollar Store Before You Go – Grab Disney-themed toys, glow sticks, and trinkets as fun surprises for the kids (way cheaper than the onboard gift shops!). Stock up on a few extras to use as Pixie Dust throughout the cruise.
7️⃣ DIY Princess Makeover – Bring your own princess dress, sparkly makeup, and hair donut to recreate the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique look without the hefty price tag. While on the cruise I avoided walking past the Boutique and my little one never knew the difference. She was excited to get dressed up and even said I was like a fairy godmother while putting on her sparkle makeup.
All dressed up at The Royal Gathering
8️⃣ Pack Collapsible Sand Toys – Save space in your luggage while still giving your kids beach day fun without having to buy the pricey toys at the beach. If you have a Barbie fan, pack 2 that can go swimming at the beach as well.
9️⃣ Grab Breakfast Snacks for Later – Pick up bananas, apples, and boxed cereal at breakfast to use as snacks for the kids during excursions or beach days.
🔟 Use Discounted Disney Gift Cards – Buy them at Target (5% off with RedCard) or Sam’s Club to pay for cruise expenses at a discount.
✨ Bonus Tip: Don’t forget to inquire about a placeholder while on the cruise! This saves 10% off the following booking and you have a 2 year window to use it!