How can you experience the magic of Disney without going broke? Is it possible to travel to Disney World without completely blowing your vacation budget? Here are a few tips to make your Disney vacation a bit more affordable.

Timing is everything. Whether you have to fly or not, the time of year you visit Disney can make a huge impact on the bill. Airfare will be cheaper during non-peak travel times, and so will the park entrance prices. Try to travel from September to early November, or January through mid-March (before Spring Break). If you travel during these times of the year, you’ll not only save money, you’ll also save time waiting in lines. Not to mention the Florida sun won’t be as overbearing. Even if you can’t get away during the off-peak season, try to plan to go during the week. Weekend fares are always more expensive, both in the air and at the park.

Look for less expensive lodging. Disney has a big variety of resorts on their property. Some of the pricier hotels are as much as $2,000 a night! Thankfully, there are also the Disney Value Resorts. There are three levels of pricing for these on Disney property hotels. The Pop Century Resorts will save you the most, with prices as low as $69 per night in the off-season. Outside hotels are also an option. You just have to decide if you want to trade travel time for the money you’re going to save. If your family likes camping, you could stay at the park for less than $50 a night. Florida’s warm weather makes it possible to camp outdoors in the off-season without freezing. Plus, you’ll also have free access to transportation to the parks with the Disney shuttle service.

Think about a meal plan. Disney meal plans can save you up to 25% on eating. You can also take water and snacks inside the park to save some additional cash. Study your restaurant options online before heading into any of the parks. You don’t want to blow your food budget on meals at Cinderella’s Castle at $65 a person, when you can eat at the Akershus Royal Banquet Hall in Epcot for the Princess Storybook Dinner and pay a lot less to eat with a princess.

Try to find other places to get more for your money. Fastpasses help you get into rides quickly and waste less time in lines, but they’re first come, first serve. Disney now has FastPass+ for on Disney property reservations. You can book your rides before you leave home!

Skipping Fastpass? Look for attractions that are lesser known, where the lines are shorter. You should also buy multi-day passes depending upon the length of your stay. This can save you over $100 per person a day, since a one day pass is about $150 a person.

Disney has also developed My Disney Experience, an interactive space (and app) for you to plan your vacation. It lets you make reservations and find fun things to do, make payments, and allows you to split your Walt Disney World vacation into manageable financial segments.

If you are planning ahead for a future summer vacation, think about opening a First Financial Summer Savings Account. This account will allow you to save all year long, and deduct the funds in July and August when many families plan to vacation.

*A $5 deposit in a base savings account is required for credit union membership prior to opening any other account. All personal memberships are part of the Rewards First program and a $5 per month non-participation fee is charged to the base savings account for memberships not meeting the minimum requirements of the program. Click here to view full Rewards First program details.

Article Source: Vincent King for Moneyning.com