Never Pay Full Price For Disney Theme Park Tickets & Hotels With These 7 Options to Save

A Disney vacation can be an exciting and memorable experience, but different aspects of your trip can easily start adding up to an overwhelming cost between the price of tickets, hotels, and more.

While it may seem like these expenses are unavoidable, there are several options out there you can take advantage of so you don't have to pay full price on some major areas of your trip. These can provide you with the opportunity to enjoy significant savings on theme park tickets, hotel stays, and more.

We visit Disneyland and Walt Disney World frequently and are always looking for the best ways to save money on Disney vacations. We will take you through 7 options you can use to save as you are planning your next Disney trip!

Only Buy Through Disney-Approved Sources

Before we dive into the best options to save on Disney theme park tickets and hotel stays, note that you never want to buy through sources that are not affiliated with Disney. Stay away from sites like eBay and Craigslist, and don't buy tickets that have been partially used, as Disney has systems in place to prevent you from using someone else's tickets. You can see warning signs to look out for in our guides to discount Disneyland tickets and discount Disney World tickets.

There are multiple safe options out there that will allow you to save on your Disney trip, whether you choose to buy from an approved third-party ticket reseller, buy discounted Disney Gift Cards to put towards different areas of your vacation, or book through a Disney travel agent. The below options for saving on your tickets and hotel stays are all through Disney-approved sources, but be sure to stay vigilant about options that appear to be a scams.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. Purchasing through some of the below links may result in a commission paid to us at no cost to you. We only recommend products that we have used and recommend.

Disney-Approved Ticket Resellers

Approved third-party ticket resellers are allowed to buy and resell tickets at a cheaper price because they make a guarantee to Disney that they will sell a certain amount of tickets each year. Buying through these authorized resellers is a great way to get discounted Disney tickets instead of paying full price by booking through Disney directly.

Our top recommended option for saving on Disney theme park tickets and hotel stays is booking through the authorized Disney ticket reseller Get Away Today. Get Away Today has been working with Disney for over 30 years with the goal of making Disney vacations as affordable as possible for their customers. To offer these great prices, Get Away Today purchases tickets in blocks and repackages them at lower prices to provide you with the best discounts. They also have exclusive deals on off-property hotels at both Disneyland and Disney World that can save you a ton.

CLICK HERE  – Buy the Lowest Priced Disneyland and Disney World Tickets at Exclusive Discount

Get Away Today even exclusively offers our readers lower prices on Disney tickets than what you'll see when you go directly to their site. To maximize your savings, make sure to buy your tickets through our exclusive link above. You won't find a better option to save than through Get Away Today, and they also offer quality customer service with an entire department dedicated to making sure you have the best experience possible. Get Away Today sends their tickets electronically, so you can head straight to the gate without needing to spend time waiting in a ticket booth line.

You can save even more by booking a vacation package through Get Away Today that includes discount tickets. Get Away Today also allows you to book additional savings on any special offers Disney is currently running and often has its own discounts negotiated with area hotels in California and Orlando as well.

Disney-Approved Travel Agents

One way to save money on your vacation is to book through a Disney-authorized travel agent. Disney travel agents will help you plan and take care of the various details of your Disney vacation, from your theme park tickets and hotel stay to dining reservations and more. They will be aware of all of the current Disney discounts and special offers, so they will be able to help you save money on your vacation with these.

If you are interested in this option, it's worth noting that you'll get an incredible quality of support in planning your trip with Get Away Today's free Walt Disney World concierge services. You'll receive assistance in booking your vacation and have details like your dining reservations taken care of so you don't have to worry about getting up extremely early to do this yourself when the window opens. Also, the concierge services include frequent price checks to ensure you're getting the best savings for your tickets and hotel stay if Disney releases new discounts. See more details about the concierge services and how to get a free vacation quote through Get Away Today as you are planning your Walt Disney World trip. If they find a new discount they will refund you and give you the lower price.

Disney Vacation Club Point Rentals

Another option for saving money on your hotel stay is to rent Disney Vacation Club points for your vacation. Disney Vacation Club is an ownership program that enables you to purchase points that you can use for stays at a Disney Vacation Club resort. However, you don't need to be a Disney Vacation Club member to stay at these properties, as you can rent points from owners. Disney Vacation Club members often end up with more points than they can use for a given year and rent these out to guests. Renting Disney Vacation Club points can be a great way to save money and enjoy the Disney Vacation Club properties during your trip at what is usually a discounted rate.

If you are interested in renting Disney Vacation Club points, the best way to do this is through our partners DVC Rental Store and David's Vacation Club rentals. Each of these options offers different advantages—David's generally has cheaper offerings than DVC Rental Store and requires a deposit for an availability check, and DVC Rental Store provides more flexibility as only a 25% deposit is required if the reservation is more than 75 days out.

Disney Gift Card Discounts

Another way to avoid paying full price for aspects of your Disney vacation is to buy Disney Gift Cards at a discounted price and use these towards multiple areas of your trip. These can be used towards your Disneyland or Disney World vacation to save money on admission tickets, hotel rooms, dining, merchandise, and more. By saving money on these discount Disney Gift Cards that you're planning on using towards these areas of your trip, you can save money on your vacation as a whole.

Locations including Target as well as wholesale stores like Costco, Sam's Club, and BJ's offer Disney Gift Cards at discounted prices to their members. You can see our full guide to Disney Gift Card discounts for more details on all of the options that are available and what Disney Gift Cards can be used towards. If you already have a membership at one of the locations that offer discounted Disney Gift Cards or are interested in the benefits of getting one, these can be a great way to save on your Disney vacation.

Discount Tickets Through AAA

Another way to save on Disneyland tickets is to purchase through the American Automobile Association (AAA), which offers discounts for theme parks like Disney for its members. AAA offers discounts on Disney tickets for various ticket types for the Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort, including any special offers that are currently running. You can also purchase Disney AAA vacation packages for Disneyland and Disney World through AAA as well, with guidance available from their vacation planners. We always recommend comparing different discount ticket options before purchasing to see which will provide you with the best deal.

You can see our full guide to discount AAA Disneyland tickets here. We recommend calling your local AAA branch or entering your Zip Code through the AAA website to see if discounts are available where you live, as these can help you save on Disney tickets when compared to regular gate pricing. If you do not live in an area where this is accessible or do not have an AAA membership, Get Away Today is the best alternative for discount Disney tickets and vacation packages.

Costco Vacation Packages

An option that many Disney visitors are curious about for ticket and hotel savings is Costco. While Costco does not offer standalone tickets for Disneyland or Disney World, Costco Travel offers packages that contain tickets. These Costco Disney packages are offered for both Disney Resort hotels and Good Neighbor Hotels in the area and may include various perks like waived resort fees, free breakfast, etc.

However, it's worth noting that you need to be a Costco member in order to purchase these vacation packages, and they are not as flexible as other options. When you are booking a Disney World package through Costco, you have to pay more upfront with a per-person deposit, your balance is due sooner than if you booked directly through Disney, and it comes with other drawbacks like a harsh cancellation policy—we discuss this all in our breakdown of whether Disney Costco packages are worth it. If you want the best option for saving on standalone tickets or vacation packages, you'll get more value by booking through Get Away Today.

Disney Visa Card Rewards Dollars

Another way to save on your vacation is by putting Disney Rewards Dollars towards your trip with a Disney Visa Card. If you are a cardholder, you can use rewards dollars on a Disney Rewards Redemption Card that functions much like a gift card. You can put your Redemption Card towards several different areas of your trip to save money, including Disney Resort stays and park tickets. See all of the Disney Visa Card discounts that are offered for Cardmembers and where they are available in our guide.

Additionally, Disney Visa Cardmembers can enjoy significant discounts on their Disney Resort hotel stays. Though these discounts are offered at both Disneyland and Disney World, they are more common at Disney World—see all of the current Disney World discounts here.

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