Tips about Budget and Kids
Parents who are traveling with little ones who have problems with their ears on planes might want to purchase EarPlanes. They are special ear plugs that help ease pressure during flight. They come in adult and child sizes. I had horrible issues with my ears when I was little and this was the only product that worked! Best of all they're only about $4/pair. - Emily Scotti
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If you have small children that wear diapers at night, we found it extremely helpful to bring their pajamas and diaper to the park and change them there. This was great on late nights and made it easy to put them to bed even if they fell asleep on the way to the hotel. - Kelley
If you are a Target credit card or Target debit card holder, you can purchase Disney gift cards in store and receive a 5% discount. The cards at my local Target are available in $50 denominations so I have started putting aside money $50 at a time. Every time I get $50 saved, I purchase a gift card using my Target debit card. By doing this I can get $1000 worth of Disney gift cards for $950, $2000 for $1900, etc. - Stephanie
We were in Disney World over New Year's with my daughter, her husband, my 9-month-old grandson and 2-year-old granddaughter. Between naps, waiting on lines, going on rides and just enjoying ourselves we found we didn't change our grandson as often as usual. We realized later on that we should have used an overnight diaper during the trip so we didn't need to worry about leakage issues. We thought it was a good tip to share. - Debi Johnson
Most floral departments at grocery stores carry a plastic clip resembling a small clothes pin. We use these with the park balloons. You can attach the balloon strings (with the Mickey weights) to the clip and then clip to the stoller or the child. That way you are not fussing with tied on balloons at the bus stops! - Natalie
If you're going to have different sleeping arrangements in the hotel than you do at home (two kids in a bed, the whole family sleeping in one room), start preparing your kids in advance. Let them figure out who they're comfortable sleeping next to and if it will work, so they are not miserable at bedtime. Of course, they'll be so tired they may not care, but a little prep may help! Our 2-1/2-year-old pretty much only sleeps well in his crib, with a dark room, silence, and no one else in the room. So, we have to get him used to having one other person next to him in bed and other distractions in the room during the wind-down time. (Dad's snoring, too, yikes!) - Kara
On previous trips to Walt Disney World, my preschooler would never leave her 3-D glasses on during Mickey's PhilharMagic or other 3-D movies in the parks. However, we just went to see The Lion King in 3-D at the theater, and she left those glasses on the whole time. They are smaller and shaped more like sunglasses. AND, the kid's glasses are special Lion King gifts for the kids to keep. If you see the movie in the next two weeks, save your kids' glasses and take them with you to WDW! They are a fun Lion King reminder, are much better fitted to their little faces, and might actually stay on! - Rhoda Smith
This is a tip for anyone who is traveling to Disney World with first-timer children. We all know that the Magic Kingdom is usually children's favorite of all of the parks. How many times have I watched as miserable children are being dragged into Epcot crying that they would rather be at the Magic Kingdom? My suggestion is to consider NOT visiting Magic Kingdom on the first day of the trip. This way, the children will be free to enjoy each park without comparing it to the Magic Kingdom. I suggest Animal Kingdom the first day, then Hollywood Studios, then Epcot, then Magic Kingdom. I have suggested this to several friends who have taken children on their first trips and they were very grateful. The children appreciated the other parks so much more and plus it makes finally getting to the Magic Kingdom that much better. - Kevin
If your child has a favorite stuffed animal or toy he or she can't part with (like my son with his Duffy bear), try placing a tracking device in or on it. Most are small enough so your child won't notice and the device can be linked to your phone. We have used Tile, for example, and it works great! - Rachel
Explore the world of vacation homes and condos. Remember, a 15-minute drive can save you literally hundreds of dollars. When you get a place to stay, look for somewhere with laundry machines in the unit or available in the complex.You can carry much less luggage and not have to worry about paying baggage fees to the airline. It won't hurt anyone to do one load of laundry on a four- or five-day trip. If you are renting a vacation home or condo, you will probably have to do it anyway for towels. - Tom Galloway
We had resigned ourselves to staying off-site due to a tight budget. But then we remembered Fort Wilderness campground -- all the perks of staying onsite at a fraction of the cost, since we will be sharing our campsite with friends. We are so looking forward to it! - Ky in Gulfport, MS
I've just finished reading the latest in a great series of books about the World -- Ridley Pearson's "Kingdom Keepers IV: Power Play." The Kingdom Keepers books are written for teens, but us older folks will love them, too. They're great suspense reads, and if you are familiar with and love WDW, you'll have all the settings visually in your head. If you're headed to Orlando, have your teens read them (preferably in order) before you go. They'll be searching out locations and will never get bored. - Maggie Rioux
