Family Life

The Best Tips for Traveling with Kids Post Pandemic

Inside: Find out 10 easy tips, steps & precautions for traveling with kids post-pandemic to keep your little ones safe and healthy on your family vacation at your hotel, flight & theme parks.

Mask fogging up my glasses and disinfectant wipes in hand, I ran down through the terminal determined to remain 6 feet away from passing families.

They called our boarding group and my family of 4 huddled into each other waiting for the other families to board first.

Traveling with kids post-pandemic can be intimidating and frightening, enough to make you want to sprint to the phone and utilize those cancellation policies…

But with a few tips and tricks, you can keep your little ones safe and healthy without sacrificing the joy of a family vacation!

We recently traveled by plane on our annual family vacation that we postponed 3 times. I was head-deep in anxiety prepping for the trip but I felt prepared and confident that we could fly with our 1 and 4-year-old in the safest way possible.

We returned home a week later after using all of these tips that I’ll share with you and I’m beyond ecstatic to say that we are all healthy and safe!

These are the exact steps, tips & precautions I used to keep my family safe and healthy during our family vacation and traveling with kids post-pandemic.

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10 tips for traveling with kids post pandemic

The Best Tips for Traveling with Kids Post Pandemic

If you are planning to travel on a family vacation that includes flying on a plane, staying at a hotel, and visiting theme parks, you’re in the right place!

The goal of these tips is to help you take the stress out of everything you have to juggle WHILE traveling with a toddler/baby and keeping them safe and healthy!

Whether you’re traveling by plane, booking a hotel, or visiting theme parks, here are the 5 main tips to keep your family safe and healthy through it all…

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1. Pack smart

One of the main things you want to avoid is fiddling around in 5 different bags trying to find the disinfectant wipes or toddler snack.

You also want to avoid placing bags on the ground, as the floor is one of the biggest breeding grounds for germs.

Use bags such as book bags where you don’t have to place down in order to find something. Pack in categories- place diapering items in one section of the bag, place snacks/food in one zippered part, etc.

Packing your diaper bag/toddler bag in a way where everything is organized will help you save valuable minutes when you’re in the throw of hunting for something you need!

2. Have disinfectant wipes easily accessible in every bag

Disinfectant accessibility is key when traveling with littles!

Place a pouch of travel disinfectant wipes in the most accessible zipper in every single bag. Trust me, you will thank yourself!

In the heat of the moment between juggling book bags, carry-ons, and keeping your kids insight, it’s easy to forget where you put those ever-so-important disinfectant wipes!

But if you place them in every bag, in relatively the same location in each bag- things will go a lot smoother!

3. Hang hand sanitizer holder on every bag

The same goes for hand sanitizer…

Hang a hand sanitizer holder on every bag you are traveling with, so there’s no room for error.

After every touchpoint- elevators buttons, escalator rails, chairs, etc- disinfect everyone’s hands with hand sanitizer. Then when you have a free moment, wash your hands thoroughly.

4. Disinfectant everything before touching

The last main health and safety key is to wipe them down surfaces before touching them! Not everything can be cleaned before touching it, such as a bathroom door handle, that’s why have hand sanitizer is important for those scenarios.

But disinfectant main touch areas that you know you will be using before you use them are important! Whether it’s a public table or chair before sitting or a ride lap bar.

That’s why having disinfectant wipes easily accessible is crucial!

5. Load up on vitamins

Immune boosters will be your life-saver. If your little ones are old enough, be sure to give them immune-boosting vitamins starting about a month before you travel. I usually give my toddler elderberry, zinc, and vitamin c.

These 5 main tips will lay the foundation for keeping your family safe while traveling post-pandemic!

Let’s dive into specific tips, steps, and hacks for flying, hotels, and amusement parks…

Flying with a Baby or Toddler Post-pandemic

Here are my famous tips for flying with a toddler or baby without wanting to pull out your hair. Of course, there will be hiccups. Yes, there may be some frustration crawling under your skin.

But remember, the goal of flying with a toddler or baby isn’t to just make it “easy” – (because let’s face it, that’s probably impossible)…

Plan your outfits with easy travel in mind

The key to traveling with kids post-pandemic is avoiding disruptions. One of the easiest ways to do this is to avoid airport wardrobe catastrophes.

Dress your toddler with comfy shoes with socks (in case they need to remove their shoes their feet are protected from the dirty floor)
Baby wear your littlest one so they are not being handled right before touching dirty touchpoints, such as security bins.
Put layers on each child so if the outer layer gets dirty or falls on the floor, it can be put away without your child being cold. (Airports are notoriously chilly!)

Have toddler hold on to your bookbag or stroller strap while walking

Depending on the time of your flight, your toddler can be really tired and ready for a nap..orrr…ready to take on the world!

If your toddler is super excited and can’t contain their eagerness to fly it usually ends up in them wanting to run all over the airport (and if your toddler is anything like my energetic daughter– touch e.v.e.r.y.t.h.i.n.g!)

I found that giving your toddler options is always best. They can either

sit in the stroller
wear a book bag with a strap/harness that I hold
hold on to the stroller hook and walk beside me

This keeps your toddler with you at all times and limits their ability to touch anything so they are staying safe.

Wipe down airplane before sitting

Before sitting down after you’ve found your seat, give everything a good wipe down.

Focus on:

seats,
seat backs
arm rests,
buckles,
front trays
trays surface when opened
pocket in front of you
window

I even check the pockets to see if there is any reading material and usually wipe that down as well. It may be overboard- but it’s all for the safety and health of your family!

During our last flight, my husband would hold the girls and I would clean everything as fast as I could. This would help us step out of the aisle so others can move past us. Then when we were sitting, I would deep clean the surfaces that I know the kids would be touching more often (window, buttons, etc.)

That’s why it’s so handy to have those disinfectant wipes in an accessible pocket in all of your bags!

Traveling with kids post pandemic tips for flight, hotel and theme parks

Staying in a hotel with kids post-pandemic

Remember the 4^th key health and safety tip for traveling with littles…wipe everything down!

The most important factor when staying in a hotel post-pandemic is cleanliness.

You’ll want to disinfect the room before unpacking.

Here are some areas to focus on:

Remote
Night stand
Light switches
Lamp knobs
Sink handles
Door handles
Room phone
Door lock
Etc.

I also pack disinfectant spray and give the closets and bedspreads a good spray down before we fully unpack.

Basically, anywhere that someone else would touch that you know your family will come in contact with.

Of course, the hotel staff will do a great job with cleaning and getting the room ready for you after the last guest- but I really don’t like to leave anything to chance.

It takes 5 minutes to clean something and offer my family extra protection rather than assume it was already cleaned. (…I know, I know…sometimes my husband thinks I’m a bit of a clean freak)

Visiting a Theme Park with Kids Post Pandemic

As I held my daughter’s hand trembling with excitement standing on Main Street in Magic Kingdom, I was beyond relieved that life was getting back to normal.

Watching her curtsey to princesses with melted ice cream dripping down her chin, my world was complete.

We’ll take all of the health and safety tips above and use them to help you stay germ-free during your visit to theme parks!

Remember the 4 Key Tips:

1. Pack smart

Whichever bags you chose to bring into the parks with you, pack them with precision and organization.

Here’s a great post all about what to bring to Disney World for your toddler!

You can use this list for any theme park too…not just a Disney trip. It’s loaded with toddler essentials and must-haves!

2. Have disinfectant wipes accessible in every bag

In every one of those bags hide a little pouch of travel disinfectant wipes in the front zipper. When you need them, you’ll know exactly where they are!

Disinfect toddler’s hands after every touchpoint!

3. Carry hand sanitizer holders

Don’t forget to hang hand sanitizer holders on every bag that you’re bringing with you to the theme park! That way, after you touch something, before touching anything else, you quickly and easily pop open the hand sanitizer bottle and clean your hands within seconds.

This is a lifesaver in between rides!

4. Wipe surfaces before using

You’ll need to wipe down all surfaces before using them…

Wipe down:

tables and chairs before sitting
handles before touching
door knobs (if you have the time to do so before touching them)

Basically, you’ll want to clean down any high touchpoint area where you will be located for an extended period of time (more than 5 minutes).

WIpe down bars and high touchpoint areas on rides!

Here are some other little theme park tips to avoid pesky germs…

Use a stroller

If your little one is big enough to walk, I would still recommend bringing a stroller. I put my toddler in the stroller when we are in stores because it reduces the number of things she can touch and also helps me keep a better eye on her.

Your toddler will also get tired throughout the day so even if they don’t usually use a stroller at home, having one can really save the day.

It’s also super convenient to hold all of your bags! A stroller hook is game-changing.

Use travel disinfectant spray to clean changing pad/area

I always bring a couple of travel disinfectant sprays with me so I can quickly clean areas that are normally hard to wipe down. I usually spray down baby changing areas before using and then disinfect my changing pad after using.

I’ll disinfect the toilet before using it as well, even though I bring a little travel potty seat for my toddler.

Disposable masks are lightweight & breathable- perfect for toddlers.

Traveling with kids post-pandemic Recap!

Family vacations are one of my absolute favorite things in the world! Choosing to take a family vacation in the current times we live in can be daunting.

But remember, with a few tips and tricks, you can keep your little ones safe and healthy without sacrificing the joy of a family vacation!

By using these exact steps, tips & precautions I kept my family safe and healthy during our family vacation and I don’t regret for a moment the vacation we had!

Yes, it looked different but it was still full of wide-grinned smiles and cherished memories.

Don’t forget the 5 key tips:

Pack smart
Have disinfectant wipes accessible in every bag
Hang hand sanitizer holders on every bag
Disinfect every surface before touching
Load up on vitamins & immune boosters

Book the vacation. Savor the moments. Obsess over every smile. Take loads of pictures. Cherish every memory.

You got this, mama!

How to Save Money at Disney World

Family Life, Family Travel

Are you visiting Disney World but don’t want to break the bank? Me too! Disney CAN be an expensive place but it doesn’t HAVE to be. I’ll tell you all of the tips and tricks on how to save money at Disney world during your vacation!

The secret sauce to save money on your Disney World vacation is to know HOW you can save money. In this case, ignorance is not bliss! I’ve found 12 tips to save money at Disney World that you can easily do with your family. These tips to save money at Disney could save your family hundreds of dollars per day!

I also created an awesome Disney Vacation Planning Printable Pack to help you not only plan your Disney vacation easily but plan an amazing, stress-free vacation! Get the Disney Vacation Printable Pack below!

Let’s get down to these money saving tips!

How to Save Money at Disney World

1. Bring your own stroller

If you are traveling with babies or toddlers and need to use a stroller in the parks, then I strongly suggest you bring your own. Renting a stroller at the parks could cost you upwards of $40 a day.

Renting a stroller from an offsite company can cost you less, about $10-15 a day, depending on how long you rent the stroller. But if you are looking to cut costs and save money while on your Disney vacation, I recommend you bring your own stroller.

If you have a large, heavy, or bulky stroller, maybe even borrow a lightweight one from one of your friends or family members.

2. Bring your own snacks

One of the greatest things about Disney parks is the ability to bring in your own food and drinks! You can bring snacks, water, juice, sandwiches- pretty much anything! If you want to save on food costs, which can be quite pricy depending on where you go to eat, maybe pack food for one meal and only eat one meal at the park. This could have your family over $50 a day!

Toy Story Land Breakfast — Kid’s meal at Toy Story Land- only $5.99!

3. Eat Kids meals

I absolutely LOVE the kids meal’s at Disney. They offer amazing food, that is healthy too, at a great price. The meals come with an entrée, 2 sides, and a drink for around $5-6! Sometimes I just order a kids meal instead of an adult meal because it’s a smaller portion, less expensive, and comes with amazing options!

If my daughter doesn’t eat all of her sides or doesn’t drink her juice, I just bring a little cooler with me to the park and save all of the extra food for another meal. It’s a real money saver!

Every quick service location offers some form of a kids meal, so keep an eye out for good meals!

4. Limit souvenir spending with gift cards

Disney World can be very expensive because of how much you are TEMPTED to buy. Disney World is pretty much one gigantic store, that every kid wants to buy everything in the store. To help limit spending, I travel with Disney gift cards. This helps me LIMIT my spending and gives my family a budget.

We decide how much we can spend on souvenirs and then get gift cards with an allotted amount. If you have several children, you can give them a gift card each with an amount and tell them that is their budget for the vacation. It also teaches them to think about what they are buying before they buy it and to weigh out their options.

So instead of buying a $50 t-shirt on day one, you’ll buy an $8 pin, a $5 magnet, a $15 t-shirt at another location.

If you have a target red card you can also get those Disney gift cards 5% off! So even saving more money!

Find out more money saving tips like this and how to plan a Disney vacation on a budget by clicking here or the image below!

5. Order groceries / buy groceries

If you are staying on the Disney site at a Disney Resort, or even if you are staying off-site at a hotel or renting a home, you can save SO much money by buying groceries. Because you can bring snacks and drinks into the parks, you can save money by buying a case of water and bringing and taking a water bottle with you in the park.

Or you can save money on breakfast by buying breakfast bars or quick cereal and milk for your family to eat before heading to the park.

All of these little tips can really help you save money at Disney!

If you are staying at a Disney resort or at any hotel and do not have a vehicle to go to the store you have 2 options:

You can Uber to the nearest grocery store
You can order groceries and have them delivered to your hotel or resort, saving you a trip to the grocery store!

If you have an Amazon account with Amazon prime, you can order through amazon pantry and get free grocery delivery to your hotel! Saving money and saving time- SCORE!

Want to sign up for Amazon pantry or amazon prime?? Click here to get a month free!

6. Take advantage of Complimentary water

Another really great way to save money at Disney world is to take advantage of their complimentary water! A bottle of water can cost you upwards of $4-$5 per bottle in Disney parks. To avoid this cost, you can request a free cup of water at any quick service location. On really, really hot days, they even put out jars of ice water with cups for you to freely take yourself.

Or you can bring a reusable water bottle with you and fill up your bottle with the complimentary water! That way the water stays cold and you have it on you throughout the day!

Don’t forget to download the Disney Vacation Planning Printable Pack with dining reservation tracker, Fast Pass tracker, and even Disney packing list! Get the instant download now!

7. Buffets

I know I tell you a lot of ways to save money on food, but this is one of my favorites. Disney buffets are known to be “expensive”, but what a lot of people don’t know is that breakfast buffets are almost half the cost of the dinner buffet.

If you really want to experience a character buffet or just any buffet in general, opt for breakfast. You will NOT be disappointed!

Not only is breakfast cheaper, but it also fills you up for most of the day so you are essentially eating 2 meals and are saving money!

Children under 3 eat free at buffets so you can also take advantage and bring your little ones while they are still young enough to eat for free and enjoy the food. The food is absolutely amazing and the variety is outstanding. The breakfast buffets even have dessert!

The buffets can range between $17-$35 a person, depending on the buffet.

My family always tries to get in one breakfast buffet during our vacation because we love it so much.

Even if you are not going to a Disney park, you can reserve a breakfast buffet at a Disney resort, such as Chef Mickey’s. You can have the full Disney experience and meet Mickey without even having to pay for a park ticket.

Talk about money saving!

Disney Buffet — Disney World Breakfast Buffet!

8. Use your Disney credit card

To be honest, I’m guilty of signing up for a Disney credit card just so I can rack up free money to go on Disney vacations. But it ended up being incredible because I use the card for everyday purchases that I would be making anyway, and I get “Disney dollars” for each purchase I make.

My husband and I ended up with about $1200 of FREE Disney dollars for just using the card on things that like utilities, gas, food, and shopping, that we were going to need to pay for anyway!

Plus, you get 15% off Disney purchases at Disney world AND have these amazing character meet and greet opportunities and get FREE pictures. Just for having a Disney credit card!

The credit card had no annual fee and its like having a little piece of Disney with me every day. I absolutely love it because it saves me SO much money when we go to Disney world!

9. If you have little ones, skip the park hopper

If you are already on the fence about how many days to visit the Disney parks and if you are experiencing sticker shock at ticket prices, don’t worry, you’re not the only one.

I found that when you have babies and toddlers, it’s harder to park hop. So it’s best to do one park per day. Skipping the park hop option will save you about $40-70 a person. But I only recommend this if you are planning to do the Disney parks for 2 or more days. That way, you can choose one park per day that you want to visit. After all, there are 4 parks and 2 water parks to choose from.

If you are visiting Disney for only 1 day and want to just glance over the park’s main attractions and see the sights, then I would recommend just going for one day and adding the park hopper option, instead of paying for 2 different park days.

10. If you see something you want, check the Disney site for a cheaper price or sales

Disney is like a huge store where you basically want to buy everything. But it’s not surprising to believe that there are things that they sell in the parks that you can purchase cheaper elsewhere. Almost everything that they sell in the parks, you can get on the Disney Store website. The great thing about this is that Disney’s website often has sales and clearances, where you can save 10-25% off of the item that you see in the park.

I don’t recommend this for EVERY item though. There are some items that are Disney park exclusives that you cannot get elsewhere. Those things are smart purchases because, in the long run, they will be worth more because it is limited edition.

Be sure to ask a cast member if something can be found on the Disney site or if something is limited edition.

This can save you money!

11. If you want to pin trade, order a batch of used Disney pins online for cheap and then trade them for better ones during your stay

Pin trading is a really fun thing to do at Disney World. But it can also be very expensive. If you or your child wants to experience pin trading, I recommend purchasing a bulk of used pins from Amazon or Ebay and then trade those pins for better pins in the parks. There’s no use of purchasing beautiful, expensive pins if your child is just going to trade them anyway.

Instead of buying a $10 pin and trading it, purchase 20 pins for $10 on eBay and then trade those for pins that you see and want at Disney!

12. If you missed out on a souvenir at the park, try Disney Springs

If you find yourself out of Disney park tickets and are just really upset that you didn’t purchase something while in the park, do not spend money on another park ticket. Just visit Disney Springs!

I love Disney Springs because it is essentially a Disney park, for free! Even the parking is free! They have every store you can imagine, the worlds largest Disney store, top-notch restaurants, and even an outdoor mall. It’s absolutely beautiful!

I find that sometimes when I’m in Orlando and can’t afford to go into a Disney park, I just visit Disney Springs and get my Disney fill that way! They have almost everything that you can find in the parks. Sometimes I don’t even waste my time in the park with souvenir shopping because I can do that at Disney Springs. Why waste money on a park ticket for something that you can do for free tomorrow?!

SO be sure to visit Disney springs! It’s a fun, free, Disney day!

Get your Free Disney Vacation Planning Printable Pack!

Don’t forget to download my Disney Vacation Planning Printable Pack! It includes:

Tips on the best times to visit Disney World based on value seasons and important timelines to help you book your Fast Passes and Dining Reservations
A detailed Disney vacation packing list (includes a packing list for baby too!)
Disney Planning worksheet, to help you organize your Fast Passes and dining reservations plus keep track of your flight and hotel reservation numbers

Download the Disney Vacation Planning Printable Pack now to help you take the stress out of vacation planning so you can just focus on how excited you are to get away!

> So, there you have it! Remember, the secret sauce to save money on your Disney World vacation is to know HOW you can save money. Now you know 12 ways HOW to save money at Disney world during your family vacation!

Happy Disney Vacation!

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Disney on a Budget

Family Life, Family Travel

Do you want to visit the happiest place on earth but automatically think that it’s too expensive and unaffordable? Think again! Planning a trip to Disney on a budget is a lot easier thank you think!

Going to Disney World doesn’t have to put you into debt! Here is a list of detailed tips for planning a trip to Disney World on a budget! With in-depth information to make your dream vacation a reality!

Free Disney Vacation Planning Printable Packet!

Here is a completely and totally free amazing resource to help you plan your Disney vacation! It includes awesome tips, packing checklists, a vacation budget template, travel information sheet, and a couple of Disney planning templates to help you plan an amazing vacation!

Get the free instant download now!

Tips for planning a trip to Disney on a budget!

1. Research best places to stay

First very important step to planning a trip to Disney on a budget is to decide where you want to stay. The key is research, research, research!

The main 2 options you have is to stay on Disney property or stay off site.

Let’s go over these 2 options!

Option 1: Staying on Disney Property

Do not be deceived by these words and automatically think that this is the most expensive option! There are times that I went to Disney World and it was actually CHEAPER for me to stay on site than at a regular hotel in the Orlando area. Let me tell you why… PERKS! There are phenomenal perks when you stay onsite at a Disney Resort and they can actually save you a toonnn of money if you take advantage of them smartly.

Here are some of the perks for staying on site that are serious money savers:

Free Disney’s Magical Express (transportation to and from the airport)

So if you fly to Disney instead of driving, the Disney bus comes and picks you up and drops you at the hotel for free! PLUS if you take advantage of this option they also pick up your checked luggage and bring it to your hotel for you so you don’t even have to wait for it or do anything yourself!

This eliminates the cost for a taxi or transportation to the hotel. It also reduces the need for you to rent a vehicle because Disney literally takes care of any transportation you need. Of course, some people choose to still rent a vehicle so they can visit other sites and tourist places. But again, we’re talking about doing Disney on a budget so this cost can be cut if needed!

Free transportation to and from the Disney parks (saving you money on parking fees at the park)

There are Disney buses that pick you up from your resort and drop you off at the desired park. There’s a bus for magic Kingdom, Epcot, Animal Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, Disney Springs and both Disney waterparks.

If you drive your car you also get free parking at the Disney parks too! So you’re saving about $25 a day! There is also a nightly fee for parking at the Disney Resort, so if you eliminate the need for a car, you’re saving an additional $15 a night for parking.

You get to pick your Fast Passes 60 days in advanced

Fast passes are awesome because you don’t have to wait in line for a ride, you just come back at you appointed time and you get straight on. People who are not staying on site choose their fast passes 30 days in advanced of their trip. But Disney Resort guests get to choose their fast passes 60 days in advanced so they get first pick at the rides and times.

This in turn saves you money because the better fast passes you get, the quicker you can do the attractions, which means you’re getting the most out of your park day! Why go to one park 2 days and waste money on another ticket when you can do everything in one day? Disney on a budget money saving!

Some tips for finding cheap rates at Disney Resorts

Check for sales regularly
Go on value season

Download my free Disney Vacation Planning Printable Packet to get even more awesome tips!

Find out:

-when is the best time to travel to Disney based on their “value seasons”

-which Disney resorts are considered “value” and give you the best bang for your buck

Download the Printable pack now!

Option 2: Stay in a villa

Now that we briefly went over staying on Disney site, let’s talk about how to save money if you are staying off site!

There are plenty of reasons why a family would choose to stay off site, despite the Disney perks. One reason being that they have a bigger family and staying off site is cheaper so they can get larger accommodations! I have stayed at a regular hotel, rented a villa, and rented a house through a rental site. All of these options have worked and at different times depending on my family’s needs.

If you have children that you want them to be in their own room or you have a larger family that is willing to split the cost of renting a 2 or 3 bedroom place, then this option is much cheaper than booking 2-3 Disney rooms.

The key to this option is to really research prices and different places. You want to stay somewhere that is close enough to the parks so you’re not wasting gas driving too far but also a place that is less expensive. I rented a house for only $600 for the week (8 days, 7 nights) that was 15 minutes from the parks and included incredible amenities, such as a pool, rec. room and restaurant on the complex. It was totally worth it because it was less than $100 a night.

We had to rent a vehicle and pay for parking fees at Disney but that cost was offset by spending less on a nightly rate than we would have at Disney. It worked because there was more of us chipping in!

2. Go on value season:

No matter where you stay, if you are planning a Disney world vacation on a budget, then you want to travel during offseason. Because EVERYTHING is cheaper during the offseason. Plane tickets, hotels, car rentals, and even theme park tickets! Not only will things be cheaper, but the parks won’t be as crowded!

Think of off season being when kids are in school and there are no holidays or long weekend. Peak seasons tend to be when kids are off of school and people are on vacation.

Find out the exact times of value season, low season, and peak season in my Disney Vacation Planning Printable Packet!

3. Plan early

Whenever you are planning a Disney World trip on a budget, you want to make sure that you are planning early. Anything that you need to book or buy will be cheaper when you buy it early.

Planning early also gives you more time to save. The sooner that you research your trip details and decide on what you want to do, the more information you have on exactly HOW much you need to save.

4. Drive

Another option to plan a trip to Disney on a budget is to drive. If you are within driving distance to Florida and you have a large family, then driving will be a lot cheaper than flying. I know this tip is common sense, but if you have the option to drive and flights are looking too expensive, it may be the best option.

5. Look at a flight low fare/best fare calendar

If you are in your researching phase and are looking in to flights to Orlando, be sure to check the airlines low fare calendar. This is where they will show you the cost of your trip for each day of the month.

That way, you can see which days are more expensive to fly and which days are the cheapest! I’ve scored tickets for only $69 each way by using the low fare calendar. I was planning on flying out a Wednesday and it was $110 each way, but then I checked the low fare calendar and found out it was $40 cheaper to just fly out the next day! Score!

6. Look for perks EVERYWHERE!

Just like staying on the Disney site has perks, so does a lot of other places! From hotels, to airlines, to car rentals, and more!

For example, I flew southwest one time just so I can take advantage of the free 2 checked bags per person! It was the first time flying with our baby and we had a lot of extra stuff with us (car seat covers, diapers, wipes, extra clothes, bottles, etc.). So instead of flying another airline where each checked bag is $25, we saved $50 a person by switching airlines!

Then we chose to stay on Disney site where they handle all of our bags for us so we didn’t have to worry about carrying around all of the luggage when we landed. We took advantage of all of the perks!

7. Bring the essentials with you

Planning a trip to Disney World on a budget also consists of making sure that you are bringing all of the essentials with you. Ever checked out the prices of a bathing suit on vacation? Or the price of a bottle of Tylenol? It’s like 3 times the regular cost!

Vacations tend to be expensive because let’s face it, things are expensive! But if you plan properly and make sure that you are bringing with you everything that you needed, you won’t have to spend money on things that you had at home and just forgot to bring.

So, save your vacation money for things you actually want, and not on meaningless things that you could have brought with you from home, like a razor or bathing suit or tums.

8. Save on food costs

One of the greatest costs of any vacation is food. A really cool thing that Disney parks let you do is bring snacks and drinks in the park. So you can essentially plan your whole meals and snacks without spending a dime on food in the park! I’ve even brought in bottles of water and packed snacks with us so we weren’t spending money every 2 hours on a little bite to eat. It’s a great way to save money!

If you didn’t opt for a rental car and just used Disney transportation, you can even have groceries delivered straight to your resort so you can have snacks and make your foods. It saves a lot of money!

9. Buy Disney merchandise at home

A really great way to save money and plan a trip to Disney World on a budget is to purchase Disney merchandise at home before your trip. Most of the items you are going to want to buy are things that you can easily get on the Disney Store website or even at your local dollar store! Buy your own bubble machine, glow in the dark products, and Disney apparel at home!

Want your family to wear matching Disney shirts or Disney apparel? Check out Target, Walmart, and your local stores to find things on sale. Because let’s be honest, one t-shirt at Disney is going to cost you about $30 when you can buy all the t-shirts for your family for that price

Save your souvenir budget for things that you can ONLY get in the parks on things that you know you are really going to want. Don’t spend your budget on a bubble machine and a light up sword.

10. Use credit card points to buy Disney gift cards

If you REALLY want to plan your trip the cheapest way possible, another great tip is to use your credit card points to buy Disney Gift cards. Then it’s like free money! A lot of people have credit cards where you get a percentage of cash back for every dollar you spend. Then you can cash in those points or request the cash back at certain places. For example, use your target credit card to purchase Disney gift cards, that way you’re saving 5%!

A really thrifty idea that I had was to open a Disney Chase credit card, claim the free $300 bonus for enrolling and then use that money towards my trip. Then for every dollar you spend on the credit card you get a percentage that goes into a fund that you can access to use for any Disney item (including Disney store, flights, hotel stay, theme park tickets, and more!)

So what my family does is use the Disney credit card for every purchase we have (bills, grocery, gas, etc.). Then we pay the credit card off with our debit account. That way we are collecting all of this free Disney money JUST for simply using the credit card!

We’ve been using the Disney Credit card for over 2 years and have accumulated thousands of dollars that is FREE money! (We are saving it to use for another Disney cruise for our wedding anniversary!)

Budgeting is all about thinking SMARTLY!

11. Costco

Another great option to planning a trip to Disney world on budget is to check out Costco deals. If you are a Costco member, they have a great travel program where you can bundle flights, hotel stay, and tickets at a GREAT deal!

My mom used Costco once for a Christmas trip. All of the flights were so expensive and the Disney resorts were out of this world expensive. We thought we weren’t going to be able to go. But then my mom looked into Costco and we were able to stay at a beautiful 2-bedroom villa 10 minutes from the parks and it was a fraction of the price! It included flights and theme park tickets too!

Free Disney Vacation Planning Printable Packet!

Don’t forget to download my Disney Vacation Planning Printable Pack! It includes:

Tips on the best times to visit Disney World based on value seasons and important timelines to help you book your Fast Passes and Dining Reservations
A detailed Disney vacation packing list (includes a packing list for baby too!)
Disney Planning worksheet, to help you organize your Fast Passes and dining reservations plus keep track of your flight and hotel reservation numbers

Download the Disney Vacation Planning Printable Pack now to help you take the stress out of vacation planning so you can just focus on how excited you are to get away!

>> So, there you have it! Here is a list of comprehensive and detailed tips for planning a trip to Disney World on a budget!

Remember, planning a trip to the happiest place on earth doesn’t have to break the bank. With these smart tips, you can have an epic vacation and not worry about spending too much money!

Happy Disney Planning!

You might also enjoy these articles to help you plan an amazing trip!

Importance of Family Goals

Family Life

We all make resolutions and goals but did you ever think of setting goals for your family?? Making family goals is so essential to the growth of your family!

Family goals are so important because it can bring your family closer, give you all something to look forward to, helps you keep each other accountable, and sets a great family model for your children in the future!

Want a place to create and track your goals?? Check out my FREE Goal Planner to help you make goals, create actions steps for each goal, track your goals, and accomplish your goals! Grab yours now!

4 Reasons Family Goals Are Important

1. Gives Your Family Purpose

Goals are so amazing because it gives you a purpose. When your family comes together to create family goals, it gives everyone in the family something to look forward to, together.

No matter how young or old each member of your family is, you can create a goal that everyone can attain together. Whether it’s to spend more time together or to have a family night once a week, a family goal can give you all determination toward a common objective.

2. Brings you closer

When your family is working toward a purpose and common aim, it knits everyone together in a way that nothing else can. Building your family’s closeness and intimacy is so important especially for younger kids because it creates security for them.

Having a family goal that everyone is working toward can unite everyone together and has the potential to remedy any family division.

3. Helps keep everyone accountable

Because family goals give your family purpose and brings you all closer, it also keeps everyone accountable. The best and worst thing about a new goal is accountability.

Accountability is the best because it you are taking responsibility for your actions and owning them. Accountability can also be the worst because if you are failing to do what you said you were then it ultimately falls on you. But when you have a family that is accountable to each other, you help each other grow and most importantly, are there for each other when you fail AND succeed.

Having family goals can create an atmosphere of positive accountability in your home and teach your family how to try again when you fail and push harder when you succeed.

4. Sets a great model

Another great thing about family goals are that they set a great model for your family and for your children’s future. When you instill positive traditions and behaviors in your children, they tend to take those behaviors and continue them as they grow older.

Since you are operating as a united family and teaching your children to rely on each other for help, support and to help each other accomplish goals, then they will know it for themselves and hopefully share it with their future family.

Download my Free #MomGoals 2019 Goal Planner Now!

The Free #MomGoals Planner is designed to help you:

Brainstorm the goals that you want to achieve that month
Plan your monthly goals
Achieve your monthly goals by helping you create action steps
Complete your goal action steps with easy to use trackers
Plan your month at a glance
Create an attainable “to-do” list with prioritized sections
Make goals for not only yourself, but your children and spouse
Write your notes for the month so you never forget to do anything!
Help you break down all of the goals you want to accomplish in 2019 in an easy to accomplish way!

The MomGoals 2019 Goal Planner is a 24-page printable calendar workbook to help you master your goals this year! Start the year off right with creating, tracking, and accomplishing your goals!

The awesome thing about this planner is that you’re not just making a bunch of goals all at once, but you have the option to create new goals each month or break up your list of annual goals month to month so you’re not overwhelmed with everything you want to accomplish this new year!

I love family goals because they give your family a collective determination. It sets a positive family culture in your home and gives your children something to look forward to.

Just think of how happy everyone in your family will be when you all accomplish the goals together! It would be reason enough to throw a great big family celebration!

So be sure to set your family goals and stick to them! Get everyone involved and keep each other accountable and positive!

Talk soon!

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How to easily start planning your family’s gift list

Family Life, Seasonal & Holidays

Inside: Find out the 6 steps to easily accomplishing your family’s gift list!

There is nothing better than the satisfying proud feeling when you get all of your Christmas shopping done!

But this is no easy task, so I wanted to help you ace this Christmas by giving you tips and tricks to effortlessly plan and accomplish your family Christmas gifts and Christmas list!

The key to accomplishing your Christmas List and family Christmas gifts is to start planning what you need to do and get done- such as make your Christmas list, budget, decide on what to gifts to give, where to shop, and to shop smartly.

It may seem like that’s a lot to do but trust me, these tips will help you accomplish ALL of these things in a breeze!

One of the best things you can do to help you accomplish all that you have to get done is to use a Christmas Planner. Luckily, I created an awesome Christmas List & Budget Planner that will help you check everything off of your Christmas “to-do” list easily.

So, let’s get down to it!

How to Effortlessly plan & Accomplish Your Family Christmas Gifts & List

#1—Make a Christmas list

The first thing you should do is to actually make a Christmas List. This may seem super obvious but a lot of people don’t physically make a list, they just make a mental list and shop based on what they see at the moment.

I used to do this and then didn’t understand why I was failing so hard at Christmas gift-giving and family Christmas gifts. Once I started actually making a list I felt like I was on top of the Christmas mountain!

The goal of a Christmas List is to have all of the people you want/need to get gifts for all in one place. It’s almost like your master sheet. It has everyone’s names so you never have to feel like you are forgetting someone and it also has your gift ideas and even a place for you to set a budget for each person.

It’s the one go-to place for you to track your Christmas gifts and people you want to give gifts too. It’s a lifesaver!

If you want to learn how to make an amazing Christmas List, check out my post “How to Make a Christmas List in 3 Easy Steps”!

#2 — Wishlist

After you make your Christmas List, you’ll want to think of gifts to buy each person on your list. Brainstorm their likes, interests, and needs. This always helps me think of great gifts. I even end up thinking of a few different gift ideas in case I don’t find one then I have a backup idea!

Want to come to with perfect gift ideas?? Check out my post “How to Come Up with Perfect Christmas Gift Ideas”!

#3 — Decide on a budget

The next important thing to do to accomplish perfect family Christmas gifts is to decide on a budget for your gifts. You can choose to have an overall budget that you work with or break that budget up and have a particular budget for each person on your Christmas list.

You can take their wish list or the gifts that you thought of for each person based on their wants, needs, and likes and come up with a budget that would fit that person!

The great thing about a budget is you can see and track what you are spending. One of the major issues with the holiday season is a lot of people spend SO MUCH money. But if you set a budget, you are more likely to be frugal and shop sales instead of just buying whatever you see.

Another cool thing about a budget is you can decide as a family how much you want your budget to be for each person. That way, everyone is getting the same value of gifts and no one has to feel like their gift stinks compared to a really fancy, expensive gift.

I find that budgets make everything fair.

BONUS: Grab the FREE Christmas Gift List Organizer to help you get your Christmas list in perfect order! Spend less time making a list, and more time checking if off! CLICK HERE TO GET IT NOW!

#4 – Think of Places to get what is on your list

Now that you have your Christmas List, budget and overall concept of what you want to get each person, it’s time to actually think of where you can get each of those gifts! Maybe you need to head to a mall that’s a little further away that has all of the stores you need. Or maybe you want to visit an outlet to be able to get all of your gifts on a discount so you can meet your budget.

Sometimes I even make a note next to each person’s name on my list of where I want to shop for them. If I’m making a DIY gift then I’ll write “Hobby Lobby” or “Michaels” next to their name. If I’m getting my husband the latest smart technology then I’ll write “Best Buy” next to his name.

Sometimes I don’t know WHAT I want to get someone but I know WHERE I want to go to find them something. This is perfectly fine to do as well!

P.S. My Christmas Planner has all of the templates you need to help you track sales, clearances and what you want to buy from each store!

#5 — Dedicate a weekend to shopping

Now that you know WHERE you want to shop, it’s time to actually shop! I usually dedicate a full weekend to Christmas shopping, that way I can get it out of the way and I’m not running around frantic a week before Christmas. Black Friday weekend is a great time to get your shopping done because the sale lasts for daaayyysss. You can even shop online and don’t have to leave the comfort of your own home!

I like to get the major Christmas gifts out of the way- like the big toys and larger gift items- all in one shot. If you actually PLAN to go shopping and have a set budget then you’re super likely to accomplish everything that you need to get done!

#6 — Keep an eye open everywhere you go

Another great tip to accomplishing your family Christmas gifts is to keep your eyes open for sales and gifts everywhere you go. You never know when you will see something that you weren’t expecting to see- even at a lower price!

Even if you are at the grocery store or at the dollar store, be on the lookout for things that you know are on your list or you know that you need. Be aware of your surroundings at all times! You have no idea how much money I’ve saved over the years by doing this.

#7 — Comb the circulars and coupon sections (Keep your Receipts)

The last and final tip for planning and accomplishing your family Christmas gifts is to go through circulars and coupon sections for different stores. Since you are on a budget and know somewhat what you want to buy each person now you can start searching for those particular gifts.

A great tip is to sign up for emails from the website of the store that has the gift you want. That way you can see what sales they have weekly without having to think much about it. There’s this awesome app called “Flipp” that also has all of the weekly circulars for each store so you don’t have to physically get the paper and flyers!

Also, be sure to keep your receipts too in case you need to return something or price match at a later time!

Download the Free Gift List Organizer

Spend less time making your Christmas list and more time checking it off! Grab your FREE copy of my Christmas Gift List Organizer!!

Well, there you have it! I hope I was able to help you effortlessly plan and accomplish your family Christmas gifts!

I know it seems like a lot of planning but when you actually start to do it, it’s so easy and will take less than 20 minutes!

Planning your gifts and list out before you go shopping will help you immensely. Trust me!

Happy gift giving!

Family Life

No time to read this now? That’s okay! Save it to your favorite Pinterest board for later!

The Best Tips for Traveling with Kids Post Pandemic

1. Pack smart

2. Have disinfectant wipes easily accessible in every bag

3. Hang hand sanitizer holder on every bag

4. Disinfectant everything before touching

5. Load up on vitamins

Related Reading!

Flying with a Baby or Toddler Post-pandemic

Plan your outfits with easy travel in mind

Have toddler hold on to your bookbag or stroller strap while walking

Wipe down airplane before sitting

Staying in a hotel with kids post-pandemic

Related reading!

Visiting a Theme Park with Kids Post Pandemic

1. Pack smart

2. Have disinfectant wipes accessible in every bag

3. Carry hand sanitizer holders

4. Wipe surfaces before using

Here are some other little theme park tips to avoid pesky germs…

Use a stroller

Use travel disinfectant spray to clean changing pad/area

Traveling with kids post-pandemic Recap!

Related Reading

How to Save Money at Disney World

1. Bring your own stroller

2. Bring your own snacks

3. Eat Kids meals

4. Limit souvenir spending with gift cards

5. Order groceries / buy groceries

6. Take advantage of Complimentary water

7. Buffets

8. Use your Disney credit card

9. If you have little ones, skip the park hopper

10. If you see something you want, check the Disney site for a cheaper price or sales

11. If you want to pin trade, order a batch of used Disney pins online for cheap and then trade them for better ones during your stay

12. If you missed out on a souvenir at the park, try Disney Springs

Get your Free Disney Vacation Planning Printable Pack!

You might like these posts too!

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Tips for planning a trip to Disney on a budget!

1. Research best places to stay

Option 1: Staying on Disney Property

Free Disney’s Magical Express (transportation to and from the airport)

Free transportation to and from the Disney parks (saving you money on parking fees at the park)

You get to pick your Fast Passes 60 days in advanced

Option 2: Stay in a villa

2. Go on value season:

3. Plan early

4. Drive

5. Look at a flight low fare/best fare calendar

6. Look for perks EVERYWHERE!

7. Bring the essentials with you

8. Save on food costs

9. Buy Disney merchandise at home

10. Use credit card points to buy Disney gift cards

11. Costco

Free Disney Vacation Planning Printable Packet!

You might also enjoy these articles to help you plan an amazing trip!

4 Reasons Family Goals Are Important

1. Gives Your Family Purpose

2. Brings you closer

3. Helps keep everyone accountable

4. Sets a great model

Download my Free #MomGoals 2019 Goal Planner Now!

Wait! Do you love free printables??

How to Effortlessly plan & Accomplish Your Family Christmas Gifts & List

#1—Make a Christmas list

#2 — Wishlist

#3 — Decide on a budget

#4 – Think of Places to get what is on your list

#5 — Dedicate a weekend to shopping

#6 — Keep an eye open everywhere you go

#7 — Comb the circulars and coupon sections (Keep your Receipts)

Download the Free Gift List Organizer