Budget Disney: Pack the Savings, Then Sell the Suitcase

I think there's an inverse relationship between saving money at Disney and enjoying the magic of Disney. You can take the urge to save too far. I've heard of folks who forbid their children from buying any souvenirs at Disney but instead dole out trinkets during the trip that they bought back home at Wal-Mart.

Then you have people like me who fork over twenty bucks for a ridiculous plastic mister.

To stake the middle ground, check out Dave Shute's series, "The Tightwad's Guide to Walt Disney World", on his efficiently named site, YourFirstVisit.

Dave has tips for saving money on travel, lodging, food, and more. Old hands won't find much new here, but I like how Dave organizes his material and how he seems to have left nothing out.

For example, he presents five options for buying food on-the-cheap even when it's not available on-the-cheap at your Disney resort. I wonder, though, at his suggestion to bring a suitcase full of food with you (since you can buy it much more cheaply at home) and then fill the suitcase with Disney souvenirs for the trip back (thus spending, and then some, the money you saved on food).

A real tightwad would borrow the suitcase from a friend, fill it with clearance and distressed food products, and then sell the suitcase on the curb while waiting for the Magical Express. Not sure what to tell the friend back home, though.

The rest of Dave's site is also quite good, especially for those on their first visit (duh!) to Disney.