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Credit: DisneyThere are no bones about it – a Walt Disney World vacation is EXPENSIVE. Between paying to book a Resort Hotel, park tickets, expensive dining reservations, travel, food, souvenirs, and more, many families have to save up for years to visit just once. And even when you do visit, you’re going to be looking for places to cut costs.
Inside the Magic has a lot of guides on how you can save a few dollars on your next Walt Disney World vacation. If you’re crafty with your dining reservations, plan ahead, and pack well, you’d be surprised by the amount of money you’ll save. However, it can be easy to get swept up during your vacation by frivolous purchases and things you could have brought from home or will never use again. Here are our picks for the things you’ll regret buying on your Walt Disney World vacation.
Ponchos
Sure, those translucent ponchos may be a staple of Walt Disney World (remember when they were yellow?), but you know it’s probably going to rain on your trip – it’s Florida, after all. If you get caught in the rain with no gear, you could be paying as much as $12 per poncho; that’s almost $50 for a family of 4! Stick some raincoats or ponchos from home in your bag to avoid having to buy the plastic ones and fruitlessly trying to fold them back up once the rain ends.
Impractical Souvenirs
There are classic Disney Would souvenirs that are great ways to commemorate your trip, AND you’ll continue to use them in your daily life. Things like t-shirts, jackets, and mugs are great picks, or even more unique things like home goods or collectibles. However, if you’re looking to save money, remember to ask yourself if your kids are really going to play with that bubble wand when you get home (or even in a few hours). The same goes for things like souvenir popcorn buckets, sipper cups, misting fans, or limited edition MagicBands. While they may be great if you’re a frequent Walt Disney World visitor, if you only go once every few years, they may not be worth the money.
Balloons
We get it. To a child’s eye, those giant bouquets of balloons on Main Street, U.S.A. are extremely hard to resist. They’re colorful, some of them light up, and they have everyone’s favorite characters on them. However, no matter how cute they are, that doesn’t outweigh them being $14. You can get lunch at Walt Disney World for that price! Balloons are cumbersome to carry around and will ultimately pop, blow away, or deflate, and you can’t bring them on attractions with you. If you can, talk your little ones out of this one.
Water
The Holy Grail of Walt Disney World advice; bring a refillable water bottle with you. Florida is hot, and at $3.75 a pop, the amount of money you’ll spend on disposable water bottles will add up exponentially. Even if you don’t want to carry around a reusable bottle with you, Walt Disney World quick-service locations will give you cups of ice water for FREE. Seriously. Don’t spend money on water when you could be spending it on other delicious drinks.
Prepackaged Snacks
Walt Disney World is a snack lover’s dream with literally hundreds of unique options you can’t get anywhere else – so why are you trying to quell your hunger with an overpriced bag of Skittles? If you’re really looking to snack on name brands like Lays or Doritos, bring them from home. Additionally, while there are usually a lot of options for Walt Disney World-themed prepackaged snacks like Rice Krispie treats, cookies, popcorn, lollipops, and more, they’re usually never nearly as good as a fresh churro, Mickey Mouse pretzel, or Mickey Premium bar.