What used to be 160 acres of citrus trees in rural Anaheim, California, turned into a wondrous land of Walt Disney's imagining in 1955. Since then, millions of children of all ages have passed through the gates of the Magic Kingdom, often at great expense. A trip of this magnitude is not cheap, but there are definite ways to shave the cost off certain elements that drive up the price, from where you eat and where you stay to what type of tickets you purchase.
Book off-peak season. Beat the crowds by traveling in the value season. This includes months like January and February or roughly the first three weeks of October, November, and December prior to the hectic holidays, when more people are likely to travel. Not only will you nab a better price, you'll have less crowds to fight for popular attractions. This is also true of weekdays as opposed to more crowded weekends.
Package your tickets. The Park Hopper ticket will enable you to visit more than just one of the Disneyland parks. As of 2010, this includes the Disneyland Park and Disney's California Adventure. These tickets can provide a savings over buying separate tickets at the gate.
Eat, shop and stay off site. Everything within the park is going to be priced for its ease of convenience, so it is often in the best interest of your wallet to dine or stay elsewhere. Many restaurants and hotels have sprung up around the Disneyland area to provide a less expensive alternative to staying in the resort itself.
Go directly to the source for discounts. Disneyland resorts know they are in stiff competition for your dollar. Because of this, some packages are available directly through Disney for you to stay within the resorts' properties rather than elsewhere. Vacation packages can even offer prepaid meal plans.
Take advantage of being local. If you are a Southern California resident you can often get a discount on your tickets, and you won't necessarily have to spend any money on lodging. If you plan to frequent the park more than just once a year, you might also benefit from an annual passport.
