Vacationing in southern California usually means a trip to Disneyland. Making the trip affordable is sometimes another story. Park admission is expensive, as are the hotel stay and other associated expenses. Finding deals on a Disney vacation takes work, but it is possible.
To purchase discount park admission tickets, use only authorized Disney ticket sellers (see Resources). You can save a significant amount on admission--sometimes up to 30 percent. You may also be able to purchase bundled tickets that offer admission to other attractions like Universal Studios, Sea World-San Diego and the San Diego Zoo.
If you're traveling and will need a hotel, this can be one of the biggest expenses of the trip. Organizations like AAA and AARP offer hotel discounts, and booking your hotel online--again using an authorized Disney reseller--is also another way to save money. Don't be afraid to call the hotel where you will be staying a day or two before your trip to see if the rate has dropped and if the hotel will honor that rate for you. If you rent a car and are willing to stay a little further away from Disneyland, you may be able to find better rates. If you want to stay on the Disneyland property, the least expensive hotel is the Paradise Pier.
Planning your trip during Disney's "off peak" times will help reduce the cost of your stay. The slow times for Disneyland are the first week of January, February before Presidents' Day, between Labor Day and the week before Halloween and from just after Thanksgiving until the week before Christmas. Remember that during these times, rides and attractions may be down for maintenance and options like the fast pass may not be available.
Overall, Disneyland Vacation packages are a good deal. There are no all-inclusive packages at Disneyland. However, it's good to know the cost of individual things to see if you're saving money. Some of the free items offered in a package may make it worthwhile.
