Buy Park Hopper tickets. The "Park Hopper" Pass is like Disney's idea of buying in bulk. You can buy Parkhopper passes good from one to five days. They will allow you to visit both the Disneyland Magic Kingdom and Disney's California Adventure, both located minutes away from each other in sunny Anaheim, California. Of course the more days you buy the more you save. If you buy the 5-day Park Hopper pass, you save a whopping $40 per person! For a family of five, that's almost like getting a free admission! Of course if you live close to Disneyland for just a few dollars more per person you can buy an annual pass. By visiting Disney just five times over the course of a one year period, you will save money. With so many shows and attractions, it's almost like having free weekly entertainment for kids if you utilize it a lot!
Eat before. Prices at Disneyland are no different than any other theme park--expensive. You can save quite a bit of money by eating before entering the park. The average meal at Disneyland which is inclusive of a drink, a main item and a side will cost in the neighborhood of $15 to $20. And that's fast food! Also, while you must open your bag at the gate to show them the contents, they'll usually let snacks for the kids slide. Do they like it? No, but they also understand. The worst that can happen with a policy change is that they make you throw away some pretzels you packed. Pack snacks and drinks. Juice boxes, water bottles, pretzels, gummy bears, oranges, apples. Popcorn is a favorite as the smell of popcorn wafting through the park is delicious. If you have your very own pre-packed, you can avoid buying boxes at a premium.
Bring extras. Suntan lotion, digital cards or film for your camera, baby wipes, ponchos, anything and everything you can think of that you might need at the park. They are all available inside for purchase but you will again pay a premium. Instead, once inside the park, rent a locker for just a few bucks and place those items inside. Then when you need them they'll be waiting for you. Another biggie is a stroller. If your child is still in a stroller, bring yours. The strollers for rent start at $10 per day and are made of hard plastic.
Stay offsite. The Disney properties are absolutely gorgeous, but the problem is there are only so many rooms to go around. Anaheim is a big place. Within minutes of Disneyland there are literally thousands of hotel rooms. Especially during the off-season (which is any time kids are in school) you may be able to get a room for as little as $49 per night.
Visit Disneyland.com. Their official website has a section dubbed "special promotions and offers." Often they offer additional discounts for patrons. They are updated once every couple of months just before a new season begins.
