Since its introduction in 1971, Disney World in Orlando, Florida, has grown considerably, and so has the cost of visiting. If you haven’t been to Disney World since you were a kid, you may be shocked to find out how much it costs these days. But don’t despair, there are ways to cut costs. Unfortunately, the best suggestion for saving money at Disney World is to visit during off-peak periods, which is not possible for most NEA members, since off-peak periods are exactly those times when school is in session. However, there are other things you can do to pare down your costs at America’s number one paid tourist attraction.

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Accommodations

Who knew that Disney has a campground? The Campsites at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort is near the Magic Kingdom theme park on 700 wooded acres. There are trails, canals and gentle forest animals, just like in Snow White, as well as log buildings that reflect the American Frontier theme of the campground. 799 campsites accommodate both tents and full hook-up recreational vehicles, including the tents-only site, Creekside Meadow. All the RV campsites include sewer hookups and air-conditioned Comfort Stations provide private bathroom and shower facilities, laundry, telephones and ice machines. In the summer, attend Mickey’s Backyard BBQ, with line dancing to a live band. Take in the musical revue, eat at the on-site restaurant, sing your heart out at the nightly Chip ‘n’ Dale Sing-a-Long, rent bikes or take a wagon ride. With so many activities, you may never make it to the rest of the park. Rates at the campsite start at $43 per night plus tax. At maximum capacity of 10 people per site, that could be as little as $4.30 per person! Prices include water, electricity, grill (you bring the charcoal), and cable TV connection. Transportation to the rest of the park is complimentary.

For those who prefer four walls and indoor plumbing, teacher rates are available at the Swan and Dolphin hotels, located near Epcot Center and Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Boat transportation is provided to both parks and there is easy access to the entire Disney transportation system. Though these hotels are on Disney property, they are not actually owned by Disney. They are operated by Starwood, the parent company of Sheraton and Westin hotels. The certified school teachers and school support staff discounted rates are not always available during peak periods. Proper ID and/or your most recent paycheck stub proving employment must be shown at check-in. Book directly through the hotel at (888) 828-8850 and ask for rate code TEACH.

Discounts are offered on Disney resort hotel rooms if you are a member of AAA. They do not apply to package deals, so it may be cheaper to book everything separately and get the AAA discount.

Food and Drink

Eat an early dinner, and get lunch prices. Plus, the restaurants will be less crowded, so the wait will be shorter. To be sure, make a reservation at your desired eatery for the last lunchtime slot.

Bring your own water bottles to fill up at the water fountains for free, and save dollars every day.

Stock up on a cooler, food, snacks and drinks at the local supermarket and rent a locker at the park to store them in. This will save you hundreds of dollars if you are on a multiple-day stay, and you won’t have to waste time waiting in long concession lines.

As a general rule of thumb, the further away from Disney, the cheaper the prices will be for food, gas and other essentials. Shop at the supermarkets rather than the smaller, closer-in shops, which mark up their merchandise because they know that people will be willing to pay for the convenience.

If the character meals and themed dining are important to you, enroll in one of Disney's dining plans. They are available only to guests of Disney hotels as part of the Magic Your Way Vacation Packages. There are often special deals on the dining packages, too, so check the Disney website or ask your travel agent.

If you are staying at a Disney Resort, buy a refillable mug for $13.84 (including tax). This entitles you to free refills at the resort’s food court area during your stay.

Souvenirs

Go to Orlando Premium Outlets, just off I-4 at 8200 Vineland Avenue in Orlando (407) 238-7787, just minutes drive from Disney, to shop at Character Premiere. You can find items up to 50% off what you would pay on-site at Disney, but beware that some items are not marked down, so shop wisely. There are approximately 140 other discount shops in the mall and many nearby hotels offer promotional discounts in conjunction with the mall.

Another Disney outlet store, Character Outlet, can be found at Lake Buena Vista Factory Stores, 15657 S. Apopka Vineland Road (SR 535), Orlando, (407) 239-3690. It is just 2 miles from Disney World.

Find your basic souvenirs, like t-shirts and plush dolls, at Visitors Flea Market, across the street from Old Town in Kissimmee, 5811 W. Irlo Bronson Memorial Highway. Despite the name, the items are new.

Farthest away from the park, east on I-4, is Disney’s Character Warehouse (407) 354-3255 at Prime Outlets, 4951 International Drive, Orlando, (407) 352-9600.

Buy autographed books, ponchos, film, sunscreen, nighttime glow sticks and other necessities before you enter the park.

Trip preparation

There are shelves of Disney guidebooks out there, like “The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World,” “Birnbaum’s Walt Disney World” and “Frommer’s Walt Disney World & Orlando.” These books are packed with money and time-saving tips. Go to your library to check one out. They are popular, so you may have to reserve the book in advance.

If you are flying, send your luggage, including cooler and groceries, by ground transportation with UPS or another delivery service. Call ahead to your hotel to alert them about the arrival of your package. This also saves on paying the fee for luggage that most airlines have recently imposed.

Tickets

There is really no way to get around paying the substantial prices for the theme park passes. But if you are an AAA member, you can get discounts on tickets—buy them through AAA and not from Disney. Florida residents and military members are also entitled to discounts.

For 2009, Disney is offering free admission on your birthday. Register online and bring your Disney confirmation message and a government issued ID or birth certificate to the gate of your theme park of choice to get free entrance. The free entrance is only good for one theme park (no park hopping) and only on your birthday. If you already have a pass, you can exchange the free admission for other free services, like a Fastpass exchange card.

Base tickets are for one theme park per day with no extras and expire 14 days from day of 1st use. From there, you can add on details like no expiration date, the ability to move from theme park to theme park on the same day, and admission to attractions that are not included in the base ticket, like the water parks and the golf course. The more days you include in your pass, the cheaper the tickets are for per-day use. Before you buy the tickets, know what your needs are and buy accordingly. Unused portions of tickets are not redeemable. If you plan to spend more than 8 days a year at Disney World, consider purchasing the annual pass, which affords entrance to all 4 parks 365 days a year, and offers additional discounts for on-site amenities, including accommodations.

The prices for tickets on the Disney website do not include the 6.5% tax that will be added on.

Ticket wholesalers, like Know Before You Go, Orlando Fun Tickets, DWTickets, Undercover Tourist or Official Ticket Center, may be cheaper than buying directly from Disney.

Copy the numerical code on the back of each ticket and keep it in a safe place, separate from the tickets. If you lose your tickets, the code will get you replacements.

Helpful Websites

Monitor MouseSavers.com for discounts and deals, and sign up for the free newsletter, which lists unpublished offers. Also, look at their page of historical information on Disney World resort discounts. Disney tends to operate according to an established timetable and knowing when different discounts were offered to the public in the past will give you a lead on this year’s opportunities.

TouringPlans.com provides 100 step-by-step guides. Choose according to your style of touring and save precious time while you are at Disney World. A 12-month subscription to TouringPlans.com is $8.95.

For all things related to a trip to Disney World, also check out websites like AllEars.net, MousePlanet.com and TheMouseForLess.com.

Travel Agents

If you would rather not do it yourself, contact a travel agency that specializes in Disney, and they will have information on the best available discounts. Another advantage of using a travel agent is that they track discounts that come out after you have made your reservation and apply those discounts to your account.