Tag: Disney Gift Cards

Saving for Your Disney Vacation- 11 Tips You Can Use Right Now!

July 15, 2014

I have had so many people tell me that they want to go to Disney one day, but just don’t have the funds to do it. Well once I left my corporate job to be a SAHM and build my MickeyTravels business, I have learned how to save even on a budget! I am not an accountant, so I will not go into all the math involved (YUCK!) but I can tell you some great ways to save for your next vacation!

Discounts and Deals and News

1) Saving on your grocery bills… This is an area that I have really decreased our spending on over the past 2 years. There is no extreme coupon-ing involved, just some basic principles. Make sure to shop the sales that week and use coupons on items that are already on sale. Make sure to look at the unit cost on different sizes, especially when there is a sale. Try to buy a store/value brand when possible. Buy less meat and boxed foods and more produce (not only great for your wallet but your heart, health and waistline!)

2) Use Cash… I can’t even tell you how much money I have saved used cash for most of my everyday spending. As much as I love getting credit card rewards, I have found that spending less is far more valuable than the rewards. I use credit for gas, large purchases (to get my Disney Visa points), and online purchases. Other than that, cash it is. Try it for a month and see how much you save!

3) Stop buying bottled water… We have a water filter on our sink so we just fill up our Tervis cups instead of wasting money on bottled water. Even if you don’t have a filter, Brita and other brands make bottles with a filter. This is an easy way to save cash.

4) Stock up on baby supplies during sales… I always buy my diapers and wipes in bulk during a sale. This saves a ton of money!

5) Get a Disney Visa…I know I said use cash, but you can’t pay cash for everything. When you do use your card you will be earning money towards Disney! I love that I just transfer my rewards balance to a gift card to use for tips and souvenirs.

6) Save your coins… Since I use cash, my purse tends to get weighed down with a lot of change. Each week (or so) I empty out my purses into a Disney popcorn bucket for our next vacation. This is not a huge amount, but it is FUN! I went to the bank and had $67 since our last trip. I also put the change I find doing my families laundry in here 🙂

7) Disney Gift Cards— Get in the habit of asking for Disney gift cards for holidays. I always get these and they can be applied  towards your Disney trip or be used while you are down there. I have many clients that buy them at Target to get the 5%. I always do Kroger so I can get the fuel points. If you are thinking about Disney, just buy some when there is a deal and put them in a safe place.

8) Eat a home…This is huge, especially for a family! Make pizza night fun by making your own pie. You will get exactly what you want and save money! This also goes for skipping the drive thru. We go out on weekends and special occasions but other than that, we eat at home. It saves money and is much healthier too.

9) Skip the gym membership…Really, how often are you really using it? You can get a great workout at home using a video or even just looking up routines online. So many people are fooled into thinking they need fancy equipment to get in shape. I can tell you, I am in great shape just running outside, carrying around my toddler, being active, and doing random workouts with my husband. You can also go on groupon for deals on fitness. For one month I did a $200 bootcamp and only paid $39, it was worth it before my beach vacation

10) Prioritize your money… Look back at your credit card reciepts and bank statments and really think about where all your money is going. Chances are you are spending it on impulse buys at Target, hitting up Starbucks a little more than you should and eating out more than you thought. If you gasp when you see the totals, time to make some changes. Figure out what you can cut from your budget to make room for that dream vacation.

11) Sell old stuff…Look around your house and I am sure you have some things you can sell. I have sold books, designer purses, and even some of my Disney pin collection on ebay and on yard sale sites on Facebook. I have gotten the most for my gently used designer clothes and purses. You could even have a garage sale. I love using ebay because the money goes into my paypal account and then I can use it from online purchases or transfer to my bank account. It was fun to buy my son and I some olaf shirts off Etsy with cash I made selling old stuff!

I hope this has inspired you to save money and I would love if you put that money towards at Disney vacation!

Are you interested in learning more about a Disney vacation? My services are 100% FREE!

Make it a magical day!

Julie Hauck *o*
Authorized Disney Vacation Planner
MickeyTravels, LLC
1-513-313-9531 (cell)
julie@mickeytravels.com
www.mickeytravels.com
Read my Disney Blog!
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Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique – Downtown Disney and Magic Kingdom

March 18, 2014

Getting a makeover at the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique is the dream of princesses of all ages. Have a seat with your own Fairy Godmother in training for a day of pampering! Choose a hairstyle, nail color, accessories, and your own Disney princess gown. Then capture the memory in a princess-themed photo frame! Boys can get involved with the magic too and be transformed into courageous knights.
Disney for kidsThere are a variety of packages to choose from for a custom experience at the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique. Start with hairstyle, makeup, and a princess sash for the Coach package and add nail polish, tshirt, tutu, tote bag and more for your perfect princess pampering. Add the Imaging Package for a photo of your princess in a special photo holder. Guests can also choose the knight package for hairstyling with gel, a mighty sword and shield, and confetti!
princessesThere are a few things to know before your makeover extraordinaire. The Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique is very popular so it is recommended to make an appointment. MickeyTravels can book your appointment with a Fairy Godmother-in-training! Keep in mind that your transformation will take between 30 minutes to one hour and guests must be between 3 and 12 years of age and accompanied by an adult. Princesses may choose the costume of Ariel, Snow White, Aurora, Belle, Jasmine, Cinderella, Tinker Bell, Tiana, Rapunzel, or Merida. Remember to bring your own brush or comb and make sure hair is freshly washed and nails are clean of polish. The boutique is open from 9:30 – 6:00 PM seven days a week. The Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique is sure to make the Disney experience fabulous for your little princess!

Contact MickeyTravels today to learn more about the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique and how we can plan this special service for you and your little ones!  www.mickeytravels.com or 1-888-812-8750.

For more on the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique visit Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique…for Boys and The Benefit of Disney Gift Cards.

Erin Breen
MickeyTravels Guest Blogger

The Benefit of Disney Gift Cards

January 24, 2013

When we announced to our kids that we would be going to Disney this fall they had a lot of questions:

Will we see Cinderella’s Castle? (yes!)
Will we ride the Tower of Terror? (as long as you’re tall enough!)
Will I be able to turn in to a real princess at Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique? (long pause)

Disney Princess Makeover

Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique is a salon where little girls can get a princess makeover by a “Fairy Godmother in Training”. It is something I would like to do myself! But since makeovers are limited to guests aged 3-12, I was out of luck. The next best thing was to see my 9-year-old daughter have her magical moment.

But before I made promises I couldn’t keep, I had to check the pricing. I hate to say no to my kids in the place where dreams come true. But I had to be realistic too.

According to Disney’s website, packages at the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique range from $54.95 to $189.95. And my daughter had visions of grandeur. She wanted the Castle Package which included the princess gown. So in other words, the most expensive one.

How could her dreams come true without breaking the bank? And then it came to me! Her dreams could come true… and she could learn something valuable at the same time!

Disney Gift Card

I explained that if she could save up the money herself, we would make the reservations. I would start her off with $10 and if she saved the money her grandparents gave her for special occasions, she would be off to a great start. Whatever she had saved by the time we went to Disney would determine the package she would be able to purchase.

Not to be outdone, her 6-year-old brother decided that he wanted to save up for a big experience too. He started saving before he even knew what he wanted to do. We spent lots of time exploring options: Pirates and Pals Fireworks Voyage? The Pirates League? Wild Africa Trek? None of them seemed to be “the one”.

Then he heard about parasailing.

I knew parasailing was offered at Disney’s Contemporary Resort, and in fact it is on my Bucket List! But the thought of my 6-year-old taking flight made my heart stop. But he REALLY wanted to do it. When I got more info I realized he would need to ride tandem with a parent. So then I got super excited! Of course he picked his dad to go with him. But with that choice decided, the saving really picked up.

To make sure the kids didn’t spend their Disney money on a whim, we went to the Disney Store and had them each pick out a Disney Gift Card. Then we talked about other ways they could earn money and made a list.

Whenever they earned/received any cash they would ask to go to the Disney Store to charge their cards. Maybe it was an excuse to go to one of their favorite places (with me as their mother, they never really need an excuse!). But they enjoyed seeing their gift card totals go up.

parasailing

They had so much fun dreaming up ways to earn more money for their gift cards, they suggested that we get one for their little brother. He just turned 2, and on his birthday my daughter gave him $1 for his gift card.

We leave in just a few weeks. And guess what? They have earned enough for their experiences and then some! So in addition to their makeover and parasailing, they have their spending money all set aside on their Disney gift card.

Our Disney Gift Card system has really helped add magic to our 2012 trip itinerary and it will become a vacation tradition in our family from here on out. In fact, I have one now too! I’ll let you now on our next trip what I decided to save for!

Visit www.mickeytravels.com for all you Disney Vacation Planning tips and our FREE vacation planning services!

Making Magic One Vacation at a Time..
Thanks to Devene Godau, our MickeyTravels guest blogger!



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