Disney vacations are a magical way to spend time with loved ones and can be both exhilarating and relaxing if you do it right. That’s correct… there is definitely a right way to vacation, well sort of. Of course each family has their own vacay style, but when you’re heading to Disney there are definitely some ways you can increase your fun and decrease waiting around in lines, unless you enjoy waiting in line… To get the most out of your Disney trip we’ve made a list of our favorite time and money saving tips.

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1. Bring your own snacks.

While it’s super fun to try all the Mickey shaped deserts and impulsively snack on churros, corn dogs and ice cream as big as a watermelon, it adds up quick both on your wallet and your belly. We tend to do Disney on a budget and while we’ve indulged in some amazing dinners and treats, snacks aren’t where we like to spend our money. Instead we take a trip to Trader Joe’s before our trip and grab lots of yummy trail mixes, roasted nuts, dried fruit and anything else that’s easy to pack and munch while in line. We also take advantage of grocery delivery (see below) to get fresh fruits, yogurt and other perishables. We’ve found that on days we bring our own snacks we feel better, and even make it on more rides. For a super fast snack order, click here to grab a repacked mix of snacks from Amazon.

2. Order groceries and have them delivered to your hotel the day you arrive.

One of the best tricks I’ve learned over the years is to have groceries delivered to your room. We always try to get a room with a fridge and microwave, but even without those items having a few essentials can save you time, money and will most likely leave you feeling better. Grab items you may not want to pack like diapers, wipes, and sunscreen as well as snacks and grab and go breakfast items. We often order fruit, sodas, sparkling water, oatmeal packets, veggies and hummus, sandwich fixings, milk, coffee drinks, alcoholic beverages (for some relaxation after a long day in the park) and a few treats or other random items depending on the trip. Generally you can have your items held at the bell desk or delivered right to your room. We’ve had great success with Pavilions/ Safeway as well as Amazon Prime Now. (*Amazon has a current deal where you can get $10 off your first order. Also, remember to use Ebates for all online shopping to save even more.) Not a Prime member? Click HERE to get 30 days free.

3. Stay within walking distance to the park.

There are so many options for amazing hotels to stay at near Disneyland. We’ve stayed right at the park, across town and everywhere in between. We’ve used the monorail, ART busses, had rental cars and hoofed it. Staying within walking distance will completely change your trip for the better, hands down. It is just so nice to be able to walk out of your room and go over to the park without dealing with transportation. The ART busses are affordable and do get you there, but aren’t necessarily consistent… we waited over an hour for them to come sometimes. It’s also kind of a pain if you are taking a stroller, diaper bags etc as you’ll have to lug it all onto the bus. Staying walking distance in the other hand allows you to load up your backpack, stroller etc, walk out your door and walk through the gates to start your magical fun! No extra waiting, fussing with gear or squeezing into crowded busses at the end of the night.

4. Buy souvenirs and trinkets for the family before you arrive or online.

There is no getting around the massive amounts of treasures at Disney Parks. There seems to be a gift shop after every ride and about 100 in between. I’ll confess, they are filled will fabulous treasures that the whole family will love. However they come at a not so fabulous price. If you shop ahead either online, at the Disneystore or keep an eye out for bargains at other stores (we like Dollar Tree, Kohl’s, JC Penny and Macy’s) before you go you can surprise the kiddos with fun treasures for everyone at a fraction of he cost. Our favorite buy ahead items include shirts, reusable water bottles, stuffies for the kids and something fun to autograph. Check our Disney deals page for hot buys on fun Disney finds. You can also buy souvenirs for loved ones back home online and save money and you won’t have to lug it all home.

5. Order trading pins on eBay or Amazon.

Pin trading can be a super fun way to pass the time while waiting in line for rides and adds to the excitement as you encounter different people and cast members throughout the park. If you’ve never heard of it, you basically put some Disney pins on a lanyard and if you see a cast member or another person with pins you can ask them to trade if they have one you like. As far as I’m aware cast members must trade with you, while others around the park may agree or not. We like it because in addition to passing the time, it’s a great way to interact with other people. In our digital age it can be so easy to sit on your phone and never actually speak to those around you. It’s also pretty fun to express yourself through pins and they make a great souvenir to keep or gift.

The trick with pin trading…. Disney pins can be super expensive. It’s not uncommon to see a single pin cost more than ten dollars. No worries though… EBay to the rescue! On eBay you can purchase pins in bulk very reasonably. We recently received 100 pins for just over fourth dollars shipped. Ordering this way makes it a surprise and there will be some you love and some you don’t want to keep. Use those that aren’t to your taste to trade because chances are someone else will treasure them. At Disney World once I let a cast member choose the pin she wanted in lieu of one I likes on her lanyard. To my surprise she chose one I didn’t like at all (because I had no idea what it meant or stood for). It turned out to be representative of a soccer team from her home country. She thanked me profusely and said she missed home. Ironically, I have no idea which pin I got, but I remember her, our conversation and the pin I gave away.

6. Use your phone to order select food items in the park ahead of time.

If you download the Disneyland app free in the App Store you can see maps, ride wait times and now you can even order food ahead from select food venues. This can save a tun of waiting, giving you more time having fun!

7. Pay $15 (per ticket) to upgrade to MaxPass (for more info about MAXPASS). This allows you to save time by arranging your fast passes through your phone. You also get all your Disney photographer and ride photos downloaded free for each day you purchase MaxPass.

8. Check the crowd calendar before you book.

Though they aren’t 100% accurate crowd calendars are a great way to predict how many people will be in the park. Find them on the Disney website or other Disney enthusiast’s sites. The amount of people in the park can change day by day and can dramatically impact your experience. We recently visited Disneyland and California Adventure during Spring Break. It was so busy at times it was hard to think (or move!) let alone ride rides. In contrast we’ve visited in late August a few times when the parks were slower and we not only experienced all the rides and shows we wished to, we also had time relax and be leisure. I don’t recommend it going if you hVe to go during peak times, but you should definitely plan according.

9. If you’re traveling with a small child obtain and use rider switch passes and use single rider lines.

Rider switch passes are a super awesome courtesy Disney does for families with small children. Simply ask for one when getting in line for a ride and it allows the person waiting with the child to go on the ride via the fast pass line with up to 2 other guests. Used strategically these can totally increase the number of fast passes for a family and get everyone on more rides.

Single rider lines are equally awesome. They allow you to bypass long lines by agreeing to fill a seat next to someone you may not know. Sometimes there is no wait for these lines. Be sure to watch for single rider lines and look up ahead of time which rides have them as they do change from time to time.

10. Have a rough plan for each day.

I don’t recommend planning out every moment, you never know when a ride will break or someone will get hungry. However it’s nice to know what shows or rides you hope to get on in a day and have a rough game plan. If you have no plan at all, it can be overwhelming and you may do a lot of extra walking. Having a plan will also help you use your fast passes efficiently which can greatly impact the amount of rides you go on and the overall enjoyment of your trip.

11. Book dining in advance through the Disneyland App.

Did you know most of the sit down restaurants and even some of the shows book reservations well in advance online or by phone? It’s super easy so find information about each restaurant or entertainment opportunity on the Disneyland app or via their webpage. Once you make your choices simply book online. Book as far out as 60 days to get the times you’re poking for. To save you even more time, here’s. Link to Disneyland’s dining website. You’re welcome!

12. Enjoy character dining to avoid long lines to meet characters.

As mentioned above, there are many fine entertainment opportunities at Disneyland. One of our family’s favorites is dining with the characters. Each of the three Disney properties hotels has at least one on site character dining restaurant and there are others located within the parks. Each offers its own variety of food, characters and atmosphere so be sure to read up on each on the Disneyland app.

The best part about character dining is the extra time and attention your littles will get with each character. The many long lines you’ll avoid in the park because you can get your fill of fun, photos and hugs with all the characters in a very low key setting during your meal is also a major perk!

13. Bring water bottles and refill them throughout the park.

Unless you’re a camel, you will need plenty of water throughout the day during any Disney trip. Thankfully you are allowed to bring your own water (and other non-alcoholic beverages) into the park as long as they are in plastic bottles. Bringing a refillable bottle not only saves a heap of plastic from the landfill, it’ll save your family money and time. It gets expensive fast buying water for a whole family, and searching for drinking fountains is also a pain. If soda is more your thing you can usually get a refillable cup in the park at counter service locations (you may have to pay a little each time but at least you’re not wasting cups every time!).

Hopefully our tips will help you and your family have a magical experience! Be sure to check back as we’ll be updating this list periodically. We’d love to hear your ideas in the comments as well.