There is no shortage of sites that suggest have to save money before and during your trip. Afterwards, you will think of several, as well. In the 1970s and 1980s, people thought of Disney as a “once in a lifetime” destination and planned accordingly.  Now, you’ll often hear families say, “next time” when they talk about Disney trips. In fact, some people book two or three vacations back to back, or return for long weekend or special events, like Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party or the International Flower and Garden Festival.

Tinkerbell rewarded little boys who camped without whining.

A few ideas to get you started:

1. Don’t buy more ticket than you need.  Adding park hoppers are great for people who hope to head to Epcot for a great dinner, after a day at another park, but if you are traveling with someone who doesn’t like a lot of transitions in a day, why would you try to squeeze two theme parks into one day? Think of your schedule at home, including what time children (and grown ups who are set in their ways) normally turn in, and treat the vacation like a cross-country run, not a sprint.  Ditto for water parks. If you are staying in a hotel with an amazing water slide, is a dip in a wave pool necessary?  If you are traveling with teenagers who need time out from mom and dad, make an exception but…
2. Remember that if you are on a Magic Your Way package, everyone in the room has to have the same ticketing plan. It may be less expensive to pay admission for a person or two to go to a Water Park or Disney Quest than upgrading the tickets for the whole family.
3. If you are traveling with preschoolers, and can schedule your trip for when they are under 3, they will not only get into parks for free, they will also eat for free at table service meals.
4. Children under 10 are not charged as adult, either. If you purchase an annual pass or a non-expiring multi-day ticket for a 9-year old, you can use it when the child turns 10, as well, as long as it is valid.
5. While you may choose to use a travel agent (for which you don’t pay extra money-their profit comes from the resort) or AAA to book your vacation, keep checking the special offers area of Disney site. You may find deals such as 40% on the hotel, or a gift card for as much as $750 for booking your stay by a certain date. A tip to remember is that value hotels and standard rooms may book faster than more expensive rooms.  If you delay making a reservation, you may be stuck with a 30% discount on a room that is 20% more than you wanted to spend.  If better deals come out before you go, you can usually call back and alter your plans, after you do the math, if the deal is appropriate.  They won’t call you to tell you a better deal is out, but a good travel agent might. Another great resource for discount codes is mousesavers.com.
6. When your bag is checked as you enter a park, they are checking for glass and dangerous materials. They will not call security if you bring in you child’s favorite snacks or sandwiches.  In fact, bringing in bottled water is a very good idea.
7. Times of year when the hotels are the least expensive are often when the lines are the shortest. Focus on weeks after the winter holidays, the weeks between Easter and Mother’s Day, and September or early October.  Between holiday decorations, the garden festival, and the Food and Wine Festival, there is lots to see and do.  Busiest times of year are Spring Break, Christmas week, and the Fourth of July.
8. Bring your souvenirs.  If you can store surprises in your carryon, order some Disney items from the Outlet, and leave them out “from Tinkerbell.” If there are gifts on the way, it is much easier to walk away from a gift shop.  A child already cuddling a new Winnie The Pooh (which you paid $9 at a Buy One Get One Free sale at home) is less likely to ask for a $50 one at Epcot.
9. Reward your children with gift cards for the trip, all year long.  Stick one in an Easter basket, even if the vacation is over the summer.  The children can think about how they will spend it, and feel more ownership over the budget.  Think about having each child in the family treat everyone else to a meal, using the cards you bought them.  Make sure everyone fusses over the benefactor that day!
10. The site Couponing To Disney has great ideas on how you can save your pennies and quarters to get up to a total in the multiples of thousands for a great trip.  I love the way she models savings to children who become used to instant gratitifcation because we don’t let them participate in the saving process.  As if the fact parents can’t walk up and buy everything the minute they want it would frighten them.  My favorite tip is where suggests using change from the grocery bill to save almost $200 in a year, painlessly.  I look at what I saved on a grocery bill (I aim for 20%) and but a Disney Gift card in around that amount. The Gift Card may go in a stocking or an Easter basket, doubling the wow factor, while decreasing the chores, and we use that for special events or shopping.  Multiply 50 weeks by $15, and you have a week at a Moderate resort, including park tickets. Follow her on Twitter @couponin2Disney, for daily tips.