Hi Gary! Welcome to planDisney!
Planning a
Walt Disney World Resort vacation is one of the most exciting things you can do. There is a lot that goes into the process including choosing which
Disney Resorts Collection hotel is best for your trip, which
parks you plan to visit, and what
dining locations are an absolute must! We typically include everyone traveling in these decisions, since everyone has their perspective on what is important to them on a vacation. Creating a budget for your trip is another important factor when planning. I have found that when I have saved an allotted amount for our stay, you enjoy yourself much more while you are there.
While Disney does not currently offer a specific savings program for Walt Disney World vacations, there are plenty of tips that I can share that will help you save for your 2023 stay. Purchasing
Disney Gift Cards is a great way to put your money directly toward your vacation. You can purchase them in many different increments and use them toward paying for your vacation package. If you book your stay directly through Disney, when it comes time to make payment on your resort and ticket package, you will be able to pay using these cards. I recommend starting to purchase these as soon as possible, that way when vacation packages are released for next year, you have already started to build up savings toward the deposit. You will also be able to use these Gift Cards for most dining and merchandise locations on Walt Disney World property. This is a great way to allocate this money directly for Disney purposes.
Another tactic that I have used in the past is to start a savings account that I dubbed my travel fund. I would allocate money directly to this account each week via direct deposit that I was comfortable with saving. This way I kept these funds separate from my everyday checking or savings account and it would only be used for the vacation I was saving for. Having the money directly deposited took away any second-guessing and did not allow me to use it for anything else.
Another option you may want to consider is applying for a Disney Visa Card from Chase. Depending on qualifying factors, you may be entitled to a statement credit along with a 0% promotional fee for the first six months. I recently applied for one on my last trip and used the promotional period to pay off the balance. I got the added bonus of the statement credit, which helped save on the overall cost. The Disney Visa Card also provides Disney Rewards Dollars on card purchases that can be redeemed at most Disney locations.
Gary, I hope this information is helpful when planning your 2023 stay! I hope you have a magical time putting this vacation together!
Happy planning!
Greg