Nikki Lloyd | @morningswithmickey
With price increases on tickets, Magic Keys, Genie+ and parking, the cost of a Disney trip can be overwhelming to say the least. I’m here to help you make your dollar go as far as possible at the Happiest Place on Earth with these tips.
Here are 5 Free things at Disneyland that you can utilize to help make your day a little EXTRA magical (and affordable):
WATER
-
Quick service food locations will offer free water & ice in water cups
-
Starbucks
-
Water refill stations throughout the park. Here is an article listing their locations: https://morningswithmickey.com/water-in-the-parks/
-
Soda machine refill stations at Pizza Planet, Pym’s Test Kitchen & Boardwalk Pasta & Pizza.
PIXIE DUST
Over at the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique, your child can receive some free Pixie Dust from a “fairy in training.” All you have to do is ask a cast member at the shop & they will take you outside for a little bit of fairy magic. It really is so fun & my kids loved it. Please note that while this offering is available to all guests, sometimes the location may be extra busy with current princes and princesses and you may need to return at a later time.
Also note, children who cannot voluntarily close their eyes may be too young for pixie dust. We did find a fairy that was willing to put pixie dust on my daughter's toes, so that may be a solution for the very young ones.
CHARACTER AUTOGRAPHS
This may not seem like a freebie until you transform it into the COOLEST SOUVENIR IN THE PARK. How do you do this? Bring something special to have characters sign throughout your visit. Here are a few ideas of what to have characters sign:
- A special card
- An item of clothing (easiest when not wearing that day)
- Solid colored Mickey/Minnie Ears
- Backpack, loungefly or bag
- Disneyland Map (maybe have this framed after!)
- Your favorite Disney storybook
- Christmas Ornament
- Autograph Book
- I even once saw Captain America’s Shield signed by all the avengers!
I highly recommend bringing your own sharpie as the pens available for purchase aren’t the best for autographs.
FIRST AID
Did you know that both Disneyland and California Adventure have a full service first aid? You can get just about any help you need there, but this includes free ice packs, bandaids and other medicinal items. While I hope none of you ever need to use first aid during your visit, this is a free offering for all guests who may need a little extra care. We all have experienced a Disney blister - duh duh dun: First Aid to save the day!
BUTTONS
The most iconic freebies of all are the buttons available for special occasions. You can get a button for your first visit, birthday, graduation, happily ever after, or even just “celebrating” to commemorate even the smallest of events. Make sure you have a cast member personalize your button with a date or name to make it extra special!
PRO TIP: You can receive these buttons at guest service locations, but also at almost every shop in the park. Don’t wait in line at City Hall for a button when you can walk over to the Emporium for the same thing.
“Free” & “Disney” aren’t two words normally used together, but hopefully these extra little tips can help you feel you are getting the biggest bang for your buck!
Visit darlingdreamco.com to view all of our magical products!
If you like our blog be sure to use DREAMERSBLOG for 10% off your next order!