As a mom of 5, and quite the Disney fan, I know how pricey a Disney World vacation can be. It is not the happiest task in the world to budget for 7 people traveling to the happiest place on earth. That being said, after numerous trips to Disney World (I think over 30) I have learned quite a few tricks to help save us quite a bit of money and time on our Disney Vacations.

Stay at Luxury Disney Resorts for almost 50% off.

One thing people do not know is that you can stay at some of the nicest properties at Disney for a very reasonable price. Disney has their own version of a timeshare called Disney Vacation Club, which are villas located at all the deluxe Disney resorts. The best part, You do not have to own to take advantage of the savings. You can actually save by renting what members call points to stay at these properties. You can stay at the Beach Club Villas for as little as $180 when a room there typically runs $400 - $500. And it’s easy, there are several sites that help facilitate the process. We use David's Vacation Club Rentals to book our villa stays.

FREE Water -

At every restaurant and quick service dining establishment you can get FREE Water. Rather than paying $3 per person every time you are thirsty, just ask for some water, it’s FREE! We bring a reusable water bottle and that way our water stays cool for the entire day.

Save over $100 by Renting a stroller from an offsite vendor -

If you aren’t bringing your own stroller, use one of the offsite vendors. It will save you hundreds of dollars on your vacation. We use kingdom strollers, they deliver the stroller to your hotel or airbnb and pick it up from there when you are ready to leave.

Enjoy the Free Disney perks

Disney has a ton of free things that will make your kids smile. They have free chatter greeting phone calls in your room, free celebrate or birthday buttons to wear in the parks, they are always passing out stickers. Small little things like this will make your kids day.

Huge Time Saver - Download the My Disney Experience App

The My Disney Experience App will be your best friend. Not only does it give you wait times for rides, times for parades, shows and character greetings, but you can also order food right from the app. This will save you when time hits where everyone is hungry and tired and the last thing you want to do is stand in another line. Simply order online and head to the pickup window. It's Amazing!

The one big splurge I highly recommend!

The one thing you should splurge on, if you can is the amount of time you spend at Disney World. Trying to do Disney in just a few days is too stressful in my opinion. If you can extend your trip to 7 days, do it. You will be able to slow down and enjoy the parks rather than trying to race and get through everything.

I have over 100 Disney World tips on my blog, including Fast pass strategy, where to see fireworks without a crowd and the best places to eat. Check them out here!