10 Dollar Store Hacks for Your Next Disney Trip!

Disney vacations can be expensive, especially when you are taking the whole family. But a quick pre-trip run to the dollar store can help you save some money without missing out on the magic! Here’s my list of must-have dollar store hacks for your next vacation.

1) Glow sticks – When the sun goes down, Disney becomes all a-glow with light-up toys, necklaces, ears and more, and your budget could quickly go out the window when your tired kiddo sees those carts full of goodies. But by grabbing some glow sticks and wands at the dollar store before hitting the parks, you can provide your kids with that glow-in-the-dark magic at a fraction of the price!

2) Bubbles – Most days the Disney parks are full of floating bubbles since they make for a great way to distract little ones during long wait times. But the bubble wands you can buy in the parks will cost you a pretty penny, so I recommend grabbing some at the dollar store and saving your souvenir dollars for something else.

3) Plastic zipper baggies – These baggies have tons of uses! Everything from packing up meal leftovers for snacking on later to keeping your phone dry on rides like Splash Mountain. You definitely won’t regret snagging a box or two to bring with you into the parks.

4) D.I.Y. Stroller Rain Cover – Florida is well-known for it’s random bursts of rain on a sunny day, and the quickest way to sour a day in the parks is getting off a ride or coming out of a table-service meal to find your stroller soaking wet. Rain covers made for strollers can be super expensive, but there’s a cheaper solution. Grab a plastic shower curtain liner, cover the parked stroller and clamp it on with some clips. You can find both of these at the dollar store and it will waterproof your stroller for pennies!

5) Activities for the plane or car – Keeping your kiddos sitting still on the plane or car ride to Disney can be challenge, but by grabbing some coloring books and stickers at the dollar store you can make the journey to the parks both magical and quieter. Especially if you can find Disney ones that let you discuss all of the characters they will get to see over the next few days.

6) Nightlights – Some of the hotels can be very dark, making it even tougher for some kids to fall asleep in a new place. But by grabbing one of these nightlights, you can give them the comfort of home. Then if you forget to unplug it before you leave, it’s not a huge loss because it only cost you a dollar.

7) Autograph journals and pens – Meeting their favorite characters is a magical part of every kid’s Disney trip and getting their autographs is a classic souvenir opportunity. But instead of dropping big bucks on the autograph books in the parks, you can pick up a cute Disney themed journal or notebook and a fun character pen at the dollar store.

8) Tissues and wet wipes – No matter where you are traveling with kids, these are always good items to keep on hand, and while you can find them in stores at the parks, you will pay a lot for them. So I recommend stocking up at the dollar store before your trip.

9) Travel toothbrushes – If you are anything like me, you cringe at the thought of using old toothbrushes that have been sitting in your travel bags for months. So by picking up new toothbrushes at the dollar store before your trip, not only do you know that they are clean but you also lose the guilt that comes with tossing them after you are back home. And some of them even come with travel toothpaste…score!

10) Plastic cups – Make sharing on the go quick service meals and snacks like popcorn easier with fun plastic character cups. You can get a different character for each kiddo so they have a cup just for them and you can easily store them in the basket of your stroller to pull out when it’s time to divide up those treats. Plus you can use them in the hotel room for a bedtime drink of water.

Now that you know my top 10 dollar store finds, you can be more prepared for your next Disney trip. And if you want even more getting the most out of your next trip, I would love to discuss more of my money saving tips! Just shoot me an email at [email protected].