Disneyland has claimed the title of the happiest place on earth since it’s debut in 1955. For decades, children and adults alike have flocked to the expansive park to experience a truly one-of-a-kind amusement park to escape the monotony of everyday life. Throughout the years, Disney has seen renovations and technical updates to bring the park into the modern times. As the park grows and continues to innovate, Disney fans also evolve the way they enjoy the timeless amusement park.

A trip to Disneyland has always proven to be an expensive outing. Between travel costs, tickets, food, lodging and parking fees, costs creep up into the thousands quicker than Disney movies break box office records. Park-goers, especially millennials, are always looking for a way to save buck so they can buy a few more turkey legs in Frontierland during their time at the world renowned resort. With a little extra planning, vacationers can save a hefty sum by utilizing modern apps and websites to relieve their wallets of some of the more premium expenses offered by Disneyland. 

Lodging at Disneyland, while a luxurious option, sits a little bit out of many people’s reach with their cheapest room ringing in at $360 per night according to Disneyland’s website. Nicer rooms holding more guests become even more expensive quickly. To stave off some of these expensive costs, savvy disney fans can turn to Airbnb to find affordable lodging close to the park. “For $30 per person per night, we were able to stay in someone’s granny unit a few blocks away,” said Kelsea Johnson, a 21-year-old actress from Bakersfield, CA. “We don’t have a kitchen and we can hear the family through a shared wall, but it’s cozy and cheap!” With multiple houses and apartments up on Airbnb that can be rented for less than the cost of a hotel room, staying at Disney for a couple days could be cheaper than you think. 

Of course, when you stay a few blocks away, you still have to get to the resort somehow. Real penny pinchers might consider walking rather than fork over the $20 parking fee, but a ride to Disneyland via Uber or Lyft costs a fraction of the price of parking. “Not only did we get dropped off right by the front gates, but it also cost just over $5 each way,” said Austin Sedenko, a 21-year-old-barista from Lake Tahoe, CA. These new ride sharing apps offer ease for travelers; something park goers on a budget could always use. 

Even getting into the park is a very expensive ordeal. The cheapest day pass will run you $97 for a single day. The passes get to be a better value the more days you go, but many people want to explore the happiest place on earth on a budget. Some park goers take to Craigslist to buy tickets from families who can’t make it to the park anymore or need to make rent money. “My sister buys tickets off craigslist every time she goes,” said Aimee Bell, a senior accounting major at SSU. “I tried it once though and my ticket didn’t work; I had to call my parents so they could help me out!.” A risk some might not want to take, a cheaper ticket can be found on yard sale sites like Facebook or Letgo. Just be extra careful! 

Disneyland is a whole other experience when you ditch the parents and take the reigns your own. When you’re a little older, you can afford to save some money by ditching the more luxurious options of on-site lodging, park dining, and other more convenient costs. If you want to go to Disney on a college budget, pack a lunch, hop in an Uber, and rent out some guys house a few blocks away. It might not be perfectly Disney, but it could be a whole adventure of it’s own.