The always increasing costs of travel and accommodations means most of us need to save up for our Disney vacations. But even the most dedicated penny-pinchers can run short of ideas for finding funds.

The good news is you can always find more ways to save. To help get your creative juices flowing I created this list of 15 Great Ways to Save for a Disney Vacation…

1. Use coupons to save money on things you already buy. If you are already into couponing then try to increase the amount you save by learning new tricks from sites like Coupon Mom.

2. You can save up a nice nest egg with a family change jar. Use cash for most of your transactions and add the coins to your jar. Get your kids involved and you’ll be surprised how fast it grows.

3. Have a yard sale and put the proceeds toward your vacation.

4. Start a small business reselling vintage items at flea markets. Use garage sales and Craigslist to build your inventory.

5. If you have a talent for the arts and crafts, think about creating a store on Etsy.

6. Take on a second job and deposit the paycheck directly into a separate savings account.

7. Limit your restaurant and fast food meals to only a couple a month. Most of us have plenty of food in our cupboards; we just need to force ourselves to eat it.

8. Setup an automatic deposit into your savings account for each paycheck you receive. This is one of the most successful ways to save since it commits the money before you spend it.

9. Are you passionate about Disney World? Consider becoming a part-time travel agent at an agency like Small World Vacations.

10. Apply for the Disney Chase VISA Card to earn rewards for your everyday purchases. Card members earn rewards dollars that can be redeemed for Disney gift cards and other prizes.

11. Every time you go to the grocery store or other big box retailer, take one thing out of your cart before you enter the checkout line. Rarely do we need everything we buy.

12. Ask your family to give Disney gift cards as presents for birthdays and Christmas.

13. Sell your broken electronics (or those you don’t use) on eBay. Old iphones and cameras are particularly popular right now because their parts are in high demand.

14. Use Craigslist to sell larger unwanted items like sofas, book cases, etc. Summer is great time to do this because many college kids are looking for inexpensive futons, dressers, and desks.

15. Make a daily savings goal… something small like $5 per day. Identify simple ways you can save $5 or more each day. Things like brewing coffee at home, running outside instead of paying for a gym membership, and canceling optional services like Netflix are all good places to begin.

Also remember that Disney World does offer convenient payment plans that can help you avoid high interest credit card payments.

What’s the only thing better than a Disney World vacation? A free trip to the Magic Kingdom of course! Here is my 2012 list of sweepstakes and contest have Disney World trips as prizes.

NOTE: We are NOT associated with any of these contests, so be sure to read the rules of each contest before entering. Some allow multiple submissions while others have stricter guidelines. The list below is in order of expiration date.

Florida Orange Juice Glass Half Full Sweepstakes
Grand Prize package includes A trip for winner and one guest to Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. Trip consists of roundtrip, coach class air transportation. Five days and four nights hotel accommodations. Two three-day passes to Walt Disney World theme parks, $1,000 gift card for winner, and ground transportation to/from airport and hotel.
Deadline to Enter: April 30, 2012 at 11:59pm ET
Click Here to Enter 

Delta Airlines Disney World Star Wars Weekends
Contest winners receive a vacation for 4 to the Orlando Disney World Resort during Star Wars Weekends. Vacation includes roundtrip airfare for 4 to Orlando, Florida. Roundtrip transfers via Disney’s Magical Express. Accommodations at a Deluxe Walt Disney World Resort hotel for 3 nights. 3-day Magic Your Way tickets for a family of 4.
Deadline to Enter: May 6, 2012
Click Here to Enter 

VisitOrlando.com “Orlando Family Vacation” Sweepstakes
Win a Grand Prize of a 4-night trip for 4 people to Orlando, including accommodations at Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek, a rental car, two 1-day admission tickets per person to winner’s choice of Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando or SeaWorld Orlando.
Deadline to Enter: June 30, 2012
Click Here to Enter

Rhythm of Conservation Sweepstakes
Grand Prize is a 3 day/2 night trip for four people to the Walt Disney World Resort. Includes three day/two night trip to/from Lake Buena Vista, Florida for winner and up to three guests including round-trip economy air transportation and Magic Your Way Package Plus Dining Vacation Package. Accommodations at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge, and Magic Your Way theme park tickets for four people, with Park Hopper and Water Park Fun & More Options; and Disney Youth Education Series passes for two children to Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park session on Saturday, September 29, 2012.
Deadline to Enter: June 15, 2012
Click Here to Enter

Active and retired members of the United States military are entitled to some substantial saving at Disney World in 2012.

The feature discount is the 4-Day Park Hopper Tickets for $138, which is a savings of over 50%! There is also the option to add water parks admission for an additional $27. So in short, $165 gives you access to all of Disney Parks each day for 4 days.

The second discount option is 40% off most room nights at Disney World resorts. This discount can only be calculated when you make your reservation, so it is hard to quantify how much it is worth. There are a handful of blackout dates and you may not get a full 40% discount depending on availability and the type of resort you are hoping to stay at.

Because of the rules and restrictions that apply to these discounts it is best to call WDW at (407) 939-7830 to make your reservation or purchase tickets.

Here is an overview of the most important terms and conditions…

Prices listed here may be more than actual prices charged at military base ticket offices, so be sure to check these outlets first if you can.

Discounted military tickets must be purchased by September 27, 2012 and activated at a Walt Disney World theme park ticket window by September 30, 2012.

Tickets can only be purchased by eligible service members or their spouses. Valid military identification is required at time of purchase. Service person must be an active or retired member of the U.S. military, including the National Guard, Reservists and the U.S. Coast Guard.

Quantities are limited to 12 Disney 4-Day Military Promotional Tickets purchased, activated or used by any Eligible Service Member or spouse during the life of this promotion. Only 6 tickets may be purchased, activated or used in any single week of the promotion. One ticket must be used by an eligible service member or spouse per visit.

Friends and family members can use discounted tickets as long as all of the guidelines above are met.

Each Disney Military Promotional Ticket must be used by the same person on all days. Disney Military Promotional Tickets may be used ONLY by the Eligible Service Members, spouses, other family members or friends for whom they are purchased. In addition, a valid military ID may be required for admission.

All 2012 Disney Military Tickets expire after September 30, 2012 and cannot be used on 4/1 through 4/12 and 7/4 at Magic Kingdom Park.

Call the Disney World Military Reservation Line at (407) 939-7830 for more information.

As one of the most popular sources for cheap Disney World tickets, Undercover Tourist has long been know to regular visitors of Orlando. But first-timers and veterans alike might not be aware of all the great services they offer.

If you’re not familiar, UndercoverTourist.com is the most trusted source of discounted tickets to all of the Disney World parks and several other popular Orlando attractions. How much you save of course depends on what tickets you buy, but the average discount for Disney tickets ranges from $5 to $30 per ticket. This represents how much you would save instead of buying your tickets at the gate.

So for example, you can save $17 per ticket on a 4-day adult park hopper ticket, and another $15 for children ages 3-9. If you were traveling with 2 adults and 2 children you would save $64. Sales tax does apply to all orders (just like it would at DW) but shipping is free.

Now the big concern for many is the safety and security of buying tickets from a third party. This is a very legitimate concern but Undercover Tourist has an excellent record. First and foremost they are an authorized Disney ticket broker, which means they get all of their tickets directly from Disney. Another reassurance is their refund policy that allows you to get your money back (minus a 5% handling fee) if your vacation plans change.

In addition to great deals of Disney tickets, Undercover Tourist offers a number of other benefits for Orlando vacationers…

- Free Disney World phone apps to help you navigate long lines and busy parks.
- One-stop shopping for discount tickets to Universal Orlando, Sea World, Gatorland, and Legoland.
- “Frog Tours” are prepared itineraries that get you on the most popular rides quickly.
- Hundreds of helpful tips posted on the Undercover Tourist blog, twitter and facebook pages.

If you aren’t getting a vacation package that includes park tickets then Undercover Tourist is definitely the place to go. Not only will you save money and get free shipping, but their customer service is nice to have in the event you run into any problems.

Disney World is kicking off 2012 with their biggest promotion of late, offering a free room night and one day park ticket for stays between February 26 to March 10, 2012.

The special coincides with another milestone at DW. For the first time ever, the park will stay open for 24 hours on February 29th through March 1st. This Leap Year celebration gives families two great incentives to book their vacation in late winter.

Details for the “One More Disney Day” are as follows…
- Purchase of a non-discounted 3-night, 3-day Magic Your Way package is required for eligibility.
- Reservation arrivals must be between February 26 to March 10, 2012.
- Booking must be secured by January 31, 2012.
- Free park tickets are added to your package ticket and must be used within 14 days of initial use.

Details for the Leap Year 24 Hour Celebration include…
- Magic Kingdom Park will be open for 24 hours beginning at 6am on February 29, 2012 through 6am on March 1, 2012.
- Extended hours are valid only for those staying at select Disney Resort Hotels.
- Only select attractions will be open beyond normal park hours.
- Free admission from the One More Disney Day promotion does not have to be used on this day.

Now if you are planning to visit during this time you actually have two discount offers to choose from. You can also opt to save 20% to 30% on Disney Resort Hotels. Special rates are available for most nights between February 21 to March 31, 2012. To secure these rates you must book by January 22, 2012.

Overall, news of the One More Disney Day deal is a good sign for everyone planning a 2012 Disney World Vacation. Even though this particular promotion is only valid in late-winter, it shows that DW is once again getting creative with their discounts. Last year was kind of a ho-hum year when it came to travel incentives. Hopefully this is a sign that 2012 will feature exciting offers like the ones from 2009 and 2010.

Frequent travelers to Disney World have probably heard about Bounceback Offers, which are special discounts provided to current guests for a return trip to the Magic Kingdom. This article explains what you need to know about these exclusive offers and how to get them.

Bounceback Offers are dropped off in your room during your vacation. They are designed to entice your family to book another Disney World vacation before leaving to go back home. This is done by offering an exclusive room rate discount or promotion (like free dining plans) when you reserve your next trip during your current stay.

Now the catch is that Disney World Bouncebacks are not given to everyone. It is the DW marketing department which determines who gets an offer sent to their room. The resort managers and housekeeping personnel really have no control over their distribution. Also, most offers require your return visit within 9 months, so it would not work with your annual summer vacation for example.

So what can you do if you don’t receive a Bounceback letter? The easiest thing to do is simply ask for one! Again, the guys and gals at the service desk are not going to be able to give you one, but they can connect you with the marketing department. Depending on the time of year, it might be as simple as a phone call.

Since Bounceback offers are designed to get you back to Disney World in the same calendar year, your best bet to acquire one is between January and July. In 2012, the most commonly reported offer was free dining packages added to vacation packages arriving before September 27th. So everyone visiting after this date is unlikely to receive one. Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas are all popular times at DW, so my guess is they don’t need to offer any additional incentives for the final months of the year.

So there you go…everything you need to know about Disney World Bounceback offers! This is good knowledge to keep on hand for those years when you expect to visit two or more times.