When you’re thinking about essentials for your Disney World trip, you may be thinking about getting a few of them when you’re already in Disney World, because what if you don’t need it, you brought it from home, and then took up that space in your bag?
Here’s the thing, though — you may be surprised to see just how much MORE some of those items will cost you in Disney World. Whereas, if you buy them online ahead of time, you’ll spend less money, and if you don’t end up using them, well, Amazon has a pretty solid return policy (especially if you haven’t opened the item). We’ve done the math for you, and these are the nine items we STRONGLY recommend you buy online before your trip instead of in the parks!
The New and Improved FuelRod
Disney has recently rolled out the new FuelRod MAX10 in their FuelRod stations as well, and these are SUPER powerful. We find them to be way better than the normal FuelRods (though we love those too), and you can replace these just like those when yours are dead. If you buy it new in the park, it’ll cost you $80, but online, you’ll be spending $75 instead! That doesn’t seem like a ton of money at first, but hey, you can grab yourself one of your favorite Disney snacks with the money you’ve saved.
The Regular FuelRods Are Better Online Too!
If you don’t want to drop that much cash on a portable charger you can replace easily in the park when it’s dead, we totally get it. However, we recommend buying the regular FuelRods online before your trip instead. In the parks, a FuelRod Kit that comes with one charger and the corresponding cords will cost you $40, but online? You can get a pack of TWO, plus all the chargers, for about $60 (when it’s not on sale, as it often is). That’s saving you at least $20!
Don’t Get Caught in The Rain
Rain is bound to happen on your Disney World trip (in fact, it’s more rare that you have a trip where it DOESN’T rain), so to combat that, we highly recommend snagging the Frogg Toggs Poncho online ahead of your trip. It’ll cost you about $22 when it’s not on sale (and again, it often IS on sale for less), whereas a cheap Disney poncho that will rip after one use will cost you $12.99 for adults and $10.99. Sure, that’s fine in a pinch, but it’ll rip after day one, and what if it rains the next day? Then you’ve gotta buy another one, but if you buy a Frogg Toggs Poncho before your trip, it’ll last you YEARS and even comes with its own carrying case!
Need a Cheaper Poncho? We’ve Got You Covered.
Want something a little cheaper that’s still going to be better than a Disney poncho? The Cosowe Rain Poncho is the way to go. For just $10, it comes with a pack of two, and these are decently reusable as well! There’s no pouch to put them in, but they’re still a step up from Disney Ponchos, and are cheaper too!
Keep The Sun (And Rain!) Off Of You!
While right now you may not be super concerned about the sun beating down on you in Disney World since it’s cooler, during the hotter months (which is most of the year, if we’re being honest), you’ll want to grab the BAODINI Travel Essentials Mini Umbrella to keep both the rain AND the sun off of you. It’ll cost you $16 when it’s not on sale, whereas umbrellas in Disney World that aren’t also UV umbrellas will cost you around $18. Not only are you saving money, but your umbrella is a two-in-one!
Don’t Spend An Arm And A Leg to Avoid Sunburn
One of the WORST upcharges we see in Disney World is on Sunscreen, so PLEASE, we’re begging you, buy yourself some Banana Boat Sport Ultra SPF 60 Roll On Sunscreen (or similar) online ahead of your trip for under $6, instead of paying $14 inside the park. We wish we were exaggerating, but alas, that’s genuinely how expensive sunscreen is in the parks. Don’t get scammed!
Don’t Get Caught Without A Cooling Towel
Cooling towels in Disney World will cost you, and we’re not kidding here, $23 for ONE, and we’ve found them to be pretty cheap quality. Instead, we highly recommend you snag the Sukeen 4 Pack Cooling Towels online for just under $13 (when not on sale), where you’ll get FOUR for about $10 less than what you’ll find in the parks! Trust us, on hot days, these are a lifesaver, but you’ll want to save your wallet too.
Don’t Miss Out on Autographs!
Every penny counts when it comes to saving money in Disney World, so you might as well grab the Disney Mickey and Friends Deluxe Autograph Book with Pen online for $12.2o instead of buying one in the parks for $12.99. We know, it doesn’t seem like a lot, but those pennies could help you out when you realize a Disney snack increased by 50 cents during a recent price increase that you weren’t aware of.
Don’t Go Broke From A Bubble Wand
Bubble wands in Disney World are deceptively expensive, and you may not realize it until your kiddo has already fallen in love with one, you’ve said yes, and then you go to purchase it. In the parks, they’ll cost you anywhere from $35-$40, depending on the design, but go online and you can grab the Disney Princess Moana Light and Sound Musical Bubble Wand for just $20!
Be sure to stay tuned to DFB for all the latest Disney merchandise news to help you save money on your upcoming trip!











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