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How To Save Money On Your Universal Orlando Vacation

August 5, 2022 By: Sweet Frugal Lifecomment

Tips for Universal Studios on a budget!

Our family recently got home from a fun vacation to Universal Studios Orlando.  We had so much fun spending the week together as a family, making memories, and riding all of the fun rides with our 3 kids.  One of my goals for this trip, and every trip we take, is to have a memorable vacation without having to spend a ton of money.  So, today I’m going to share exactly how to save money on your Universal Studios vacation!  I hope it will help each of you be able to take this trip, even if your budget is tight.

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Disclosure:  “We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.”

Best Tips to Save Money On Your Universal Orlando Vacation

Any vacation will cost money, but there are some tricks you can do to lower the price a little bit.  Learn how to save money on your Universal Orlando vacation below!

1.  Stay At A Hotel With A Kitchenette

One of my best budget travel hacks is to book a hotel that has a small kitchen, or kitchenette.  This was a huge money saver for us!  We ordered groceries from Walmart and had them delivered to the hotel the first day that we arrived.  I also saw a lot of people using Amazon Fresh to get groceries delivered. 

Using our kitchenette we were able to eat all of our breakfasts and lunches in our room, and only ate out for dinner.

Hotel Breakfast Ideas:

  • Cold Cereal
  • Instant Oatmeal
  • Muffins
  • Yogurt
  • Granola
  • Fruit

Hotel Lunch Ideas:

  • Mac and Cheese
  • Sandwiches
  • Bagels with Cream Cheese
  • Fruit
  • Protein Drink
  • Salad
  • Cup of Noodles

2.  Book Discount Universal Tickets

When purchasing your Universal Studio tickets, make sure to buy them from a discount retailer, you’ll be able to get the best deals and a few added perks!  I bought our tickets from Undercover Tourist and was so impressed with the price and ease of the purchase.

A couple other discount retailers I recommend are Costco and Get Away Today (use code SWEETFRUGAL for $10 off your Get Away Today vacation package!).

  • Related:  Our Budget Friendly Disneyland Vacation

3.  Split a Meal

Another great way to save money at Universal studios is to split a meal between two people, instead of buying one for each person in your group.  All of the meals that we had at Universal Studios were very large portioned, making it easy to buy one meal and split it two ways!

4.  Skip Park-To-Park Tickets

Universal Orlando sells two different types of tickets.  You can either purchase a single park per day ticket or a park-to-park ticket.  The single park per day ticket will allow you into one of the Universal theme parks each day.  The park-to-park ticket allows you to visit multiple parks in one day.

Now, I totally think the park-to-park tickets are convenient and fun, but I still recommend skipping buying them.  Why you might ask?  Well, first off each park is huge and can easily fill an entire day.  It takes a lot of time to get to each park, so we prefer staying and enjoying one park each day.  The amount of time it takes to walk around one park, and then walk to the next park, and then walk around the other park just doesn’t make much sense to me.

The second reason I recommend buying a single park per day ticket is because it is much cheaper than the park-to-park tickets.  You can see the exact same attractions for a cheaper price.  I personally don’t think it’s worth the extra money.

Now, honestly, I give this tip with a little bit of hesitation.  If you are a big Harry Potter fan, than paying the extra money *might* be worth it to you.  The only way that you can experience the Hogwarts Express ride is if you have a park-to-park ticket.  The Hogwarts Express was closed when we were there, and at first I was really sad about it, but now I don’t feel like we missed much by not riding on it.  We were still able to experience all of the other incredible Harry Potter attractions.

Another exception I would make to my advice of skipping the park-to-park pass is if you only plan to attend Universal Studios for one day.  If you only have one day for the park, buy the park-to-park….but if you are going to be there for multiple days anyways, then save yourself some money and purchase the single park per day passes.

5.  Visit During The Off Season

One of the easiest ways to save money on your Universal Orlando vacation is to plan your visit during the off season months.  The cheapest months to go to Universal Studios Orlando is in January, February, or September.  Not only will Universal Theme Park tickets be cheaper, but so will hotel rooms and many airfares.

  • Related:  The Best Budget Travel Tips

6.  Skip The Express Passes

Another extra you can purchase is the Express Pass.  The Express Pass is in addition to your regular Universal Studios ticket.  This amazing pass gives you the ability to cut to the front of the line on almost every ride (all but two!).  It is a great way to save time, ensure that you can ride all of the rides, and stay out of the heat. 

I was jealous of every single person who was using the Express Pass, however I do not recommend you buy one…..and here’s why:

The Express Passes are really really expensive.  Like, more than double the cost of your ticket expensive.   Plus, I don’t think they are necessary!

We visited Universal Studios during one of the hottest, busiest times of the year….and we were still able to ride on every ride that we wanted to ride in.  Yes, we had to stand in long lines, yes it was hot….but we survived!  And saved a ton of money in the process!

Standing in long lines is not the most fun way to spend a day….but it doesn’t have to be a terrible thing!  To help make the experience a little more enjoyable make sure to bring a lot of water, a mist spray bottle, snacks and some fun games.  Before our trip I downloaded the Heads Up app onto my phone and we had so much fun playing it while standing in line.  We were even able to make a few friends this way!

7.  Fill Your Water Bottle At The Free Coca-Cola Freestyle Stations

One of my favorite Universal Studios money saving hack is to fill up your water bottle with ice water for free at the Coca-Cola Stations around the park.  These stations are available in multiple locations (you can find exactly where on the Universal app).

You can bring your water bottle into the park and fill it up for free with ice water at any of these stations.  Many of them even had free cups available for anyone who didn’t have a water bottle.  It’s a great way to stay hydrated while at Universal Studios, without having to spend money on drinks.

My kids loved using these collapsible water bottles, they were lightweight to carry around, and then pull out and fill up whenever we came to a freestyle station.

free water at universal studios

8.  Pack Food Into Park

Buying food inside of Universal Studios is expensive.  You will save so much money if you pack your own food into the park each day.  We like to pack a backpack full of snacks, sandwiches, and fruit.  This way we can bring it with us around the park and we don’t have to pay for a locker.

  • Related:  Family Trip To San Diego

9.  Purchase Souvenirs Outside Of Universal Parks

Souvenirs are a fun part of traveling and visiting somewhere new.  We love bringing home a memento or two from our travels. 

The problem with souvenirs at Universal Studios, is that they are very expensive!

Fortunately, you can buy the exact same products (or very very similar) for much less if you buy them outside of the park.

For cheaper Universal souvenirs check out Amazon, Target and Walmart.  You can even buy an interactive wand on eBay for cheap…and use it to cast spells while at Universal Studios!  Turn around and sell it once you get home again!

10.  Choose A Hotel Off Site

You can find a lot of great hotel options within the Universal Resort.  However, if you are trying to cut costs, I recommend booking a hotel outside of the resort hotels.  You can find a lot of great value hotels on International Drive.

Just remember, when booking a hotel off site to add in the “extras” you will be paying.  These extras might include:  resort fees, shuttle bus, parking, etc.  I still think you can find good deals, even with these extras, but the extra costs can be a shock if it wasn’t planned beforehand……and we don’t like surprises when it comes to our pocket book!

11.  Buy Tickets In Advance

Universal Studios tickets prices tend to increase the closer it gets to a specific park date.  You will save much more money (and time!) if you buy your park tickets in advance.  I recommend getting them as soon as you decide to go, months in advance is best!

12.  Stock Up On Extras Before Traveling

You will get the best bang for your buck if you buy any miscellaneous items at home rather than waiting until you get to the theme park.  These extras might include:

  • Water ponchos
  • Sunscreen
  • Pain reliver
  • Lanyard
  • Cooling cloth
  • Motion sickness meds
  • Etc.

Prices on these miscellaneous items increase drastically once you get to Orlando, with an even bigger increase if you purchase them inside the Universal Parks.

13.  Take The Bus

To save money on transportation try using the Orlando public bus system, instead of Uber.  Rides on the bus are only $2 each, or pay $4.50 to ride the bus for the entire day, such a good deal!  Look through the bus routes here to see if any of them will work for you.  It might be slightly inconvenient, but you can’t beat the price!

  • Related:  20 Free Things To Do In New York City

14.  Book A Hotel With A Free Shuttle

Many hotels near Universal Studios offer free shuttle service to the park.  When you are trying to find the perfect hotel for your family, make sure to check to see if they offer this shuttle service.  It can save you a lot of money in the long run.

15.  Utilize Free Universal Lockers

I don’t recommend purchasing a locker at Universal Studios.  Yes, it would be so very convenient, but it costs money, and we are trying to save money!  Right?  Right!

When preparing for a Universal day only pack items that can fit into a small backpack.  You can carry this backpack around with you and it will be allowed on most rides.  The rides that don’t let you bring a backpack are:  Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit, Men in Black, Revenge of the Mummy, Harry Potter and the Escape From Gringotts, Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, Hagrids Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure, The Incredible Hulk Coaster, and Jurassic World Velocicoaster.

However, each of the rides that don’t allow backpacks will offer FREE lockers for you to store your backpack!  They are easy to use and completely free.  All you have to do is use your barcode from your ticket, or use a barcode pass issued to you by an employee within the ride.  This barcode will open and lock the locker door for you to use before and after the ride.

So, instead of renting a locker all day, keep your backpack with you and rent one for free when you need to!

In Conclusion

We had such a fun time visiting Universal Orlando this year.  We are huge Harry Potter fans and just loved drinking butterbeer, walking through diagon alley, and exploring all of the fun details of the park.  I hope that you are able to visit and that this article helped you learn how to save money on your Universal Orlando vacation.

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Have so much fun on your next trip!  I hope you have some good ideas about how to save money on your Universal Orlando vacation!

 

Kauai on a Budget

March 2, 2022 By: Sweet Frugal Life5 Comments

Tips for your budget friendly vacation to Kauai, Hawaii. 

I have never seen anywhere more breathtaking than the beautiful Hawaiian Island of Kauai.  With it’s gorgeous green mountains, cascading waterfalls, and picturesque beaches, it is my idea of a perfect vacation spot.  My husband and I were lucky enough to take a trip there together a few years ago.  I love to travel and see new places, but I always stay frugal.  I am excited to share with you how to visit Kauai on a budget!

 


“We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.” 

When I was planning our trip to Kauai I spent hours and hours researching everything there is to know about the “Garden Isle.”  I wanted to enjoy every inch of the island, but without having to spend a lot of money.

I read a lot of books about Kauai and the very very best one I found was The Ultimate Kauai Guidebook: Kauai Revealed.  This book was everything!  I consulted it about beaches, hotels, restaurants, etc.  EVERYTHING you could want to know about Kauai is in this wonderful perfect book.  My husband teases me that I have it memorized because of all the facts I kept spouting out of it (this may or may not be true…).  Seriously though, if you are going to Kauai read The Ultimate Kauai Guidebook: Kauai Revealed.

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Cheap Places to Stay on Kauai

Hawaii is home to hundreds of high quality rentals on Airbnb and VRBO.  Honestly, my husband really just wanted to go the traditional route and stay in a hotel, but I convinced him that an Airbnb would be the most cost effective and he wouldn’t even miss the hotel!  (and I was right, he loved it!)

We were able to find a beautiful condo to rent for $100 a night on Airbnb .  It was a studio condo, right on the beach, with a small kitchenette.  The kitchenette was a huge money saver because we were able to make a lot of our meals, instead of going out to eat.

Airbnb is seriously amazing for finding great deals on lodging while traveling.  It has a lot of options and was very easy to work with.  I will use them every single time I travel to Hawaii.

Our rental was on the East Shore of the island.  We chose this area so that we would have easy access to both the North and South sides.  It was only ten minutes from the airport and very quick and easy to find.  The East Shore rentals were also a lot cheaper than other areas, which is what we were looking for!

However, next time we go, I want to stay on the North Shore.  It was by far my favorite area on the island!

Cheap Rental Car On Kauai

Kauai is a small island (it only takes about 2 hours to drive from one end to the other), but a car is still necessary.

We reserved an economy sized vehicle on discounthawaiicarrental.com for ONLY $6 a day.  YES!  You read that right!  $6 a day!   I couldn’t believe it either!

Be sure to check this website regularly as the prices change often.  Once you find that cheap price snatch it up quick because it will not last long. 

Cheap Places To Eat On Kauai

Kauai is full of yummy roadside food stops.  You can buy coconuts, juice, burgers, and just about anything at your local shops.  In an effort to save money we chose to eat most of our foods in our condo.  All it took was a quick stop at Walmart to stock up with food.

We had fruit and toast for breakfasts, packed sandwiches for lunch and stopped for quick dinners while we were out exploring.

A few of our favorite cheap eateries were Tacos Al Pastor, Da Crack, Hanalei Taro & Juice Company, and Puka Dog.

And of course, we made sure to eat shaved ice every day while in Hawaii.  It is so good and is a MUST try!  Our favorite shaved ice was at Hee Fat General Store in Kapaa.  We always ordered one to share to save a little extra money, but we did splurge and ordered real fruit syrup.  This was worth the splurge!

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Cheap Activities in Kauai

There are so many fun FREE activities to do on Kauai.  Which is perfect for a budget friendly vacation!  We had a great week adventuring around the island and spent very little money on activities.

Snorkel Bobs

Kauai has great snorkeling, all over the island!  We rented snorkel gear for the week from Snorkel Bobs.  The gear only cost us about $15 for the entire week!

We loved having the the gear with us at all times, so we could pull it out whenever we came across a great snorkel area.  Our two favorite snorkeling beaches were Hideaways and Turtles.  Snorkeling is very best in the morning, so be sure to get their early!

Beaches

My very favorite part of this trip was the beaches!  So many beautiful beaches!  With golden coarse sand, blue turquoise water, and large green mountains backdrop, the beach was the perfect place to spend a day relaxing and playing in sun and sand.

The beaches and parking are all FREE, so take advantage of them!

Favorite North Shore Beaches

Our favorite beaches on the North Shore were Kee and Hideaways.  Kee is at the end of the very end of the North Shore road.  Parking is limited and fills up quickly, so I recommend getting there first thing.

Hideaways is a little bit harder to find, which makes it a perfect, quiet, and uncrowded beach.  To get there we used valet parking at the St.Regis Princeville (this is free, but it is a good idea to tip!).  There is a trail a short distance away to hike down to the beach.  The trail is steep and slippery, so wear good shoes.

 


Favorite South Shore Beach

Our favorite beach on the South Shore was Kiahuna Beach, also known as Sheraton Beach.  Kiahuna Beach is located directly in front of the Sheraton Kauai Resort.  Just park alongside the street near the Sheraton, and walk down to the beach.

Hiking

Kauai is known as the adventure island for good reason!  It is full of breathtaking hikes and places to explore.

Our first day we hiked along the Kalalau Trail.  This is an intense 11 mile long hike along the Napali Coast.  We decided to just hike the first two miles to Hanakapiai Beach.

The views along this trail were incredible.  We were right alongside the ocean for most of the hike and I could not get over the view!

The Kalalau trail starts out extremely rocky and steep, so be prepared.  If hiking isn’t your thing, I suggest hiking at least the first 1/2 mile for a fantastic view of Kee Beach.

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Secret Falls

Secret Falls is a majestic 100 foot waterfall deep in the rainforest.  The only way to get to Secret Falls is to kayak down the Wailua River and then hike about 30 minutes through the rainforest.  You could pay for a guided tour that will take you to Secret Falls, but we decided to go with a much cheaper option.

We rented a kayak from Kamokila Hawaiian Village in Kapaa.  It is right on the Wailua River and you can launch the kayak straight from the village.  The kayak was only $35 for a daily rental.

Kamokila Hawaiian Village was so helpful and even gave us a map showing exactly where we needed to go.  The self guided tour is so so easy!

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We kayaked about 15 minutes up the river, docked the kayaks and hiked to the waterfall.  This trail is very muddy, so bring water shoes!  We passed MANY people hiking barefoot because it was to muddy for sneakers.

When we arrived at Secret Falls a large tour group just happened to be leaving and we were able to have the entire place to ourselves!  It was one of the highlights of the trip.  It was so fun swimming under the waterfall.

Once we got back to our kayak we paddled up stream another 5 minutes to a cliff jumping spot and were able to jump off the cliff and swim in the river for a little while.

We loved this entire day and it was really so easy to rent and find where to go all by ourselves.  You will not regret it!

Sightseeing

There are so many great sight seeing stops around the island.  They are all free and definitely worth a stop!  Here are a few of our favorites.

East Shore

Wailua Falls:  These falls are very easy to get to, and a quick stop alongside the road.  They are absolutely breathtaking!  We got there early in the morning and it felt so magical being there by ourselves in the early morning.

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Opaekaa Falls:  I’ll be honest, I was a little underwhelmed by Opaekaa Falls.  But, I do know of many others who have enjoyed seeing them.  They are very easy access right off the road and only take a few minutes to view.

 

South Shore

Tree Tunnel:  While driving into Poipu on the South Shore you will pass through what’s known as the Tree Tunnel.  It is a beautiful section of road lined with Eucalyptus Trees.  It was so much fun to drive through, and a great photo op!

Spouting Horn:  Spouting Horn is located near Poipu Beach.  Spouting Horn is a fun place to see water spray up into the sky through a blowhole.  A blowhole is naturally formed when water crashes through a small hole in the lava rocks next to the beach.  It’s a fun sight to see as the water can reach up to 50 feet in the air.

Waimea Canyon:  The road to Waimea Canyon is a little long, but the views are spectacular!  It is called the Grand Canyon of the Pacific because it is so big and so read!  The reds of the canyon next to the green vegetation were breathtaking!

We didn’t spend a lot of time here, but I know there are a few great hikes in the area and can’t wait to go back to explore more.

Drive a little further up the road and view the Kalalau Valley Lookout.  It is another view of the beautiful Napali coast and was once home to an ancient Hawaiian village. The history buff in me enjoyed imagining what life was once like there.

 


 

North Shore

The North Shore is my very FAVORITE part of the island and the next time I go to Kauai I will be spending all of my time here!  It is so green and dense with vegetation.  This is the part of the Island that gives Kauai the nickname, the Garden Island.

Kilauea Lighthouse:  This picturesque lighthouse is located just a few minutes off the main  highway.  It is a beautiful sight, and only takes a few minutes to visit.  We decided not to go look at it close, and viewed it from the parking lot, but I know that there is a bird sanctuary and other fun things to see if you get out and walk around.

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Hanalei Pier:  Hanalei Beach wasn’t my favorite, but it was a very pretty area to view and I am glad we made the visit.  It is a popular place for boogie boarding and surfing and we were able to catch a few waves and a bunch of laughs for the afternoon.  I did love walking out on the pier and watching the locals jumping off into the ocean.

Hanalei Valley Lookout:  Right along the main road right, just past Princeville you will find the Hanalei Valley lookout.  It is a beautiful area of taro farms, nestled right up to the mountains.  The field look like a green patchwork quilt and is a great stopping spot for a few pictures.  When we were there we counted 8 waterfalls on the mountain right behind the fields.  It was a breathtaking sight!

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Souvenirs

If you are looking for a budget friendly place to buy souvenirs check out the ABC Stores.  We stopped at the one in Kapaa on our last day in Kauai.  I was happily surprised and impressed to see how much cheaper the souvenirs were here than at the other places we looked at during the week.  They have all your typical souvenirs; shirts, trinkets, food, etc.  I was able to find a few items to bring back to the kids, and a few things for me!

In Conclusion

If you do some research and planning you can visit Kauai on a budget!  We spent less than $2,000 for our entire trip.  I am dead serious!  $2,000!  Half of that was spent on airfare, the rest was for our hotel, food and activities.

I can’t wait to go back one day and do more exploring.  It truly was heaven on earth!

Related Articles:

The Best Budget Travel Tips

Our Budget Friendly Disneyland Vacation

20 Free Things To Do In New York City

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What tips do you have visiting Kauai on a budget?

 

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