I’m always looking for the best travel deals and my recent trip to Disneyland was no exception. Some say you can’t do the land of magic & Mickey on a budget, but I’m here to tell you that 1) you can (Experience Disneyland on a Budget is a great resource for planning a budget-friendly trip to Disneyland—read it now and thank me later) and 2) if you can stick to a budget for your transportation, accommodation, and park passes, you’ll have extra cash to splurge on really magical experiences. But which Disneyland extras are worth it?

Read on for my top three worthy splurges at Disneyland, in no particular order, and let the magic commence.

Savvy savings: One Savvy Wanderer readers have exclusive access to $10 off a Southern California package with Get Away Today! Use promo code: SAVVY10. Must book a 2-night (or longer) hotel stay and ticket package to be eligible for the savings.

Disneyland Extras #1 | Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique 

If you have a young daughter, an appointment at Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique is a must.  This beauty salon, located in Cinderella’s Castle, transforms your little girl into a princess for a day.  Note: If you have a son, there are low-cost options for boys too!  With you standing by, the 30-60 minute makeover is completed by a fairy godmother.  Hair is styled, makeup is done, and nails are painted—it’s magical!

Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique Disneyland Cost

The Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique price list offers several packages to choose from, starting at $64.95 + tax.  The lowest Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique Disneyland cost option, the Crown package, was the way to go for our budget-conscious family.  There are more expensive options, with packages up to $450 that include things like a princess dress or photos near Cinderella’s carriage, but you really don’t need to spend that much to give your child an incredible experience.

The Crown package at Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique includes the makeover plus a princess sash and goodie bag.  We brought our own Elsa princess dress from home, which saved us $135 because the Castle package, which includes a princess dress and accessories, is $199.95 + tax!  Not worth it. But go for the Crown package and enjoy the smile on your princess’s (or prince’s!) face.

Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique Disneyland Reservations

Reservations at Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique can be made up to 60 days in advance.  I highly recommend that you make reservations as early as possible!  I made my reservation 58ish days in advance and there was already limited availability.  Unfortunately, you cannot make Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique reservations online.  Instead you must call (714) 781-7895 and will most likely wait on hold to make the reservation.  Don’t get frustrated if you have a long wait time!  It’s worth the wait to make a reservation in advance. 

I also recommend trying to get a morning appointment.  This way, your little princess or prince can experience being made over for most of the day at the park.  My other piece of advice is to make sure it’s for a day you won’t do any water rides—spending $60 only to have Splash Mountain wash off the special makeup or Grizzly River Run ruin the special hair is not a Savvy move.

Related: when packing for your trip, be sure to plan for comfortable shoes to wear when walking around Disneyland!

Disneyland Extras #2 | Character Dining

When booking our Disneyland trip in 2018, we were offered the option to add-on character dining when booking our Disneyland vacation through Get Away Today.  Unfortunately, Get Away Today character dining is no longer an add-on option (see more about that below) but regardless, I encourage this Disneyland splurge! 

Disneyland Character Dining Restaurants

There are five restaurants that offer character dining experiences:

• Minnie & Friends – Breakfast in the Park (Plaza Inn, Disneyland Park)
• Donald Duck’s Seaside Breakfast (PCH Grill, Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel)
• Breakfast & Dinner at Goofy’s Kitchen (Disneyland Hotel)
• Mickey’s Tales of Adventure Breakfast Buffet (Storytellers Café, Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel)
• Disney Princess Breakfast Adventure (Napa Rose, Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel)

Disneyland Character Dining Pricing

Update! As of 2019, Disneyland no longer offers pre-purchased Character Dining vouchers through any partners like Get Away Today or Costco Travel. Character Dining can only be paid for directly with Disneyland at the time of the reservation.

With the exception of the new Disney Princess Breakfast Adventures, Disneyland does not advertise the exact pricing for the restaurants online.  They are buffet style, so it’s a flat rate for adults (ages 10+) and kids (ages 3-9).  Estimated pricing is below, but please leave a comment if you do any of of the character dining experiences in 2019 and have more accurate pricing!

• For the Disneyland Character Dining Experience at Minnie & Friends or Mickey’s Tales of Adventure, budget for approximately $25 for children and $40 for adults. 
• Character Dining experiences at Donald’s Seaside Breakfast and Goofy’s Kitchen are a little more expensive.  They are going to be closer to $30 for children and $50 for adults.
• The newest character dining option, Disney Princess Breakfast Adventure, that opened earlier in 2019, is the most expensive Character Dining option. Disneyland advertises online that it is $125/person for all ages 3 and up!

Being the savvy traveler that I am, we opted for the Mickey’s Tales of Adventure character dining experience as it was the lowest cost option. It was well-worth the price and I highly recommend this Disneyland splurge to my budget-savvy readers!

Related: Even though character dining is a Disneyland extra, there are so many great options for eating on a budget in Disneyland. Be sure to read my post on the best Cheap Eats in Disneyland!

Disneyland Character Dining Reservations

Character dining reservations can be made up to 60 days in advance.  Reservations are highly recommended so you don’t have to wait for a table at any of the restaurants.  If you are planning to go to Minnie & Friends, you should make reservations far in advance.  Minnie & Friends at the Plaza Inn books up before the other three restaurants because it’s the only one in the park.  Reservations can be made by calling 714.781.DINE (3463).  They can also be made online or using the Disneyland mobile app. 

Disneyland Extras #3 | Max Pass

Downloading the free Disneyland mobile app prior to your trip is a must.  Within the mobile app, visitors can purchase a “Max Pass” after entering the park(s) each day.  The Max Pass is a Disneyland splurge (since it costs money) and is the digital version of the “Fast Pass.”  For those who have been to Disneyland before, the Fast Pass is a way to avoid waiting in long lines for rides.  The issue with the Fast Pass is that you have to walk to the ride to get the Fast Pass and then kill time until it’s your time to return to the ride. 

What is the Disneyland Max Pass?

The Max Pass allows park-goers the ability to digitally select which rides they want a “Fast Pass” for without having to go to the ride.  Once it’s within your return time to go on the ride, you just scan the barcode in the mobile app to get in the fast pass line. 

The Max Pass saves time from walking all over the park(s) to get Fast Pass tickets.  It also lets you sign up for other digital Fast Passes once you have 30 minutes until your current Fast Pass return time or after waiting 2 hours, whichever is first.  This means that you can be waiting to redeem multiple Fast Passes at the same time! 

Another great thing about the Max Pass is that it includes the Disney Photo Pass.  Essentially, there are photographers located throughout the park(s) taking professional-quality pictures of visitors at the park.  These photos will automatically show up within your Disneyland app if you’ve purchased the Max Pass.  Also, any photos taken on rides will show up, too! 

Disneyland Max Pass Pricing

Accessing the Max Pass in the Disneyland app costs $10/person/day.  My three-person family cost $30/day, but if your group is big, the Max Pass cost can quickly add up.  However, after experiencing all that the Max Pass has to offer, I definitely think it’s one of the best splurges at Disneyland!

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You now know about the three best splurges at Disneyland—if you haven’t actually finished planning your trip there, though, be sure to check out my post on how to Experience Disneyland on a Budget to help keep costs low, thereby justifying all of the Disneyland splurges in this post! Also, don’t forget to check out Get Away Today and use promo code SAVVY10 for the $10 discount on Southern California packages!

Related: Before leaving on your trip, be sure to check out the travel blog, Creative Travel Guide, for a list of worthy Disney souvenirs to purchase!

Cheers!

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