Florida residents save big money on Disney hotels through Oct. 2

Walt Disney World is offering 42 percent off its resort hotels for Florida residents through Oct. 2. Here is a way to have a fun, inexpensive weekend, even if you don't have Disney tickets.

Stay at the resort and spend your time at the themed pools and on-site activities at the hotel. Disney hotel guests can take a bus to other resorts and use those facilities as well. For $100 or less, families can spend a weekend at a Disney hotel enjoying the pool, taking a ride on the monorail or participating at the Sing-A-Long at Fort Wilderness. Bring your own food -- some hotels have microwaves and refrigerators -- and pretend you're on vacation.

You can also spend the day at the Disney Village Marketplace, also free.

For non-residents, value season begins Oct. 2.

How to make a Florida day trip less expensive

If you are planning to spend the day in the theme parks in Orlando or Tampa, keep these tips in mind:

- Bring a small cooler bag filled with water and sandwiches. Bringing your own bottles of water will save you a lot while you tour the theme parks in the hot Florida sun. Water is something you can't do without in Florida. You just don't have to blow your budget on water. Bringing your own food also saves, especially when a simple burger costs more than $3 at most places. Most theme parks won't give you are hard time if you bring a cooler small enough to stow in a stroller or carriage. They might balk, however, if you try to bring in one of those mega-coolers.

-- Stay away from the gift shop. This is difficult to do when rides empty out into the gift shop filled with themed toys and gifts for children. But try to steer the kids away from the overpriced merchandise and on the rides. Spending 20 minutes in the gift shop not only will take you away from experiencing the theme park, but will empty your wallet.

-- Shop around at the hotels. You're in Florida for the theme parks and attractions, so you'll spend little time at the hotel. There are plenty of clean, inexpensive hotels around. Many offer free breakfasts. Remember to pack sandwich bags before leaving home -- there is nothing wrong with grabbing an extra couple of pieces of bread, peanut butter and jelly at the breakfast bar and packing it for lunch.

-- Don't fall for the timeshare tour. They're usually found in hotel lobbies and promise free tickets to theme parks and shows. I've never actually gone on one of these tours, but I have heard they are a big waste of time (unless you really are in the market for a timeshare.)

-- Don't sweat the small stuff. Remember you are on vacation. If you don't go on every ride in the Magic Kingdom or Universal Studios, it's not a travesty. The important thing is to build memories!

Florida resident? Disney World now offers monthly payments for annual passes

While this blog is really about free and low-cost places to visit, I had to add this. Walt Disney World is now offering a monthly payment plan for Florida residents' annual passes. I have lots of tips on how to save money while visiting the Disney theme parks, and one of those ways is to buy an annual pass. With the monthly payment plan, families don't have to put out the entire purchase of the pass all at one time.

Tip: Have one member of the family get an annual pass that includes free parking, while the others get a seasonal pass at a lower cost. The blackout dates won't be a big deal because no Floridian should go to Disney during the summer, two weeks at Christmas or spring break anyway. Cast members only check one pass for free parking.