So I mentioned we’re going to Disney in the fall a few posts back, right?

Well, since then I’ve been looking into the million-and-one things involved in creating a ‘magical’ Disney experience…

…you know what?

It’s fucking expensive!

So we’ve joined the ranks of the masses in digging up info and discounts and deals and tips and tricks and came up with our own that I hadn’t seen posted anywhere – and with good reason, it’s a tad involved, but things happened to work out just right for us.

So what’s our trick?

Become a Florida Resident and score all the sweet Florida Resident deals that Disney offers on tickets and rooms and stuff.

So how easy is it to become a Florida resident?

Turns out that it’s ridiculously easy if you happen to be in Florida.

You see, I also mentioned in passing a few posts back that Jamie had to go to Florida for a conference.

So with some of her free time on the last day, she hit up the Florida DMV. Turns out that for 3 dollars, a valid out-of-state license, a valid social security card and the ability to spout off a valid Florida address (doesn’t even have to be local to the DMV location – in this case she used her mother’s address – 450 miles away) and you can get a Florida ID card.

The very same state-issued ID card you have to show to take advantage of the Florida Resident discounts at Walt Disney World.

The beauty of it is that her shiny new Florida ID will cover her and the kids. I’m still stuck with poor tourist pricing on my tickets, but she can also book a room on property and lots of other neat things.

But that’s not all. Now she can also score the Florida Resident Seasonal Pass for herself and the kids. The pass has blackout dates during peak times (when we won’t be visiting), but for less than regular tickets with park hopper, we also open ourselves up to passholder discount opportunities both inside and outside the parks.

It might sound like a long way to go, but she was there anyway and it took little more than an hour of her time to get the ID and already it looks like it could save us 4 digits in total.