As most people find out when they start searching for “discounts” on Disneyland and Disney World tickets, there is very little savings available without having to go through timeshare presentations or other time intensive offers that eat away at your vacation time. I have always found the best offer for Disney World tickets is via the Mousesavers newsletter with a secret link to Undercover Tourist. When it comes to Disneyland, both times we purchased tickets directly from the park because there is not much of a discount available.
Mousesavers works with a travel agent, ARES, and typically offers a very slight discount on Disneyland tickets that is offset by a convenience fee. I found the couple dollar savings from AREA was not worth the effort and just bought them directly from Disney. (Side note: Occasionally ARES and even Disneyland offer some great discounted ticket offers, though with date restrictions).
So imagine my surprise when this week it was posted on FatWallet that SmartSource, the weekly coupon circular company, has a coupon to save $10 off the cost of a 2-Day or longer Disneyland® Resort ticket or Annual Passport when purchased from participating Safeway, Vons or Pavilions locations. Enter in zip code 91108 and the coupon should be shown. You are allowed to print up to two coupons, each good for 6 tickets.
Terms of coupon: Valid at participating Safeway, Vons, or Pavilions locations only. Valid for Disneyland Resort 2-day, 3-day tickets, or Annual Passports. Offer not available at Disneyland Box office. $10 per qualifying ticket purchase taken off your total bill at the register. Coupon must be used in a single transaction and must be surrendered upon use. Limit six (6) tickets per purchase. Not valid with other discount. No cash value. Coupon and tickets may not be sold or transferred for commercial use, and tickets are nonrefundable. Subject to restrictions and change without notice.
Is the Disneyland coupon a deal?
As a responsible consumer, I have learned that you sometimes can not always take things for face value. So I wanted to check with several Safeway/Vons/Pavilions store locations to see how their pre-coupon prices compared with other sources. I called three separate stores in communities surrounding Disneyland.
Pavilions (Pasadena)
This location only sold 1-day Disneyland park hopper tickets at $137 (adult ages 10 and up) and $131 (child ages 3-9). Tickets were valid until December 31, 2014 and could only be purchased in store (i.e. you can not buy them over the phone and mailed to you).
Vons (Pasadena)
Sells 1-day Disneyland park hopper tickets at $137 (adult) and $131 (child) as well as 2-day, 1-park tickets for $175 (adult) and $162 (child).
Vons (Anaheim)
Sells 1-day Disneyland park hopper tickets at $137 (adult) and $131 (child) as well as 2-day, 1-park tickets for $175 (adult) and $162 (child).
By comparison purchasing tickets directly from Disneyland was the same exact prices as those offered by Safeway/Vons/Pavilions stores. So the savings comes in the form of the coupon, as the tickets are not discounted from the retailer.
While $10 may not seem like a big deal, when it comes to Disneyland tickets, $10 per ticket can add up for a family when discounts typically do not exist.
Save Money, Travel More!
Source: FatWallet