A DISNEY-mad mum has revealed how she saves hundreds of pounds on her trips to Disneyland Paris.
Viv Cheng, 39, from Cardiff, has already been to the theme park three times this year with her daughter Ella, 6, spending just a fraction of the average cost.
She told Sun Online Travel: "We first when to Disneyland Paris when Ella was two-years-old, as we could go in January because she wasn't in school.
"We spent around £250 on park tickets and five nights in a hotel.
"However, when she started school, the price during the summer holidays leapt to £800.
"We didn't go when she was four because I didn't think I could afford it.
"However after doing research, I found that we could go for much less than the average trip costing £1,000."
Single mum Viv, who has already taken her daughter to Disneyland Paris three times this year, revealed some of her top ways to save money when she is in the park.
She explained: "We always bring our own food into Disneyland Paris which cuts costs.
"Crisps in the park were around £3.50 while crisps in the supermarkets outside were £1 for the same thing.
"Candy floss tubs were just 29p in Home Bargains and £4 in the park. It's not as fresh or as big but I don't really want my six year old eating a massive candy floss stick and I didn't want to pay £4 for it either!"
She added that they once bought a burger and chips each for lunch, costing a steep £30 – and she hasn't since: "We only buy Mickey snacks in the park as a treat, as sometimes her grandparents give her some money to spend."
Viv also advises money-savers to use the free water fountains around the park.
She explained how she still lets Ella have souvenirs, just without the cost.
Viv, who posts about their trips on her Facebook page Disney Overload, continued: "I bring gifts from home to leave on the hotel bed or next to the bed while she sleeps.
"For example, after meeting Ariel in the day I left a mermaid notebook at the end of her bed with a message saying 'thank you for coming to see me today lots of love Ariel'.
"If we couldn't meet Ariel the message inside the notebook would have been 'sorry we couldn't meet today' or something along those lines."
She also lets Ella "pin swap" – where kids can swap a pin they already have with a pin they want with any Disney Cast Member wearing a lanyard.
Viv added: "This way I didn't actually have to buy anything from the shop but Ella still felt like she was being spoilt."
Most of the shops have discounts, she added, depending on what shop you go to – sometimes finding 50 per cent off souvenirs.
Disneyland also offers princess makeovers – at a cost of around £90.
Instead, Viv takes in festival face gems which cost just £1 from Primark and puts them on Ella before going to the park.
She said: "I took loads of photos in and around the hotel. The Cast Members kept complimenting her which made her feel really special."
The mother-daughter duo also try and dress in similar clothes, with Ella taking up to 13 outfits with her during the five-day trip.
One way Viv saves money is by making some of the easier costumes.
She explained: "I make some of her outfits, such as her tutu which can cost £12 if bought from a store.
"The mesh costs just 90p, which I cut into strips and tie onto a ribbon to go around her waist, after finding a no-sew tutu design on Pinterest."
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