Well first of all you'd better be thinking about booking Discovery Cove soon! They have a limit of 1K visitors per day and I know that certain dates book up quicker than others. Unlike Seaworld etc which would have tens of thousands through the gates.
We went last year on our honeymoon (so no children) and this year we are returning with 1 child. What we have decided to do to save costs is the following & trust me, I've searched nearly every deal there is to try and cut costs!!!!
1. Book Discovery Cove + Sea World tickets. You get a booking code which you present at guest services in Sea World/Busch Gardens if you want to use your 7 day pass in advance of your visit to Discovery Cove. Discounts for DC are few and far between however you might do well to watch the SW/DC boards on
www.disboards.com to see if any do crop up. We're not doing Busch Gardens as we simply won't have the time.
2. Book the 7 day, 2 park deal for Universal Orlando & Islands of Adventure. This is great value if you purchase in advance online. If you use your MasterCard you get a $150 voucher with money off for meals and merchandising. Don't be ashamed to use vouchers anywhere in Orlando, they are well used to it.
3. Book car hire in Ireland. Having searched every discount car hire website going, I can say that the cheapest I have found is actually American Holidays in Dublin who offer all inclusive hire including insurance. Good Tip - Book a compact car as the car hire places normally don't stock a compact and you should get an automatic upgrade to the next size car when collecting your car.
4. Use a website such as Hotwire or Priceline to book your accommodation, the savings are phenomenal, we saved 60% on the cost of our accommodation this year. I only wish we had known about these sites last year.
5. If you are reluctant about staying outside of Disney, bear in mind that there are great savings to be had by staying within the Disney resort area. At the moment there are free Disney Dining Plans with your accommodation if you book from Ireland and a discount on attraction tickets also. If you're looking for an all in trip, it's worth considering.
Ask away if you have anymore questions!