You’ve seen the ads on TV, heard your friends talking about their wonderful vacation, or maybe you nostalgically remember when your parents took you to “the most magical place on Earth” as a kid. You think to yourself, “I sure would like to take my family to Disney World. But how am I going to pay for it? It is so expensive.” A Disney World vacation can be very expensive, but it is also possible to do it on a budget and still have a wonderful time. Here are some tips and tricks I’ve learned after years of planning Disney trips for myself and others:
Book Early
Disney raises their prices about every 18 months, so keep this in mind when you are planning. Generally, the longer you wait, the more it will cost, so once you make the decision to go, book as soon as possible.
Use Websites or Email Lists to Find Good Deals on Tickets, Lodging, and Car Rentals
UndercoverTourist.com has consistently had the best prices on tickets for over 20 years. Subscribe to the MouseSavers.com newsletter for a “secret link” to UndercoverTourist.com that will net you even more savings. UndercoverTourist.com also has specials on hotels and car rentals with deeper discounts if you buy your tickets from them in the same cart. MouseSavers.com also publishes frequently updated specials on car rentals with coupons and rate codes, as well as hotel deals. The official Disney World website usually has discounts for hotels, especially for Disney+ subscribers, teachers, and military.
Get a Disney Visa Card
Even if you only use it to pay for your vacation, it is beneficial to have a Disney Visa card. There are promotional sign-up bonuses and cash-back rewards that can be used on your vacation. The card also gives you access to designated, low-wait photo ops with surprise characters and discounts on merchandise and food in the parks and resorts. Carefully read the benefits when you sign up, so you don’t miss out on anything!
Drive Your Own Car or Book a Low-Cost Flight
For some, driving for 12 hours is completely out of the question, but for those of you who enjoy the drive, it’s a sure-fire way to save money on your Disney trip. For those who prefer to fly, look to Spirit and JetBlue for the best non-stop flight deals, and check early and often. Depending on the number of people flying, it can sometimes be cheaper than driving.
Stay “On Property”
Time is money and the best way to maximize your enjoyment is to stay at a Disney hotel or one that receives the same benefits as the Disney hotels. They’re typically higher quality than non-Disney hotels and feature the Disney theming and service that keeps you inside the “Disney Bubble” of magic. You’ll have access to efficient and frequent transportation to and from all Disney parks and the Disney Springs entertainment complex, and you’ll be very close to your destinations so you’ll spend very little time fighting traffic – Disney buses, boats, the monorail, and Skyliner are all available to move you around the resort no matter your destination. This close proximity can come in handy if you need to take a midday break back at your hotel, too. Staying in a Disney hotel also gives you early access to the park one hour before opening, which saves you a lot of time and gives you the chance to see and do more for your money. This year, Disney World is also offering free admission to one of their water parks on your check-in day when you stay at a Disney-owned hotel.
Go During the Off-Season
Taking your vacation during the least crowded days results in reduced cost and more enjoyment. If you can take the heat, August (right before school starts) can be a good time to go since school schedules vary across the country and discounts are easily found. There are other times throughout the school year when you can find a four-day weekend in your child’s school schedule that may be doable. For the best discounts, avoid weeks surrounding major holidays like Christmas, New Year’s Day, and Easter. These will have the highest cost and the biggest crowds.
Make it a Trip for the Whole Family
It helps to split the overall cost of travel with other family members, especially when sharing hotel rooms. Disney has many variations of hotels including four- to five-person rooms and six-person suites, so bring grandparents, cousins, or aunts and uncles along!
Bring Food from Home
Food prices can really add up over a few days, so bringing some from home can save a lot over the course of your vacation. We typically pack a case of bottled water, some juice boxes, bagels from our favorite deli, protein bars, fruit, and packaged snacks. We either eat our breakfasts at the food court (there are toasters and free butter there), or we just bring protein bars and eat them on the bus on the way to the parks to save time. You’re allowed to bring food into the Disney parks, so sometimes we even make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and bring them with us for lunch. Unless you have a special meal in mind, eating food from home is a great way to save money.
Be Prepared for the Weather
Pack rain ponchos and carry them with you every day. Rain can pop up in an instant and may be over in five minutes, or it could last the rest of your day, so it’s best to be prepared! Once November comes, the weather at night can get downright chilly, and forecasts are often wrong, so it’s always best to have some basic hats and gloves just in case. In a pinch, weather accessories are available in the parks, but you’ll pay a premium for them.
Do Not Book a Package – Usually
You can certainly compare the prices, but in my 25 years of Disney, I have never priced a package that costs less than booking all components separately. It is almost always cheaper to book room reservations with seasonal discounts and tickets through Undercovertourist.com. Occasionally, Disney runs specials on tickets, so you should always check the Disney World website before you make your final arrangements.
Do Not Be Tempted to Book a Dining Plan – Not Even a Free One
Dining plans require you to buy more food than you need. Disney will often offer free dining plans when you book rooms at the standard rate. This is a great deal for Disney, but it’s a terrible deal for you. Discounts for room reservations are easy to come by and will save you more money in the long run than “free” food in amounts you won’t likely need.
Stay in the Disney Value Resorts
Disney has three hotels that are on property and typically have the least expensive rooms to reserve. These include the All-Star Sports, All-Star Music, and All-Star Movies resorts. They can be reserved for $100-$150 per night depending on the season and have over-the-top theming, pools, gift-shops, food courts, and pool bars all for your enjoyment.
If You Fly, Do Not Rent a Car – Usually
If you fly to Orlando, you will need transportation from the airport to the Disney World resort. The most efficient and least expensive option is usually to take a Lyft or Uber using their apps. Since COVID, renting a car has been more expensive, even if you can get the car on special or with a coupon – but it never hurts to check.
Buy and Use Disney Gift Cards to Pay for Your Vacation
There are many ways to use gift cards to save money. At least once a month, Kroger offers a “4x Fuel Points on Gift Cards” special. If you buy $800 in Disney gift cards, this gives you $3.20 per gallon off up to 30 gallons. Additionally, you can get 5% discounts on Disney gift cards using your Target Red Card or when you use your membership at Sam’s Club or BJ’s. Disney gift cards can be used on anything you buy from Disney: merchandise, food, resort reservations, cruises, and adventures.
Get an Annual Pass
If it’s your first trip, you may be hesitant to buy annual passes. However, if you love it so much once you arrive and know you want to return within the year, you may want to go to guest services and upgrade your tickets. You should do your math to see if an annual pass makes sense for you based on the number of days you will be in the parks. If it’ll be more than a year until your next visit, do not buy the annual pass just for the benefits as it will not be worth it.
Share Food
Disney meals are substantial, both from counter and table service restaurants. Sharing meals saves money and keeps you from overeating. There are hundreds of gourmet treats, so you shouldn’t fill up on one thing and not have room to indulge in some of those fabulous flavors. Sharing food allows everyone to taste and experience more for less.
Take Advantage of Counter Service Kid’s Meals
Kid’s meals are a great value, including an entree, sides, and a small drink all for around $8. Nobody checks ages, and there are usually several choices that are either healthy or indulgent depending on your mood. My family often splits one adult meal and one kid’s meal between the three of us.
Get Free Water
You can get free cups of ice and water from any counter service restaurant in Disney World. Don’t spend $5 for a bottle; get it for free instead!
Avoid Add-Ons
Disney offers many upsells such as in-depth tours and extravagant character buffet meals or front-of-the-line and park-hopping passes. While all these options can be fun and worth it if you can afford them, they are not necessary for you to have a wonderful vacation, especially if it’s your first trip.
Have a Plan
Every time I go to Disney, I see large groups of people who arrive early to get into the parks only to stop in the middle of entryways to figure out what they are going to do first. Do not let this be you! Arriving with no plan wastes precious park time when you could be making your way to your first attraction. Focus on solid touring strategies to maximize your experience and minimize your wait times. DisneyTouristBlog.com is my favorite source for sample itineraries and help with planning your days.
Do Not Go Overboard with Merchandise
Skip the stores or make a shopping budget and stick to it. The gift shops are everywhere at Disney, and you can spend a small fortune on impulse buys. You can make the trip special for younger children by surprising them daily with a new Disney item that you purchased at Dollar Tree before your trip. This provides smile-making new trinkets for the kiddos and substantial savings for you.
So really, what does it cost? Give me the bottom line.
Prices vary based on many factors, depending on if there’s a special or if you go during a value season. Here is a sample budget, so you know what to expect. These ranges are for the lowest prices, which would not be found in high seasons or around major holidays.
All prices are per person:
Adult 4-day base tickets (no park-hopping): $550 per person
Children 4-day base tickets (no park hopping): $500 per child
Children under age 3 Tickets: FREE
Roundtrip Flights: $150-$200 per person over age of 2
Uber/Lyft from/to Airport: $40 each way
Gas for Driving: $250 roundtrip (30mpg at $3.50/gallon)
Disney All-Star Hotel: $110-$150 per night
If tickets are on special for a family of two adults and two children between ages 3 and 9, driving to Disney World and spending five nights in Disney All-Star Hotel and four days in the parks during value season would cost around $3,000 plus food or $187.50 per person per park day.
You are now armed with all the best cost-savings advice for a Disney World vacation. I hope this helps you and your family have a magical, budget-friendly adventure!
