You’ve seen the surprise “We’re going to Disney!” videos plastered all over your Facebook wall. You’ve heard your child’s not-so-secret birthday wish whisper. You’ve dreamed of being one of those families posing in front of Magic Kingdom in your cutesy coordinated Disney merch. And now you’re determined: You want to take your kids to Disney.
Then you Google “average cost of a Disney vacation,” and once you pick your jaw up off the floor, you wonder who’s bankrolling this trip. Because it might be the most magical place on earth, but it sure doesn’t sound like the most magical place for your bank account.
Let’s be clear, though: You can absolutely have an amazing Disney trip without feeling like you need to take out a second mortgage. And don’t stress yourself out comparing your budget-friendly trip to the sequined-Mouse-ear-extravaganza your cousin shared on social media. Comparison is the thief of joy. Disney is what you make it… no matter how much — or more to the point, little — you spend.
To help you harness the power of your inner frugal Disney ninja, we gleaned the wisdom of a slew of seasoned, Mickey-lovin’ mamas. Read on to discover their (and our) best tips and hacks for saving money on a trip to Disney.
Buy Disney Gift Cards
So many Disney-planning pros recommend this hack! Basically, you work out a budget for what you want to spend while at the Disney parks. Then you buy Disney gift cards at a discount from a participating wholesale store like BJ’s Wholesale, Sam’s Club, or Walmart — most of which offer a 4% discount on the gift cards. You can amplify your savings if you use a good cash-back credit card to make the purchase.
While Target doesn’t offer a discount on gift cards, it provides a 5% discount with them for using their Target Circle credit or debit card. This includes Disney gift cards. Word to the wise, though? One mom we spoke to warned that Target doesn’t seem to love it when you buy $1,000 worth of gift cards in a single transaction. If you go this route, start shopping sooner and pick up a few cards every visit (‘cause, hello, we’re all hitting up Target on the reg anyway).
Use a Disney Vacation Planner
Raise your hand if you never realized that Disney planners are free (*raises hand*). It’s true! Any reputable Disney-centric travel agent should not charge for the basic service of helping you arrange your trip. Add-on services may be offered at á la carte costs, but you don’t have to opt for any extras. Not only does a Disney Vacation Planner’s vast expertise save you invaluable time, but it can also save you a bundle. They know how to get all the best discounts and promotions, and they’ll even sit on the phone for hours to make sure you get the most bang for your buck.
Skip the Park Hopper Option
This is a controversial opinion in some circles, but hear us out. When purchasing your Disney park tickets, you must choose between a base ticket and a Park Hopper ticket. The latter is exactly like it sounds — it lets you bounce from park to park on the same day. Since there are four parks at Disney World (Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, Epcot, and Hollywood Studios), this may seem like the most logical way to squeeze it all in.
However, depending on the day you choose, adding the Park Hopper option can tack on $54 – $94 per ticket per day. Your kids will be exhausted from trekking around the park, and you’ll be a hot (quite literally) mess — so, save money by devoting one full day to each park you pick, breaking somewhere in the middle to nap and swim at your hotel.
Use Lightning Lanes Strategically
Since Disney did away with the free Fast Pass option for bypassing longer lines, guests must now purchase “Lightning Lanes.” Unfortunately, this is an additional per person, per day cost — and it can add up. LLs can be a fantastic way to cut down your family’s wait times on heavy traffic park days but know that it’s not necessary *every* day.
We recently hit all four parks over three days, didn’t pay for any Lightning Lane perks, and rode a lot of rides without having to wait in super-long lines. We even walked onto Avatar Flight of Passage just by timing it well and frequently checking My Disney Experience wait times. Our favorite hack: If it’s raining, go! A park CM told us that unless there is lightning close by, they’ll keep the rides going in the rain. That tip enabled us to ride Everest four times in a row with no wait.
Pick Your Tickets By Price
When you go to the Disney website and explore your ticket options, you’ll notice that different calendar days have different ticket prices. Unless you’re totally locked into a specific timeframe, you can use this calendar to pick tickets on more budget-friendly dates and times of the year.
In fact, Disney even offers the option to “see which months offer the lowest price” on tickets when you’re walking through the ticket purchase process.
Do Your Discount Research
A military mom shared this pearl of wisdom: Disney offers special pricing for military personnel. You have to go through your military base ticket office to get more details, per the Walt Disney World website, but members of the armed forces qualify for promotional rates on 4-day, 5-day, or 6-day tickets. Bonus? They come with the Park Hopper Option. Both Disney World and Disneyland run discount promotions throughout the year, so do a thorough scan of the sites to see if any could benefit your bottom line.
Using a Disney Vacation Planner can be especially helpful for finding the best deals, as they’ll know all the current discounts and ways you and your family can save.
Shave Costs on Airfare
Several moms swore by using the airport ticket counter as opposed to booking their flights online. One, who flew her family via Spirit Airlines, originally priced their tickets online at around $700 for a family of four. Off the advice of a fellow Disney-planning parent, she went to the airport after work and snagged the exact same flights for only $350. Another mom revealed she paid only $300 for six roundtrip tickets from central Texas to Orlando for their Disney trip. So, while this hack may depend on the airline you choose, it’s certainly worth exploring.
Forego the Disney Resort
Yes, this is a tough call to make. On the one hand, staying on Disney property definitely has its perks. Plus, you probably feel like it’s “part of the experience.” But there’s no shortage of nice, considerably less expensive off-site hotels that’ll save you a major chunk of change. Or you could always opt for a vacation rental home. It’s worth noting, however, that many hotels close to Disney offer free shuttles to and from the parks. Look for ones with complimentary continental breakfast while you’re at it!
Plus, many Good Neighbor Hotels offer similar perks to staying on-site, such as Early Theme Park Entry. So, you’ll be getting all of those benefits at a fraction of the cost.
Book By Renting DVC Points
If you do want to stay on Disney World property but don’t want to pay the premium cost, you have a few options. One is to look at all available discounts (which is where a Disney Vacation Planner may come in handy). The other is to book a Disney Vacation Club property by renting DVC points. Companies like David’s DVC Rentals allow you to rent out DVC points for Deluxe Villas on property for far less than you’d be paying on the Disney World website. While staying at a Deluxe property is still pricey, you’ll be getting amenities and a premium location for a much more economical price point.
Go Camping
Let’s say you want to stay in a Disney World property, but the prices of the resort hotels make you feel woozy. Well, it might be time to get in touch with nature with a stay at Disney World’s Fort Wilderness RV resort. You can bring your own RV or book one through a site like RVShare.com, but either way, you’ll likely end up saving money.
You won’t miss out either since Fort Wilderness boasts everything from archery and horseback riding to canoeing and nature hiking on the pet-friendly 750-acre property. And it gets you some of the same killer perks as a Disney hotel.
Get the Meal Plan (or Don’t)
Here’s the thing, as one smart mom pointed out to us: The meal plans at Disney will save you money if you are already planning on eating a lot of Disney meals during your stay. But if you say no to the meal plan, you can still splurge on the occasional treat or plan a fancy Disney meal — and save considerable cash by taking food that doesn’t need to be heated or cooled into the parks in non-glass containers.
If you want to plan for one big Disney meal, eat early. Breakfast or lunch at the parks will be less expensive than dinner. Also, don’t max out your budget by booking character meals for your kids. You can meet characters at all the parks, and the time you get with them may be brief but it’s high-quality and includes a fantastic photo opportunity.
A few of the best “cheap eats” around Disney World:
Magic Kingdom
- Casey’s Corner
- Columbia Harbour House
- Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn and Cafe
- Sleepy Hollow
- Aloha Isle
Epcot
- Les Halles Boulangerie-Patisserie
- Sommerfest
- Kringla Bakeri Og Kafe
- Kabuki Cafe
- Connections Eatery
- Festival Booths (during any Epcot festival)
Animal Kingdom
- Pizzafari
- Flame Tree Barbecue
- Eight Spoon Cafe
- Kusafiri Coffee Shop & Bakery
- Restaurantosaurus
Hollywood Studios
- Woody’s Lunch Box
- Docking Bay 7
- Backlot Express
- ABC Commissary
Buy Into the Popcorn Bucket Hype
Confession: We were Disney popcorn skeptics until another Disney mom told us the real reason everyone’s so obsessed with this snack. It isn’t just because Disney makes some out-of-this-world flavored popcorn, or because you get a cool keepsake bucket. Those things are benefits. But the big draw is that once you buy the souvenir bucket, you can get cheap (like, $2.25) refills for the rest of your stay.
Bring Reusable Water Bottles
Disneyland will be cooler than Disney World, but both can get hot in the summer months. Coupled with the fact you’re going to be walking roughly one zillion miles, you’re going to want to stay well-hydrated. Theme park drinks add up quickly, so do yourself a favor and pack reusable water bottles. You can then refill them for free at the park’s water fountains or anywhere you see a soda fountain (just ask a cast member, aka CM).
During the hotter months, you’ll also see some dining locations offering free cups of water outside. On a recent trip, we were able to sit in the shade near Casey’s Corner at Magic Kingdom and grab a few cups of water to cool off — a much-needed reprieve.
Photopass Options
Disney offers several types of photography options, which utilize both professional photographers and cameras set up all over the park. And honestly, at just under $200, this is still an affordable option. If you don’t get it and decide to download photos individually, you’ll see how quickly you hit that price point. Having said that, you can absolutely document your Disney trip using your smartphone. There are even mobile presets, or filters, designed with Disney trips in mind.
And remember: If you do purchase the Lightning Lane Multi Pass, you can download any ride photos from that day at no additional cost.
Order Your Ears Ahead of Time
You can’t swing a bubble wand at Disney without hitting a Mouse-ears headband. Glance around the sea of people, and you’ll see countless ears dotting the crowd. If you want to be one of those people, get crafty! There are tons of tutorials on how to make your own at home before your trip. Or you can order pre-made versions from Etsy or Amazon. Waiting until you’re at Disney means schilling out $30 or more. The same goes for those matching T-shirts you know you want to wear! Ask a friend with a vinyl-cutting machine like a Cricut to make yours.
Buy Last-Minute Merch at Discount Stores
Waited too late to put in your Etsy order for custom Disney tees? Don’t panic. A plethora of stores near Disney exist to fulfill your kitschy needs. You can get bubble wands, spinners, glow sticks, clothes, and more at the nearby Walmart. In Orlando, shops like the Disney Character Warehouse will hook you up with Disney clothes and more at significant discounts.
Pack Ponchos
Either pack your own poncho or buy some at the discount stores mentioned above. Odds are good that it’ll rain at some point during your visit, and the ones you purchase in the parks are pricy. These can pull triple-duty as well since you can use them to keep from getting drenched on water rides and to protect a stroller if you bring one to the parks.
For a particularly good deal, buy a family-size pack ahead of time from Amazon, where you can get a five-pack for the price of one in the parks.
Set a Souvenir Budget
Trust us when we say there are mountains upon mountains of toys and trinkets at Disney that your kid will be convinced they need. You can either spend a small fortune buying them, or you can take the advice of a more practical mom who told us she sets a souvenir budget. Ahead of her family’s trips, she makes it clear that her kids each get one souvenir from the vacation. You can also cap the price to curb spending further.
To make things even easier when doing Disney with tweens or teens, you can also put their souvenir budget on a Disney gift card so that the set amount can have a hard stop once the gift card runs out (not to mention you can use the cash-back hack from before to save some $$$).
Do Faux-Souvenirs
Many Disney-loving moms we spoke to suggested a simple and cost-effective souvenir hack: Buy them somewhere else. Order them from Amazon. Get them from a discount store. One mom puts out a little pre-bought souvenir for her kids each morning of their Disney trips, leaving with them a note from favorite Disney characters explaining they’d dropped the gifts off. Genius!
Another example of this is with souvenirs you’ll find in the parks made to pique your kids’ interest, like bubble wands. These are super cheap to buy ahead of time, and bringing one with you can save you from the pleas of a toddler begging you to drop $25+ in the park.
DIY Disney Magic
Just because you aren’t splurging on character meals every day or buying every overpriced stuffed animal on Main Street doesn’t mean you can’t make your kids feel super-special. For starters, you took them to Disney! If you want to amplify those warm and fuzzy feelings, though, try a little DIY Disney magic.
One idea suggested by a Disney mom? If you’re staying offsite in a hotel or rental with a kitchen, download some of the official Disney recipes like Gaston’s Tavern Cinnamon Rolls that everyone is always raving about. Or Dole Whip. Get your kids in on the fun when you make them, and we promise they’ll treasure those memories more than an overpriced stuffed animal.
Skip the Parks for a Disney Springs Day
While you’ll need a ticket to get into the parks or water parks, Disney World’s shopping and dining complex is completely free to enter! Disney Springs is home to a huge array of shopping, dining, and entertainment options.
While, yes, you’ll need to spend money shopping and/or dining, it’s easy to get enjoyment out of just walking around and perusing the area. There are tons of photo opportunities, and you can even enjoy the new Disney Dreams That Soar drone show happening nightly during the summer.
Opt for the Water Parks
Another option for a cheaper experience than the theme parks is to spend a day at a Disney World water park. The resort is home to Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon, two water parks that alternate their openings throughout the year (typically, Typhoon Lagoon is open in the spring through early fall, and Blizzard Beach through the fall into early spring).
A one-day ticket is $74 for adults or $68 for kids (ages 3 to 9), meaning you’ll be spending quite a bit less than the cost of a theme park ticket. The water parks have tons of different slides, entertainment, food, and activities to last you throughout the day — plus, they’re super refreshing in the hot Florida sunshine.
This is an even better option for those booking an early 2025 Disney World trip, as Disney will be adding an extra perk then. Guests booking a Disney World Resort hotel in 2025 will get a free visit to the water parks on their check-in date. So instead of buying a separate ticket for a park on that day, use the time to enjoy the water parks for free!
Consider the Cost of an After Hours Event vs Tickets
So, this is one you’ll really want to price out when considering, but it can make a difference. Throughout the year, Disney After Hours events are offered, which are separately ticketed events that give you access to a park beginning before it closes for the night and then exclusive access after the park has closed.
For three hours, you’ll get access to the park with a much smaller group of people, with the chance to ride all the rides, and even get select complimentary snacks and beverages. The price ranges based on the date and the park. For example, Hollywood Studios costs $145 to $175 based on the date. While this might not seem like a great deal versus the price of a regular ticket, it will depend on what you want from your day.
If you want to ride all the rides during the day, you’re looking at a base price ticket starting at $125 for Hollywood Studios and then adding on Lightning Lane Single Pass or Lightning Lane Multi Pass — which won’t even guarantee you get on all the rides. While the price difference may end up being negligible, when factoring in how much you get out of your time, the After Hours tickets can end up being worth it.
Use a Landry’s Select Club Card
Disney World is home to four Landry’s restaurants: Rainforest Cafe in Animal Kingdom, Rainforest Cafe in Disney Springs, T-Rex in Disney Springs, and Yak & Yeti Restaurant in Animal Kingdom. You can sign up for a free Landry’s Select Card to earn rewards, including a $25 bonus when you initially sign up!
Make Breakfast Your Table Service Meal
While the best way to save on dining at Disney World is to simply not dine there, if you are planning on doing table service meals, the best one to save some money is booking a breakfast. For example, a character meal at Chef Mickey’s is $54 for adults and $34 for kids for breakfast. For dinner, that bumps up to $66 and $41 respectively. For a family with two adults and two kids, that’s a $38 difference in the two meals.
Lunch and dinner meals are significantly pricier than the breakfast options, meaning you’ll get the most bang for your buck with an early or late morning dining instead.
Embrace a “Free Is Me” Attitude
Because both Disneys are in touristy areas, you can find countless things to do nearby. And, as luck would have it, plenty of those things are free. At Sir Mickey’s Gift Shop on the backside of the castle, a CM will sprinkle your little princess with pixie dust. And if you do a quick search on Pinterest for “free things to do in Orlando” or “free things to do in Anaheim,” you can bookmark more free things for your own family to do.
Does your little Disney fanatic love animals? You can go visit them at the Animal Kingdom Lodge for free. Need ice water to rehydrate you and the kiddos on a blistering day? Ice water is free in Disney World and Disney Parks. Kids under 3 eat free from a parents’ plate at buffets and family-style dining establishments.
There are plenty of other ways just like these to save money if you do the research ahead of time.
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