One of the most common questions I’m asked as a Disney Authorized Vacation Planner is, “How much is this going to cost me?”
The truth? It depends. As with many factors related to planning Disney, there is no one size fits all response to this question.
Whether you’re looking to save as much as possible or create the ultimate Disney splurge, the cost of a Disney trip is as flexible as your family’s needs. In this post, we’ll break down the factors that impact cost, ways to save, and areas where you might want to splurge for extra magic. If you’re ready to begin diving into the cost of your family’s potential Disney vacation now, be sure to reach out to me here and we can get started!
What impacts the cost of a Disney vacation?
Here are 6 key areas that will factor into the overall cost of your Disney vacation and how you can save or splurge on each of them in order to impact the overall price of your trip:
There are as many ways to save costs on your Disney vacation as there are to splurge on the experience, so you’ll want to really consider what matters most to you for your trip and let those be the areas that you pour more of your resources into, while choosing to cut back on the others.
Here are 6 key areas that will factor into the overall cost of your Disney vacation and how you can save or splurge on each of them in order to impact the overall price of your trip:
Trip Timing
This includes both the time of year and length of the trip. Pricing on everything from resort stays to ticket prices and Lightning Lane purchases varies throughout the year. At times that are more in demand, pricing will increase whereas the opposite is true during less busy or off-peak times.
How to Save: Plan to travel during one of the less busy times of the year (i.e. the summer months) and you will see savings on things like resorts, tickets, and extras. Similarly, if being budget conscious is a main priority for you, plan to schedule a shorter vacation where you focus on the things that matter most, versus a lengthy vacation with a lot of down time. Additionally, pay attention to promotions offered by Disney, as they typically offer extra savings during these slower times of the year. Immediate discounts on resort stays and park tickets are a great way to minimize your trip cost.
When to Splurge: If you are planning on visiting Disney for a special occasion such as a milestone birthday or major holiday, your travel dates are going to be less flexible which means you’ll be paying for whatever the pricing is at that time. Additionally, if this is a once in a lifetime trip or dream vacation, you want to make the most of your time spent. That means you’ll want to consider a longer vacation where you have the opportunity to visit all of the parks (maybe multiple times) and even have a few rest days built in to explore your resort or other areas of the Disney property.
Resort Choice
Disney offers resorts in 3 different price categories: value, moderate, and deluxe. And as the names imply, the value resorts will be those with the lowest price tag per night, whereas the deluxe resorts will be the most expensive. When it comes to the key differences between these resorts, value resorts will be located the farthest away from the parks, have quick service (food court) style dining options, and fewer transportation options to and from the parks. Deluxe resorts will be the ones closest to the parks, they will have several dining options including both quick service and table service, and they’ll have multiple transportation options to and from the parks (many even within walking distance). The rooms at these resorts are bigger and they also feature 1 to 3 bedroom villas for larger parties to stay together.
How to Save: If you’re simply looking for the cheapest way to stay on property, you’ll want to hone in on the value resort options. Many people prefer these resorts for their lower price tag, but also with the thinking that they’ll be spending minimal time at the resort anyway since the focus of their trip is on being in the parks.
When to Splurge: If having the best in terms of ambiance, convenience, dining ,and overall amenities is important to you, consider staying at a deluxe resort. Some of the special features you might get to experience at these resorts are bigger pools and splash pads, high quality restaurants, and extras in the parks such as Deluxe Extended Evening Hours, a perk for guests staying at deluxe resorts that allows 2 extra hours in the park after closing time. Additionally, keep in mind that these resorts also have special room locations that cost more, but provide you with an extra special experience. For example a Fireworks View room at the Contemporary or Savanna View room at Animal Kingdom Lodge.
Park Tickets
Disney offers two different types of park tickets. Base tickets allow you admission to one park per day, whereas park hopper tickets allow you admission to more than one park per day. Of course, the park hopper tickets come with a higher price tag for this advantage.
How to Save: If you’re looking to save on the price of park tickets, consider just visiting one park per day. Trust me when I say there is more than one day’s worth of entertainment in each park, so only being at one park for the entire day will not limit you on what you’re able to accomplish. Also keep in mind that the number of park tickets you purchase directly impacts the overall cost – 3 days in the parks will cost less than 5 days in the parks. However, the price per day tends to decrease as you purchase additional days in the park.
When to Splurge: If you want to have the most flexibility with your park day plans, purchasing the park hopper ticket makes sense. This allows you the opportunity to start your day in one park and end in another. Or you could even tackle the famous “4 parks in 1 day” challenge where you visit them all. Another time when park hopper tickets might make sense for you is if you’re staying in one of those deluxe resorts within close proximity to one of the parks. A park hopper ticket will allow you the ability to visit one park for part of the day and then hop over to view fireworks or other nighttime entertainment to end your day at the park closest to your resort.
Dining
Disney offers many options for dining, but when it comes to your meals there are two main styles of restaurants to choose from. Quick service dining is counter service dining where you order at a counter or kiosk and then take your food away to eat. On the other hand, table service dining is traditional restaurant style dining where you have a server, order from a menu, and food is brought to your table. Additionally, all of the parks offer kiosks where you are able to walk up and quickly grab drinks and snacks to enjoy on the go.
How to Save: If you are looking to save on dining expenses, you’ll want to choose mostly quick service style meals throughout your trip. You can even split and share meals among members of your party. Also keep in mind that anyone is able to order a kids meal at a quick service dining location. These come with a smaller price tag and smaller portion. Another great way to save on dining costs (especially if you have young kids or picky eaters) is to pack some of your own food and snacks to eat throughout the day. You can have grocery items delivered right to your resort and bring them with you to the parks.
When to Splurge: If dining is important to you and sitting down for a meal is part of your daily routine, consider booking table service dining for most of your trip. These dining experiences cost more, but the quality and selection of the food will be greater. If character dining is a priority for members of your party, you’ll want to book one or more of these experiences as well. They do come with a higher price tag, but you’re paying for both the food and the more personalized interaction with the characters. So if waiting in line for meet and greets doesn’t sound appealing to you, consider booking one of these dining experiences as a way to meet several characters at once while you dine.
Extras
This includes things like purchasing Lightning Lanes, attending special ticket events (such as Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party or After Hours events), Memory Maker, souvenirs, and so on. These services and extras all come with an additional cost, many of them being an additional cost per guest so you’ll want to keep that in mind when deciding if these extras are a priority for your family or not.
How to Save: If you’re looking for a no frills vacation, then your family can just stick to purchasing regular park day admission tickets and nothing else. There’s no need to spend on the special ticketed events or additional services. While these things are convenient for some, they’re not necessary for everyone. Think about what matters most for your family and if it’s just about being in Disney and enjoying your time spent together, forego all the extra add ons.
When to Splurge: If you want to make the most of your vacation and enjoy unique experiences, purchasing additional add ons for your trip will be enticing to you. If maximizing your park days and minimizing your time spent waiting in line, investing in Lightning Lanes will be a priority for your family. You can even take things a step further and purchase the Lightning Lane Premier Pass or even a VIP Tour for one of the days of your trip. Additionally if experiencing the coveted holiday parties in the Magic Kingdom has always been a bucket list item for you, consider purchasing those special tickets (remember – they are an additional cost from your daily park tickets).
Transportation
This is mostly in regards to families who need to fly to Disney versus those that can drive. Airline tickets can be pricey and will add into your overall trip cost.
How to Save: This one ties similarly to the timing of your trip that we discussed above. Airline tickets during major holidays or peak travel times will naturally be more expensive, so plan to travel off-season. Additionally, be sure to do an airline price comparison and specifically look at the budget airlines. It may even be worth looking at the prices of flights from airports a little further away from you. Driving an extra hour to another airport could end up saving big on the flights themselves.
When to Splurge: If your travel dates aren’t flexible, you’re more or less tied into whatever the airlines are charging on those days. Additionally, if flying non-stop or at a certain time of day matters to you, you’ll once again be bound by those flight prices, no matter what. Ways to splurge on airline travel include upgrading your preferred seat or class type.
As you can see, the price of Disney can vary greatly depending on what matters most to you on your trip. You can intentionally choose ways to cut costs just as much as you can choose things that have a higher price tag, but are important to your family. No two Disney trips look the same and maybe you even choose ways to make one vacation less expensive and then splurge again on another visit.
As a Smart Moms Travel Agent, a big part of my job is to help you get the most out of your Disney vacation, especially if this is your first time visiting Disney and all the various costs are overwhelming you. For more tips and tricks and the best resources for planning your Disney vacation, subscribe to the blog and follow me on Instagram: @theorganizeddisneymom.
Not working with a Smart Moms Travel agent yet, but looking for customized help to plan your family’s upcoming Disney trip? I would be happy to work with you to develop a Disney travel plan that meets your family’s needs. You can click here to enlist my help for free!
