When planning a vacation to Walt Disney World the numbers can start to add up really fast. Keeping your Disney vacation under budget is possible. After years of traveling to the resort, we have pulled together our best tips for keeping your vacation to Disney under budget.
Budget Friendly Disney World Transportation
Drive Instead of Fly
Depending on how large your family is and how far away from Disney World you are it is often cheaper to drive. Plus, you won’t have to worry about transportation once you are there. It gives you the flexibility to stop at the grocery store or check out other local attractions in the Orlando area.
Uber
Taxis are VERY expensive, avoid them at all costs. We recommend instead using Uber or a Lyft.
Use Flight Comparison Tools
If you do decide that flying is the best option for your family be sure to use a price comparison tool so you don’t overpay for your flight.
Disney World Hotels on a Budget
Go Value Hotel
Disney Value Resort have a lot of great benefits and are still a quality choice. If your wondering which one to choose read our article The Best Disney Value Resorts Ranked.
Value Season
If you are insisting you stay on Disney property then you will want to ensure you are traveling during a less popular time of year so you can get a discounted room rate.
Stay Off Property
It is significantly cheaper to rent a vacation home or stay at an offsite hotel. If you don’t want to stray too far from Disney stay at one of the hotels on Hotel Boulevard. They are within walking distance from Disney Springs! With the Disney Springs construction, there is even a NEW walking bridge to avoid traffic.
Rent DVC Points
If you need a bigger space because you have a larger family or you just want to stay at one of the DVC resorts we recommend looking to renting Disney Vacation Club points. You can do this by borrowing from a friend who isn’t going to use all their point or through a reseller. We love using David’s Vacation Club Rentals.
Book Through a Travel Agent
During our last stay, I used a travel agent and she tracked the deals for me! I was in the middle of planning a wedding and totally overwhelmed with everything else. My travel agent notice a price drop and then rebooked our vacation. It saved us more than a hundred dollars!
Best Ways to Save on Food
Garden Grocer
Garden Grocer allows you to order your groceries online and have them delivered to your resort. These guys are great and really know their stuff, they have been in business for over 10 years now! Check out more over on their website.
Prime Pantry
This one is my favorite, we use it all the time just for our regular household supply stock up. This also works great for trips too, though. Simply go to the Amazon, pick out your groceries, and have it shipped to the hotel. If you spend $50 you can get free shipping, otherwise, it’s a $5.99 shipping fee.
Free Dining Plan
While we don’t often recommend the dining plan because it’s hard to make out ahead on the cost if you must get it while it’s free. The Disney World dining will be making a return starting in 2024.
Water Bottles
Food prices at Disney are pretty steep. We bring our own water bottles in to save us some big cash. Especially in the summer where we can easily go through 3 drinks in a day (this is outside of our meals!).
Inexpensive Disney World Tickets
Undercover Tourist
These guys sell tickets cheaper than you can purchase them from Disney directly! They are an authorized Disney ticket reseller and are trustworthy and reliable which cannot be said for all the other resellers out there. Right now they have a special running for our readers – Save $48 on a Disney World 4-Day Park Hopper & get 3 extra days! Hop through all 4 parks.
Skip Parkhopper Tickets
While we love park hopping, it does add a significant cost to your trip. To break out the expense for you a one day ticket costs $37.28 with tax. For two or three day ticket, the cost is $52.19. With a four to ten day ticket, the cost is a flat $63.90 per ticket for both kids and adults with tax. On a six-day ticket, the cost for the upgrade comes out to $10.65 per day. As you can see once you factor in the size of your family this added price builds up quickly.
Ways to Save Money When Brining Kids
BYOS (Bring Your Own Stroller)
Renting a stroller through Disney can be super convenient but it also is very expensive. Try picking a cheap one up off of Amazon and have it delivered to your resort. See more about mailing things to your hotel here! Or bring your own stroller from home. Keep in mind that Disney is equal to a lot of miles and will significantly wear out your expensive stroller.
Shop for Souvenirs before your Trip
Inevitably, your kids or maybe even you will want to buy some souvenirs during your Disney vacation. The souvenirs you find in the parks can get pricey so, we recommend picking up a few surprises for your kids ahead of your trip.
Take your Kids when they are Under 3
Did you know Disney Park tickets are FREE to children under the age of 3? It’s a great time for parents to enjoy Disney without having to worry about the added expense of bringing their children.
Other Ways to Save Money at Disney World
Disney Gift Cards
Did you know you can find Disney gift cards at a discount? There are a few ways to save money on Disney gift cards. First is going to Target and shopping with your Target Redcard. This will save you 5% off your purchase, gift cards are included! Second, if you have a membership card to a big box store you can find them at a discount there as well. We have found BJ’s, Costco and Sam’s Club all sell Disney Gift Cards at a discount.
For more: Discount Disney Gift Cards
Bring Your Own Travel Necessities
If you plan ahead there are loads of things you can bring along that will save you money. We recommend bringing things like ponchos, portable batteries and so much more! We even took the time to create 20 Items to Buy Online Before Your Next Disney Trip and it’s saved our readers big time!
Take a Break from the Parks
On your travel days if you forgo the expense of a Disney park ticket you will save your family hundreds. This gives you an opportunity to experience the free things Disney has to offer! We were able to find 20 things at Disney World you could do without a ticket and put it all in an article for you.
Planning is the most essential factor in keeping your Disney vacation under budget. If you follow the tips above I know you too will have the same success I have had on keeping my Disney vacation under budget. Are there some things you do to save money on your Disney trip that are not listed above? Share them in the comments below!
I have been visiting the parks annually since my parents first brought me at just a year old. Recently I was able to fulfill my life long dream of being a Florida local and moved from the wintery Northeast to the sunshine and fun of central Florida. Now I am hoping to share my Disney knowledge with you so you can have the best vacation possible!
