How Much Does it Cost to Go to Disney World for 2 Adults?

Are you thinking about taking a vacation in the next few months? If you’re a Disney Adult like me, you’re probably wondering “How much does it cost to go to Disney World for 2 adults?” A trip to Walt Disney World is full of magic…and expenses. On average, a trip to Disney World for two adults will cost anywhere between $4,680 and $9,961, including five nights and four-day theme park tickets at one park per day

This quote will vary depending on where you stay, as the higher-end accounts for overnight stays at Disney’s deluxe resorts, such as the Grand Floridian Resort & Spa. The quote also includes the duration of your trip (the example I used includes a five-night stay at either a Value or Deluxe resort), meals, snacks, housekeeping tops, and travel costs.

Below, I’m answering some of the most common questions regarding planning a trip to Disney World (and how you can save a few bucks and stay on budget). If you want to get a quote specific to your needs, I highly recommend using a FREE Disney travel agent OR using our FREE 2023 printable trip planner.

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Is it Cheaper to Stay on Disney Property or Off? 

Let’s start off with one of the most common questions vacationers have about saving some money at Disney: Is it cheaper to stay on Disney property or off? 

It would stand to reason that staying off Disney property will save you money, but that’s not always true. Granted, you will save a lot of money if you choose to stay at a Ramada Inn as opposed to the Grand Floridian (which is currently around $859 a night for a standard resort view). However, there are other factors you have to consider. Compared to the local Ramada by Wyndham Kissimmee Gateway in Kissimmee, FL which costs at minimum $401/night, you’re easily saving a few thousand bucks! 

While this is still a lot of money to be saving, the reality is that staying off property at a resort like this is actually going to cost you more than some of Disney’s Value Resorts. 

Disney ranks their resorts by tier: Value, Moderate, Deluxe, and Deluxe Villas. The cheapest resorts are the value resorts, which include the three All-Star Resorts: Sports, Music, and Movies, Pop Century, and Art of Animation. On average, these resorts cost $177-$246 per night depending on the time of year you’re visiting and the room type. Rates will be higher during the summer, special occasions like the 100th Anniversary Celebration, spring break, and the holiday season. 

Read more: The Best Disney Value Resorts Ranked

It’s important to note that the average cost of a night at one of Disney’s value resorts, Art of Animation can go into the $500-$600 range, but this is because these have family suites. You can learn more about these here. 

Average Costs for a Week in Disney

So, let’s say you and your spouse/significant other/friend, want to go to Disney World for 7 days, with admission to one park each day. A week at Disney’s All-Star Movies Resort, with 7-day tickets for two guests, would be approximately $2,705.30. This is an increase from standard prices about a year ago. 

In comparison, a hotel off Disney property can cost anywhere from an average of $338 – $931 a night. Like, The Liki Tiki Village, for example, when booked through Priceline, costs $133 a night, whereas the Seralago Hotel and Suites Main Gate East costs $46 per night for VIP members. 

If you’re staying at one of these resorts off Disney property, your total estimated costs once you factor in park tickets, and cost of transportation such as Lyfts to and from the airport/resort come out to a minimum of $1,912 and a potential maximum of $2,985. With tax, a 7-day ticket to each park per day for two people would cost $1,154 (which is about $100 more than it was last year). 

Add on Uber and Lyft fees, which usually vary between $15 – $35 each way. At a minimum, you’re adding $210 to your budget. The lowest you could probably be spending for a week spent off property, assuming you go to the parks each day is $1,912. Even if you’re comparing the rates at one of Disney’s Value Resorts, you’re still saving nearly $800 by staying off-property. That can almost offset the cost of your theme park tickets, or even one of your flights down. 

What About Food?

Regardless of whether or not you stay on Disney property if you are eating out for all your meals, you can expect to pay around $250 per person for food per day. If you only eat three quick service meals per day and avoid snacks, you can reduce these costs to around $75-$100 per person per day.

However, the costs will quickly add up the more snacks you try and if you opt for a table service location for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. If you want to save money we recommend splitting meals.

How to Save Money on Food at Disney World 

The costs associated with food at Disney continue to skyrocket. On my last trip, my husband and I ended up spending around $65 for breakfast each morning while staying at Disney’s Port Orleans Riverside resort. 

On average, we ended up spending about $325 just for breakfast! We could have saved a ton of money by just opting to eat in our room instead, which is the first way you can save money on your Disney World food costs.

Buy Some Food and Eat Breakfast in Your Room

Each resort has a coffee maker in the room, which can save you some money from buying some fresh at the food court or restaurant at your resort. Plus, each resort has a store that sells non-perishables. Opting to buy (or bring with you) a box of cereal or granola bars you can enjoy in the room saves you hundreds of dollars on breakfast. 

Instead of spending so much money on food, opt for having one special breakfast on the first day of your vacation and then stick to the basics for the rest. It’s the perfect way to blend the best of both worlds! 

Buy a Refillable Mug at Your Resort

The refillable mugs at Disney cost $21.99 and they can be used an unlimited amount of times for the duration of your stay. If you or anyone in your party is a big coffee or soda drinker, then definitely buy this because you’ll get your money’s worth. 

Keep in mind that the average soda at your Disney World resort costs $4.99. Even if you’re only drinking two sodas per day, this can save you half of what you would have ordinarily been spending. 

Order Off the Kid’s Menu 

There are no age restrictions for ordering off the children’s menu at Disney World, and believe it or not, it’ll probably still provide enough food to fill you up. There’s a scientific reason for this, too! Hot weather like in Disney, actually helps curb your appetite. So if you’ve ever wondered why you tend to eat less while on vacation, this is why. 

Ordering off the kid’s menu (which still serves a lot of food) can save you a lot of money that could either go back into your pocket or help pay for that delicious dole whip you and I both know you need to have! 

How Much Does Airfare to Disney World Cost? 

Your airfare costs will be solely dependent on what time of year you fly out, the time of day, and which airline you choose. 

For example, if you’re flying out of Philadelphia via Spirit Airlines, you’ll likely be paying around $288, at minimum, per person roundtrip. This excludes luggage fees, which cost about $50 per person, and any other travel fees that tack on. 

For the same flight flying out of Philadelphia but via Southwest Airlines, your roundtrip fee skyrockets to about $831 per person, with your luggage and seat fees included. If we split the difference, you should expect to pay around $500 on average for your roundtrip to Disney World. 

This excludes any purchases you make at the airport, such as food or drinks. Passengers can expect to pay anywhere from $20 – $50 at the airport while waiting for their flight, or paying for in-flight WiFi once up on the air. 

How to Find Cheap Flights to Disney World 

If you want to save money on your flight to Disney World, be sure to check out websites such as Cheapflights.com and Priceline. Many airlines now, such as Spirit, are offering Buy Now, Pay Later options through Paypal Credit, which allows you to make payments for your flights over time. I’ve used this option many times and it helps offset the cost of airfare travel, which more often than not, tends to be one of the more pricer aspects of vacation planning I can’t always afford. 

Another way you can save money on your flight is if you choose to travel during the middle of the week. Most people tend to either already be enjoying their vacation or have already returned to work by Tuesday and Wednesday, making flights going out on these days the cheapest. 

Transportation Costs to and From Walt Disney World

If you’re not using the shuttle to get to and from the airport and Disney World, you will have additional costs to factor into your budget, regardless of whether you’re renting a vehicle or taking rideshares everywhere. Here’s an overview of what these costs may be:

Average Cost of Rideshares to and From Disney World

The average rideshare, whether it’s Lyft or Uber costs around $15 – $35 each way. This rate will depend on what time of day it is, as surge pricing comes into effect at night and on weekends, as well as how far you’re traveling. Many hotels off Disney property are about a 15-20 minute drive to the parks, which will likely put your costs on the higher end. Plus, you will have to factor in about a $5 tip for each Uber or Lyft driver. Tips alone could add another $70 to your total costs.

On average, guests staying off-property who are visiting a Disney theme park for seven days will be paying around $400 for their rideshare costs.

Average Cost of Rental Cars at Disney

Another option is to rent a vehicle for the duration of your trip. On average, your vehicle will cost about $100 a day at minimum, but this doesn’t factor in all of the sneaky charges rental companies pass along to you before checkout.

Such fees include but aren’t limited to insurance charges, processing fees, tolls, and of course, tax. You could easily be spending a minimum of $165 a day for your rental vehicle, on top of theme park parking, which is at least $25/per day for standard-sized vehicles. For a 5 or 7-day rental and theme park tickets, this adds an additional $950 – $1,329 to your base costs.

What About Gas Prices?

In Florida, the average cost of gas is $3.45 per gallon, though this could be a bit higher depending on where you’re traveling. Nationwide, the average cost of gas is currently $3.85. If you’re traveling to Orlando from Philadelphia, for example, you can expect to pay about $300 roundtrip for gas. This rate will be closer to $400 for those traveling to Disney World from the Chicago area.

Housekeeping Costs

Another cost you’ll have to factor in is the cost of housekeeping. Though housekeeping at Disney and other off-property resorts is technically free, you should still give them a tip for good service.

On average, this is about $5 per day, paid at the end of your trip. You’ll also want to factor in tips for your Mears Connect driver. I usually give them $5 each way.

When is the Cheapest Time to Go to Disney World? 

The costs can quickly add up, but you may be able to offset these by booking your trip during the off-season. While it seems like the parks rarely have any downtime anymore, the crowds are noticeably lower (and ticket prices are lower) during January and February. The same can also be said for late August and early September, as soon as the kids return to school.

It’s important to note that if you are interested in visiting Disney World in late August and September you’re also going to be competing with hurricanes. This is when hurricane season is most active in Florida. Disney World is very accommodating to guests who need to change their reservations, but knowing that you may have to cancel or postpone during this time of year is important to avoid being crushed.

Read more: Best Times to Visit Disney World

How to Stay on Budget at Disney World

There are a few ways you can help stay on budget at Disney World. First, you can opt to book your trip during one of the less crowded times of the year as mentioned above. Furthermore, you can bring your own snacks and water bottles into the parks (as long as they aren’t stored in glass containers). Food is permitted in the parks, but make sure you’re bringing in items that won’t spoil in the Florida heat. Gummy snacks, crackers, bananas, and granola bars are great options.

While you are allowed to bring in a water bottle, you won’t be allowed to bring in one that’s made of glass. As long as your bottle isn’t glass, you’re good. There are multiple water fountains spread out throughout the parks for free refills. You can also ask for a cup of water at your meal instead of bottled, as water for two people will add another $10 to your bill for every meal.

You can also stay on budget by purchasing Disney gift cards ahead of time for both ticket purchases and souvenirs. These gift cards can be sold at Target and other retailers, and you can use them to stay on track when it comes to shopping at places like the Emporium or World of Disney. We use gift cards when we go down, and it helps us make smarter purchases about what we want and will genuinely use when we return home.

Read More: Best Ways Keep Your Disney Vacation Under Budget

Final Thoughts

I’m not advocating for or against staying on Disney property or off, as I’ve done both. And truthfully, they each offer their own advantages. Personally, I feel like you get more bang for your buck staying on Disney property, especially considering how much money you spend on Lyfts and Ubers back and forth.

However, staying off-property can save you a lot of money, especially if you don’t want to spend all your time at Disney World.

On our last trip, my husband and I visited Epcot for the day and spent time visiting local beaches and collecting shark teeth, drinking Butterbeer at Universal Studios, and enjoying a casual night at Disney Springs, where admission is free.

A recent study found that the daily admission price could increase to a minimum of $164 per person in 2024. While this is only a $10 difference from the year prior, think of how quickly that could add up. For two people visiting the Disney World theme parks and resorts for a week, that extra $140 could cover your food for a day, housekeeping costs, and an Uber to and from the airport.

If you’re planning on taking a trip with you and your friend, relative, or significant other in 2024, budget accordingly so you can focus more on the magical aspects of a Disney World vacation instead of how expensive it’s getting.