Planning a Disney Vacation, It makes sense that thorough study is the best method to plan anything. The same is true of a trip to Disney World. Fortunately, many publications are available that focus on how to experience Disney World “the right way.”
However, the only proper course of action when it comes to vacations is to make sure your finances are in order. No one desires to incur debt to go on vacation, not even to visit Disney World. Making a budget is, therefore, the first step in arranging a Disney vacation (or any other inexpensive holiday).
In addition, being free also makes budgeting easier, especially when trying to figure out how much it will cost to visit Disney World. Your budget will enable you to make savings, point out areas for spending reductions, and offer you the freedom to spend. If you visit Disney, you’ll want to spend a lot.
1. Split your time between the pool and the park.
You guys don’t have to spend every day of your trip in the Disney parks. I know this isn’t the common opinion. I promise that if you spend one day at the park and the next lounging by the hotel pool to break up the week, your feet will thank you. The pools at a Disney resort give the impression that you are still in the park if you stay there. They are enormous, have themes, and are a lot of fun. If you skip a day at the parks, you may visit many other sites and still be steeped in Disney magic. For dining, shopping, and free entertainment, visit Disney Springs. Visit Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort for dinner and stay overnight to enjoy the complimentary beachfront viewing of the Magic Kingdom fireworks! (The boat dock is also a wonderful location to view those fireworks.) Depending on the number of people you’re traveling with and the number of days you’ll be staying, this strategy might save you hundreds or thousands of dollars on Disney park tickets.
2. Visit one park per day instead of using the Park Hopper
The $174 Park Hopper ticket, which grants entrance to all four Disney World parks in a single day, might be a fantastic deal. But if you’re staying for several days, you may stretch your money further by only going to one park daily. You can save $65 per person, per day, by purchasing a regular park ticket that costs $109 (for ages ten and older) and allows you to visit one park per day. (Tickets to a single park for children aged 3 to 9 cost roughly $104) Remember that if you purchase three or more days, Disney will reduce the cost of your daily ticket. When making your travel arrangements, always look at their ticket calendar because costs vary based on when you travel. (Rates are frequently higher on weekends, in the summer, and holidays. Work around those times if your schedule is flexible to save some extra money.) Make reservations for the theme parks you must visit when buying your tickets. It would be disappointing to purchase tickets only to discover that the park you wish to visit has no more openings.
Also, those tickets are not refundable, so double-verify everything before buying. Try to be realistic about how much you can and want to accomplish each day. Moving from park to park consumes time and might be stressful, especially if you have young children. However, if you’re staying for a few days, consider purchasing a Park Hopper ticket on one of your days so that you may spend an additional full day in Magic Kingdom—which, trust me, is entirely achievable and worthwhile.
3. Purchase discounted Disney gift cards.
Disney gift cards should always be purchased at a discount. Disney gift cards are available for about 4% less if you are a member of a big-box warehouse club like Sam’s Club. Additionally, Target offers a 5% discount if you pay with your RedCard debit card. Yes, it doesn’t sound like much, but for every $1,000 you spend, you’ll save $40 to $50. Eight Mickey Mouse, ice cream bars would be about right. Alternatively, if ice cream isn’t your thing (I’m looking at you, dairy-free folks), you can use these gift cards to pay for your park admission, Disney hotels, on-property dining, and more.
4. Use cash to pay for food on the go.
I adore Disney’s cuisine. Give me all the food, please. The best option is to pay for your food in cash (or gift cards) as you go. With this method, you may keep track of your daily spending. Additionally, if you use the envelope system at the parks, you’ll always know how much money is still available for purchases. (Disney once provided prepaid eating options, and they will do so in 2024.
However, I still advise paying as you go to prevent buying a lot of food in advance that you won’t want to consume right away.) Using the Disney Genie service in the My Disney Experience app, make early dinner reservations if you plan to eat at one of the on-property parks or resorts.
5. Pack your lunch.
Did you realize you could bring food into Disney parks? This might significantly reduce spending. If your family likes sandwiches, fruit, water bottles, and cookies, you can prepare a lovely picnic lunch and store it in a locker inside the park for $10, $12, or $15 each day, depending on your required size. Bring only items that don’t require keeping ice cold, as coolers are prohibited. Quick savings! Making your meals at the hotel is a different approach to saving your food expenses. It’s worth the effort even if you prepare meals a few times during your stay. The Garden Grocer is a grocery store in Orlando that delivers food to your resort. Even better, you may order your goods 120 days in advance (and possibly get a discount). A shipping fee is required if your order is less than $200.
6. Show up just as the park is about to open.
Those of you who have visited Disney before understanding what a luxury the Fast Pass was for avoiding those lengthy waits. But the previously free Fast Pass service has been phased out in favour of the brand-new Disney Genie+ service. Genie+ allows you to skip the long queues and organize your day, but it will cost you money. Depending on how crowded the parks are, prices start at $15 per person per day and vary.
Additionally, Disney claims that using this technology only allows customers to skip the lines twice or thrice daily. Additionally, you can pay a fee to obtain a single Lightning Lane entry for a certain ride. You should arrive at the parks as early as you can if you don’t want to spend the money to skip those long lines. You can skip the lines when the rope drops and head straight to your favourite rides if you arrive at the gate before the park opens.
7. Make use of Photo Pass photographers (but skip the bundle).
Without the memories to demonstrate it, what good is a family vacation? Disney’s Photo Pass photographers will take expert pictures of you throughout the parks for $199. You can view the pictures online, which will seriously cut your travel budget. The wonderful thing is that you can merely request a photo from Disney’s photographers using your phone or camera. They’ll still want to use their camera to snap a picture of you, but you’re not required to buy one. You can do this to save $200 while getting the fantastic image
