Beyond theme park admission and hotel stays, add-on experiences for Walt Disney World vacations range from economical to expensive. Some of these extra excursions cost under $50, but feel like VIP perks. Others cost much more money and are a serious splurge.
In this article, we explore some of Disney World’s most expensive theme park experiences to help you decide if they’re “worth it” to add to your vacation, depending on cost, time, and what’s important to you. Mickey Visit brings you the latest Disney news and planning resources, including 9 new restaurants coming to Disneyland and a special report from a Make-A-Wish event hosted by Disney and MrBeast.
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Fireworks Cruises
Walt Disney World offers private fireworks cruises for Magic Kingdom and EPCOT. Prices start at $499 and increase depending on the date.
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Magic Kingdom fireworks cruises provide viewing of Happily Ever After from the Seven Seas Lagoon in front of the park. EPCOT fireworks cruises provide viewing of Luminous The Symphony of Us from within World Showcase Lagoon inside the park. For both experiences, cast members pick up guests at a nearby resort.
Light snacks are provided, and each boat pumps in the soundtrack when it’s showtime. The shows are about 20 minutes each. The cruises last about an hour altogether. They also include a tour around the water way where they are taking place.
What’s nice about a fireworks cruise is that the cost is for the cruise itself, not per person. Boats accommodate up to 10 guests, and the price is the same no matter how many people are on board.
I attended a fireworks cruise during a bachelor trip. Afterward, everyone on the trip agreed the cost was worth it, especially to celebrate a special occasion like that.
Our Mickey Visit founder, Gavin Doyle, wanted to chime in on this one. He views the fireworks cruise as one of the most memorable experiences that he has ever had at Walt Disney World. It is something that could truly only be accomplished at the vacation kingdom. It feels so uniquely Walt Disney World to start out at one of the iconic Magic Kingdom resorts and then end up watching the fireworks with audio onboard. For him, this splurge is absolutely worth it and one he recommends if you have the right sized group.
Build Your Own Lightsaber
Savi’s Workshop – Handbuilt Lightsabers is an exclusive merchandise experience inside Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, priced at $275.
Inside, “Gatherers” of lightsaber materials lead a group of guests in building their own lightsabers. Guests pick their kyber crystal, hilt, sleeve, emitter, pommel cap, activation plate, and switch.
This is not a private experience. Gatherers lead around 12 builders at a time in a class-like setting. Each guest creating a lightsaber can bring two nonpaying guests inside with them. The experience lasts about 30 minutes.
Building your own lightsaber might be worth it for Star Wars superfans. With the closure of Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser, aka the “Star Wars hotel,” the lightsaber experience is the most premium add-on remaining in Galaxy’s Edge.
Guests looking for a personal Star Wars add-on for a lower price might enjoy the build-your-own-droid experience, starting at $130.
Read our review of the build-your-own lightsaber experience at Disneyland, which is nearly identical to the version at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
Surfing Sessions
The wave pool at Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon water park is no joke, as many comically distraught guests can attest. Six-foot waves provide a prime opportunity for surfing sessions before or after the park opens.
These are not surf lessons, but rather an opportunity for guests to surf independently.
The park offers “open surf” classes, where your party will join others on the waves, and private events of up to 40 people. Guests at open surf classes can bring up to two spectators. Each session lasts three hours.
Open surf sessions start at $270 per person. Private surf sessions start at $1,450 per group, increasing in price with additional guests.
Surfing sessions at Typhoon Lagoon are most worth it for the surfing enthusiast who wants some time on guaranteed waves, something that isn’t always promised by nature when surfing in the ocean. Since Disney doesn’t supply guests with surfboards and there is no actual instruction involved, most guests likely already have an interest in surfing.
Lightning Lane Premier Pass
Lightning Lane is Disney World’s skip-the-line service, allowing guests to bypass the standby line at popular theme park attractions. Most guests purchasing Lightning Lane products opt for Lightning Lane Multi Pass or Lightning Lane Single Pass, both of which require making reservations for specific timeslots to ride attractions.
Lightning Lane Premier Pass does away with ride-by-ride reservations. Instead, guests who purchase Lightning Lane Premier Pass can access any eligible attraction at any time, with a limit of one use for each attraction. This service is similar to the Express Pass at Universal Orlando.
The price of Lightning Lane Premier Passes ranges from $129 to $449, depending on the date and the park. See our full guide to Lightning Lane Premier Pass for a park-by-park breakdown of price and usability.
Lightning Lane Premier Pass is most worth it for the person who doesn’t want to wait in long lines and doesn’t want to fiddle with the extra steps involved in making ride reservations. This is the only version of Lightning Lane in which the guest doesn’t have to do any extra “homework” after purchasing the product, so it may be worth it for those who don’t frequently visit and are looking to splurge.
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Victoria & Albert’s
Victoria & Albert’s wins the title for the most expensive restaurant in all of Walt Disney World. This table-service restaurant is located at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa and serves upscale American cuisine.
There are three dining options at Victoria & Albert’s, all with a prix-fixe menu price:
- The Dining Room: $295 per guest + $155 optional wine pairing
- Queen Victoria’s Room: $375 per guest + $210 optional wine pairing
- Chef’s Table: $425 per guest + $210 optional wine pairing
Disney describes Victoria & Albert’s as the “culinary crown jewel” of Walt Disney World. It’s the only theme park restaurant in the country to receive a Michelin star.
Victoria & Albert’s is one of the few Disney World restaurants to require a dress code, and it’s only open to guests ages 10 and up.
Hardcore foodies or perhaps couples looking to splurge on a luxurious date night may enjoy Victoria & Albert’s. Other fancy options for a lower price, albeit still expensive, include California Grill at Disney’s Contemporary Resort; Narcoosee’s and Cítricos, both at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa; Flying Fish at Disney’s BoardWalk; Yachtsman Steakhouse at Disney’s Yacht Club Resort; and Jiko – The Cooking Place at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge.
See more of Disney World’s priciest restaurants and if they’re worth it.
Safari Tour with Food
Savor the Savanna is an extended alternative to the regular Kilimanjaro Safaris ride at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. For $199 per person, guests experience a guided safari ride that stops for tapas and drinks overlooking the savanna of animals.
Disney calls this a “private safari,” but that phrasing is misleading. It’s private in the sense that you’re getting a premium experience that requires a reservation, but you’ll be in a group with other guests besides just your party.
Nonetheless, fans of Kilimanjaro Safaris and animal lovers may enjoy experiencing a classic Disney ride in a new, elevated way.
Guests seeking less-expensive animal-focused experiences, sans dining, might be interested in guided tours with secluded viewing of the safari’s elephant or rhino habitats.
Signature Massage
The Grand Floridian Spa, putting the “& Spa” into Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, offers massage, hair styling, and manicure services.
Its most expensive offering is the Grand Signature Massage, an 80-minute treatment for guests’ backs, feet, and scalps, costing $310. The Grand Signature Massage involves a sugar scrub, warm stones, and cool stones.
The most expensive offering for couples is the Two to Tango Massage, a customizable treatment priced at $560.
Whether the most expensive massages are worth it largely depends on personal preference. Are 80 minutes for $310 a better value than 50 minutes for $190? To some, the latter may be enough. Others may want a longer experience.
VIP Tours
During a Disney Private VIP Tour, a cast member plans the entire day for the guests based on the guests’ preferences. The cast member guide escorts the guests through the park, skipping every standby line for all the rides and attractions along the way.
The cost of Disney Private VIP Tours for Walt Disney World ranges from $450 to $950 per hour, with a minimum of 7 hours and a maximum of 10 hours. This means pricing ranges from $3,150 on the lower end to $6,650 on the higher end, for a minimum of 7 hours. Theme park admission is required, but not included.
A Disney Private VIP Tour may be worth it for guests interested in a major splurge. It’s also a great fit for guests who want to experience most of Disney World’s headliner attractions without waiting in lines or figuring out Lightning Lanes.
Private Water Park Cabana
Disney water parks offer private, open-air shelters with dedicated lounge seating. At Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon, these services are called Beachcomber Shacks. At Disney’s Blizzard Beach, they’re Polar Patios. Many water parks refer to such amenities as “cabanas.”
Standard cabanas cost $225, with the most expensive option priced at $375 and with access to a TV and a mini-fridge.
Beachcomber Shacks and Polar Patios are worth it for guests who plan to spend much of their water park day relaxing instead of swimming and riding slides, and who would rather not worry about finding their own lounge chair among the masses in crowded areas.
Disney Weddings
By far the most expensive Disney World experience is a Disney wedding. A dedicated wedding chapel is located at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa.
Disney also offers over a dozen other locations for wedding ceremonies throughout its theme parks and hotels. Some of the most unexpected spots Disney offers as wedding venues include The American Adventure’s rotunda at EPCOT and the streets of Harambe at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.
Of course, the most expensive venues reside in Magic Kingdom, with a wedding in front of Cinderella Castle costing anywhere from $30,000 to $100,000.
Engaged couples looking for a less expensive Disney wedding may find what they’re looking for with a Disney cruise wedding.
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