A trip to Disney is a dream vacation for many families, but several unexpected costs can catch even the most experienced travelers off guard. First-time visitors in particular can end up making small budgeting mistakes, which can leave families spending far more than they originally planned.
When it comes to these rookie budget mistakes, there are a few consistent ones that we see guests making far too often. These are the top mistakes that we see guests making for their Disney budgets that are far too easy to make. Mickey Visit brings you the latest Disney news and planning resources, including a recent increase to Disneyland food and beverage items and a look at affordable Disney Wedding dresses that come with a catch.
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1. Paying for a Rental Car They Don’t Need
This is one of the most common mistakes I see at both Disneyland and Disney World. If you pick your hotel carefully, you won’t need to rent a car. Renting a car for Disney is going to rack up the cost of your vacation once you begin adding in the parking fees at your hotel and Disney.
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It’s a better choice to instead pick a hotel close enough that you don’t need to drive, or one with good transportation options. Avoid the car rental if you can to save money on both the car and parking!
2. Choosing the Cheapest Hotel Without Considering Transportation
On the other hand, choosing the cheapest hotel isn’t always the best choice either. Many guests make this mistake at Disneyland and end up picking a Disneyland hotel that is too far to reasonably walk each day (especially when everyone is tired!), and they end up wasting money on rideshares.
Better to pick a hotel that’s within a reasonable walking distance, even if the per-night charge is higher, if it offsets transportation costs. This is a similar mistake also made at Disney World, with many guests always assuming that an off-site hotel is cheaper than staying on-site, and then transportation costs to get to and from the park end up offsetting any potential savings.
3. Overpaying for Premium Room Views
Another place guests waste money at Disney is overpaying for premium room reviews, especially if they don’t end up spending much time in their hotels. Many hotels, including official Disney hotels and off-site hotels, will charge a premium per night for rooms with a view. But if you’re hardly in the room to enjoy it, this becomes an unnecessary expense. A fireworks room at Disney World may sound lovely, but if you plan on watching fireworks in the park anyway, why pay the extra few hundred a night?
4. Traveling During Peak Pricing Without Realizing It
If you have the flexibility to pick your trip dates, try to avoid traveling during peak travel times of the year. Disneyland and Disney World both experience the highest pricing for tickets and hotels (including nearby off-site hotels) during peak travel times of the year.
If your top priority is being budget-conscious, you need to avoid traveling during popular times of the year. This includes holiday weekends, spring break, and the winter holiday season. You will also save money on airfare using this approach! See the Disney World dates to avoid if you hate crowds, and Disneyland dates to avoid if you hate crowds.
5. Paying for Vacation Package Extras They Won’t Use
Now, once we get into theme park spending, we see other costs that are often unnecessary for many families. For example, paying for park hopping at Disney World might not always be necessary, as many families can do just fine doing one park per day to save money.
You might end up paying extra for a park hopper ticket and not even using it. Disney World offers plenty of ticket add-ons beyond park hoppers, like adding water park access and recreational activities, but very few guests have time to use all those extras. Think through what you are adding to your vacation package and whether it’s realistically needed.
6. Overspending on the Disney Dining Plans
Another area that guests tend to waste money on at Disney World is the dining plans. While it sounds nice to pre-pay for your dining, you might end up paying more for dining than you would have if you purchased things individually. You also lock in all your meals to Disney World, which is priced higher than local fast food restaurants or grocery delivery options. Really do the math to see if a dining plan is worth the price.
7. Paying for Lightning Lane When It Isn’t Necessary
If you’re starting to notice a trend, you’d be right! Guests tend to pre-purchase far too many extras when planning their Disney trips. One area this also applies to is Lightning Lane purchases. While Lightning Lane can be an essential purchase in many situations, there are also times it isn’t necessary, especially if you’re taking advantage of staying late and arriving early in the morning.
8. Not Bringing Snacks or Refillable Water Bottles
One of the biggest expenses for a Disney trip is the amount of money you will spend on snacks and beverages. This is especially in light of a recent price increase on Disney food items, which largely impacted the prices of items that theme park guests usually buy each day. The best way to save money in this category is to pack light snacks to fill up on between meals and a water bottle to refill throughout the day.
9. Splurging Too Much on Dining
Another area that guests tend to oversplurge on is dining. Whether you’re ordering too much food for your family to eat, beverages no one will finish, or expensive dining packages you don’t need, this is a big area guests tend to waste money on.
Really consider what sit-down meals are worth the cost, and if your family will finish all of their food, or if some plates can be shared. Dining packages can be appealing, but for many shows, you can end up getting a seat just fine without them, so this becomes an unnecessary upcharge.
10. Not Packing Needed Park Items
And lastly, not being prepared for the parks is another area where guests end up wasting money. Forgetting to pack essentials like sunscreen, medicine, umbrellas, and other rain gear can generate over-the-top costs if you have to buy them last-minute at the theme park.
Especially if you are traveling to Disney World, it’s worth bringing your own ponchos to save money on the overpriced park ones. Arrive prepared so you don’t have to buy the necessary items at overinflated prices. See the most common items people forget to bring to Disney and regret it.
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