Planning a Disney World Vacation?
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Booking Your Disney World Vacation on a Budget
When budgeting for a Disney World trip, it’s important to split up your costs into two specific moments. Money that will be spent before your trip and money that will be spent during your trip. The money that is spent prior to the trip takes place during the booking process. This will mostly affect things such as your tickets, hotel, and transportation.Discount Disney World Tickets
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Buying tickets from Get Away Today is easy and convenient since all their tickets are sent electronically. You can take their vouchers and head straight to the gate without needing to wait in any ticket booth lines. They also offer low deposit fees and layaway plans so you can pay off your vacation over time. This is one of the best ways to do Disney World on a budget.Walt Disney World Resort Hotels
Extra Park Time
All Guests of Walt Disney World Resort hotels are granted early access into the theme parks each day (with valid admission). The parks open up for early access 30 minutes prior to park opening. Extended Evening Hours are also available for Guests staying at Deluxe Resorts or Deluxe Villas. During Extended Evening Hours, Deluxe Resort Guests are able to stay and enjoy the theme parks 2 hours past closing time. At Disney World, time is money. The more time you have to get stuff done, the better. If you can get extra time at no additional cost to you, that’s even better!Free Transportation
Transportation is available for free across Walt Disney World Resort property. Disney World hotel Guests will have free transportation to all four theme parks, Disney Springs, and the water parks. Available transportation includes buses, the Skyliner, monorail, and water taxis. This eliminates the cost of using your own car, paying for a rental, or paying for a rideshare to get you to your desired Disney World location(s). You also won't need to pay for parking!Dining Plans
Two different dining plans are available for Disney Resort Guests only. The dining plans don’t necessarily save on the cost of food and drink, but it is helpful to have your food paid for prior to your trip. This is one less thing that you’ll have to consider when planning the budget that you’ll be using while you’re on your vacation. In my own experience, I like to have as much paid for as possible prior to my trip.FREE Water Park Access
All Guests checking in on or after January 1st, 2025 will receive free admission to a Disney Water Park on their arrival day. Disney World has two water parks: Blizzard Beach and Typhoon. You will have access to whichever one is open during the time of your trip.Pay Over Time
When booking a Disney World Vacation package, you can book your magical trip for as little as $200 down. After that, you can make payments that are convenient for you. Your final payment won’t be due until 30 days prior to your check-in date. Our trusted travel partners at Get Away Today also offer this option on their Disney vacation packages. Similar to booking directly through Disney, with Get Away Today’s Layaway Plan, you can book your trip for just $200 down. However, with Get Away Today, final payment won’t be due until 9 days prior to your check-in date! This gives you even more time to pay your trip off.Save on Disney World Hotels
Family Suites
If you are traveling with a larger party, consider getting a Family Suite rather than booking multiple standard rooms. This is a great way to save on money! My family of 6 uses this technique frequently when visiting Walt Disney World. The Family Suites offer plenty of space as well as a cost effective solution to paying for multiple rooms. Plus, family suites are available at two Value Resorts! Making them even more affordable. Check out our article: Which Disney World Hotels Have Suites For Five Or More?Promotions
Frequently, Disney World runs promotions for hotel stays. Generally, promotions run through select dates and are available for all Guests. However, sometimes better promotions are available for select Disney Guests, such as Disney+ Subscribers or Disney Visa Cardmembers. Keep an eye out on our promotions page in order to know what deals are available!Travel
Orlando Airport Transportation
For those who choose to fly, transportation from the airport to your hotel will also need to be considered. You can choose to use a shuttle service (Mears Connect is a popular choice), rent a car, get a taxi, or use a rideshare. Since Mears Connect replaced the Disney’s complimentary Magical Express service, many Guests automatically opt for that option. However, that’s generally not going to be the most affordable choice. You’ll want to price check the various options and decide which one works best for you. When considering my family size as well as our luggage, it’s usually more affordable for us to use a rideshare to get from the Orlando Airport to our Walt Disney World Resort hotel. However, this may differ for you! Take the time to explore your options and see which one is the most budget friendly for your situation.Budget During Your Trip
Having a budget to stick to during your Disney World trip is equally, if not more important, than the budget that you need to have prior to your trip. The money that you spend during a Disney World trip can go fast and easily. If you set a budget for yourself and plan ahead, you can avoid this issue.Dining at Disney World
Pay For Your Food In Advance
With a Disney Dining Plan, you’ll be able to have all of your food paid for in advance. I touched on this slightly earlier, but it’s worth mentioning again. If you’re planning on eating Disney’s food, it can be worth it for Guests with a budget to add a dining plan to their vacation package. By doing this, all of your food will be paid for ahead of time. This results in one less thing that you’ll need to budget for during your time at Disney World. With your resort, tickets, and food already taken care of, all you’ll need to budget for during your trip are any extras that you may want! The two dining plans that are available are:- Disney Quick-Service Dining Plan
- 2 Quick-Service Meals (per night of stay)
- 1 Snack/Non-Alcoholic Beverage (per night of stay)
- 1 Resort-Refillable Drink Mug
- Disney Dining Plan
- 1 Quick-Service Meal (per night of stay)
- 1 Table-Service Meal (per night of stay)
- 1 Snack/Non-Alcoholic Beverage (per night of stay)
- 1 Resort-Refillable Drink Mug
Skip Memory Maker
- Memory Maker One Day $75 – Includes all photos and videos taken from one day of your choosing
- Memory Maker (Advance Purchase) $185 – Includes all photos and videos taken within 30 days of activation
- Memory Maker (During and Post-Vacation) $210 – Includes all photos and videos taken within 30 days of activation
Time is Money – Don't Waste It!
Don't Overpay at Disney
Merchandise
Even though you don’t want to end up purchasing simple things from Disney, merchandise is a different story. It’s understandable that fun, unique, and exclusive items will catch your eye! However, there are things that you could purchase ahead of time in order to save money. You can easily find Minnie ears, autograph books, bags, and more online prior to your trip. By purchasing more common items such as these ahead of time, this will allow more room in your budget for items that you can only find at Disney World!Plan Your Disney World Trip!
Start planning your Walt Disney World vacation with the help of our informative FREE newsletter. The best part of receiving our newsletter is all the valuable information we fill it with including tips and tricks to get the most out of your next trip to Disney World. You’ll find helpful planning information, exclusive Disney deals, and access to the lowest priced Disney tickets anywhere. You can find more information on planning your vacation here:- When to Visit Disney World 2024 Disney World Crowd Calendar
- Best Disney World Discounts 2024: Hotel and Ticket Deals
- Value Disney World Resorts Ranked
- Moderate Disney World Resorts Ranked
- Deluxe Disney World Resorts Ranked
Frequently Asked Questions
$1,000 would most likely not be enough to cover an entire trip to Disney World. Of course this would depend on a variety of factors. The total cost of your Disney World vacation will vary depending on your party size, how you choose to travel, where you'll be staying, how long your trip is, the type of tickets that you purchase, what food you eat, and any additional merchandise or experiences you may want.
Yes, and average family can afford Disney World. While Disney World can be a costly trip, it doesn't have to be. There are ways to cut costs, budget, and not overspend which would make it a doable vacation for an average family.
Yes, you can bring food into Disney World. This is a great way to cut back on costs and save money!
Once a vacation package is put together, you only have to put $200 down for a Disney trip. After that, you can make payments at your own convenience. Your final payment will be due 30 prior to your arrival date.
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