Inside: Do you want to visit the happiest place on earth but automatically think that it’s too expensive and unaffordable? Think again! Planning a trip to Disney on a budget is a lot easier thank you think!
Going to Disney World doesn’t have to put you into debt!
Here is a list of detailed tips for planning a trip to Disney World on a budget. With in-depth information to make your dream vacation a reality!
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Tips for Planning The Best Trip to Disney World on a Budget!
1. Research the best places to stay
The first very important step to planning a trip to Disney on a budget is to decide where you want to stay.
The key is research, research, research!
The main 2 options you have are to stay on Disney property or to stay off-site.
Let’s go over these 2 options!
Option 1: Staying on Disney Property
Do not be deceived by these words and automatically think this is the most expensive option!
There are times that I went to Disney World and it was actually CHEAPER for me to stay on-site than at a regular hotel in the Orlando area. Let me tell you why… PERKS!
There are phenomenal perks when you stay onsite at a Disney Resort and they can save you a tooonnn of money if you take advantage of them.
Here are some of the perks for staying on-site that are serious money savers:
Free transportation to and from the Disney parks (saving you money on parking fees at the park)
There are Disney buses that pick you up from your resort and drop you off at the desired park. There’s a bus for Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Animal Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, Disney Springs and both Disney waterparks.
If you drive your car you also get free parking at the Disney parks too! So you’re saving about $30 a day! There is also a nightly fee for parking at the Disney Resort, so if you eliminate the need for a car, you’re saving an additional $15 a night for parking.
You get to pick your Lightning Lanes 7 days in advanced
Lightning Lane (formerly known as Fast Passes) are awesome because you don’t have to wait in line for a ride, you just come back at you appointed time and you get straight on.
People who are not staying on site choose their fast passes 3 days in advanced of their trip. But Disney Resort guests get to choose their fast passes 7 days in advanced so they get first pick at the rides and times.
This in turn saves you money because the better lightning lane selections you get, the quicker you can do the attractions, which means you’re getting the most out of your park day!
Why go to one park 2 days and waste money on another ticket when you can do everything in one day? Disney on a budget money saving!
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Option 2: Stay in a Off-Site Location
Now that we briefly went over staying on Disney site, let’s talk about how to save money if you are staying off site!
Booking off-site can mean you choose to stay in a hotel, villa, or home vacation rental style accommodations.
There are plenty of reasons why a family would choose to stay off site, despite the Disney perks. One reason being that they have a bigger family and staying off site is cheaper so they can get larger accommodations!
I have stayed at a regular hotel, rented a villa, and rented a house through a rental site. All of these options have worked and at different times depending on my family’s needs.
If you have children that you want them to be in their own room or you have a larger family that is willing to split the cost of renting a 2 or 3 bedroom place, then this option is much cheaper than booking 2-3 Disney rooms.
The key to this option is to really research prices and different places.
You want to stay somewhere close enough to the parks so you’re not wasting time driving too far but also a place that is less expensive. I rented a villa for only $600 for the week (8 days, 7 nights) that was 15 minutes from the parks and included incredible amenities, such as a pool, rec. room and restaurant on the complex. It was totally worth it because it was less than $100 a night.
We had to rent a vehicle and pay for parking fees at Disney but that cost was offset by spending less on a nightly rate than we would have at Disney. It worked because there were more of us chipping in!
Interested in Staying Off-site?
As a certified travel agent, I can help you book off-site locations too! From home vacation rentals to hotels and suites, I can help you figure out all of your best options AND find you the best deals for your budget.
I’ll help you create the perfect magical vacation tailored to your family. Ready to explore off-site options?
2. Go on value season:
No matter where you stay, if you are planning a Disney World vacation on a budget, you’ll want to travel during the offseason.
Because EVERYTHING is cheaper during the offseason. Plane tickets, hotels, car rentals, and even theme park tickets! Not only will things be cheaper, but the parks won’t be as crowded!
Think of off off-season being when kids are in school and there are no holidays or special events. Peak seasons tend to be when kids are off of school and people are on vacation.
3. Plan early
Whenever you are planning a Disney World trip on a budget, you want to make sure that you are planning early. Anything that you need to book or buy will be cheaper when you buy it early.
Planning early also gives you more time to save. The sooner that you research your trip details and decide on what you want to do, the more information you have on exactly HOW much you need to save.
4. Drive
Another option to plan a trip to Disney on a budget is to drive. If you are within driving distance of Florida and you have a large family, then driving will be a lot cheaper than flying. I know this tip is common sense, but if you have the option to drive and flights are looking too expensive, it may be the best option.
5. Look at a flight low fare/best fare calendar
If you are in your researching phase and are looking in to flights to Orlando, be sure to check the airlines low fare calendar. This is where they will show you the cost of your trip for each day of the month.
That way, you can see which days are more expensive to fly and which days are the cheapest! I’ve scored tickets for only $69 each way by using the low fare calendar. I was planning on flying out a Wednesday and it was $110 each way, but then I checked the low fare calendar and found out it was $40 cheaper to just fly out the next day! Score!
6. Look for perks EVERYWHERE!
Just like staying on the Disney site has perks, so does a lot of other places! From hotels, to airlines, to car rentals, and more!
Disney World Money Saving Ideas
Rent Baby Gear
If you’re traveling with a baby or toddler then you know that kids have tons of STUFF they use every day and every night. It can be a lot to lug all of their baby gear on vacation. You’ll need extra baggage for the gear if you’re traveling by plane and you’ll need tons of space in your vehicle if you’re traveling by car.
An easy way to fix this is to rent your baby gear when you arrive at your destination!
BabyQuip offers clean, safe, and insured baby gear rentals. They deliver and set up the gear for you, AND picks it up when you’re finished with it.
This service allows you to skip all the packing and enjoy your vacation from the moment you arrive. They can even meet you at the airport!
Click here to reserve all the equipment you need to make your stay feel more like home!
Choose an Airline with Good Value
For example, I flew Southwest one time just so I can take advantage of the free 2 checked bags per person! It was the first time flying with our baby and we had a lot of extra stuff with us (car seat covers, diapers, wipes, extra clothes, bottles, etc.).
So instead of flying another airline where each checked bag is $25, we saved $50 a person by switching airlines!
Use the Chase Disney Visa Credit Card for Disney World Perks
I’m totally guilty of signing up for the Disney credit card just so I can rack up free money to go on Disney vacations.
But it ended up being incredible because I use the card for everyday purchases that I would be making anyway, and I get “Disney dollars” for each purchase I make.
My husband and I ended up with about $1,200 of FREE Disney dollars for just using the card on things that we use everyday- like utilities, gas, food, and shopping, that we were going to need to pay for anyway!
Plus, you get 10% off Disney purchases at Disney World AND have these amazing character meet and greet opportunities and get FREE pictures. Just for having a Disney credit card!
The credit card has an option for no annual fee and it’s like having a little piece of Disney with me every day. I absolutely love it because it saves me SO much money when we go to Disney World!
Find out more about the Disney Visa Card here.
7. Bring the essentials with you
Planning a trip to Disney World on a budget also consists of making sure that you are bringing all of the essentials with you. Ever checked out the prices of a bathing suit on vacation? Or the price of a bottle of Tylenol? It’s like 3 times the regular cost!
Vacations tend to be expensive because let’s face it, things are expensive! But if you plan properly and make sure that you are bringing with you everything that you needed, you won’t have to spend money on things that you had at home and just forgot to bring.
So, save your vacation money for things you actually want, and not on meaningless things that you could have brought with you from home, like a razor or bathing suit or tums.
8. Save on food costs
One of the greatest costs of any vacation is food. A really cool thing that Disney parks let you do is bring snacks and drinks in the park.
So you can essentially plan your whole meals and snacks without spending a dime on food in the park! I’ve even brought in bottles of water and packed snacks with us so we weren’t spending money every 2 hours on a little bite to eat. It’s a great way to save money!
If you didn’t opt for a rental car and just used Disney transportation, you can even have groceries delivered straight to your resort so you can have snacks and make your food. It saves a lot of money!
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9. Buy Disney merchandise at home
A really great way to save money and plan a trip to Disney World on a budget is to purchase Disney merchandise at home before your trip. Most of the items you are going to want to buy are things that you can easily get on the Disney Store website or even at your local dollar store!
Buy your own bubble machine, glow in the dark products, and Disney apparel at home!
Want your family to wear matching Disney shirts or Disney apparel? Check out Target, Walmart, and your local stores to find things on sale. Because let’s be honest, one t-shirt at Disney is going to cost you about $30 when you can buy all the t-shirts for your family for that price
Save your souvenir budget for things that you can ONLY get in the parks on things that you know you are really going to want. Don’t spend your budget on a bubble machine and a light up sword.
10. Use credit card points to buy Disney gift cards
If you REALLY want to plan your trip the cheapest way possible, another great tip is to use your credit card points to buy Disney Gift cards.
Then it’s like free money!
A lot of people have credit cards where you get a percentage of cash back for every dollar you spend. Then you can cash in those points or request the cash back at certain places. For example, use your Target credit card to purchase Disney gift cards, that way you’re saving 5%!
A really thrifty idea that I had was to open a Disney Chase credit card, claim the free $300 bonus for enrolling and then use that money towards my trip.
Then for every dollar you spend on the credit card, you get a percentage that goes into a fund that you can access to use for any Disney item (including Disney store, flights, hotel stay, theme park tickets, and more!)
So what my family does is use the Disney credit card for every purchase we have (bills, grocery, gas, etc.). Then we pay the credit card off with our debit account. That way we are collecting all of this free Disney money JUST for simply using the credit card!
We’ve been using the Disney Credit card for over 2 years and have accumulated thousands of dollars that is FREE money! (We are saving it to use for another Disney cruise for our wedding anniversary!)
Budgeting is all about thinking SMARTLY!
11. Use a Disney Travel Planner
One of the best vacation decisions you can make is to use an authorized Disney vacation planner! A travel agent has first access to the best deals, promotions, sales, and even dates that will make your trip the cheapest it can possibly be.
Looking for this kind of vacation assistance? I can help!
As a certified Travel Agent and authorized Disney Travel Planner specializing in Disney vacations, I can help you plan the most stress-free vacation while finding you the best prices for the dream vacation you have in mind!
What do you get with a Disney Vacation Planner?
- Personalized vacation help and itinerary planning
- Price monitoring so you receive the lowest price
- Crowd Calendar and Seasonal Pricing to know the best time to book
- Help with park reservations and dining reservations
- Client folder sent to you with park maps and tips prior to departure
- Any modifications and changes to your vacation
- On-vacation assistance for any questions
All for FREE!
Interested in Disney vacation planning help?
Grab your Free Disney World Princess Guide!
Traveling with a Disney Princes-lover? Download my free guide to the best princess experiences at Disney World!
Including the best places to stay, best dining experiences, best meet and greets and parades to meet your favorite characters.
Get my Ultimate Princess Disney World Guide here!
Recap: Doing Disney on a Budget
So, there you have it! Here is a list of comprehensive and detailed tips for planning a trip to Disney World on a budget!
- Research the best places to stay (on Disney World property or off-property)
- Visit during the low season (Value season)
- Plan and book early
- Consider driving
- Look at low-fare calendars on airline sites
- Bring essentials with you
- Pack food
- Buy merchandise at home
- Utilize a credit card with points and cash rewards
- Use an authorized Disney Vacation Planner
Remember, planning a trip to the happiest place on earth doesn’t have to break the bank. With these smart tips, you can have an epic vacation and not worry about spending too much money!
Happy Disney Planning!
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Kim says
I totally bought all my daughter’s Disney outfits and princess dresses BEFORE we went. Then onsite, we bought accessories and of course Minnie Mouse ears! But in the long run, we saved money, of course, but she did not feel like she didn’t get anything from Disney while we were there.
Season says
These are really great tips!! Seriously every single one is helpful. I love that you mentioned bringing your own snacks and drinks into the park….that saves SO much money!!!! Excellent post!
Erin says
Awesome advice! We plan to go one day, but the cost is definitely a lot to handle when there are so many of us.
Danielle says
Your tips are so amazing!!! I’m calling you up to plan my Disney trip when I can finally go!
Meagan says
I sooooo want to go to Disney. I have only ever been to Disney World once in my life as a kid. My sister-in-law just moved to Florida and keeps talking about us taking a trip to see them and go to Disney… Maybe if I use these tips we could make it happen! Will also check out the tips for taking a 1-year-old because that’s been a concern of mine with two little ones, my youngest might be 3 by the time we go, though! HAHA Maybe I’ll have another 1-year-old by then 😛
Savannah says
These are great tips Brianna, especially about using your rewards card points for Disney gift cards! And we are just starting to realize what great deals Costco actually has, not only through their website packages but also in store in their gift card areas. You are so right about perks, they can be everywhere if you research enough Ü
Christine says
Thank you for the awesome tips! We are headed there in June for the first time, and the price tag already has me freaking out a bit!