How To Budget for a Walt Disney World Vacation

Planning a trip to Walt Disney World can be incredibly exciting, but it can also be a bit overwhelming when you start to think about the costs involved. In this post, we'll share some tips and tricks to help you budget for your Walt Disney World vacation like a pro.

Step 1: Set a budget

The first thing you need to do when planning a Disney vacation is to figure out how much you can afford to spend. Start by looking at your overall vacation budget and determining how much of it you want to allocate to your Disney trip. This will help you determine which resort to stay at, which ticket configuration to purchase, and how much to set aside for food and souvenirs. When we’re chatting with our clients about their budget and they say “we don’t have one,” I usually ask if they’re in the range of $3,000 or $15,000. Hearing those numbers will help to get the wheels turning about your financial situation! If you had a visceral reaction to the prospect of $15,000 leaving your bank account, now you can start to pinpoint a number that makes you more comfortable.

Step 2: Determine your travel expenses

The next step is to figure out how much it will cost to get to Walt Disney World. If you're flying, be sure to factor in the cost of flights, baggage fees, and transportation to and from the airport. If you're driving, calculate the cost of gas and any tolls you'll encounter along the way.

Step 3: Price out your tickets

Disney World offers a variety of ticket packages, so be sure to choose the one that works best for your family. Consider how many days you want to spend in the parks, whether you want to visit multiple parks in a day, and whether you want to add on any extras like special events or water park access.

Pro-tip about tickets: The price is the price!

I know. We're all used to bargain hunting to find deals hiding under every rock. But Disney sets VERY strict guidelines around the price of their park tickets. Authorized ticket sellers are capped at a certain percentage discount (spoiler alert: it's less than a $40 savings), and anyone discounting more than that is likely selling you used or expired tickets. Always purchase your tickets directly from Disney to avoid the pitfalls of the terms & conditions of using a third party.

Step 4: Choose your resort

Walt Disney World has 31 resorts, in categories varying from value to deluxe villas. Take a look at the different options and decide which one fits your budget and your needs. Keep in mind that staying on property can save you money on transportation costs and give you extra time in the parks.

Step 5: Plan your meals

Food can be a significant expense on a Walt Disney World vacation, but there are ways to save money. Purchase discounted Disney gift cards ahead of your trip to pay for food in the parks (yes, that’s a thing!), bring your own food in, and for the love of everything: DON’T waste your money on bottled water and soda in the parks. Buy that stuff ahead of time and have it delivered to your resort.

Final Thoughts:

There’s a LOT to consider when it comes to managing your budget, and one of the more stressful things we see as travel advisors is when people post in community groups in a desperate attempt to get tips on how to cut costs after they’ve already booked their trip. It all sounds great until that final payment deadline is looming ever closer and you don’t know how you’re going to make it work. Before you fall into that trap, get in touch with a travel advisor who can help you navigate the logistics. We can tell you what’s worth the splurge and more importantly, what’s not (I'm looking at you, Chef Mickey 👀).