How to Visit Walt Disney World on a Budget

Visiting Walt Disney World on a budget CAN be done! With some careful planning, strategic saving ideas, and realistic expectations, you can visit Walt Disney World on a budget. I work with hundreds of families to plan Walt Disney World vacations each year-and one thing is for sure-getting the most value out of your experience is essential to a great Walt Disney World vacation!

“Budget” has a different meaning for everyone. Really, it all comes down to getting the most out of your money when you are traveling. This goes for any destination and experience! What may be “budget” for one family may be very expensive to another. Budget and “cheap” are not synonymous in this case, and visiting Walt Disney World on a budget should take many factors into account.

There are surely some “splurge worthy” experiences at Walt Disney World. For us, that means a dessert party and staying at a Walt Disney World Deluxe Resort. For others, that means the Quick Service Dining Plan and a fun themed room at Art of Animation. Regardless, reaching out to an experienced travel advisor who specializes in Disney trips is one of the best things you can do to start your visit on the right note!

What is the approximate cost of a Walt Disney World trip for an average family?

The beauty of Walt Disney World is there is truly an accommodation, park ticket option, and dining options for everyone. In my experience working with all sorts of families, this is what I see on average for a Walt Disney World trip for a party of 4 who wants to visit Walt Disney World for a week:

• Staying at a Walt Disney World Value Resort: $4,000-$6,000
• Staying at a Walt Disney World Moderate Resort: $6,000-$8,000
• Staying at a Walt Disney World Deluxe Resort: $8,000+

While these are not any hard and fast numbers, simply averages, you can easily spend on the higher end when it’s all said and done and stay at a Value Resort. So many factors!

Find creative ways to save for a Disney vacation.

When grocery shopping, pick up a Disney Gift Card in a smaller amount. Many grocery store chains sell these, and even include some discounts on gas and possibly groceries when purchasing gift cards. Picking up a $25 gift card here and there adds up quickly!

Look at your income, and decide how much your family can set aside each month in a “vacation fund”. Set up a bank account, and add to it each month! Even adding $100-$150/month adds up quickly!

Use any extra money toward Disney. “Extra” money means money earned from rebate sites, cash back shopping sites, or money you may earn from a “side hustle”. Some of my favorite cash back and rebate sites include:

• Rakuten
• Ibotta
• Fetch

Don’t commit to 7-nights

A 7-night vacation may sound dreamy, but for some that is not realistic. That is the case in my family-we are best traveling Monday-Friday and using the weekend as drive time to our destination if necessary. The average Walt Disney World trip is 5-7 nights, and you can see and do PLENTY in 5-nights.

A 5-night stay you can add a 4-day park ticket and see so much in that time! Keep in mind even on a 7-night stay, you are not going to see and do EVERYTHING at Walt Disney World. It’s just not possible. Choosing a shorter stay is also more budget friendly.

Choose the right time to visit.

This is THE most important aspect to visiting Walt Disney World on a budget. Disney, as with many destinations, prices seasonally. So an off peak time, or “shoulder season” is definitely going to be way more budget friendly than Spring Break or a holiday.

Traveling during an off peak time is not only budget friendly at Disney, but also in terms of flights. Also, crowds are lower during these times, making your visit more pleasant all around.

The BEST times to visit are:

• Right after the New Year up until President’s Day
• August, September, and early December

The BUSIEST / MOST EXPENSIVE times to visit are:

• Spring Break {so most of March and early April, depending on when Easter falls}
• Columbus Day Weekend
• Thanksgiving Week
• Christmas Week

Factor in HOW you are going to get to Orlando.

If possible, it’s likely that driving will be less expensive. However, it’s also important to remember that time is money, and convenience is key. Flying can be a great option, and sometimes quite budget friendly.

While you will have to pay for parking at your Walt Disney World Resort, you will also need to book some sort of airport transportation. So either way, you have an additional parking or transportation cost.

Book a Walt Disney World Resort that gives you more “bang for your buck”.

Booking a Walt Disney World Resort that is in good proximity to other resorts is ideal. Why? This gives you more dining options and sometimes even pool accessibility. For example, booking a Skyliner Resort gives you access to several resorts to enjoy for easy dining access.

When you book an EPCOT area resort, you have quick and easy access to both Disney’s Hollywood Studios and EPCOT, not to mention near other resorts to enjoy their dining options and some recreational activities.

At a Port Orleans, you have pool privileges between the two-which is great! Both of these are also very close to Disney Springs.

In the Value category, guests of the All Stars can use the pools at all 3 of those resorts interchangeably as well.

So the location of the resort, and its proximity to others, can possibly stretch your budget when choosing a resort.

Book an onsite Walt Disney World Resort

It’s a common misconception-and I see hard evidence of this often-that offsite is “less expensive”. This is not true-especially when comparing Value and Moderate onsite resorts to offsite. The hotels in the Orlando area are competitive in pricing, and the hassle of transportation and other missed perks is not worth it. When comparing an onsite to an offsite, and factoring in ALL the things, onsite wins every time.

Guests of onsite resorts are entitled to:

• Early Park Entry EVERYDAY
• Extended Theme Park Hours in the evening for Deluxe Guests
• Continuous transportation
• The ability to add a Disney Dining Plan

Book as FAR in advance as possible.

Right up there with choosing an off peak time to visit is to book as far in advance as possible. Why?

• Locks in the current, lowest room and ticket rates.
• Gives you the most availability for resorts and room categories
• Allows you time to save and possibly make changes down the road
• You can make payments on your trip over time

Following my Carrie-Destinations to Explore Facebook page and signing up for my email newsletter assures you will know when Disney opens packages for booking. Locking that in with the $200 deposit is ideal!

You can visit Walt Disney World on a budget! With these tips, and some help from a travel advisor like myself, your family can have an amazing and magical Walt Disney World vacation!