cheap trips to disney world

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Walt disney world® resort vacations & packages.

• Things to do

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Visit Walt Disney World® Resort

Walt Disney World® Resort is the perfect place to stay in Orlando as a large number of the area’s star attractions are within easy driving distance. Two sights that should be at the top of every visitor’s itinerary is the wonderful Disney's Boardwalk and the ever-popular Disney's Osprey Ridge Golf Course. Two other great attractions you’ll find within a short distance of Walt Disney World® Resort are the Disney's Typhoon Lagoon Water Park and the Disney's Lake Buena Vista Golf Course.

Walt Disney World® Resort has a number of cultural attractions nearby that allow visitors to really get a feel for the area. To experience Orlando’s vibrant arts scene, book a show at one of the popular live performance venues such as the La Nouba Theater in Lake Buena Vista.

After exploring the delights of Walt Disney World® Resort, stay the night at one of the area’s bed-and-breakfasts, hotels or short-stay apartments. Take your pick from the Walt Disney World Dolphin Resort, Lake Buena Vista, the Walt Disney World Swan Resort, Lake Buena Vista, or the Wyndham Grand Orlando Resort Bonnet Creek.

Buy tickets to Walt Disney World® with Expedia.

Plan a trip to see Walt Disney World® Resort

Palazzo Lakeside Hotel

Reviewed on Apr 25, 2024

Westgate Lakes Resort & Spa Universal Studios Area

Reviewed on Apr 26, 2024

Westgate Palace Hotel / Universal / I-Drive

Browse tours and tickets to explore walt disney world® resort, attractions.

Walt Disney World® Resort Theme Park Tickets

Walt Disney World® Resort Disney After Hours

Universal Orlando Resort Theme Park Tickets

Kennedy Space Center Admission

Universal Orlando Resort Express Passes

Aquatica Orlando

WonderWorks Orlando Admission Tickets

Go City: Orlando Explorer Pass - Choose 2 to 5 Attractions

Crayola Experience Admission Tickets

Old Town Entertainment District Attraction Tickets

Wildlife & nature.

Orlando: Island H2O Water Park Admission

Manatees Swim, Snorkel and Boat Day Tour from Orlando

Deep-Sea Fishing Tour in the Gulf of Mexico with Lunch

Clearwater Deep Sea Fishing

4 Hours Morning Bass Fishing in Orlando

2 Hour Eco Tour

Florida: 90 Minute Everglades Cruise

Tours & day trips.

Go City: Orlando All-Inclusive Pass with Kennedy Space Center

Clearwater Beach Day Trip

Orlando: Museum of Illusions Admission Ticket

Manatee Adventure, Airboat, Lunch, Wildlife Park with Transport

Kennedy Space Center Tour with Transportation from Orlando Region

St. Augustine Day Trip with Transportation

16 miles Private Helicopter Day Tour over Fun Spot

Exclusive Helicopter Night Tour: Orlando Parks (31 or 48 miles)

Day Trip to Clearwater Beach with Sea Screamer Ride

Park Whispers: Love and Legacy in Orlando

Shows & concerts.

Drawn to Life presented by Cirque du Soleil and Disney

Pirate's Dinner Adventure Orlando

The Outta Control Magic Comedy Dinner Show

Sleuths Mystery Dinner Shows

Dream Tour - City Lights: 30 Mile Helicopter Tour

Orlando: Polynesian Fire Luau with Dinner and Live Show

Sleuth's Mystery Dinner Show, Orlando

Orlando: Andretti Indoor Karting Attraction Ticket

Shopping & fashion.

Kids Eat Free iCard PLUS City Hopper (Orlando, Virginia and more)

Dollar Off Drinks Card: Orlando

The ICONic City Tour of Orlando

The Mall at Millenia's Personal Styling Experience

Reviews of walt disney world® resort, 5/5 - excellent.

Definitely stop at Walmart and pick up all your Disney apparel

Too much walking, most of waiting areas have no shade

Kennedy Space Center Seaworld Magic Kingdom

We had dinner at Boma and it was an excellent buffet. We really enjoyed it.

Pricing was the same on line as it was getting them at the resort we stayed at

Check all the extra $$ needed for resort fees, parking and bell hops before booking a room!

Popular places to visit

• Magic Kingdom® Park

One of the most famous theme parks in the world offers a land of fun and fantasy at the foot of a fairytale castle.

Beachcomber Beach

Why not spend a lazy afternoon at Beachcomber Beach during your trip to Lake Buena Vista? Discover the top-notch restaurants and entertainment choices in this family-friendly area.

Tibet Butler Preserve

Explore the lovely green spaces of Tibet Butler Preserve and enjoy the golf courses in Windermere. Check out the shops and top-notch restaurants in this family-friendly area.

Grand Cypress Golf Club

Play a few rounds of golf at these Nicklaus-designed, award-winning courses which are located in the very heart of sunny Orlando.

Design your own race car and take an international food safari at the theme park that celebrates human achievement.

Norway Pavilion

Bring your family to Norway Pavilion and have a fun-filled day at this theme park in Lake Buena Vista. Discover the top-notch restaurants and acclaimed theater scene in this family-friendly area.

Best Lodging Options Near Walt Disney World® Resort

Check availability on hotels close to walt disney world® resort.

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• Disney World Packages
• Orlando Vacation Package Deals

GREAT DEALS Build your own Walt Disney World Package Deal!

Walt Disney World Packages

Get the best deal on  Disney vacations and purchase a Walt Disney World ® vacation package complete with lodging and Walt Disney World tickets together. Customers who purchase a  Disney Package  save an average of 12% more than customers who buy each item each.

To find the absolute best Walt Disney World ® vacation package please use our custom package builder above or below. It will assist you in building your amazing  Orlando vacation package in just a few short minutes. Enter your travel dates and the number of adults and children in your party then click submit. The tool will show you the Orlando   hotels and vacation home rentals we have available during your travel dates, after you select your lodging the tool will walk you to the best options for choosing the   Walt Disney World tickets  for your party. If you have questions, please feel free to call us toll-free at (800) 641-4008 and one of our friendly Reservation Specialists will be more than happy to assist you in planning your best Orlando vacation .

Benefits of booking Disney Packages with OrlandoVacation.com:

• We have the lowest prices on our vacation homes, hotels, and theme park tickets ( Walt Disney World tickets , Universal Studios Discounted Tickets , and Discounted SeaWorld Orlando Tickets )
• We have won the Best of The Best Award for online travel agency customer service for the past 10 years (2013 through 2023).
• We are proud to offer the easiest and best cancellation policy in Orlando. Click here to see our reservation policy.
• We offer payment plans- You may call in and pay $5 or $500 on your vacation and the best part about this plan is that we do not charge you any services fees. The only thing we ask for is that your vacation is paid for in full 15 days prior to your arrival. Click here to learn more
• We only ask for a small $50 deposit to secure your reservation.
• We charge theme park tickets at the time you are making the booking, and we will send them out within 24 hours of you ordering your tickets so you can make reservations at the specific theme parks you want to visit. The lodging only requires a small $50 deposit and the remaining balance is due 15 days to arrival on hotels and 30 days of arrival on vacation homes.

Here are some great examples for creating Disney Packages…

Tips for getting the best deal on a Walt Disney World package:

• Make Your Theme Park Reservations: Once you know everything is set with your vacation we suggest you go ahead pay off your Walt Disney World ® vacation package deal as soon as possible so that we can mail you your tickets. Why would you want the tickets early? Simple, you can go online and register your tickets and go ahead and make your reservations. Every day you wait, there are more people who are registering before you.
• Get the Walt Disney World Base Tickets : This one tip will save you $50 per person on your Disney package price. A recent study showed that nearly 75% of the people who go to Walt Disney World buy the Park Hopper Option, but 60% of the people never actually use it. Our suggestion is to order your theme park tickets without the Park Hopper Option. When you are here in town if you find yourself really wanting to hop from park to park you can always go to the customer service desk at each Disney theme park and ask them to add the Park Hopper Option to your tickets which they will gladly do.

What to do in Disney if it rains?

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Walt Disney World Packages 2024-2025 | Experience A Magical Vacation

Discover Affordable, Flexible, and Magical Walt Disney World Vacation Packages for 2024 and 2025

Are you dreaming of an unforgettable vacation to the most magical place on earth? Look no further than a Walt Disney World ® vacation package. Whether you’re traveling alone, as a couple, or with your family, Disney offers a magical experience for every visitor.

Experience Diverse Disney Vacation Options Disney vacation packages cater to every budget and travel style. From budget-friendly value resorts to the luxurious deluxe accommodations , each option provides the perfect home away from home. Enjoy the convenience of bundled park tickets and extra perks, which not only save you money but also enhance your Disney experience.

Plan Your Dream Disney Vacation with Expert Help At The Magic For Less Travel , we specialize in helping our guests plan the ultimate Disney vacation. Our team of expert travel advisors is ready to guide you through the many options available and help you select the perfect package to meet your needs and budget.

Explore Disney Resort Hotel Packages by Year

• 2024 Disney Resort Hotel Packages Plan your 2024 dream vacation a Disney resort hotel package.
• 2025 Disney Resort Hotel Packages – Book early and secure your magical Disney experience.
• 2026 Disney Resort Hotel Packages – Look ahead and join our wait list for future Disney magic.

Your Guide to the Ultimate Disney Vacation

Maximize Your Disney Experience with Tailored Packages Walt Disney World ® vacation packages are more affordable, flexible, and magical than ever. Enjoy new attractions and great resort benefits, making now the perfect time to visit. With a Disney World package, you control the pace of your vacation. Relax in your room, enjoy poolside leisure, dine with characters, or explore thrilling attractions and mesmerizing shows.

Customize Your Disney Stay with Versatile Resort Options Choose from a variety of Disney resorts that match your budget and style. Each offers unique benefits and a touch of Disney magic. Extend your theme park visits affordably with Disney hotel package deals —the more days you add, the less you pay per day. Enhance your dining experience with a Disney Dining Plan, offering significant savings at Disney restaurants, dinner shows, and character dining events.

Flexible Disney Theme Park Tickets

Start with the base ticket to decide the number of days you want to visit the theme parks. A Base Ticket allows admission to one theme park per day, and you choose which one of the four Walt Disney World® Theme Parks to visit each day.

Enhance Your Visit with the Park Hopper® Options

Maximize your fun with the Park Hopper ® Option, allowing you to explore multiple theme parks in a single day. For even more excitement, opt for the Park Hopper Plus Option, which includes additional visits to water parks and other Disney attractions.

Add a Disney Dining Plan for Ultimate Convenience

Disney has two dining plans available to guests with a Disney resort hotel package. A Disney dining plan package offers guests a convenient and cost-effective way to enjoy meals across Disney properties. Choose from the Disney Quick-Service Dining Plan and Disney Dining Plan .

Expand Your Vacation with Additional Options

With a Disney resort hotel package, you can also add options like vacation insurance, ground transportation, and recreation options.

Experience Personalized Planning with The Magic for Less Travel Enjoy our complimentary concierge services as we assist you in designing a Walt Disney World vacation that’s perfectly tailored for you. With a Disney resort hotel package, you can truly do Disney your way!

Consider adding a side trip to a Florida beach hotel to complete your vacation.

Add Disney’s Memory Maker to your package

Disney’s Hollywood Studios® Memory Maker Magic Shot

Imagine if your vacation magical moments were captured for you and available for digital download. The Memory Maker product does just that, preserving those special moments for you, so you can relax and simply enjoy the fun of being with your family and friends in the most magical place on Earth.

It starts with the team of Disney PhotoPass™ Photographers who’ll preserve magical memories for your family at hundreds of photo locations throughout Walt Disney World® Resort. All those great shots are magically captured: posing in front of Cinderella Castle, screaming down Splash Mountain® attraction, enjoying breakfast at Chef Mickey’s and so much more.

An unlimited array of the photos taken by Disney PhotoPass Photographers during your vacation, PLUS photos at select attractions and dining locations, will be captured. Forget about having to purchase each photo individually – with Memory Maker you get digital copies of them all to download! You can relive all your favorite memories and share them with family and friends.

You can learn more at the Disney’s Memory Maker website or ask your The Magic For Less travel counselor.

Use the form below to request a FREE, No-Obligation Quote for a Walt Disney World ® Resort Hotel vacation package from one of our travel agents.

Our  services  are provided FREE of charge. You won’t pay more when you book with The Magic For Less Travel. 

Start planning your  Walt Disney World  Resort vacation today!

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How to Plan a Disney World Vacation on The Cheap

Disney World is a truly magical place, making it one of the most popular holiday destinations in the world. However, there is nothing magical about what it costs to plan a trip here. Fortunately, there are many ways to make a Disney visit much more affordable. Here's the ultimate guide to planning a cheap Disney World vacation!

Disney World: An Overview

When you think of Disney World, the first thing that pops in most people's minds is Cinderella's Castle. It is the iconic symbol of Disney World, but there is so much more on offer than that. The Disney World property expands over 25,000 acres in Central Florida (which is approximately the size of San Francisco). Within the gates of Disney World property you will find:

• 4 Theme Parks: Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Hollywood Studios, and Animal Kingdom
• 2 Water Parks: Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach
• 28 Disney Resorts
• Disney Springs: Shopping, dining and entertainment
• 4 Professional golf courses
• 4 Miniature golf courses
• ESPN Wide World of Sports: A sporting venue that hosts several professional sporting events
• 1 Disney World: An Overview
• 2 How much does a Disney World vacation cost?
• 3 Getting There
• 4 Buying Tickets
• 5 Park Info
• 6 When To Go
• 7 How Long to Stay
• 8 Where to Stay
• 9 Planning Your Disney World Vacation
• 10 Food & Drink
• 11 Other Costs to Consider
• 12 The Thrifty Gist

How much does a Disney World vacation cost?

A Disney World vacation can cost anywhere from $1,000-$5,000+ USD  per person. The total depends on your length of stay, types of parks pass purchased, and how much you choose to splurge on accommodation, food, and extras like character dinners, ticketed events, and souvenirs. Below is an estimate cost comparison per person for a 5-day, 5-night trip.

Flights (not included in estimates below) will vary in price according to the time of year and where you fly in from. Weekdays are generally cheaper to fly. You can get alerts on flight deals from your closest airport at Scott's Cheap Flights . Also use Skyscanner to conduct a broad search and select “Entire Month” to visualize prices across the month of your visit.

You can also get 60,000 points (worth $750 ) just for signing up and hitting the minimum spend of $4,000 in the first 3 months with your everyday purchases on the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card . That's enough to cover your flights! You can convert your points to an airline like United, JetBlue, or Southwest, or use the points directly in the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal.

Off-Site, Budget

Accommodation : $40+ USD/night entire place AirBNB Adult parks pass : $374.95 USD (tax included) for 5-day  Magic Your Way pass (entry to 1 park per day) from Undercover Tourist ($40 cheaper than gate prices) Transportation : $10 USD Uber ride to/from Disney park 2x per day. Transport to/from airport $25 USD twice. Get $10 off your first Uber ride with coupon code uberthriftynomads Food & drink : $40+ USD/day, packed meals only Extras : Nil Total for 5 days (not including flights) : $924.95 USD

Off-Site, Moderate

Accommodation : $75+ USD/night entire higher-end  AirBNB apartment Adult parks pass : $433.95 USD (tax included) for 5-day Park Hopper pass (entry to all parks everyday) from Undercover Tourist ($61 cheaper than gate prices) Transportation : $30 USD/day  car rental + $20 USD/day parking Food & drink : $50/day, alternating packed meals & basic dining, Character dinner $58 USD Extras : Memory maker photo pass $169 USD, Souvenirs $25+ USD Total for 5 days (not including flights) : $1,560.95 USD

On-Site, Budget

Accommodation : $100 USD/night Disney Value Resort Hotel Adult parks pass : $374.95 USD (tax included) for 5-day  Magic Your Way pass (entry to 1 park per day) from Undercover Tourist ($40 cheaper than gate prices) Transportation : $0 (transfers to/from airport included in hotel rate) Food & drink : $48 USD/day Disney Quick-Service dining plan (two counter service meals only), snacks/breakfast $10 USD/day Extras : Nil Total for 5 days (not including flights) : $1,164.95 USD

On-Site, Moderate

Accommodation : $166 USD/night Moderate Disney Resort Hotel Adult parks pass : $452.24 USD (tax included) 5-day  Park Hopper Plus (entry to all parks everyday and waterparks) from Undercover Tourist ($58 cheaper than gate prices) Transportation : $0 (transfers to/from airport included in hotel rate) Food & drink : $69 USD/day Standard Disney dining plan Extras : $126 USD Disney After-Hours pass, Character dinner $58 USD, Memory maker photo pass $169 USD, souvenirs $27+ USD Total for 5 days (not including flights) : $2,007.24 USD

Getting There

Orlando has two main airports that you can fly into, Orlando International (MCO) and Sanford International (SFB) . Most airlines fly into Orlando International, but a select few only fly to Sanford. Orlando International is approximately a 30-minute drive from the Disney World property, while Sanford International is a 75-90 minute drive.

For the cheapest rates, it is recommended to search for flights that arrive/depart mid-week. You'll find the best flight deals with an account at Scott's Cheap Flights , which can alert you about flight deals from your closest airport (and if you decide you want a premium plan, use coupon code TNOMADS20 for 20% off!) Use Skyscanner and select “Whole Month” to visualize the weekday rates across a month. For our other cheap flight hacks, check our guide here .

Also consider signing up for the Chase Sapphire Preferred credit card, which offer a 60,000 sign-up point bonus worth $750  after hitting the minimum spend of $4,000 in the first 3 months with your everyday purchases. That's enough to cover a domestic flight! These are also great cards to have on hand for the high number of points you earn on travel and dining, plus, there's no foreign transaction fees when you go overseas. Check out our full guide to getting free flights with travel points here .

The cheapest months  to fly to Orlando will be when you typically see less people travelling to Disney. These tend to generally fall within:

• Mid-January to mid-February
• May to early June
• Late August to mid-November

Getting to/from the airport

If you are staying at a Disney resort and arrive at Orlando International ( not Sanford), then Disney provides complimentary transportation to and from the airport. This transport service is known as the Magical Express, and also provides luggage service to/from the airport. You must  register for the Magical Express prior to your arrival.

If you will not be using Magical Express, there are other transport options. Car rental agencies are plentiful and competitively priced. You can secure a good rate on a rental with fee-free cancellation using BookingBuddy , then check back later. Pricing can fluctuate daily, so this is recommended. For other car rental cost-cutting car rental tips, check our guide,  How to Book the Cheapest Car Rental Possible .

If you'd like to avoid renting a car, check with your hotel to see if they provide airport transportation. Several of the Orlando area hotels provide this, but always ask first. Other airport transport options include:

• Uber  (Get $10 off your first ride with coupon code uberthriftynomads )
• SuperShuttle

If you are staying at a Disney resort, parking at the hotel and parks will be complimentary. Some off-site hotels do charge a daily parking fee, so make sure to verify that if you plan to rent a car.

Buying Tickets

Park tickets will account for a large chunk of your Disney World vacation cost. They are not cheap, but once you enter the parks, there is no additional charge for any attractions. There are different types of tickets you can purchase, starting at $99USD for a one day pass to $515 USD for a 10-day pass. Mickey Chatter's Planning Guide provides a detailed explanation of the different types of park tickets.

With every park ticket purchase, you get access to Disney's Fastpass+ system, which allows you to book 3 rides per day ahead of time. When using a Fastpass, you get to skip the regular queue, which will help you avoid waiting in long lines.

There are a variety of places that you can purchase your park tickets from, and a handful of potential discounts you can use. Undercover Tourist is one of the most popular sites that offers discounts on 3 day and other park tickets. You can also purchase your tickets direct from Disney, and they offer special deals on packages that include hotel and tickets. Check their Special Offers page to find current offers.

Other discounts you will find on park tickets include:

• Military discount  (check our guide on military travel discounts here )
• Florida Resident discount
• Canadian Resident discount (until Feb. 10th, 2018)
• Air Miles Rewards (Canadians only)
• AAA / CAA , each club will vary in their ticket prices
• Corporate Sponsor – verify if your employer is a Disney sponsor, which may give you access to discounted prices

Disney World consists of 4 main theme parks. Some deserve more time due to their size and number of attractions, while others can be sufficiently explored in just one day.

Magic Kingdom

This is the most popular theme park. Magic Kingdom has the most rides, totalling over 20. It has six themed lands that cater to all ages. Entertainment includes a daily afternoon parade and an evening fireworks show. Since there is such a high number of rides in this park, I always recommend setting aside 2 days for this park.

This park will allow you to explore the future and travel the world, all at the same time! The front portion of the park is called Future World, which focuses on sciences, space, technology, and innovation. The back portion of the park is called World Showcase. In this area you will find 11 pavilions that represent countries from around the world. Epcot has 9 rides, exhibitions and live entertainment to enjoy. It is also where you will find some of the most diverse culinary dishes. If you are a foodie, then this is the park for you! You can enjoy this park in 1 day, but 2 days would be my recommendation.

Hollywood Studios

Hollywood Studios brings the magic of movies to life. It is the smallest park on property and currently has quite a bit of construction going on. For this reason, I consider it to be a 1 day park at the moment.  This park has 5 rides, 6 live shows, and 2 evening shows. The highly anticipated Star Wars Land is being built here, which is scheduled to open in 2019. Toy Story Land is coming close to completion, which is scheduled to open in summer of 2018.

Animal Kingdom

This park celebrates animals, nature, and prehistoric giants. It is separated into five themed lands. The park has 8 rides, 2 live stage shows, and several trails where you will discover all sorts of wildlife. Pandora: The World of Avatar opened at this park in May 2017. I would recommend setting aside 1 day to tour this park.

Crowds can get very overwhelming at Disney, so I always try to stick to the “slower” times of the year. This will also be when you will find the best hotel discounts. The slower periods include:

• Late August to mid-November (September being the slowest month)

If you are there for a full week, it is recommended to try and schedule your park days on weekdays . Weekends are much busier as this when you will find the locals in the parks. Also, try to avoid any US stat holidays (such as Labour Day), as that also will mean high crowds.

How Long to Stay

Your length of stay will certainly affect your Disney World vacation budget. The shorter the trip, the less it will cost. However, if you want to make sure you see all that Disney has to offer, then I recommend a minimum of 5 days in the parks. With 5 days, you will be able to visit all 4 parks and see the attractions that are at the top of your list.

If you would like to also spend some time at Disney Springs, the water parks, or some down time at your hotel, then you may consider extending your stay to a full 7 days.

For more detailed guidance on the best way to tour the parks, check out the Free Disney World vacation Itineraries provided by Mickey Chatter .

Where to Stay

On site (disney resort).

There are a TON of options to choose from when it comes to accommodation. The obvious choice would be a Disney resort, but that may not always suit everyone's needs nor budget. Staying at a “Value” level Disney resort will be your cheapest option, but it does not offer a lot of space. It really comes down to what you require for your accommodations. To price out what it would cost to stay at a Disney resort, make sure to check their Special Offers page. You can also compare prices across hundreds of booking sites with TripAdvisor . Many third-party sites have cheaper prices and coupon codes, just be sure to check their cancellation terms.

Disney resorts offer 3 classes of properties, Value($), Moderate($$), and Deluxe($$$). Staying at a Disney resort provides several perks. These include:

• Complimentary transportation
• Extra hours in the parks ( Extra Magic Hours )
• Complimentary MagicBands (your tickets for the parks and fastpass)
• Earlier access to Fastpass selections
• Access to the Disney dining plan
• In the Disney magic all the time

Offsite options

If you would like more space to spread out at the cost of a value level Disney resort, then you may want to consider renting off-site. Keep in mind that you will need to account for the cost of a rental car and parking of $20/day at the parks if you stay off-site. There are many accommodation options near Disney including hotels, condos, and entire homes. Recommendations include:

• AirBNB  (I've personally stayed at Wyndham Bonnet Creek Resort with family – see photo below. Like many of the nearby off-site resorts, it is close proximity and has a pool, lazy river, and other amenities)
• Hotwire  (check the “Hot Rate” hotels for a deep discount on mystery hotels)
• Priceline  (check the “Express Deals” for a deep discount on mystery hotels)
• TripAdvisor (searches hundreds of booking sites for the best price)
• Vacation Strategy

Planning Your Disney World Vacation

I highly recommend that you put in some time to plan out your days at the parks. Some basic planning will save you a lot of time, avoid unnecessary long lines, and will make your Disney World vacation much more enjoyable.

Basic planning involves deciding where to go on which days, which Fastpasses you will select, and where you will eat. If you want to eat at any of their sit-down restaurants, take note these require  reservations .

To more easily plan out your days, check out  this super detailed guide to using a Disney World Crown calendar to plan your park days smartly and avoid the crowds.

Food & Drink

This is the portion of your trip where the cost can really vary. Depending on the choices you make, you can either spend or save a lot. Disney has a variety of restaurants to choose from. They generally consist of:

• Counter Service (ie. “fast food ” style) : approximately $10-$15 USD per person
• Sit-down : approximately $20-$50 USD per person
• Character Meals/Special Events : approximately $15-$60+ USD per person

If you want to reduce the amount you will spend on food, your best strategy will be to pack your own meals. There are several grocery stores and Walmarts in the area where you can pick up supplies to pack meals. If you don't have a car, there are grocery services that will deliver groceries direct to your accommodation. The ones that are highly recommend are:

• Garden Grocer
• Amazon Prime Now
• Orlando Grocery Express

*Thrifty tip: You can always ask for ice water at any restaurant free of charge in Disney World. You can also try a variety of Coca Cola drinks from all over the world at Epcot's Flavors of Club Cool.

Disney Dining Plan

Disney resort guests have access to purchase the Disney dining plan. Dining plans give access to credits which can be used at different types of restaurants throughout your stay. Essentially, you prepay for a set number of meals and snacks, so you don't need to worry about paying out of pocket.

If your objective is to save as much money as possible, then the dining plan is not cost-wise. The only instance I would recommend it for saving is if you book with an offer from Disney that includes a free dining plan. These types of offers usually run in the Fall months, and are released in late April for booking . The Free Dining promo books up quickly, so you should keep an eye on their Special Offers page at the end of April if you are interested in getting it.

For a more detailed analysis as to whether the dining plan is worth it or not, check out this in-depth guide to the Disney dining plan.

Other Costs to Consider

If you would like to enhance your Disney World vacation or splurge on a few extras, then you will have to factor in those costs as well. Some of the extra costs you may want to consider are:

• Stroller/Scooter Rentals ( Kingdom Strollers , Magic Strollers , Buena Vista Rentals )
• Memory Maker  (pre-pay for photos taken of you on rides and with your favorite Disney characters, available for digital download at the end of your trip)
• Special Ticketed Events (Dessert Parties, Halloween Party, Christmas Party)
• Souvenirs (What's a Disney World vacation without a token to take home? Souvenir shops are plentiful)

The Thrifty Gist

The cost of a Disney World vacation can really vary, but there are some cost saving strategies you can implement to do it on the cheap. To spend the least amount, you will want to focus your spending on the basic elements of the trip – travel, lodging, transportation, park tickets and food. Here are my best tips for staying thrifty:

• Travel during the “slower” months and stick to flying on a weekday (get flight deals from Scott's Cheap Flights and use Skyscanner to search for the cheapest flight prices by month)
• Reduce transportation costs by using any complimentary services offered to you
• Check every park ticket offer that applies to you and choose the cheapest option
• Choose the least expensive lodging option that fits the needs of your Disney World vacation (try Airbnb , VRBO , Hotwire , Priceline , and Expedia )
• Order/pick up groceries and pack as many meals/snacks as you can
• Don't pay for beverages, instead ask for free ice water

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Could you please post an updated version of this? Tickets are each now more than $100s more for the same 5 day ticket. For a family of 5, our 5 day no hopper tickets are about $3000 total. That doesnt include hotel or travel or food. Also Disney no longer offers the free transportation from the airport to hotel so thats another

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How to Go to Disney World for Cheap

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Ever tried to plan a trip to Walt Disney World? The sticker shock is real. Theme park tickets, meals, hotels and transportation all add up to a vacation cost that may take you years to save up for.

But it doesn’t have to. Here’s how to go to Disney World for cheap.

Flights to Disney World

Plenty of people choose to make a road trip out of their vacations, but if you’re a fair distance away from Orlando, Florida, you may be wondering: Is it cheaper to fly or drive to Disney World? The answer to that question varies, but if you’re committed to flying, there are certain approaches you can take to find cheap Disney World flights.

Remain flexible. Being flexible with your dates can save you hundreds of dollars per person, as can flying from a hub rather than a regional airport.

Travel in a group. If you’re flying as a family, consider paying for Frontier Airlines’ Discount Den program. Although it’s a paid membership, it entitles you and your companions to discounted tickets. More important, it also allows children to fly for free — with a Discount Den membership, one child under 15 can fly for free with each paid adult.

Spend strategically. For maximum savings, snag a travel rewards credit card and use the points to fly at deeply discounted rates. Round-trip flight costs vary, but you can fly off-peak on most domestic U.S. airlines for under 10,000 miles each way — and oftentimes even cheaper. This includes Southwest , Alaska , United , American and Delta .

» Learn more: The cheapest ways to fly to Disney World using points and miles

Disney World tickets

Even though it’s not really possible to find cheap Disney World tickets, there are still ways you can save money.

Discount sites. Websites like Undercover Tourist sell Disney tickets at a slight discount. For example, you can save about $30 per person on a four-day park hopper ticket.

Military discounts. Active-duty and retired service members are eligible for Disney’s military salute tickets , which can cost less than half the price of a general admission ticket.

You may also want to consider visiting during non-peak times. Disney World charges a variable rate for admission based on demand, which means that traveling during a low period can save you some money. For example, a weekday in September will cost you $174 for a one-day park hopper ticket. A weekday in December, meanwhile, can cost as much as $224 for that same one-day park hopper ticket. That’s a difference of $50 per person.

Finally, if you have a credit card that allows you to redeem your points for statement credits, you can do so to offset the cost of your park tickets. Many credit cards feature this ability to some degree, but you’ll want to check the value your card issuer will give you for your points — it isn’t always worth it.

» Learn more: The best way to buy Disney tickets

Disney World hotels

Orlando is rife with hotels. From modest motels to the Waldorf Astoria, you can find every type of accommodation in the Orlando area. This can work in your favor, as you can reliably find clean and cheap Disney World hotels for under $100 per night.

Seek out special rates. If you’re looking to maximize your time at Disney World, consider staying on the property. It can be difficult to find affordable Disney World resorts, even when you’re booking the cheapest properties, but there are some ways to save money. Look for a time when Disney is offering specials on its room rates. These happen often and can feature substantial savings.

Book with points. Of course, we can’t mention discounted Disney World resorts without talking about the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin — the only two hotels on Disney property for which you can redeem points. Located right near Disney’s Boardwalk and with close access to Epcot, you can book these hotels using your Marriott Bonvoy points at a rate of 40,000 points per night during off-peak times.

If you’re using Marriott Bonvoy points, stay for five nights and pay for four by taking advantage of Marriott’s fifth night free policy on award stays.

Other tips to book a cheap Disney World trip

Beyond points and miles, there are other tried-and-true ways to lessen the financial hit of a Disney World vacation.

Enjoy your character dining off the property: Many hotels around Disney World feature character meals, in which costumed Disney characters come by and greet your family. They often pose for photographs and sign autographs. Disney also offers character breakfasts at its parks and resorts — but they’re much more expensive. Save money by indulging in this luxury at your off-the-property hotel rather than at the parks.

Consider buying an annual pass: Although Disney has temporarily stopped selling its annual passes, when it does resume sales, consider purchasing one for a member of your family. Annual passholders are entitled to additional discounts on hotels, merchandise and food. Depending on how many people are in your party and how long you’re staying, purchasing a pass can actually save you more than you spend for the pass itself.

Look into free activities. Wander Disney Springs, walk along Disney's boardwalk or visit Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge to view exotic animals like giraffes and zebras. There are even more free things to do around Disney World, and thoughtfully scheduling these kinds of activities can help keep your expenses in check.

» Learn more: How to plan a trip to Walt Disney World

Make your Disney vacation affordable

A vacation to Disney World can be expensive, but planning your trip with points and miles can lower the price tag. Tickets can sometimes be purchased for a discount, and you can find flights and hotels that are eligible for award redemptions in your preferred travel loyalty program .

How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are our picks for the best travel credit cards of 2024 , including those best for:

Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

No annual fee: Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Luxury perks: The Platinum Card® from American Express

Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

on Chase's website

1x-10x Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.

60,000 Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

1x-5x 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases.

60,000 Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

1x-3x Earn 3X points on Southwest® purchases. Earn 2X points on local transit and commuting, including rideshare. Earn 2X points on internet, cable, and phone services, and select streaming. Earn 1X points on all other purchases.

50,000 Earn 50,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

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Value Resorts

Disney's All-Star Movies Resort

Costco member reviews, 1901 w buena vista dr, orlando, fl, 32836, united states.

Disney's All-Star Movies Resort features five Disney and Disney/Pixar film-inspired themed areas. Fantasia, Toy Story, 101 Dalmatians, Mighty Ducks, and The Love Bug "Herbie" the loveable VW Beetle, is five times its regular size!

Disney's Art of Animation Resort

1850 animation way, lake buena vista, fl, 32830, united states.

Be surrounded in the artistry, enchantment and magic of Walt Disney and Disney and Pixar movies. Stay at a Disney Resort hotel that invites you to explore the storybook landscapes seen in such classics as Finding Nemo, Cars, The Lion King and The Little Mermaid. From delightfully themed family suites to wondrously detailed courtyards, Disney's Art of Animation draws you and your family in to become a part of some of your animated favorites.

Disney's Pop Century Resort

1050 century dr, lake buena vista, fl, 32830, united states.

Experience the unforgettable fads of the 1950s through the 1990s all over again. From yo-yos and Play-Doh® to Rubik's Cube® and rollerblades, this Resort hotel salutes the timeless fashions, catch phrases, toys and dances that captivated the world through the decades.

Moderate Resorts

Disney's caribbean beach resort, 900 cayman way, lake buena vista, fl, 32830-8411, united states.

A tropical paradise built around 45‐acre Barefoot Bay, this resort hotel brings the Islands to you with swaying palm trees, white‐sand beaches and colonial architecture. Explore the lushly landscaped grounds, or simply find a hammock and soak up the sun.

Disney's Coronado Springs Resort

1000 w buena vista dr, lake buena vista, fl, 32830, united states.

Celebrate the unique blend of Spanish, Mexican and Southwest American cultures at the newly re-imagined Disney's Coronado Springs Resort. This beautiful lakeside oasis offers classic influences, Disney touches and modern comforts to energize and inspire as you delight in an array of new features, eateries and enhancements.

Deluxe Resorts

Disney's riviera resort, 1080 esplanade ave, lake buena vista, fl, 32830, united states.

Enchantment awaits you at a resort hotel that's inspired by Europe and imagined by Disney. Here, you can delight in exhilarating activities, delectable dining and stylish accommodations – from cozy Tower Studios to spacious One- and Two-Bedroom Villas.

Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa

4401 floridian way, lake buena vista, fl, 32830, united states.

Victorian elegance meets modern sophistication at this lavish Disney Resort hotel. Unwind outdoors, indulge in a luxurious massage and watch evening fireworks light up the sky over Cinderella Castle. Just one stop to Magic Kingdom park on the complimentary Resort Monorail, this timeless Victorian-style marvel evokes Palm Beach’s golden era.

Disney's Contemporary Resort

4600 world dr, orlando, fl, 32830, united states.

Retreat to this ultra-modern Disney Resort hotel and discover award-winning dining, spectacular views and dazzling pools. Whether you’re staying in the iconic A-frame Contemporary tower or the nearby Garden Wing, you can walk to Magic Kingdom main gate or catch the Resort Monorail as it breezes through the tower.

Disney's Yacht Club Resort

1700 epcot resorts blvd, orlando, fl, 32830, united states.

Delight in the formal grace of a grand New England-style yacht club at this lakeside hotel.

Disney's Wilderness Lodge

901 timberline dr, lake buena vista, fl, 32836, united states.

Escape to the rustic majesty of America’s Great Northwest. Inspired by turn-of-the-century National Park lodges, Disney’s Wilderness Lodge celebrates American craftsmanship and honors the beauty of the untamed wilderness. Soak in the splendor of the great outdoors, from nature trails through pine forests to rocking chairs that overlook a murmuring creek. Inside, discover towering totem poles, headdresses and more, and enjoy the rustic elegance of the stone hearth and roaring fireplace.

Disney's Beach Club Resort

1800 epcot resorts blvd, lake buena vista, fl, 32836, united states.

Located along Crescent Lake, Disney's Beach Club Resort's understated elegance mixed with the summer ambiance of the New England seaside combine to create a relaxing and casual atmosphere.

Disney's BoardWalk Inn

2101 n epcot resorts blvd, lake buena vista, fl, 32830-8442, united states.

Experience the charm and whimsy of turn-of-the-century Atlantic City at this waterfront resort hotel. Make a splash at Luna Park Pool and delight in a massage at the state-of-the-art fitness center. Discover carnival games, unique dining and exciting nightlife on the Coney Island-style boardwalk. Situated on shimmering Crescent Lake, the resort is located within walking distance of EPCOT® and Disney's Hollywood Studios®.

Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge

2901 w osceola pkwy, kissimmee, fl, 34747, united states.

Step into the heart of Africa at this magnificent Resort hotel. Inspired by the traditional African kraal, the horseshoe-curved design provides spectacular views of 4 lush savannas that over 200 hoofed animals and birds call home. Delight in dazzling pool areas, exciting animal programs and one of the largest collections of African art in the United States as you experience your own African safari adventure with a touch of Disney magic.

Deluxe Villa Resorts

Disney's animal kingdom villas - kidani village, 3701 w osceloa pkwy, lake buena vista, fl, 32830, united states.

Escape on your own African safari adventure at this magnificent Resort hotel. Inspired by the traditional African kraal, the horseshoe-curved design offers exquisite views of lush savannas—where over 30 species of African wildlife freely roam. Delight in dazzling pool areas, exciting animal programs and all the comforts of home in our spacious Studios and multi-bedroom Villas.

Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa

1960 broadway, lake buena vista, fl, 32830, united states.

Experience the Disney difference by placing yourself in the midst of the magic, where moments and memories have no limits. From theme park to hotel, you never have to leave the magic.

Bay Lake Tower at Disney's Contemporary Resort

4600 n world dr, lake buena vista, fl, 32830, united states.

Warm luxury meets modern elegance at this lakeside resort hotel located in walking distance to Magic Kingdom park. Delight in studios and multi-bedroom villas, kitchens or kitchenettes and dramatic views that may include old-growth cypress trees, the shimmering Bay Lake, the lush courtyard or Cinderella Castle.

Disney's Old Key West Resort

1510 n cove rd, lake buena vista, fl, 32830, united states.

Experience the romance of the Florida Keys at this tranquil community of Conch Flats – a sprawling island hamlet with shimmering waterways, swaying palm trees and manicured golf-course fairways. Delight in sun-soaked pools, casual dining and such amenities as fully equipped kitchens or kitchenettes. A peaceful tropical paradise, Disney's Old Key West Resort is also just a boat ride away from the excitement of Disney Springs®.

Boulder Ridge Villas at Disney's Wilderness Lodge

901 timberline dr, lake buena vista, fl, 32830, united states.

Recalling the 1860's railroad hotels of the American West, Boulder Ridge Villas offer the comforts of home amid the rustic beauty of Disney's Wilderness Lodge. Dine on traditional Pacific Northwest cuisine, explore trails through lush meadows and delight in the enchanting Copper Creek Springs Pool. Just a breezy boat ride to Magic Kingdom Park®, this Resort hotel celebrates the ethos of traditional craftsmanship and the great outdoors.

Disney's BoardWalk Villas

2101 n epcot resorts blvd, lake buena vista, fl, 32830, united states.

Timeless elegance meets old-fashioned charm at this waterfront Resort hotel. Delight in saltwater taffy-colored cottages, private courtyards and picturesque gardens — plus the ragtime sounds and carnival pastimes of the exciting Coney Island-style boardwalk. Reminiscent of turn-of-the-century Atlantic City, Disney's BoardWalk Villas is located within walking distance to both EPCOT® and Disney's Hollywood Studios® park.

Disney's Beach Club Villas

1800 epcot resorts blvd, lake buena vista, fl, 32830, united states.

Leisure, elegance and romance abound at this charming New England-style beach hotel — in easy walking distance to EPCOT® and a boat ride to Disney's Hollywood Studios. Enjoy the pools, spas and lagoons of Stormalong Bay, and the many amenities shared with Disney's Yacht & Beach Club Resorts.

Copper Creek Villas at Disney's Wilderness Lodge

Welcome to new idyllic retreat that evokes a rustic-elegant vibe—a perfect nod to the rich and pioneering heritage of the Pacific Northwest. Consider this your new go-to vacation base camp when pining for serene surroundings located just around the river bend from Magic Kingdom® Park. Standout features include a full range of accommodations with modern amenities—from Deluxe Studios to One-Bedroom Villas with a private porch or balcony.

Disney's Animal Kingdom Villas - Jambo House

The Costco Star Rating assigned to each hotel is only intended as a guideline. The rating is based on information that has been compiled by Costco Travel buyers and might differ from other references.

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Home » Walt Disney World » Planning and Tips » Saving Money

Disney World on a Budget | Cheapest Way to Go in 2024

By Author Ziggy Oskwarek

Posted on Last updated: November 25, 2023

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It’s no secret that Walt Disney World has gotten more and more expensive over the years, and unfortunately, some families have to save for years to be able to afford it, and in some cases, it’s become a once-in-a-lifetime trip. So what is the cheapest way to go to Disney World?

In this post, we’ll share with you the cheapest ways to go to Disney World in 2024 , and how to do Disney World on a budget . Figuring out how to save money is always a priority for us and something we emphasize when helping others plan their trips.

In fact, Disney has a strong reputation for being one of the most expensive vacations a family can take. If you’ve been to the parks before, I’m sure you’ve seen the Disney-mocking T-Shirts: “Most Expensive Day Ever…” We have to admit, that isn’t exactly a wrong statement, but it doesn’t have to be like that. There are still ways to save money and do Disney on a budget.

Since we have spent thousands of hours visiting the Disney parks over the last 40+ years, I can tell you firsthand, that it is possible to do “Disney on a Dime”, and we have included some of our best money-saving secrets here.

First, we’ll show you how to properly budget ahead of time and save money in preparation for your vacation. Then we’ll share the best ways to save on every aspect of your trip including transportation, tickets, accommodations, dining, and more.

It’s also important to note that the word “Budget” is relative, and what may be cheap to one family can be very expensive to another. I’ll show you how to save no matter your economic status and still have a great time all the same.

We go back and forth often about whether it’s better to “splurge” on a trip or cut costs and be more practical. This also depends on how often you visit. We understand wanting to go “all-out” if this is a once-in-a-lifetime trip, and in that case, we say: “Go for it!”

On the other hand, if you are on a strict budget, you may not have this luxury, or if you are like us and visit multiple times per year, being a bit more frugal is a much better decision. You can always do the extra experiences at another time so it’s better to cut costs and save where you can.

Before we get started here are some other articles that you will find useful for saving money at Disney World:

• Cheapest Times of the Year to Visit Disney World
• Tips for Saving Money at Disney World
• Cheapest Disney World Resort Hotels
• How to Buy the Cheapest Disney World Tickets

As always, if you are on a budget, the best way to make your Disney World vacation more affordable is to ask for help from an Authorized Disney Travel Agent such as our personal recommendation Show You the World Travel . They will always get you the best discounts and maximize your savings throughout the planning process, and the best part is they are FREE to use.

Also, don’t forget to sign up for our FREE Weekly E-Mail Newsletter. There we bring you the latest Disney vacation planning tips including how to save money, where to stay, and the best things to do. You can sign up here: Join our E-Mail Newsletter!

Table of Contents

How to Set a Budget for Disney World

Figuring out how much to spend and how to save money on a Disney World Vacation isn’t necessarily an easy proposition, especially if you haven’t been for years! Like all things, a trip to Walt Disney World hasn’t gotten any cheaper. 

That’s why having a budget can be imperative to completely maximize both your vacation and the aftermath of your vacation. After all, we all want to have a vacation that is memorable for all of the right reasons, not one remembered for the wrong reasons. 

In this section, we are going to touch on the three most important aspects of setting a budget: how much to set aside, how to save your money, and how many days you plan on visiting for.

How Much to Budget

To give you some help, in my article “How Much Does a Disney World Vacation Cost?” , I showcase how much to expect for a family of 4 to visit Disney World for a 6-day/5-night stay during the Summer season in 2024.

The totals I came up with were $ 5,895.26 for those staying at a Value Resort. For those staying at a Moderate Resort, the figure came out to $ 7,378.61 . And for those staying at a Deluxe Resort, the price came out to $ 10,757.96 .

This is a general rule of thumb, and obviously, there are significant variables including food expenses for your family, time of year you visit, etc. It’s always better to go into it thinking it will cost you MORE money as opposed to thinking you’ll need less.

The worst case would be to go into debt while visiting the happiest place, talk about a sour way to end your Disney Vacation. It’s always best to be prepared FIRST and then you can enjoy the fruits of your labor and hard work in the planning stages. 

If you save and budget more for your trip, you’ll be happier and less stressed throughout your vacation. And you’ll also see how expensive Disney World can be! 

Here’s a simple idea of how much to budget for a family of four for a weeklong trip to Disney World. 

• Staying at a Value Resort : $4,000 – $6,000
• Staying at a Moderate Resort : $6,000 – $8,000
• Staying at a Deluxe Resort : $8,000 – $10,000+ 

If you’re staying at a cheaper hotel off-site, you can likely get this number under $4,000 if traveling during a slower time of year.

This isn’t an exact science and doesn’t factor into shopping expenses, eating at signature dining restaurants, and other additional add-on experiences. The bottom line is you can spend as much money as you’d like to at Disney World, and you can easily spend more than $10,000 even if you’re staying at a Value Resort. 

However, by implementing some of our tips in this article, we will help you keep your numbers on the lower side of our suggestion to make budgeting simpler and quicker so you can visit Walt Disney World sooner and more often.

Saving Your Money

Now that you have an idea of ‘how much’ you’ll likely need to budget for your Disney World Vacation, now is the time when you actually have to save that money. Obviously, the more time prior to your trip you start, the better, but we understand that it’s not always possible. 

The first thing you’ll need to do is f ormulate a plan for how much money you’d like to set aside either weekly or monthly. If you need to save up to $5,000 for your budget, figure out how many weeks you have prior to your trip. 

Let’s say you have 5 months prior to your trip that would mean you’d need to set aside $1,000 monthly or about $250 weekly. 

If you get serious about doing this and setting aside the money, you can literally follow an autopilot type of system where all the thinking is essentially removed. Just keep doing the same thing over and over again.

How Many Days?

In my example above, I gave my budget suggestions based on a full week in Disney World, which is the most common amount of time families spend there, and our recommendation as well. 

However, if you’d like to budget less and be able to afford a Disney World trip sooner, you can get by and have a great time with 5 nights , instead of 7 as well. This will allow you to do 4 full park days, one park day for each of the four Disney Parks. ( EPCOT , Magic Kingdom , Hollywood Studios , and Animal Kingdom .) 

And while you won’t be able to do and see as many things throughout Walt Disney World with only 4 days for the parks, you’ll be able to keep your expenses lower, and it’ll give you enough time to figure out how and what you want to do on your next Disney World Vacation.

Ready to Start Planning Your Disney Vacation?

If you feel overwhelmed planning a Disney vacation, use an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner such as Show You the World Travel . They are experts on every Disney location and can tell you where to stay, what to do, how to save money, and give you personalized service for your most magical vacation ever!

Visit at the Right Time

Arguably the greatest way to allow your Disney World Vacation to meet your budget is to visit at the right time. As I explain in my guide, the prices of Disney trips can range substantially depending on the time of year you visit. It can easily double in cost from one time of year to another.

Not only are individual months more expensive than others but sometimes individual days of the week are more expensive. For instance, Fridays and Saturdays are more expensive than Sundays through Thursdays. This means that park tickets, Genie+, buffet prices, and hotel costs are more expensive on these particular days. 

The cheapest time of the year to visit Disney World is after New Year’s until President’s Day weekend in February. The second cheapest time is the middle of August until the end of September. These two times of year are almost always the cheapest for guests. 

And while you might be able to find good deals other times of the year such as May or early November and early December, they won’t be AS good. 

If you can at all possible, avoid these times of the year if you’re looking to save money:

• New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day
• President’s Day Weekend 
• Marathon Weekends
• Spring Break and Easter Time
• Memorial Day Weekend 
• Columbus Day Weekend
• Thanksgiving Week
• Christmas Week 

These are almost ALWAYS the most expensive time of year and crowds will be INSANE! Spending 2 to 3 times as much money while dealing with the highest amount of crowds doesn’t sound like a formula for success.

Getting to Disney World on a Budget

The next aspect of planning and budgeting for a Disney World Vacation is figuring out the most suitable and cost-effective way of traveling to Disney World. 

While cost should be valued when it comes to transportation, there’s a fine line between saving a few dollars to spending more but getting significantly more time in Disney World.

While driving might seem immediately the best budget-friendly option for families especially if you can make it to Orlando in less than a day, it’s not always the case. When driving your own vehicle you’ll have to keep in mind and factor in a number of additional expenses. 

If you’re staying off-site you’ll likely have to pay additional costs for parking at the Disney World parks and possibly the hotel you’re staying at. Whether you’re on-site or off-site you’ll have to pay for gas expenses and tolls.

Driving also means you’ll likely get less value for your time, which is the most valuable thing to many. For instance, if you are paying for a Disney World Hotel for Tuesday night and you don’t reach the hotel until late in the evening, you’ve lost a whole day at your resort.

You’ll also likely want to get on the road sooner on the day you leave, making you feel more rushed at the end of your vacation.

Make sure when you’re figuring out the driving costs, add all the associated costs. Did you need to get another hotel to split up your trip? Add that to the total. How many times will you need to fill up on gas? Will you need to pay for parking once you arrive? How many tolls will you be going through?

Our Guide to Parking at Walt Disney World will help you work through some of these questions and figure out what’s best for you.

Booking Cheap Flights

Our family’s preference is almost always to fly to Orlando for both conveniences and to maximize our time! With discounted airlines flying into Orlando in abundance these days, you’ll likely be able to find a cheaper deal from many airports. 

Even if the largest airport near your house doesn’t have any great deals, are there any regional airports near you that have some of the discounted airlines such as Sun Country, Jet Blue, Southwest, Breeze, Frontier, Spirit Airlines, etc…? 

Many of our friends often fly out of smaller airports to get to Orlando since they can get cheap flights. It’s worth looking into! 

The main airport near Disney is Orlando International Airport (MCO) , but a little further up north is Orlando Sanford Airport (SFB) , which has a few of the discounted airlines that fly there. 

If you get a cheaper deal to Sanford, just keep in mind you’ll have to pay more for transportation to/from the airport to your Disney World Resort due to its further away location. 

Also, keep in mind with these discounted airlines, you’ll often have to pay additional costs for luggage and seat assignments. Factor in these costs as well. 

And with flights, you will have the added cost of needing to get to your hotel or Disney World Resort from the airport, unlike having your own vehicle. Disney World no longer provides the complementary Magical Express Transportation to and from the airport.

Getting from the Airport to Your Resort

Ok so you’ve chosen to book airfare from your home location to Orlando, but now you have to figure out how to get from the airport to your resort. You’ll have a number of options, all of them ranging in terms of price and convenience. 

In my How to Get From Orlando Airport to Disney World , I explain all of the currently available options. They range from:

• Shuttle and bus services
• Town cars and Limo services
• Ride Sharing services such as Lyft and Uber 
• Renting a car
• Hiring a taxi driver

And while each of them has its pros and minuses, we tend to either hire a private town car or get an Uber. If we are with our whole family, we hire a private driver. This lets us go to the grocery store and the liquor store prior to the start of our trip to get some items for our room. 

If we are just traveling by ourselves or with one other person, we tend to get an Uber. It’s cheaper than hiring a taxi, and we’ve had great experiences every time in Orlando that we’ve used Uber. 

Taking a shuttle bus will be the cheapest option at around $15-$20 per person in each direction but it will also be a little slower with likely multiple stops along the way.

Budget Accommodations

Ok, so you’ve figured out how to get to Disney World, whether it’s driving yourself down to Orlando or flying down there. Now you need to figure out the best budget decision for your accommodations once you arrive in Orlando. Here are your available options.

Cheapest Disney Resorts

Disney Resorts fall into three different categories: Value Resorts , Moderate Resorts , and Deluxe Resorts . For budget-conscious travelers, you’ll want to stick to the Value Resorts category to make your Disney World Vacation as reasonably priced as possible. 

There are five value resorts: 

• Disney’s All-Star Movies Resort
• Disney’s All-Star Music Resort
• Disney’s All-Star Sports Resort
• Disney’s Art of Animation Resort
• Disney’s Pop Century Resort

Our two favorites in the group are Disney’s Art of Animation Resort and Disney’s Pop Century Resort as we talk about in our Ranking of the Best Disney Value Resorts.

These two sister resorts are connected via a walkway, and both have incredibly convenient access to both EPCOT and Hollywood Studios, being that they are on the Disney Skyliner Loop. 

During slower times of the year, you’ll find Pop Century standard rooms for under $200 per night and standard Art of Animation Rooms for just over $200 a night. The Art of Animation Resort also has the famous ‘Family Suites’ which will fit larger families of up to 6 people. These rooms are slightly more expensive per night. 

The nice thing about all of these Disney Resorts, including the three All-Star Resorts, is that they receive the many complementary Disney Perks of staying on-site such as free parking both at the resort and in the parks, early theme park entry, and free Disney transportation throughout the Disney World grounds. 

These are just a few of the many wonderful perks that Disney grants to its resort guests, and a stay at these Value Resorts entitles you to these perks. We cover this and the least expensive Moderate and Deluxe Resorts in our post on the Cheapest Resorts at Disney World .

Best Way to Save Big $$$ on Disney Resorts

If you want to potentially save thousands of dollars on your next trip to Disney World, I personally recommend David’s DVC Rentals . They consistently have the best prices and biggest selection of Disney Villas that will make you ask yourself: “How do they do it?”

Off-Site Hotels on a Budget

While there are significant amounts of perks to staying at a Disney World Resort as we’ve mentioned above, sometimes the cost comparison to off-site hotels is astronomical. You’ll often find higher quality hotels with more bells and whistles for a fraction of the nightly rate of Disney World Resorts. 

For instance, you can sometimes find hotels equivalent to Disney’s Deluxe Resorts that are located off-site for the same prices as Disney Value Resorts. This can make the debate very challenging! And while we normally prefer staying on-site, it’s a debate that’s worth consideration these days. 

Take a look at some of our favorite off-site hotels , some of which, strangely enough, are actually on Disney World’s Property!

Another nice benefit of some of the off-site hotels is that they have larger room offerings. You’ll find more options for suites, accommodating large families and groups to stay in the same room. 

Just keep in mind when staying off-site even if your nightly rate is a fraction of the cost of the Disney World Resort, there are other expenses to consider, in addition to likely being further away and requiring additional time to get to Disney’s locations. 

You’ll likely have to pay for things such as nightly resort fees, parking fees at your hotel, parking fees for Disney Parks (only free for Disney Resort guests), and you’ll also likely have to rent a car. This will require you to have to pay for tolls and gas. 

Factor in all of these expenses when doing a true apples-to-apples comparison to see which option is the most budget-friendly. The answer can be different for different groups of people and different families.

Top 3 Places to Stay in Orlando

Ultimate Luxury : Four Seasons Resort Orlando – Five Star Dining and Best Luxury Hotel in Orlando. On-site with many of the same perks as Disney Resort guests.

My Favorite: Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress – Best Pool and Amenities, Close location

Budget Hotel Near Disney : Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista – Great Value and upscale feel at a low price

Renting a House Near Disney for Cheap

Something we’ve been doing quite a bit over the last few years is renting a vacation home near Disney. These vacation homes can be found on sites such as Orlando Vacation , Airbnb , HomeAway , Vrbo , just to name a few. This is an awesome option if you’re looking to visit the Orlando area for a longer period of time, or if you’re looking to do other things outside of just simply visiting the Disney Bubble. 

Many of the vacation homes in Kissimmee, Four Corners, and Davenport are beautiful and can accommodate large groups of people! We’ve often stayed in ones with 6 or 7 bedrooms with plenty of space for the kids and room for other families! 

By packing out these houses and utilizing the space while sharing the cost with 10-15 people, you can make these stays incredibly cheap! 

These hotels are vacation-themed and have great fun and activities for kids! The rooms are often themed, and the houses sometimes are found in communities with additional amenities and activities including playgrounds, fitness centers, and pools. We’ve always had great experiences at all the ones we’ve stayed at! 

Another way to save is if you’re visiting for more than a week, these vacation rental sites often will give you an extended stay discount or you can speak to the owners and it’s likely that they’ll work with you. 

While renting a vacation home will require you to rent a car , you’ll still make out ahead if you get another family or two to share the costs, so it’s something to strongly consider.

Stay in an RV or Go Camping

If you’re an outdoorsy person or if you love to go camping, consider a stay at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort ! The campsites here will fit up to 10 guests, allowing you to either bring your RV or pack a tent. This beautiful resort is situated on 750 acres of timeless American frontier beauty, something you know Walt Disney would be proud of. 

This is the cheapest way to stay on Walt Disney World’s property with campsites starting at $73 per night. This means that you can literally split the costs of the campsite with up to 10 guests altogether! 

Here at Fort Wilderness, you’ll get to enjoy scenic surroundings and an abundance of nature throughout the property including deer, rabbits, ducks, armadillos, and more! While it isn’t an upscale Disney World Vacation, it is cheap, and it is fun!

There’s no other resort in Disney World that has all of the recreation options that Fort Wilderness contains, including water sports, fishing, golf car rentals, archery, pony rides, canoeing and laying, basketball, volleyball, and the famous Tri Circle-D Ranch!

We don’t consider ourselves campers by any means, but even we would admit that we find this resort to be a worthwhile adventure.

Book Well in Advance

There are few places on earth where guests book a vacation as far in advance as a trip to Disney World. Guests frequently book their trips a year prior to their vacation and for good reason! With Disney Vacation Club members booking their resorts normally at the 11-month mark, it’s imperative that all guests take advantage of also booking early. 

We highly recommend you to lock in your resort as soon as possible, especially with the most popular resorts selling out quickly. We cover this more in our post “How Far in Advance Can You Book a Disney World Vacation?”

The good news is even if you don’t get the best price on the dates you book, if a better deal or promotion comes out closer to the start of your vacation, you can easily rebook or adjust your booking to ensure you get the best rate. 

You can do this yourself by continuing to monitor Disney’s promotional offers here , but you’d do better to use an Authorized Disney Travel Planner such as Show You the World Travel who will do this for you! And the best part of all is that they don’t charge you a penny!

Cheapest Disney Tickets

The next important aspect of your Disney World Vacation is your park tickets! Besides the hotel, this is one of the biggest expenses of your trip and it’s important to get the best possible price on your tickets. 

If you get this right, it’s an easy way for your family to save hundreds on your vacation. Here are our best budget-conscious ways to save money on Disney World Park Tickets.

Ticket Prices

When purchasing Disney World Park Tickets , it’s good to have a general idea of how much you can expect to pay for tickets. With Disney moving to a date-based ticketing structure, ticket prices fluctuate depending on the day you visit and the time of year you visit.

For 1-day park tickets , you will pay anywhere from $109 per adult to all the way up to $189. These prices do NOT include sales tax nor do they include any additional extra options such as park hopping privileges. 

For guests between the ages of 3 to 9, the ticket prices start slightly lower at $104. Keep in mind, children under the age of 3 do NOT need a park ticket.

For more popular times of the year such as holidays and summertime, you’ll pay at the higher end of the spectrum (another reason to pick a cheap month to visit).

As you can tell, park tickets can be VERY costly. However, the good news is the prices drop substantially per day, meaning that if you purchase multi-day tickets, you’ll pay significantly less per day. For instance, if you purchase a 7-day park ticket the cost per day goes from $109 down to $75 per day!

Choosing the Right Days

As mentioned above with Disney’s date-based pricing structure, choosing the right days can save you substantially when visiting the parks. Visiting during off-peak times of the year such as January, August, and September, you can visit for the low end of the spectrum and find tickets for as low as $109. 

However, if visiting during peak times of the year such as Christmas or New Year, you will spend the highest amount possible, and spend the full $189 per day. 

That’s an $80 difference for the exact same ticket! For a family of four, that’s a $320 swing for JUST park tickets.

Skip Park Hopper

For those unfamiliar, a park hopper is an add-on for park tickets that allows guests to visit as many Disney World Theme Parks per day as they want. This means you can jump from park to park if you so choose, even visiting all four if you want. 

While we love having the ability to park hop, it certainly isn’t necessary and with park hopping costing anywhere between $67.10 and $101.18 more PER ticket for an adult, this is an added expense that certainly isn’t needed. 

For a family of four, this can be another additional $400+ on top of your park tickets. Instead, with good planning and maximizing your days in each park, you can still get everything done that you want without paying extra. 

Simply visit one park per day, and if you’re tired go back to your hotel, and come back to the same park later in the day for free instead of paying more to visit a different one.

Buying Cheap Disney Tickets

As I talk about in our Guide to Buying Cheap Disney World Tickets , this can be a great way to potentially save hundreds of dollars on your family vacation. 

Most Disney World vacationers automatically assume they have to purchase their park tickets directly through Disney. And while that’s an option, it isn’t usually the best option if you’re purchasing multi-day park tickets. 

If you’re only buying 1 or 2-day tickets, purchasing directly through Disney is perfectly fine and generally the same price as the discounted ticket outlets. 

However, with multi-day tickets, you’ll be better off using a site such as Undercover Tourist or our personal favorite, Orlando Vacation .

Depending on the time of year you visit and the type of ticket you purchase, they can sometimes save you up to $60 per ticket as opposed to buying through Disney directly. That money can buy your family a nice dinner at your favorite restaurant instead.

Purchasing through reputable ticket resellers like Orlando Vacation or Undercover Tourist is an easy process, in which they walk you through the entire process. Upon purchase, they will send you a confirmation number to which you simply connect to your My Disney Experience account. And then you are all set! There’s no difference!

Cheapest Discount Disney World Tickets

If you are looking to save money on Disney World theme park tickets, our personal recommendation is Orlando Vacation . They almost always have the best prices on multi-day tickets and can save you $20-$60 per ticket over buying direct from Disney.

Use Those Discounts

Disney offers yearly military bonuses for anyone actively serving in the military or anyone that is retired from the military and often, they will offer heavily discounted 4, 5, and 6-Day park tickets. You can find the latest promotions here.

If you qualify for the tickets, you can also stay at the Shades of Green resort which is strictly for military members and their families, and you can often find these rooms for as low as $70 per night, which often includes free breakfast. 

Auto Club South offices in Florida offer discounts currently on 1 and 3-Day Florida Resident tickets for AAA Members. There is an office about 20 miles north of Disney World in Winter Park.

Cheap Tickets for Florida Residents

Disney also offers regular discounts for Florida Residents. Currently, they have discounted deals on 1 to 4-Day tickets. You can find these here. The 4-day ticket can save you about 40% off the normal ticket price for non-Florida residents. 

Keep in mind Disney will require proof of residency when purchasing these Florida residents’ deals. You can verify both online and in-person with the purchase of Florida Resident tickets.

Read our Guide to Florida Resident Disney World Tickets for more details.

Budget Dining & Restaurants

Another huge expense for your Disney World Vacation is likely your dining and restaurant budget. 

This is totally subjective and depends on your eating habits. Some families choose to cut corners here and limit unnecessary food expenses while other families want to maximize their savings as much as possible. 

In this section, we will touch on ways you can save some money, but more importantly, plan properly for a reasonable dining budget.

Have a Food Budget

Like all segments of a Disney World Vacation, it’s imperative that you have a food budget! You can easily overspend here and the cost of Disney food is incredibly pricey in comparison with restaurant options in most locales, so it’s important to prepare properly. 

The simplest way to not overspend here is to completely avoid all Disney food options, which is likely impossible or disinteresting for most guests. You can easily stop at a grocery store , get groceries delivered in Disney World through a service such as DoorDash, or eat at one of the many amazing off-site restaurants . 

And while we don’t enjoy this type of experience, if you want to minimize your food expenses as much as possible, you can easily do this. Heck, you can even pack and bring your own food to the Disney Parks each day! 

But for most families that want to do it the ‘normal way’ and just to have the traditional experience of eating, snacking, and dining throughout Disney World, what can they expect to spend?

We’d suggest the average family of 4 budgets between $200-$300 per day of your vacation . Air on the side of $200 if food is less important for you, and air on the side of the $300 if food is a big part of your trip. 

This is assuming you’ll likely want some snacks, a quicker food meal (quick-service), and one sit-down table-service meal. 

Here are some other things you can do to cut costs and limit your food budget:

• Eat your bigger meals for breakfast or lunch, they’ll be a bit cheaper
• Order food from the kid’s menus, even if you’re an adult
• Split larger meals among family members instead of wasting food 
• If you don’t want everything listed on the meal, ask for it without (It’ll save money) 
• Eat meals outside of the parks. Disney Springs and the Resorts have better food and it’s cheaper!

Buy Groceries

A great way to minimize your expenses when it comes to food and dining in Disney World is by purchasing your own groceries. You don’t need to buy groceries for every meal, but just by supplementing your meals in the parks, you can save considerably!

For instance, if you get a few breakfast items at the grocery store that you can have before you head out each morning, you don’t need to purchase breakfast while you’re at the parks. 

With some of the larger Disney rooms having kitchenettes or full kitchens and outside Disney hotels often having kitchen areas, cooking in your rooms is simple and easy!. 

You can get snacks for the room, or even alcohol, which will minimize the need to purchase drinks while in the parks. Alcoholic beverages in Disney World are outrageously priced, with even higher markups than food.

Though we like to complain, we’re the first people you will see drinking around the World Showcase in EPCOT or grabbing a beer at the Magic Kingdom with our meal, even as expensive as they are! 

Our family typically purchases some snacks and some easier-to-make items for our room. This allows us to snack or occasionally replace an odd Disney meal here and there. We’ve done this by driving ourselves to the store or by utilizing a grocery service DoorDash.

There are a million different scenarios in which you can purchase groceries to supplement your meals. We suggest researching how to get groceries at Disney World and see if it makes sense based on your hotel room and eating habits.

Bring Your Own Food to the Parks

A common way to save money is to bring small coolers of your own packed food to the parks. As long as the coolers aren’t oversized and they’re soft-sided and don’t include any ice. 

This can be very straightforward if you’re staying off-site and have easy access to local grocery stores to get your own food in advance. 

This isn’t only limited to the parks, you can enjoy your packed food items anywhere on Disney’s property, even at the hotels or Disney Springs. While we are big fans of enjoying the many diverse food offerings of Disney World, periodically packing a meal or two each day is a great way to save money! 

It’s quite easy to make a salad or pack a sandwich for your family for lunch! This can also be useful if you have fussier eaters in your group as everyone can bring what THEY want.

Eat Outside Disney World

While we don’t recommend eating all of your meals outside of Disney World, there are some fantastic restaurants outside of Disney for a small percentage of the costs of a Disney meal. These range in offering from tons of different ethnic foods to great quick service options. 

When we stay off-site, we frequently research and find new places to eat outside of Disney and we’ve found some spectacular options for guests. Using sites such as Groupon you can also find great deals on restaurants in the area. 

This can even work if you’re visiting a Disney Park for the day and just want a change of scenery or a break in the middle of the day. If you rent a car , it’s incredibly easy to leave the parks and within 10-15 minutes have a plethora of options available! 

Then if you want you can return to the parks when you’re refreshed and fueled up on food and enjoy additional rides or entertainment and cap off your great day.

No Dining Plan

While we are enthusiastic about the return of the Disney Dining Plan in 2024, it’s not much of a “budget-conscious” option for households. The dining plan is nice since you don’t have to worry about additional costs when you arrive at Disney. 

The reason it does so well is that it has more of an “all-inclusive” feel to it, and people like knowing their expenses prior to their trip. And that’s what the dining plan does so well, but it won’t save money for 95% of guests.

There certainly was a time several years ago when the dining plan was a great deal for practically everyone, these days it is less about saving money and more about convenience. Sure, there are ways to make the dining plan useful in some instances, but for most budgeting families, it makes little sense. 

And it essentially forces you to eat your meals on-site, limiting your ability to take advantage of some of our other suggestions. You’d be better off getting a few of your meals outside of Disney, by either packing some of your own food or heading to the grocery store at the start of your trip.

We would NEVER advise you to save money or cut costs when it comes to tipping. In fact, Disney Cast Members are fantastic and typically deserve the very best when it comes to tipping. Standard tipping rates would be applicable for your Disney World Vacation. 

For exceptional service, stick closer to 20% or just over 20%. For mediocre to bad service, tip around 15%. These are common American standard tipping rates that some of our European readers and visitors from abroad aren’t used to having in their home countries.

Limit Number of Meals Per Day

While we may believe we will need as many or MORE meals in Disney World than we would at home, for most, this isn’t the case! Believe me, when you are under that hot Florida sun all day, you won’t need as many meals per day as you might think.

Combine that hot and sweaty Florida sun with continual snacking and we very rarely eat 3 real meals per day. There’s nothing worse than overstuffing ourselves while we are in the heat and the sun. It drains our energy and makes us want to go back to our hotel room to take a nap! 

And if we have a large sit-down meal, at a buffet, or another table-service restaurant it’s likely that it’ll fill us up for one or two meal times, especially if you go to a buffet and time it so that it’s in between meal times. 

Save up your hunger and get better value for your money!

Split Meals

Sharing meals with someone else in your group can also be a great way to save money! My wife and I often tend to favor the same kinds of meals on a Disney menu, and many times we will just get one entree and then split an appetizer as well! 

This works fantastic for us. Many of our favorite Disney World restaurants are signature dining experiences, meaning that entrees can sometimes be over $60 per entree or more, and it can get excessive if everyone in the family gets an entree.

By splitting entrees you’ll likely get more than enough food while also saving yourselves significant amounts of money.

While we typically do this at table-service restaurants, this can work even on quick service locations or snack stands. Sharing things amongst multiple people brings the overall cost down significantly when multiplied throughout the course of the week. 

We personally love to share meals but we’d understand why some won’t, but you’re missing out on some nice savings if you don’t.

Skip Character Meals

While we love character meals , more for the experience than the actual food, they can get expensive! With some character meals reaching upwards of $60 per person for mediocre food, the meals are a fun experience but certainly not necessary.  

If you do choose to do one, avoid the ones that are in the parks. Opt for character meals at the Disney World Resorts such as Ohana Breakfast, Cape May Cafe, Chef Mickey’s, and 1900 Park Fare. 

They’ll be cheaper and more times than not have better quality food!

Never Pay for Water

Yes, free water is still a thing! It still pains me when I see guests paying $4 for a bottle of water when they could have easily just asked for a free cup of iced water.

And while it is true sometimes Florida tap water isn’t always the most delectable when it comes from the tap, most times it’s perfectly fine! And if it keeps you from getting parched or getting heat stroke, it’ll more than suffice. 

Simply ask any food location that serves drinks in the parks. Nearly every place has cups now and they’ll give them to you for free to get water. If the particular location you visit doesn’t have cups, ask if there is a nearby location that does. They’ll point you in the right direction. 

Do this each day and make sure you get fueled and hydrated for your long and hot days in the Florida sun!

Budget Eats in the Parks

If you decide to grab some food in the parks and are looking for something reasonably priced, filling, shareable and tasty, there are a number of things we’d suggest! While it’s possible they might not all resonate with your particular palate, we enjoy these things and would recommend them. 

Magic Kingdom

• Go to Casey’s Corner and get a massive all-beef hot dog with fries and all the fixings for about $10. 
• Go to Columbia Harbour House and grab the trio platter which consists of fried shrimp, chicken strips, hush puppies, and battered fish. This is less than $15 and perfectly sharable! 
• Go to Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn and Cafe and split the taco trio for about $11. You can go to the Fixins’ Bar here and load up on additional toppings such as cheese, salsa, roasted corn, onions, and sour cream as well. 
• Visit Sommerfest in Germany and grab a bratwurst meal served with sauerkraut and chips for about $11. 
• Go to Via Napoli in Italy and get a Mezzo Metro pizza! While they are over $50 for a pizza, they are massive and can easily serve 3 to 5 people. It is also arguably the best pizza in all of Walt Disney World. 
• Visit Sunshine Seasons in The Land Pavilion . You’ll find a number of tasty options for less than $10. The menu is massive and it’s also a nice place to unwind and relax in an air-conditioned environment. 

Hollywood Studios

• We love to go to Woody’s Lunch Box in Toy Story Land and split a number of reasonably priced menu items including the Totchos, the grilled cheese, and the grilled cheese. Both of these are around $10 or under. 
• A recently updated and better menu has made ABC Commissary a popular spot when we are in Hollywood Studios. We love the Buffalo Chicken Grilled Cheese Sandwich, and it can be found for about $11 and it’s a great size to share! 

Animal Kingdom

• Visit snack stand Eight Spoon Cafe and get large portions of different mac and cheese bowls. The cheapest one starts at under $5 and it’s a fairly good portion! 
• Head over to Flame Tree BBQ and almost everything on the menu is shareable! We love the pulled pork mac and cheese and we often split this. It’s under $13.

These are just a few of our favorites, but there are a number of great options at all of the parks, outside of just mine.

Disney has really upped their game when it comes to food, and it isn’t all just chicken tenders and french fries these days.  If visiting the quick-service or stack stand locations, it’s very hard to find something that isn’t great!

Our Favorite Cheap Restaurants

There are plenty of options to choose from for families looking for great restaurants that balance making a budget-friendly meal with good quality food. Here are our picks for our favorite “cheap restaurants.” 

Some of these options are table service requiring you to sit down with a waiter and will likely cost a few dollars more, while some of these are quick-service options making them a little cheaper and less formal. 

• Satu’li Canteen (Animal Kingdom) 

This quick-service option inside Animal Kingdom offers tasty “create your own bowls” allowing you to customize your own personal bowl. This is a healthy option, allowing you to pick your base, protein, and sauce. 

We also LOVE the Cheeseburger Steamed Pods here. They are essentially cheeseburger bao buns. Prices here range from $12 – $17. 

• Polite Pig (Disney Springs) 

This is perhaps up there with the best food in all of Disney World! And it’s a quick service location with terrific and reasonably priced options. This barbecue joint offers a variety of different sandwich options as well as ribs, brisket, and other tasty barbecue fare you can expect. Prices here can range between $11 – $25 or so.

• Sanaa (Animal Kingdom Lodge) 

This table-service sit-down meal is found inside the Animal Kingdom Lodge resort over at Kidani Village. One of the true hidden gems in Disney World, due to its further proximity to most locations in Disney. 

While it’s kind of a crossover between African and Indian cuisine, and while that can get some guests to shy away from it, we feel it shouldn’t! I’ve rarely heard anyone say they’ve had a bad experience here and the famous naan bread service with all the dips is truly outstanding! 

• 50’s Prime Time Cafe (Hollywood Studios) 

While we enjoy their food here, it’s more about the experience and the great overall time you’ll have here! This 50s-style table-service diner offers tasty home cookin’, including some of our favorite fried chicken in all of Disney World. 

Kids and parents alike will love the experience here, as it’s truly a one-of-a-kind setting. The cast members go out of their way to make this a total experience and it’s incredibly reasonably priced! We often split entrees here that range anywhere from about $20-$25.

• Les Halles Boulangerie-Patisserie (EPCOT) 

This once lesser-known quick-service location in France in EPCOT has gotten more and more popular over the last several years. Jam-packed with sandwiches, baguettes, pastries, quiches, soups, and practically everything you can think of that is French. 

And let me tell you, all of it is good! And it’s cheap! You’ll find things on the menu here ranging from $5 to about $12.

Honorable Mentions

A few other quick service locations that are both cheap and good are Docking Bay 7 in Hollywood Studios, D-Luxe Burger , and The Chicken Guy in Disney Springs, as well as Regal Eagle Smokehouse and Connections Eatery in EPCOT. 

A few other table-service restaurants that are worth mentioning that are incredibly tasty and offer good value are Grand Floridian Cafe at the Grand Floridian Resort, Yak & Yeti at Animal Kingdom, Steakhouse 71 at the Contemporary Resort, Beaches & Cream at the Beach Club Resort, and Homecomin’ in Disney Springs.

Cheapest Transportation

The next important aspect of budgeting for a Disney World Vacation is figuring out and planning for your transportation expenses. In this section, we will touch on the two main takeaways if you want to save the most amount of money when it comes to transportation.

Don’t Rent a Car

While it’s almost impossible NOT to rent a car if you’re staying off-site in Disney World, for the sake of budgeting and saving money, we recommend avoiding renting a car if you’re staying within Disney’s Bubble. You should even consider not renting a car even if you’re staying off-site. 

We understand Disney transportation can sometimes be slow, but in my opinion, it’s not worth paying the additional costs of renting a car if you are doing it just for that. A car means you’ll have to consider a number of additional costs associated with a trip to Disney. 

If you’re NOT staying at a Disney Resort you’ll have to pay for parking at the Disney Parks, which costs $30 per day for standard parking. You might also have to pay for parking at your hotel each day. 

Whether you’re staying off or on-side when renting a car you’ll have the costs of the actual car rental, the cost of gas, and the cost of tolls. 

And if you’re like me, renting a car just feels like less of a vacation. More things for you to consider, more planning, and more using a GPS to get around. As frustrating as Disney’s transportation can sometimes be, there’s something nice about not having any concerns or worries once you step foot on Disney Property.

There are some scenarios when renting a car at Disney World makes sense. But the bottom line is if you are on a budget, we recommend avoiding it, it’ll only cost you money in the end!

Best Rental Car Company in Orlando

When you book a Rental Car in Orlando Florida Online, I personally recommend and use Discover Cars . They search for the best offers so you save the most money!

Use Disney’s Free Transportation

While sometimes painfully slow, Disney’s free transportation can get you practically anywhere you need to go within the Disney bubble including the different Disney Resorts, the water parks, and the theme parks. 

Not only is it free but oftentimes it’s a lot of fun too! With some of the most scenic boat rides to the always enjoyable Disney World Monorail , a ride on Disney’s transportation can be a fun experience for the entire family! 

Utilize the different forms of transportation to break up your trip and experience new experiences for each member of the family. Your kids will remember the Monorail , the Disney Skyliner , and the boat rides . Don’t rely solely on Disney’s Buses , if at all possible. 

By doing this, you’ll not only NOT have to worry about paying additional costs for renting a family, you’ll also have a more stress-free and relaxing vacation.

Cheap & Free Things to Do at Disney World

A trip to Walt Disney World doesn’t mean EVERYTHING has to come at a cost. Surprisingly, there are a load of options for people looking for things to do that aren’t costly experiences. 

Here are some of our very favorite free and cheap things to do at Disney World.

Visit Disney Springs

This beautiful shopping and entertainment district that replaced the former Downtown Disney area is a wonderful way to spend an evening or a quiet day. Some of the very best offerings in terms of entertainment, shopping, and dining are found in Disney Springs. 

Visiting Disney Springs is completely free and you don’t need to pay for anything if you so choose. Weekends in Disney Springs can be VERY crowded with live musicians and entertainment scattered throughout. 

There’s nothing like spending a beautiful night strolling through Disney Springs having a few snacks, getting dessert at one of the ice cream shops, and listening to some cool live music! 

Make sure to read my ranking of the Best Disney Springs Restaurants so you know where to go and where to avoid.

Go Resort Hopping

Our family often schedules meals at the different Disney World Resorts and by doing this, we can explore and check out the other Walt Disney World Resorts . With more than 30 resorts throughout Walt Disney World, it can be fun to see and explore them, and you can make a day out of it.

From the theming to the shopping to the pin trading, resort hopping can be a great way for families to check out a different resort while potentially getting an idea for a place you’d like to stay at in the future.

Have a Pool Day or Two

Park days can be not only exhausting and tiring for the entire family, but they can also be costly as well! So why not schedule a pool day or two? 

Pool days are a great way for the whole family to rejuvenate and relax at their resort’s pool area. This is a great way to catch up on some sleep, sip on a cocktail, and enjoy some of the other resorts’ recreational offerings. 

Perhaps the kids want to utilize the playground, play some basketball or volleyball, or take part in another fun recreational activity that your hotel features. In fact, we love pool days and they are often some of the most memorable days of our trips, not to mention they are normally MUCH cheaper.

Explore Disney’s Boardwalk

A fun-themed activity that guests normally love is a visit to the Disney Boardwalk . This NJ-themed boardwalk area is a great way for guests to do some shopping while enjoying a number of different dining and recreation offerings. 

While the best time to visit is in the evenings on the weekends, you can visit at any time of day! With fun boardwalk-style games, nighttime performers, and two adult areas (Jellyrolls and Atlantic Dance Hall) for singing and dancing, the Disney Boardwalk is an under-the-radar spot for guests looking for a great and unique time!

Play Mini Golf

A frequent thing for our family to do on a nice evening when we have no plans is to play mini golf (miniature golf or putt-putt) for some folks. Disney World has two different locations for guests to do this, Fantasia Gardens and Winter Summerland . 

Fantasia Gardens is located around the Disney Boardwalk over by EPCOT and Winter Summerland is located right next to Blizzard Beach. Both are fun for the entire family while being drastically different in terms of theming. 

For adults, both courses are $14, and for kids, the courses are $12. They both offer discounts for Annual Passholders.

Watch the Animals

If you didn’t know, you don’t need to go to Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park to see wildlife and animals, you can simply head over to the Animal Kingdom Lodge Resort to see many of the same ones! 

While you won’t see any tigers or lions at the resort, you can still see many of the savannah animals, including zebras, giraffes, and gazelles. 

For an additional animal experience, visit the Tri Circle-D Ranch over at the Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground! This unique and famous ranch is home to more than 90 of the Happiest Horses on Earth. 

It features stables that house Cinderella’s Ponies and the majestic horses of Main Street, USA. You and the kids can take part in pony rides and carriage rides here as well!

Pin Trading

A popular pastime of both Disney Cast Members and Disney guests is pin trading! This inexpensive hobby is a great way for all members of the family to have some fun! 

You can buy the pins at Disney, but they are expensive! To save some money, our suggestion is to buy a starter kit on eBay prior to the start of the trip. They’ll be a small fraction of the costs of purchasing them directly in Disney World. 

Bring your pins to the parks and resorts, look for pin boards, and start trading. You’ll likely also find cast members with pins that you can trade for, as well as other Disney World guests. 

Ask them if they’d like to trade. It’s an addicting hobby that will certainly add a fun flavor to your Disney World Vacation.

Do the Free Resort Activities

Each resort in Walt Disney World is loaded with scheduled fun activities for family members of all ages including movies under the stars, fun pool games, and campfire activities! You’ll be able to check out the daily schedule at the resort that you are staying at, and then choose whatever ones you like.

See which activities appeal to the members of your family and if you can’t find it, simply ask a hotel cast member. These activities are almost all free and can be a lot of fun!

Watch the Fireworks

While you can enjoy the fireworks inside the Disney Parks at EPCOT , Magic Kingdom , and Hollywood Studios , you can also enjoy them outside the parks! 

Many guests are surprised to know there are several other “secret viewing spots” that are situated at some of the nearby resorts allowing you to still get good views of the fireworks. 

A few of our favorites are on the 4th deck of the Contemporary Resort, on the back walkways of the Grand Floridian, and the Disney Boardwalk, or on a beach at the Grand Floridian or Polynesian Resorts.

Just check the fireworks schedule to make sure you are there at the right time.

Search for Hidden Mickeys

It’s likely you’ve seen Hidden Mickeys dozens of times without thinking of it! These are the outlines of Mickey that are worked into the rides, parks, and hotel ambiance.

There are literally thousands and thousands of Hidden Mickeys all throughout Walt Disney World and a popular thing for guests to do is to search for all of the Hidden Mickeys during their trip. Some of them are harder to find and some are easier.

You can find scavenger hunts and guidebooks that will literally help you find and spot many of the different Hidden Mickeys throughout the parks and resorts. We absolutely LOVE doing this and it often turns into a fun game for the family.

When it comes to budgeting, like dining, souvenirs can be another variable expense that can be fully controllable with some planning. 

You can minimize this expense as much as possible to be able to afford the fixed expenses such as your resort and park tickets. Here are our favorite suggestions to minimize this portion of your budget.

Don’t Buy Souvenirs at the Parks

A HUGE percentage of the things you’ll likely find at the parks to purchase can be found online for a fraction of the cost! 

If you absolutely love something that you find in the parks, write it down. Check online from places like Amazon and other retail shops. 

If you can’t find it anywhere, just go to shopDisney and you’ll likely find the exact item you are looking for. Plus the shopDisney site frequently has promotions and coupon codes so you’ll likely be able to save some additional money. 

If you’re not fixated on certain items but instead just want to do some Disney shopping, you can use sites like eBay to do some hunting and you’ll likely be able to find some unique Disney offerings that won’t be your run-of-the-mill souvenirs that are found at the parks. 

We will often do shopping BEFORE our trip for Disney outfits and things we’d like to bring. You’ll save considerably and you won’t need to cut out of your Disney budget once you arrive at the parks. 

We understand not buying ANYTHING is nearly impossible for some families, so we just recommend putting aside some money for souvenirs but don’t make it a lot if you’re on a tight budget.

Visit the Outlets

There are a number of stores in the Orlando area that sell Disney merchandise at significant discounts, but there are only two official Disney Park merchandise retail outlets (Disney’s Character Warehouse). One is located nearby Disney Springs and the other is located near Universal Orlando. 

It’s easy to get fooled by the many stores and locations that look a bit seedy that say “Disney Gifts.” These are NOT official Disney Stores and I wouldn’t go there. 

At the two official stores, you’ll often find merchandise for 30% off and sometimes as high as 70 % or 80% off! Both locations can have some great things and it depends on ‘when’ you visit but this can be a great way to save some money on official Disney World merchandise. 

• The one near Disney Springs is found at 8200 Vineland Ave, Orlando, FL 32821-6811
• The one near Universal is found inside the Orlando Vineland Premium Outlets right off of I-4 at 4969 International Dr, Orlando, FL 32819.

Plan for the Unpredictable

Budgeting for anything requires a “rainy day” fund of sorts, and certainly, a trip to Walt Disney World can fit within that same category. After all, trips to Disney can be unpredictable. 

Whether it’s terrible weather including hurricanes and tropical storms, or someone suffering an accident and getting hurt. It’s always best to plan for these things in advance and pack the necessary items for your family.

First aid kits, sunscreen, ponchos, portable chargers, umbrellas, medicine, sunglasses, travel docs, etc.

Only you know everything your family needs. Make your list prior to packing and make sure you are prepared in the event of the unpredictable. Do this within reason, and don’t go too crazy!

You also may want to consider getting good and inexpensive travel insurance, especially if someone in your group has serious medical issues that could come up during the trip and make for a costly side trip. You will likely save a ton of money if someone in your group has an emergency and be happy you took precautions ahead of time.

Skip the Extras

Besides the normal stuff, there are a number of add-on extras that could cost your family additional money. And while we highly recommend most of them, if you’re on a budget, SKIP them.

Genie+ is the new Fast Pass for guests, allowing them to pay a daily cost to skip the lines. It is a premium service and can get VERY expensive for a family. While we enjoy using Genie+ on occasion, like at Magic Kingdom and Hollywood Studios, it isn’t necessary for a successful trip.

On the cheaper end of the spectrum, you’ll find Genie+ cost a minimum of $15 per person per day, but we’ve seen daily prices go all the way up to $35 per person on some of the busier days. 

For a family of 4, that could be an extra $140 per day!!! 

While it would be nice under certain circumstances, we recommend avoiding it. To see my overall thoughts, read my post Is Genie+ Really Worth It?

Parties & Events

While we enjoy some of the hard-ticket events throughout Disney World such as the VIP Tours and the Disney After Hours events , these things can add significant cost to your Disney World trip. 

Yes, they do add a certain level of originality to your trip, they aren’t required. You can have a wonderful vacation without purchasing tickets to any hard ticket event like Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party or Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party ! 

These events can cost families hundreds if not thousands of extra dollars, while being completely unneeded, albeit fun. 

Instead, take advantage of the many things you CAN do on your Disney World Vacation to maximize your time, such as utilizing Early Theme Park Entry and getting suitable spots for the nighttime shows!

Memory Maker

Disney offers a photo service that you can add to your park tickets if you choose called the Memory Maker. 

It authorizes you to download all of your ride photos and any additional pictures that were taken over the course of your vacation by the many Disney PhotoPass photographers who are stationed throughout the parks to get guests’ photos. 

While it sounds good in theory, the problem is, it’s very expensive! The Memory Maker comes in at $185 for advanced purchase and $210 when buying at the time of your trip. We’d recommend you avoid this if looking to save money. 

Instead, can take your own photos while using some of the same effects on your smartphone. You can also still use these Disney photographers to snap photos of your family by giving them your smartphone! That way you’ll still have professional photos done for you without needing to pay a dime!

Extra Money-Saving Secrets

There are a few additional ways we suggest you consider saving just that little bit of extra money for your Disney World Vacation. By using some of these, you can save even MORE money.

Purchasing Disney Gift Cards can also save you money! How? Well, Disney Gift Cards can be purchased at discounts from a variety of different locations. 

While the concept of needing tons of Disney gift cards to pay for your trip while keeping track of each of them can be overwhelming and aggravating frankly, Disney makes this relatively easy now with their gift card website . 

You can link all your Disney gift cards in one place, allowing you to simply carry one gift card on you at all times. 

But the best part of all with Disney gift cards is that they can be bought at a discount! With guests repeatedly saving anywhere between 5-10% by purchasing Disney gift cards with a couple of our strategies buying gift cards has never been smarter! 

It’s not a method that’s going to save you thousands of dollars, but it’s possible it can save you a few hundred. And that should be worth something right?

Read how to do it in our guide to Discounted Disney Gift Cards .

Rewards Credit Cards & Loyalty Points

There’s an endless number of ways you can utilize credit cards or rewards points for your Disney World Vacation. For example, if you have a Chase Disney Credit Card , you can utilize your ‘Dream Dollars’ to cash in to cover some of the expenses of your vacation. 

If you have a travel credit card that offers statement credits for travel-related expenses, such as the Chase Sapphire Reserve or the Capital One Venture, you can apply these credits to offset some of the expenses from your trip. 

Or if you have a popular hotel-based credit card such as Hyatt, Marriott, Wyndham, or Hilton, you can stay at one of the many off-site hotels by cashing in some points or ‘free night’ vouchers. 

We recently did a ranking of our favorite off-site hotels near Disney World and most all of them can be paid with credit card or loyalty points. The cool thing is, many of these aren’t technically off-site!

Babies & Toddlers

While we understand the apprehension that some parents have of waiting until their kids are older to visit Disney World, that’s not always the best choice! Why? A HUGE benefit of taking kids under the age of 3 is that they are FREE! Yes, I said free, no park tickets are required!

Not to mention they don’t need seats on an airplane until they are 3 and Disney buffets don’t charge children under the age of 3 for food either. There are many benefits of traveling before their 3rd birthday. 

So if you’re weighing waiting another year for them to be a little older to appreciate the trip more and be able to take part in more rides and attractions, I’d suggest thinking otherwise. Take them while they’re still free! You can always save and go again in the future.

Go With a Cast Member

If you are lucky enough to have this as an option, traveling with a Disney Cast Member has a number of perks! 

The first is, they can likely get you into the parks for free with their guest passes. Cast Members normally have guest passes which they can give to a few friends or family members to enter the parks with them for free, assuming there are no cast member blockout dates when you want to visit. 

Cast Members also can frequently get discounts on dining, anywhere between 20-30%, although they sometimes get additional discounts with yearly vouchers. Sometimes these vouchers are worth up to 60% off! 

One of the other benefits of traveling with Cast Members is that they can receive wonderful discounts on merchandise! In fact, they can usually get 35% off! Sometimes there are even additional deals or promotions that will push the 35% up to 50% off! 

Cast Members also receive great deals on rooms, normally 30-40% off Disney’s official prices. While the Cast Member doesn’t need to be present to book these rooms, they will need to call and book the room.

Keep Looking for Discounts

Normally Disney offers their best promotional offers around 6 months prior to dates. So if you choose to book your trip FAR before the 6-month mark, make sure you keep looking for discounts far after you book. Even if you book it on the sooner side, it doesn’t hurt to continue monitoring deals. 

Then if you find a better deal, you can easily switch or adjust your booking to make sure you are taking advantage of the very best price. This is of course assuming you book through Disney directly or through an Authorized Disney Travel Agent.

Get Help from a Travel Expert for Free

With as much experience as we have on traveling to Disney World, we still prefer always booking a Disney Vacation with someone who knows EXACTLY what to do, and how to do it like our friends at Show You the World Travel .

A knowledgeable and helpful vacation planner can literally take all of the guesswork out of it for you and they will monitor the promotions and deals prior to the trip to get you the best prices. If something comes out better, they’ll inform you and ask if you’d like to adjust your trip so that you can further save money. 

Plus, not only do they not cost you any out-of-pocket expenses they’ll continually ensure you get the best possible savings and deals for your trip. 

A good Disney Travel Agent will work around the clock for your family and immediately inform you of any additional savings. Not to mention they’ll help you with booking things such as vacation packages, special events, restaurants, and park tickets. 

If the choice was ours to make, we’d recommend using René Cittadino and her fantastic team at Show You the World Travel for your Disney World Vacation needs. 

They are the BEST, and I’ve used them numerous times to book my own hotel reservations and packages. Trust me, her exceptional team will do everything possible to make sure you have the most magical Disney World Vacation while saving you money along the way!

That wraps up our look at the cheapest ways to go to Walt Disney World. We hope that we helped you learn some tips that will help you save money while visiting on a budget.

If you are thinking about going to Walt Disney World in the coming future, here are some other popular articles where you will find all the info and tips you need to plan your trip.

• Disney World Vacation Planning Guide
• Disney World Crowd Calendar
• When are the Best Times to Visit Disney World?

Your Thoughts

I want to know what you think about our guide to doing Disney World on a budget…

• What is your favorite way to visit Disney World for cheap?
• What budgeting tips have you learned over the years that can help others save money?

Let us know in the comments section below!

If you enjoyed this article, as always I appreciate it if you’d share it with others via social media.  I work hard at making this website into a useful resource for you and your family to plan your visit to the Disney Parks and I hope it can help you! Thanks 🙂

My name is Ziggy and I love Disney, everything Disney! I grew up on Disney and it has and continues to be a huge part of my life. I started young when my parents took me to Disney World when I was 18 months old. Little did they know that would be the first of an uncountable number of trips we would take. I have so many amazing memories going to Disney with my family and friends and it has been interwoven into my DNA.

Wednesday 14th of February 2024

I have taken breakfast and lunch from home, refrained from Genie passes and used standby lanes. Also I have eaten a big breakfast, snacked for lunch then had a decent restaurant meal for dinner.

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Editor's Note

Like most things we'll spend money on in 2024, Disney World vacations continue to increase in price . A one-day ticket for the Magic Kingdom can cost as much as $189 (though purchasing multiday tickets does bring the per-day cost down), and even the cheapest on-site hotel options average around $150 per night.

Related: A magical guide for how to plan a trip to Disney World this year

That doesn't mean there aren't ways to save money at Disney with regular special offers and discounts for hotels, tickets, dining plans and more.

You might already know about Disney's special offers available to those with a Disney® Premier Visa® Card , Disney® Visa® Card or Disney+ subscription . However, there are also discounts that don't require you to have a specific credit card or subscription.

FOR NO-COST ASSISTANCE WITH PLANNING AND BOOKING YOUR NEXT DISNEY VACATION, CHECK OUT TPG'S DISNEY BOOKING PARTNER, MOUSE COUNSELORS .

Don't fret if you already booked a Disney vacation before learning about these offers. In most instances, you can apply current discounts to your existing reservation by visiting the "My Disney Experience" section on Disney World's website. Click on "My Plans," select "Change Reservation" and then search for applicable offers. If you booked through an authorized Disney vacation planner , you can reach out to them; they should be able to apply the discount retroactively for you.

Save up to 30% on Disney hotel stays

If you plan a Disney World vacation of five nights or more, you can save up to 30%. Your total savings will depend on which hotel you choose. This offer is available for stays on most nights through Oct. 3 and can save you hundreds of dollars. For example, a five-night mid-July stay in a Savanna View room at Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge will cost you $468.16 per night with this discount.

The same room would cost you $668 per night without a discount. Over the course of five nights, that's a staggering savings of more than $1,000.

Related: The best Disney Springs hotels: How to get Disney benefits at bargain prices

Annual passholders can save even more — as much as 35% — on hotel rooms this spring and summer with a passholder exclusive offer .

Special 3- and 4-park ticket discounts

Disney World currently has two ticket deals that can help you save money on visits of three days or more. With Disney's 3-Day, 3-Park Ticket , you can visit three parks — Epcot, Disney's Hollywood Studios and Disney's Animal Kingdom — on three separate days for only $89 a day.

That's a total of $267 plus tax. Using Disney's date-based ticket pricing, a similar three-day, three-park ticket would cost between $352 and $502. That's a minimum savings of $85 per person on this package or potentially up to $235 per person for three days.

The opportunity to visit the Magic Kingdom is notably absent from this offer, but Disney has another discounted ticket that allows you to visit all four parks. The 4-Day, 4-Park Magic Ticket costs $99 per day — or $396 plus tax total — and lets you spend one day at each of Disney World's four theme parks.

A regularly priced four-day Disney World ticket starts at $461 plus tax and goes up to $639 plus tax. That means you can potentially save nearly $250 per person on your four-day spring or summertime Disney World visit.

Both ticket offers are available for purchase between now and Sept. 24 (with a few holiday exceptions), and you have seven days to use your tickets from the date your visit starts. The ticket can only be used once at each of Disney's four theme parks, and you can only visit one park per day.

Disney Visa cardmember free Disney Dining Plan perk

Being a Disney Visa cardholder unlocks several Disney perks, from shopping and dining discounts to special character photo opportunities. Now, Disney Visa cardholders can receive a free Disney dining plan when they use their card to purchase a non-discounted four-night/four-day Disney vacation package that includes a Disney hotel stay and Park Hopper tickets.

Related: Is the Disney Dining Plan worth it? We put it to the test

Cardholders who book a stay at select Disney Value or Moderate resorts will receive a free Disney Quick Service Dining Plan; those who book at select Disney Deluxe resorts will receive the table-service Disney Dining Plan.

Disney dining plans essentially allow you to prepay for a set number of meals and snacks during your Disney World vacation.

This offer is good for arrivals on the following dates:

• July 1-31, 2024
• Sept. 1-7, 2024
• Dec. 9-21, 2024

Related: I go to Disney 15 times a year — here's why the Disney Visa in in my wallet

How to find Disney World discounts

Finding Disney World hotel discounts is surprisingly easy. On Disney's website, if you click "Places to Stay" and navigate to "View Special Offers" on the pop-up menu, you'll see a full list of Disney's current hotel and vacation package discounts.

You can click here to go directly to the page. Bookmark it for later, or check TPG regularly for the latest Disney discounts.

If you are working with a Disney vacation planner, they will look for these deals for you and apply any that fit. Still, it doesn't hurt to check occasionally and flag any that you think might apply to your trip.

Bottom line

There's no getting around it: A Disney World vacation is a significant expense for most families. These Disney World discounts can help you save money for future trips or to spend elsewhere, like on character dining experiences or tickets to one of Disney's after-hours parties .

Related reading:

• The best credit cards for your Disney vacation
• How to use points to buy Disney tickets
• 13 new rides, attractions and experiences coming to Disney World in 2024
• Is Disney Genie+ worth it?

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Walt Disney World Ticket Discounts

LAST UPDATE: 4/2/24

This page is all about the best ways to get Disney World ticket deals . Multiple  Disney World ticket discounts  are available for the general public and even a few ways to get a discount on Disney World annual passes . There are special discounted Disney World tickets available for Florida residents and members of the US military. If you’re buying passes for a family, even 5% or 10% off  Disney World tickets can add up to a chunk of money!

This page is about ticket discounts for the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida.  If that’s not where you’re planning a trip, perhaps you want our page about  discounts on tickets to Disneyland in California . Or you may want  information and tips for the Disney parks in other countries .

This page compiles a comprehensive list of places that offer Disney World ticket discounts and deals. Read on for the complete details.

• If you are visiting this page for the first time, we highly recommend that you first read our Advice, Tips and Tricks for Walt Disney World Tickets and Passes page, which contains important tips that could save you money and help you avoid scams.
• For comparison purposes, you may want to check the  regular prices of all the Walt Disney World tickets and annual passes .
• If you live outside the USA, you will want to check out our page on Discounts on Tickets for International Visitors , which lists some options that are only available to you.

Sources for Walt Disney World Ticket Discounts

Discount tickets from undercover tourist, four-day, four-park magic ticket, special three-day, three-park ticket, advance purchase discount, discounts on annual passes.

• Florida Resident Ticket Discounts
• Military & Civil Service Ticket Discounts

Corporate, Government & Other Membership Discounts

Canadian resident ticket discounts.

• DVC Member Ticket Discounts
• University of Central Florida Ticket Discounts
• AAA and CAA Ticket Discounts

Online Travel Agencies

Other Walt Disney World Ticket Information Pages

• Regular Ticket Prices
• Ticket Advice, Tips and Tricks
• Discounts on Tickets for International Visitors
• Discounts on Water Park Tickets

For the best discounts on multi-day Walt Disney World tickets (and other theme park and attraction tickets), we highly recommend checking out  Undercover Tourist , a reliable ticket broker offering excellent Disney World ticket discounts and outstanding customer service.

How can Undercover Tourist offer discounted Walt Disney World tickets? Undercover Tourist buys tickets wholesale directly from Disney and sells them at a slight mark-up. Undercover Tourist is a Disney Parks USA Selected Ticket Seller – Disney’s authorized program for ticket resellers.

Theme park tickets are an expensive outlay, and you should feel confident that you are dealing with a legitimate business . Undercover Tourist is a reputable company that we have recommended since 2006. Over 100,000 MouseSavers.com readers have bought and used tickets from this ticket broker. 

Tickets purchased from Undercover Tourist   have the EXACT same benefits as those purchased at the Disney gate.  You can log into MyDisneyExperience.com , create an account if you don’t already have one, and enter the numbers off your Undercover Tourist tickets and set up your Disney Genie preferences. 

Undercover Tourist prices include tax and FREE shipping. When comparing prices with Disney’s published prices, remember that Disney quotes prices without including the 6.5% tax. Undercover Tourist prices include the tax. Be sure you are comparing “apples to apples” by looking at the full price with tax!

Undercover Tourist Walt Disney World tickets are refundable! This includes e-tickets as well as physical “hard” tickets. This is a huge benefit — even Disney doesn’t offer refunds on tickets! There is a 5% restocking fee, so most of the time it’s better to change the tickets rather than refund them, but for those cases when you really won’t be able to use the tickets at all, it’s great to know you can get 95% of your ticket cost back. To be eligible for refund, your tickets must be unused and unchanged. Check Undercover Tourist for the full terms and conditions.

• Visit Undercover Tourist to purchase discounted Walt Disney World tickets and other attraction tickets!

Exclusive Discounts for MouseSavers Newsletter Subscribers

Undercover Tourist offers its best deals on tickets exclusively for MouseSavers Newsletter subscribers. These special prices are not available to the general public and are not published here on MouseSavers.com. They are provided ONLY through private links in our monthly newsletter, which comes on the 15th of each month (or the next business day), and one Hot Deals announcement near the end of each month. Undercover Tourist offers even larger discounts on a small selection of attraction tickets in the Hot Deals Announcement, so for the absolute best deals you’ll want to subscribe to both FREE newsletters.

• Subscribe to the FREE MouseSavers Newsletter and the optional FREE Hot Deals Announcements!   The main newsletter comes out on the 15th of each month (or the next business day) and the Hot Deals announcement with the special Undercover Tourist sale prices comes out on the final Monday of each month (or the next business day). We do not send out the private links separately from the newsletters, so please plan ahead.

For a limited time, you can purchase a Four-Day, Four-Park Magic Ticket valid for admission April 2 through September 22, 2024. Ticket expires 7 days after first use or September 28, 2024, whichever comes first. A theme park reservation is not needed for this ticket.

This is a special ticket, available for a limited time, that gets you one admission to each of the four main Walt Disney World theme parks: Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios. No park hopping is allowed, and you can’t upgrade the ticket to go for more days. If you want to revisit a park on another day, you’ll have to buy another ticket. As with regular base tickets, you are allowed to leave a park and return to it the same day.

• 4-Day, 4-Park Magic Ticket costs $421.74 – $508.01 per adult (age 10+) and $336.54 – 432.39 per child (age 3-9), depending on the date, tax included. 

You can add the Water Park & Sports option for $63.90 per ticket, tax included. 

This is not really a discounted Base ticket, but it does save money for folks who plan to visit each of the four parks for one day with no hopping, since the regular 4-day Base ticket gate prices are $484.67-$673.34 for adults and $465.91-$654.31 for children. It can be purchased from Undercover Tourist or directly from Disney.

For a limited time, you can purchase a Special Three-Day, Three-Park Ticket valid for admission April 2 through September 24, 2024. Ticket expires 5 days after first use or September 28, 2024, whichever comes first. A theme park reservation is not needed for this ticket.

This is a special ticket, available for a limited time, that gets you one admission each to Epcot, Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios only . No park hopping is allowed, and you can’t upgrade the ticket to go for more days. If you want to revisit a park on another day, you’ll have to buy another ticket. As with regular base tickets, you are allowed to leave a park and return to it the same day. Please note: This ticket does not include admission to Magic Kingdom. 

• Special 3-Day, 3-Park Ticket costs $284.36 – $345.06 per person (age 3+), depending on the date, tax included. 

This is not really a discounted Base ticket, but it does save money for folks who plan to visit only those three parks for one day with no hopping, since the regular 3-day Base ticket gate prices are $362.13-$528.19 for adults and $347.43-$513.27 for children. It can be purchased from Undercover Tourist or directly from Disney.

All regular Walt Disney World tickets, including Base, Park Hopper and Park Hopper Plus tickets of 3 days or longer are $21.30 less (tax included) when purchased in advance directly from Disney online or over the phone (versus buying them at Walt Disney World ticket booths, guest services locations or Disney hotel desks). In our experience, Undercover Tourist typically has discounts that are significantly better; be sure to compare the final prices with tax before purchasing.

There are no current sources of discounts on Walt Disney World annual passes for the general public. There are, however, some discounts available for members of certain organizations or geographic areas, and there are also some special passes available for local residents that are cheaper than the regular annual passes, but come with blackout dates and other restrictions. Use these links for more information:

• Non-discounted prices of Walt Disney World annual passes
• Disney Vacation Club (DVC) member discounts on Walt Disney World annual passes
• AAA/CAA member discounts on Walt Disney World annual passes
• Florida resident discounts on regular Walt Disney World annual passes
• Florida resident lower-cost restricted Walt Disney World annual passes

Florida Resident Disney World Ticket Discounts

In order to qualify for Florida Resident ticket and annual pass discounts, you have to show proof of residency such as a valid Florida driver’s license or Florida state ID card, showing a Florida address. These tickets and passes are also controlled using a biometric finger scan, to prevent them from being transferred to non-Florida residents. Disney has the system down to a science — trust us, you really can’t buy or use these tickets unless you actually live in Florida!

If your primary ID is from a different state, but you do own a residence in Florida, even one you only use part of the year, you can generally buy Florida resident tickets and passes by showing, for each adult , an ID from another state plus a recent utility bill or bank statement in the same name (no more than 2 months old), addressed to your Florida residence. Timeshares are not considered residences for the purposes of buying Florida Resident tickets and passes.

The only exception is small children — since Disney can’t reasonably require them to show residency through an ID, it’s technically possible for Florida residents to buy Florida resident tickets for non-resident kids. For instance, if Grandma and Grandpa live in Florida, they could accompany their grandkids who live outside Florida to Walt Disney World, and buy the kids Florida resident tickets.

If you’re not an actual Florida resident, can you just go to Florida, get a Florida ID and buy tickets at the Florida resident rate? Not legally. This scam is promoted by some websites and “e-books” that sell advice about how to save money at Disney World. Here’s what the Florida Dept of Highway Safety & Motor Vehicles has to say about that: “Giving false information on an application for a driver license or identification card is a third degree felony which may result in arrest, and includes a one-year suspension of the driving privilege.”

Florida Resident Discover Disney Tickets

Florida resident tickets.

• Florida Resident Sorcerer Pass
• Florida Resident Pirate Pass
• Florida Resident Pixie Dust Pass

Florida residents can buy these special limited-time 3-day and 4-day tickets, valid for admission April 2 through September 28, 2024. Like the regular Florida Resident tickets, you can visit for one day here and there during the validity period. 

• 3-Day Discover Disney Ticket: $233.24 for all ages (3+), tax included. This ticket is similar to a discounted 3-Day Base Ticket , but with a much longer expiration. 
• 4-Day Discover Disney Ticket: $250.28 for all ages (3+), tax included. This ticket is similar to a discounted 4-Day Base Ticket , but with a much longer expiration. 

You can add the  Water Park & Sports ,  Park Hopper  or  Park Hopper Plus options at a significant discount. Water Park & Sports add-on is $37.28 per ticket, tax included. Park Hopper add-on is $42.60 per ticket, tax included. Park Hopper Plus add-on is $58.58 per ticket, tax included.

Advance theme park reservations are required. Tickets and add-ons expire 9/28/24.

• Florida Resident Discover Disney Tickets can be purchased at a discount from Undercover Tourist or directly from Disney at the regular price; you must have proof of Florida residency.

Florida residents can choose from several savings options for 1-4 day tickets.

• 1-Day Florida Resident Ticke t: Florida residents pay full price for a 1-Day Base Ticket . However, you can add the Park Hopper  or Park Hopper Plus options at a significant discount. 
• There is no 2-day Florida Resident Ticket, but the 3-day Florida Resident tickets are cheaper than the 2-day regular tickets, for all variations.
• This ticket is similar to a discounted 3-Day  Base Ticket .
• Prices vary daily – discount is typically 30% or so off the regular ticket prices. You have to choose specific dates to visit.
• You can add the Water Park & Sports , Park Hopper  or  Park Hopper Plus options at a significant discount. 
• The ticket and any add-on options expire after the final date of the range you select, just like regular Disney World tickets.
• This ticket is similar to a discounted 4-Day  Base Ticket .
• You can add the Water Park & Sports , Park Hopper  or  Park Hopper Plus options at a significant discount. 
• Auto Club South (AAA) offers a discount on the 1-Day and 3-Day tickets.
• Florida Resident Tickets can be purchased at a discount from Undercover Tourist or directly from Disney at the regular price; you must have proof of Florida residency.

Florida Resident Sorcerer Pass (formerly Gold pass)

This special pass is only available to Florida residents and DVC members. The Sorcerer Pass provides one year of admission (with a few blackout dates) to the four major parks (Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom), plus FREE parking. Theme park reservations are required except on “good-to-go” days. You can have up to 5 theme park reservations open at any one time with this pass (when staying at a Disney resort, you can additionally have as many park days reserved as hotel stay days).

On “good-to-go” days, Annual Passholders can visit select theme parks without a theme park reservation. To see “good-to-go” dates, check the theme park reservation calendar, the Annual Passholder admissions calendar or the My Disney Experience app. New dates will be added periodically, and may be added days or weeks in advance.

Sorcerer Passholders can enter the parks on any valid date for this pass after 2 pm without a theme park reservation, except for the Magic Kingdom on Saturdays and Sundays.

All prices listed include tax.

• First time Sorcerer Pass: $1,063.94 for all ages (3+).
• Renewal Sorcerer Pass: $904.19 for all ages (3+).
• Florida residents can pay in 12 monthly installments of $72/month with $205 down payment ($76/month with no down payment for renewal).
• Unlimited PhotoPass downloads can be added to this pass for $105.44 ($90.52 for renewal).
• The Water Park & Sports option (includes water park admission and more ) can be added to this pass for $105.44 ($90.52 for renewal).

The blockout dates for Sorcerer Passes are basically just Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Eve. Disney will occasionally adjust the blockout dates for this pass; check the Disney website for the most current blockout dates.

You must have proof of Florida residency (or DVC membership) to activate this pass.

First time Sorcerer Passes can be purchased at DisneyWorld.com (you’ll get an “unactivated” pass attached to your MyDisneyExperience account, which will activate on first entry to a park), or just wait and purchase at the theme park ticket booths. If you want a physical plastic pass, you can get one in person by visiting a ticket booth or guest services location on your next visit and requesting one.

Renewal Sorcerer Passes can be purchased at the theme park ticket booths or at DisneyWorld.com .

Florida Resident Pirate Pass (formerly Silver pass)

This special pass is only available to Florida residents. The Pirate Pass provides one year of admission (with some blockout dates) to the four major parks (Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom), plus FREE parking. Theme park reservations are required except on “good-to-go” days. You can have up to 4 park reservations open at any one time with this pass (when staying at a Disney resort, you can additionally have as many park days reserved as hotel stay days).

Pirate Passholders can enter the parks on any valid date for this pass after 2 pm without a theme park reservation, except for the Magic Kingdom on Saturdays and Sundays.

• First time Pirate Pass: $850.94 for all ages (3+).
• Renewal Pirate Pass: $723.14 for all ages (3+).
• Florida residents can pay in 12 monthly installments of $54/month with $205 down payment ($61/month with no down payment for renewal).

The blockout dates for Pirate Passes are more extensive than for the Sorcerer passes: Thanksgiving/Christmas/New Years, spring break, most holiday weekends, and a sprinkling of Saturdays throughout the year. Disney will occasionally adjust the blockout dates for this pass; check the Disney web site for the most current blockout dates.

You must have proof of Florida residency to activate this pass.

First time Pirate Passes can be purchased at DisneyWorld.com (you’ll get an “unactivated” pass attached to your MyDisneyExperience account, which will activate on first entry to a park), or just wait and purchase at the theme park ticket booths. If you want a physical plastic pass, you can get one in person by visiting a ticket booth or guest services location on your next visit and requesting one.

Renewal Pirate Passes can be purchased at the theme park ticket booths or at DisneyWorld.com .

Florida Resident Pixie Dust Pass (formerly Theme Park Select Pass)

This special pass is only available to Florida residents. The Pixie Dust Pass provides one year of admission (with many blockout dates) to the four major parks (Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom), plus FREE parking. Theme park reservations are required except on “good-to-go” days. You can have up to 3 park reservations open at any one time with this pass (when staying at a Disney resort, you can additionally have as many park days reserved as hotel stay days).

Pixie Dust Passholders can enter the parks on any valid date for this pass after 2 pm without a theme park reservation, except for the Magic Kingdom on Saturdays and Sundays.

• First time Pixie Dust Pass: $467.54 for all ages (3+).
• Renewal Pixie Dust Pass: $397.25 for all ages (3+).
• Florida residents can pay in 12 monthly installments of $22/month with $205 down payment ($34/month with no down payment for renewal).

The blockout dates for Pixie Dust Passes are quite extensive: Thanksgiving/Christmas/New Years, spring break, most holiday weekends, all Saturdays and most Sundays. Disney will occasionally adjust the blockout dates for this pass; check the Disney web site for the most current blockout dates.

First time Pixie Dust Passes can be purchased at DisneyWorld.com (you’ll get an “unactivated” pass attached to your MyDisneyExperience account, which will activate on first entry to a park), or just wait and purchase at the theme park ticket booths. If you want a physical plastic pass, you can get one in person by visiting a ticket booth or guest services location on your next visit and requesting one.

Renewal Pixie Dust Passes can be purchased at the theme park ticket booths or at DisneyWorld.com .

Military & Civil Service Disney World Ticket Discounts

Military salute ticket offers, ongoing military/dod discounts.

Military Salute Tickets for Visits January 1 – December 20, 2024

Active or retired US military personnel may purchase  4-Day, 5-Day or 6-Day Military Salute Tickets which include the Park Hopper option,  and can add the  Park Hopper Plus option, to be used by themselves, family members (including spouse) or friends. Blockout dates are March 24 – April 6, 2024 and November 24-30, 2024. 

• The 4-Day Military Salute ticket is $369 per ticket + tax. The 4-Day Military Salute ticket with Park Hopper Plus costs $399 per ticket + tax.
• The 5-Day Military Salute ticket is $389 per ticket + tax. The 5-Day Military Salute ticket with Park Hopper Plus costs $419 per ticket + tax.
• The 6-Day Military Salute ticket is $409 per ticket + tax. The 5-Day Military Salute ticket with Park Hopper Plus costs $439 per ticket + tax.

No Base Ticket (without the Park Hopper option) is available with this offer.

Please note: With these tickets, a theme park reservation is required for the first Walt Disney World theme park you want to visit each day. 

Tickets expire and may not be used after 12/20/24. You may purchase up to 6 tickets.

The 4-Day Military Salute tickets must be purchased by 12/17/24. The 5-Day Military Salute tickets must be purchased by 12/16/24. The 6-Day Military Salute tickets must be purchased by 12/15/24. 

How to Get Military Salute Tickets

Tickets for use 1/1/24 – 12/20/24 went on sale on 10/24/23. 

Military Salute Tickets must be purchased in person, with military ID by the eligible member or their spouse.

• You can  pre-purchase the tickets (in the form of an exchange voucher)  at a military base  (MWR/ITT office),  TAX-FREE!  The exchange voucher is then taken to a Main Entrance theme park ticket window, where it is exchanged for the actual ticket (activated).
• Activated tickets can be pre-purchased   at Shades of Green , TAX-FREE. Thanks to Alicia R for info.
• The military tickets can also be purchased at the Main Entrance theme park ticket windows or at Disney Springs’ Guest Relations, but if you do this, you must pay tax.

Rules for Military Salute Tickets

These tickets are for active or retired members of the US military, including the National Guard, Reservists, the US Coast Guard, the US Space Force with a valid military ID card. It also includes the Commissioned Corps of the Public Health Service (PHS) and the Commissioned Corps of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

Dept of Defense (CIA, FBI, Secret Service) and Coalition Forces are not included .

The military ID will be checked when the tickets are activated. Once the tickets are activated the group can split up.

More details are available on the 2024 Walt Disney World Military Salute ticket offer page or the 2023 Walt Disney World Military Salute ticket offer page .

Where to Ask Questions About Military Salute Tickets

If you have questions about this promotion, please don’t send them to us. All the information we have is listed above. If you need more info, here are some good resources:

• Military Disney Tips has a very long FAQ on these tickets.
• Call  Shades of Green  (SOG) directly and ask them. They seem to have a pretty good handle on some of the issues involved with the military tickets. However, be aware that sometimes Disney’s internal policies and SOG’s policies are slightly different.

Active duty and retired military, DOD civilian employees and their dependents qualify for discounts on Walt Disney World tickets. The savings mainly come from not paying tax (6.5%).

Disney has the right to check ID at the gate. Military personnel may bring in non-military guests with the military discount as long as they accompany the non-military person(s) and at least 50% of the group are qualified for the military discount (i.e., active duty, retired, DOD and dependents). If military personnel purchase tickets and give them as gifts to non-military users that they will not be accompanying, they risk having the recipient denied entry and the tickets confiscated.

• Discounted military tickets are available through your local base MWR/ITT office . The prices and the exact passes that are available will vary from base to base.
• Another place where active duty and retired military can get discounted tickets is a small Navy Exchange in Orlando that has an MWR/ITT office . It is located near the airport on Tradeport & Earhart Drive. The MWR office phone number is (407) 855-0116  or you can email them at [email protected] for current hours and prices. Thanks to Cathy C & Donald G for info.
• Those with Military ID (and their dependents) can purchase discounted tickets (including Annual Passes) at Shades of Green (SOG), the military-operated resort located on Disney World property.  Thank you to Lisa and Gale M for the info!
• Civil Service employees of certain branches of government (such as NASA) can purchase discounted Disney tickets at their exchange shops at the same rates as military. Typically the tickets must be ordered and will take a couple of weeks to arrive. While the employee must purchase the tickets, reportedly anyone can use them. Thanks to Melissa for the info.

Employees of large companies, major government agencies, or large membership groups like unions or professional organizations (typically those with 200-plus employees or members) may qualify to purchase discounted Disney World tickets, regardless of whether the company has any direct relationship with Disney. Disney has in recent years cut back substantially on its corporate discounts, so in most cases the prices are no better the prices available from resellers like Undercover Tourist . But if you work for a large company, it’s worth checking just in case. Remember that most vendors add taxes and fees at the final checkout, so look at the final price, not the teaser price they list initially.

Tickets are typically offered through private websites operated by various ticket suppliers such as Tickets at Work and Working Advantage, which exclusively service large organizations. A password is required to access those sites. Check with your company or organization’s benefits department to find out whether your company participates and how to get the password.

If you work for a company that is a major corporate sponsor at Walt Disney World (i.e. the company’s logo is on a major attraction), you might qualify for significant discounts on tickets. Check with your Human Resources department for additional info. Additionally, employees of companies that have a business relationship with Disney sometimes qualify for deep ticket discounts. Reportedly, employees of Chase (which offers Disney Visa cards ), Kellogg’s (which does a lot of cross-promotions with Disney) and ADT (installs alarms for Disney) get ticket discounts, or did at one time. Check with your Human Resources department for additional info.

In short, it’s possible your organization or company can get you a better discount, but be sure to compare the final price (with tax. fees and shipping) to the price available from Undercover Tourist  before purchasing.

For a limited time, Canadian residents can save 20% when you purchase a 5-day or longer Walt Disney World ticket for visits starting January 11 – September 28, 2024 . You must select a start date and the ticket is valid for admission beginning on that date and must be used within a limited number of days, depending on ticket length and type . You can add Park Hopper, Park Hopper+ or Water Park and Sports.

These discounted tickets must be purchased in advance. Proof of Canadian residency is required at the ticket window prior to first use.

Book by 5/9/24.

Other Canadian Resident Ticket Discounts

• Select Walt Disney World Park Hopper passes are sold at some CAA offices. The price of Disney tickets purchased in Canada is adjusted periodically to conform to the current exchange rate, so at times it may be possible to time a purchase to benefit from a sudden change in the exchange rate . (Tickets purchased in Canada may be intended only for Canadians and there is a slight chance you might be asked for ID, so US citizens who live near the border should keep this in mind.)
• Air Miles – Readers report that Canadians can redeem Air Miles for select Walt Disney World tickets. Thanks to Dawn N for info.

DVC Member Ticket Discounts for Disney World

The Disney Vacation Club (DVC) is a Disney-operated timeshare program with properties at Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Vero Beach, Hilton Head Island and Hawaii.

Note that to get the various ticket discounts, you must have purchased at least one DVC contract either directly from Disney or via resale prior to April 4, 2016.

DVC Regular Ticket Discounts

Most of the time there are no special discounts on regular tickets for DVC members. When a discount is offered, it will be listed below.

DVC Annual Pass Discounts

DVC members qualify to purchase the Sorcerer Pass . This special pass is only available to Florida residents and DVC members. The Sorcerer Pass provides one year of admission (with a few blackout dates) to the four major parks (Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom), plus FREE parking. Theme park reservations are required except on “good-to-go” days. You can have up to 5 park reservations open at any one time with this pass (when staying at a Disney resort, you can additionally have as many park days reserved as hotel stay days).

• Sorcerer Pass : $1,063.94 for all ages (3+), including tax.
• Sorcerer Pass Renewal : $904.19 for all ages (3+), including tax.

Discounts are valid for members of the DVC member’s immediate household only.

DVC members can call Member Services or buy tickets or passes online on the regular DisneyWorld.com ticketing page, as long as the member is logged into a Disney account that is linked to a DVC membership. For more details and links and instructions for linking your Disney account with your DVC membership, check the DVC Member website.

University of Central Florida Disney Ticket Discounts

Students, faculty and staff at University of Central Florida can purchase One Day, One Park Disney World tickets at a significantly reduced rate. There is a limit of 2 tickets per 30 days. Tickets can be purchased through the SGA Ticket Center located on the first floor of the Student Union in the Lighthouse Mall area. Be sure to buy in advance because they do sell out at times.  Thanks to Amanda for info.

AAA (American Automobile Assn) and CAA (Canadian Automobile Assn) Ticket Discounts

Aaa and caa discounts on disney world tickets.

The American Automobile Association (AAA) and Canadian Automobile Association (CAA) is subdivided into regions, with each region having a different independent affiliated club. Each regional club offers different attraction tickets. Some offer discount Walt Disney World tickets; some don’t. Some don’t have discounts, but offer a free bonus of some kind with the order, and if that bonus has value to you, that can be worth considering. Usually you’ll find that clubs in the southeastern US, especially driving distance from Walt Disney World, are the most likely to offer discount tickets. For the very latest information, you should always call your local club or check their web site to see what they offer. Obviously, you will need to be a member of AAA to get these discounts, but in many cases, a club in one region will allow members in other regions to take advantage of their discounts. It never hurts to ask!

Broadly speaking in recent years we have not seen better deals from AAA clubs than from Undercover Tourist on regular tickets for the general public, but if you are a member, it may be worth your time to check what they have. Remember to compare final prices with tax and other fees!

Auto Club South Discounts on Florida Resident Tickets

Auto Club South offices in Florida offer an additional discount on 1-Day and 3-Day Florida Resident tickets for AAA members.

The nearest office to Disney World is located at 783 South Orlando Ave in Winter Park (note that this is not very close to Disney World — it’s about 20 miles away). Call (407) 647-1033 for hours and directions. Passes must be purchased in person unless you are a member of Auto Club South , in which case some passes can be purchased online after logging into the Auto Club South website. You will be sold a voucher that must be redeemed at a Disney World ticket window, with proper Florida resident ID required. Note that Auto Club South e-ticket vouchers are emailed to you, and it can take up to three days for the email to arrive.

Most of the time, the big Online Travel Agencies (OTAs) like Expedia , Travelocity ,  Orbitz , Priceline , etc. sell Disney World tickets at full price. Every once in a while, one of them will offer a special deal on one or two tickets as a come-on, to get people to come to their site and hopefully book other things. The tickets available on sale can change from day to day (or hour to hour), but it can be worth checking these sites to see if they have a deal on the specific ticket you want. Read our caveats below before purchasing. If you’re only going to save a few dollars, we think you’re better off with Undercover Tourist . If the OTA is offering some kind of super-deep loss-leader special that’s going to save you a bunch, and you are comfortable with the various issues we mention, you may want to take that deal.

Important notes for buying tickets from OTAs:

• Read the terms and conditions carefully. One site we looked at had a disclaimer saying they don’t guarantee that your tickets will be valid and will let you into the park (!!!).
• Make sure you compare the final price, with any tax, fees or shipping, to other sources like Undercover Tourist. A deal that looks great at first glance may not be once miscellaneous fees get tacked on.
• Check and recheck your information before hitting the purchase button, especially your email address. If you buy e-tickets, they will email you the codes you need and if you make a mistake with your email address it won’t go to the right place. That’s not the end of the world; you can call them and they can find your order by name and resend it, but OTAs have notoriously bad customer service.
• Do not take the add-ons or upsells offered, especially any kind of “buyer protection” insurance. If they offer you a special limited time deal on something else like a rental car or hotel, be skeptical, and research carefully whether it’s a good deal. The main reason the OTAs offer these kinds of special ticket deals is in the hope that they can also sell you something with a better profit margin, so chances are good that any other thing they offer you will be full price (or sometimes even above full price!).
• Stick to the big agencies you’ve heard of, that advertise widely and have a decent reputation. If you hear about a great deal from a company you’ve never heard of, we advise staying away. There are lots of Disney ticket scams out there and it’s hard to tell the real vendors from the scammers. Even a vendor that’s not a scammer may not have a reliable supply of tickets, and if their supply dries up unexpectedly while your order is being processed it might be a serious hassle. We have seen this exact situation more than once, and the people who got left holding the bag were not happy.

All Current Disney World Discounts for 2024

Looking for the best discounts for Walt Disney World through Fall 2024? This post offers money-saving details & dates on special offers for the general public, Disney+ streaming subscribers, Annual Passholders, Visa cardholders, and Florida residents. It covers deals on resorts, theme park tickets, dining, and more. ( Updated April 1, 2024 .)

We won’t bury the lede. The most popular special offer of the year has returned for the first time since 2019: Free Dining at Walt Disney World in 2024 . But before you get too excited, the first wave of this promo has now concluded. Before you get too disappointed, the words ‘first wave’ should imply that there’s more to come later in 2024. Suffice to say, it’s going to be another very good year for discounts at Walt Disney World as ‘revenge travel’ is now fully and finally finished and Walt Disney World needs to incentivize tourists to return with better deals!

Speaking of which, you can subscribe to our free email newsletter for instant alerts when new discounts are released. We’ve consistently notified newsletter subscribers on the days that deals go live early in the morning, which is often a significant head start before Disney makes an official announcement. That can make a huge  difference when booking–you’ll have better availability and won’t have to wait in a virtual queue or for hours on hold.

While Walt Disney World has gotten more aggressive with discounts in 2024, they’ve also become more strategic about ending them. It used to be the case that special offers were bookable until the immediately before the travel period started or ended. On some rare occasions, the timeframe was condensed, so you had until a certain date to book–but that was communicated in the deal terms. For example, a discount might encompass travel dates of August 14 through September 23, if booked by July 10.

However, that’s becoming less and less common. Instead of specifying an end date, many discounts simply state “Now Booking” and are open ended. Here’s what that looks like on the Disneyworld.com deal page:

This used to say “Book through: [date]” and is still formatted that way. “Book through: Now Booking” doesn’t exactly make sense, does it?

Anyway, the reason we’re mentioning this is because several special offers have been pulled early (by historical standards). This has caught many longtime Walt Disney World vacation planners by surprise, as they assumed they had longer to make a reservation, but instead, the deal vanished. In fact, several special offers with upcoming travel dates have vanished–and there’s only one general public resort deal that’s still available as of April 1, 2024 (on the plus side, there are now ticket deals).

We just wanted to give you a heads up about this practice, as Walt Disney World is doing it more and more. From our perspective, this actually isn’t the worst thing. Disney has also gotten very aggressive with deals, both the percentage savings and the eligible dates. For example, there were great deals that included the heart of Spring Break season–dates that would’ve been blocked out in the past.

The alternative is doing more targeted discounts that aren’t available to everyone or keeping the deal open, but having minimal availability. The current approach is understandably frustrating to those who thought they had more time, but those approaches would be even more frustrating (and time-wasting). For this and other reasons, we always advise booking early. You can always cancel later–but you cannot book a deal once it’s pulled or resort/room availability runs out!

In more positive news, Walt Disney World continues to release more and more special offers, putting the ‘discount drought’ of 2021-2022 further into the rearview mirror. Walt Disney World released nearly 20 different discounts over the course of last year, and although 2024 is young, it’s already ahead of trend. Most of these discounts have dropped earlier than normal by historical standards, and offer better savings than their counterparts from the last two years.

If weak discounting and late releases were a sign that pent-up demand had still been running strong, all of this is a sign that the opposite is no longer be true as of 2024. This suggests a corner is being turned and visitors are no longer going on spending sprees to make up for lost time.

Accordingly, there are better Walt Disney World discounts throughout 2024 than there have been at any point in the last 4 years, and we’re increasingly seeing Walt Disney World pull from the “2019 playbook” for special offers. Pent-up demand has fizzled out, and Walt Disney World is now experiencing its own slowdown. This is also now starting to be evident in crowd levels, and Walt Disney World is acting quickly to entice people to continue coming to the parks.

If you’re thinking about booking one of the many discounts that’s currently available for Walt Disney World, we cannot overemphasize the importance of pricing out multiple options. Don’t just look at the marketing and assume one special offer is best for you based upon its headline savings.

This has always been the case with Disney discounts, but it’s even truer than normal right now–and even with apples to apples comparisons. For example, we’ve found instances of “up to 30% off” room rates actually resulting in lower savings than “up to 25% off” room rates.

If you want to help determining what discounts are available for your travel dates and which resort will work best for your family, we recommend requesting a quote from Be Our Guest Vacations , a no-fee Authorized Disney Vacation Planner (they’re paid by Walt Disney World– so free to you! ).

Their travel agents will do the math for you, booking your vacation with the best-available special offer, and monitoring your package for future discounts that can be applied retroactively. Beyond that, they help take the stress out of planning and will assist with itineraries, dining reservations, and much more.

With that out of the way, here’s a rundown of what is available for the Annual Passholders, Floridians, active or retired US military personnel, Disney+ subscribers, and everyone else. We’ll start with a look at the newest ticket deals, followed by resort savings for the general public, followed by Florida resident and Annual Passholder rates:

Multi-Day ‘Magic’ Walt Disney World Ticket for Spring to Fall 2024 – The discounted 4-Park Magic Ticket includes one admission to each of the 4 theme parks on 4 separate days. Additionally, the 4-Park Magic Ticket does not require a theme park reservation to enter the Walt Disney World theme parks, but it is a date-based ticket with prices starting at $99 per day. The 4-Park Magic Ticket is valid for theme park admission now until September 22, 2024.

Florida Resident Ticket Deal at Disney World for Spring to Fall 2024 – This discounted 3-Day or 4-Day Discover Disney Ticket costs just $59 per day and is valid for Florida residents from now through September 28, 2024. Unlike the 4-Park Magic Ticket above, this one does require reservations. However, it’s a significantly deeper discount!

Stay Longer & Save Up to 30% Off Walt Disney World Resorts in 2024 – This is a HUGE deal, literally and figuratively, offering up to 30% off room rates now through October 3, 2024 July 7, 2024. The savings can be tremendous, depending upon your resort and room combo, and travel dates. This is the first time that Walt Disney World has released a general public discount offering this significant of savings since 2019.

Unfortunately, the discount has both been shortened and reduced. When first released, the savings were 5% higher (up to 35% off) for each tier and travel dates ran until October 3, 2024. Since then, the maximum savings have dropped by 5% per tier and the end date for travel has been shortened to July 7, 2024.

Although we do expect additional discounts to be released encompassing the mid-July to late September travel dates, we’d highly recommend booking sooner rather than later if you’re traveling between now and July 7. This deal is likely to be pulled entirely at some point, with nothing to replace it for summer travel dates.

2024 Bounceback Discounts on Walt Disney World Rooms – For the first time in 3 years, bounceback discounts (also known as “Future Stay Offers”) are finally back as of last month and bookable for dates throughout 2024! Bounce-back discounts are only available to travelers who are currently staying at one of Walt Disney World’s resort hotels to book during the duration of their trip.

In a normal year, this would run from January until August (or so) and be bookable for travel dates through the following December. In August, the bounceback would switch over to Free Dining for the following fall. Booking bouncebacks discounts is a great idea and efficient way to lock-in a future stay discount. See this for full dates & details, blockouts, how to book bouncebacks, etc .

PIN Code Discount at Walt Disney World for 2024 – Unfortunately, this is not a discount you can choose to book–Walt Disney World needs to choose you, sending out targeted emails to those who meet their criteria. But as we discuss in this ‘how-to’ post, you can increase your odds of receiving a coveted PIN code by doing certain things on DisneyWorld.com or signing up for emails from the Walt Disney Company family of brands.

Walt Disney World’s 2024 PIN or Unique Offer Code is valid for stays most nights:

• April 8-24, 2024
• June 30 to August 1, 2024
• September 2-12, 2024
• October 25 to November 3, 2024
• December 8-25, 2024

Visa Cardmembers Deal for Spring & Summer 2024 – Disney Visa Cardholders enjoy “great rates” at Walt Disney World hotels for stays most nights now through June 29, 2024. There’s no percentage savings chart, so you have to price out specific resorts to see savings and do comparison shopping–but the deals are pretty good!

Save Up to 35% Off Resort Discount for APs in Spring & Summer 2024 – Save up to 35% off on room reservations for travel dates now through July 7, 2024. The lowest starting rates are a bit higher, which is due to the above discount encompassing winter off-season dates, and this one being for slightly higher (but still average) rate seasons.

Save Up to 30% Off WDW Resorts for Florida Residents – Florida residents can save up to 30% off rooms at select Disney Resort hotels, valid for stays the first few months of 2024. There’s a second deal that runs immediately after this through July 7, 2024 and is almost identical (aside from the dates).

Discounts for Swan & Dolphin at Disney World – Many Walt Disney World fans dismiss these three third party hotels out of hand, but the Swan, Dolphin, and Swan Reserve are located on-site and within walking or boat distance of both EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios. They also are eligible for Early Entry  and  Extended Evening Hours.

Aside from the Disney details and themes, these hotels offer better benefits and a superior location to most Value and Moderate Resorts. With prices starting at under $200 per night after discount, they are well worth considering.

2024 U.S. Military Salute Ticket & Room Discount at Walt Disney World – US military personnel can purchase promotional Walt Disney World theme park tickets at deeply discounted prices. Choose 4-Day, 5-Day or 6-Day Disney Military Salute Ticket (formerly the Disney Military Promotional Ticket) for visits through December 20, 2024.

Armed Forces Salute room-only discounts are also available at Walt Disney World. These are valid most nights through December 20, 2024. Precise percentage savings is not published online, and varies by season, resort popularity, and room category. Military personnel (active or retired) receive better room-only and ticket discounts than the general public, Floridians, or Annual Passholders. Call (407) 939-7830 for rates and to book. If you’re eligible for this deal, it’s your best bet. Note that blockout dates do apply around peak season dates.

Future Walt Disney World Discounts

What’s past is prologue. 

That expression holds true with Walt Disney World discounts, which play out in predictable patterns every year. Or at least, did until the closure and subsequent reopening. That threw a monkey wrench in things, as pent-up demand collided with closed resorts to create a room inventory imbalance that is just finally starting to be resolved.

Technically, Walt Disney World has already released a “full” lineup of discounts all the way through October 2024. General public and several affiliation discounts all dropped already–some multiple months earlier than normal.

With that said, we suspect that Walt Disney World is  not  done with the discounts dates beyond Summer 2024. It wouldn’t surprise us to see additional Annual Passholder, Florida Resident, and Disney+ subscriber deals–as well as another general public offer with a different twist.

Lately, Walt Disney World has been trying to incentivize planners to book early and save more. That has meant discounts are released earlier– and end earlier –than in the past. However, those dates haven’t been ‘done’ when the discount ends…they just release a new discount, often of a different nature or for a different group.

Suffice to say, we expect another discount to be released in early April 2024. That should include more special offers for late summer and early fall. Then in June or July, we’d expect deals for late October through December 25, 2024.

Whether these are general public special offers or just offers for Annual Passholders, Floridians, Disney+ subscribers, and/or Disney Visa cardholders remains to be seen and is likely dependent upon resort occupancy projections. Walt Disney World has been tinkering with more targeted discounts during the period of pent-up demand, so more of that wouldn’t be surprising–it really depends on whether that’s starting to slow or if travel is still booming.

While past is prologue, it’s also true that history doesn’t always repeat itself–sometimes it just rhymes.

Other Walt Disney World Discounts

Some of these room-only discounts can be converted to a package, which we do not recommend. The only difference with booking a package is that you’re locking yourself into paying more for park tickets and other vacation components, meaning you can’t use our Money-Saving Tips for Buying Walt Disney World Tickets or other strategies for saving.

Next, there’s the option of Renting DVC Points for Rooms at Walt Disney World . This allows you to rent use of Disney Vacation Club accommodations from a member or business. DVC rental is safe, easy, and cheaper than standard hotel reservations. It’s also a great way to “test drive” the accommodations before buying a DVC membership.

In addition to the aforementioned general public discounts, one popular under-the-radar discount among Walt Disney World fans is the PIN or Unique Offer Code targeted deal. If you’re wondering what a PIN code is and how to get one, read this . Currently, the best available PIN code offer is the same as the summer and early fall AP discount.

Another way to score deep discounts on accommodations is via Hotwire & Priceline Express Deals for Walt Disney World .  These are opaque deals, meaning you can’t see the name of the hotel prior to booking, but it’s very easy to “reverse engineer” the hotel with clues provided in the listing plus good ole fashioned internet sleuthing. These have  finally  started to return as of Spring 2024–for the first time in several years!

Finally, some words of warning and generalized commentary. In addition to the standard varying rates of the discount depending on precise travel dates, some room-only discounts have incredibly limited availability, especially room-only offers with peak travel dates. Don’t be surprised if you search for an otherwise qualifying hotel and are unable to book the discount due to zero availability.

In our searches, there are a number of situations close to holidays where these “discounts” would actually cost more, due to zero availability in standard rooms, meaning you have to upgrade to a room with a view, suite, or Club Level room. In other situations, there’s just nothing, period, so Disney’s site recommends upgrading resorts. (Such helpful suggestions for “saving” money!)

On the other hand, the discounts for off-season travel dates look pretty good in terms of availability. The additional upside to those dates is that you can choose off-season times to visit when crowds are lower and rack rates are lower, which means you’ll pay even less.

For more details on the pros and cons of taking advantage of a room-only discount, read our Room-Only Discounts at Walt Disney World post. This is our favorite discount because it’s straightforward and tends to offer the best value for us, and many other Walt Disney World regulars are fans of it for this same reason. However, if you’re a first-timer visitor to WDW, there’s a good chance a better, more inclusive offer will work better for you.

Typically, the best discounts are offered in August and September, and January and February. The downside to the former is that this is the heart of tropical storm season (see our Storm Season at Disney World Survival Guide for more info), and it’s still fairly hot and humid during the fall in Florida. These months are arguably the worst of the year in terms of weather, and that’s assuming you don’t have to deal with any hurricanes or intense tropical storms.

The downside to the latter is that January and February are colder. However, both sets of months are typically among the least crowded times of the year to visit Walt Disney World. (Although that’s less true about the winter with each passing year.) Suffice to say, it’s a trade-off for lower prices and crowds.

As always, keep in mind that Walt Disney World does not offer discounts out of generosity. Discounts are offered because Disney wants to hit a target occupancy rate for its hotels–they are a way to entice people who otherwise might not do so to book a trip.

Disney only offers discounts to the extent that are needed to hit projected target occupancy rates. Once those targets are reached, discounts are not offered. Hence the lack of availability for some resorts and some room categories in any promotion.

This is all a long-winded way of saying that flexibility is important when it comes to Walt Disney World discounts, especially Free Dining. If you want to save the most money, there’s a decent chance you will need to choose your resort hotel based upon discount availability. If you’re able to be flexible on travel dates, that’s even better!

Planning a Walt Disney World trip? Learn about hotels on our Walt Disney World Hotels Reviews page. For where to eat, read our Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews . To save money on tickets or determine which type to buy, read our Tips for Saving Money on Walt Disney World Tickets post. Our What to Pack for Disney Trips post takes a unique look at clever items to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Ride Guides will help. For comprehensive advice, the best place to start is our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide for everything you need to know!

Have any Walt Disney World deals of your own to add for saving money on vacations or things you’ll need while on vacation? Have you had success booking any of the current room-only discounts? Any difficulties? Any questions about these deals that we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback–even when you disagree with us–is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!

Written by Tom Bricker

We always go the week after Thanksgiving but this year we decided to wait until the 7th of January to the 17th to go. Do you think there will be any discounts coming up for that date? Also Christmas is my favorite time to go, do they have any of the decorations up during that time. Thanks a bunch! Tina White

We have our trip booked Oct 6-12… hilariously tragic for us that it seems like every good discount is ending just days before we arrive LOL!

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