How much does it cost to go to Disney World in 2023?

When planning a trip to Disney World, the most popular question is – “how much does it cost to go to Disney World?”

And to be honest, there really isn’t a specific total trip price mainly because there are so many factors that go into it such as, hotel and accommodations, food, park tickets, activities, time of year, etc,

But to make your trip planning a little more clear, financially, I’ll do my best to give you the most accurate number possible.

In this updated Disney World trip planning guide, I’ll walk you step by step to truly figure out how much it’ll cost to go to Disney.

And as a baseline, I’ll use a family of 4 as an example throughout.

Just click on any of the topics below to jump right to them:

• Hotels and Resorts
• Park Tickets
• Food and Dining
• Extra Add-Ons (Waterparks, Golf, Holiday Parties, etc)
• Transportation
• Example #1 Cheap Trip in 2022
• Example #2 Expensive Trip in 2022
• How to save money?

Total Cost (to save you some time)

This is how much a trip for a family of four should cost on average to Walt Disney World Resort with park tickets, hotel, food, and airfare.

• Cheap Summer Trip: For a family of four at a Value Disney Resort for 5 nights (Monday-Saturday), you’re looking at $3,752 in the summer.
• Cheap Off-Season Price: For a family of four at a Value Disney Resort for 5 nights (Monday-Friday), you’re looking at $3,703 in the fall/winter.
• Expensive Summer Trip: For a family of four at a Deluxe Disney Resort for 5 nights (Monday-Friday), you’re looking at $6,766 in the summer
• Expensive Off-Season Trip: For a family of four at a Deluxe Disney Resort for 5 nights (Monday-Friday), you’re looking at $5,722 in the fall/winter.

So how much does it really cost to go to Disney World?

Let’s break down your vacation cost by category. As an example, I will use 2 adults and 2 children, above the age of 3, to factor in the costs.

Hotel and Resorts

When it comes to choosing a hotel, there are about five different options:

1. Disney Value Resort
2. Disney Moderate Resort
3. Disney Deluxe Resort
4. Disney Deluxe Villas
5. Off-Property Resorts

Technically Airbnb is another option but the costs for that varies so much to even add it to this section. But just expect to pay around $100 per night for a home/condo near Disney World property.

Here are the price breakdowns for each property type for a 5-night stay.

Disney Value Resort

Disney Value Resorts are the cheapest accommodations available at Disney World. They have exterior corridors but are themed in the most unique, fun, kid-friendly ways possible.

Disney Value Resorts (including their average nightly room rates) are:

• Disney’s’ All-Star Sports Resort = $140/night
• Disney’s All-Star Movies Resort = $140/night
• Disney’s All-Start Music Resort = $140/night
• Disneys’ Art of Animation Resort = $179/night
• Disney’s Pop Century Resort = $191/night

Room rates fluctuate significantly during the year so these prices are only average examples that I’ve found. But the prices listed above are definitely on the higher side. I’ve seen them as low as $111 a night off-season in February 2023.

Let’s use Disney All Star Movies Resort as an example.

The total price for a 5-night stay comes down to $964.77 for a Standard Room with 2 full-sized beds.

Disney Moderate Resort

Disney Moderate Resorts are more upscale than Value but still have exterior corridors. You’ll still get fun themed resorts but with slightly better resorts options. Plus, they are generally quieter and less hectic than Value Resorts.

Disney Moderate Resorts (including their average nightly room rates) are:

• Disneys’ Coronado Springs Resort = $226/night
• Disney’s’ Port Orleans Resort French Quarter = $279/night
• Disneys’ Port Orleans Resort Riverside = $279/night
• Disneys’ Caribbean Beach Resort = $285/night
• The Cabins at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort = $450/night

Room rates fluctuate significantly during the year so these prices are only average examples that I’ve found.

Let’s use Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort as an example.

The total price for a 5-night stay comes down to $1,599.77 for a Standard Room with 2 queen beds.

Disney Deluxe Resort

Disney Deluxe Resorts are the best of the best and are by far the most luxurious resorts on property. But with that extra luxury and additional amenities also comes more expensive room rates.

Disney Deluxe Resorts (including their average nightly room rates) are:

• Disney’s’ Animal Kingdom Lodge = $526/night
• Disney’s Yacht Club Resort = $501/night
• Disney’s Beach Club Resort = $590/night
• Disney’s Wilderness Lodge = $407/night
• Disney’s Boardwalk Inn = $531/night
• Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort = $706/night
• Disney’s Contemporary Resort = $495/night
• Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort = $588/night

Room rates fluctuate significantly during the year so these prices are only average examples that I’ve found. Deluxe Resorts by far have the largest price fluctuation of any other resort-type to the point of being hundreds of dollars cheaper or more expensive depending on the time of year.

Let’s use Disney’s Yacht Club Resort as an example.

The total price for a 5-night stay comes down to $2,850.75 for a standard room with 2 queen beds.

Disney Deluxe Villas

Disney Deluxe Villas are found at Deluxe Resorts but they offer a couple of additional room amenities such as a full kitchen and more bedrooms.

Disney Deluxe Villas (including their average nightly room rates) are:

• Disney’s BoardWalk Villas = $530/night
• Animal Kingdom Villas Jumbo House = $683/night
• Animal Kingdom Villas Kidani Village = $526/night
• Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort = $581/night
• Disneys’ Beach Club Vilas = $732/night
• Disneys’ Saratoga Springs = $485/night
• Disney’s Old Key West Resort = $407/night
• Copper Creek Villas and Cabins at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge = $473/night
• Boulder Ridge Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge = $473/night
• Disney’s Riviera Resort = $605/night
• Disney’s Polynesian Village and Bungalow = $588/night
• The Villas at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort – $707/night

Room rates fluctuate significantly during the year so these prices are only average examples that I’ve found.

Let’s use Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge Kidani Village as a example.

The total price for a 5-night stay in a Savannah View 1 Bedroom Villa comes down to $4,714.88 which comes with one king, one queen sleeper sofa, and one twin sleeper chair.

Off-Property Resorts

There are so many resorts outside of Disney World property that it’s almost impossible to price them out mainly because there are a lot of factors that go into it.

But the two biggest factors that you should consider when looking at off property resorts are location and hotel category.

There are also quite a few upscale resorts in the Bonnet Creek location on Disney Property and their pricing is closer to the Deluxe resorts.

However, when you look at properties in the Disney Springs area, their prices are closer to the Moderate resorts.

Honestly, for whatever hotel budget you have in mind, there’s a great hotel in the area.

Here are a couple example room rates for February in 2023 for some off-property resorts including some in Disney Springs. Plus, I also included the Swan, Dolphin, and Swan Reserve.

• Wyndham Lake Buena Vista at Disney Springs = $144/night
• Homewood Suites by Hilton at Flamingo Crossings = $127/night
• JW Marriott Orlando Bonnet Creek = $440/night
• Walt Disney World Dolphin = $281/night
• Walt Disney World Swan = $431/night
• Walt Disney World Swan Reserve = $414/night

If you’re looking to extend out even further, other great areas include:

• International Drive – by far the most popular tourist area with hundreds of hotels, resorts, restaurants, and attractions, including Top Golf. This area is the closest to Universal Studios.
• Flamingo Crossing – Up and coming shopping/dining location near 429 with close proximity to the Disney College Program housing complex
• Lake Buena Vista – The area behind Disney Springs that’s filled with smaller, more budget-friend hotels (like Courtyards and Homewood Suites) as well as plenty of restaurant chains. Plus, once you cross I-4, you’ll be about 5 minutes from the Premium Outlets on Vineland.
• Kissimmee – The section of U.S. 192 behind Animal Kingdom is full of restaurants and hotels including the Margaritaville Resort and neighboring affordable water park. This is also where you can find a nice Target and a few mini-golf spots.
• Williamsburg – This is where both Sea World and Aquatica are located, so as a result there are a few resorts and hotels scattered throughout. But with it’s extremely close proximity to I-4 and International Drive, you’re only 7 minutes away from Disney Springs and the outlets. Unless you absolutely need to be near Sea World, I wouldn’t make this area a priority.

Tip: If you happen to have loyalty points with Hilton, Hyatt, or Marriott, there are plenty of resorts on and off-property that you can book. For the full list or properties, check out this guide.

Galactic Starcruiser

One option some guests do is stay at the Star Wars Galactic Starcruiser “hotel” for 2-nights at the beginning or end of their trip.

But the biggest factor to consider about this is the price (at $4,800 for two adults) and the fact that you’re stuck in the hotel for two days of your vacation. But, if you are absolutely obsessed with Star Wars, then you’ll love this immersive experience.

But it can essentially be a pretty pricey add-on to your Disney World vacation.

Disney World Park Tickets

Disney World park tickets are expensive and to be honest, there really aren’t any ways to truly save money here unless you go to an authorized Disney Ticket seller like Undercover Tourist.

The best thing you can do is choose a cheaper day to visit since ticket prices fluctuate during the time of year, holidays, and weekends.

Here’s an example of the date-specific ticket prices:

All Disney World park costs the same so all ticket prices are identical across all four.

Sure you can sometimes find some insane promotions for Florida residents or veterans on Disney’s official site, but there really isn’t much outside of that.

So with that being said, here are your park ticket options.

1 Day Base Ticket

• Choose one park per day with no Park-Hopping = $109

1 Day Park Hopper Ticket

• Visit multiple parks in one day = $174

Four Day Base Ticket

• Choose one park a day with no park-hopping = $426.40

Four Day Park Hopper Ticket

• Visit multiple parks every day = $511.40

So to sum things up, for a family of four, park tickets with no Park Hopper will cost $1,705.60 (or $426.60 per person).

And park tickets with the Park Hopper option will cost $2,045.60 (or $511.40 per person).

Plus, now there’s even the Disney Genie+ service that will cost you $15 per day per ticket if you’re looking to access one of the 40 attractions throughout all four parks by using the new Lightning Lane.

So if this is something you’re consider adding on to your tickets, here’s a quick rundown of Genie+ as well as the average cost of the popular Individual Lightning Lane attractions:

• Genie+ costs $15 to $22 per day per ticket
• Individual Lightning Lane attractions cost can range anywhere from $9 to $17 an attraction. To see the full list of pay-to-ride attractions, check out this list.

So a family if a family of four wants to add Genie+ every day on their trip, that will cost $60+ extra a day and $240 for the entire trip.

Personally, if time and maximizing every waken moment without being stuck for hours in lines is more important than money, it’s a helpful option to add on.

Lastly, to save anywhere between $6 to $72 on your Disney World park tickets, be sure to buy them through Undercover Tourist.

Tip: When choosing booking a park reservation for Magic Kingdom, make sure that there isn’t a holiday party or special event going on that day by checking the hours or operation on the official Disney World site. The last thing you want to do is pay $139 for a ticket only to be forced leave the park by 4 pm.

Food and Dining

Now I’m going to be honest, the food and restaurants at Disney World are pretty expensive.

When comparing how much you’ll spend at Disney on food compared to other vacations, the difference can be quite astonishing.

Here’s how much you should expect to pay per person per meal, including snacks, and alcoholic beverages:

Quick Service

• breakfast for adults costs about $12
• breakfast for kids costs about $7.29
• lunch and dinner for adults costs about $12.49 not including drinks
• lunch and dinner for kids costs about $7.49 and that includes drinks

Table Service

• the average meal cost for adults is $27 not including a drink
• the average meal cost for kids is $13 including a drink
• dessert at table service restaurants are around $8 to $9 on average

Buffet

• breakfast buffets for adults costs $27
• breakfast buffets of kids cost $15.50
• lunch and dinner buffets for adults costs about $43.33
• lunch and diner buffets for kids costs about $25.67

Family-Style

• family-style breakfast for adults costs $42
• family-style breakfast for kids costs $27
• lunch and dinner for adults costs $55
• lunch and dinner for kids cost $36

Character Dining

• character breakfast for adults costs $42
• character breakfast for kids costs $27
• lunch and dinner character dining for adults costs $48 on average
• lunch and inner character dining for kids costs $35 on average

Snacks

• snacks cost about $6 on average

Alcohol

• cocktails average around $11 to $14
• beer is about $10
• wine is about $11.50 to $14 a glass

If this seems pretty pricey, there are a couple ways to save some money especially if you eat a lot.

My personal favorite is the Disney Dining Plan (DDP). But this is literally only for the families that eat a lot or those with expensive palettes. Because honestly, you need to know how to maximize the DDP if you’re considering getting it.

But let’s say you don’t get the DDP, here’s how much it will typically cost to eat every day per person on average.

3 meals a day, 1 Table Service ($45), 2 Quick Service ($30), 1 Snack ($7) = $82 per adult per day or $48 per kid per day.

For a grand total of $1,560 for 6 days for a family of four.

I do believe this is on the higher end price-wise because I truly find myself eating 2 meals a day and snacking A LOT throughout the day.

For a complete, more-detailed breakdown of Disney World food prices, be sure to check out our list.

Extra Add-Ons (Water Parks, Mini-Golf, Holiday Parties, etc)

There are a handful of extras that you can add on to your Disney World vacation such as visiting one or both of their water parks, mini golf, real golf, and attending a holiday party.

Here’s a breakdown of average costs for each extra add-on.

Disney Water Parks

There are two water parks on Disney property, Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon.

A one-day ticket to Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon costs $69 for adults (ages 10 and over) and $63 for children (ages 3 to 9).

There is also a water park ticket with blockout dates that costs $64 and $58 respectively. Blockout dates are from May 28 to October 2, 2022 and May 27 to October 1, 2023.

Disney World Holiday Parties

There are two main holiday parties with tickets available for purchase – Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party.

Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party has officially returned for the 2022 season with ticket prices ranging from $109 to $199 for adults and $99 to $189 for children (ages 3 to 9).

The closer you get to Halloween, the more expensive the tickets. With the exception of the first party date, the cheapest month is August followed by the fist week of September.

Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party is officially returning in 2022 after a 2 year hiatus. Ticket prices range from $149 to $199 for adults and $139 to $189 for children (ages 3 to 9).

The closer you get to Christmas, the more expensive the parties are, especially during the last week leading up to Christmas. And if you happen to have a Disney World Annual Pass, you can save $10 per ticket all the way through the first week of December.

Disney also has “Disney After Hours” events throughout the year which allows guest to purchase a special event ticket that entitles 3 extra hours at the park as well as complimentary snacks and beverages.

As or right now, the only event is available for purchase is Disney H2O Glow After Hours at Typhoon Lagoon which is going on every Saturday from June 25 to August 27, 2022.

H2O Glow After Hours tickets costs $75 for adults and $70 for children ages 3-9.

Disney Mini-Golf

There are technically four different Disney mini-golf courses spread between two locations. Here are their prices:

1. Fantasia Gardens = $14 per adult and $12 per child (ages 3-9)
2. Fairways Miniature Golf = $14 per adult and $12 per child (ages 3-9)
3. Winter Summerland Summer = $14 per adult and $12 per child (ages 3-9)
4. Winter Summerland Winter = $14 per adult and $12 per child (ages 3-9)

Personally, I think Fantasia Gardens is hands down the best mini-golf course on property. I might be biased, but I think it might actually be the best one in Orlando. Well worth the money. But for a challenge, try Fairways for a more realistic golf experience.

Disney World Golf Tee Times

There are four Disney golf courses on property – Lake Buena Vista, Magnolia, Oak Trail, and Palm.

Tee times prices fluctuate drastically but you can play 18 holes with a cart for anywhere between $31 to $98 per person.

Lake Buena Vista is statistically the cheapest course with the lowest tee time rates being $31 in the evening during the summer.

The nine-hole course Oak Trail averages around $28-$29 all day.

Disney World FootGolf

You read that right, at Disney’s Oak Trail, there is a 9 hole footgolf course certified by the American FoodGolf League.

FootGolf at Disney’s Oak Trail Golf Course costs $20 per person.

Transportation (Airfare, Rental Cars, and Uber)

Flights

Airfare this year is crazily unaffordable. And as of right now, there really isn’t a drastic difference in flight prices during the summer or holiday season. It’s just expensive regardless. It’s expensive to the point that you can get to Europe from the east coast cheaper than a domestic flight to Florida.

So to keep things as accurate as possible, here are the average prices for flights to Disney World.

In general, I would expect to pay around $220 per person for flights.

Here’s some example prices for a family of four for flights right now from New York, Texas, and California.

• $164 ($41 per person) in economy from Newark to Orlando on Frontier
• $288 ($72 per person) in economy from New York City (LGA) to Orlando on Delta
• $649 ($162.25 per person) in economy from Dallas to Orlando on American Airlines
• $408 ($102 per person) in economy from Los Angeles to Orlando on Jet Blue
• $2,049 ($512.25 per person) in economy from London to Orlando on British Airways

As prices start to fall, I’ll update this accordingly.

By far the best way to find the cheapest flight, at least in my experience, has been Google Flights, but more specifically their price graph feature.

This allows me to see what the cheapest days to fly on every month.

Here’s an example of the price graph for one plane ticket in economy between February and March 2023 from Los Angeles to Orlando:

Rental Cars in Orlando

Also, some families may prefer to drive which can typically be significantly cheaper than flying especially when flight prices return to normal. But that always depends on gas prices.

Now for rental cars, you can expect to pay around $365 for 6 days using Avis in an intermediate sized rental car without any discounts or promotions.

Here are the major car rental services available at MCO:

• Alamo
• Avis
• Budget
• Dollar Car Rental
• Enterprise
• Hertz
• National
• Payless
• Sixt
• Thrifty

I recommend using Kayak to compare all the prices at once to save a little time. But personally, I stick with a handful of brands that I haven’t had too many problems with like Avis and National.

To be honest, you won’t need a rental car at Disney World thanks to their expansive bus, monorail, boat, and Skyliner network.

However, if you’re looking to explore the areas outside Disney or venture out to other parks like Universal Studios or Sea World, then a car is a more affordable way to get around town than using Uber or Lyft.

This is especially true if you plan on making your way to Tampa, Clearwater Beach, or NASA. Even an Uber ride from Pop Century to Legoland costs $60 to $75 one way.

Note: It costs around $24 one-way in an UberX to get from Disney World property to Universal Studios Orlando.

Uber and Lyft at Disney World

Speaking of Uber or Lyft, if you’re not looking to rent or car but still want to get to your Disney Resort without using Mears Connect (the Disney’s Magical Express replacement), then using a ride-share service is your best option.

Using UberX, it will cost around $45 on average to get to Disney World property from the airport (MCO).

But this 100% depends on the time of day and rush hour since there has been quite a few instances of surge pricing.

I’ve sometimes gotten to Disney World for $19 while other times it was pushing $60 for a standard ride.

And if you’d like to learn a little bit more about using Uber, Lyft, and even Minnie Vans at Disney World, be sure to check out our in-depth guide.

How much is Parking at Disney World?

Parking at Disney World theme parks start at $25 per day for standard and $45 to $50 per day for preferred.

At Disney World, guests pay one fee for a parking pass that is good all day at all four theme parks.

Currently, there are three parking options available – standard, preferred, and oversized.

With Preferred Parking at Disney World, you get to park at a special parking lot that are a lot closer to the park entrances.

1. Standard Parking costs $25 per day for a car or motorcycle.
2. Preferred Parking costs $45 to $50 per day for a car or motorcycle.
3. Oversized Parking costs $30 per day for a shuttle, limo, camper trailer, RV, bus, or tractor trailer.

Registered gusts of all Disney Resort hotels as well as select Annual Passholder receive complimentary standard parking. These guest also have the option to upgrade their parking for the day to preferred for around $20-$25 extra.

Note: If you have a Tesla or any other electric vehicle, all four theme parks, as well as Disney Springs, have dedicated charging stations that you can use. In order to use these charging stations, you will need a credit card or pre-loaded ChargePoint card. Right now, it costs $0.35 per kilowatt hour with a $1.50 minimum.

Now when it comes to overnight self-parking at all Disney Resorts, there are varying prices based on the resort category.

1. Value Resort parking costs $15 per night.
2. Moderate Resort parking costs $20 per night.
3. Deluxe Resort and Villas parking costs $25 per night.

Valet parking costs $33 per night with sales tax included.

Parking at both Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon and Disneys’ Blizzard Beach waterparks are complimentary for all guests.

And parking at Disney Springs is also complimentary at the surface parking lot, as well as the 3 parking garages with direct access to Disney Springs. Valet parking is also available at a flat rate of $20 per day.

Example: Cheap Disney World Trip in 2022

This trip example is for the family of four that wants to save as much money as possible without skimping on any of the fun. For this example, I’m going to leave out flights and transportation. Dates chosen are in July for 5-nights.

Hotel – Disney’s All Star Movies Resort ($193 per night)

Disney’s All Star Movies is usually the cheapest Value resort at Disney. This title as the cheapest Disney World resort typically switches between Pop Century during the year, however.

So for five nights, your stay comes out to $964.77 for a standard room to 2 full-size beds.

Park Tickets ($426.40 per person)

I opted for the 4-Day Base ticket without Park Hopper.

So for a family of four, tickets come out to $1,705.60.

Food and Restaurants ($58 per person per day)

To really save money, I recommend you skip any Table Service (sit-down restaurants) because they can be quite expensive. This hurts me so much to say since I love so many of the restaurants at Disney, but from a financial standpoint, it just doesn’t work.

In general, Quick Service meals cost around $17 each with a free cup of water.

I think you should however get 1 snack a day which is around $7 or less.

So with 3 Quick Service meals and a snack, you’re looking at $58 per person per day.

So that comes out to $1,392 for 6 days.

Additional Activities ($0)

Everything extra at Disney World costs extra so I’m going to skip it. That includes mini-golf, shopping, Firework Dessert parties, and other similar activities.

Total Price = $4,061.77

Example: Expensive Disney World Trip in 2022

This trip example is for the family of four that isn’t afraid to treat themselves and splurge a little. For this example, I’m going to leave out flights and transportation. Dates chosen are in July for 5-nights.

Hotel – Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort ($837 per night)

As one of my favorite resorts, the Polynesian is home to overwater bungalows and the best Disney restaurant.

For a five night stay, your total comes out to $3,346.90 in a Standard View room with two queen beds.

There are options to upgrade your room to better views or even to a Club Level room which offers lounges, private floors, and other perks but I’m not going to include those Club Levo rooms today since they aren’t currently available.

Park Tickets ($511.40 per person)

I opted for the 4-Day Ticket with Park Hopper.

So for a family of four, park tickets comes out to $2,045.60.

Food and Restaurants ($511 per person)

To get the full Disney World experience, good food needs to be a part of your trip. That’s why I recommend you try at least one Table Service restaurant a day. This includes buffets, Character breakfasts, and even a Signature restaurant.

In general, a Table Service meal costs around $45 per person.

A Quick Service meal with drink will come out to around $21.

I say 2-3 snacks is perfect. So you’re looking at around $21 for snacks.

Add one Signature Restaurant which is around $80 per person.

You can expect to pay around $2,043 for 6 days of delicious eating.

Additional Activities ($500+)

At Disney World, one thing that should be factored into costs are souvenirs.

In general, I’m going to say $100 per person. And that’s on the low side only because shirts are like $25 and plush toys start at like $15.

Throw in maybe one night of mini-golf which is $14 per adult and $12 for children ages 3 to 9.

So for additional activities like shopping and mini-golf, you’re looking at around $452 on the low side.

Total Price = $7,887.50

How to save money on your Disney World trip?

I do have an in-depth money-saving guide but to sum things up, here are some easy, surefire ways to help make your WDW trip more affordable.

1. Go offseason

I recommend you take a look at this crowd calendar to see just how busy and expensive Disney World during the time you’re looking to plan your visit.

Generally during Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, Easter, Spring Break, and the summer, you can expect to pay premium prices for resorts and airfare.

I also forgot to mention to avoid planning your trip during marathon weekends since these days are usually packed and room rates tend to increase.

That’s why I recommend going to Disney during the off-season which is after New Years all the way to March as well as from October to Thanksgiving.

Parks are usually dead and prices are the lowest, at least from personal experiences.

2. Go as a couple instead of a whole family.

As crazy as it sounds, you don’t always have to bring your kids or all your kids to Disney World.

Disney World is just as fun for adults as it is for kids.

Plus, the way I see it is that if half your family hates Disney and other half loves it, why not just take a father -son/daughter or mother-son/daughter trip.

3. Look at neighboring airports

If you’re renting a car, it might actually be cheaper to fly into Tampa or Jacksonville, or even Miami.

This isn’t always the case, but it doesn’t hurt to expand your airfare search to include neighboring airports.

4. Stay off-property

Disney Resorts are pretty expensive. That’s why it’s sometimes a better option, financially, to stay off property at like a Homewood Suites or Hyatt.

Rates are usually a lot more affordable than Disney hotel prices.

5. Use credit card points (or even hotel loyalty points)

Did you know that you can actually stay on Disney World property at Marriott and Hilton owned properties.

It’s true! The Swan and Dolphin as well as the Waldorf Astoria, Wyndham Bonnet Creek, and J.W. Marriott, just to name a few are located on Disney property.

That’s why if you happen to have any loyalty points through Hyatt, Hilton, Marriott, IHG, and Wyndham, these resorts may be a great value to redeem them.

To learn more about booking your Disney World hotel with points, be sure to check out this quick guide.

6. If you have a Cast Member friend, as them to help you get a Friends and Family resort rate.

Friends and Family rates at Disney World are ridiculously good.

You can expect to save around 30-40% on your stay if a Cast Member that you know books a room on your behalf.

7. Don’t go during Food and Wine

This isn’t a knock on Food and Wine because I LOVE it, but the parks are usually busier during this time. Plus, the resorts in the Epcot area such as Disney’s Yacht Club, Beach Club, and Boardwalk Inn are usually very expensive during this time.

So if those hotels are on your list, I recommend you don’t plan your trip in the fall. Or at least stay at one of the hundreds of cheaper off-property options.

8. Skip the Park Hopper Option

Park Hopper can add around $30 to your ticket price per person per day. And that price only gets higher the less days your park tickets are for.

That’s why I recommend that you skip the Park Hopper.

Park Hopping is very convenient and all, but to be honest, you won’t really need it. That’s especially true if you expect to be at the parks all day because you want to ride everything, see everything, and eat everything.

Because, time is the biggest factor when it comes to Park Hopping.

9. Skip the Disney Dining Plan

If you’re someone that doesn’t want to be forced to eat or if you’re someone who eats light, then the Disney Dining Plan is a horrible value.

And it’s expensive.

Worse of all, if you don’t use all your dining meal credits, you don’t get your money back.

That’s why I think pre-paying for your meals is very risky and expensive especially for those who have small appetites.

10. Use a Disney Visa to book your trip

When you book your trip using Chase’s Disney Visa, you can get exclusive cardmember rates, discounts, perks, and even photo ops.

Discounts and promotions vary, but you can generally save a few dollars using a Disney Visa.

11. Avoid the wekends

Room rates are always higher during the weekend and crowds are extremely heavy, especially when the weather if beautiful. The moment the weather drops below 75 degrees, every park will be packed, especially Epcot and Magic Kingdom.

12. Skip the Deluxe resorts

Don’t get me wrong, I love the Deluxe resorts but when I think about it, how often are you going to be in your room?

Personally, I feel that spending that extra money for a room that you’ll just pass out in as soon as you get back from the park isn’t ideal.

But if you are someone who prefers to chill at a resort, enjoy the pools, and dine at their amazing restaurants, then the Deluxe is worth it.

But if that doesn’t sound like you, then I recommend you downgrade to a Moderate or Value resort.

13. Get a Tables in Wonderland card

Now I only recommend this if you plan to visit Disney World often. To the point that you’ll get an annual pass.

With a Tables in Wonderland membership, you’ll get 20% off all food and beverages including alcohol along with numerous other perks.

(Note: This program has been discontinued so I’ll be sure to update this tip if Disney ever decides to bring this program back.)

14. Pack your own snacks

Snacks at Disney are pretty expensive so if you do want to save a few bucks, packing your own snacks can make a huge difference.

15. Skip Mears Connect if necessary

If you’re staying on Disney World Property at a Disney Resort, using Uber or Lyft can be a cheaper alternative for airport runs.

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So, in conclusion…

A typical Disney World Vacation for a family of four for 5-nights will cost on average around $3,800 which includes hotel, airfare, park tickets, and food.

Hopefully this guide has helped you truly figure out how much it would cost to go to Disney World.

Similar Guide: How much does it cost to go to Disneyland?