How to Make a Disney Budget That’s Right for Your Family (Free Budget Planner Included!)

Hey friends! Are you ready to book your Disney vacation, but curious as to how much a Disney vacation actually costs? The first step is to create a Disney budget! Not sure where to start?

Well, you’ve landed in the right place. I’m here to help!

The biggest factor to consider when planning a Disney Vacation is undoubtedly the cost.

Ya know, the cheddar…

the bottom line…

the moola…

YOU GET THE POINT!! 🙂

It’s no secret that Disney can be very expensive. But I’m a firm believer that Disney can be done with just about any budget, especially if you give yourself time to plan.

Now, the term “budget” is a funny word. What counts as affordable for some, may not be in reach for another.

So for the purpose of this post, I’ll be sharing the basic expenses associated with planning a Disney vacation; as well as helpful info to help you make the smartest decisions for your family throughout the process.

I’ll also be sharing a FREE Disney budget planner worksheet! You can download this right away to help get you started on budgeting your dream vacation.

**With Disney’s 2020 reopening, Disney is not currently offering the Disney Dining Packages, FastPass+ selections, or Extra Magic Hours. Select resort locations may not be available.**

Accommodations

First things first…the largest percentage of your budget will be allocated towards your accommodations. Where your family ends up staying while visiting Disney will account for about 60% or more of the total costs.

You have a handful of different choices when booking your trip, all with various price points. You can choose to stay at any of the 23+ Disney owned resorts. Or you can stay at the conveniently located “Good Neighbors” hotels such as the Dolphin or the Swan. You could also choose to stay off-property altogether.

If you’re unsure where to start, click {HERE!} for an at-a-glance view of each type of accommodation and their amenities.

On Property Resorts

There are three levels (or three different price points) of Disney resorts; Value, Moderate, and Deluxe.

Value Resorts:

These are basic hotel rooms (think Motel 8) with standard amenities. Disney has five resorts that are considered in the value range:

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

The average price for Disney’s Value Resorts is around $110 during the off-seasons. And can climb as high as $340 a night during peak times such as Christmas and spring break times.

Moderate Resorts:

Moderate Resorts are a great option if you’re looking for a resort with ample-sized rooms, but that won’t cost you an arm and a leg. These resorts do offer some rooms that are themed. However, it’s not the same over-the-top-Disney decor found at the Value Resorts.

There are five resorts that are considered to be in the Moderate range:

• Caribbean Beach Resort
• Coronado Springs Resort
• Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter
• Port Orleans Resort – Riverside
• And the Cabins at Ft. Wilderness

Moderate resorts average about $230 per night during the regular season. These prices are right in the middle price point in relation to Disney lodging.

Deluxe Resorts & Deluxe Villas:

These resorts are luxurious and extremely detailed oriented. They also come with the highest price point of the three different resort levels. There are eight resorts that belong to the Deluxe Resort category.

• Boardwalk Inn
• Wilderness Lodge
• Contemporary Resort
• Grand Floridian Resort
• Animal Kingdom Lodge
• Beach Club Resort
• Polynesian Village Resort
• Yacht Club Resort

Disney Vacation Club Resorts

Also available, are the Disney Vacation Club (DVC) Resorts. Anybody can book a stay, just as long there is availability. These resorts include:

• Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary
• Boulder Ridge at Disney Wilderness Lodge
• Copper Creek Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
• Beach Club Villas
• Disney’s BoardWalk Villas
• Old Key West Resort
• Polynesian Villas & Bungalows
• Disney’s Riviera Resort
• Saratoga Springs
• Grand Floridian Villas

The price points vary even in the Deluxe category. Animal Kingdom Lodge being the least expensive, where the Grand Floridian is the most expensive. The daily rate can range from the high $300’s in the off season to almost $1000 a night. (Disney’s Riviera for example)

Privately Owned Hotels

Located on Disney property, these are an option if you’d like to stay in the magic bubble, but don’t want to spend as much on lodging. The Swan and Dolphin are located on Disney property. These resorts are both within walking distance to EPCOT and Hollywood Studios. They are very beautiful, and offer some amenities. They don’t necessarily have the “Disney vibe” though. Swan and Dolphin guests still get privileges to some of the “magical” amenities but they are a little different. Guests are able to participate in Extra Magic Hours and can book FastPass+ 60 days in advance.

Off-Property/Surrounding Hotels

This category is long and vast. There are some really amazing hotels located right next door, especially in the Disney Springs area. Many of these hotels offer free shuttles and a complimentary breakfast. Some of these resorts offer perks such as Extra Magic Hours and 60-day advance FastPass+ selections. A few of these hotels also offer a character breakfast at a fraction of the costs compared to on-sight restaurants.

If you do decide to stay off property, you’ll have to do your homework. Make sure to really research what hotels would work for you. Some of these charge a resort fee and an additional parking fee. Prices for these hotels can range from as low as $80 per night and on up.

Ticket Prices

This is another area of Disney vacation planning that can be a bit overwhelming. There are so many different options and types of tickets. Disney also occasionally offers discounts, making this a tricky area to navigate.

Ticket Discounts

Our friends over at Mouse Savers do a phenomenal job at explaining the different types of park tickets. I highly recommend you check out all of that information here. These guys are pros, and can really help to keep your Disney budget in check!

There are essentially three different types of tickets offered. They include:

• Base (1 park per day ticket)
• Park Hopper (allows you to hop between different parks on a single day)
• Park Hopper Plus (includes the water parks)

For a baseline estimate, the majority of families plan their trips to be about 4-7 days long. There is more value in purchasing a longer stay. Disney discounts the cost for each additional park day after the four days.

A four-day advanced purchase ticket per adult is estimated to be about $440, while a seven-day base ticket is $490.

Keep in mind that these prices are based on Disney’s off-seasons when ticket prices are at their lowest. These are also advanced purchase prices, so if you bought these tickets at the gate, they’d be significantly more expensive. The prices are also variable, as there are other discounts to look out for such as military/civil service, Florida resident, AAA, and discounts through certain employers.

I highly recommend checking out both Undercovertourist.com and MouseSavers.com. Both of these are highly reputable, discount ticket brokers. They can help you with all of the in’s and out’s of purchasing tickets and resorts. You’ll also have peace of mind as they are very reputable.

Click here to play around with a ticket calculator. You can get a feel for all the different variables in ticket pricing.

Disney Passholder Discount

Another option to consider is the purchase of an annual pass. If you’re a Florida resident, you can score an even bigger discount. With an annual pass, you can receive discounts on resort rates, some dining, waterpark admission, merchandise, and more.

Dining

Everybody’s got to eat, right? Dining throughout the resorts and parks can be super exciting and really delicious. I always look forward to trying new food when I’m there! With so many restaurants and snack options, not to mention the Disney Dining Plan, there’s always a lot of confusion about what makes the best value for dining at Disney.

Just like with everything else, you’ll have to do your research and decide what will work best for your family. There are several different directions you could go when deciding how you’ll pay for your meals. You can go all in and purchase one of Disney’s Dining Plans. (Currently not available for 2020-2021.) This essentially allows you to prepay for your meals, so you’re not worrying about the expense once you’re there.

Disney Dining Plans

There are four different levels of the Dining Plan, all with varying costs. Disney Dining Plans are only available for guests who are staying on property. They are made of credits which are based on the number of nights booked at the resort.

For a price estimate, the Basic Dining Plan comes out to be about $79 per night for an adult and $31 for each child per night.

A five-night stay on the Basic Dining Plan would roughly cost a family of four a little over $1000. If you want your dining experiences to include table service, character meals, and signature dining options, the Disney meal plan might end up being a better option as the signature meals, and alcoholic beverages add up quickly.

**Disney has temporarily suspended Dining Plans for the remainder of 2020 and 2021. As always, we will keep you updated with changes as they occur!**

Pay as you go…

The second option would be to pay out of pocket and/or bring your own food to the resort and the parks. Yes, you can bring your own food to Disney!

For my family, the Disney Dining Plan really isn’t needed. We are able to try a lot of different food and still not spend as much as the Basic Dining Plan. We usually grab something quick to eat at the resort in the morning. With the exception of one morning where we book a character meal.

We usually choose our character meal to be during breakfast, as it’s less expensive than lunch and dinner prices. Also, my kids love breakfast foods. I don’t have to worry about paying a lot of money for something that they won’t like.

We tend to eat our biggest meal during lunch. Also, to not waste a lot of time, we use Mobile Order at a Quick-Service location. We like to buy and share a snack or two as we continue exploring the parks throughout the day.

On the day of our character meal, we eat groceries we’ve brought from home. We’ve also ordered pizza from the Food Court and had it delivered to our room. By eating this way we typically budget about $100-$120 per day on food. This is obviously much cheaper than the basic dining plan.

Disney Budget – Free Dining Option

Depending on the time of your trip, you might be able to snag Disney’s free dining offer. A couple of times per year, Disney will offer a free dining plan. This can be a real money saver! It’s important, however, to do the math. Disney doesn’t allow this offer to be combined with any other special offers or discounts. If you’ve scored a discounted resort rate, for example, you won’t be able to combine that with free dining. Just crunch the numbers on both scenarios to make sure you’re saving the most.

The sky is the limit when it comes to Disney dining. You could spend as little as the cost of groceries, or as much as Signature Dining at every meal. ☺️

Transportation

In order to start your Disney vacation, ya gotta get here first! Getting to Disney and being able to get around the parks is a top priority when planning out your vacation.

You’ll need to determine if your family will be flying or driving to Disney. If you’re staying at a Disney Resort you won’t have to worry about any other transportation or expenses. Disney’s Magical Express will pick you up from the airport and deliver you (and your luggage) straight to your resort. (Disney just recently announced that the Magical Express will be discontinued after 2021. Stay tuned, however! Disney may be working out an alternative.)

Once you’ve arrived, you can rely on Disney World transportation. This includes the bus system, boats, monorails, and the new Skyliner to get you around the parks. If you need transportation in a hurry, you can use one of Disney’s MinnieVan’s. (which does include a fee by booking through Lyft.)

If you’ve decided to drive, you may save in comparison to prices on flights. Don’t forget to take into account the cost of gas, dining out, and possible hotel stays if you plan to stop along the way.

Resort Parking

Also keep in mind, that even if you’re staying at the resorts, you will need to pay for resort parking. However, you’ll receive free parking at all of the parks if you’re staying on property.

If you’re flying down, but have opted to stay at an off-property resort, don’t forget to calculate pricing on rental cars or the fees you’ll expect to pay by using a taxi, Uber, and Lyft services.

Adding Souvenirs and Experiences to your Disney Budget

Disney has some AMAZING shopping experiences that can be found in just about every direction you look. While you don’t have to spend one cent on souvenirs, it’s a bit unrealistic to think that you won’t buy anything. The best way to keep this under control is to budget ahead of time just how much you’ll want to spend.

Just for a few ballpark figures; a Mickey t-shirt and a set of ears will end up costing you around $60. ($25+ for the shirt, and at about $30 for the ears)

You can save a bit here, by purchasing discount Disney gift cards before your arrival, shopping for souvenirs in advance at Amazon or Target, or shopping at more inexpensive retail shops. I highly recommend Uniqlo in Disney Springs. They have unique Disney merch at affordable prices.

While there is more than enough to keep you entertained within the parks, there are lots of other entertainment activities that you might be interested in such as the Cirque du Soliel or Amphicars located in Disney Springs. Maybe you’re looking to play a round of golf with the guys, or a get a relaxing massage at one of Disney’s spas….it’s all amazing, just make sure that you plan for it!

Disney Budget/Miscellaneous

All the other expenses that come with a Disney vacation get lumped in here. Other items to consider and keep in mind are tips (at table service restaurants…these are not included with the dining plans), stroller rentals, waterpark cabana rental, MemoryMaker, or maybe just a little extra wiggle room for any surprises might seem to pop up.

Ready to make a Disney budget that’s right for your family? Feel free to sign-up below to download my FREE Disney budget worksheet.

What’s Next?

Did you find this guide helpful with creating a Disney budget? Any other items to consider or things that I may have left out? Drop me a comment below or reach out to me on any of my social media channels. Your comments are super helpful to me and to other readers!

Don’t forget to follow me on all of my social media outlets. You can come along with me on Instagram as we visit the parks each week. I share in my stories as we go! You can check the highlights for all the fun {HERE!}

Happy Planning!