Cheapest Way To Do Disney World On A Budget
Everyone deserves to take dream vacations, and a Disney trip is at the top of the list for most families. However, it comes with a hefty price tag. As Disney veterans, we’ve learned a thing or two about saving money at the most magical place on earth (and some may surprise you). In this post, we’re sharing all of our best tips and tricks for the absolute cheapest way to do Disney World!
One of the easiest ways to save is by having a smart dining strategy. You have to eat. It’s a non-negotiable, but it’s also the area you have the most control over in your travel budget. We have several posts covering ways to save money on Disney World food that you can check out.
With the right mindset and a loose travel plan, you can totally do Disney World on a budget without sacrificing. Grab your pen and paper, and let’s dive in!
With the right approach, a Disney trip can be affordable and magical. The cheapest way to visit Disney World is to plan smart and make informed choices. We’ve had many budget-friendly Disney adventures, and so can you!
Before we dive in, if you can’t afford to go to Disney World, you should wait. While it is possible to do Disney on a budget, I wouldn’t want you to be so strapped for cash that you can’t allow for some indulgences, like buying a Disney balloon for your child. If that’s the case, I would encourage you to wait another year or so, save some more money, and you will have an infinitely better vacation!
To help you save, we’ve written several money-saving articles to help get you on the right track. Remember, money saved is money earned, so the more money you can keep in the bank, the more you can save for a dream Disney vacation!
Cheapest Way To Do Disney World
As with any vacation destination, travel, accommodations, tickets, and food will be your main expenses. Other areas, like souvenirs and alcoholic drinks, are optional. The time of year you visit will be the most critical factor, so let’s start there.
Flights, hotels, and even Disney ticket prices will be higher during peak travel times, such as holidays and when kids are out of school. Traveling during the off-season will ensure you get the lowest rates on flights, accommodations, and even Disney ticket prices.
Disney Packing List Must Haves
Raincoats! Regardless of when you visit, there’s a good chance you’ll experience a pop-up shower during your trip. Be prepared and bring rain ponchos from home to avoid paying premium prices at Disney World!
Slowest Times At Disney World
One of the best times to visit Disney is after the Thanksgiving crowds leave and before the Christmas crowds arrive. Prices are lower, the weather is beautiful, and the Disney Christmas decorations are up, adding to the magic of your trip.
For the same reasons, January and February are also great. The decorations are gone, but you’ll have much cooler weather. There are cheerleading competitions around this time every year, and thousands of cheerleaders inundate Disney property. Book your trip between these competitions, and you’ll be fine.
Late August and most of September are notoriously among the best times for low crowds and prices. It’s still a little too hot for us, but if that doesn’t bother you, you can’t go wrong with Disney in September!
Related: Best Quick Service At Disney World (for $10 or less)
Authorized Disney Travel Agents
Hiring a travel agent may be your best bet if it’s your first trip to Disney. Not only will they know the best times to go, but they can also do all the planning for you based on your budget. The best part? It doesn’t cost you anything to hire a Disney travel agent. They actually get paid a commission directly from Disney. Search Google or ask for recommendations in popular Disney forums to find an authorized Disney travel agent. They have a wealth of information, and the members are incredibly helpful. My favorites are DISboards, WDWMagic, and TouringPlans.
Traveling To Disney World
Driving is usually the cheapest way to get to Disney World. We live in Nashville, which is a 10-hour drive. The benefit of driving is that you can load up your car, which saves so much money! We bring cases of water and food, along with tons of extra health and beauty items, so we don’t have to buy anything on-site. You can estimate what you’ll pay for gas ahead of time.
If driving is out of the question, book the cheapest flight with the lowest baggage fees. In this case, I recommend paying for an extra bag and bringing as much as you can from home. The less you have to buy at the parks, the better. The additional baggage fee will often be less than the cost of forgetting something and paying full price on Disney World property.
Accommodations At Walt Disney World
I always recommend staying on Disney property to take advantage of perks like early park access, free transportation, and the experience of staying in the “Disney bubble.” However, we LOVE the Drury near Disney Springs. More on that below!
Booking your accommodations is the first thing you should do. Walt Disney World Resorts and Good Neighbor Hotels book up far in advance. Once you’ve secured your hotel, you can monitor prices and modify your reservation as needed.
- Disney Value Resorts, such as Disney All-Star Movies, Disney All-Star Music, and Disney All-Star Sports, are almost always the cheapest, ranging from $133 to over $200 a night, depending on the time of year.
- The Drury Plaza Hotel is the newest hotel in the Disney Springs area. We stayed here on our last trip, and we loved it so much that I wrote an entire review. While some value resorts might be less per night, the Drury offers a complimentary hot breakfast buffet, a free nightly hot buffet, and three free alcoholic drinks per adult per night of your stay. That’s a huge savings since food is a significant expense for most travelers.
Must Haves For Your Disney Trip
Autograph books! Meeting the characters at Disney World is a fun (and free) activity. It creates core memories that last a lifetime. Be prepared with these courtesy autograph books to avoid pain in-park prices!
Disney World Ticket Prices
The price varies daily, with the cheapest Disney World tickets being during the off-season. For example, in 2026, you’ll pay around $119 fpr a one-day ticket vs $185 in December. You can see the most current price on the Disney website. A single-day ticket is a flat rate, but the price of a multi-day ticket decreases each consecutive day. You can also check the Disney World special offers page for ticket and resort discounts.
There are a few different ways to upgrade your ticket, but for the sake of this post, I recommend saving money and sticking with one park per day. Disney Springs is always a good option if you get done at the park a little early and are looking for something to do in the evening!
Related: Toddler Packing List Ideas for Disney (from a mom!)
Cut Back On Theme Park Days
The parks are a ton of fun, but one of the cheapest ways to do Disney World is to cut a park day. Depending on your children’s ages and how many days you’re there, you might want to consider only visiting two or three parks. Our grandkids don’t love Epcot, so that’s not a priority when they’re with us.
Some of the best days at Disney are actually spent outside of the parks. You can explore the resorts via the monorail or ride the Disney Skyliner to others. The last time we were there, we made the monorail loop with our two-year-old grandson, and he LOVED playing with the oversized toys outside at the Contemporary.
Hang out at Disney Springs, or simply enjoy the resort you’re already staying at, let the kids swim, and relax. The parks can be exhausting, and a break is usually necessary!
Food Prices At Disney World
If you include drinks, meals, and snacks, an average family of four can spend well over $50 per person per day. Here are some ways to save!
Get some groceries. On the first day of your trip, either drive to the closest grocery store or place a delivery order for bottled water, snacks, and breakfast options. If you drive, bring non-perishable items from home. I’ve had Amazon Fresh and Instacart delivered to the hotel.
Have your first meal of the day in your room. It saves the cost of an entire meal out. We stock up on yogurt cups, cottage cheese, and granola bars. However, if your family loves breakfast, this is almost the cheapest meal of the day at Disney World.
Snacking in the park can add up, so I suggest bringing a few non-perishables, like granola bars, nuts, and jerky. Familiarize yourself with the Disney World Food Policy to know what you can and can’t bring into the parks. That said, Disney World has amazing snacks under $5 (like the School Bread at Kringla Bakeri shown above). We shared some of our favorites in this post!
Avoid sit-down restaurants. They are costly! As a foodie, I also believe that the quick-service restaurants are where you’ll find some of the best food at Disney – at the lowest prices. I’ve posted a lot about this here.
Tip. Disney menus are posted online, so you can know where you want to eat and approximately how much you’ll spend before your trip.
Share meals. It literally cuts the price of a meal in half. A few of our favorites are these totcho bowls, this Cuban Sandwich served with plantain chips, and the Jambon Beurre Sandwich at Les Halles Boulangerie-Pâtisserie. If one meal isn’t quite enough, order an extra side instead of a second meal OR supplement with one of the snacks you’ve brought.
It baffles me that people still pay for water bottles in the park, which can easily cost $50 a day or more. Bring bottles of water with you, or carry a refillable one. We LOVE these collapsible bottles.
Souvenirs At Disney World
Everything at Disney World is more expensive, especially souvenirs and Disney apparel. If you can, avoid buying them at Disney. Here are some things I did when my kids were younger.
Some of the cheapest apparel for a trip to Disney World can be found at H&M, Kohl’s, and Target. Even on a budget, dressing in Disney gear is fun, and you can find some great deals. My favorite Disney sweatshirt is from Kohl’s, and I got it on clearance for about $8.
In the months before your trip, frequent the Dollar Tree and stock up on Disney items. When your kids ask for something, pull a little surprise out of your backpack. This is also a great way to keep younger kids occupied in long lines.
Inside the parks, the refillable popcorn bucket is your best bet. The popcorn buckets can be refilled for around $2.50 for the entire trip. Mickey Ears and Disney autograph books can be purchased on Amazon for much less than you’ll pay on property.
Is Lightning Lane Multi-Pass Worth It
Time is money at Disney World, so while some people recommend skipping the Lightning Lane Multi Pass, I disagree, depending on when you’re traveling. Waiting in long lines can take hours out of your day. Multi Pass is an extra expense, but the time it saves is invaluable. It’s definitely worth considering and making room in your budget.
If you visit Disney during the lowest crowd time, you may only need it at some parks. Magic Kingdom, for example, has a lot of rides for kids, and it’s a lot to fit in in one day. Multi Pass may be beneficial here. However, at Hollywood Studios, young kids probably won’t be able to go on Slinky Dog Dash or Tower of Terror, so you may not need it at this park. I recommend looking at the Multi-Pass rides at each park to decide if it’s a good fit for your family.
Consider the heat. In addition to saving time, standing in long lines and baking in the sun is no one’s favorite thing to do. Lightning Lane is something we will always budget for!
That wraps up our tips for the cheapest way to do Disney World. If you have any money-saving Disney hacks, please share them in the comments. And if you’ve just started planning your Disney trip, we have a simple 4-step process you should definitely check out!
