e. What to Budget for Walt Disney World

17 comments

1 Mommy02 { 03.24.08 at 12:39 pm }

We just got back from a week-long trip. We stayed at the Animal Kingdom Lodge from Sat pm – Sun am. We already had annual passes, so park admission was not included in our stay. My girl are 9 and 10 and my husband and I were there. For the 4 of us at this hotel with food but WITHOUT park admission was about $4375.

2 Tom { 12.15.10 at 9:11 pm }

We are going Aug 23-Sep 2, 2011, Port Orleans Riverside, 1o day park pass with water park fun and more package , our girls are 14,18… we are wondering if we should also add the park hopper option ?? is it worth it or even needed being we will be thay 10 days ..thankyou

3 Dave { 12.16.10 at 8:35 am }

Tom, you are right–given the number of days you have to see everything, you won’t need the hopper–though it does add a degree of flexibility. Have a great trip!!!

4 Mike { 02.05.11 at 6:03 pm }

I have found your website to be a treasure of information and recommendations. Our vacation will be May 1 – May 7, there are 2 adults and our 5 year old son, we are leaning toward the Wilderness Resort and have found a 30% off offer. We are following your advice on the meal ticket. My question is whether or not to purchase the Magic Your Way Package, Park Hopper Option, and Water Park Fun and More Option? Thanks again for a great website!!!

5 Dave { 02.05.11 at 6:27 pm }

Hi Mike!

I would skip the hopper and the water park and more options.

You can add these to your tickets at WDW for no extra charge if in fact you want or need them…but your 5 year old should be perfectly happy with the hotel pool rather than the waterparks and likely won’t have enough energy for two parks a day!

The nice thing is that if this turns out to be wrong, you can add them to your tix for no extra costs. But if you buy them now, you’ll never get that money back…so skip! (Note that extra days work the same way–you can add them to your ticket for no more than you’d pay today.)

Hope this helps–Dave

PS thanks for the kind words about the site, tell all your friends about it, like it on FaceBook!

6 Anthony { 04.07.11 at 2:14 am }

hey Dave i was looking at your budgeting for the trip we plan on staying at the all stars movie resort and our budget is 4400.00 is that enough and also were going there the first week of march how are the crowds and is it warm enough to swim at that time!!!!!! thanks this sight rocks and im gonna look for you on facebook and tell everyone about it lol!!!

7 Dave { 04.07.11 at 9:52 am }

Anthony, see http://yourfirstvisit.net/2010/10/04/a-when-to-go-to-walt-disney-world/comment-page-2/#comment-12758

8 Nick { 06.11.11 at 5:48 pm }

love your site,
my second question for ya:
we are going late october-early november. When is the best time to buy tickets for the parks? we are thinking of a 5 day pass, do the prices fluctuate between online, disney stores, front gate, when you purchase, etc? or does it not matter, they will be the same price for those days no matter what? we are just wondering if it would save money to buy them early or at a certain place.

Thanks
Nick

9 Dave { 06.11.11 at 7:15 pm }

Hi Nick…well ticket prices literally went up today…so the right answer is yesterday! Ticket prices often go up in August–which is why today’s move was a surprise–but in general unless some special deal comes out of the blue it doesn’t matter where and when you buy.

10 Shikia { 08.08.11 at 5:46 pm }

Hello, Thanks for the info on this site it is great! Even with all this extensive info I am asking for some help on planning my trip for 2012. I want to pick a week thats not too expensive so I think a week in August first choice, October second choice, then November. My daughter bday is in Nov but she also has school (5 yrs old) thats why i was aiming for Aug. Also I want to do 5 days and stay at Animal Kingdom Lodge. Its my daughters first time. I’ve been once to Disney and then to Universal so this is my second trip to Disney but first time on property. I want to make this trip as cost effective as possible and we will also be arriving by plane. So im looking for the best dates and a itenerary suitable for a 6yrs old girl and I want to budget $4000.00 including my airfair if I can. It will be the two of us and her godmom but the budget is for the two of us. Can you lead me in the right direction to make my budget work to get what I want done or do I need to budget some more funds?

11 Dave { 08.08.11 at 6:23 pm }

Hi Shikia! Of your choices, August will be the cheapest. You can do five nights in a savannah-view room then for a little less than $2000. If it’s just the two of you, then tickets and food should add another $1000 or so, leaving $1,000 for your airfare. I think you can do this!

The later in the month you go, the less crowded it will be.

For nightly costs at AKL, see this: http://www.mousesavers.com/animalkingdomlodge2012.html

I don’t have itineraries for 6 year olds, but check out TouringPlans.com. For a small fee (~10) you can access all kinds of itineraries.

12 Shikia { 08.10.11 at 10:19 am }

Thanks very much! this info is very very helpful! I will continue to do mroe reserach and I will have more questions for you later! Your a great help! I am so glad to have found this website!

13 Dave { 08.10.11 at 10:57 am }

You’re welcome!

14 Chris { 12.16.11 at 12:01 pm }

Dave,
Your site it great and by far the best iIhave found for Disney info. I have and will continue to tell everyone about your great site. We are looking at going on your basic trip at the end of November- 1st week of December 2012. It is only my wife, our 6 year old, and I that will make the trip and we will not be doing anything on the last Sunday. How will this affect your recomended budget.

Thanks!

15 Dave { 12.16.11 at 3:26 pm }

Hi Chris–you’ll lose a hotel night, a night of the dining plan, and the costs of the Gospel Brunch–all in, given your family size and that as you noted you’ll be staying at Pop, around a $400 savings.

You’ll also save by having just one kid on the rest of the trip, rather than the two, one older and one younger than 10, that’s built into the budget. This will save you on tickets and the dining plan–about another $600 compared to what’s noted on this page.

Hope this helps, and thanks for the kind words about the site! Dave

16 Shanna { 04.19.12 at 9:17 pm }

Dave,
I had another question..should we get regular park tickets or park hopper tickets? What about the water park tickets? Did I read correctly that you could add these on at no extra cost when you get to the parks?

17 Dave { 04.20.12 at 7:24 am }

Shanna, You should be able to get away with non-hopper tickets. If you decide you need them, you can add them onsite at no more cost than if you bought them in advance.

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