The Basics: What to Budget for Walt Disney World

By Dave Shute

This page includes both general guidance on figuring out your Walt Disney World budget, and specific guidance on what to budget for the Basic December Itinerary that I recommend.

The general material is based on the book I co-author with Josh of easyWDW.com, The easy Guide to Your Walt Disney World Visit–the best reviewed Disney World guide book ever published.

WHAT TO BUDGET FOR WALT DISNEY WORLD

“What should we budget for Disney World?” is the hardest simple question to answer.

This is because smaller families, families whose kids are younger, families staying at a less expensive hotel, families going during a less expensive week, and families on shorter trips will pay less. Larger families, families where everyone is over nine, families staying at a more expensive hotel, families going during a more expensive week, and families on longer trips will pay more.

• A parent and one younger child, with three days of tickets and three nights in a value resort during one of the less expensive price seasons, could spend as little as $1,400 in Orlando.
• Add another parent and another younger child and this trip jumps to $2,400.
• Stretch the visit out to the 8 nights and 9 days we recommend for “only visits” and the in-Orlando price exceeds $4,400.
• Stay this long in one of the more expensive deluxe resorts instead, and the price is more than $7,800.
• Shift to the most expensive times to visit at this deluxe resort and add $2,300 more.

(All the figures are before transportation costs and souvenirs.)

ESTIMATING BUDGETS

Consider the following variables:

Dates of the visit. Walt Disney World price seasons for hotel rooms vary tremendously over the year.

• Group size and age structure at planned check-in date. Kids less than three years old don’t require theme park admission and aren’t charged at buffets. Kids from three to nine are charged a little less than older folk for theme park tickets,and a lot less for kids’ meals and kids’ buffets. Kids ten and older as of the check-in date are charged the same as adults for theme park tickets and the Dining Plan. With the exception of the Disney Vacation Club rooms and the Fort Wilderness campground, Disney includes two guests age 18 or older in the room at the base price. Additional guests over the age of 18 will be charged $10–$35 per night extra, depending on the resort level.
• Number of days in the parks and nights in your hotel. See “How Long to Stay”
• Targeted hotel. Walt Disney World hotel rooms are available for prices just south of $100 per night to well over $800 per night.
• Transportation costs. These vary greatly depending on mode and length of travel.
• Tips, snacks, souvenirs, and other extras. Add about $25 per person, per night.

Now that we have an idea about when and for how long we want to visit, let’s input our information and get an idea of how much it’s all going to cost. Visit your My Disney Experience account (don’t have an yet?—see this) and sign in.

Click “Places to Stay” (top center)…

…and when the next screen opens, input your check-in date, check-out date, and party size.

On the next screen click Package (red) then scroll down and select your hotel (gold).

On the next page select the number of days for your tickets at the top..

…then scroll down and add any park-hop options you might want.

On the next page click the Disney Dining Plan then skip the next page and get your total offer.

Note the cost, then do the same thing all over but this time as room only, and without the dining plan. While I don’t recommend the Dining Plan in all situations, it can save a ton for families with kids between 3 and 9 planning a lot of character meals, and checking with and without will give a general idea about what it will cost to eat one quick service and one table service meal per day, in addition to a snack or two.

BUDGETS FOR THE BASIC ITINERARY

For the Basic Itinerary this site recommends, during the fall 2018 price season,  assuming you are a family of 4 with one child younger than 10 and one older, budget if you can

• $9,600 if you are staying at the Polynesian, or

• $6,350 if you are staying at Art of Animation

Add to this budget the costs of getting your family to and from Orlando, and some funds for contingencies and souvenirs.

This budget includes Walt Disney World Resort hotel accommodations, food, park tickets, and several separately priced meals and special events (all after-tax):

• Nine days of park tickets, at about $1900

• Eight nights of the Disney Dining Plan, for about $2200 and another $400 to cover tips,  breakfasts in your room and extra meals beyond what the plan covers

• Approximately $300 for Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party

• Lodging costs: $4700 for 8 nights at the Polynesian, or $1450 after tax for eight nights at Art of Animation

Transportation between your Walt Disney World Resort Hotel and other Disney World destinations is free.

If you are flying into Orlando International Airport (MCO), transportation back and forth between your Disney resort and the airport is also free on Disney’s Magical Express, although you must sign up for it. Signing up is included in your To-Do List.

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