How to Build a Disney World Vacation Budget
Going on a trip to Disney World takes a lot of planning. From planning out your park days, to how you’re going to get to Orlando, where you’re going to eat, to where you’re going to stay. There’s also a lot of cost involved with such a vacation. For what you can expect to spend on a Disney World vacation click here. Disney World vacations can come in all shapes and sizes: long and elaborate, short and simple. Same goes for the cost, and really it’s all up to you. Today, we’re going to get into how you can create a budget for your Disney World vacation that makes the most sense for you.
Transportation
Compile the cost of getting you to Disney World. This could be flights, train, bus, renting a car, the cost of gas. Like all aspect of this trip, it’s going to vary on your choice of travel and where you are coming from. We always fly because we are travelling from the East Coast of Canada. Which puts our transportation costs higher than someone driving from a neighbouring state.
Accommodations
There are many choices for accommodations for a trip to Disney World. You can choose to stay at a Disney World resort and enjoy the benefits of staying on site. You can stay at one of your favourite hotel chains closely located to the parks. You can rent a condo and drive to and from the parks. Whichever you choose will be a big determining factor in your budget.
Park Tickets
To enter into the Disney World parks you need theme park tickets. You can purchase a standard ticket, park hopper pass, water park and more pass. There’s a large variety of options. Each has a different sticker price. This can be a great spot to save some cash, forgoing the park hopping for standard tickets will bring down the cost. There are also special events that require separate tickets: Halloween parties and Magic Kingdom parties.
Food
If you are staying at a Disney World resort you have the choice to add one of the dining plans to your Disney World package. This can help maintain a budget for food, because you pay a flat fee for the dining plan and then use your credits as you see fit. Read this previous post on why the dining plan is a great choice by clicking here. Otherwise, take a look at the menus of the restaurants you want to dine at and put together a budget based on your preferences.
Merchandise
Even the most frugal person will want to purchase something during their trip to Disney. So create a plan of what you’re willing to spend over the course of your trip.
Extras
There may be extra things to account for when planning out your budget, stroller rentals, a golf game, a visit to Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique. Don’t forget to put things into your plan.
These are the 6 areas you should plan out financially. Once you’ve narrowed down your expectations for each category you’ll have an idea of your budget. If it’s more than you expected then you can adjust the amount of park days you do, or choose to dine at cheaper restaurants, or stay at a less expensive hotel. If the budget is less than you expected then think about what areas you would want to enhance. Maybe staying in the Moderate category instead of the Value category, visiting one of the water parks. By planning a budget ahead of time you’ll give yourself more freedom during your vacation.
For more tips on planning a trip to Disney World check out these previous posts:
Disney World Vacation Planning Lingo
7 Things to Plan for your Disney World Vacation
How to Choose Your Disney World Hotel
How to Choose Your Disney Vacation Restaurants
The Most Expensive Restaurants at Disney World
