With the holidays coming up, people often think of Disney World vacations to surprise their kids at Christmas time. With this grand idea you may be wondering the different ways you can splurge or save at Disney World. Most people find out real quick in the planning stages that visiting Disney World can quickly outprice even some luxury vacation experiences. If you’ve ever been there, then you know. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t find some ways to be frugal and still have a blast.
No matter which way you plan your experience at Disney World, you’re guaranteed to have an awesome experience. Plus, having a trusted Travel Advisor that’s versed in Disney helping you plan your trip takes even more stress out of it.
While everyone’s tastes are different, here are 5 ways you can splurge or save at Disney World.
1. Stay at a Disney Hotel
One way to elevate your experience and to splurge a little bit is to stay at a Disney Hotel. Not only does that keep you in direct contact with Disney’s guest relations, but is also keeps you in close proximity to the parks. Splurging on a Disney hotel adds a lot of convenience to your stay because it allows you magic morning hours for early entry into the parks, as well as free shuttle transportation. Plus the Disney themed hotels are just that – themed. Which gives you a more interesting experience than just a basic hotel.
Staying off site is less expensive, but it poses its own challenges for your family to navigate. Cheaper hotels are farther away, and most of them don’t provide transportation to the parks. When you have to use your own form of transportation, that means paying for an uber there and back or having a rental car. If you opt for a rental car, that means you’ll have to pay for parking, and it’s really pricey for parking at the parks. It’s good to weigh out your options to see if it will really be saving you enough to be worth it.
2. Disney Park Tickets
Disney park tickets are essential for the full Disney World Experience and they’re not cheap. What you’ll need to decide is if you want to tackle only one park per day, or if you want to visit more than one park per day. You’ll also need to decide if you want to go to all of the parks or just a couple.
If you want to go to all of the parks and you're limited on time, you should splurge for the park hopper version of your tickets. That way, you can change over to EPCOT for dinner after you've explored Aminal Kingdom during the day. P;us, it gives you more options and time to explore all four parks.
One way to save is to use Disney Gift Cards when buying park tickets. This is a great option to know about, especially if people in your family like to give gift cards for holiday gifts. Then it's not money directly out of your own pocket.
3. Disney Dining
If you plan to spend your whole day at the parks it's going to be inevitable that someone is going to get hungry. Depending on your family's needs, it might be best to splurge on the dining plan when booking your vacation. The Disney Dining Plan is a prepaid meal package for guests staying at Disney Hotels. The plans vary, but you can basically have breakfast, lunch, dinner, and some snacks all taken care of ahead of time at a discounted rate.
Character Dining is also something that many of our clients like to have their children (or even themselves) experience with their favorite Disney character. It can be quite costly and you also have to book pretty far in advanced for this. However, this is a fin experience and it's worth splurging for. If you can't justify the splurge, see if one of their favorite chatacters is located in one of the parks and see if you can plan your day to stand in line to meet one of them instead.
4. Disney Springs
One thing to note is that the Disney shops at the parks have exclusive merchandise. Some parks sell items that other areas don’t, especially in Epcot. Those seeking a second chance at something they wish they had bought can check the Disney store at Disney Springs. While they won’t sell everything, there is a surprising large selection. If you’re looking for a one of a kind Disney keepsake or souvenir go ahead and splurge on one at the parks or at Disney Springs.
The shopping center stretches for miles and includes many international luxury brands and a lot of great restaurants. While you won’t find too many sales or discounts, it’s a unique complex and parking is free for those that rented cars. Plus, there’s a movie theater, high-end bowling lanes, and other unique offerings to add to the fun. There are even sculptures with legos that are fun to see. You can also save on entertainment by enjoying their free live music with a variety of musicians and bands.
5. VIP Guided Tours
What if your family skipped the standby line, while also learning exclusive tips and facts about Disney? What if you were led through the park with your personal VIP tour guide? While it’s often celebrities that use this service, anyone can register for it. All seven hours of it, which is the minimum you can book.
Keep in mind that these tours do not include park admission, so that will need to be purchased separately. However, those traveling with a large group may want to splurge on this option. It is several hundred dollars per hour, but you’ll also streamline your vacation. If you’re already going big, you may as well go for this luxury option.
Bonus Tip: Know Your Options
You may recall that our family used the disability pass on our last trip to Disney World in June 2021. It works similarly to a FastPass, but it’s specifically for people with any kind of documented disability.
Not everyone qualifies for it, but I wanted to mention it as a possible way to save for those that do qualify. Disney also recently introduced new paid FastPasses, which can open the door for some splurge worthy options. Before you buy them, discover what you truly need. Not every single ride will have hour-long queues, and some attractions are really tricky to book. When all else fails, ask you travel agent to help you decide what would be best.
Book Your Disney World Vacation Today
The best way to save or splurge on the right items, is by having a trusted Travel Advisor who is versed in all things Disney helping you plan it. Wanderland Escapes is certified by Disney and Rebecca has been to both Disney World and Disneyland multiple times. Contact us now to begin planning your family’s unforgettable personalized trip to Disney.
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