Between figuring out Lightning Lanes and how to cram all the rides and meals the family wants into a single trip, planning a Disney World vacation is complicated enough — let alone if you’re trying to do Disney on a budget.
An entire cottage industry of “Disney hacks” has popped up on social media in recent years, with influencers explaining how to navigate the complex web of deals and methods you can employ to save money on your Disney trip. You can even take online classes in Disney vacations, if you want.
But Disney, long criticized for its high-priced tickets, is making a concerted effort to add simplicity to its park offerings so guests can figure out how to travel on a budget without needing a doctorate in Disney World.
For example, Disney on Monday announced free dining plans for three-night Walt Disney World guests who buy a Park Hopper ticket and arrive between May 27 and June 26 or July 7 through August 6. Dining plans get ticketholders a couple of meals, a snack and a refillable mug for each night of their stay — i.e. one less thing to plan and worry about. They’re typically offered as an add-on purchase.
Disney World previously announced other money-saving perks, including complimentary parking at resorts (it used to charge, much to the annoyance of guests). And Disney has doubled down on its app experience, which gives visitors a better sense of how long they should expect to wait in the park’s notoriously long lines.
“They’ve made a lot of enhancements, and that’s helped us,” said Greg Antonelle, owner of MickeyTravels, an authorized Disney vacation planner. “You don’t necessarily need to be a Disney expert to figure some of these things out. They’ve tried to make the in-park experience straightforward for the guest.”
Disney made other guest-friendly improvements in 2024.
The parks relaxed reservation requirements and brought back Park Hopper access for guests who want to go to multiple theme parks in a single day. Disney let guests modify dining reservations up to two hours in advance; previously, visitors were locked in a day before the reservation was set. And guests can now make their Lightning Lane plans before the day of their visit, so they’re not futzing with their apps while they’re in the park.
And the parks are working to clarify for guests when they can save money.
Disney World announced it will offer up to 25% off on rooms early next year or $200 off per night for three-night guests who book a resort hotel stay. Disneyland has a $50 kids ticket offer for children up to 9 years old between January 7 and March 20. And both parks are offering deals for local residents and military members and veterans, too.
An advantage of going during off-peak times: You might not need to purchase an expensive Lighting Lane pass for your favorite rides. During peak hours, they’re necessities if you don’t want to wait in a two- to three-hour line, but those lines can shrink to just 30 to 45 minutes during off-peak hours.
Emphasizing value over price
Can you do a Disney trip for $25,000? You bet. And the company gets raked over the coals for it. Disney raising ticket prices has become a symbol of corporate greed. Both Disney World (Florida) and Disneyland (California) tickets can cost more than $100 per person per day.
The deals and enhanced visibility into how customers can save money could give some turned-off families reason to give Disney World or Disneyland a second look. And Disney would welcome that. The company announced in its latest financial report that foot traffic at US parks stalled out in recent quarters. Some inflation-weary travelers are looking to book more exotic getaways than a theme park if they’re going to be spending thousands of dollars on a family vacation.
So Disney, like many other brands that have battled inflation, is emphasizing value, Antonelle noted.
“We have some clients who stay at the club level at the Grand Floridian luxury resort for two weeks. And we have guests who stay at a value resort — and those people have just as much fun and make as many memories,” Antonelle said. “Disney gets some flak for their pricing, but there’s a lot of value you can get at Disney if you go at the right time.”
Disney on a budget comes with some sacrifices: You won’t be able to go during peak vacation hours. You might have to take your children out of school for a few days during the week. January to March and September to November are the cheapest times to go, according to Jaimie Michaels, editor at Disney travel planning company MagicGuides.
But just like there are a zillion options and price points when buying a car and you need to do some research to make sure you’re buying the right thing, a Disney vacation can be a similarly challenging purchase. Disney isn’t an impulse buy. Options and perks are constantly changing, and it’s best to come prepared.
But Disney has heard the gripes, and it has reduced the amount of homework you need to do to go on a budget. And if you do, you can get a lot of bang for your buck.
“You can go to a sporting event or Taylor Swift concert and spend a lot of money for two hours,” Antonelle said. “When you’re at Disney you can be in the park for 15 hours — and in that 15 hours, you can see a concert, play minigolf, you can see a parade and fireworks. … People just look at price, but not the value.”
