Florida surprise: Planning a Disney World trip on a tight budget

Mums Tips

Travel with kids

Published on Monday, 06 November 2023 13:16

Last Updated on 06 November 2023

Monica Costa

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A surprise trip to Disney World is every child’s dream come true. For parents, this can be a big expense, but it doesn’t have to be. With some smart planning, you can have a magical Disney adventure without breaking the bank or compromising on fun.

Getting the Timing Right

Timing is everything when it comes to budget-friendly travel, and a trip to Disney World is no different. The best times to visit are during the off-peak seasons when both crowd sizes and prices drop significantly. Off-peak periods typically fall after Christmas and New Year through to early February, and again from late August through September. Visiting during these windows can lead to big savings in everything from accommodation to park tickets. 

Even if you can only travel during the peak season, the times you really want to avoid are major US and global holidays, as well as US school holidays. It’s during these periods that demand for Disney World rises, and the result is inflated prices for flights and hotels. 

Although Florida’s climate is such that you won’t have to worry about cold weather, you do still need to give it a little bit of thought. June 1st through November 30th is the hurricane season, so while there could be cheaper travel tickets around then, it is important that you are well-prepared if you plan to travel during this time.

Major events at the park can influence the costs of things like accommodation, too. For example, The Walt Disney Marathon runs every year in January, and other events like Epcot’s Food & Wine Festival or various Star Wars Weekends at Hollywood Studios can all have an impact. It’s a good idea to try and time your trip so that it doesn’t clash with major events held at Disney World.

Planning a mid-week trip instead of a weekend one is another avenue for savings. Both price drops and promotional offers tend to appear when expected visitor numbers are low, and this is generally between Tuesday and Thursday in an average week. Hotels will drop their room rates as they scramble to fill unbooked rooms, and airlines often take the same approach with their flights.

 

Choosing Budget-Friendly Accommodations

When you’re working with a tight budget, accommodation is one area where you can make significant savings. While staying in a hotel at Disney World has many perks, it’s generally more expensive than off-site options.

The only downside of choosing an accommodation option outside of the park is that you’ll need to travel to and from Disney World each day, but that’s not always a big deal. In fact, there are plenty of affordable options that are very close to Disney World. Budget-friendly chains like Days Inn or Comfort Suites provide all the basics that you’d expect and can be good choices. Many of these types of hotels can be had for less than $100 a night, and there are also ones that provide free shuttle services to Disney.

If you’re travelling in a bigger group or staying for an extended period of time, you may want to look at holiday rental homes instead of hotels. They generally will come with more spacious living areas, as well as full kitchens. This is important as there are many easy recipes to make while on holiday, and this is another good way to keep control of your food budget.

Frequent travellers and those who use credit cards for everyday spending may find that they have access to different loyalty or rewards programs. Rewards points in these types of programs can often be exchanged for discounts or free nights of accommodation and could potentially be something worth exploring. 

How To Save on Flight Costs

Particularly if you’re coming from the UK, the costs of flights for the whole family will likely be the biggest expense for your trip. It’s for this reason that spending a bit of time using some of the many flight-related tools available is such a good idea. You might be surprised by what kind of savings you can make.

One example of these kinds of tools is online portals that are used to compare flights and shop around for the best deals. As well as that, these platforms can be used to find indirect flights. This may add more time to your journey than if you were to fly from London to Orlando directly, but it could be significantly cheaper and the best way to make an otherwise impossible dream come true.

In addition to looking at indirect flights, it can be a good idea to consider different airports. Orlando International Airport is the closest to Disney World, and most people won’t look anywhere else, but flights to Sanford and Tampa International Airport could be worth exploring. It takes about 45 minutes to get to Disney World from Sanford by car, and about double that from Tampa.

As we mentioned in an earlier section, there are some important flight considerations when it comes to time, as well. It’s generally recommended that booking about two months in advance is a good time to get the best value prices, and flights on Tuesday afternoon through Wednesday are often said to be the best value. Neither of these things is an exact science, though, and the other timing factors we mentioned earlier must also be taken into account.

As a general rule, being as flexible as possible is key. This is true of when you book, the dates you travel, the days of the week you travel, and even the time of day. If your leave date is flexible, many search engines will allow you to search a group of flight dates rather than a fixed one. This is a good way to quickly identify when the cheapest flights are available for you.

Mastering Disney Ticket Deals

While it won’t save you as much as snagging some cheap flights, the savings from choosing the right tickets can add up. This is especially true for longer trips or those travelling in big family groups.

Disney has a tiered ticketing system and offers several types of tickets. Single-day and multi-day tickets are self-explanatory, while Park Hopper tickets allow visitors to bounce between different parks on the same day. There is also a Park Hopper Plus option that replaced the old Water Parks Plus More ticket. This updated version includes access to all four parks on the same day, as well as the water parks.

The cost-effective choice largely depends on how long your trip is and what your main interests are. If you’re planning a short stay or are focused on exploring one park thoroughly, single-day or multi-day passes might be best suited. For longer stays with interest in multiple parks, Park Hopper tickets will be best.

Beyond the type of ticket, where to buy them is important, too. Companies like Undercover Tourist and Ticket Momma are reputable authorised ticket resellers that often have discounted tickets that are fully guaranteed. If you go this route, make sure that you only buy from authorised ticket resellers for Disney World. Unfortunately, there are scammers out there that you need to be mindful of.

Managing a Tight Food Budget

The next area to look at is food. If you were a family of four on a 10-day trip, buying meals three times a day would quickly become very expensive. Instead, there are a number of different things you can do to still eat well, but at a much cheaper cost.

If you are planning to stay at Disney World, the Dining Plan is worth consideration. This is a pre-paid meal package that’s available to guests who purchase a Walt Disney Travel Company package and stay at a Disney Resort hotel. It’s a brand new offer and is only available to guests arriving at Disney World from early January 2024 onwards. The Dining Plan covers a set number of meals and snacks based on the number of nights you stay. It can be both convenient and good value for guests who plan to eat a lot while in the park, while for others, it might not be the best choice. You’ll have to crunch the numbers for your specific situation.

If you’re travelling before the Dining Plan is available, or it doesn’t make sense for your situation, that’s completely fine. You don’t have to purchase any kind of package or deal to eat within the park. Many restaurants like Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Cafe in Magic Kingdom are suitable for kids and have well-priced burgers and sandwiches. Pizzafari in Animal Kingdom is another good choice, with pizza options as cheap as $10-$15 per person. 

Choosing to eat at restaurants like this every so often while packing some snacks for in-between big meals can be a good way to both have a great experience and keep costs down. Simple things like granola bars and fruit pouches are good choices, as is making sure to pack reusable water bottles. There are many places to fill them up, and you don’t want to waste any of your precious budget on overpriced bottled water while you’re at the park.

Character dining experiences are another feature of Disney World, but they can be on the pricey side. Luckily, there are often special deals and promotions for buffet-style breakfasts or dinners with your kids’ favourite Disney characters. It’s hard to predict, but usually weekdays are the best time to score some early bird specials or other deals.

If you’d prefer to do the majority of your eating outside of Disney World, that’s completely doable, as well. The surrounding area of Orlando is filled with dining options that are suitable for families from a wide range of different cuisines.

Buying Souvenirs and Extras

One of the most exciting aspects of a Disney World trip for kids is collecting souvenirs that they can look back on later on to remember their incredible holiday. With that said, souvenir shopping at popular stores can quickly drain your wallet. When you have a tight budget, you need to take a different approach.

The first idea takes a bit of preparation work, but it’s worth it: DIY Disney. Before your trip, consider creating personalised autograph books and custom T-shirts at home. Not only will taking this approach save you money, but it also makes them personal and special. You can find Disney-themed stickers or printouts to decorate autograph books that characters you come across in the park can sign. As for T-shirts, things like fabric paints and iron-on transfers make it very easy for anyone to create unique designs today.

Keeping an eye out for discounted items and sales at Disney stores at the park is the next tip. Stores may have items on sale as they near closing time or when they’re trying to clear out a certain type of product. In addition to that, there are outlet stores nearby, like Orlando Vineland Premium Outlets and Lake Buena Vista Factory Stores. You can often find discontinued or overstocked official merchandise at heavily discounted prices at these Disney Character Warehouse outlets.

Photographs are the next thing to think about. You’ll come across photographers stationed at different points throughout the park offering professional photography services. These are frequently priced per picture and can be a bit of a trap. Although they can’t replicate the skills of an expert photographer, smartphone cameras can get pretty close, and you probably already have one of those.

Another good way to get your autographs and some extra photos is at character meet-and-greets. The good thing about these is that they are completely free, and the people playing the characters love interacting with guests. Imagine taking your kids to a free meet-and-greet while they’re wearing their homemade T-shirts and outlet-bought discounted items, and then they get their homemade autograph books signed and photos taken with your camera. All the same memories and experiences for only a fraction of the price.

A successful Disney World trip definitely requires a lot of planning, especially if you want to do it in the most budget-efficient way you can. The positive side is that even on a budget, it can still be an incredible experience and something that your kids will cherish for many years to come.