Disney World might be the Most Magical Place on Earth, but it can lean on the expensive side for different parties!
We reached out to our AllEars readers on Facebook to ask them what features of Disney World they recommend skipping to avoid wasting money in the parks!
Bottled Water
Sometimes when you’re packing your park bag for the day, you might forget your refillable water bottle or you just leave it at home. But, you’ll want to double check that you have it the next time you’re in the park with the prices of bottled water in Disney World!
One bottled water costs $3.50 (soda costs $4), which is triple the cost of bottled water you could get from a store outside of the park. And, if you have a group of people with you, drinking water throughout the day, the price tag can REALLY add up!
Many of our readers recommended bringing a refillable water bottle to the parks to stop by the water stations around Disney World. Or, if you’d rather just pack bottled water of your own, you could put a few in a frozen lunchbox to stick in your backpack!
Walmart, Publix, and other grocery stores sell the giant packs of water bottles that you can stick in your fridge before heading to the parks. so you have a cool drink to carry with you.
Food
On top of the water bottles, Disney World’s dining can get VERY pricey! One reader noted that they picked up hot dogs and fries for their family, and the check came to a whopping $60. Meanwhile, the same meal outside of the parks totals to only about $20, so the up-charge is pretty out there in the theme parks.
But, it’s not only Quick Service locations that cost a pretty penny. The Table Service restaurants can get extremely expensive, especially when you’re dining with a party with multiple people. You can always pack snacks and meals to bring with you in the parks to cut down on the cost of your Disney vacation.
Or, you can even choose to have a big breakfast and big dinner outside of the parks, so you just snack during the day instead!
Disney Dining Plan
Speaking of food, we had a LOT of readers reference the fact that they thought the Disney Dining Plan wasn’t worth the cost. Currently, dining plans are not available in Disney World through 2022. Many people noted that it was difficult to use all their credits with the cost. Or, sometimes the plan they got didn’t cover all the things they wanted to eat in the parks!
We’re not sure when the parks will reinstate the Disney Dining Plan or if any changes will be coming any time soon. But, we’ll keep you updated on everything you need to know!
Parking
One of the BIGGEST hassles of the Disney Parks can be the parking situation. When it’s busy, you have to park at the back of the lot and wait for a tram to swing you around to the front. But, that’s not even considering the tiers of parking. Regular parking is already $25 for the whole day, while preferred parking can range from $45 to $50.
Instead of snagging that rental car, you might want to opt for staying at a Disney Resort where you can use the transportation leading directly to the parks! That way, you don’t have to worry about the cost of driving and parking whenever you’re in Disney World.
Disney Resort Hotels
Our readers had thoughts about the expense of the hotels, considering the fact that you might be in the parks all day. Even the lowest cost at the Value Resorts can get a little more costly when you’re only sleeping or showering there. And, since not all the amenities are available, the cost just might not seem worth it to some people.
But, we do have to say that the resorts are a great spot if you’re wanting to visit the pools or dining locations on-site! Disney World might be a VERY expensive trip, depending on your party size, but it is an extremely magical experience. There are plenty of ways to budget your trip to make sure you’re cutting costs in the spots you can! And, you can stay tuned with All Ears for our vacation tips and tricks in the park!
Take a tour of Disney World’s most exclusive hotel!
What are some of your favorite tips to save money in Disney World? Let us know in the comments below!
Disney News
- 5 Disney’s Hollywood Studios Cheats We Use All the Time
- NEWS: Buzz Lightyear’s Astro Blasters Ride Announces Permanent CLOSURE at One Disney Park
- SNEAK PEEK at Disney’s New ‘Zootopia’ Sweets Shop!
- Celebrity Sighting NEWS! See Which Disney Star Just Visited the Parks
- Why There Will Be a SWARM of Disney Adults at Hollywood Studios Next Week!
- NEWS: Disney World Fire Department Renamed by DeSantis’ Board
- You Only Have 18 Minutes To Be One of the LUCKIEST People in Magic Kingdom Each Night
- NEW Food Booth Details REVEALED Ahead of Disney’s 2024 Pixar Fest
- A Disney Park Is Getting a Special Version of SPLASH MOUNTAIN Soon!
- ALERT! Limited-Time Annual Passholder Perks Are Coming to EPCOT Soon!
Why are there no al a carte options at quick serve places in WDW, or snack carts for that matter? Everything comes with fries! We ordered two burgers, chicken tenders and an apple juice at the Starlight Cafe recently – $44! None of us wanted fries, but it comes with everything. We barely ate any of them and wound up throwing them out. Same at Casey’s. All we want were three hot dogs, but you can’t just get hot dogs on their own. Those come with fries too. So you’re forced to pay for food you don’t want. At the snack carts it’s the same thing. You can’t just get a pretzel or churro by itself, you have to pay extra for the cheese sauce or chocolate sauce. Two pretzels are $15! Such a waste.
For our family, if staying in an on property resort breaks the budget, the whole trip is a No Go. Staying on property is 50% of the thrill of being there for us. Yes, it’s more expensive and no way to really justify the higher cost with typically fewer room amenities than chain motels offer, but being in the bubble makes it all worth it to us.