How Much Does it REALLY Cost to Go to Disney World?

A family vacation at Walt Disney World can be magical. But figuring out how much a Disney vacation actually costs can be anything but magical. There are so many factors to consider — where to stay, whether to rent a car, food costs in the parks, even choosing between one-day-one-park tickets and a park hopper. This comprehensive guide will tell you everything you need to know to figure out your total Disney vacation cost.

How Much Does It Cost to Go to Disney World?

This post may contain affiliate links.

Are you ready to book a Disney trip? Ticket prices are rising, the Disney Dining Plan has changed, and there are on-site parking fees. But that’s not all you need to consider in your Disney trip cost!

TravelingMom breaks down your Disney vacation costs to include tickets, food, transportation, hotel stay, and extra expenses that factor into answering the question: How much does it REALLY cost to go to Disney?

Editor’s note: All ticket prices mentioned in this post are accurate for Disney vacations in June 2020. They provide an idea of how much a Disney vacation costs. Disney pricing is complicated and changes regularly. The prices you actually pay will depend on when and how you travel.

TravelingMom Tip: Even when you can’t travel to Disney World in person, there are plenty of ways to get your Disney fix while at home!

Park Ticket Costs

First, and probably most obviously, planning a Disney vacation can’t happen without park tickets. In Walt Disney World, there are four theme parks: Animal Kingdom, Magic Kingdom, Epcot, and Hollywood Studios. In the past, the cost of a single day park ticket to the Magic Kingdom was higher than a single day ticket to the three other parks. However, park admission prices now are tiered– the cost of a park ticket is based on which day you visit.

Tickets cost more for park visits on the weekend and during higher-demand times, such as holidays and summertime. In June 2020, the price for a one day ticket to any theme park costs from $109 to $159.

Consider working with a certified Disney travel agent to find the best time for your family to travel. Peak travel times, such as Spring Break or Christmas, will mean higher ticket prices and hotel costs.

Newly announced is the “4 Park Magic” ticket offer. This ticket is only for ages 10+ as child tickets (ages 3-9) are still priced lower. With this special offer you can enjoy admission to one park of choice per day for as low as $85 per day depending on dates chosen.

Upgrades for this special ticket offer include admission to 4 theme parks (one park per day), plus one admission to either Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon water park or Disney’s Blizzard Beach water park, and one admission to the NBA Experience for an additional $40 per ticket.

As of publishing, this ticket option is available through September 30, 2020.

Where to Buy Discounted Disney Tickets

Traveling Mom recommends Get Away Today for discounted Disney tickets and vacation packages. Not only does the company have the lowest prices, but it also offers a best price guarantee. If you ever find park tickets cheaper, Get Away Today won’t just match the price, the company will beat it. If you want to know what it would cost to go to Disney World they are happy to provide you with a free quote. Read our full review of Get Away Today here.

Also, we’re happy to share that Get Away Today is offering to hold your vacation for just $175 down! Better yet, the final payment is due just seven days before you go. So put your next Disney vacation on layaway and have fun planning your next trip!

Pluto as seen in the Festival of Fantasy Parade at Magic Kingdom — Photo credit: Kim Orlando

Park Ticket Choices

In addition, think about whether you want to park hop. Park hopper tickets are good at all four theme parks. If you’re really ambitious, that means you can spend the morning at, say, Animal Kingdom, the afternoon at Hollywood Studios, have dinner at EPCOT, then head to Magic Kingdom for the late night fireworks.

Park hopper ticket pricing can be complicated, too. It changes based on how many days you’re buying. For example, in June 2020, a one day park hopper ticket started at $174 for anyone ages 10 and up. If you’re lucky enough to spend 10 days at the Most Magical Place on Earth, park hopper ticket prices started at just $61 per day per person, or $610/person for the entire 10 days.

However, booking a Disney vacation in 2020 will cost you more as Park Hopper and Park Hopper Plus options are both increasing by just over $30 per ticket as of June 2020.

When You Aren’t at Disney

Rev up the excitement for an impending Disney trip or extend the magic after a Disney vacation with these Disney recipes, Disney crafts and Disney at home activities;

You may not want to actually park hop, however. Why? Because it takes time to move from one park to another. It is easy to hop from Epcot to Hollywood Studios because they are located right next to one another. But it takes much longer to hop from the Magic Kingdom to Animal Kingdom. A trip on board the free Disney transportation can take 45 minutes or longer. That’s 45 minutes less time you’ll have in the parks.

Finally, don’t forget about the Disney water parks! My family loves the water parks, but, again, is a visit to the parks worth a day ticket or the added expense of the “Park Hopper Plus” option ($25+ for the one-day ticket)? Consider this extra cost wisely before fully committing to those Disney World tickets!

Epcot's iconic sphere greets guests at the entrance to the park. — Should you buy a park hopper ticket?? Photo credit: Kim Orlando

Hotel Costs

Unless you are a local with an annual pass, you’re going to need a hotel room for your Disney World trip. Will it be on Disney property? Will it be at a “Good Neighbor” hotel? Staying off Disney property doesn’t automatically mean a cost savings, especially if you factor in the time and cost of transportation to and from the park every day.

The Disney World has three categories of “on property” hotels: value, moderate and deluxe. Each resort has pros and cons. For example, deluxe resorts are the most expensive (from $456/night in June 2020), but they are often the closest to the parks, and they have some of the best pools. Value resorts offer a significant savings (starting around $120/per night in June 2020), but the rooms are smaller, and transportation to the parks takes longer.

Disney Springs area hotels are another great option for saving on initial cost, but they are not as conveniently located to the parks. Work with your travel agent and/or family to decide what is most important to you: location or cost savings?

How Much Does it Cost to Go to Disney

Next, let’s talk about actually going to Disney. How will you get there? If you’re a Disney regular, you’re already covered. Annual passes come with parking included. If you’re flying in and staying at a Disney hotel, you’re covered too. Just add the free Disney Magical Express bus service to your travel plan and you can save the cost of a rental car or ride share, and get dropped off right at the front door of your resort.

Transportation is one of the costs to be considered in determining how much it costs to go to Disney World. — Disney World’s free Magical Express bus is available to people who stay at Disney hotels. Photo: Disney World

If you drive, plan to pay nightly self-parking fees at Disney hotels and off property “Good Neighbor” hotels. The cost will be added to your room charges when you check out. As of June 2020, standard overnight parking rates at Disney hotels are as follows:

$15 per night at Disney Value resorts
$20 per night at Disney’s Moderate resorts
$25 per night at the Deluxe and Deluxe Villa resorts

How Much is Your Time Worth?

Another transportation cost you’ll want to consider is time. It takes time to traverse the 47-square-mile Disney World property, whether you’re in a rental car, a Disney bus, boat or monorail. It can take even longer when there are special events such as holiday celebrations, runDisney races, cheer/dance competitions, and even Major League Baseball spring training!

I believe that time equals money on my Disney parks vacation, so I’m always thinking about the pros and cons of transportation to and from my hotel and the parks.

Food Costs at Disney World

Everyone has to eat, even on vacation! You’ll need to account for food costs in your Disney vacation cost budget. At Disney World, even dining can be complicated. Which dining plan should you choose? Should you even choose a dining plan? This absolutely depends on your family or traveling party.

The cost of the Disney Dining Plan has changed significantly in the last year. All plans, not just plans that include table service, now come with the option to have a non-alcoholic specialty beverage or, for adults age 21 or older, one beer, wine, or cocktail with each meal. This option applies to quick service plans, Disney Dining plan (includes one quick service and one table service meal per person per day), and the Disney Deluxe plan (includes three meals per person per day).

Include the cost of Dole Whip when figuring out how much your Disney vacation will be. — Dole Whip. Yum. This one is available at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort. Photo courtesy of Disney.

A new dining plan introduced in 2020 is called the Disney Dining Plan Plus. This plan costs more than the familiar Disney Dining Plan, but it allows guests to be flexible with their dining credits. It offers guests 2 meal credits per day that can be used at quick service OR table service locations or a combination of the two. This is an important option for guests who don’t want to be tied down to one quick service meal and one table service meal per day.

Need help planning your Disney trip? Get all your questions answered from our Disney Planning & Fun Facebook Group!

Dining Plans Might Save Money

Pricing varies widely, depending on the level of dining plan, time of year and package deals. It can be as cheap as free! For the last few years, Disney has offered a short-term promotion that includes the Disney Dining Plan for free when families book hotel packages. Ask your travel agent when the promotion will be available each year. It’s the best way to save a few dollars and get to try the dining plan!

Dining plan meal offerings are very generous in size. Sometimes even a quick service meal keeps me full for most of the day — and that was before they gave us the option to get a milkshake with our meal!

If you want to save on food costs at Disney, book a hotel room with a small kitchen and plan to eat in a few times during your trip.

Disney balloons and souvenirs are another item that factors into how much your vacation costs. — Yes. The kids will want souvenirs. Photo credit: Cindy Richards

Consider Extra Expenses

Speaking of “extra fun,” don’t forget to factor in extras to your total cost. These extras can include anything from specialty food at one of the many EPCOT festivals to souvenirs for the kiddos to a trip to the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique or Pirate’s League! Adults may want to take advantage of in-room babysitting for a night out or a day on the links or a Character Couture makeover. There are so many ways to have fun outside the theme parks!

My family loves the benefit of having a Disney Visa credit card. Our credit card saves us 10% on purchases of $50 or more at most Disney stores. We also earn points on every purchase that we make, Disney or not, that we can then turn into a redemption card that can be used at any Disney Parks resort, restaurant, or store!