Less than a week before my daughter turned 3, I took her to Walt Disney World as an early birthday celebration.
I deliberately chose to go before her third birthday, because kids 2 and under get into the park free of charge. A trip to Disney isn’t exactly cheap, and I wanted to cut costs wherever possible.
I know that will be the most economical Disney visit we ever take — not only because I’ll need to purchase a real ticket for my child from now on, but because Disney ticket prices keep rising.
Disney recently raised admission prices at its parks in Florida and California over the weekend, according to several media outlets.
Disney ticket prices haveincreased between $2 and $5at Walt Disney World in Orlando and between $7 and $11 at Disneyland in Anaheim, California, USA Today says.
Season passes and parking fees have climbed as well.
Per USA Today, Disneyland annual passes went up by $30 to $100, depending on the package.
At Disney World, yearly pass options rose by $20 to $50, the Orlando Sentinel reports. Parking at the Orlando park increased by $2 for standard parking and $5 for preferred spots.
Price bumps like these aren’t new, yet people still flock to the parks and spend a small fortune.
So how can you catch that Disney magic without draining your wallet?
Know the Ways to Cut Costs at Disney
As Savinliers, we’re always hunting for ways to make our dollars stretch further.
We obtained insider tips from a Disneyland cast member about saving money at the park. Smart pointers included bringing your own snacks into the park, staying at a non-Disney hotel and opting for a pressed penny as a keepsake instead of pricier souvenirs.
Writer Ron Walpole routinely vacations with his family at Walt Disney World and offered suggestions for trimming expenses. Some of his tips are planning far ahead (to take advantage of seasonal price swings) and arriving at the parks very early (to ride top attractions before long lines form).
If you want to snag some free perks while you’re at Disney, check out this post. Complimentary photos and celebratory buttons are just a couple of no-cost options.
Turn It Into a Longer Getaway
Many guests take advantage of lower per-day rates by buying multi-day passes. The more days you include, the cheaper each day becomes.
But your overall spend will be higher across the entire trip.
For instance, a two-day pass to Disney World would cost about $104.50 per day, whereas a five-day pass drops to roughly $79 per day.
Though the daily price decreases with additional days, remember you’ll be paying more in total. Using the earlier example, a two-day visitor would spend a total of $209 on admission while a five-day visitor would shell out $395.
And that doesn’t even include added expenses like extra nights of lodging, increased parking charges and more meals away from home.
If you’ve reserved several days or a full week for your Disney vacation, consider spending fewer days at the parks and more time exploring affordable activities in the nearby area.
Savinly writer Carson Kohler recently highlighted 20 fun things to do in Orlando outside Disney’s boundaries.
Avoid pricey park food by having groceries delivered to your hotel. You might not even need to rent a car to get to local restaurants or supermarkets.
Build Your Trip Fund
Unless you live close to a Disney resort and hold an annual pass, a trip to Mickey and Minnie’s world is likely not going to be a last-minute decision.
Plan ahead with a savvy savings strategy to pay for your trip. Don’t raid your emergency savings!
This piece about a woman who used SwagBucks to fund her Disney vacation serves as great inspiration.
Nicole Dow is a staff writer at Savinly.
