The Top 5 Expenses of A Walt Disney World Vacation

3. Dining in the parks

Eating in the parks at Walt Disney World is expensive, whether you eat at a table service restaurant or at a quick service restaurant. Meals tend to be more costly at a table service restaurant than at a quick service restaurant. And if you eat at a restaurant and enjoy a character experience while dining, you will likely spend even more. Make no mistake, though. The food is wonderful in the parks, and the experiences alone are usually worth the extra money. Meals in the parks can be responsible for one-fourth or more of your total vacation expenses.

2. Transportation to the Orlando area

If getting to Mickey’s stomping grounds in the Orlando area takes you more than a couple of hours, you’re either going to incur the expense of gasoline for your vehicle (which can be costly if you have a large family and therefore drive an SUV or similar vehicle), or you will incur the cost of airfare, which is usually very pricey.

If you and your party are flying to the Orlando area and know when you’ll be traveling, you can usually watch for deals on airfare, but even if you do find a deal, the number of people in your party will determine how much of your vacation budget is taken up by transportation. Many Guests opt to drive to Disney World because airfare is just so high, especially during peak seasons.

1. Souvenirs

There are so many wonderful, unique and interesting souvenirs, trinkets and other items of all kinds (and prices) in the shops at the parks at Walt Disney World. There are collectors’ items of different types in many of the shops that carry really hefty prices. And since many of these souvenirs—inexpensive and otherwise—cannot be purchased at Disneystore.com or at your local Disney Store or anywhere else in the world, you may find it difficult to pass up a purchase at almost every shop you visit.

Since many Guests come to the parks after saving and planning for sometimes years, many find themselves worried they won’t be back for a very long time, so they buy every souvenir that sparks a little magic. And they all do. If you aren’t careful with your spending, you could easily find that you have spent several hundred dollars or more on your Disney World souvenirs.

There’s nothing that compares with taking a trip to Walt Disney World, but it is one of the costlier family trips you can take. The memories you make with your loved ones, the excitement and the thrills usually make it very much worth the cost. And if you know in advance that it can be costly, you will be better prepared as you plan your trip, and you won’t be unexpectedly surprised once you get to the parks.