The Top 5 Expenses of A Walt Disney World Vacation

What’s more exciting than taking a fun-filled, thrill-packed, memory-making trip to the Walt Disney World Resort located just outside of Orlando, Florida? Not too many things. But to make sure that you stay on track with your Disney vacation budget, and to ensure that you aren’t too surprised by the credit card statement you receive in the mail after you return home, here are the top 5 expenses you can expect to incur when taking a trip to this truly magical place.

5. Lodging, whether on property or off

The place where you hang your hat (or Mickey ears) and rest your weary head during your trip of a lifetime will undoubtedly account for a large part of your vacation budget. Peak seasons (summer and most major holidays) will only serve to increase that amount, so if you’re looking to trim your vacation expenses even a little, try visiting the parks toward the end of January, during the month of February, during early May, between Labor Day and the first week of November or during the first two weeks of December.

Even then, lodging will still make up a large part of your expenses, even if you stay off Disney property. Hotels and rental home companies follow the same calendar as Walt Disney World when it comes to determining what they consider peak season, and they adjust their pricing accordingly. Lodging of any type can account for one-fourth to one-third of your vacation expenses.

4. Tickets

It’s no secret that the cost of tickets to Disney World has increased dramatically over the last few years, and they weren’t terribly inexpensive to begin with! This is especially true if you aren’t a Florida resident. Depending on the type of ticket you purchase (Magic Your Way Base Ticket, Park Hopper, Water Park or Park Hopper plus Water Park), even a family of four can be looking at nearly $1,500 or more, just for admission to the parks. Tickets can account for one-fourth to even one-half of your vacation expenses, depending on the number of people in your party.