Disney World Trip: How to Save Money in Orlando
Getting to know Orlando and its fantastic parks is a magical adventure. Tips to spend less and enjoy twice as much.
Anyone who has organized a trip to Disney can confirm this: the magic of visiting Orlando's parks begins long before you board the plane to your destination. There is a lot to organize as soon as the dream becomes a plan and putting everything together in time is ideal to optimize the budget and enjoy more. Here is a list of tips to save money at Disney and make the most of every minute of your adventure.
Trip to Disney: tips to save money
There is no doubt: it is one of the most dreamed trips for many families and it can generate great stress when we start to launch the project. Not only does it require a great economic effort, but it also requires a tight organization to take advantage of each day and fully enjoy an adventure.
First of all, to begin with, remember that foreigners need a VISA to enter the United States and visit Orlando.
4 theme parks, 2 water parks, Disney Spring and a fantastic world of fun sum up the magic of a dream trip to Orlando
When should you go to Walt Disney World: the dates
In the Disney parks there are many people all year round. There are no months with few visitors, although there are some times of the year when the high season is noticeable. The ideal is to visit the parks in September or October, or in months in which, without being super low, they are calmer, such as the second half of January, February and March, when the temperature is very pleasant.
But there are always people... How many visitors does Disney have per year? Magic Kingdom alone receives more than 20 million visitors per year.
Book early: the best decision
While park tickets cost the same year-round, prices for tickets, rental cars, hotels and other services at Walt Disney World Resort vary based on season and demand. Many offer significant promotions and special discounts if one takes the precaution of closing hotels and reservations months in advance. And the same happens on Disney cruises and other shipping companies. The sooner you book your arrival at it, the less you'll have to pay.
Tickets to Disney: what is convenient and how to save
The ticket system to get to know the Disney World parks is quite complex. This is because the prices vary depending on the number of days, the parks you decide to visit and how you want to visit them. The value of the ticket will change if you plan to go to one park per day or to several parks in a single day, something that -we anticipate- is not easy.
Let's start by counting how many parks there are at Disney. There are 4 Disney World theme parks at:
Magic Kingdom: It is the oldest park and the symbol of Disney. It is where the famous Cinderella castle is located.
Hollywood Studios: is the park dedicated to movie magic, special effects and the company's iconic films. There is the new area of Toy Story and Star Wars.
Epcot: it is the futuristic park dreamed of by the creator of Walt Disney and its symbol is the enormous sphere. Therein lies the attraction of Frozen.
Animal Kingdom: is dedicated to the animal kingdom and has a fantastic Safari inspired by The Lion King. An impressive attraction based on the world of Avatar was released there in 2018.
Walt Disney World's ticket system is called Magic Your Way and allows guests to decide which type of tickets best fit their Disney travel plan.
Guests decide the number of days and how they want to combine additional parks and options. It is important to consider the types of tickets for the Theme Parks: there are tickets for 1 Park per day and tickets with the Park Hopper or Park Hopper Plus option, so you can visit several parks in the same day.
The price per day decreases as you add more days to your ticket. To find out how much the entrance to Disney costs in this, visit the official website of Walt Disney World.
What does the entrance to the Disney parks include?
Tickets for Disney Orlando include all the attractions and games, the possibility of taking pictures with all the characters and princesses and all the shows and parades or "parades". In addition, the ticket includes 3 FastPass or fast passes (we will tell you what it is later on).
What is left out and you must pay separately are meals, souvenirs and souvenirs, photopasses and parking.
Packages to Disney: tailor-made "combos"
Walt Disney World has designed different packages and "combos" that allow you to save money. From the Park Hopper, which includes a visit to all four parks, to passes that include some or all of the lunches or dinner with shows, there are many possible combinations, with different prices.
Analyze in detail what type of trip you want to do, the number of days you can dedicate to it and how the family is integrated. Based on "your" plan, I decided the best option for you. Disney has many variants to adapt its proposal to your needs and desires.
Where to stay in Orlando
Years ago, Disney hotels were expensive and exclusive, but the offer multiplied and now there are options for all tastes and pockets, with extra benefits that help save: you don't pay for parking; You don't need a car to get around because you can use the Magical Express service to go to and from the airport; some days you can stay more hours in the parks; you can access convenient Disney meal plans, etc.
In turn, some of the resorts have suites with kitchens (a necessity for many families with children), something that did not exist before.
Disney hotels are an attraction in themselves and will certainly add more magic to your trip. In addition, they are themed and there are options for different ages
In any case, it must be borne in mind that in Orlando there are usually very convenient accommodation options and it is essential to take accounts and analyze pros and cons to see what is best according to your desire and the days of travel.
Enjoy more to save more
In the parks, day passes are often more expensive than multi-day passes. It is always a good idea to take out the multi-park package: with the 4-Park Magic Ticket, you have access to all 4 theme parks and save around $100 compared to paying each one separately.
At the same time, more days is less stress and less runs. In this context, it is good to know that Disney baptized its tickets "Magic Your Way" (Magic your way), centering on a concept anchored in flexibility. If you go more days, the average cost of each park will be lower. More information you get go the official Disney site.
Remember that children under 3 do not pay and children between 3 and 10 (unfulfilled) and between 10 and 18 pay less.
How to take advantage of the parks at Disney: plan the day
It is key to arrive at the parks very early, before they open. That way we have an advantage: we can go to our favorite attractions earlier, take advantage of the FastPass+ (see below) to release the three passes and get others and enjoy the opening shows, which are spectacular.
More time, less stress
The trip to Disney usually involves a great financial effort for families. That's why it's important to dedicate time to your pre-planning so you don't come back having left several things undone.
Having more days, you are guaranteed to enjoy all the attractions, roller coasters, games and shows without dying trying. Remember that the days in the park are wonderful but they are long and exhausting: you walk a lot and you don't stop for a second.
Study" the Disney parks
Weeks before your trip, go online and explore the My Disney Experience app. With tickets in hand, you can reserve FastPass to guarantee your place on the roller coasters and main attractions.
Don't underestimate the size of Orlando's theme parks - they are really "big" and a bit unruly
Organizing in advance which games you don't want to miss, which shows you want to enjoy and even where to stop for lunch will make you enjoy your visit to the fullest. Know in detail which are the main Disney attractions and plan the day and hours well. You can see in detail even the prices of the dishes before traveling.
What is FastPass+ and how to take advantage of it
When planning your trip to Disney and the tour in the Walt Disney World Resort parks, it is important to know how FastPass+ works, which is included in your tickets and allows you to schedule times to visit the attractions in advance. You can do it from 30 days before the trip (60 days before if you stay at Disney hotels) and you can make changes whenever you want, even on the same day.
The Disney FastPass+ service is free and allows you to reserve access to attractions and shows in advance. You can do it from the My Disney Experience app and also in machines that are near some attractions.
The mechanics are simple: with the purchase of a ticket or an Annual Pass, you can make your FastPass+ selections for free. All you have to do to get started is link your park ticket to your account and add the people traveling with you to your Family & Friends list. It's easy and fast.
FastPass+ has the flexibility to change your plans at any time, from anywhere. You can secure up to 3 FastPass+ selections per day in advance, either online or through the My Disney Experience app
Little secret: use all the family tickets when you get a FastPass+ if they really like the game. Although some do not want to join, those who do can do it twice. More information here.
Eating in the parks: food packages or pic-nic option
Eating at Disney is not cheap, but there are options for different budgets. Anyway, it's good to remember that Disney allows food and drinks to be brought into the parks, and you can sit at any table eating your own food without anyone paying attention to the matter.
You can prepare a picnic, sandwiches, drinks, fruits or whatever you want. And you can fill the bottles with water as many times as you want. Take your thermos or bottle because you will load it many times. You can also buy a glass of soda that you can refill all day.
Disney trip with babies and toddlers
In the Disney parks, a child has never been lost for more than a few hours. They are safe places, but losing a boy for even a few minutes in a place of such dimensions is a truly distressing experience.
You should know that it is not so easy to find practical and quick help to quickly resolve the situation, so we recommend that you take certain precautions.
The ideal is to put on the boys a chain with a badge around the neck with their name and your cell phone number.
Each park has a place where they take lost children, but it is not easy to find it, and if the child does not speak the language, the issue becomes more complicated. With a badge around your neck with their name and your cell phone you can make it easier for them to call you right away. With a few pesos you can do it in minutes in a trade that "prints" metals.
Other advice: bring your own stroller for the baby. They can be rented, but it is not cheap and sometimes there are queues to get one.
In all the parks there is a special place for babies where you can change them, breastfeed them comfortably, heat bottles and food and even buy food, diapers, milk and other basic elements. They are super cute and sanitized places, where you can enter with the whole family without problem.
What to do in Orlando for free
Walking around Disney Spring is a ride in itself and it's free. It is enough to go through the businesses and see the different proposals of the gastronomic and commercial complex to have a magnificent time.
Also, at Disney there are so many fun things you can do without spending a dollar. Walking through the luxury hotels of Disney can be a beautiful experience for the family.
Peek into Disney World before you go
A good "place" to access practical information about Disney that allows you to save by "flexing" your plans is the Disney Moms Forum (DisneyWorldMoms.com), a panel of Disney-savvy parents who answer questions and offer advice of the most diverse. Good vibes is the hallmark of this space, which is extremely pleasant.
I have given you information about the Disney World Trip: How to Save Money in Orlando so if you read this post till the end, then your Thanks.
