I Compared Disney World Packages vs. Planning It Yourself — Here’s What I Found
Written by
Cara Danielle Brown
Edited by
Rebekah Evans
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Families flock to Disney World in Orlando, Florida for the world-class rides, themed resorts and impressive entertainment. But, as anyone who has visited the Mouse House knows, Disney World is not cheap. This is why tourists look for ways to save money.
GOBankingRates wondered which would be more affordable: booking a Disney World Package or booking all separate components yourself.
Here’s a Disney World cost comparison for a family of four with two children (ages three and 12) staying for four nights and five days in late Summer or early Fall.
Purchasing a Disney World Package
According to Disney World’s website, before airfare, a trip toward the budget-friendly side costs roughly $5,000 while a deluxe, higher-end experience could easily exceed $10,000.
Here’s a Disney World package cost breakdown:
- Package details: The packages include accommodations on the Disney grounds, four 1-park-per-day tickets, a combination of a few quick-service and/or table-service meals and Lightning Lane access.
- Airfare: Per Expedia, roundtrip airfare from Chicago to Orlando comes to roughly $200 per person — an additional $800 for a family of four.
- Transportation: A roundtrip Uber to and from the Orlando airport comes to roughly $100. Transportation on the Disney grounds is free.
- Additional food: You can add approximately $700 for any snacks and food outside of what the package includes.
- Total cost: between $6,600 and $11,600 (possibly more).
*Factors influencing the price of Disney World packages include travel dates, budget vs. high-end hotel, kind of park tickets purchased, dining options and any specialty add-ons.
Planning a Trip to Disney World Yourself
The money-savers in a DIY Disney World vacation are the accommodations — more specifically, the option to stay off-grounds in a hotel or vacation rental instead of having a pricey resort factored into your package.
Here’s a DIY cost breakdown:
- Accommodations: For reference, Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort costs upwards of $550 per night. The Drury Hotel near Disney Springs, however, costs only $250 per night for a family of four ($1,000 for four nights with no resort fees and all breakfasts included), while an Airbnb in Winter Park costs an average of $200 per night ($800 for four nights).
- Car rental: Per Enterprise, the price of renting a car at the airport runs between $50 and $80 per day (between $250 and $400 for five days).
- Tickets: According to Disney World’s website, single-day park tickets cost between $109 — $199 depending on the date and park. Kids between ages three and nine pay about $10 to $15 less than adults. For a family of four, that’s a total of between $421 and $786 per day; $2,105 to $3,930 for five days.
- Parking: Parking at the theme parks costs $30 per day ($150 for five days).
- Food: Food costs can run anywhere from $500 — over $2,000 depending on dining preferences.
- Total cost: between $3,805 to upwards of $7,480.
Verdict
Booking a trip to Disney World on your own can be more affordable — but savings are heavily dependent on how vigilant you choose to be. For some, the cost of booking a Walt Disney World package may wind up being on par with booking each item separately and also come with a lot less hassle.
Additional Money-Saving Tips
Social media content creator, Royce Dario, offered up the following suggestions:
- Take your own food into the parks and bring a refillable water bottle.
- Park tickets are generally cheaper Sunday through Wednesday.
- Arrive early in the morning and/or plan to stay late into the night in order to avoid long lines and bypass the need to purchase Fastlane passes.
Editor’s note: All rates and package details are subject to change.
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