How to Do Disney World on a Budget with Kids

I know, I know…. how can “Disney World” and “budget” and “affordable” be in the same sentence? This trip is notoriously expensive and many people save for years to visit. However, there ARE ways to cut costs and make this trip more affordable without cutting the magic.

When we visited with our 4-year-old and 1-year-old, we knew we had to be strategic to keep our expenses in check while still making magical memories. Here’s how we made it happen without breaking the bank.

Why Staying Off-Property at Disney Saves You Hundreds (or Even Thousands $$$)

While staying at a Disney resort has its perks, we found that staying off-property was a huge money-saver. We booked a budget-friendly hotel nearby, which offered free breakfast and a shuttle to the parks. This alone saved us a significant amount compared to Disney resort prices. We stayed at the Fairfield in Flamingo Crossings– which was only a short distance from the Disney properties. Our nightly cost was between $149-198, depending on the day. We also had a car on property, so we paid $20 per night to park it there.

Disney World Discounts and Credit Card Reward Hacks

Before our trip, we took advantage of credit card rewards, cashback offers, and discount sites to reduce costs on tickets and accommodations. Word of advice though– ONLY buy Disney tickets through Disney. There are a lot of scammy sites out there and you just don’t want to risk it. We also looked for discounted gift cards and special promotions on park tickets. Every small savings added up, allowing us to stretch our budget further.

  • We bought Disney Giftcards from Target using my redcard for 5% off. We used these giftcards for park tickets and food while at the parks. Just make sure you don’t accidentally buy Disney+ giftcards– those are only for the streaming site and is a mistake that many people use.
  • I used my CapitalOne Venture card to cover the hotel costs completely. This credit card gives us 2% back on all purchases so it’s the one we use for most daily expenses.
  • We opened a new credit card through Frontier (we live in Denver, so this is the main budget airline here). They were having a bonus where you get extra miles for opening the card. These bonus miles nearly covered our four plane tickets completely. Our flights were $679 total and we received $500 in credit for opening the card…. so we only spent around $180 in flights round trip.

The tickets to Disney were the most expensive part of the whole trip. We only had two park days, so we opted for a Park Hopper pass, which allows you to visit multiple parks per day.

The first day, we did Magic Kingdom from open at 9am until we had to take the monorail to Epcot at 6pm for our Princess Dinner. The second day we did Animal Kingdom from open at 8am until we park hopped to Epcot at 4pm. Our daughter wanted to meet Princess Anna and Elsa and ride the Frozen roller coster, and AK closed at 6pm that day anyways. My only regret was not doing a full day at Epcot because it’s my favorite park, plus it has a ton of stuff to do for little kids too (something I didn’t realize beforehand)! I could easily spend a whole trip there.

Bringing Our Own Snacks and Water into Disney World

Food expenses inside the parks can be steep, especially for a family. We packed plenty of snacks, such as granola bars, fruit, turkey sticks, yogurt pouches, applesauce pouches, uncrustables (we brought these frozen from our hotel room so they would be thaws and ready to eat around mid-morning) and crackers, along with refillable water bottles. Disney allows guests to bring their own food, which was a game-changer in keeping costs down while keeping the kids happy between meals.

Must-Bring Items for Kids at Disney

Packing the right essentials can make your Disney trip smoother and more budget-friendly. Here are some must-haves to bring (and I highly recommend that you purchase ahead of time) to avoid high park prices:

  • Battery-operated fan – Keeps little ones cool in the Florida heat.
  • Princess dresses and costumes – Buy ahead to save money and make the experience extra magical.
  • Bubble wands and light-up toys – Avoid paying park prices by bringing your own.
  • Refillable water bottles – Stay hydrated without spending on bottled water.
  • Stroller – Essential for little legs; renting one at Disney can be pricey. We bought this double stroller (currently on Amazon for $76) to avoid flying with our nice stroller and it was much less than the price of renting a stroller.
  • Baby hats and sunscreen – Protect your child from the sun with these must-haves. We had a TERRIBLE time trying to find baby hats for sale in the parks, but you can purchase sunscreen at the baby care buildings and other gift shops.
  • Tush Baby or baby carrier – Helpful for carrying toddlers without a bulky stroller in crowded areas. We love the Ergo baby carrier, and you can usually find these at Once Upon a Child or other consignment stores.
  • Souvenirs – Buy small Disney-themed gifts ahead of time to surprise kids without the markup. A lot of people recommended that we buy the bubble wands ahead of time to save money (those are $40 in the park, but this one is only $14 at the time of writing!!).

Do You NEED to Rent a Car at Disney?

Here’s the deal: we didn’t NEED to rent a car. We could have saved $20 per day in parking at the hotel and $30 per park day from parking at the parks. Our hotel offered free shuttles to and from the airport and parks (many of them do, even off park), but I wanted to have flexibility and be in control of transportation. If we didn’t have little kids that require carseats, we definitely would have skipped the car rental and hotel shuttle and just used Lyft or Uber everywhere instead. I know that there are some rideshares that offer carseats, but that just felt too risky and in the end I’m glad that we spent a little more by having our own transportation.

Budget Tip: Pick One Disney Splurge for Maximum Magic

We wanted to make the trip extra magical for our kids, so we decided to splurge on a Disney Princess dinner at Akerhaus in Epcot. This experience was worth every penny—our 4-year-old was absolutely enchanted, and the character interactions were priceless. By prioritizing one big splurge, we ensured a memorable highlight without overspending on every aspect of the trip. The food was great and we spent around $250 on this total.

Free and Low-Cost Disney World Activities You Shouldn’t Miss

Even without spending extra, Disney offers plenty of magical experiences. Parades, fireworks, and character sightings all added to the fun without additional costs. Many people forget about places like Disney Springs and the Disney Boardwalk– both of which are free to go to and are great for shopping, food, and walking around. We did Disney Springs the first day that we flew in and enjoyed walking around and getting food there. Our one year old loved watching the giant hot air balloon.

Our second day we were in Florida, we got breakfast at our hotel and then went to the Disney Boardwalk. We LOVED walking around the boardwalk, seeing the shops and restaurants, playing in the sand and just taking our time in this spot.

Final Thoughts

Our budget-conscious approach allowed us to enjoy a fantastic Disney World vacation without financial stress. By planning ahead, making smart spending choices, and focusing on the experiences that mattered most, we created wonderful memories with our little ones—proving that Disney magic is possible at any budget.

Our Budget Breakdown

  • Flights: $180 (after credits)
  • Hotel: $149–198 per night
  • Park Tickets: $1300.78 (most expensive)
  • Princess Dinner: $250
  • Car Rental + Parking: approx. $200
    ➡️ Total: $2656.41 for 4 days / 3 nights

If you’re planning a Disney trip on a budget, what are your top tips? Let’s share ideas in the comments!