This breaks down Walt Disney World trip costs for park tickets, motels, eating, transportation & extra in 2023. It solutions the query of how a lot visiting WDW prices that will help you keep away from overspending & plan inside your finances. Fair warning up entrance: costs have elevated by hundreds of {dollars} within the final two years, so be ready for sticker shock. (Updated December 26, 2022.)
This is a tricky subject to sort out. Even with hypotheticals it’s unattainable to pin down the precise value for each set of circumstances. Beyond the fundamentals lined in our breakdown, there are plenty of variables which might be past the scope of this publish: Lightning Lanes & Genie+ v. standby solely? Rental automobile & paid parking v. Mears Connect airport shuttle? Travel insurance coverage v. discounted non-refundable reservations?
Instead of tackling each attainable state of affairs and ending up with a War & Peace size treatise, we’ll have a look at value ranges for key features of visiting Walt Disney World, give you totals primarily based on these, and allow you to extrapolate on your personal conclusions primarily based upon that data. Given that the factor most readers report shock over to us by way of feedback and emails is value, it is a subject price addressing, even when we are able to’t give any laborious numbers for each attainable state of affairs…
As a blunt preface: a Walt Disney World trip is an costly proposition. It’s simple that Walt Disney World trip prices have skyrocketed within the final decade, and that pattern doesn’t appear prone to reverse itself anytime quickly. To the opposite, pent-up demand, staffing shortages, inflation, and a scarcity of reductions imply visiting Walt Disney World is dearer than ever.
This has been evident within the final 12 months, as Walt Disney World has been hit by value enhance after value enhance. Former CEO Bob Chapek’s angle was Disney would proceed upping prices till there was a pullback in demand. For his half, returning CEO has stated that he was “alarmed” by the variety of will increase, however he has but to undo the injury. And he most likely received’t–one of the best we are able to hope for is probably going a slowdown within the frequency and quantity of will increase, or extra and higher reductions to offset them.
Since the beginning of the fiscal 12 months in October, Walt Disney World has made many extra vital will increase. The large ones got here with the introduction of park-specific single-day ticket costs and a brand new (largely dearer) date-based pricing for the Genie+ service. This meant that theme park admission went up twice this 12 months by way of direct will increase, and a 3rd time not directly by way of increased costs (on common) for Lightning Lanes, which was free as FastPass.
It’s not simply tickets. Most menu costs additionally elevated twice this 12 months, as did souvenirs and extra. If you have a look at 2023 Walt Disney World Resort Price Analysis, you’ll additionally discover that room charges are up round 3-4% throughout the board. That’s really one of many smaller value will increase within the grand scheme of issues–sure park tickets are up by 20% or so.
Walt Disney World has seen a major imbalance of provide and demand for the final year-plus, which has performed a major function in driving up costs at a faster-than-normal charge. Many Americans have been making up for misplaced time touring, and Walt Disney World has not been working at 100% because of staffing shortages.
As a results of that supply-demand mismatch, Walt Disney World didn’t want to supply aggressive reductions for a lot of the final two years. There’s no must entice folks to go to because of pent-up demand, and there are few unsold rooms to fill as a result of the corporate can not fill each room within the first place.
The tides have been beginning to activate this, with elevated discounting already for the primary half of 2023 and extra probably for summer season and fall. In addition to that, there are broader macroeconomic components that would affect Disney and pricing on the horizon. Data means that family financial savings is dwindling, client debt is on the rise, and equities markets are trending downward. All of this might have the impact of decreasing client spending and pushing extra folks again into the office.
This is one thing we’ve been discussing fairly a bit, most not too long ago in What Does Walt Disney World Do During A Recession? The odds aren’t in your favor that Disney will drop costs with all else being equal. However, it’s completely attainable that precise costs received’t be up 5% in 2023 as in comparison with this 12 months because of the elevated chance of reductions and extra. (If you consider astronomical prices of airfare this 12 months, that’s doubly true.)
Regardless of the place pricing goes in 2023, visiting Walt Disney World prices some huge cash. It’s undeniably priced as a premium trip vacation spot and one of many dearer household locations within the United Stares.
Of course, journey prices are all relative. You may journey to one of many U.S. National Parks and pay a $20 entry price on your whole automobile for every week, camp on-site for $35/evening, and cook dinner meals by campfire for $40/day for a celebration of 4.
As avid National Park lovers, we’ve achieved precisely that many occasions and extremely advocate it–probably the greatest holidays you possibly can take that’s extremely stress-free and permits you to disconnect, recharge, and see America’s Best Idea. It’s additionally very totally different–additionally incomparable–to Walt Disney World.
You may additionally journey to New York and spend greater than the price of theme park tickets seeing reveals and visiting factors of curiosity, pay $250/evening for satisfactory lodging, $75/evening for parking, and an exorbitant quantity consuming at a few of America’s greatest eating places.
Although equally chaotic, that too could be very totally different from a Walt Disney World trip. Not essentially higher or worse–totally different. The level is that nice journeys might be had at quite a lot of value factors; although it’s simple to check them quantitatively, doing so on a qualitative foundation is a special story completely. Even journeys to different theme parks aren’t apples to apples comparisons with Walt Disney World.
This publish assumes a 5-night Walt Disney World trip for a household of 4 (2 adults and a pair of children) that isn’t inside driving distance to Walt Disney World, with no rental automobile until in any other case specified. Airfare will not be included. Unfortunately, flight costs fluctuate so broadly primarily based upon origin metropolis that there’s actually nothing significant to say–simply know that it’s one other value that’ll most likely add one other $250-600 per individual to your journey.
In the final 12 months, airfare costs have been all over, however increased throughout the board. We journey lots between the Orange Counties (Florida and California) and we’ve paid wherever from $250 to nearly $600 per spherical journey simply this 12 months. Thankfully, costs are beginning to fall once more for early 2023. Hopefully that’s the beginning of a return to regular, fairly than a short-lived factor for the low season.
With that in thoughts, let’s check out the vary of prices you must count on to incur for every aspect of your Walt Disney World trip…
Park Tickets
After precipitous will increase for a number of years which have seen the price of a 1-day Walt Disney World ticket for the Magic Kingdom almost triple in value since 2004, expectations v. actuality for park ticket costs can differ dramatically. This isn’t any shock, particularly amongst rare guests who final went when tickets had been extra inexpensive. Note that every one teams are following our Tips for Saving Money on Walt Disney World Tickets, so we aren’t going by gate costs.
Frugal: For this tier (we’ll name it ‘frugal’ since that has a extra optimistic connotation than ‘budget’), we’re choosing 3-day base tickets with out the Park Hopper possibility. The different 2 days of the holiday, the household will take pleasure in among the free choices round Walt Disney World, similar to Disney Springs and visiting the Boardwalk, amongst different issues. Total value: $1,634.
Value: At this tier, we’re getting base tickets for all 5 days, which means the household can spend daily within the parks. Note that the distinction right here isn’t as giant as you may need anticipated as a result of the incremental value of park tickets lower for longer period visits. Total value: $2,197.
Moderate: This steps as much as 5-day Park Hopper tickets, so the household can leverage park working hours to their benefit (for instance, heading to Magic Kingdom and staying till park closing on a day began out at Animal Kingdom when that park closes early). Total value: $2,492.
Deluxe: This ranges as much as the Cadillac of park tickets: the 5-Day Park Hopper Plus. This is an effective ticket possibility for a 7-10 day journey, however for a 5-day go to, there’s greater than sufficient to do within the 4 theme parks and different areas of Walt Disney World with out including the “Plus” possibility. Nevertheless, for many who prefer to make it rain, Disney-style, that is an possibility for a 5-day journey. Total value: $2,855.18.
Many of you had been most likely a bit shocked whenever you noticed the price of the ‘frugal’ possibility, shocked that it was so excessive. Perhaps you had been additionally shocked that the longer period tickets had been comparatively decrease in value per day. That’s the factor about Walt Disney World tickets: the per day value decreases the longer you keep. (Of course, lodging, eating, transportation and total prices enhance with an extended journey, so that they get you a technique or one other!)
For instance, the full value of a 10-day base ticket for this household could be $2,337.56, which is true on par with the average possibility and fewer than the deluxe possibility above. The value of tickets will most likely be essentially the most stunning side of your trip, particularly for those who’re going for just a few days. This makes the relative ‘value’ of a 7-10 day Walt Disney World trip higher than a 3 day journey.
Hotel
The value of your lodge is the one largest variable in a Walt Disney World trip, with costs starting from $30/evening for an off-site lodge on I-Drive to over $1,000 for luxurious lodging which might be on-site and close to the Walt Disney World theme parks. Let’s check out the totally different choices…
Frugal: Staying off-site is the one true finances possibility, and luckily, the Orlando space has a surplus of motels, which drives down value. In reviewing Hotwire’s Hot Rate possibility for quite a lot of dates, there are sometimes 3.5 star and above motels within the Lake Buena Vista or Disney Springs areas for round $75/evening.
There are cheaper motels elsewhere with decrease rankings or farther from the parks, however I feel it is a good compromise in high quality and site. There are some shady motels within the Orlando space–Florida Project is extra actuality than it’s fiction–so until you need experiencing the imply streets of O-Town as a part of your trip expertise, splurge a bit. Total value: $559.03 after taxes & charges.
The caveat with the frugal possibility right here is that just some third social gathering or off-site motels supply free shuttles to the parks. This means staying within the frugal possibility will nearly actually incur extra transportation prices above and past the upper tiers, whether or not that be for a rental automobile and parking, or for twice-daily Uber or Lyft bills. This will not be insignificant, and will add $40 to $100 on high of lodging prices, relying upon whenever you go to. The solely motive we’re not accounting for it right here is as a result of it’s extremely variable.
Value: For anybody seeking to get the true “resort” expertise at Walt Disney World, that is your lowest entry-point. Depending upon whenever you journey, rack charges for the Value Resorts at Walt Disney World vary from $118 to $307 per evening for a lot of the 12 months (excluding peak season dates). The extra fashionable your journey time, the dearer the charges. Total value: $1,184.50 after taxes and charges.
Moderate: Same concept because the Value Resorts above, aside from the center tier of on-site Disney motels. Rack charges for these motels will vary from round $248 to $324 per evening for a lot of the 12 months (excluding peak season dates). Again, the extra fashionable your journey time, the dearer the charges. Total value: $1,537.75 after taxes and charges.
Deluxe: The on-site Walt Disney World Deluxe Resorts are the lodge tier the place there’s essentially the most variance, with it costing $425/evening simply to get you within the door, and costs shortly going upward from there. At Wilderness Lodge, common season rack charges begin at $555/evening. By distinction, common season charges on the Grand Floridian begin at $857/evening. Prices can go up from there. Total value: $3,433.25 after taxes and charges.
On high of all this, Walt Disney World discontinued its Magical Express airport shuttle. Visitors now want to search out their very own floor transportation from the airport to their lodge, and we cowl the vary of choices in our Guide to Airport Transportation for Walt Disney World. There isn’t any one-size-fits-all excellent resolution–it is dependent upon your social gathering dimension, finances, and different components. No matter which possibility you select, it’ll value you.
Another added expense is that Walt Disney World resorts and most off-site motels now cost for parking. This isn’t a model new improvement, nevertheless it’s newly related for these debating rental automobile v. airport shuttle v. Uber or Lyft. In quick, not solely are lodge room costs increased, however they embrace much less–so your web outlay might be much more cash for keep on-site at Walt Disney World.
Dining
If issues weren’t already difficult sufficient, one other monkey wrench right here is that the Disney Dining Plan remains to be “temporarily” suspended at Walt Disney World. In When Will the Disney Dining Plan Return? we forecast timing for its comeback, in addition to our rationale. It’s an excellent learn that explains why the Dining Plan is integral to Walt Disney World and presents our prediction as to when it’ll return.
Without query, buying the Disney Dining Plan will value you greater than it could value you to eat at Walt Disney World on a good finances. What the Disney Dining Plan presents is peace of thoughts in paying on your meals prematurely and realizing that you just don’t have to fret about it whenever you arrive. If you possibly can finances cash, you might be normally higher off skipping the Dining Plan and paying out of pocket.
Some folks can lower your expenses utilizing the Disney Dining Plan, however these are individuals who prefer to eat “aggressively,” not those that try to be frugal. With that stated, those that make the most of the Free Dining low cost are more likely to come back out forward, particularly at our instance social gathering dimension of two adults and a pair of children in a single room. As famous above, Free Dining is unlikely to be supplied till Fall 2023.
With that little cautionary notice out of the best way, let’s check out a couple of choices when it comes to consuming on a Walt Disney World trip…
Frugal: Purchase groceries and convey your meals to the parks. Many folks don’t notice that, not like sporting occasions and your native library, you can convey outdoors meals into Walt Disney World. Not solely that, however they’re fairly liberal with the foundations: you possibly can convey a soft-sided cooler (now don’t get too carried away, you possibly can’t usher in a pony keg to make ‘it’s a small world’ extra gratifying). Figure that the associated fee right here might be as little as what you’d eat at house, plus allowances for infrequent snacks. Ballpark value: $400.
Value: Eat an enormous breakfast in your lodge earlier than you permit for the parks every day, then have a counter service meal within the parks within the early afternoon costing round $20/individual, convey snacks to get by way of late afternoon, and have dinner in your lodge every evening. Ballpark value: $700. (Alternatively, the Quick Service Disney Dining Plan, if obtainable, would value $810 and permit for lunch and dinner contained in the park.)
Moderate: For the sake of simplicity, we’re going to imagine the common household could be inclined to buy the common Disney Dining Plan if it had been obtainable, and that its prior checklist value could be roughly analogous to what they’d spend on doing a counter service meal, desk service meal, and snacks every day. Of course, value will increase are probably within the intervening two years, however as we famous above, paying out of pocket is normally cheaper than doing the DDP. In different phrases, the 2 countervailing components ought to web one another out. Ballpark value: $1,250.
Deluxe: We’ll persist with the Disney Dining Plan comparability right here, and this time do the Deluxe DDP. This is basically the “all-inclusive” model of the Disney Dining Plan. (Not actually, nevertheless it finally ends up being that for many because it’s far more meals than the common individual can eat on trip.) This will allow you to do a number of desk service meals, character eating, and even Signature Restaurants for those who so need–and finances the time for it. Ballpark value: $1,800.
Total Costs
Even inside the totally different tiers of holidays we’ve priced out for the hypothetical household of 4, there’s a fairly substantial vary to the worth of their Walt Disney World trip. Still, we thought it worthwhile to offer a tough approximation of totals…
Frugal: $2,593.03
Value: $4,081.50
Moderate: $5,279.75
Deluxe: $8,088.43
On-site lodge pricing relies on common season, when costs are at their common charges. If you’re visiting in September, you’ll discover decrease rack charges and also you would possibly luck out with the return of extra aggressive reductions. Conversely, for those who’re visiting in the course of the weeks of Thanksgiving, Christmas, or New Year’s, you’ll nearly actually be paying significantly extra.
Regardless of what your precise prices seem like whenever you crunch the numbers, it’s at all times a good suggestion to construct a 15-20% cushion into the finances for unexpected bills–that’s a savvy transfer with journey usually, whatever the vacation spot.
As excessive as these totals might sound at first blush, we’ll reiterate that these don’t take all prices under consideration. Airfare, rental vehicles, parking, shuttles, or different floor transportation will probably add one other $1,500 to $3,000 onto every backside line.
The value of Genie+ and Lightning Lanes can be not included, and that is one thing we’d advocate including for no less than Magic Kingdom–and probably Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Again, this service now makes use of date-based pricing, and has nearly doubled in value for the preferred dates of the 12 months because of this.
Hard ticket occasions just like the After Hours, Halloween, or Christmas events are additionally not a part of the budgets. Prices for these are all over, however you might simply spend $125 to $150 per individual on these occasion tickets. Dessert events and different upcharge choices–similar to constructing a lightsaber in Star Wars land–additionally add up quick. If you begin including on these items, your prices can simply ballon by hundreds of {dollars} extra.
Some of these items are completely non-obligatory, however some type of transportation–each to Florida and round Walt Disney World–will not be.
Nevertheless, these totals would possibly shock you, particularly for those who visited a couple of years in the past and paid significantly much less. For our 2023 Walt Disney World trip finances replace, the efficient value elevated dramatically throughout the board. As in comparison with March 2020, the worth and average tiers have every elevated by over $2,000 and the deluxe tier has gone up over $3,000.
It wasn’t way back when a price trip complete was ~$2,000 and a average value $3,500 with a deluxe costing round $5,000. Base costs have elevated yearly for the final decade, however the efficient enhance turned extra pronounced final 12 months when reductions dried up.
Again, that is exacerbated by the top of Disney’s Magical Express and free MagicBands, plus paid Genie+ and Lightning Lanes changing free FastPass+ and different on-site perks which were eradicated. This is to say nothing of the nighttime spectaculars and different leisure which might be nonetheless suspended, or the shorter park hours. That’s proper–not solely is a Walt Disney World trip hundreds of {dollars} dearer, however you’re paying extra and getting much less. Double whammy!
With so many caveats, it would appear to be these numbers are rendered meaningless, and this publish is simply an train in futility (like most issues I do!). However, the information and numbers right here ought to no less than present an excellent baseline in order that these of you who’ve by no means deliberate a Walt Disney World trip have a ballpark concept what sort of prices you’ll encounter.
There are quite a few (clickbait) weblog posts with headlines like “How to do a Walt Disney World Vacation for Less than $1,000.” Those make large guarantees which might be extremely deceptive, disingenuous, and finally result in disappointment or unrealistic expectations. For 95% of visitors, $3k is the naked minimal wanted simply to get within the door, and even that’s actually pushing it. You’d have to go to in the course of the low season, keep off-site, and be exceedingly frugal together with your meals and different purchases.
Obviously, this isn’t one-size suits recommendation or trip budgeting. Frugal traveler-hackers might scoff on the “high” costs right here, and luxurious vacationers might discover that they spend considerably greater than the quantities set forth right here. There are clearly going to be outliers on each ends of the spectrum.
We’ve heard of excessive rollers simply dropping $15,000 to $25,000 for an expensive Walt Disney World trip, and that would fairly simply flip into $30,000 for an extended journey, with extra folks, or extra upcharge add-ons. More than a couple of readers have reported dropping $40k (!!!) on their Walt Disney World holidays in any case was stated and achieved.
In our case–and sure within the case of many readers of this weblog–we might be outliers on the low finish of issues, because the sunk prices of Annual Passes make our tickets $0* and we are able to get our on-site lodge prices right down to as little as $100/evening with by way of Disney Vacation Club Point Rentals or Priceline Express Deals if we transfer our dates round a bit and work round offers.
However, that is impractical to lots of people, particularly these with out versatile schedules or planning their first journeys. (*Of course, the AP itself has a really excessive upfront value, however the per go to foundation drops dramatically given how typically we’re within the parks. Obviously, your circumstances are going to vary significantly from ours as bloggers who write about Walt Disney World!)
Ultimately, that is merely a leaping off level with particular numbers which might be solely meant to offer you a tough concept of 2023 Walt Disney World trip prices. Hopefully this subject might be an open dialogue about Walt Disney World journey bills and budgets, as the best way we trip actually differs for others.
There are tons of hacks that may convey the associated fee down–see our Top 10 Tips for Saving Money at Walt Disney World for concepts on that entrance. Additionally, in case your journey dates are versatile and also you wish to select the least costly occasions to go to (which additionally are typically the least crowded dates), see When Is It Cheapest to Visit Walt Disney World in 2023?
To that finish, Walt Disney World veterans who’re keen to current some details about your personal finances, similar to how many individuals, period of journey, lodge, eating, and so on., whenever you go to could be a lot appreciated. Like I stated, this publish is barely meant to be a tough baseline, and the extra precise knowledge factors and examples newbies have earlier than beginning to plan for their very own journeys, the higher. So thanks prematurely for those who select to assist.
Planning a Walt Disney World journey? Learn about motels on our Walt Disney World Hotels Reviews web page. For the place to eat, learn our Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews. To lower your expenses on tickets or decide which kind to purchase, learn our Tips for Saving Money on Walt Disney World Tickets publish. Our What to Pack for Disney Trips publish takes a singular have a look at intelligent gadgets to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Ride Guides will assist. For complete recommendation, one of the best place to start out is our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide for every little thing you might want to know!
Your Thoughts…
How a lot do your common holidays to Walt Disney World value? Have you seen a pointy enhance when pricing out 2023 Walt Disney World trip packages? Think Disney remains to be well worth the cash, or has it change into unreasonably overpriced? Where do you splurge and the place do you “trim the fat” out of your journey finances? Do you veterans have any knowledge factors of your personal to assist newbies out? If you’re a Walt Disney World first-timer, do you may have any questions after studying this? We love to listen to from readers, so when you’ve got any ideas or questions, publish them within the feedback!