what is the estimated Cost of Disney vacation for 4; Talking about the cost on family vacations may not be the most exciting topic, but it’s going to be a big part of this post. Since you are considering a vacation to Disney World, you are likely already familiar with the costs involved. However, there may be some differences in your plans which means you need to reevaluate your spending. So let’s take a look at how much it will cost you and your family to make this trip happen.
Disney vacations have a reputation for being expensive. There’s no need to go broke visiting the Happiest Place on Earth! From getting more bang for your buck at hotels to planning your park tickets based on the least amount of waits, here are several strategies to help you save money when you vacation in Disney World.
The cost of a Disney vacation for 4 can vary greatly depending on what you’re looking for. If you’re planning to stay in one of the hotels on Disney property, then it’s not going to be cheap. But if you’re willing to stay off-property and make some sacrifices, you could still have a great time.
The most expensive part of any Disney trip is going to be the flight and hotel costs. The average flight from New York City to Orlando is about $400 per person, which means that your transportation costs alone are going to be around $1,600.
If you stay at the cheapest available hotel on Disney property (the All-Star Movies Resort), your nightly rate will be about $138 per night for two people. That means that staying in a room with two double beds will cost about $2,700 over the course of your stay—probably more than half of what you paid for plane tickets!
If you want to cut down on expenses while still getting all the perks of staying on Disney property, consider staying at one of their campgrounds. These campsites offer tent sites as well as RV hookups and cabins; there are also resort pools if swimming is important to your family’s vacation plans.
Disney World Cost for a family of four
| Estimated cost | |
|---|---|
| Airfare | $1,200 |
| Accommodations | $600 |
| Car rental, gas & parking | $365 |
| Disney World tickets | $2,080 |
| Food and drink | $888 |
| Random spending | $300 |
| Total | $5,433 USD |
The above estimate is based on US dollars. If you want to know what it costs in your local currency, use XE.com for the conversion.
Again, the above is just an estimate of costs for a family visit. There are plenty of different ways to save money in Orlando which I’ll highlight below for Cost of Disney vacation for 4
I should also mention that the time of year you visit can make a difference in costs. Hotels are a bit cheaper during the low season and that’s also when Disney ticket prices are the cheapest. The following times are when you can expect to see less foot traffic.
- January
- Late April / early May
- After the U.S. Spring Break
- Late August / early September
- Before Mickey’s not so scary Halloween party begins and after it ends
- Early November before Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party
Flights
When figuring out how much does it cost to go to Disney World, flights can be a bit tricky since prices fluctuate based on where you live and what season you’re travelling.
I typically recommend estimating $300 a person for flights if you’re travelling within the U.S. which works out to $1,200 for a family of four. That said, it wouldn’t be hard to find a flight in the $200 range if you’re flying from the east coast.
It is possible to save money on airfare. Within the U.S., there are multiple discount airlines such as JetBlue that typically have great prices. Canadians could take advantage of the WestJet companion voucher that comes with the WestJet RBC World Elite Mastercard or the Buddy Pass that Aeroplan has when flying on Air Canada.
If you’re travelling with kids, many families will opt to drive to Orlando as the savings on airfare and car rental can be a fair amount. Driving 15 hours+ each way may sound crazy, but if it can save $1,000+, it might be worth it. That said, think about your time since it’s valuable. Although you’ll save a lot of money, you’d probably spend 3-4 days travelling to/from Orlando.
If you’re Canadian, you may want to consider applying for one of the best travel credit cards in Canada to help offset your costs by collecting points. For example, the American Express Platinum Card gives you a signup bonus of up to 85,000 American Express Membership Rewards points which have a minimum value of $850 (potentially more if you transfer your points to Aeroplan or Marriott Bonvoy). There’s also the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite card that has no foreign transaction fees and it comes with airport lounge access.
Accommodations
The cost of hotels greatly varies on where you stay and the time you visit. I personally break down costs based on location. Cheap Disney vacations are possible, it just depends on what you’re willing to do to save money. It wouldn’t be that hard to find a hotel in the $150 a night range and they may even include free breakfast.
Disney World hotels – If you’re staying at one of the Disney World hotels on-site, such as All Star Movies Resort, you can expect to pay up to $300 a night. This is one of the most expensive options, but it’ll put you closest to the action. Besides the easy access to parks, many guests choose Disney resorts for the themes. Animal Kingdom Lodge is one of the coolest hotels I’ve ever been in. Although I was excited for the Star Wars hotel, the price is insane.
Hotels near Disney World – The are many hotels near Disney World just a 5-10 minute drive away in the $100-$150 a night range. One popular spot is near the intersection of S. Apopka Vineland Rd. and Winter Garden Vineland Rd. as there are many value resorts, villas, restaurants and shops nearby.
Recommendations:
Hotels near Disney World with a shuttle – Hotels near Disney World with a shuttle are incredibly convenient if you don’t want to bother with a rental car. These hotels have multiple departure times and often go to more places than just Disney including Universal Studios. Check out my list of the best hotels near Disney World with a shuttle for some of my top picks.
Recommendations
Vacation homes – You should also consider vacation homes in nearby Celebration and Kissimmee. Vacation homes are great since they come with fully equipped kitchens and come in different sizes/price ranges which will appeal to families. Celebration is less than a 10-minute drive from Disney so be afraid to expand your hotel search.