How to save money on your Disney World vacation

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Florida’s Walt Disney World is routinely named the world's most visited theme park. But travel expenses can be costly and prices at Disney World have only been increasing. Between 2014 and 2024, the average cost for a single-day ticket rose a whopping 56%, according to FinanceBuzz.

As of December 2024, Walt Disney World park tickets start at $119 for adults and $114 for kids ages 3-10, plus formerly free perks such as FastPass express line access have been replaced by paid alternatives.

“It’s an expensive trip,” says Richard Kerr, loyalty expert and director of travel rewards at Bilt Rewards, who takes his family to Disney World three or four times a year, “Even with all the cost increases, Disney has seen nothing but increased demand.”

Here, CNBC Select gathers experts’ tips and tricks for saving money on your next Disney World vacation.

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Certain times of year make for a cheaper Disney vacation, not only because of less expensive airfare and hotels but for Disney-specific reasons, say the experts. There are no publicly available discounts on Disney World park tickets, says Kerr, but there are still options when it comes to savings.

Anna Skamarakas, a panelist with planDisney, a Disney-sanctioned resource group, notes that Disney World has date-based pricing on park tickets, with cheaper prices available on days with lower demand.

“It might be a bit more affordable if you go at the end of August instead of July, for instance,” says Skamarakas. For example, tickets for July 2025 range from $154 to $164 while August 2025 prices are $119 to $154.

Going off-peak can also help you avoid crowds, and that could save you from having to pay for ways to cut the line, says Kerr. Disney has done away with its free-access FastPass+, so now, to skip long stand-by lines for certain attractions, park-goers must pay for the Lightning Lane Passes, which offer two separate plans, the Multi Pass and the Single Pass. The Multi Pass price starts at $32 per ticket per day and the Single Pass price will vary by date and attraction.

To plan your off-peak trip, Kerr recommends using the site, Touring Plans. “It will tell you the best parks to go to on your travel dates,” says Kerr. “Those guys are amazing data scientists and have saved me hours of waiting in line.” 

Most people are familiar with using credit card rewards for travel elements such as airfare and hotels, but there are a few things Kerr suggests when it comes to Disney trips.

Consider third-party sites

First, you may be able to use credit card points to buy park tickets, adding that you generally don’t want to buy them directly through Disney.

“Credit cards let you redeem points toward a travel purchase. But ticket purchases from Disney do not code as travel, so you need to buy from the deals site Undercover Tourist,” he says. Tickets are also available through some online travel agencies such as Expedia. “Then you can use points, which are typically [worth] one cent a piece, to cover the cost of a Disney ticket.”

Cards that let you redeem this way and effectively “offset” your recent ticket purchases include the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card and the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card. Earn a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel.

Just note that these third-party sites may sometimes charge slightly higher prices than when you buy tickets with Disney directly. For instance, purchasing tickets through Expedia will incur a ​​5% convenience fee.

Use hotel points for some Disney Properties

Kerr also suggests using Marriott Bonvoy® points to book rooms at the Swan, the Dolphin, or the Swan Reserve, which are considered deluxe on-Disney-property resorts, offering early access to Lightning Lanes, extended park hours and free transportation to and from some parks and to Disney Springs, so you may be able to skip renting a car for extra savings.

“It’s the sweet spot of being on property, getting early access, and paying in points instead of crazy cash rates for your hotel,” Kerr says.  

Kerr’s tip for maximizing Marriott points: Open a credit card with a welcome bonus. “There are several different Marriott cards out there, so my wife will get one card, which comes with a very large sign-up bonus, and I'll get another card that has a sign-up bonus.”

Here’s a quick summary of the current welcome offers for the Marriott credit cards:

• Marriott Bonvoy Bevy® American Express® Card: Earn 85,000 Marriott Bonvoy® bonus points after you use your new Card to make $5,000 in purchases within the first 6 months and an extra 50,000 bonus points after you make an additional $2,000 in purchases within the first 6 months.
• Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card: Earn up to 4 Free Night Awards (each night valued up to 50,000 points; certain hotels have resort fees) after qualifying purchases.
• Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card: Earn 100,000 Marriott Bonvoy® bonus points after you use your new Card to make $6,000 in purchases within the first 6 months and an extra 50,000 bonus points after you make an additional $2,000 in purchases within the first 6 months.
• Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card: Limited Time Offer: Earn 150,000 Marriott Bonvoy® bonus points and a $125 statement credit after you use your new Card to make $8,000 in purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership. Offer Ends 7/15/26.
• Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card: Earn 30,000 Bonus Points after qualifying purchases.
• Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ credit card: Earn 85,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 in purchases in your first 3 months from your account opening.

Are the Disney Visa credit cards worth it?

Although there are co-branded Disney credit cards that earn Disney Rewards Dollars, you'll often be better off earning more flexible rewards with other cards. The earning rates on the Disney® Visa® Card and the Disney® Premier Visa® Card are sub-par and your redemption options would be much more limited. The one potentially valuable perk is that the cards offer a 10% discount at select locations and on dining most days at the Disneyland® Resort and Walt Disney World® Resort.

Kerr advises booking with a low-cost carrier that services Orlando extensively, such as Spirit Airlines or Frontier Airlines.

As for resorts, if you want to be on property at Disney World, consider staying at its value resorts such as All-Star Movies, All-Star Music, Pop Century and the Art of Animation. There are specials on the Disney website, says Skamarakas.

“In a lot of situations, you’ll pay the same amount for a moderately priced room that you would pay for a value resort,” she says. The perks include early access to Lightning Lanes, free transportation and 30 minutes of early access to the parks.

Theme park journalist Megan duBois recommends the hotels in the Disney Springs area — about a 10-minute drive from EPCOT — which often run deals for teachers, members of the military, medical workers and government employees. Her picks include the DoubleTree Suites, which is bookable with Hilton Honors points, and the Renaissance Orlando Resort and Spa, which is part of Marriott Bonvoy. Just be aware that "In Disney Springs, hotel parking fees can be outrageous,” duBois says.

Off-property, duBois is a fan of the hotels in the Vineland area, about a five-minute drive from Disney Springs. “There’s a Marriott Village, which has a Springhill Suites and other brands that are usually very budget-friendly,” she says.

Food is a big part of the Disney World experience — the experts agree that the biggest money-saving tip is to skip sit-down restaurants and head instead to quick-service counter-service spots.

Skamarakas recommends the Japan Pavilion in EPCOT, while in Disney's Animal Kingdom, duBois recommends the Satu'li Canteen — “They have a bao fun burger that kids just go wild for” — and Flame Tree Barbecue, where entrees range from $11.99 to $18.99.

You can also order cheaper kids’ meals for adults at any Disney quick service restaurant, says duBois, which are child-sized but suitable for an adult who isn’t too hungry. They cost around $7 to $8, including an entree, a side and a drink. “I’ve never had a [Disney worker] say, ‘Where’s the kid?’" she says.

Another trick? Use pre-purchased Disney gift cards to pay for food and more — retailers like BJs sometimes sell them with a 5% discount.

For even bigger discounts on gift cards, Kerr advises keeping an eye on Facebook groups such as Disney Hacks, Disney Park Magic and Ways to Save for Disney, which often feature other invaluable tips to help you save money on your next Disney World trip.

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