Hiya Tamara! Welcome to planDisney!
Thanks for stopping by with this great question! I can't think of a better place to celebrate your daughter's 5th birthday than at
Magic Kingdom Park! She's at the perfect age to enjoy many of the attractions that fill this park and also get a chance to meet some of her favorite characters!
Being mindful of a budget when visiting Walt Disney World is always high on my priority list. Being a dad of two young daughters, having a plan going into the day, and setting the proper expectations have always helped us out. The best part about visiting any of the four theme parks is most of the cost of your day is already included in your park ticket. There is no additional cost to ride any attractions or view any of the entertainment. The only additional cost you need to budget for is dining and merchandise purchases.
You will have the option to purchase
Disney Genie+ on your park day, but this is completely up to you. Disney Genie+ allows you to book arrival windows for specific attractions to bypass the standby line and maximize your time at the park. If attractions are a top priority, then this additional purchase may be beneficial to you. To help save, my family has always found that getting to the park first thing in the morning has allowed us to ride many attractions before the park starts to fill up. On a recent trip, we were able to fit in five to six attractions in the first couple hours of being in the park. After the initial rush, we decided to head back toward Main Street, U.S.A. and Cinderella Castle to enjoy that area that we missed out on in the morning.
Dining and food purchases are another way you can help save. I suggest packing some snacks and beverages in your park bag to eat throughout the day. Not only will this save money, but it will save time from waiting in lines for these items. If you want to eat lunch or dinner in the park, try budgeting for a quick service meal over a table service option. These are generally less of a cost and you can still find some delicious options around the park.
Sleepy Hollow or
Casey's Corner are great choices with a variety of menu options for both adults and children.
For souvenirs, this is where you can quickly run into additional costs. My daughters will see something as we are passing by the
Emporium or coming off of an attraction and immediately want everything they see. If you plan on getting her something on this day, make sure to set the expectation before you arrive. On a past trip, we let them know that they could pick out one small item each and that was it for the day. They ended up being strategic about it almost became a game for them on what they were going to decide to choose.
Tamara, I hope your daughter has the most magical birthday celebration at the Magic Kingdom! Make sure to stop by Guest Services at the beginning of the day to get a special birthday pin for your daughter to wear. She'll be thrilled with how many Cast Members and Guests wish her a happy birthday!
See ya real soon!
Greg