Welcome to planDisney, Wendy! I'm so excited to hear you are planning a visit to
Walt Disney World Resort!
As a fellow mom-of-many, I know that it can be a challenge to vacation without breaking the bank. I have taken my large family to Walt Disney World every year for decades, and I like to think I've mastered the art of doing it on a budget. I always start by checking out Disney World's
Special Offers, Packages, and More page. They have some great deals going on for this summer.
You'll first need to choose a resort. If your youngest is under the age of three, I would recommend a family suite at
Disney's All-Star Music Resort. They sleep up to six adults, and a child who is two or younger does not count towards occupancy. If all of your children are three years old or older, you will need two standard rooms. You could consider staying off-site, but crunch the numbers first. Disney resort hotels don't charge for parking, and you get free parking at the theme parks as a resort hotel guest. And if you won't have a car, Disney's complimentary transportation can't be beat.
Next, you'll have to decide on park tickets. One way our family saves money is by purchasing fewer days. We might get three-day or four-day tickets and spend a day at the pool, another at
Disney Springs, and another checking out the resorts. The days we are at the parks, we are there open to close! I'm going to tell you a little secret: I don't add the park hopper option to our tickets. When I am in one of Disney's theme parks, I like to commit to it for the day. Plus, it saves some cash.
You've got to feed your crew, and that is rarely cheap, but Disney has an incredible
free dining offer right now that may be perfect for your family, especially if you have kids in the age range of 3-9. We tend to stick to quick-service restaurants, which are always more affordable than table-service restaurants. I look at menus ahead of time, so I know how to budget. When my kids were young, we often split entrees. This worked out best because we didn't waste food, and it left room (and money) for Mickey Ice Cream Bars or Dole Whips later in the day.
There are plenty of add-ons you can purchase, like
Lightning Lane Passes,
Fireworks Dessert Parties,
character dining, and more. We've done all of these things over the years, and I can tell you that none of them are necessary. Are they fun? Yes. But you can have an incredibly magical time without them.
I do hope this is helpful, Wendy. I know your family is going to love being at The Most Magical Place on Earth! If you have any more questions, please
let me know. We love helping guests plan their next magical family vacation here at
planDisney.
Always Dreaming -
Elizabeth