(CNN) — Between figuring out Lightning Lane and figuring out how to cram all the rides and meals your family wants into one trip, planning a Disney World vacation can be quite complicated. Especially if you’re trying to enjoy Disney on a budget.
In recent years, a whole cottage industry of “Disney hacks” has sprung up on social media, with influencers explaining how to navigate the complex web of deals and ways to save money on Disney vacations. If you wish, you can also take online classes during your Disney vacation.
But Disney, which has long been criticized for its high ticket prices, is working hard to add simplicity to its park offerings to help guests find ways to travel on a budget without requiring a Ph.D. at Disney World. I’m trying.
For example, Disney on Monday announced a complimentary 3-night stay at Walt Disney World for guests who purchase a Park Hopper ticket and arrive between May 27 and June 26, or July 7 and August 6. announced the dining plan. The dining plan will provide ticket holders with two to three meals and snacks. A refillable mug will be provided each night of your stay. That means one less thing to plan and worry about. Usually offered as an additional purchase.
Disney World has previously announced other money-saving perks, such as free parking at resorts (previously, there was a charge, much to the annoyance of guests). And Disney has doubled down on the app experience to give guests a better idea of how long to wait in the parks’ notoriously long lines.
“They’ve made a lot of enhancements that have helped us,” said Greg Antonelle, owner of Mickey Travels, an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner. “You don’t necessarily have to be a Disney expert to understand these things. They’ve worked hard to demystify the in-park experience for guests.”
Disney has made other guest-friendly improvements in 2024.
The park has relaxed reservation requirements and reinstated Park Hopper access for guests who want to visit multiple theme parks in one day. Disney now allows guests to change restaurant reservations up to two hours in advance. Previously, visitors were locked in the day before their reservation was set. Guests can also plan their Lightning Lanes ahead of their visit date, eliminating the need to fiddle with apps while in the park.
And parks are working to make it clearer when guests can save money.
Disney World has announced that guests who book a three-night stay at a resort hotel early next year will receive up to 25% off their room rate, or $200 off per night. Disneyland is offering $50 kids tickets for children up to 9 years old from January 7th to March 20th. Both parks also offer discounts to local residents, military personnel, and veterans.
Advantages of going during off-peak hours: You may not need to purchase expensive lighting lane passes for your favorite rides. A must-have if you don’t want to wait in a 2-3 hour queue during peak hours, but during off-peak times the line is reduced to just 30-45 minutes.
Focus on value over price
Can you go on a trip to Disney for $25,000? surely. And the company will be forced to rake in coal for it. Disney’s ticket price hikes have become a symbol of corporate greed. Tickets to both Disney World (Florida) and Disneyland (California) can cost over $100 per person per day.
Deals and enhanced visibility into how customers can save money could give families who turned it down a reason to look to Disney World or Disneyland. And Disney would welcome it too. The company announced in its latest financial report that foot traffic at its U.S. parks has slowed in recent quarters. Fed up with inflation, some travelers are thinking that if they’re going to spend thousands of dollars on a family vacation, they’d rather book an exotic vacation than a theme park.
So Disney, like many other brands that have battled inflation, is focused on value, Antonelle said.
“We have clients who stay for two weeks in the club level of Grand Florida’s luxury resorts, and we have guests who stay at value resorts, and they have just as much fun and make lots of memories.” said Mr. Antonelle. “Disney has gotten some criticism for their pricing, but if you time it right, there’s a lot of value you can get with Disney.”
Enjoying Disney on a budget comes with some sacrifices. You won’t be able to go during peak holiday hours. You may need to take your children to school several days during the week. Jamie Michaels, editor of Magic Guide, a Disney travel planning company, says January to March and September to November are the cheapest times to travel.
But just like there are countless options and prices when buying a car and you need to do some research to make sure you’re buying the right one, so too is a Disney vacation. This can be a difficult purchase. Disney is not an impulse buy. Options and benefits change all the time, so it’s best to be prepared.
But Disney listened to their complaints and reduced the amount of homework they had to do to stay within budget. And if you do, you’ll get a lot of bang for your buck.
“You can go to a sporting event or a Taylor Swift concert and spend a lot of money for two hours,” Antonelle says. “When you’re at Disney, you can spend 15 hours in the park, and within that 15 hours you can see a concert, play mini golf, see a parade, see fireworks. …People just look at the price. But I don’t see the value.
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