Average Cost of Walt Disney World Vacation for a Family of 4

This breaks down 2022 Walt Disney World vacation prices for park tickets, hotels, dining, transportation & more than. Information technology answers the question of how much visiting WDW costs to help you avert sticker stupor & programme inside your budget. It besides explains why prices have increased past thousands of dollars in the last two years.

This is a tough topic to tackle. Even with hypotheticals it'southward impossible to pivot down the actual cost for every prepare of circumstances. Beyond the basics covered in our breakdown, there are a lot of variables that are beyond the scope of this postal service: Lightning Lanes & Genie+ 5. standby only? Rental car & paid parking v. Mears Connect airport shuttle? Travel insurance v. discounted not-refundable reservations?

Instead of tackling every possible scenario and ending up with a War & Peace length treatise, we'll expect at price ranges for key aspects of visiting Walt Disney World, come up with totals based on those, and let you extrapolate for your own conclusions based upon that information. Given that the affair virtually readers report surprise over to united states via comments and emails is cost, this is a topic worth addressing, fifty-fifty if we can't give any difficult numbers for every possible scenario…

As a blunt preface: a Walt Disney World vacation is an expensive proposition. Information technology's undeniable that Walt Disney World vacation costs take skyrocketed in the final decade, and that trend doesn't seem likely to opposite itself someday soon. To the opposite, pent-up demand, staffing shortages, aggrandizement, and a lack of discounts mean visiting Walt Disney World in 2022 is more than expensive than ever.

Visiting Walt Disney World costs a lot of money and it'southward undeniably priced as a premium vacation destination. Of form, travel costs are all relative. You could travel to one of the U.S. National Parks and pay a $xx entry fee for your entire vehicle for a calendar week, campsite on-site for $35/night, and cook food past bivouac for $40/day for a party of four.

As avid National Park enthusiasts, we've done exactly that many times and highly recommend it–1 of the best vacations y'all tin accept that's incredibly relaxing and allows y'all to disconnect, recharge, and see America's All-time Idea. It'due south also very unlike–also incomparable–to Walt Disney World.

You lot could besides travel to New York and spend more the cost of theme park tickets seeing shows and visiting points of interest, pay $250/night for adequate accommodations, $75/dark for parking, and an exorbitant amount eating at some of America's all-time restaurants.

Although equally chaotic, that also would exist very different from a Walt Disney World holiday. Non necessarily better or worse–different. The point is that bang-up trips can exist had at a variety of price points; even though it's easy to compare them quantitatively, doing and then on a qualitative basis is a dissimilar story entirely. Even trips to other theme parks aren't apples to apples comparisons with Walt Disney Earth.

This post assumes a five-night Walt Disney World vacation for a family of four (2 adults and 2 kids) that is non inside driving altitude to Walt Disney World, with no rental automobile unless otherwise specified. Airfare is not included. Unfortunately, flight prices vary so widely based upon origin city that there's really nothing meaningful to say–just know that it's some other toll that'll probably add some other $250-600 per person to your trip.

With that in mind, permit's take a await at the range of costs you should expect to incur for each chemical element of your Walt Disney World vacation…

Park Tickets

Subsequently precipitous increases for several years that accept seen the cost of a 1-day Walt Disney World ticket for the Magic Kingdom nearly triple in price since 2004, expectations v. reality for park ticket prices can differ dramatically. This is no surprise, especially amid infrequent visitors who last went when tickets were more affordable. Notation that all groups are following our Tips for Saving Money on Walt Disney World Tickets, and then we aren't going by gate prices.

Frugal: For this tier (nosotros'll call it 'frugal' since that has a more positive connotation than 'budget'), we're opting for 3-twenty-four hours base tickets without the Park Hopper option. The other ii days of the vacation, the family will enjoy some of the costless offerings around Walt Disney World, such as Disney Springs and visiting the Boardwalk, among other things. Total cost: $i,436.62.

Value: At this tier, we are getting base of operations tickets for all 5 days, meaning the family unit can spend every day in the parks. Note that the difference hither isn't as large every bit yous might have expected because the incremental toll of park tickets decrease for longer duration visits. Total cost: $one,999.24.

Moderate: This steps up to v-day Park Hopper tickets, so the family can leverage park operating hours to their advantage (for case, heading to Magic Kingdom and staying until park endmost on a day started out at Animal Kingdom when that park closes early on). Full cost: $two,293.lxxx.

Deluxe: This levels up to the Cadillac of park tickets: the 5-Twenty-four hour period Park Hopper Plus with Genie+ service. This is a proficient ticket option for a 7-10 day trip, but for a 5-day visit, there'south more than enough to do in the four theme parks and other areas of Walt Disney World without adding the "Plus" option. Moreover, we do not recommend Genie+ for every park, or every day. Even so, for those who similar to arrive rain, Disney-style, this is an option for a 5-24-hour interval trip. Total cost: $ii,533.08.

Many of you were probably a bit taken aback when you saw the cost of the 'frugal' option, shocked that information technology was so high. Perhaps you were also surprised that the longer duration tickets were comparatively lower in price per day. That'due south the thing about Walt Disney World tickets: the per day price decreases the longer y'all stay. (Of course, accommodations, dining, transportation and overall costs increase with a longer trip, so they get you one way or another!)

For instance, the total cost of a 10-day base ticket for this family unit would be $two,337.56, which is right on par with the moderate option and less than the deluxe pick in a higher place. The cost of tickets volition probably be the well-nigh surprising aspect of your vacation, specially if you're going for only a few days. This makes the relative 'value' of a 7-10 twenty-four hours Walt Disney World vacation meliorate than a 3 24-hour interval trip.

Hotel

The toll of your hotel is the single biggest variable in a Walt Disney World vacation, with prices ranging from $30/night for an off-site hotel on I-Drive to over $ane,000 for luxury accommodations that are on-site and near the Walt Disney Earth theme parks. Let's accept a look at the different options…

Frugal: Staying off-site is the only truthful upkeep selection, and fortunately, the Orlando surface area has a surplus of hotels, which drives downwards cost. In reviewing Hotwire's Hot Rate option for a variety of dates, there are ofttimes iii.5 star and above hotels in the Lake Buena Vista or Disney Springs areas for around $75/nighttime.

There are cheaper hotels elsewhere with lower ratings or further from the parks, but I recollect this is a expert compromise in quality and location. There are some shady hotels in the Orlando area–Florida Project is more than reality than it is fiction–so unless yous want experiencing the mean streets of O-Town as part of your vacation feel, splurge a scrap. Total price: $459.03 later on taxes & fees.

The caveat with the frugal selection here is that just some third party or off-site hotels offering free shuttles to the parks. This means staying in the frugal option will virtually certainly incur additional transportation costs in a higher place and across the higher tiers, whether that be for a rental car and parking, or for twice-daily Uber or Lyft expenses. This is non insignificant, and could add together $40 to $100 on top of accommodations costs, depending upon when you visit. The just reason we're not accounting for information technology here is because information technology'south highly variable.

Value: For anyone looking to get the truthful "resort" experience at Walt Disney Globe, this is your lowest entry-point. Depending upon when you travel, rack rates for the Value Resorts at Walt Disney World range from $118 to $307 per dark for well-nigh of the year (excluding superlative season dates). The more pop your travel fourth dimension, the more expensive the rates. Total toll: $1,084.fifty after taxes and fees.

Moderate: Same thought as the Value Resorts higher up, except for the middle tier of on-site Disney hotels. Rack rates for these hotels will range from effectually $248 to $324 per night for most of the year (excluding peak season dates). Again, the more than popular your travel time, the more expensive the rates. Total cost: $i,437.75 later taxes and fees.

Deluxe: The on-site Walt Disney World Palatial Resorts are the hotel tier where at that place'southward the nearly variance, with it costing $425/nighttime but to get you lot in the door, and prices speedily going upward from in that location. At Wilderness Lodge, regular season rack rates showtime at $555/night. By contrast, regular season rates at the One thousand Floridian first at $857/nighttime. Prices tin become up from there. Total price: $3,233.25 after taxes and fees.

Ultimately, effective on-site hotel pricing amounts to a pregnant increase for a couple reasons. Kickoff, many off-season dates are already sold out at Walt Disney World hotels, forcing us to choose regular travel dates. We searched several sets of dates before finding a 5-night stretch in mid-May 2022 during which Pop Century, Coronado Springs, and Contemporary Resort all had availability for standard rooms. (Caribbean area Beach was our first choice for a Moderate Resort, but we had no luck with it.)

Second, Walt Disney World is non offering general public discounts in 2022 thus far considering…see first point about hotels being sold out. In a normal twelvemonth, there would exist room-only deals for the general public of upwardly to 30% off or, during some times of the year, the Free Disney Dining Plan promotion.

If more hotel options open upwards (Walt Disney World still isn't fifty-fifty close to 100% occupancy due to housekeeping and other staffing shortages) that volition make booking lower cost nights an selection, and also increase the likelihood of more discounting subsequently in 2022. However, right at present, neither of those things are the instance. The stop result is a sharp spike in on-site hotel prices for 2022 as compared to averages over the last few years.

On meridian of that, Walt Disney World is discontinuing its Magical Express airport shuttle in 2022 and now charges for hotel parking (this isn't a new development for 2022, but it'due south newly relevant for those debating rental car 5. aerodrome shuttle v. Uber or Lyft). In brusk, non only are hotel room prices higher for 2022, just they include less–so your net outlay volition be fifty-fifty more than money for stay on-site at Walt Disney Globe in 2022.

Dining

If things weren't already complicated plenty, another monkey wrench here is that the Disney Dining Programme is still "temporarily" suspended at Walt Disney World. In When Will the Disney Dining Program Return? we forecast timing for its comeback, as well equally our rationale. Information technology's a good read that explains why the Dining Plan is integral to Walt Disney World and offers our prediction every bit to when it'll return in 2022.

Without question, purchasing the Disney Dining Plan will cost you more it would cost you to eat at Walt Disney Earth on a tight budget. What the Disney Dining Plan offers is peace of mind in paying for your food in accelerate and knowing that you don't accept to worry about it when you arrive. If you can budget money, you are usually better off skipping the Dining Plan and paying out of pocket.

Some people can save money using the Disney Dining Program, but those are people who like to eat "aggressively," not those who are trying to exist frugal. With that said, those who have advantage of the Free Dining discount are much more likely to come up out ahead, especially at our case party size of 2 adults and ii kids in one room. As noted above, Gratis Dining is unlikely to be offered in 2022.

With that little cautionary note out of the way, permit'due south take a wait at a few options in terms of eating on a Walt Disney World holiday…

Frugal: Purchase groceries and bring your food to the parks. Many people don't realize that, different sporting events and your local library, yous can bring outside food into Walt Disney Globe. Not only that, only they're pretty liberal with the rules: you can bring a soft-sided cooler (now don't get too carried away, you can't bring in a pony keg to make 'information technology'southward a small world' more enjoyable). Figure that the price here can be as low as what y'all'd eat at home, plus allowances for occasional snacks. Ballpark cost: $300.

Value: Eat a huge breakfast in your hotel before yous leave for the parks each twenty-four hours, then have a counter service meal in the parks in the early afternoon costing around $20/person, bring snacks to get through belatedly afternoon, and take dinner in your hotel each night. Ballpark toll: $600. (Alternatively, the Quick Service Disney Dining Plan, if available, would cost $810 and allow for lunch and dinner inside the park.)

Moderate: For the sake of simplicity, nosotros're going to presume the boilerplate family would be inclined to purchase the regular Disney Dining Programme if information technology were available, and that its prior list price would be roughly analogous to what they'd spend on doing a counter service meal, table service meal, and snacks each twenty-four hour period in 2022. Of course, toll increases are likely in the intervening 2 years, merely every bit we noted above, paying out of pocket is usually cheaper than doing the DDP. In other words, the two countervailing factors should net each other out. Ballpark toll: $1,085.

Deluxe: Nosotros'll stick with the Disney Dining Programme comparison here, and this time practise the Deluxe DDP. This is essentially the "all-inclusive" version of the Disney Dining Plan. (Not really, only it ends up being that for most since it's fashion more food than the boilerplate person can consume on holiday.) This will let yous do multiple table service meals, character dining, and even Signature Restaurants if you lot and so desire–and upkeep the time for it. Ballpark toll: $1,665.

Total Costs

Even within the different tiers of vacations we've priced out for the hypothetical family unit of iv, there's a pretty substantial range to the toll of their Walt Disney World vacation. Even so, we idea it worthwhile to give a crude approximation of totals…

Frugal: $2,195.65

Value: $three,683.74

Moderate: $4,816.55

Deluxe: $7,431.33

On-site hotel pricing is based on mid-May 2022, when prices are at their regular rates. If yous're visiting in September 2022, you'll notice lower rack rates and you might luck out with the return of more aggressive discounts (including Free Dining during normal years). Conversely, if you lot're visiting during Easter 2022, you will nearly certainly be paying considerably more.

Regardless of what your actual costs appear to be when you crunch the numbers, it's always a good idea to build a 15-xx% cushion into the budget for unforeseen expenses–that's a savvy movement with travel in general, regardless of the destination.

As loftier as these totals might seem at get-go blush, nosotros'll reiterate that these don't take all costs into account. Airfare, rental cars, parking, shuttles, or other ground transportation will likely add another $ane,000 to $2,000 onto each bottom line.

The cost of Genie+ and Lightning Lanes is also not included in nearly tiers. Same goes for hard ticket events like the Later on Hours, Halloween, or Christmas parties. Some of these things are totally optional, but some course of transportation–both to Florida and around Walt Disney World–is not.

Nevertheless, these totals might surprise you, particularly if you visited a few years ago and paid considerably less. For our 2022 Walt Disney World vacation budget update, the effective cost increased dramatically across the board. Every bit compared to March of last year, the value and moderate tiers have each increased by over $1,000 and the deluxe tier has gone upward over $2,000.

It wasn't long ago when a value vacation full was ~$2,000 and a moderate cost $iii,500 with a deluxe costing effectually $5,000. Base prices have increased every year for the last decade, but the effective increment became more pronounced in mid-2021 when discounts dried up.

This will continue to be the case through at least early 2022, and is exacerbated by the finish of Disney's Magical Express, which also amounts to another indirect increment by virtue of adding new transportation costs. Complimentary MagicBands were also eliminated, and other on-site perks are too gone.

This is to say nothing of the nighttime spectaculars, parades, stage shows, and other entertainment that will yet be temporarily suspended, or the shorter park hours. That's correct–not only is a 2022 Walt Disney Globe vacation thousands of dollars more expensive, just you're paying more than and getting less. Double whammy!

With so many caveats, it might seem like these numbers are rendered meaningless, and this post is just an exercise in futility (similar nigh things I practice!). However, the info and numbers here should at least provide a good baseline so that those of yous who accept never planned a Walt Disney World vacation have a ballpark idea what kind of costs you'll run across.

At that place are numerous (clickbait) weblog posts with headlines similar "How to exercise a Walt Disney Earth Vacation for Less than $1,000." Those brand big promises that are incredibly misleading, disingenuous, and ultimately lead to disappointment or unrealistic expectations. For 95% of guests, $2,000 is the bare minimum needed but to make it the door, and even that'due south actually pushing it.

Obviously, this isn't one-size fits advice or vacation budgeting. Frugal traveler-hackers may belittle at the "high" prices hither, and luxury travelers may detect that they spend significantly more than the amounts set forth here. There are plain going to exist outliers on both ends of the spectrum. Nosotros've heard of loftier rollers easily dropping $10,000 to $15,000 for a luxurious Walt Disney World vacation, and that could pretty easily turn into $xx,000 for a longer trip and fifty-fifty more than upcharge add together-ons.

In our example–and likely in the case of many readers of this web log–we can be outliers on the low end of things, as the sunk costs of Annual Passes make our tickets $0* and we tin can go our on-site hotel costs downward to every bit low equally $75/night with via Disney Holiday Guild Point Rentals or Priceline Limited Deals if we move our dates around a bit and work effectually deals. Even so, this is impractical to a lot of people, peculiarly those without flexible schedules or planning their first trips.

Ultimately, this is simply a jumping off point with specific numbers that are but meant to give you a rough idea of 2022 Walt Disney Globe holiday costs. Hopefully this topic can be an open dialogue about Walt Disney Globe trip expenses and budgets, equally the way we vacation certainly differs for others. There are tons of hacks that tin can bring the cost downwards–see our Acme x Tips for Saving Money at Walt Disney World for ideas on that front.

To that end, Walt Disney World veterans who are willing to present some data most your own budget, such as how many people, duration of trip, hotel, dining, etc., when you visit would be much appreciated. Similar I said, this post is only meant to be a rough baseline, and the more than actual data points and examples newbies have before starting to plan for their own trips, the better. So thanks in accelerate if yous cull to help.

Planning a Walt Disney World trip? Learn about hotels on our Walt Disney Earth Hotels Reviews page. For where to eat, read our Walt Disney World Eating house Reviews. To save money on tickets or determine which blazon to buy, read our Tips for Saving Coin on Walt Disney Earth Tickets mail. Our What to Pack for Disney Trips post takes a unique look at clever items to accept. For what to do and when to practise it, our Walt Disney World Ride Guides will help. For comprehensive advice, the best place to start is our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide for everything yous need to know!

Your Thoughts…

How much do your boilerplate vacations to Walt Disney Earth toll? Have you noticed a sharp increase when pricing out 2022 Walt Disney World vacation packages? Think Disney is still worth the money, or has it become unreasonably overpriced? Where do you splurge and where do you "trim the fat" from your trip budget? Do y'all veterans accept whatsoever data points of your own to help newbies out? If you're a Walt Disney World kickoff-timer, do yous take any questions afterwards reading this? We love to hear from readers, so if you have any thoughts or questions, post them in the comments!

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Source: https://www.disneytouristblog.com/cost-disney-world-vacation/