Traveling to Walt Disney World on a Budget
Traveling to Walt Disney World on a budget can seem challenging, especially for single parents like myself. However, I’ve learned some valuable strategies that have allowed me to give my child the magical experience of a Disney vacation.
Being a single parent is hard. I know, I was a single parent for 11 years. It took a few years to get my bearings when I became a single parent. As time went on things got a little easier and I told myself I didn’t want my circumstance to hinder my son. I wanted him to experience everything he could out of life and that included vacations.
Tips for Traveling to Walt Disney World on a Budget
As a child of a single parent myself, we didn’t go on many vacations. I learned quickly how to budget my money and the best ways to save so I could make these things happen for him. Here are my tips for traveling to Walt Disney World on a budget.
Plan Ahead and Save
The first key I learned is to plan every vacation a year in advance. Most of us don’t have extra money readily available to book a spontaneous trip. Giving yourself a whole year to plan and pay for a vacation is plenty of time. If when the time comes you weren’t able to meet your budget, no fear. You can always push it back a few months until you have collected what you were short.
Setting Realistic Budget Goals
Disney World was a trip I feared I could never afford. I told myself year after year I would like to go but always passed it up for something else. I had never been to Walt Disney World, so of course, I wanted to see what the fuss was all about but most importantly I wanted my son to have a childhood he could look back on and think, “Look what my mom made happen.”
Several years ago, I started to do research. I looked up prices, the hotels, the different parks, the rides and the food. I even looked up insider tips on things like which rides to aim for first. While doing this, I learned that you only needed $200 for a deposit to book a trip. Then you had up until 30 days before check in to pay off the trip. Plus, you could cancel it and get your deposit back! I thought, “Wow! What’s the worst that could happen?” I knew I would get my money back if things didn’t go as planned so I had nothing to lose.
Opting for Budget-Friendly Accommodations
I had convinced my mom to go with me and share the cost of the hotel which was great. We chose the Disney’s All-Star Movies Resort, which is a budget friendly hotel, but my main attraction to it was the Toy Story decorations around the resort. My son has been a fan of the movies since he was two. By opting for a more economical option, we were able to stretch our budget further but still stay in the middle of the magic.
Smart Budgeting Techniques
Thinking this was our once-in-a-lifetime trip (or so I thought) and I wanted to make this vacation one to remember! We planned it for 10 days. Even with 6-day park hopper ticket and a Memory Maker photo package, our trip was only $2,600!
Meanwhile, my mom was using her credit card to buy her groceries and mine as well. Using the credit card at the time was giving points for local grocery stores. We used those points to buy gas station gift cards. Before our trip arrived, we had managed to aquire $200 worth of gas gift cards which covered the gasoline for our 9 hour drive to Orlando and back . We also were able to get two $25 restaurant gift cards. These cards took care of our meals on our drive too.
To me, gift cards are the best way to budget for things. It takes the money out of your account but prepares for things you may need. Any kind of rewards that offer free gift cards such as your local credit card, or apps like Shopkick, Inbox Dollars, Etc are a real asset. Since this trip my mom and I started using apps like Dosh and Ibotta that actually give you cash back. We would keep the money in the app and use it like a savings account. That is just free money adding up to use for any vacation.
In the end we ended up paying the trip off early. Around Christmas time, I was able to find a deal for Universal Studios where if you buy two passes you get a third one free, so we snagged those as well.
The Trip of a Lifetime
On this trip I discovered how much I enjoyed Disney. In the 6 days we visited the parks we still were unable to see and do everything, and I knew I wanted to go back. And we did, a year and half later. With determination and effective budgeting, a Disney vacation became a reachable goal. Where there’s a will, there’s a way.
Affordable Travel is Possible
A Disney vacation wasn’t as far out of reach as I feared, proper budgeting is the key to any vacation as a single parent. Don’t let a price tag become a fear when it comes to the memories you will provide your child. They will cherish it for a lifetime.
Please note that the information provided is based on my personal experiences and may vary depending on your individual circumstances. But, as a travel agent, I want to help others have the same type of magical experiences I have been able to have. Ask me about ways you can put your vacation on layaway. I’m happy to share budgeting tips with my clients to help make those dreams come true!
About the author
Nicole Rosas
Nicole is a Disney pro with a heart for single parents and families with kids. Nicole has learned buget-friendly tips and tricks to make the most of Disney vacations regardless of budget. She knows first hand how hard planning a first time trip to Walt Disney World is, so she’s happy to help you make the most of it.
Get Planning Help From the Disney Experts
Be sure you are making the most of your vacation time and money. Click the box below to request a free, no-obligation quote. And start planning your vacation with The Disney Experts, Destination Magic!
Destination Magic will save you time, money and strees. Start planning your simply magical vacation today!
Recent Posts
