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Disney World Costs for a Family of 4 Might Surprise You
Some families might spend more than $15,000 on a lavish, seven-night Disney vacation‚ but it can be done for far less.
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Updated · 6 min read
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Editor & Content Strategist A Disney family vacation certainly isn’t cheap. The average cost for a family of four to Disney World can easily top $6,000 for a seven-night trip, and that’s if you’re a frugal traveler.
But a weeklong family trip to Disney World exceeding $15,000 is not unheard of, especially for families splurging on memorable character meals and hotels closer to the theme park.
A recent NerdWallet analysis sought to understand the average cost for a family of four to go to Disney World, accounting for line items across these four categories:
- Park tickets (and add-ons, like Lightning Lane Multi Pass and Single Pass).
- On-property hotel room rates.
- Food at park restaurants.
- Add-on activities, like spa treatments and tours.
Because Disney offers options for all sorts of budgets, NerdWallet categorized trips into three price tiers: Value, Moderate and Deluxe (the same classifications that Disney World uses for its hotels). Frugal families might fit everyone into a single room and dine only at counter service restaurants or food carts. Meanwhile, families willing to spend more might purchase line-skipping privileges, larger rooms and fancier meals. Those variations are accounted for in NerdWallet’s price breakdowns. (Read our methodology at the end of this piece.)
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Average Disney World vacation cost per person, per day
Here’s what you can expect to spend per person, per day for a theme park ticket, hotel room and meal, based on travel style:
| Value | Moderate | Deluxe | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-day, 1-park theme park ticket | $160. | $175. | $175. |
| 1-night hotel room (Saturday night) | $286. | $366. | $877. |
| Individual meal | $19. | $59. | $93. |
So what does that amount to for a family of four? Here’s the average Disney World vacation cost for a family of four, broken down by travel style and length of trip. These prices include the cost of three meals per day on Disney property, daily theme park tickets and overnight stays at a Disney-owned hotel.
| 1 night | 3 nights | 7 nights | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Value | $1,227. | $2,783. | $6,463. |
| Moderate | $1,525. | $3,636. | $8,912. |
| Deluxe | $2,332. | $6,075. | $15,559. |
Disney World ticket prices for families
Disney World ticket prices vary by park with one-day Magic Kingdom tickets averaging $160 apiece. (Magic Kingdom is typically viewed as the most family-friendly of the theme parks, but it’s also typically the most expensive park.)
Understand that ticket prices also vary by month and day of week. September is the cheapest month to visit Walt Disney World. Wednesday is the cheapest day to go to Disney World.
Additionally, per-day prices drop the longer you stay. For example, five-day, one-park-per-day tickets average $643 (that’s $129 per day).
| Disney World price per person | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1-day, 1-park ticket advertised price range | $109 to $189. | |
| Average 1-day, 1-park ticket price | $160. | |
| Lightning Lane Multi Pass | Starting at $15. | |
Some travelers might opt for upgrades like Park Hopper tickets, which let you visit multiple parks each day, or Lightning Lanes, which are priority queues for certain attractions.
Not accounting for upgrades, here’s how much a family of four can expect to spend on tickets, based on the number of theme park days:
| Family of 4 average Disney World ticket cost | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1 day | $713. | |
| 2 days | $1,265. | |
| 5 days | $2,572. | |
There’s no such thing as family tickets to Disney World; tickets are sold per person. Disney automatically discounts ticket prices for kids under age 9 (those under age 3 don’t need a ticket at all), so families with young children might see slightly lower overall ticket costs.
Disney World hotel room rates for families
Rooms at All-Star properties (which are considered Value hotels) start at $128 per night, according to Disney trip planning website Touring Plans. Meanwhile, nightly rates for one of Disney World’s most expensive Deluxe hotels, Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, start at $780.
Exact prices vary based on check-in date and property, but here are average prices broken down by type and trip length, according to NerdWallet’s analysis:
Average Disney World hotel room costs
| 1 night | 3 nights | 7 nights | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Value | $286. | $834. | $1,727. |
| Moderate | $366. | $1,091. | $2,449. |
| Deluxe | $877. | $2,646. | $6,096. |
The $286 average rate for Disney’s cheapest rooms still exceeds the average hotel room rate off-property. According to Visit Orlando’s 2022 Travel Industry Indicators, Orlando’s average daily room rate is just $186.49, about 35% less than the cheapest room at a Disney resort.
Disney World food costs for families
NerdWallet also calculated the average meal prices depending on restaurant type. Meals consisted of an entree and drink and, at waiter service restaurants, an appetizer or dessert.
Average Disney World food costs
| Restaurant pricing tier | Average food prices per person, per meal (including tax and tip) |
|---|---|
| Value (counter service or cart) | $19. |
| Moderate (table service with waitstaff, casual restaurant) | $59. |
| Deluxe (table service with waitstaff, fancy restaurant) | $93. |
However, these Disney food prices did not account for kids meals, which are usually cheaper.
Consider one of the best family restaurants at Disney World, the African-inspired buffet at Tusker House Restaurant, located in the Animal Kingdom theme park. Dinner, which features walkaround Disney characters in safari garb, costs $59 (before tax and tip) for ages 10 and up. But kids under 9 can eat for $38 (a 35% discount), and children under 3 eat for free.
Satu'li Canteen, located in the “Avatar” section of the theme park, is another family-favorite restaurant in Animal Kingdom. It's famous for its cheeseburger pod, which is a bao bun stuffed with classic cheeseburger ingredients. The adult serving costs $13.29 while the smaller kids version is just $8.59 — also a 35% discount.
A new dining plan offer can save money on food for families at Disney World
If you're planning a Walt Disney World trip in 2026, here's a way to potentially save a lot of money on food. For families who book hotel at one of more than 25 Disney Resort hotel, add on a ticket package and purchase a Disney Dining Plan, kids ages 3 to 9 will get their dining plan for free. The 2026 Disney Dining Plan offer is especially good because you can combine the deal with other discounts, making it much more flexible and valuable.
» Learn more: How to hack the Disney Dining Plan
Other activities and expenses families should budget for at Disney World
Food, tickets and hotels are hardly the only Disney family trip costs. NerdWallet’s calculations did not account for sundries and souvenirs, which might add to the average cost for a trip to Disney.
NerdWallet’s seven-day trip estimations did account for other entertainment and activities. Disney officially refers to these activities as its Enchanting Extras Collection, which includes animal encounters, educational classes and recreational activities.
Prices for Disney Enchanting Extras vary, though there’s something for every budget. The 60-minute Caring for Giants tour at Animal Kingdom costs just $35 per person and gets you closer to the elephants than other park guests are allowed.
Families looking to splurge might book the three-hour private Wild Africa Trek tour, which costs $199 per person and involves hiking, off-roading in a safari vehicle and traversing a rope bridge.
At the Magic Kingdom, families with very young children might book the My First Haircut package at Harmony Barber Shop. For $28, you get a haircut plus commemorative Mickey Ears, a certificate and a keepsake lock of hair. Kids from ages 3 to 12 might prefer the stylings at the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique. For $100, they get a fresh hairdo plus makeup, nail polish and a princess sash, while the $200 package includes a full princess gown.
🤓 Nerdy Tip
Rather than buy an expensive princess gown from Disney, you're allowed to bring your own. After your child gets their hair and makeup done at the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique, have them change into the (presumably cheaper) princess gown you packed from home. If you’re doing Disney World on a budget, a more affordable Enchanting Extra might include a round of miniature golf at either of Disney’s two courses, which cost just $12 per child or $14 per adult.
For seven-night trips, here’s how much additional money NerdWallet estimates you should budget, per person, for Disney World extras:
- Value: $142.
- Moderate: $221.
- Deluxe: $455.
Not all families will opt for add-on activities, but for longer trips, it would be wise to keep some room in the Disney budget, just in case.
How families can do Disney World on a budget
A family of four should expect to spend a minimum of $6,000 once on-property for seven nights at Walt Disney World, including food, hotel, theme park tickets and add-ons. But a trip to Disney World can also be done for far less. Here’s how:
- Cut back on theme park days with free or cheap activities.
- Book Disney Good Neighbor Hotels, which are family resorts near Disney World that are generally more budget-friendly. Many can be booked on points and miles, ideal if you’ve been stockpiling credit card rewards.
- Seek Disney World family vacation packages, many of which are offered through Good Neighbor hotels.
- Adjust your travel days. There are some significantly cheaper days to visit Disney World than others.
And yes, discount tickets exist. Use reputable third-parties, such as Undercover Tourist, when purchasing discount Disney tickets.
Methodology
To better understand the average cost of a vacation to Disney World for a family of four, NerdWallet analyzed more than 200 ticket prices, 550 Disney-owned hotel room rates and more than 100 additional activities and restaurant prices between April 2023 and April 2024. From there, NerdWallet used average costs to build sample trip budgets.
NerdWallet’s trip costs start once you’re on-property, thus don’t account for parking, airfare or driving costs. Here’s what’s included in each price tier:
| Value | Moderate | Deluxe | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Travel style | A budget-minded traveler seeking affordable options, few frills and little to no add-ons. | Someone price conscious but who occasionally splurges. | Someone who will pay top dollar to access the high end of what Disney offers. |
| Tickets | 1-park-per-day tickets. | 1-park-per-day tickets with Lightning Lane Multi Pass. | 1-park-per-day tickets with Lightning Lane Multi Pass. |
| Hotels | Overnight at Disney’s Value hotels. | Overnight at Disney's Moderate hotels. | Overnight at Disney’s Deluxe hotels. |
| Daily meals | 3 meals (1 entree and 1 beverage) at Value counter service restaurants or food carts. | 2 Value meals plus 1 Moderate meal (1 entree, 1 dessert or side and 1 beverage) at a casual, table service restaurant with waitstaff. | 1 Value meal, 1 Moderate meal plus 1 Deluxe meal at an upscale, table service restaurant with waitstaff. |
| Extra activities | Value add-ons, like cheap seats at Disney World’s Cirque du Soleil show or a lower-budget spa treatment (like an express pedicure). | Moderate add-ons, like central seats at Disney World’s Cirque du Soleil show or a grand pedicure at the spa. | Deluxe add-ons, like front-row seats at Disney World’s Cirque du Soleil show or a full-body massage at the spa. |
Additional notes:
- Because Walt Disney World ticket prices vary by park, one-day ticket prices were based on Magic Kingdom admission. Two-day ticket prices were based on Magic Kingdom and Epcot.
- NerdWallet’s analysis did not account for Park Hopper tickets, which allow access to multiple theme parks per day.
- Meals are based on standard menus. Families ordering from the kids menu will likely save on Disney World food costs.
These budgets should be used to estimate rather than determine your own Disney trip costs. For instance, you might spend less if you pack your own snacks, or you might spend more if you spring for miscellaneous add-ons (e.g. taxis, Mickey-shaped balloons or PhotoPass).
Sam Kemmis and Carissa Rawson contributed to this report.
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On this page
- Average Disney World vacation cost per person, per day
- Disney World ticket prices for families
- Disney World hotel room rates for families
- Disney World food costs for families
- Other activities and expenses families should budget for at Disney World
- How families can do Disney World on a budget
- Methodology
