There is no one-size-fits-all answer to the question of how much a Disneyland vacation costs because so much of it depends on the various choices you make in your vacation planning. There are many different factors to consider, from the hotel you stay at to the restaurants you dine at and the type of tickets you buy.
Although a Disneyland vacation can be quite costly, there are thankfully many different ways you can save money in various areas of your trip. We will take you through five tips for the decisions we would make if we were trying to spend the least amount of money possible at Disneyland.
1) Visiting during a less crowded time of year. One of the best ways to spend the least amount of money is to visit during the “off-season” and avoid some of the most crowded times of the year at Disneyland. Months like January and February are not only some of the quietest times of the year but can also be some of the cheapest months to visit Disneyland.
In addition to saving on areas of your trip like airfare and hotel stays, you’ll also be able to do more at the parks with lower crowds. Visiting during a less crowded time of year will also enable you to navigate the parks more effectively without needing to purchase Lightning Lanes, which brings us to our next tip…
2) Skipping Lightning Lane purchases. Skipping Lightning Lane Multi Pass and Lightning Lane Single Pass can be a decision that will save you a lot of money during your trip. This cost easily adds up over the course of several days, especially if you are traveling with a bigger group.
If you’re visiting during a less crowded time of year, you can skip Lightning Lane Multi Pass and still get to all of the highlights of Disneyland by using an effective strategy and taking advantage of the quieter morning hours to get onto popular rides. When visiting Disneyland with the goal of spending the least amount of money possible, you’ll also want to avoid the purchase of Lightning Lane Single Pass and try to time when you ride for the shortest wait or use Single Rider. See the Disneyland rides that currently offer Lightning Lane Single Pass and the pros and cons of purchasing it in our guide.
3) Buying 1 Park Per Day tickets rather than Park Hoppers is another way to spend the least amount of money possible at Disneyland. 1 Day tickets have tiered pricing that varies by date, so if you are only planning on visiting for one day, you can find the dates with the lowest-tier pricing to save the most money on your tickets.
For a multi-day trip, we recommend getting 1 park per day tickets, as these will be less expensive than park hoppers. With a solid Disneyland multi-day itinerary without Lightning Lane Multi Pass, you can spend time at each park seeing all of its highlights without the need to go back and forth. You can also save on your multi-day tickets by purchasing through approved resellers who sell Disneyland tickets at a discounted price.
4) Staying at a cheap hotel within walking distance is another great way to spend the least amount of money possible on your Disneyland trip. If we were aiming to save in this area of a trip, we would stay at one of our recommended best hotels near Disneyland that are affordable and under a 10-minute walk.
If you’re enjoying a parks-focused trip, there is no need to choose a hotel with more elaborate amenities. These budget-friendly hotels provide a clean and comfortable place to stay, and many of them are within easy walking distance of the parks so you don’t have to worry about additional transportation costs. You can also money by choosing a hotel near Disneyland with free breakfast.
5) Bringing your own food to Disneyland is a great way to save money on dining, which can add up quickly in cost. Even if you don’t bring your own food for every single meal at Disneyland, packing food for some meals can still help you to spend less in this area of your trip. You can bring your own food into the parks that will store easily, like sandwiches, as well as any smaller snacks that you can eat during the day.
Also, be sure to avoid buying water bottles at the parks, as these tend to be overpriced. To spend the least amount of money on water, you can bring your own bottle to refill or take advantage of the free cups of ice water you can get from counter-service locations.
See more of our top tips on spending the least amount of money possible at Disneyland in our full guide!
At Mickey Visit, we share the most important tips for planning your trips to Disneyland, Walt Disney World, Disney Cruise Line, Universal, and beyond. Each week, we’ll share some of our top tips here on Laughing Place.