For three years, Kierstyn has been dreaming of going to Disney. She’s been talking about when she gets to go, what she’s going to do, and how excited she is for when she finally gets to go to Disney. I’ve wanted to make it happen for her ever since she started talking about it and for her six-year-old birthday, we finally got to make that dream come true! (And we did it on a budget!)
So many people asked me for more details on how we managed to go to Disney without spending thousands of dollars and what suggestions I have for how to make the most of a Disney trip. This post is a compilation of details on our one-day adventure to Magic Kingdom. Plus, I share some tips I’ve learned for ways to save money and make the most of your time at Disney (I’ve gone three times in the last two years — once with Kierstyn and then twice for a client getaway with my business coach, Alli Worthington.)
What Tickets We Bought
We bought one-day tickets to Magic Kingdom and didn’t buy anything extra (no upsells, food plans, experiences – nothing). I know that a lot of people will say you should go more than one day, but for Kierstyn’s first experience at six years old, it was perfect.
We were able to really make the most of that one day but one day was plenty for a 6-year-old. In fact, I think trying to go more than one day would have been too exhausting.
It is less expensive per day to buy tickets for more than one day, so I would recommend that if you are going as an adult or with older children and want to go for more than one day. You can buy tickets through a Disney travel agent or you can also check sites like Undercover Tourist or Get Away Today.
Why We Didn’t Buy Any Upsells
Disney tickets often cost $129 or so for a single park ticket (they can cost more during peak season), where you will usually pay the most is if you buy the upsells. Things like Character Meet & Greets, Food Plans, VIP experiences, or Lightning Lanes.) It can added up to hundreds of extra dollars per person really quickly.
Instead of paying for any upsells, we just bought a single park ticket for each of us and chose a time of year and a day of the week when the park would be a lot quieter. We went on a Tuesday (one of the best days to go, I’ve been told) and chose a week where school was in session for pretty much everyone around the country.
Compared to when I had gone before, the lines were SO much shorter and there were a lot fewer people. I watched the app for wait times so that we went to where the shortest wait times were. I think the longest we waited for anything was 25 mins but we mostly only waited 10-20 mins for everything we wanted to do!! Being strategic about going where the shortest lines were and keeping a close eye on the app instead of just going to whatever was closest really paid off. We did more walking, of course, but we likely saved hours of wait time!
I found that first thing in the morning as well as near the end of the day tend to be the best times to go to the more popular attractions. If you are okay with missing the fireworks in the evening, you will likely find much shorter lines at most attractions during that time. (Note: I think the fireworks are VERY worth seeing, but if you are going for two or more days, you could skip them one of the nights in favor of riding rides during that time.)
We got to meet 5 princesses which was the highlight for Kierstyn. (I highly recommend the Princess Fairytale Hall experience — I couldn’t believe it was free! You got to spend a few minutes one-on-one with each Princess and they were so kind and made Kierstyn feel so special!)
We also went to Enchanted Tales with Belle and Kierstyn got to be part of the play and acting out the story with Belle, which she just thought was amazing! There was almost no line for this at all in the late afternoon.
We also rode on a lot of different rides, went to two shows, saw both parades, and stayed for the fireworks. It was a very full day, but we paced ourselves and we stopped for a few breaks and found a quiet, cool place to park for a bit and just hang out and eat a snack and “recharge our internal batteries” before we jumped back into riding rides and going to attractions!
How to Save on Food & Drink
You can bring your own food and drink in to the park! I brought a backpack with lots of snacks plus a water bottle and electrolyte packets. There are water bottle refill stations at a few places in the park, but the water at Magic Kingdom tastes pretty funky, so I highly recommend bringing electrolyte packets or something else to mix into it to make it a little bit more drinkable.
I also was told you could ask for cups of ice water for free at any food service place. I only found this out after we had already gone, so I haven’t tried it myself.
If you are going to buy meals, the best value I found was to buy the kids’ meals. All of them are under $10, they have some healthy options, and they usually come with a main dish, two sides, and a drink (you can get a water bottle as a drink). You can also split adult meals, as another option.
Pick Your Priorities
I highly recommend deciding ahead of time what your priorities are for your time at Disney. For Kierstyn, I knew she wanted to meet princesses, watch the parade, and get her face painted. So we planned our day around making sure those things happened and then whatever else we could fit in that had a short line, we did!
The face painting was expense — $28! — but they offer free touch-ups all day long. So I recommend getting it done early in the morning and then you can go back and get it redone halfway through the day if need be!
Kierstyn was exhausted by the end of the day and fell asleep while we were waiting for the bus so I carried her for the last 30 minutes (was kind of wishing we had a stroller at that point!) but it was the BEST day!!
A huge thank you to @adventureadvising for helping to plan the trip and to @alliworthington for inspiring this trip all the tips and help for ways to do it on a budget! I always thought Disney had to cost thousands and dollars and was so, so thrilled to learn otherwise!
Quick & Easy Ways to Save Money at Disney
Bring a water bottle or ask for cups of water instead of buying drinks.
Bring your own snacks.
Buy kid’s meals instead of adult meals if you are dining there.
Go off season so that the lines are much shorter and you don’t need to pay for lightning lanes.
Pay attention to the app for wait times. It can vary pretty wildly throughout the day!
Buy Disney ears online ahead of time — Amazon sells them for about a 1/4th of what you’ll pay in the park! Same for Disney-related merch.
Kierstyn fell asleep in the line as we waited for the bus back to our hotel. This was the one time I really wished we had brought a stroller! But otherwise, it worked great for us to not have one!
My Disney Packing List
Here’s what I’ve brought to Disney the past three trips — and have felt it fully covered all the bases.• Charging cable/power bank• Reusable water bottle• Sunscreen• Sunglasses• Hat• Poncho or compact rain jacket (in case it rains and also to wear on Tiana’s Bayou Adventure so you don’t get wet!)• Hand sanitizer• Lip balm with SPF• Tissues or small pack of wipes• Snacks/food (granola bars, protein bars, PB&J, oranges, trail mix, etc.)• Mini first aid kit (band-aids, blister patches)• Comfortable walking shoes (broken in beforehand)• Extra socks (great for rain or sweat)• Light sweater or hoodie for evenings• Portable handheld fan or neck fan• Electrolyte packets• Small umbrella – hold this out when you go through security or your bag will get pulled for extra screening. (Use this for sun protection and/or rain.)• Disney ears• Extra shoes + extra change of clothes (especially good if you are bringing young kids – you just never know what might happen!)
What tips and suggestions would you add for making the most of a trip to Magic Kingdom/saving money at Disney? I’d love to hear!
