Going to Disney World in 2024? 10 tips and tricks to do it cheap(ish) and save money

Planning a trip to Disney World in 2024? Good timing! They've ended the requirement for park reservations and brought back the Disney Dining Plan, both changes made during the pandemic.

But happy memories at The Most Magical Place on Earth don't come cheap. One-day tickets run $109, although the price may change depending on the date. Florida residents get breaks on 3- and 4-day tickets, up to 40% off, or you can get a 2-day "Disney Thrills" ticket for $99.50 a day.

But once you factor in tickets for everyone in the family, plus accommodations, plus transportation, plus food and gear and souvenirs and upcharges for special events, you're looking at thousands of dollars. According to Disney planning site MagicGuides, a typical Walt Disney World vacation for a family of 4 in 2024 including a 7-night Disney Value Resort stay, meals and 6 days of tickets will cost about $6,559.

Anything you can do to trim off some of those expenses can add up to some real savings. Here are some tips to help you take at least a little of your money back home.

1. Choose your time and dates wisely

Aside from trying to avoid crowds, the dates you pick could have a major impact on what you pay for accommodations and air travel. Avoid booking vacations near holidays or during the summer, if possible. The times most likely to be less crowded for the Disney parks in Orlando, according to MagicGuides, are:

• January 2nd until just before Presidents’ Day week (the third Monday in February)

• The month or so after Labor Day

• The week following Thanksgiving weekend until the week before Christmas

If you can, buy your tickets well in advance. Disney raises admission prices every year and you might as well lock in the current prices.

2. Get help booking your stay

Consider booking through a Disney travel agent. If you go with a reputable (no-fee) business, they can help you plan and book your trip and they'll know all the limited-time offers, discounts, promotions and bundling possibilities to save you money.

"If a better deal arises after your initial booking, they proactively re-book your trip to take advantage of lower rates," MagicGuides said in an email. "Additionally, they have the capability to establish a Disney payment plan, allowing you to manage the cost of your trip through installments rather than paying for it all at once."

Check with any organizations you're a member of in case they offer Disney discounts. If you're a member of AARP, you can get up to $60 off park tickets and up to $10 off Disney After Hours Special Events and there are discounts available for many off-site hotels.

3. Consider staying off-site

Staying at a Disney resort can be amazing, especially for the kids. You'll stay immersed in the Disney experience, there's plenty to do there, you get great service, you don't have to worry about transportation to or parking at the parks, it's easy to head back to the hotel for a break during the day, and you get to enter the parks a half hour before anyone else and get a jump on the rides. Guests of Disney World’s Deluxe, Deluxe Villa resorts and a few other hotels also get extended evening hours on select dates, in select parks.

But they can be pricey. To save some bucks it may be cheaper to go to an off-site hotel or motel instead or rent an AirBnB, even if you will have to pay for a car and parking.

If you do prefer staying in the arms of the Mouse but have a camper or RV, you can stay at one of the campsites ($71) or cabins ($417) at Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort and take a bus or water taxi to the Magic Kingdom.

4. Buy discounted Disney gift cards

If you plan ahead this is basically free money. Disney gift cards, which can be used to pay for tickets, Disney hotels, souvenirs, food in the parks and more, are nearly 4% off if you get them at a big-box discount store like Sam's or BJ's, and 5% off if you buy them with a RedCard debit card at Target. Disney VISA cardholders get 1-2% cash back when they buy Disney gift cards.

5. Bring your own food and avoid sit-down restaurants

This year Disney is bringing back prepaid meal plans for guests who book Disney vacation packages with on-property hotel stays, which will run you $57.01 per adult and $23.83 per child per night of stay for the Quick-Service Dining Plan or $94.28 per adult and $29.69 per child per night of stay for the standard Disney Dining Plan, including tax.

But note that for the dining plans, "adult" means anyone 10 years old and up, and going to character dinners or other upscale options will eat away at your dining plans twice as fast. You may find it cheaper to stick with paying as you go.

To keep costs down while you eat, order kids' meals (adults can, too, and it'll be plenty) or split entrees. For a relatively inexpensive snack, you can get a refillable (and collectible) popcorn bucket for $13 and refills are just $2.

Or you could just bring your own meals.

Disney World has a lot of great restaurants and quick-service eateries with some highly Instagrammable foods and drinks you'll only find on park property, but if you really want to slash your spending just buy some fruit, a loaf of bread and some peanut butter and jelly. Disney, unlike most other theme parks, lets you bring your own food and nonalcoholic drinks in.

There are restrictions on cooler size (no larger than 24" long x 15" wide x 18" high) and you can't bring in loose or dry ice, but you can pack some food that will last and stash it in one of the lockers inside the parks. Just head back to it when you get hungry — or plan for one or two restaurant meals and hit your cooler for the rest — and save yourself the lines and the expense.

Tried and true tips for first trips: How do I get the most out of Disney World in a day?

6. Never buy water at Disney

On that note, bottles of water will cost you a lot more inside the parks.

Bring your own water bottles and fill up at any water fountain or with free ice water from any restaurant. Having your own bottle also comes in handy when you buy a drink and want to take it to go. Many drinks are served without lids and open containers are banned in rides.

7. Bring the essentials with you

In fact, there are quite a few things you should consider tossing in your backpack, or purse, or fanny pack before you go, because they will cost you quite a built more once you're inside the gates.

• Medications such as Tylenol, Advil

• Sunscreen

• Bandages

• Hats, fans

• Ponchos, umbrellas

• Hand sanitizers or wet wipes

• Phone chargers and battery packs

• Snacks

Taking the family to Disney: How to plan a multigenerational Disney World vacation so everyone has a good time

8. Spend a day outside the parks

You don't have to spend the whole trip at an expensive theme park. This is Florida, with warm weather most of the year and beautiful parks, funky little beach towns and plenty of things to see and do. Hang out at the pool, drive over to the beach, hike in the Florida trails, go see the manatees.

9. Look for free or inexpensive Disney experiences

Central Florida is stuffed with Disney experiences and not all of them are inside the parks.

• Disney BoardWalk: Dining, shopping, arcade games, street performers and more. Think of it as like Coney Island, but with fewer rides and more Mickeys. Catch some live entertainment at the Atlantic Dance Hall, Jellyrolls or the House of Blues. It's also a good spot to watch EPCOT's closing fireworks.

• Disney Springs: Another outdoor shopping complex, this one's at the Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista but it's free to visit. See beautiful waterfront views, watch the live entertainment and concerts, say hi at the occasional (free!) Disney character appearances, cool off in the splash pads, get free chocolate at the Ghirardelli Chocolate Shop, build something at the LEGO Store's interactive area, or window shop the 150+ stores.

• Butterfly Gardens at Fort Wilderness: Open to the public and free.

• Free concerts at EPCOT: The America Gardens Theater at the American Adventure Pavilion has free concerts throughout the year, often tied to seasonal festivals or holidays.

• Check out the Disney resorts: Even if you're not staying at any of them, you can still go see the lobbies and grounds of different resorts and see the Disney magic in all of them. Some even offer tours. At the Animal Kingdom Lodge you can hang out in the viewing area and watch exotic African animals roaming around.

10. Buy your Disney souvenirs anywhere besides Disney

There are often limited edition souvenirs that are only available inside the parks (or on eBay at a hefty markup).

But if you're looking for the basics to keep your kids happy, especially younger children who won't know the difference, Disney souvenir clothes, hats and toys are much cheaper from local stores or Amazon.

If you must buy remembrances of your trip, think cheap.

• Autographs (free): Autographs from characters only cost you time.

• Professional photographs (free): Disney's PhotoPass photographers are roaming the parks and will take pictures of you from $69 to $199. But you can ask them to snap a pic with your phone or camera as well, and not buy the "official" one.

• Stickers (free): Many of the cast members keep stickers on them to hand out on request.

• Pressed pennies ($1): There are several coin press machines around Disney World, all with different designs, and searching for them is an activity in itself.

• Disney pins (around $12 and up): Disney pin collecting is a popular pastime and it doesn't cost much to get started, especially if you buy them elsewhere. Even better, once you have some you can trade them with Disney cast members or other guests.

USA TODAY's Eve Chen contributed to this article.

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Disney World family vacations are fun, pricey. Here's how to cut costs