Saving Money in Disney World: 3 Myths Debunked

You’ll see plenty of advice on how to save money on a trip to Disney World, but often the companies giving you that advice have their own agenda. Let’s take a look at 3 myths we heard repeated time and time again.

Myth 1: It’s cheaper overall to stay on site

There’s no question that staying at a Disney resort can easily be double the cost of staying off-site, and in some cases it can be as much as 10x as much. However, you’ll see arguments made that you actually save money by staying on site. One example that’s frequently given is that when you stay on site you can take advantage of buses and will therefore not have to rent a car.

There are two problems with this statement. First, with the amount you could save staying at off-site hotels or vacation homes, you could easily pay for a car rental and still have money to spare. Second, many off-site hotels also have free shuttles to get you to and from the parks.

Myth 2: The Disney Dining Plan is a great deal

Another reason people stay at Disney resorts is because only those staying on property are eligible for the Disney Dining Plan, otherwise known as the DDP. While it is true that you can’t get this plan without staying onsite, it’s not true that it will likely save you much money, if any at all – even when it’s free.

There are 3 levels to the plan, one that only covers counter service meals and is rarely a good deal because the cost of counter service meals is less than the cost of the plan, one that covers one counter service and one table service a day, which is also rarely a good deal, and a deluxe plan that covers three meals and three snacks a day – which by all accounts is way too much food for anyone.



The way people are able to say these plans can save money is by crunching a set of skewed numbers. All these plans include a non-alcoholic drink and a dessert at every meal. It may be true that if you ordered a drink and dessert at every meal, the plan could save you a few bucks – but only if you ate every night at the most expensive restaurants on property. Most people don’t eat dessert with each meal, and so when you crunch the numbers for what you’d order if you weren’t on the dining plan, versus what you’d spend ordering exactly what you want and paying out of pocket, you’ll likely find that the plan won’t save you money at all.

Myth 3: It’s easier to save up for a trip if you book through Disney directly

People love that they can make their reservation with Disney, pay a $200 deposit, and then pay off the remainder as they’re able to, with the total due at 45 days before their trip. What many don’t realize is that you can do the same with Orlandovacation.com, except you’ll actually get easier terms with us. You pay just $50 down and the remaining balance is not due until 15 days before your trip.

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