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4. Parking and resort fees

Fountains outside Dolphin Resort

Image: Jett Farrell-Vega

One of the biggest benefits of staying at a Walt Disney World resort has always been that prices are fairly transparent. Unless you are planning on using valet parking, you generally don’t have to worry about too many extra costs beyond sundries and tipping. However, that is changing.

More and more, it has been reported that some Walt Disney World resorts will start to charge for parking during peak times. This varies from resort to resort and from season to season. We recently stayed at the Boardwalk Villas and didn’t run into any parking costs. However, all signs suggest the days of free parking are going away.

The place you really need to look for hidden costs is if you will be staying at a non-Disney resort. The Four Seasons Orlando is generally pretty good about not tacking on hidden costs (beyond valet parking), but guests familiar with the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin always know not to trust the first price that pops up from either of these resorts. The Swan and Dolphin usually seem like the best deal on Disney property at initial glance, and in many ways, they are. However, when booking at the Swan and Dolphin, you must always consider the $20-25 resort fee charged daily. You get a lot with this fee, but money is money, and it will increase your price per night. Also, both the Swan and Dolphin charge nightly for parking. Other resorts surrounding Disney and throughout the Orlando area have similar practices, so be sure and read the fine print to ensure you won’t get caught off guard by unforeseen parking costs, resort fees, and required service charges.

5. Uber and Lyft (and maybe Minnie Vans)

Minnie Van Service

Image: Disney

Have a tight timeline on your Walt Disney World vacation? Planning on making any trips outside of the parks where you won’t be using a rental car? Plan an item into your budget for ridesharing—and yes, I am leaving Disney’s new “Minnie Van” service off the list for a reason.

Ridesharing has become a lifesaver for many Disney guests. It is much faster than using Disney’s normal transportation, and generally, Uber and Lyft still come in cheaper than Disney’s Minnie Van service. The two areas where guests seem to prefer the Minnie Vans is that they can get closer to Magic Kingdom and they are great if you need a car seat. They also feel more official and secure if you are uncomfortable with Uber and Lyft. Other than that, most visitors are still reporting Uber and Lyft are cheaper. If you get a driver with a particularly crappy rating, you can always cancel, wait like 30 seconds, then try to book again to see if you get a better driver. Another tactic would be to switch services from Uber to Lyft or vice versa (you can use a code like “p1z52ue” on Uber or “WEHAVELYFTOFF” on Lyft to get your first ride free).

Honestly, ridesharing at Walt Disney World has become so helpful and efficient, it almost isn’t worth budgeting for a rental car anymore. If you’ll be spending most of your trip on Disney property, add a line onto your budget for a few Uber or Lyft rides. You can always spend these funds elsewhere if they aren’t needed. These are a huge stress reliever in particular for dining reservations at resorts!

6. Hidden airline and rental car fees

Airplane wing in flight

Image: Steve Lyon, Flickr (license)

Airlines and rental car companies always try to paint the most non-threatening picture possible of what you’ll be paying to use their business. Unfortunately, the truth is usually more unpleasant.

It seems that hidden fees are on the rise everywhere in the travel world. Some airlines have even experimented with charging passengers for use of overhead bins, and it’s very easy to miss the extra costs of things like insurance for a rental car. Maybe you decide to travel to Walt Disney World with only carry on bags but end up having to check a suitcase on the way back. Maybe you end up caving and paying for a family’s worth of inflight meals you hadn’t realized weren’t included with your ticket costs.

To avoid these hidden costs, do some research on your airline and into the fine print for your rental car company. Find out if you’ll be charged extra for anything. For rental car companies, it can even be something as simple as being under 25. Research thoroughly, and don’t be wishy washy about extra costs. Budget for that insurance, gasoline, or even that inflight snack you are sure you have the willpower to skip. You can always use these funds on your trip if you change your mind.

7. Gifts and impulse buys

Kids playing with lightsabers

Image: Disney

Disney are masters at massaging guests’ willpower and wallets to cave to impulse buys. Especially if you have kids, you are going to have a hard time not buying at least something you hadn’t planned on. We’ve shared tips for how to avoid obvious impulse buys like pin trading kits, autograph books, or unnecessary first aid items, but the truth is, you shouldn’t feel like you have to fight every impulse buy on your vacation.

Instead of trusting to an iron constitution, just plan a few impulse buys into your budget. Also plan some funds to buy gifts for families or loved ones. Take a look at what you can afford (as well as what you can carry home) and add a line to your budget for gifts and one for impulse buys. We like to call the latter our “Treat yo Self” fund. A Walt Disney World vacation needs some room for spontaneity. Plan for it!

 
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