How We’re Doing Disney World on a Budget: $1,800 Total for a Family of 4
Our $1,800 Disney World Family Vacation: Full Trip Breakdown
(Including Hotel, Car Rental & 5 Park Days!)
We’re packing our bags and heading to Disney World—and we’re doing it for just $1,800 total for our family of four. That’s right: 5 Disney park days, hotel room, transportation, and even water parks—all for less than the average price of park tickets alone. Whether you’re dreaming of Magic Kingdom fireworks or cooling off at a Disney water park, you’ll want to hear how we made this Walt Disney World trip happen—without paying full price.Taking a Budget-Friendly Walt Disney World Vacation
Trips to Disney aren’t cheap. Between park tickets, room rates, and food, the cost of a typical family vacation can skyrocket—especially around spring break, New Year, or the holiday season, when higher prices are common. But with some smart planning, flexible timing, and strategic use of credit card points and travel apps, you can bring your travel costs way down—like we did on this recent trip. Here’s how we kept our expenses to just $1,800:1. Free Car Rental Using the Pepper App
We’re driving to Disney World for the first time (since we’re bringing our dogs!), and I wanted to keep transportation costs as low as possible.
Here’s how we got a free rental car:
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- I used the Pepper app to purchase gift cards for our everyday spending (Sam’s Club, Home Depot, AMC, etc.). Please use our referal code 622198
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- Buying gift cards on Pepper earns you points.
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- Over time, I earned enough points to redeem a gift card on Hopper.com and booked a 2-week minivan rental for free!
Savings: Regular rental cost: $619 What we paid: $0
2. 7 Free Hotel Nights Using Marriott Bonvoy Points
We’re staying at TownePlace Suites Orlando at Flamingo Crossings, an off-site hotel just minutes from the Disney parks. It’s also one of Disney’s Good Neighbor Hotels. Why we picked it:-
- Pet–friendly (a must for us since we are traveling with our 2 dogs!)
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- Free breakfast every morning (a budget lifesaver)
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- A kitchenette in every standard room—A quick trip to the grocery store good way to save money on snacks, get some healthy food and avoiding fast food fatigue.
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- Close to all the different theme parks: Magic Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, Animal Kingdom, and EPCOT
3. Using the Incredi-Pass to Save on Tickets
Instead of buying base tickets or a Park Hopper option for this trip, we purchased Disney Incredi-Passes with the Water Park and Sports add-on. While they’re a bigger upfront expense, they’re a good deal if you’re planning multiple trips. Why this was a smart move:-
- We’re doing 4 Disney World trips this year
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- The passes include park hopping, water parks, and free parking
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- They also give you discounts on table service meals, character meals, and merchandise
Pro tip: If you’re planning to visit more than once in 12 months, the Incredi-Pass can be the most affordable option in the long run. Depending on the time of year ticket prices will vary however, if you have multiple trips planned the Incredi-pass is likely to save money. For a complete guide to the Incredi Pass- check out Cut Disney World Costs in Half with the Incredi-Pass
Ticket price comparison: 5-day Park Hopper Plus: $3,490 4 Annual Passes: $7,020.48 → $1,755 per trip
Final Budget Breakdown for a Full Disney Trip
Here’s what this trip would have cost if we paid cash:| Expense | Cash Price | Our Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Car rental | $619 | $0 |
| Hotel | $1,342 | $0 |
| Park Hopper tickets | $3,490 | — |
| Total (cash price) | $5,451 | — |
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- Total cost of 4 Disney Incredi-Passes: $7,020.48
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- Divide that over 4 trips = $1,755 per trip
If we were paying full price, we’d be looking at over $5,400 just for this one trip. Instead, by using points, apps, and some Disney know-how, we’re taking 4 Walt Disney World vacations for slightly more.
Final cost for this trip: $1,800 Includes: Hotel, car rental, 5 park days, water park access, and more!💡 Want to stack even more savings on your Disney trip? Use Rakuten for everyday shopping and set your rewards to Amex Membership Rewards. You can transfer those points to hotel partners like Hilton or Marriott to reduce future trip costs even more. Or earn cashback with TopCashback when buying Disney gift cards or travel extras — then use those gift cards toward park tickets, snacks, or even your Incredi-Pass renewal. Learn how in our Disney Cashback Strategy Guide.
Yes, You Can Do Disney on a Budget
Between our free hotel stay, free car rental, and annual pass strategy, we’re taking a full Disney World vacation for just $1,800 for our family of 4. If you’ve been searching for how to do Disney World on a budget for a family, this is your proof that it’s possible—with a little creativity and points strategy.Want to Save Thousands on Your Disney Trips?
We show you how to use points, miles, and cash-back apps to unlock affordable travel—even to magical places like Disney World.Plan Your Disney Vacation with Points—Without the Stress
Skip the hours of research and use the exact system we follow to book Disney trips for nearly free.
- Real trip examples
- 24/7 Disney planning chatbot
- Smart strategies to stack points, cashback & discounts
- Bonus: Plug-and-play templates & guides
Prefer planning alongside others? Join the Points to Magic Community
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Hi, I’m Danielle 👋
I’m a CPA, mom of two, and the creator of Points to Magic. I help people use points to save thousands of dollars on Disney vacations.
