How Much Money I Spent at Disney World in 2019

As we all know, it’s a new year and a new DECADE and I’m sure everyone has big goals for themselves - I know I do! One of my biggest goals is to finally get my life together (ha!) and I’m starting by trying to get my finances in order.

I got myself into a situation where I was spending more money than I was earning, and unable to pay for an emergency if I have one. Definitely not ideal. I want to pay off all of my credit card debt and stop living paycheck to paycheck! One thing I knew I had to do was look at where I spent money in 2019 so I could set myself up to make better decisions in 2020. So I literally looked at every single line item across two credit cards and my bank account and, no surprise, one of the biggest categories was DISNEY WORLD. (Also rent but, hey, a girl’s gotta live somewhere!)

I just want to say that this is NOT meant to be a judgment on how other people spend their money, or advice on how you should spend your money, or a guideline at all. This is just me talking about my experience, where I spent the most money, and how I’d like to spend it going forward. While to some it may not seem like I spent that much money... compared to my net income? Yeah, it was a little irresponsible.

I took the total amount I spent and then broke it down into 8 subcategories and ranked them from lowest to highest amount spent. Here we go...

RUNDISNEY, $339: In April I ran the Star Wars 5k. (My very first vlog!) I also signed up for the February 2020 Princess 5k and the April 2020 Star Wars 10k. These races are so much fun! If you’re a Disney fan, the value is definitely there. They’ve got cool meet and greets, photographers along the route, and the finisher’s medal is actually pretty high quality! Great for keeping by your bedside in the event of an intruder. I anticipate spending about the same amount of money this year on 2021 races. If you look at the cost of running other races, the Disney price is actually pretty comparable. I’m comfortable with this number. 

Star Wars 5k Vlog - via my YouTube

TICKETS - GIFT, $340: I would go broke buying gifts for people I love (not smart). I bought a one-day Magic Kingdom ticket for a friend, and a one-day park hopper ticket for my mother. Just as an aside, ticket prices vary daily depending on the season, and a multi-day ticket will generally cost less per day than a single day ticket.

TICKETS - SPECIAL EVENT, $436: This year I sprang for the Not-So-Scary Halloween Party season pass, which was about $300. I think I went to the party 12 times, so it comes to about $25/party. For me, I find that to be a good value. If they offer it again for 2020 I might seriously consider it, it’ll just depend on what my finances as a whole look like! I also went to the Very Merry Christmas Party once; I am happy I did it, but I'm not sure if I will go again next year. Yes it’s great to get free cookies and hot cocoa, and the shows and fireworks were excellent as usual, but the parade is not a party exclusive, and there weren’t any characters that I wanted to meet that I didn’t already meet at the Halloween party. I’m not telling you NOT to go, because if it’s your one Disney vacation for the year I totally think you should treat yourself, but for me it isn’t a must-do going forward.

Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party

FOOD - TABLE SERVICE, $905: Another category I don't have a problem with. Most table service meals I shared were with friends visiting from out of town, and, since we live a thousand miles away from each other, I'm happy I got to share a special dining experience with them. My two favorite restaurants on Disney property are Jiko and the Grand Floridian Café; I definitely ate at each of those more than once, and I’ll do it again!

ANNUAL PASS, $957: I have the Platinum pass (no water parks but no blockout dates). I estimate that I visited the parks 100 times this year, so I'd say I got my money's worth. With no AP, standard parking alone would have been $2500. The value of my pass came out to just under $10/visit. If you're planning a long trip or multiple trips, check the cost of an AP vs. buying tickets just for your trip! (Also note that Florida residents have different pricing and pass options than non-Florida residents.)

HOTEL, $1561: For my birthday I spent one night at the Polynesian to treat myself. With the AP special they were running, the total (including parking for 2 days) came to a little over $500 for a standard 2-queen room. For me, it was not worth it. I can see the value for a family needing to be on the monorail or someone who would take advantage of amenities like laundry service, but if I'm going to spend that much money I'm looking for a big soaker tub and a fluffy bathrobe and slippers in the closet. For Christmas, I booked two nights at the Waldorf Astoria with my mother. The room rate (deluxe two queens w/ a Disney view), 2 nights parking, and incidentals, came to about $738. This room had a big tub, a separate glass shower, and a view of both Hollywood Studios and Epcot. That, to me, was a better value. The additional hotel expenses came from a 2-night trip in January during which I purchased my AP and looked at apartments.

MERCHANDISE $1792: I DEFINITELY plan on cutting back in this category this year, especially since I have so much STUFF in my (studio!) apartment. 2020 is all about identifying WANTS vs NEEDS. I have so many items that just sit on shelves. It’s a waste of space and money! I'm trying to reduce my consumption and waste across the board, and buying trendy items for the 'gram just ain't it. I have so many ears and I don't even wear them! I also have a bazillion craft supplies, so I'm looking forward to using them up by DIY-ing some more crazy headpieces.

DIY Dollar Store Ears - Lion King-Inspired

FOOD - QUICK SERVICE $2522: Again, if I went to the parks 100 times this year, that comes out to an average of about $25/visit on food. Not too shabby! But since I live 30 minutes away, it'll probably make more sense for me to eat regular meals at home and save my parks spending for special snacks that aren't available year-round.

TOTAL SPEND: $8252 which is how much a family may spend on one vacation. Please remember that all of my views are through the lens of a single adult with no dependents (human or animal), so what works for me and my budget may not apply to you. However, I think that there may be little nuggets of info in there for everyone!

So... what do you think? (Be constructive!) Do you ever go through your accounts to look at where you're spending money? I feel like it's a habit I should get into monthly, but we'll see. I'll be sure to keep everyone updated as we go along. Thanks so much for reading; see you next time!