How We Took Our Kids to Disney on $1200 (Yes, Really!) – A Budget Travel Guide

Taking your kids to Disney World on a budget is a dream for many families, but let’s face it — the cost can be overwhelming. A trip to Disney World and the other Orlando theme parks can easily cost $5,000 or more for a family vacation. But in 2017, I managed to take my two kids to Disney on just $1200 — including airfare, tickets, hotel, food, and souvenirs! Here’s how I did it, and how you can too.

1. How I Scored Disney Tickets for $279 (and $169 for the Kids Thanks to My Mom’s Residency)

It all started with finding an unbeatable deal on “Magic Your Way” Disney tickets, which gave us one day at each of Disney’s 4 parks — Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom. The 4-day park tickets were priced at $279 for me, and thanks to my mom’s Florida residency, I scored tickets for my kids at just $169 each — a huge discount from the usual prices!

This was one of those once-in-a-lifetime deals that I just happened to stumble upon, but honestly, I’m always finding budget-friendly deals like this. Whether it’s a flash sale, a limited-time promotion, or a deal I’ve learned to hunt for, I’m constantly saving on theme park tickets. These kinds of deals are rare, but with a little research and the right timing, they’re definitely out there.

2. Affordable Airfare: Spirit Airlines & Skyscanner for $159 (Round-Trip from Chicago to Orlando)

Next, I searched for affordable flights to Orlando. I turned to Skyscanner, one of my go-to tools for finding the best budget flights. I was able to snag round-trip airfare from Chicago to Orlando for just $159.57 — taxes included! While Spirit Airlines is a no-frills airline, this was a bargain I couldn’t ignore.

Travel Tip for Budget Travelers: Each of us carried one backpack — that’s it! You’d be surprised how much you can fit into a single backpack when you pack smart. Not only did this save us on baggage fees, but it made navigating the airport and the theme parks much easier. No waiting around for checked luggage, no hauling heavy bags through the crowds — just grab and go.

Traveling light offers several benefits: you’ll avoid baggage fees, move through airports and theme parks with ease, and pack more efficiently. Plus, it’s easier to stay organized and save money on luggage costs, especially when traveling with kids.

3. Affordable Hotels in Orlando: Baymont Suites for $44/Night

For our hotel, I turned to Hotwire and used their “mystery deal” option. After some sleuthing, I figured out that the hotel we were booking was Baymont Suites. It wasn’t a fancy resort, and certainly not a Disney hotel, but it was clean, comfortable, and had a free breakfast buffet that helped us save even more money.

With taxes, the total cost was $176.35 for 4 nights — just $44 per night. You honestly can’t beat that, especially considering that breakfast alone would have cost more than the price of the room! We went to the parks open to close every day, so the hotel was just a place to sleep and recharge.

Pro Travel Tip: When you’re booking a trip on a budget, think about where you want to indulge in your spending. For me, it’s always about the experiences and excursions. I’ll sacrifice a luxury hotel or a nicer flight, but I’ll splurge on things that will create lasting memories — like theme park tickets and special experiences (though I still look for great deals!).

4. How to Save on Disney Food: $200 for 5 Days of Meals

Food at Disney can be expensive, but there are definitely ways to keep your costs down. Here’s how we managed:

• Free Hotel Breakfast: Our hotel provided a free breakfast, which saved us money right off the bat. When you’re paying $10–20 per person for breakfast at Disney hotels, this was a big win. We filled up on eggs, fruit, and waffles to start each day right.
• Affordable Meals & Snacks in the Parks: Instead of spending $30+ per meal on lunch in the parks, I used Picnic to Go to pre-order meals and snacks for our days at Disney. This saved us time and money, and we had plenty of healthy meals to fuel our adventures. We also did a quick grocery run after we arrived in Florida to stock up on essentials like bottled water, fruit, and snacks.

In total, we spent $200 on food for the three of us for 5 days. That’s right — just $200 for meals for 5 days, which is a steal compared to the typical Disney food costs!

5. Souvenirs: $100 Budget

A Disney trip wouldn’t be complete without a few souvenirs! To keep things affordable, we set a $100 budget for souvenirs. Instead of splurging on expensive, larger items in the parks, we focused on smaller, more affordable keepsakes — like Mickey ears, keychains, and Disney t-shirts. The kids were thrilled, and we didn’t break the bank.

6. Final Budget Breakdown: $1200 for a Magical Disney Vacation

Here’s the cost breakdown for our amazing, budget-friendly Disney trip:

• Disney Tickets: $279 (for me) + $169 (each for my two kids) = $617
• Airfare: $159.57 (round-trip from Chicago to Orlando)
• Hotel: $176.35
• Food: $200
• Souvenirs: $100
• Total: $1,252.92

That’s right — just $1,252.92 for everything we needed for a magical Disney vacation. While this was a once-in-a-lifetime deal, I’m always finding great discounts like this for theme park tickets, hotels, and other experiences in Orlando.

7. How to Find Discount Theme Park Tickets and Deals

If you’re looking for discounted Disney tickets or other Orlando parks, here are a few of my best money-saving tips:

• Facebook Ads: Once you start looking at theme park websites, you’ll start seeing Facebook ads for discounted tickets. Keep an eye out, especially around big sale events like Black Friday or seasonal promotions.
• Black Friday Deals: Discovery Cove often runs huge Black Friday discounts, offering SeaWorld, Busch Gardens, and Aquatica unlimited passes for up to 14 days — sometimes for as low as $169 per person. This even includes the dolphin swim experience!
• Sign Up for Newsletters: Many parks and travel sites offer exclusive discounts through their email newsletters. Signing up can give you early access to promotions and limited-time offers.

By following these tips, I’ve saved hundreds on tickets, flights, and hotel stays over the years.

8. Finding Once-in-a-Lifetime Deals Is My Travel Hobby

Finding these incredible deals has become a hobby of mine. It’s almost like a treasure hunt — and I love it! Over the years, I’ve scored amazing deals for Universal Studios Orlando, SeaWorld, and even Discovery Cove, where we swam with dolphins, all for just $1200.

If you want to find the best deals on budget-friendly family vacations, I’d love to share these once-in-a-lifetime deals with you! I send out just one email a week with the best offers I’ve found for theme park tickets, budget travel, cheap hotels, and more.

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