How Much It Costs To Be A Disney Adult

Disneyland may be the “happiest place on Earth,” but it comes with a $$$ price tag. One-day, one-park tickets to the California attraction start at $104; the same ticket type for Walt Disney World in Florida starts at $109 — and that’s just the entrance fee. When you have to add on things like parking, sequined Minnie Mouse ears, Mickey Mouse-shaped pretzels, and hotel accommodations, you’re easily looking at more than $500 for the visit.

The parks aren’t the only areas where Disney adults spend money either. There are movies, collectibles, and even sea experiences to consider. I just got off a 10-night Disney Wonder cruise from Hawaii that was roughly $4,450 per person. While the cruises are all-inclusive (and I swear I ate enough from the buffet to justify the price), there are additional expenses to factor in, like port adventures, cocktails, and even spa services.

My total Disney budget for the year is close to what some Swifties have been spending on Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour.

That Hawaiian trip may have been something off my travel bucket list, but that’s not the only Disney expense I plan to make this year. With D23 Expo in August, a few trips back home to Florida on the cal, as well as some Halloween plans in the mix, my total Disney budget for the year is close to what some Swifties have been spending on Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour.

Of course, I’m just one of many Disney fanatics who enjoy eating churros in front of Sleeping Beauty Castle and watching Pixar films on opening weekend. In the as-told-tos below, four other Disney adults dish on how much they spent on their fandom in one year.

I Went To The Eras Tour & Disneyland In 1 Trip

I’ve been a Disney fan my whole life. Last year alone, I spent over $4,000 on two trips to Disneyland, plus a Disney+ subscription ($135).

The first trip was in August: I went to Los Angeles to see the Taylor Swift Eras Tour concert, so I planned two days at the Anaheim parks. At the time, I had a flight credit, which made it cheaper, but I still spent about $400 on flying round-trip.

Our tickets with the Genie+ add-on — which allows us to skip the standby line for certain rides throughout the day — were about $530, merch was $95, and food at the parks and grocery stores nearby was $90. Staying with a friend in San Bernardino brought the cost of accommodations to $0. Rental car and gas, though? $690.

My second trip to LA, in October during the Halloween festivities, was a little more expensive. It was a surprise trip for my partner's birthday.

Out of everything Disney I spent money on, the tickets to the theme park were the most expensive.

Our two one-day tickets to Disneyland were $730 with Genie+, in addition to our hotel ($569), flights ($500), food ($200), and rental car ($384). I also got us matching outfits to wear to the park, which were $80 (but totally necessary, IMO).

Out of everything Disney I spent money on, the tickets to the theme park were the most expensive; they were actually more than our hotels and flights for two people — but it was so worth it for us. Experiencing the Eras Tour around the same time was like a two-for-one deal, and surprising my partner for his special day was a great gift he super appreciated.

After going to Disneyland twice in 2023, I’m hoping I don’t spend more money on the House of Mouse this year. I don't want to go back to the parks for several years — just to spare my wallet. —Clinton, 29, Vancouver, BC

Total: $4,403

I Spent $8K Going To Disney World With My Annual Pass

I was a casual Disney fan growing up. My parents took my older brothers and me there three to four times as kids. I actually didn’t go as an adult until I saw the “Disney day trip challenge” on TikTok in 2021, and I decided to do it purely for the bit.

I took a 5 a.m. flight from Philly to Orlando, went to all four theme parks at Walt Disney World, and then took a 9 p.m. flight home the same day. I became hooked, and now, I’m a Disney Annual Passholder.

I live in New Jersey, and while I always fly budget airlines, I spent roughly $1,000 on airfare for six trips. My Disney Incredi-Pass costs about $1,700 ($1,449 before tax), which includes the Memory Maker PhotoPass, where you can download all the park pics from your vacation. We love.

Over my six trips last year, I was at Disney World for 18 nights total. Hotels for those days were about $2,700; that was probably the biggest expense, since I always choose to stay on Disney property.

Everyone has those things that they choose to spend money on that other people see as a waste. For me, it’s Disney.

The rest of my budget was used for food, Ubers, outfits, and merch. People don’t realize what a foodie paradise Disney can be. On our last trip to Epcot, I got a sushi doughnut and it was fantastic.

I also like to collect pins from the park. Pin trading is a great activity to do while you’re there and is relatively cheap if you buy bulk pins from a store like eBay.

I don’t regret any of the money I spent on Disney. There are even splurges I want to try in the future, like a fireworks dessert party, but that’s something I’ll need to save up for and do on a special occasion.

I think that everyone has those things that they choose to spend money on that other people see as a waste. For me, it’s Disney. I understand that it’s expensive, and there is no way to get around it, but it’s so worth it. —Kelly, 29, Long Branch, NJ

Total: $8,000

My Fiancé Proposed To Me In Front Of Cinderella Castle

I’ve always loved Disney. I had the chance to visit Disney World for the first time when I was 3, and have probably visited the parks every year since. Though I don’t have an exact number, I spent somewhere between $20,000 and $30,000 on Disney last year.

A breakdown of that includes $3,500 on tickets to the parks, $200 on PhotoPass packages, $200 on our MagicBands, $450 on Genie+, $1,000 on outfits for park days, and $2,000 for food.

One of the biggest categories for me is merch. I like to collect Loungefly bags, Starbucks tumblers, popcorn buckets from the park... there are no limits. My fiancé and I often have to purchase more bags and luggage to bring all the merch back home. Last year alone, I think I spent at least $5,000 on souvenirs.

Since I’m from Canada, I also spent money on hotels ($4,700), airfare ($3,600), car rentals ($1,200), and Ubers and buses at Disney ($400). Though that may seem like a lot, it was all 100% worth it.

We do try to have a budget for how much we spend in the park, but the truth is we often forget about it.

I have no regrets about my trips to Disney, because my fiancé and I get to create so many amazing memories together, like when he proposed to me in front of the castle in Magic Kingdom on my 24th birthday.

We do try to have a budget for how much we spend in the park, but we often forget about it. Each year, we try to go to Disney at least once, but we don’t really plan our vacations too far in advance. If we want to go next week, we’ll go. So if we continue on this path, we’ll likely spend more this year because Disney raises their prices every year. —Megan, 24, Montreal, Québec

Total: ~$22,250

I Save Money By Staying At One Of The Value Resorts

Since my family has been Annual Passholders since I was a kid, I’ve been a Disney fan for as long as I can remember. My love for Disney has even grown more as an adult, because I can appreciate all the work and imagination that goes into making it so magical for people of all ages. I even had my bachelorette party at Disney.

Now my family visits Walt Disney World about six to eight times a year. In 2023, I spent $3,000 for our annual passes and tickets for special events, $6,000 on Disney resort stays, and about another $3,000 on meals, snacks, and merch.

The biggest expense was the annual passes, but since we visit so often, they were absolutely worth it. I’ll probably spend the same amount on Disney this year.

If you’re looking for an area to save money, though, I would suggest staying at one of Disney’s value resorts, like any of the All-Star resorts or the Pop Century Resort. My family only splurges on a deluxe resort around Christmas. The Wilderness Lodge is our favorite during the holidays. —Jennifer, 25, Boynton Beach, FL

Total: $12,000

I Get Buy With A Little Help From My Fam (& Work Perks)

I first went to a Disney park when I was 6. It was Disneyland Paris and I was hooked from there. We had always watched the movies as a family before this, but being *in* the magic definitely took our fandom to another level. I will always be more of a parks girl.

My parents often pay for our family trips to the parks and I’ve been fortunate enough to go to Disney World and Hong Kong Disneyland recently for work, which is taken care of as well. Last year, I even got to experience the $5,000-per-person Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser experience before it closed, and visited the World of Frozen ($82 for a one-day ticket) before its opening.

Even though most expenses I don’t have to worry about, when I’m there, I spend my own money on merch and food. My boyfriend and I are avid watchers of Disney Food Blog and generally make it our mission to try the new and limited-edition snacks available during a trip.

I racked up at least $250 in pin purchases and meals.

The variety of restaurants at Disney World especially will make this a reasonable expenditure for me. Many meals — like the ones at California Grill, Wine Bar George, and Morimoto Asia — are some of the best I've ever had, both in and out of Disney.

I also collect pins. The last three or so trips I went on in 2023, I racked up at least $250 in pin purchases and meals. The average cost of a pin post-tax is $15-$20, and I net around 15 new pins per trip.

I currently don't have any trips planned to Disney this year, which will cut my spending significantly. That said, it is only May. —Charlie, 29, United Kingdom

Total: $250

These interviews have been edited and condensed for clarity.