When it comes to planning a trip to Disney World, budgeting for everything can be a little tricky because there are a lot of variables to consider.

First, there’s transportation, whether you’re flying or driving to get to Disney World. Then there are other fees to consider — are you checking baggage on your flight and is there a fee for that? Do you have to pay for airport parking? How much will you spend on food while traveling? The list can go on and on before you ever even get to Orlando!

Then when you GET to Disney World, you’ll have a few other expenses to consider, such as tipping and gratuities, souvenirs, Memory Maker, and more. THOSE, though, you’re likely to plan for. But what about those hidden fees you don’t really think about? We’re here to help you break them down!

Resort Parking

If you’ll be driving to Disney World or renting a car, you’ll need to know this — Disney World resorts charge some pretty hefty parking fees. Parking at Value Resorts is $15 per night. You’ll pay $20 per night at Moderate Resorts and $25 per night at Deluxe Resorts. This could add up to well over $100 if you’re staying at Disney World for a week!

However, Disney World hotel guests and some Annual Passholders get free parking at the theme parks, so there’s that. And parking is free for everyone at Disney Springs.

Cancelation Fees

During the pandemic, Disney had a flexible cancelation policy that waived select Disney-imposed cancelation and modification fees for guests who chose to cancel or change their vacation details. However, that policy has ended, so there are a few cancelation fees and rules that you need to know about.

For room and ticket packages, you have to cancel your reservation within 30 days of the first day of your stay to get a full refund on your trip. For cancelations made 2 days to 29 days prior to your arrival, a refund will be issued MINUS a cancelation fee of $200 per package. For cancelations made 1 day or less prior to guest arrival, you lose everything you paid for the trip.

You can make changes to your reservation (subject to availability), although changes made less than 30 days before your arrival date are subject to a $50 fee per package. Also, you will have to pay for any price increases, if necessary.

Disney World tickets are nontransferable and nonrefundable, so you cannot cancel a ticket or get a refund for it. However, you can often use unexpired tickets in the future. Do note that tickets expire 14 days after their first use, so keep that in mind.

Disney’s current policy regarding hotel room-only reservations is that you can cancel with no penalty up to five days before the first day of your stay. You can cancel or modify a reservation online or by calling 407-934-7639. You may be able to make modifications to your hotel room within that 5-day period, but you may have to pay extra.

Click here to learn more about Disney World’s cancelation policies.

Cancelation Fees for Dining Reservations

If you have to cancel any Advance Dining Reservations you have, do so as early as possible. If you don’t turn up for a dining reservation, you could be charged $10 per person. If you’ve got a whole group with you, that could add up!

Please note that each restaurant has its own cancelation policy, so you can cancel without a fee if you do so within its designated cancelation period. But most restaurants will allow you to cancel within 24 hours of your reservation by either canceling online or by calling (407) 824-1391. If you don’t want to cancel, you can always try modifying your reservation for a different day or time if available.

Note that some restaurants have more strict cancelation policies and fees. For example, Victoria & Albert’s Restaurant charges a $100 per person cancelation fee for reservations canceled within FIVE days of the reservation. Those who cancel on the day will be charged full price.

Read more about Advance Dining Reservations in Disney World here.

Snack Upgrades

Sure, you might have budgeted for snacks, but what about snack upgrades? First of all, don’t buy a bottle of water with that snack — ask for a FREE WATER instead. Many counter service restaurants offer a free cup of iced water, and all you have to do is ask for it! Or bring your own water bottle from home and use one of Disney’s refillable bottle stations.

And that plastic cheese we love so much? Boy, have we got a money-saving tip for you! You can often add a side of plastic cheese or even queso to your meal for just $1! This golden nectar upgrades all kinds of snacks, from tater tots to hot dogs to french fries.

So take a few extra seconds and look carefully at the menus — there may be extras that you’re not considering before your vacation.

Price Increases For Tickets and Rooms On Certain Days

Depending on what day you’re buying Disney World tickets for, you’ll pay a different price if your trip happens during “peak season.” You could pay $50 more per ticket per day if you go to Disney World on a holiday or during a peak season compared to a normal day. If you’re buying 4 tickets, that’s an additional $200 PER DAY for each ticket! You’ll find your cheapest tickets in late January and early fall, with the most expensive during the Christmas holiday season, as well as near holidays and weekends.

Also, note that this is the case with the cost of resort rooms as well — peak season rooms will be more expensive than they would be during the low season. Also, weekend room rates are almost always more than weekday room rates. So plan accordingly to save money!

Learn about hidden price increases on 2023 Disney World tickets here!

Food Price Increases

So you’ve done your research and you’ve checked menu prices at restaurants you want to dine in, but then you get to Disney World, and BAM! The price for those items has gone up! This actually happens a lot. Disney World has increased the price of many food items recently, and Disney CEO Bob Chapek has hinted that those price increases aren’t slowing down anytime soon.

Always add a little cushion to your food budget to be prepared for these inevitable increases. And keep your eyes on DFB. We do a WEEKLY post where we gather ALL the menu changes in Disney World so you can see new menu items, menu removals, and price increases.

Find out about the latest price increases here.

Ride Share Services

Although Disney transportation is pretty convenient and reliable, if you’re running late for a reservation, you’re going to want to get there a lot faster.

So, you may want to factor an Uber or Lyft trip into the budget — just in case you’re running late for that reservation and the line for the bus, Skyliner, or Monorail is super long (it happens more than you think). We know that sometimes, no matter how much you plan, things go wrong and you end up running late. Rideshare seriously might be your best option in those situations. Do note: Disney World’s Minnie Van service has returned.

Read MORE about rideshare in Disney World here.

So there are some of the hidden fees you might find lurking in secret that will hit you by surprise at Disney World. Hopefully, this will keep you from being so surprised and help you prepare!

Read Disney CEO Bob Chapek’s comments about potential price increases in Disney World.

Have you run across any surprise fees while at Disney World? Let us know in the comments!