Is a Disney Cruise Cheaper Than Disney World?

A Disney Cruise definitely isn’t low cost, particularly in contrast with different cruise operators. However what about in contrast with different varieties of Disney holidays?

For a lot of vacationers, a Disney cruise really comes out cheaper than a visit to Walt Disney World.

To raised perceive Disney Cruise Line versus Disney World prices, FinanceGrabber analyzed costs for 2 individuals sharing one room throughout three worth tiers: Worth, Average or Deluxe.

Disney World journey prices included 4 classes:

• Park tickets (and add-ons, equivalent to Genie+).

• On-property resort room charges.

• Meals at park eating places.

• Add-on actions, equivalent to spa remedies and excursions.

Cruise costs are principally all-inclusive, so the evaluation solely included:

• Base charges (together with taxes and charges).

Right here’s a more in-depth take a look at the info on Disney Cruise Line versus Disney World prices.

Disney Cruise Line vs. Disney World: An total price comparability

Whereas the info doesn’t definitively decide whether or not one is cheaper each time, there are some clear tendencies.

For longer journeys (e.g., seven nights), cruises are all the time cheaper. Cruises are additionally a greater deal for Deluxe-style journeys with bigger or fancier rooms, plus actions like spa companies.

Listed below are the typical costs throughout every journey kind:

What’s included in a Disney Cruise?

Whereas Disney Cruises have a comparatively excessive base price, you gained’t pay rather more as soon as onboard. Cruises embody:

A room for 2, plus taxes and port charges: Stateroom costs assume double occupancy, so solo vacationers owe the identical as a pair. In addition they embody taxes and port charges, which fluctuate by location however usually quantity to about 15% of stateroom prices. Cramming greater than two individuals in every room incurs a further price.

On Disney’s latest ship, the Disney Want, the lowest-cost, inside staterooms embody a queen mattress, convertible couch mattress, pull-down mattress and loo, plus a mini fridge and TV.

All meals (besides some upgraded decisions): Meals is free, aside from just a few upscale eating places, alcohol and upgraded choices. You’ll be able to eat as a lot as you need from the onboard eating places or order complimentary room service (out there 24 hours a day).

Mushy drinks are included at meals and at sure outposts just like the teens-only lounge — however price further at bars and lounges. Alcohol is all the time further, although Disney permits you to deliver alcohol onboard in restricted portions.

Most leisure and actions: As soon as onboard, you’re free to attend Broadway-quality exhibits, bounce within the swimming pools, hit the health club, go to the nightclubs and meet characters roaming about.

There are just a few further prices you’ll nearly definitely encounter onboard. Further prices embody:

Gratuities: Whereas not required, they’re beneficial. Disney suggests $14.50 per particular person, per night time (about $100 further per particular person on a seven-night cruise). Disney routinely provides an 18% gratuity for some optionally available add-ons, equivalent to spa companies and alcohol.

Transportation to the ship: You’re by yourself to reach on the port, although Disney can assist coordinate shuttles (for an additional payment, after all). Observe that FinanceGrabber did not embody transportation bills to Disney World in its evaluation.

Disney would possibly attempt to promote passengers upgrades and add-ons, however you may have a pleasant cruise even in case you skip them:

Port adventures: Upon docking, you’re free to discover by yourself, which is theoretically free. Or, you may pay Disney to chauffeur you round by organized excursions. Some are inexpensive, like bike leases (usually below $20). Others price extra, like excursions of historic websites and guided scuba dives. Some run many 1000’s of {dollars}, like a seaplane journey by Misty Fjords Nationwide Monument provided on some Alaska cruises.

Some onboard leisure and actions: You would possibly pay further for a princess tea social gathering, private coaching or a golf simulator.

What prices do you have to account for on a Disney World journey?

At Disney World, you usually pay for meals and leisure à la carte. Whereas most experiences are included as soon as contained in the park, you’re nonetheless paying for a ticket to get inside and the meals at eating places whilst you’re there.

So with that, listed here are some prices it’s best to count on to come across at Disney World, damaged down by service degree:

Disney World ticket costs fluctuate by park and date. A mean Magic Kingdom ticket (usually the costliest park) prices $160 for one-day tickets, although costs drop the longer you keep. FinanceGrabber discovered that the typical five-day, one-park-per-day ticket worth was $643, which breaks right down to $129 per day.

There are greater than 30 Disney-owned accommodations at Disney World. In accordance with Disney worth monitoring website Touring Plans, rooms run as little as $128 per night time on the inexpensive Disney All-Star properties.

Evaluating Disney World versus Disney Cruise Line meals is hard, contemplating cruises are all-you-can-eat. Disney World has buffets and eating places with à la carte meals and snacks.

People with lighter appetites (or who pack snacks) would possibly discover Disney World extra value it than a cruise. However cruises can provide important financial savings for many who benefit from the all-you-can-eat meals.

Throughout each cruises and Disney World, you can keep entertained with out opening your pockets (sure, there’s loads of free stuff to do at Disney World exterior the theme parks). But it surely’s extra real looking to imagine somebody spending per week at both would pay for further actions, like spa companies, snorkel leases, mini golf or cruise Wi-Fi.

Relying on the size of the journey and worth tier, FinanceGrabber’s pattern budgets accounted for added leisure line objects:

On the whole, cruisers ought to finances extra for add-on actions than Disney World vacationers. Nonetheless, even probably the most frugal vacationers are prone to pay a bit extra for add-ons throughout a weeklong Disney World journey.

Don’t write off a cruise just because the upfront price is much greater than a Disney resort room. A cruise is greater than a spot to sleep — it’s meals and leisure, too. When budgeting for a Disney World journey, finances for theme park tickets, meals and all the opposite incidental prices that associate with it.

Each journeys are rising in reputation. In 2022, Disney noticed a 51% enhance in occupied resort room nights throughout all its resorts and a 32% enhance in passenger cruise days, in keeping with its Fiscal 12 months 2022 Annual Monetary Report — suggesting that curiosity in theme parks is rising quicker than cruises.

However for vacationers in search of any kind of Disney repair — particularly for per week or longer preferring extra luxurious lodging — cruising is likely to be cheaper than going to Disney World.

FinanceGrabber analyzed greater than 75 cruise costs, 200 ticket costs and 550 resort room charges at Disney-owned accommodations, and costs for greater than 100 extra actions and restaurant menu objects.

FinanceGrabber broke journeys into one-night, three-night and seven-night journeys, and in addition categorized journeys into three worth tiers: Worth, Average and Deluxe (the identical classification that Disney World makes use of for its accommodations).

FinanceGrabber’s journey prices begin when you’re on resort property or onboard the cruise, and due to this fact don’t account for parking, airfare or driving prices. Right here’s what’s included in every worth tier:

From there, FinanceGrabber used common prices to construct pattern journey budgets.

Extra Disney World notes:

• Journeys assume three meals per day and in a single day stays at a Disney-owned resort.

• Three-night resort room charges are based mostly on Friday night time check-in, which is usually costlier than weekday check-ins. All resort room charges are based mostly on check-in dates that correspond with cruise departure dates.

• As a result of Walt Disney World ticket costs fluctuate by park, two-day ticket costs (used to estimate costs for a three-day journey) have been based mostly on Magic Kingdom and Epcot. 

Extra Disney Cruise notes:

• As a result of Disney Cruise Line would not provide discounted single-occupancy fares, all total prices are based mostly on two vacationers (with resort costs additionally assuming double occupancy).

• FinanceGrabber’s cruise evaluation thought-about departures from Port Canaveral, Florida, which is about an hour’s drive from Walt Disney World.

• FinanceGrabber analyzed cruises crusing by The Bahamas, although costs fluctuate broadly by vacation spot.

• FinanceGrabber analyzed journeys on the 2 ships: the Disney Fantasy and the Disney Want.

These budgets needs to be used to estimate relatively than decide your personal Disney journey prices. For example, you would possibly spend much less in case you pack your personal snacks, otherwise you would possibly spend extra in case you spring for miscellaneous prices (e.g. taxis, Mickey-shaped balloons or PhotoPass).

(Prime picture courtesy of Disney)