Hidden Costs to Know About Disney Vacations

Here at MickeyBlog, we want you to be as informed as possible during your Disney vacation.

While we feel strongly that Disney provides the best bang for the buck in the tourism industry, we also know that you’re understandably protective of your money.

Disney

You want to get the best trip possible, preferably for the least amount of money.

While I spend a lot of time telling you how to stretch your budget, there are a few topics I tend to brush under the table.

So, let’s discuss those now, allowing you to be better prepared. Here are the hidden costs to know about your Disney vacation.

Emergency Drinks and Snacks

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I preach hydration in all phases of life. Seriously, when delivery or maintenance people come to my home, I always offer them bottled water.

At Disney theme parks, when I’m part of a large group, I have an established reputation as the Hydration Police. If someone is looking a bit tired, I will force-feed them water.

Photo: Disney

Well, here’s the thing about Disney. While you can bring your own bottle and refill it with water at various stations, you probably won’t.

I’m speaking generally here as I don’t know you in particular. You may be the exception to this rule. For most people, we’ll just go ahead and pay for bottled water.

During a full-day theme park visit, those can add up, as a Dasani currently costs $4 at the time of publication.

My doctor, whom I will never forgive, took me off soft drinks. However, I know from hundreds of previous Disney purchases that these cost even more than water.

Photo:nbjobs.ca

Two or three drinks a day quickly adds up, and it’s an exponential factor if you’re traveling with other family members.

Similarly, there are times when members of your party will get hangry. It’s frankly unavoidable at Disney or anywhere outdoors.

As a people, we need food to fuel us. When our body runs low, we understand on an instinctive level that something isn’t right and grow irritable.

So, you will sometimes need emergency snacks at Disney. Even if you’re only paying a few dollars for each one, that amount basically doubles your bottled water expense.

How Disney Defines an Adult

Photo: Disney

Something else you should know is that adulthood comes early to Disney fans.

According to the company’s pricing structure, anyone under the age of three doesn’t count.

So, their admission is free, and if you buy the Disney Dining Plan, their food doesn’t count as entitlements. Obviously, that part is grrrreat.

As for children ages three to nine, Disney does define them as such. You’ll receive discounted children’s prices for their admission tickets and food.

Photo: Disney

However, the instant these kids turn ten, Disney is apparently ready to make them get a job and kick them out of the house.

I’m obviously joking, but it’s hysterical to me that Disney calls a ten-year-old an adult for the sake of pricing.

Photo: Disney

That kid’s still five years away from getting a learner’s permit. If they cannot legally drive the monorail, they’re probably not ready for adulthood.

Anyway, the point is that if your child falls in the range of ten to 17, they may be a kid to you, but Disney disagrees. And it’s Disney’s vote that counts here.

Impulse Purchases

Disney Store

Here’s another way that you’ll blow your budget. Like water and snacks, this isn’t a cost you must incur. Realistically, it’s one you will pay, though.

At various points during your Disney visit, you’ll notice merchandise so good that you simply have to have it. The impulse proves too strong.

Photo: Amazon

In fact, it’s a running joke at my house that I own the world’s largest collection of single-use Bubble Wands. I love them all, especially the ones that glow.

So, whenever we’re at Disney, I’m always scouting for the next one I’m going to buy. My wife gives me tons of grief about this because I’m so ridiculous about it.

As soon as we get him, I throw the Bubble Wand in a box and forget it exists. A smart person would simply pack the Bubble Wand each trip and keep using it. But that’s not me.

Disney counts on suckers like me to stay in business. The company knows that items like neck fans, autograph books, and snow globes seem more appealing when you’re inside the Disney Bubble.

Photo: Disney Store

Once you get home, you’ll discover the spell of Disney consumerism broken and suddenly wonder why you were so sure you needed to buy those seven Christmas ornaments in May.

I…may be speaking from experience here. The worst part is that we can’t even put nice ornaments on our trees since our cats wreck them.

Disney Store

Home David knows this, but Disney Vacation David forgets every. Single. Time. If you’re anything like me, you should budget for a substantial amount of impulse shopping.

Sales Tax

Image: The Healthy Mouse

I live in Tennessee, which doesn’t have a state income tax. So, how does Tennessee pay for everything? Much of your governmental funding comes from sales tax.

Where I live, the current sales tax is 9.25 percent. When I tell that to friends from other states, they look at me sideways.

Photo: Moneycrashers.com

Their behavior makes me laugh because I know that while it’s not great, it could be worse. I live about 45 minutes away from Pigeon Forge, which is home to Dollywood.

I love the theme park, and Dolly Parton is who I want to be when I grow up. Still, since Pigeon Forge is a tourist trap, the local sales tax is 9.75 percent.

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That’s only part of the story. The hotel occupancy tax raises the overall rate to a whopping 12.25 percent.  And you can probably guess where I’m going with this.

While Disney has zero control over sales tax, the rate at Walt Disney World is 6.5 percent or 7.5 percent, depending on the county where the park/hotel is located.

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Factoring in the applicable hotel occupancy taxes, you will pay 12.5 percent or 13.5 percent more on your bill.

Generally speaking, whatever you expect to pay at Disney, you should add a ten percent buffer to your estimate for the sales tax. That way, you’ll avoid surprises.

Tipping

Photo: iStock

Here’s one of the most awkward conversations across Disney communities.

Some people happily embrace Mr. Pink’s philosophy in that they don’t tip.

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That’s a more understandable philosophy when you come from a country that doesn’t practice tipping as a society.

If you’re an American and don’t tip, well, I don’t want to be judgmental, but you and I possess a philosophical divide. And I mean to the extreme.

I’m someone who starts at 18 percent as a baseline for tipping and will go much higher for great service. In fact, in a total coincidence, I tipped someone 35 percent just yesterday.

To be fair, it was my wife’s birthday, and our server took tremendous care of the person I love.

Photo: Disney

Still, no matter how you come down on the tipping debate, you should know that it’s expected at any restaurant where you have a server.

In fact, Disney will automatically add an 18 percent gratuity for parties of six or more, identifying the company’s expectation for servers.

Disney

While you probably know that you should tip, there’s one potential surprise here.

When you purchase the Disney Dining Plan, your Table Service meal entitlements pay for the meal. However, Disney expects you to tip for your service.

So, you should expect your Table Service dining to cost at least 18 percent of the bill for the tip. This is true despite the fact that your entitlement pays for the meal itself.

Hidden costs like this can set you on your vacation budget. That’s why it’s imperative that you understand all of them before your trip.

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