How Much Money Should You Bring to Disneyland? (Updated 2023)

Whenever you plan a vacation, the most pressing question is always, how much money will I need?

Well, I’m sure you already know that the amount of money a family should bring to Disneyland can vary vastly depending on lots of different factors. However, I’ve found that a five-day trip to Disneyland will cost the average family about $4,500. 

How Much Will I Spend On…

In the following sections, I’ll break down the prices of the most common expenses for a Disneyland family vacation. 

The Hotel

Of course, how much you spend on a Disneyland hotel can vary dramatically. 

If you are staying on-site, you might pay anywhere between $210 and $980 for one room, depending on which hotel you stay at and when you go to Disneyland. 

But, if we’re talking about estimates, here’s how much you should plan to spend on a night’s accommodations at Disneyland’s on-site hotels: 

• Paradise Pier Hotel: $210-$350 
• Disneyland Hotel: $300-$410 
• Grand Californian Hotel and Spa: $475-$980

Thus, if you are thinking about staying on-site, you should consider that the average family who rents a room at a Disneyland hotel will spend $300 to $500 per night. 

Off-site hotels are usually cheaper, though, so I’ve compiled the prices of some of the closest hotels to the Disneyland Resort. 

Prices for nearby hotels: 

• Fairfield by Marriott – Anaheim Resort: $350-$410 
• Anaheim Camelot Inn and Suites: $400-$470
• Best Western Plus Park Place Inn: $260-$300
• Holiday Inn Express and Suites – Anaheim Resort Area: $310-$360 
• Staybridge Suites – Anaheim at the Park: $190-$220 
• Four Points by Sheraton – Anaheim: $170-$200
• Anaheim Maingate Inn: $120-$140 
• Travelodge Inn and Suites by Wyndham – Anaheim on Disneyland Drive: $150-$170
• Anaheim Desert Inn and Suites: $260-$310 
• Best Western Courtesy Inn – Anaheim Park Hotel: $200-$230 

So, on average, a nearby off-resort hotel will cost you around $260 per night. 

Food

Food is one of those big travel expenses that you can easily overlook. 

And it is another cost that varies widely depending on where you eat. 

If you’re dining at a Table-Service restaurant in Disneyland, you can expect to dish out anywhere from $20-$50 per meal per person. 

Meanwhile, Quick-Service meals, which are like Disney’s version of fast food, will cost about $12 per person per meal. 

However, if you want to eat as cheap as possible, you can always pick up some groceries near the resort. 

Yet, you should keep in mind that Orange County, California, which is where Disneyland is, has a much higher cost of living than most other places in the US. 

But still, if you only eat groceries, you can expect to pay $10 per day per person, which is much cheaper than eating out. 

Thus, overall, if you eat an even mix of Table-Service, Quick-Service, and groceries/snacks, you can expect to spend an average of $50 per day per person on food. 

Disneyland Tickets

Luckily, when talking about Disneyland tickets, things get a lot simpler because there aren’t as many variables. 

Your only real choice is to pick between one-park per-day tickets and Park Hopper tickets. 

Basically, the difference is that Park Hopper tickets allow you to move between the parks on the same day, while with the one-park per-day option, you must stay in one park for the entire day. 

Also, Park Hopper tickets are a bit more expensive. 

To give you an idea of how much more expensive Park Hopper tickets are and how much you’ll spend altogether, here’s a breakdown of park ticket prices in 2023: 

• 2-day one-park per-day ticket: $255 for an adult and $240 for a child 
• 2-day Park Hopper ticket: $315 for an adult and $300 for a child 
• 3-day one-park per-day ticket: $330 for an adult and $310 for a child 
• 3-day Park Hopper ticket: $390 for an adult and $370 for a child
• 4-day one-park per-day ticket: $360 for an adult and $340 for a child 
• 4-day Park Hopper ticket: $420 for an adult and $400 for a child 
• 5-day one-park per-day ticket: $380 for an adult and $360 for a child 
• 5-day Park Hopper ticket: $440 for an adult and $420 for a child 

So, for two adults and two children to visit the park for five days with one-park per-day tickets, it will cost $1,480. 

Or, if you buy 5-day Park Hopper tickets for two adults and two kids, you will pay $1,720. 

Transportation

Typically, when people visit Disneyland, they don’t spend all their time at the resort. 

Thus, if you are planning on seeing other places in the area, you’ll need to know how much it will cost you to get around Southern California. 

Well, if you are traveling around Anaheim, your best bet is to take the ART shuttles, which are pretty cheap. 

These shuttles have 20 routes throughout the city, and many of them pick up and drop off at Disneyland. 

And a one-day pass is only $6 for anyone ten years old or older and $2.50 for children 3-9 years old. 

Or, if you want to go further than Anaheim, like to Los Angeles, taking the bus is a great option. 

A one-way Greyhound bus ride to LA will cost between $6 and $8 per person for an economy seat and will only take about 40 minutes. 

Greyhound and other bus companies also have lots of other routes throughout the area, and the tickets are pretty affordable. 

Another popular option, of course, is Uber or Lyft, which can take you just about anywhere. 

But remember that the prices for these ridesharing services fluctuate quite a bit, so you want to be vigilant to get the best deal. 

However, I can tell you that the average Uber or Lyft ride from Disneyland to Los Angeles will cost around $50. 

Finally, if you are looking for the most freedom, you can always rent a car. 

A rental car near Disneyland will normally cost $60 per day. 

Shopping

Souvenirs are another category where the amount spent can vary drastically. 

Mainly, how much you allow yourself and your children to spend on souvenirs depends on your budget, your spending habits, and how many kids you have. 

Overall, the average US parent will allow their child to spend anywhere from $20 to $150 on a week’s vacation on things like souvenirs, candy, etc. 

So, as you can see, there really isn’t a set ‘perfect’ amount you should let your kids spend. 

But, one thing that many parents agree on is that you should have a specific number in mind to keep from overspending. 

Also, if you have multiple children, allowing them each a set amount of souvenir money can prevent arguing or hurt feelings later if they feel their sibling got to spend more. 

Other Expenses You Should Consider 

Since we all have different wants and needs when it comes to vacation, I’ve made a list of a few other travel expenses you may want to consider. 

Other Disneyland expenses to think about: 

• Emergency Funds – Anything can happen on vacation, and you don’t want to end up stranded. Thus, you may want to set aside an extra few hundred dollars just in case you need it. 
• Alcohol – You should be aware that the average alcoholic beverage at Disneyland costs about $9. 
• Foreign Transaction Fees – If you are visiting Disneyland from a different country, you should check to see if your bank charges foreign transaction fees. 
• Attractions Outside of Disneyland – If you plan to venture outside Disneyland, you should know how much those other attractions cost. 
• Items You Forgot to Bring – No matter how seriously you take your checklist, it’s just too easy to forget something as small as, say, sunscreen. 
• Stroller Rental – If you find you need a stroller, you can rent one at Disneyland for $18. 
• Tax – California has the highest statewide sales tax in the nation at 7.25%. 
• Parking at Disneyland- If you’re driving to Disneyland, you should expect to pay $35 for the first hour of parking and $10 for each extra hour or until the total reaches $75. 
• Parking at Your Hotel – Some hotels require you to pay for parking. 

How Much Money You Should Bring to Disneyland – Estimate

So, now that we’ve reached the end of the article, let’s look at how much money you should bring to Disneyland on a four-person five-day vacation. 

Tight Budget 

If you are going to Disneyland on a tight budget, you will still need to spend at least the amounts below on a four-person five-day vacation: 

• Hotel: $600
• Food: $80
• Disneyland Tickets: $1,480
• Transportation: $85
• Shopping: $0

Thus, if you keep your budget as tight as possible, you can go to Disneyland for just $2,245. 

Medium Budget

If you have a little extra spending money but don’t want to go overboard, it’s a good idea to base your budget around the averages for what families pay when they go to Disneyland: 

• Hotel: $1,500
• Food: $1,000
• Disneyland Tickets: $1,480
• Transportation: $235
• Shopping: $200

So, on a medium budget, you can expect to pay about $4,415 for a five-day vacation for four people. 

Relaxed Budget 

If you want to go to Disneyland with a four-person family for five days and splurge quite a bit while you’re there, here’s what you can expect to pay: 

• Hotel: $3,650
• Food: $2,100
• Disneyland Tickets: $1,720
• Transportation: $300
• Shopping: $400

Therefore, if you follow a relaxed budget, you can expect to pay at least $8,170. 

Conclusion 

Overall, the amount of money you will need to bring to Disneyland depends on what you want to do there and how much you’ll want to splurge. 

However, the average four-person family will pay around $4,500 for a five-day Disneyland vacation. 

Yet, you should consider any extra expenses you may have besides the hotel, food, tickets, transportation, and shopping when planning your trip.