Let’s face the facts: a Disney vacation is expensive, can be challenging to plan, and is filled with variables you should account for. But what if I told you that the money and time you’re putting into your next trip to one of the theme park resorts, a Disney Cruise, or even Aulani, a Disney Resort and Spa in Hawaii will all be worth the extra effort after seeing your kids hug their favorite character for the first time, or as you watch the evening fireworks as a family.
I’ve been taking Disney vacations with my family for as long as I can remember. In fact, after nearly 30 years of visiting Walt Disney World, there are still things I’ve never done before. This opens the door for me to return again and again. Like many people who visit Disney theme parks around the world, I constantly find myself in awe of the storytelling and worlds I get to play in for a few hours. But also like many people, my credit card statement at the end of a trip is a little higher than expected. Usually, because I said yes one too many times to another round of Mickey-shaped ice cream sandwiches.
By the end of a trip, you may find yourself asking, “Are the memories we make on a Disney vacation worth the cost of a trip?”
Memories don’t cost anything extra on a Disney vacation
“People get caught up on how much money [Disney] is, but the perceived value of what you get at Disney is really, truly invaluable. When you walk down Main Street, U.S.A., there’s no better feeling that you can have, especially when you get to see that in the eyes of your kids,” says Wes H., a planDisney panelist from Texas who specializes in Walt Disney World vacations. “I think that’s where Disney does it right because while it does cost money to go there, what they do, and what they can provide truly is magical. From the Cast Members to having every flower in its place, they truly make it the absolute best place to visit.”
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When you walk into any Disney theme park, your ticket includes a host of inclusions. Think everything from rides and entertainment to character meet-and-greets and more. For me, character meet-and-greets are always a highlight of a Disney trip. Some of my favorite memories from past trips are meeting Mickey Mouse or rare characters like Megara from Hercules.
On a recent trip to Walt Disney World, I waited in line to see Mickey. I brought an old photo from when I was a kid with me. I wanted to recreate that image with the main mouse. Well, it was finally my turn, and I showed Mickey the old printed photo from the mid-90s. What happened next is something I will never forget. Mickey motioned to me that I had grown up. I told him that even though I was older now, he would always be my pal. Then Mickey and I took a ton of photos together. I walked away thinking that was one of the best character interactions I’ve had in a very long time.
Since I’ve been going to Disney Parks, Mickey has always been a pal to me and plenty of other kids. And as an adult, that still rings true. After all, Walt Disney once said, “Adults are only kids grown up, anyway.”
Then there’s the time I met Megara. This was back in the late 90s when Disney’s Hollywood Studios was still Disney-MGM Studios and featured a Hercules parade to promote the new animated movie of the same name. Well, after the parade, my family and I found a shaded spot to sit and cool off, and from backstage came Megara. She sat with me and talked for easily five minutes with no other families around. To this day, every time I walk into Hollywood Studios, I think about that magical moment that didn’t cost anything extra but continues to solidify my choice to vacation at Walt Disney World.
One tip to get your perceived value of a Disney vacation back
Wes told FamilyVacationist that it is possible to get your perceived value of a Disney vacation back, and the way to do it is to plan. “You can’t show up at Disney and expect everything to fall at your feet. I really believe that you’ve got to plan.”
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One way to ensure everyone gets what they want on a Disney vacation is to plan your trip together. Think about what you want to do, where to stay, and what restaurants you want to eat at. Try planning around special offers that Disney is currently promoting to guests. See current offers at Disney World, Disneyland, and Disney Cruise Line with these links.
Also, learn to use the apps that correspond to your Disney vacation. For Walt Disney World, that means learning the My Disney Experience app; Disneyland has its own app; and Disney Cruise Line has the Disney Cruise Line Navigator app. One of my favorite tricks for Walt Disney World and Disneyland is mobile ordering through the app. This saves you time by ordering from your phone and then setting a pick-up time to get your meal.
Elevated service that makes guests feel welcome and seen
At theme parks, Disney resort hotels, and on Disney Cruise Line ships, Cast Members make magic every single day. “They will go out of the way to put a smile on your face and to say yes. They want to be yes people,” says Wes.
According to Disney, 90 percent of guest letters and communication are about Cast Members. It’s usually always about someone who went out of their way to help a guest in need. (Pro-tip: you can send a compliment about a Cast Member through the Walt Disney World and Disneyland apps. Find it under Cast Compliments.)
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Cast Members really are the special sauce for everything that Disney does. From the parks and resorts to cruise ships and guided tours. They want to make sure that guests are having a good time and make personal connections with each person who walks through the gates of a park. They care about the little things, like questions about merchandise, to the big things like fireworks displays that happen every night.
Value comes in spontaneity on a Disney vacation
You can plan a Disney vacation for months, but the perceived value of a trip often comes in spontaneous moments. As a Walt Disney World annual pass holder, I find the things I remember most are the spontaneous moments. There are times I’ve stopped to enjoy the Dapper Dans performing right on Main Street, U.S.A., at Disneyland Park, or waved to Olu Mel from my lunch table at Aulani, or played shuffleboard with Goofy on Disney Cruise Line, all because I was in the right place, at the right time completely by chance, and let the moments naturally happen instead of forcing them to happen.
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While getting your dining reservations 60 days out is important, and booking Lightning Lanes when it’s your turn is a must-do, don’t be so rigid with a schedule that you forget to look around and enjoy your vacation. Take a moment to sit on a bench and people-watch, have that second ice cream cone, or watch your kid’s eyes light up as they find out they are finally tall enough for an attraction they’ve been waiting to get on for years. These moments add up. If you don’t let over-planning creep into your Disney agenda, you’ll be surprised at how many memories you’ll make and see the value of your Disney vacation skyrocket.
