Menu

How Much Would It Cost To Live at Disney World?

Home Sweet Home sign at Disney World
Credit: Disney / Canva Editing

It’s the ultimate Disney fantasy – to live at Disney World. And we aren’t discussing a place at Celebration or an adjacent neighborhood. We are talking about staying at a Disney resort hotel, eating on property, and visiting the theme parks frequently.

Bay Lake at Contemporary Resort

Credit: Disney

But for the sake of simplicity, let’s focus on the cost of one individual over the price of one full year. And for fun, let’s examine three different budgets (like Disney hotels): value, moderate, and deluxe.

Related: Disney Dad Stole Millions for Lavish Disney Vacations

A Value Level Stay

The first consideration when visiting Walt Disney World Resort is where to room.

fort-wilderness-disney

Credit: Disney Dining

Fort Wilderness is the only Walt Disney World Resort where guests can stay for an entire month. Booking the cheapest campsite possible, the tent/pop-up camper site for July 2024, would cost $3,908.28 (after tax), approximately $46,899 for an entire year. However, you must remember that prices may fluctuate monthly and you’d have to change your campsite every month.

Monorail at Disney World

Credit: Disney

The second significant expense will be transportation. The cheaper option will be to use Disney World’s complimentary transportation to get around. However, considering this will leave you without a chance to leave Walt Disney World Resort and go to places such as a local Target or grocery store, figure $200 a month for Uber/Lyft rides or car rentals.

Related: Parking Trams Are Finally Returning to Walt Disney World

Next, there’s the issue of food. If you are trying to be budget-conscious while living at Walt Disney World, your best bet is to avoid theme park food prices and get by on regular groceries. This figure can adjust depending on your tastes, inflationary costs, and cooking/creativity. But let’s go with a budget of $100 a week.

Evening Streetscape in Hollywood Studios

Credit: Disney

Finally, there is entry into the Walt Disney World theme parks. Even though we are talking budget-friendly options, how do you stay at Walt Disney World and NOT visit the parks? The best value option would be a Florida Resident (if possible) Annual Pass. This will be the Disney Pixie Dust Pass, which costs $399 before tax.

This brings our “value” total to…

$46,899 (Fort Wilderness) + $2,400 (transportation) + $5,200 (food) + $399 (Annual Pass) = $54,898.

Of course, this price could fluctuate based on taxes and your spending habits. But we think it’s a reasonably accurate gauge.

Related: Disney’s New $59 Weekday Ticket

A Moderate Level Stay

Considering those four categories, let’s examine a more comfortable accommodation.

To stay at a place such as a Standard View Room at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort for two weeks in July 2024 would cost $4,465, and a two week stay at Disney’s Port Orleans — Riverside Resort would cost about $4,989.

coronado-springs

Credit: Disney

If you alternate between the two for a year, your total would be $122,902.

When it comes to being moderate with transportation, it’s probably best to stick with the free Disney transportation for getting around the resort. However, to be more comfortable, we can bump the budget to $300 monthly for more trips with Uber/Lyft or additional days of car rentals.

space-mountain-disney-world

Credit: Disney

Although these rooms will offer more comfort than a campground lot, they still do not come with a kitchen. But let’s stick with a $100 weekly budget for groceries and add another $50 a week for eating out or enjoying food in the theme parks. This brings the yearly food budget to $7,800.

Regarding a Walt Disney World Resort Annual Pass, let’s plan go with the mid-level Disney Pirate Pass, which is $749 before tax.

Astro Orbiter

Credit: Disney

This brings our “moderate” total to…

$122,902 (Moderate Resort) + $3,600 (transportation) + $7,800 (food) + $749 (Annual Pass) = $135,051.

Again, this may fluctuate based on taxes and other minor factors.

A Deluxe Level Stay

Now let’s dig into a package that is a little more luxurious. Exploring some of the Deluxe Villas, we’ll settle on the “cheapest” option during the same two weeks in July 2024 – The Copper Creek Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge. The Deluxe Studio option comes with more living space than the moderate accommodations and also includes a small kitchenette with a fridge and microwave.

wilderness-lodge

Credit: Disney Tips

The two-week stay comes to $7,251 after taxes. But since we can’t stay there non-stop, we will need at least a second hotel to jump between. A similar room at the Disney’s Beach Club Villas would be $8,888. Pricing those out for the year would put us at $209,807.

For transportation, let’s “plus” it up by adding another $200 a month (to $500 total) to pay for additional car rental, ride-sharing, or parking costs if you drive to the park.

Mickey and Minnie at Adventures Outpost in Animal Kingdom

Credit: Disney

In terms of food, since we are spending a little more money, we can add another $100 per week to cover additional groceries, weekly dining at the theme parks, and more.

Nine Dragons Restaurant Dining

Credit: Disney

For an Annual Pass, we’ll buy the Disney Incredi-Pass at $1,299 before tax.

And finally, let’s add another $1,000 for the year to cover souvenirs, Mickey ears, and other add-ons like Genie+ or Lightning Lanes.

This brings our “deluxe” total to…

$209,807 (Deluxe Villa Studios) + $6,00 (transportation) + $13,000 (food) + $1,299 (Annual Pass) + $1,000 (Extras) = $231,106.

Related: Woman Evicted After 20 Year Disney Vacation

Exterior Shot of Cinderella Castle

Credit: Disney

As you can see, these figures are a lot more than you may spend on an average week-long vacation at Walt Disney World Resort. However, I’d be lying if I didn’t say I thought the totals would be more expensive!

Then again, I forgot these figures are for one person over one year. Once you add a spouse or partner and kids, those food and park pass prices will skyrocket, even if room rates are the same.

Related: Get 35% Off Your Disney Hotel and New Mickey Popcorn Bucket

Either way, it’s probably better to just stick with a week-long vacation every so often…

About Steven Wilk

Steven has a complicated relationship with Disney. As a child, he visited Walt Disney World every few years with his family. But he never understood why kids his age (and older) were so scared of Snow White or Alien Encounter. He is a former participant of the Disney College Program (left early…long story), and he also previously worked in Children’s publishing, where he adapted multiple Disney movies and TV shows. He has many controversial opinions about Disney…like having a positive view of Michael Eisner, believing Return of the Jedi is superior to The Empire Strikes Back, and that Toy Story Land and Galaxy’s Edge should have never been built (at least not at Hollywood Studios). Every year for the past two decades, Steven has visited either Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Aulani or went on a Disney Cruise. He’s happy to share any and all knowledge of the Disney destinations (and he likes using parenthesis a lot…as well as ellipses…)