I’ve been going to Disney World for 30 years. Here are 5 things I won’t be buying at the parks in 2025.
I’ve been going to Disney World for pretty much my whole life.
I’ve been going to Disney World for over 30 years and visit the Orlando theme parks multiple times a month.
Over the years, I’ve bought my share of souvenirs and merchandise. However, I’ve also narrowed down what’s not worth the money at the parks and resorts.
Preparing for a new year is a prime time to reassess my travel budget.
Here are some of the things I don’t plan on buying at Disney World in 2025.
It doesn’t make sense to buy plain coffee when I can make it at my hotel.
I just make my own morning cup of coffee in my hotel room.
I inevitably need a morning boost at Disney World, especially after spending a few days in the parks. But I try not to buy cups of hot black coffee.
I’m always at a hotel when I visit the parks — usually a resort on the Disney property — so I have access to at least a single-serve coffee machine that makes a decent cup at no added expense to me.
Even better, when I stay at a Disney Vacation Club villa, there are usually larger machines that brew full pots instead of single cups. I can bring my own ground coffee and filters for my perfect cup.
I skip buying ponchos in the parks since they’re cheaper elsewhere.
It rains at Disney World a lot, so I always come prepared.
Rain and Disney World seem to go hand-in-hand. When it rains at one of the theme parks, you’ll likely see people donning thick, branded ponchos from the gift shops that cost about $12.
I’ve been guilty of buying these when I’ve been ill-prepared in the past, but I can get much cheaper disposable ones on Amazon or at Target before the trip.
The thinner, disposable ones are smaller anyway, so it’s easy to pack multiple in any bag I have with me. Then, when it’s done raining, I can simply throw the poncho away instead of carrying around a wet bundle of plastic.
Simple room upgrades usually aren’t worth the extra cost.
I don’t spend a ton of time in my hotel room at Disney World anyway.
I like to stay at the Disney World resorts, but I usually skip upgrading my booking from a standard to a preferred room closer to the hotel’s front or its transportation options.
I imagine this is a nice feature for families with kids, but the rooms themselves seem to be exactly the same. Plus, it only saves me a couple of minutes of walking.
Prices vary depending on which kind of resort you’re at — value, moderate, or deluxe. Sometimes, it’s only about a $20-a-night difference between standard and preferred, but I could use that money on plenty of other things.
Dining packages for fireworks shows are overpriced.
You can pay extra to eat dinner near the “Fantasmic!” theater.
Disney World sometimes offers dining packages for its bigger shows, but I often find them to be of poor value. I’d rather grab something quick and easy and save my money.
For instance, you can book a dining package to watch “Fantasmic!” at Hollywood Studios. The price includes your meal, a drink, and guaranteed seats to the show, starting at $57 for adults.
That’s much more than I’d normally spend on a meal at Disney World, and as long as I get to the theater early, open seats are usually plentiful.
I don’t think Lightning Lane Single Passes are worth it.
You can buy line-skipping passes for rides, but they’re expensive.
If you’re not as familiar with Disney World, all the different ticket add-ons can be confusing — plus, they always seem to be changing.
For now, there are still times when I think it makes sense to pay $15 a person per day for a Lightning Lane Multi Pass that I can use to expedite three lines at certain attractions. However, the individually priced Lightning Lane Single Passes for the most popular rides cost $10 to $25 each.
I understand that some people only have one opportunity to visit the parks and get on these rides, but I’m there often enough that the added expense isn’t worth it.
Instead, I just get to the park early or stay late since lines are usually shorter during those times. I also keep my eye out for virtual queues on rides like Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind. When they’re open, you can reserve one a day for free on the My Disney Experience app.