How much does it cost to go to Disneyland?: Your Disneyland Trip Calculator

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Today we’re going to talk about how much does it cost to go to Disneyland? — I have a Disneyland Trip Calculator set to help you make it magical. This Free Trip Calculator can help you plan ANY trip!

Let’s talk a little bit more about the costs associated with your Disneyland Trip and then you can use the calculator to estimate your basic costs (can be used for any trip — I just use Disneyland as an example).

Want to just book the whole thing together — check out my post on Disneyland All-Inclusive Vacations.

Trip Calculator

I also have a totally free spreadsheet that you can use to both calculate the cost of your Disneyland trip — but it ALSO serves as a Disneyland Trip Planner — so everything is in one spot (you can use it as a google sheet, or download it to use in excel).

How much does it cost to go to Disneyland?

Looking to see what our family actualy spent on their own trip — check out my Disneyland Budget post.

Airfare costs to Disneyland

I have flown into Disneyland a few times. The good news is that there are several airports in that area to choose between.

Airports you can use (from closest to farthest)

John Wayne Airport 14 mi
Long Beach 19 mi
Ontario 35 mi
Los Angeles Intenational (LAX) 35 mi

Most of these airports have cheap’ish shuttles you can use to get to your hotel if you prefer not to rent a car (or use Uber).

I love using services like Airfare Watch Dog to make sure I get the best price. 🙂

Disneyland Road Trip Costs — Mileage

You can find out the approximate amount it will cost you to drive from home right here.

Related Post: Best time of year to go to Disneyland

Rental Car at Disneyland

Make SURE to shop around when you get a rental car. I find that the prices vary a LOT. Places to check out include:

Fox Rental Car
Auto Europe (despite the name, you can also compare costs in the US as well)
Hertz
Or, if you just need it for a few hours, maybe try Zip Car

Disneyland Hotel Trip Calculator

I 100% believe that Get Away Today is the fastest, easiest and cheapest way to book your hotel. Be sure to use code CURLS10 to save another $10 on your order! They have a best price garantee. You can see the hotels I’ve picked in my post Disney Family Packages.

Disneyland Tickets Cost Calculator

No surprise, but Get Away Today, has the BEST prices for tickets as well. Often you can get a free day, or great discounts, I would NOT book with anyone else til’ you see their prices.

Be sure to check out the Disneyland Maxpass too. << That post has my best tips to get your money’s worth.

Theme Park Tickets — Disneyland, Knotts, SeaWorld, Universal

They also have tickets for the other attractions in the area including:

Seaworld
San Diego Wild Animal Park/Zoo
LegoLand
Knottsberry Farms
Universal Studios

BTW, Get Away Today also has awesome hotel deals for the San Diego area as well (I used them for my last trip there and found it to be WAY cheaper than what I had called around for).

Related Post: Family-Friendly Hollywood Fun

Parking/Shuttle Budget for Disneyland

Disneyland’s parking is a bit steep at $20 (although it also includes a shuttle from the garage to the park)

You can also use the local transit system that drops off at Disneyland (and other areas) called the ART Shuttle. I have done both, they are both fairly convenient. BTW — Get Away Today has 5 day ART passes for the price of 3 days (but you do need to get them a bit in advance since they have to be mailed).

You can also stay close enough to walk (but check it on a map — many hotels SAY they are walkable, but really aren’t). I recommend staying in this area if you plan to walk:

Souvenirs for Disneyland Budget

I am a BIG fan of buying things in advance on Amazon or at Big Box stores (like Walmart or Target). So often they have Disney Merchandise, and if you can’t find it nearby — you can always stop by one closer to the park and grab some there!

Be sure to check out my post on how we saved at Disneyland for more info — or check out this fun way to make a free souvenir.

Disneyland Food Cost Calculator

Disneyland food can certainly break the bank.

I wrote a post that outlines the best place to eat at Disneyland. The good news about food at Disney is that they usually serve VERY large portions. Often we split 2-3 dishes and all walked away full and happy.

The other good news is that Disneyland allows you to bring snack food into the park. As long as you’re not carrying a cooler full of KFC of Subway I think you’re good to know.

I have a post on what to bring to Disneyland that I think you’ll really like — to help you with ideas on what to bring.

Disneyland Trip Cost Calculator

Alright, now that we’ve talked about all the costs — hopefully, you’re ready to plug in some numbers:

How much does it cost to go to Disneyland for a family of 4?

Simplified Trip Calculator

I asked the nice people at Get Away Today to give me some average numbers for them — don’t forget to use code CURLS10 to save another $10 on your trip!

Disneyland Costs FAQ’s

How nice of a hotel do I really want at Disneyland?

Honestly, not that nice. You likely won’t be spending much time in your room if you’re going there to focus on DISNEYLAND.

If you’re going to also get away and maybe have a day or two off of the parks (which I think is a great idea) you might want to look for something nicer.

For me, I think the nicest hotel we were at (with lots of room and good food, etc) was Staybridge Suites. However, we now stay closer to the park, and those rooms are small and utilitarian — so, sometimes I’m not sure the upgrades to the Marriots that we’ve stayed at are worth it. You can learn more about the hotels we’ve been to at our Disneyland family packages post.

Do I need a car at Disneyland?

If Disneyland is your focus — possibly now.

HOWEVER. LA traffic is insane, and I would 100% recommend checking out the cost of a rental car, vs using an uber/cab/transportation to get from the airport to your hotel. FYI, my favorite rental car companies are in that cost calculator, so be sure to check them out.

I find that rental car prices are ALL over the place, so you can really save quite a lot by checking around for a half an hour or so.

Once you GET to the hotel, I have had great luck with walking & the ART shuttle (like we talked about up above).

What is the cheapest way to go to Disneyland?

I would call Get Away Today — and ask them the ABSOLUTE cheapest way for you to go.

When I have asked them in the past, they have mentioned a few hotels that have a great deals. They’re no-frills, but can be a great option.

That’s my advice. Oh, and be sure to use code CURLS10 to save an extra $10 on top of that! 🙂

How many days do I NEED at Disneyland?

This is a tough one. A few questions to ask yourself:

How busy is it likely to be while I am there?
How much of Disneyland do I want to experience? — are you OK with just riding some rides that really get your interest, or do you want to ride ALL of them?
Do you have kids with you? — if they’re small, they’ll likely slow you down (and if they’re teens, they may speed you up)
Would it be worth it to wait a few more months, so I could afford an extra day to really enjoy my time there and not be rushed?

Final Pro Disneyland Budget Tip

If you go to Disneyland with the entire goal to spend VERY little and save as much as you can — you should go somewhere else. Maybe, go camping. That’s pretty cheap.

Disneyland is not a cheap trip, by any stretch of the imagination. But, I found to be cheaper than other places (like Yellowstone). You can go with a frugal mindset, but know that your family enjoys themselves, will be more important than pinching every penny. And if you can’t afford a Disney trip — save until you can. 🙂

Hopefully, this trip calculator gives you a target to save for.

Hopefully, this makes Disneyland seem a little bit more “doable” — I am always overwhelmed when I think about planning a trip — but this spreadsheet/calculator will break it down into steps to give you the trip of your dreams. 🙂

And check out my other Disney posts:

What to do when your Disneyland vacation isn't fun anymore

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