Cheap Disney Tickets Deals & tips for Florida theme parks

Whether you’re going to Disney, Universal, Sea World or Busch Gardens, Florida theme park tickets can cost £100s. This is a park by park guide to slashing costs, including what ticket to choose, special discount sites and current promos.

• Find the cheapest tickets
  • Step 1. Pick the right ticket
  • Step 2. Check specialist ticket agents
  • Step 3. Park-by-park latest deals
• Cheap ticket alternatives
• Be careful when booking
• Save when you get there
• Related Articles/Discuss

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Important! Ensure you know how to shop safely before trying these deals

Tips for shopping safely

Whether it's a retailer or restaurateur, airline or air-conditioner seller, computer shop or car rental company, there are always two main risks: either it's a dodgy company, or it's a legit company that has financial problems and goes bust.

The aim of these tips is to help you minimise the risks.

What happens if a company goes bust?

Quite simply, its customers are immediately transformed into creditors.

This hits hardest if you've ordered goods or tickets from them, and not had delivery, as then you are simply one of a line of people trying to get your money back out of the company's assets, and you usually get back much less than you paid in.

Even if you've had delivery, if the company you bought from goes under and there's a problem with the goods, it can mean you've no comeback.

While MoneySavingExpert.com endeavours to check deals are valid, we don't check companies' finances - even huge names like MFI and Woolies have folded - so it's very important you use the right strategies to stay protected where possible...

DO: Pay by credit card for goods over £100

Pay by credit card for something over £100, eg, flights, kitchens, sofas, and Section 75 laws super-charge your consumer rights.

Unlike debit cards, cheques & cash, pay in full or part (even just £1) on a credit card and by law the lender's jointly liable with the retailer. This means you have exactly the same rights with the card company as you do with the retailer, so if it goes bust, you can simply take your complaints there instead and get money back if no delivery.

Yet it's important you ALWAYS REPAY IN FULL each month, so there's no interest cost. See the Section 75 guide for a full guide and Cashback Credit Cards for how to earn cash on top too.

DO: Protect purchases under £100

Section 75 doesn't apply to purchases under £100, but there's still an option which can help. It's not a legal protection, just Visa rules, but it's a good secondary back up.

Spend on a Visa credit or debit card and, if the goods don't appear within 120 days, you can ask your bank to reclaim the cash from the seller’s bank. See the Visa Chargeback part of the Section 75 guide for full details.

DON'T: Use unfamiliar sites without checking

Bogus websites are often set up to cash in on popular products like Ugg boots and Tiffany necklaces, so be wary if it's an unfamiliar site. And don't think that because it appears on a reputable search engine, that makes it a reputable site - always check.

DO: Check the site's legit

Most folks know to look for a security padlock on a website's bottom right, but that doesn't mean the site's legit, just that payment's secure.

To find out who registered the site and when, search the Whois database. Reputable firms should also appear on the Companies House site, the UK Govt's official companies register. Be very wary of businesses with just a PO BOX or email address.

Study the site's worldwide web ranking on Alexa. Anything in the top 100,000 means it's reasonably big - a good, though not foolproof, indication of legitimacy. Do a quick Google search for other shoppers’ experiences.

DON'T: Let your anti-virus run out

Crucially, ensure your security's up-to-date - free software can be downloaded to your computer in five mins. Full details in the Free Anti-Virus Software guide.

DO: Know your distance selling rights

Many people are surprised to learn you've MORE rights buying online (or telephone/catalogue) due to the Distance Selling Regulations.

This gives a legal right to send most goods back within a week for a full refund (including outward delivery costs), even if there’s no fault. You'll usually need to pay for the return delivery. Read Consumer Rights for a full guide.

However, of course this is balanced by the fact that, order online, and that automatically means a time gap between ordering and delivering - when the company has your money. So if it goes bust in that time, the distance selling rights don't help.

DO: Understand sometimes there's no protection.

Ultimately, there is always a risk that a company can go bust. If the above routes don't apply, then you have to make a decision about whether you're willing to take the risk of parting with your cash.

Don't be overly scared of this: every day we all make transactions based on trust, and this is part of that, but do balance up the amount you're spending against the risk. Don't give large amounts of money to a company you're not sure of.

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Find the cheapest tickets

Finding the cheapest tickets depends on how long you're going for, which parks you want to hit, and the ticket type. The key is getting a benchmark price and trying to beat this with current offers and deals. Also see the cheap ticket alternatives section for more advanced tips.

Before booking, be aware of the extra issues of buying products from a different country, in a foreign currency - read booking tips.

Step 1: Pick the right ticket & benchmark prices

The choice of tickets is an absolute minefield. There are four big resorts: Disney, Universal, Sea Life & Busch Gardens, each with several parks and an endless combination of ticket types, so understanding what you're getting and if it's what you need is important.

• Plan, plan, plan. Work out what you want to see and how long you want to spend there. Unless you're a seasoned theme park goer it's ambitious to get around more than one park a day, and the more kids you've got the slower it usually is.
  
  
• Going more than once a year? Get an annual pass. If you'll make more than one trip in a year, each lasting more than four days, check annual pass prices. This can save a wad; but only if you're sure you'll return and can afford the outlay.
  
  
• Consider add-ons. Often when you buy tickets for a main park (e.g. Disney), the ticket add-ons get you cheaper entry to a subsiduary park (e.g. Animal Kingdom).

Now Benchmark the Price

Disney World Florida

Massive attraction covering 40 square miles, suitable for all ages. Based around Disney's cartoon characters, with 4 theme parks & 2 water parks. See full Disney ticket picking info

walt

Parks (6): Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Blizzard Beach, Typhoon Lagoon.

Link: Walt Disney World Resort*

Main ticket types & price guidelines (pre-tax):

Disney US and Disney UK each have different ticket types, generally the US site is cheaper if you only want to go for a few days...

Disney's US ticket site:

Go to Disney US.

• Base tickets (called 'Magic Your Way' tickets):
  
  Base tickets give no frills entry to one park per day. Choose how many days you want to spend at any of the Disney parks from 1 day to 10; you can then pick which park you visit each day. A 1-day adult ticket is around $82 though they get cheaper per extra day you add.
  
  
• Visiting more than 1 park in a day?
  
  The 'Park Hopper' add-on lets you visit more than 1 park per day at an extra $54 . Most people won't get round more than a park a day, so only seasoned theme park goers or adults without kids should usually consider this.
  
  
• Visit the Water Parks as well:
  
  Buy the 'Water Parks Fun & More' add-on to get a specified number of visits to Disney’s water parks & entertainment venues (the same as the number of days the ticket’s valid for, so 2 visits with 2-day ticket). Extra $54 .
  

Disney's UK ticket site:

• Ultimate tickets (everything all-in).
  
  For stays over 10 days, Disney's UK site* sells 14 / 21-day ‘Ultimate tickets’. A 14 day Ultimate ticket usually costs around £232 direct. These allow you to visit all the parks on any day and go to more than one park on a single day, and are good if you want more than ten days park access. Prices are in pounds, including taxes and charges.
  
  

Pay to save unused days:

Standard tickets generally expire 14-21 days after the first use; however you can usually pay from around $22 per day so that these have no expiry date.

While both UK & US Disney websites do this, as you can often do it at the resort itself at the end of your visit (depending on the type of ticket you've bought, see below) you may be able to leave it until then, so you don’t end up using a ‘no expiry’ ticket unnecessarily.

This also means if you’re planning a return trip to the park (perhaps you or a friend own a holiday home) it may be cheaper to bulk buy the first time and upgrade unused tickets to ‘no expiry’ rather than buying separately for each trip.

Important note: If you're getting the 14 or 21 day UK Ultimate tickets, sadly you can't buy the 'no expiration' upgrade at the park, but you can do this for the 5 and 7 day UK tickets.

Correct as of Aug '10.

Universal Studios Florida

Large film-themed attraction, with two theme parks and shopping / entertainment at Universal CityWalk. Suitable for all ages, as long as you like movies! See full Universal ticket picking info

universal

Parks (2): Universal Studios Florida, Universal's Islands of Adventure

Link: Universal Orlando Resort (US), Universal Orlando Resort (UK)

Main ticket types & price guidelines (pre-tax):

Universal's US ticket site:

• 1 park, 1 day ticket:
  Valid for one park for one day. $79 online .
  
  
• 2 park, 1 day ticket:
  Valid at both theme parks for one day. $109 online .
  
  
• 2 park, 2 day ticket:
  Valid at both theme parks for two days. $135 online .
  

Universal's UK ticket site:

If you want access to the theme parks for longer, Universal's UK ticket site has tickets that are valid for unlimited admission for 14 consecutive days, starting from about £95 for an adult 2 Park Bonus Ticket and £89 for kids. Watch out for the £5 delivery charge.

Correct as of Aug '10.

SeaWorld Orlando

Large marine-life themed attraction with three theme parks, features dolphin, orca and sea-lion shows, as well as water rides. Suitable for all ages. See full SeaWorld ticket picking info

seaworld

Parks (4): SeaWorld Orlando, Aquatica water park, Discovery Cove Orlando, Bush Gardens

Link: SeaWorld

Main ticket types & price guidelines (pre-tax):

• 1 park, 1 day visit ticket:
  - SeaWorld Orlando: $69 online (adult/child) .
  - Aquatica: $42 online (adult/child) .
  
  
• 2 park ticket, valid for 14 consecutive days
  - Pick either SeaWorld & Aquatica or Seaworld & Busch Gardens. Visit as many times as you like over 14 days. $100 online (adult/child) .
  
  
• 3 park ticket, valid for 14 consecutive days. Seaworld, Aquatica & Bush Gardens. Visit as many times as you like over 14 days . $110 online (adult/child)
  
  
• Discovery Cove plus 1 park ticket, valid for 14 consecutive days. Discovery Cove & Sea World Orlando / Aquatica / Busch Gardens: valid for one day at Discovery Cove & 14 days at 2nd park. From $200 .
  

Correct as of Aug '10.

Busch Gardens Tampa Bay

African safari-themed attraction, with rollercoasters and a huge zoo with exotic and endangered animals, suitable for all ages.
See full Busch Gardens ticket picking info

busch

Park (1): Busch Gardens Tampa Bay

Link: Busch Gardens Tampa Bay

Main ticket types & price guidelines (pre-tax):

• 1 park, 2 days:
  - Valid for one visit and a free second visit within seven days of first visit. $65 online (adult/child) .
  

Correct as of Aug '10.

Step 2: Check specialist ticket agents

There are a number of specialist ticket agencies that bulk buy from the parks and then re-sell, sometimes at a discount to customers (not always though, so check first), unlike many travel agents which add their own costs.

However, their margins are small so the price variations aren't huge, and do check whether ticket delivery and card payment add extra. However, credit card payment should be seriously considered, due to the added 'Section 75' protection this gives if tickets cost over £100.

The top discount re-sellers. All of the below include taxes in the prices.

	Undercover Tourist. Good for Sales. US-based ticket site Undercover Tourist* often runs good sales on particular ticket types. It offers free UK delivery within 17 business days and you pay in dollars.
	Floridatix. UK site Floridatix often has cheap tickets and offers for all Orlando attractions. It offers free UK standard delivery within 7 business days and you pay in pounds sterling.
	American Attractions. Do also briefly check out UK-based ticket site American Attractions (payment in pounds and free 14-day delivery). If paying by Visa or Mastercard there's a 1.5% fee, but there's no charge for Maestro (Switch), Solo, Delta or Visa Debit cards.
	Maple Leaf Tickets. Or try US-based ticket site Maple Leaf Tickets* (payment's in dollars). The site offers some automatic upgrades, like a 5 day base Disney ticket for the price of 4 days. Plus book through the above link to get an extra 2% off all its ticket prices. UK ticket delivery's $13.95, but there's an option to pick them up for free from the ticket office in Kissimmee (approx. 5-10 miles from Disney), or delivered to a local hotel for $6.95.

Disney’s confirmed that American Attractions and Floridatix are official UK Disney ticket sellers, and Undercover Tourist* and Maple Leaf Tickets* are licensed in the US.

The UK sellers have the very marginal advantage that if they went bust, there's a chance ABTA may step in to ensure tickets are replaced, but generally if tickets cost over £100, you’re best to pay by credit card (repaid in full so there’s no interest) as then the card company is jointly liable with the retailer if anything goes wrong (see the Section 75 guide).

Step 3: Park-by-park latest deals

There are of course usually special deals out there too, often these only suit particular circumstances but it's always worth checking in case that's you.

Here's a list of all the latest deals, if you've seen any more please suggest them.

waltDeal

For anyone planning to spend more than four days at the park this is a cracking deal - as you get far more days and a standard five day ticket is around £225 anyway.

Going in 2011? 14 day 'Ultimate' ticket, £225 (usually c. £232)
Book online or by phone. For Walt Disney only

Disney is offering 14 days for the price of 7* on its Ultimate ticket (entry to any park on any day) for 2011 dates when you book before 30 Apr 2011. The offer price is around £225 for an adult ticket compared to its usual 2011 ticket price of around £232, a decent deal if you're planning to go this year.

The tickets are only valid providing the first day you go is on or before 31 December 2011, e.g. you could use it from 31 Dec 2011 to 13 Jan 2012.

Quick Stats: The deal: 14 day Ultimate ticket for the price of 7 days. Valid: New bookings only. How: Go direct to Disney UK* or call 0870 24 24 903. Expires: 30 Apr '11. Excludes: N/A. Offer from: Disney UK*.

• Willing to sit through timeshare presentations?
  
  Brits are the single biggest holiday and property buying nation in Florida (after US citizens of course) and so a lucrative market's sprung up there to try and flog us timeshare properties.
  
  One common way to draw people in is to offer them a range of theme park tickets that can save you a fortune; usually you'll need to meet certain criteria (eg have a debit/credit card, be aged 23-65).
  
  While this is a legitimate way of getting tickets, be warned, only do this if you can withstand a very hard sell - a timeshare's much more expensive than a ticket for Mickey.
  
  Though many have reported finding these timeshare ticket offers online and on holiday, there's always the risk that you may not manage to find one while you're there, so you'll need to be prepared to pay for tickets separately if this is the case.
  
  
  
• Buying on eBay?
  
  Let's be blunt, there are a host of tickets for Florida theme parks - e.g. 14 day Ultimate Disney tickets sell on eBay for around £75 less than the list price.
  
  Yet be aware buying them may mean you are breaching the official terms and conditions. For example, Disney says the reselling of tickets is not allowed, though if they're unused they can be passed on to friends and family.
  
  Also some parks (inc. Disney) use a fingerprinting and signature security system on their tickets - so unless they're completely unusued (and admittedly some are) then you may not be able to use them.
  
  

Be careful when booking

Looking for tickets in another country in advance is always going to have its complications, so here's a few more things you should think about...

• Compare prices on the same day
  

  Parks change prices every few weeks and discounters follow, to undercut, so ensure you compare on the same day. For up to the minute prices go to the end of the booking process just before payment, as advertised prices can lag behind latest changes.

• Wait for a better exchange rate? Unpredictable changes in exchange rates mean ticket prices here in the UK fluctuate. Yet frankly there is no way to know whether waiting will make them cheaper or more expensive, known as currency speculation (more details on current rates using the Travel Money Maximiser).
  
  
• Book at least 14 days in advance
  
  Many discount sites offer free postage if you order within 14 days; otherwise you'll waste time queuing when you get there or add a chunk to the overall price for express delivery.
  
  
• Pay the right way
  
  Buying tickets priced in US dollars from a website counts as an overseas transaction - and that means most credit and debit cards will automatically add a hidden 3% fee to the exchange rate. However there are a few specialist cards which don't do this, making it much cheaper - see the Cheap Overseas Spending guide for more.
  
  A further advantage of paying on the right credit card is if the tickets cost over £100 then the law says the card company is jointly liable with the retailer if things go wrong, even when you buy things abroad, a great comfort (see the Section 75 guide). Of course, do always pay the card off in full so there's no interest.
  
  Having said that, if a US site itself offers you the option of converting to pounds for you - beware - usually it'll be a poor exchange rate. You can check this using the TravelMoneyMax currency converter which uses typical Bureau De Change rates - if the site doesn't beat those, avoid it.
  
  
• Not all tickets include taxes
  
  In the US prices don't have to include taxes in the advertised price by law, unlike the UK. So check the price you're seeing includes them. Most UK based sites include them.
  
  

Save when you get there

Don't forget, as well as being a wonderful place to celebrate, theme parks are also a celebration of commerciality. They are environments honed to make you spend more and more.

These tips should help you keep the cost down when you're visiting; thanks to all MoneySavers who suggested them in the Orlando/Florida Q&A; and Disney Hunt discussions.

Watch out for hidden costs

• Parking: If you’re driving, factor parking costs in. For example, a day’s parking at Walt Disney World theme park’ll cost you $14. The website Orlando Gas Prices has useful info on local petrol prices. Alternatively, the i-ride trolley bus is a super cheap way of getting between parks on international drive. It runs every 20 mins, 8am to 10.30pm, and a single fare is only about $1.25.


• Pushchairs: Hiring these at the park can be costly, starting at around $13 per day at Walt Disney World. If you’ll need one for more than a few days, consider bringing a light pushchair or even buying an inexpensive one when you get there; you can find one from around $40 at Walmart.
  
  
• Satnavs: Don’t assume these are included in car hire. If you’re hiring for a long period and already have a satnav, it can be cheaper to buy the US map software before you go and bring the console with you. Also check out the Cheap Car Hire guide to keep the costs down.
  
  
• Walkie Talkies: If you're the type of family who'll split up at a park but need to keep in touch, then this is a way of doing so without worrying about hideous mobile costs when calling overseas (also see Cheap Mobile Roaming).
  
  Importantly, as US and UK walkie talkies use different frequencies, you can't legally use a walkie talkie built for the UK in the US, and vice versa (see more info). Some villas include them in the rental cost, or you may be able to find them cheaply while you’re out there. Prices start from around $30 in Walmart.
  
  
• Snacks: Stock up on snacks and drinks cheaply from local supermarkets as food in the parks can be pricey.
  

Top Tips & Tricks

• Look out for coupon booklets: Watch out for these when there; they often have discounts for local restaurants, shops and attractions. International Drive Orlando and Flamingo World both have discount coupons for restaurants, shops and attractions that you can print before you go.
  
  
• Plan ahead: Work out where you’re going before you get there, and how much you can afford to spend. Accept that you won't be able to do everything when you get there. Arrive early to beat the queues and make the most of your day’s admission.
  
  Handy for planners, Disney also offers a free Walt Disney World guide* booklet that you can order online. This includes fold-out mini maps of the parks and info about what to see and do when you get there.
  
  
• Work out travel time: Distances given from accommodation to parks can be misleading. Online aerial map sites like Google Maps can be useful to work out the real distances before you go.
  
  
• Enjoy Florida's wildlife: It doesn’t all need to be about big, expensive theme parks. Many of Florida's State Parks are free or just a few dollars to get into, and let you see more of Florida’s natural geography.
  
  
• Take it easy! Try to cram too much in while you’re there and you’ll end up exhausted and broke. Remember, the point of going is to have fun!

Not booked your holiday yet?

If you've not booked flights, hotels and car hire yet, read below first:

• Slash the price of flights & hotels: Generally the earlier you book flights, the better. For full info on the best screenscraping sites to use read the full Cheap Flights guide. For a step-by-step guide on finding dirt cheap hotel rooms including a loophole to 70% off swanky hotels see the Cheap Hotels guide.
  
  
• Save £100s on car hire: If you've got kids or you're staying far from the parks you'll probably want to hire a car. For full tips, plus how to avoid price heavy insurance policies, read the full Cheap Car Hire guide.
  
  
• Apply for a Visa Waiver online before you go: Since Jan '09 anyone travelling to the US must fill in an online request to enter the United States at least three days before travelling. The form, known as the Electronic System for Travel Authorisation, or ESTA costs $14 to apply for via the ESTA site, so ignore other sites implying there's a much larger fee. Read the step by step MSE ESTA Guide for full info. It only takes five minutes to fill in and the visa will last two years.
  

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Cheap Florida Theme Parks