How We Traveled To Disney World For Under $500

Last week, Mark and I did one of the craziest things we've ever done. We traveled from PA to Orlando, FL for 2 days just to visit Disney on a whim! It. Was. So. Fun.
A handful of family and friends definitely marveled at our spontaneity and somewhat craziness. I'll admit, I can't wait to tell our future kids about how "Mommy and Daddy woke up one morning and decided to go to Disney!" It was a fun little trip that I'll always remember.

So I bet you're wondering how we flew from PA to FL, got a nice hotel room for 2 nights, and had park passes for a day all for under $500. I would be curious myself! Today I wanted to share some photos from our trip and share our money saving tips with you, so buckle in.

Alright, so first things first- the flights. We found really cheap flights on an airline called Allegiant. It flies through a small airport in Harrisburg. So what you'll want to do to find cheap flies is comparison shop, search smaller airports, read reviews, and choose your flight accordingly! Especially in the summertime, airlines have all kinds of deals.

Next, you'll want to find an inexpensive hotel room. Airbnb is always a great option, but Mark and I wanted to stay somewhere near the park that included breakfast and a shuttle to the Ticket + Transportation Center in Disney (again to save on costs). We turned to RoomKey, our favorite site to find nice, but cheap, hotels! We found a room with a King bed (woohoo!) and booked right away.

Our friend Lindsay works at Disney and if you don't already know this, employees have the opportunity to bring guests into the park for free! We were so blessed to have been able to get tickets from her. I know, you're probably thinking, "that's cheating!" but hey, its how we did it. 

The total for 2 roundtrip flights from PA to Orlando and a two night stay in our hotel cost around $400. Which for last minute travel is a really great deal. Then we got an uber to and from the airport which brought our total to about $500! 

The park tickets that we were given actually ended up being park hopper passes, so we could enjoy Magic Kingdom like we planned and then stop by the new Toy Story land in Hollywood Studios and then finish the evening at Epcot's International Flower and Garden Festival! It was such a fun day. Tiring, but so fun.

** Another tip to save money- bring your own water bottle and sandwiches. Park food can get pretty pricey, so thinking ahead is always important. You can also ask for cups of water at the concession stands for free as well!

How about you? Have you ever traveled somewhere spontaneously? What are some tricks and tips you've used to save money and have a great time? Share in the comments below!