food IS a theme park
Disney World vacations are already expensive as it is, but some things are TOTALLY worth spending more on during my trip. Am I in my 20s and have $5 to my name? Yes. But I am splurging on these six things every time? Absolutely.
HOKA Clifton 10s
Some you can simply buy before your trip, while others you’ll have to pay for. Let’s go through the six things everyone should splurge on during their Disney World vacation.
Disney Adults, I’m going to hold your hand when I say this… You may be trying WAY too hard on your Disney World vacation.
Monorail
I know. You’ve got the spreadsheet, the color-coded itinerary, and a very specific understanding of how long it takes to get from Space Mountain to Pirates of the Caribbean. You’ve probably even wondered whether that 11:20 AM lunch reservation is going to make your 12:05 PM Lightning Lane more stressful than it needs to be. We get it because we are those people, too. But after enough Disney World trips, we’ve learned something we really wish someone had told us earlier…
Want to know how much to budget for Lightning Lanes for your Disney World trip?
Lighting Lane
It can be challenging to know how much money to plan to spend if you’re a while out from your trip, because Disney doesn’t release prices until a few weeks ahead of time. But don’t worry — we’ve been tracking Lightning Lane prices for years, and I’m here to help you predict how much you’ll be spending in November 2026!
Let’s cut to the chase. SHOULD you buy Disney World’s premium skip-the-ride-line-service, Lightning Lane Multi Pass, or SHOULD you save your money and spend it on something ELSE towards your vacation instead?
Journey Into Imagination with Figment Lightning Lane
We’re breaking down the PROS and CONS today, here on DFB Guide.
Are crowds about to get WORSE at Disney World? We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again: Disney World crowds and ride wait times can be unpredictable, but there are often some indicators that give us a clue about what we’re up against.
Kilimanjaro Safaris Lightning Lane
Throughout September, ride wait times and crowds have remained relatively low, but it looks like Disney is expecting that to change soon. We keep track of Lightning Lane prices at Disney World, and based on what we’re seeing for the first week of October, Disney is expecting an influx of crowds — because Lightning Lane prices are increasing.
Are you traveling to Disney World this month? September can be a great time to visit the parks because many kids are back in school, meaning you might see fewer crowds in the parks. However, there are almost ALWAYS going to be crowds in Disney World, which means you might still face long standby lines in rides.
Kilimanjaro Safaris Lightning Lane
Of course, you can bypass those long standby lines by purchasing Lightning Lane Multi Pass and Lightning Lane Single Pass, but depending on the day you visit, the prices for those could fluctuate. So we’re giving you the full price list for Lightning Lane in September 2026.
If you’ve spent any real time in the Disney World parks, you know that Cast Members are the glue holding the whole magical operation together.
Cinderella Castle
They’re smiling in 95-degree heat, answering the same question for the 400th time that day, and somehow still making it look easy. But even the most patient, pixie-dusted Cast Member has a breaking point. We talked to some former Cast Members to find out what guest habits drive them up the wall — and, more importantly, what you should do instead so your next trip stays magical for everyone involved.
August can be quite an interesting month in Disney World. Summer vacation has ended for many, but not all, so some families are still spending their last few weeks of freedom soaking up the Orlando summer sun.
Tower of Terror Lightning Lane sign
That also means that crowds can be a bit all over the place, which is why we keep a pretty close eye on them. If you’re traveling to the parks this month and want to skip the lines using Disney’s Lightning Lane service, you’ll want to budget well in advance.
Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind has been one of Disney World’s busiest rides pretty much since the day it opened. Suffice to say, the ride is especially busy during the holiday season, AKA the resort’s busiest time of the year.
Comic Rewind
So, if you’re heading to Disney World in December, how much is a Lightning Lane Single Pass for the immensely popular coaster going to cost you? Well, history can be our guide…
Ask any Disney World fan what EPCOT is known for, and you’ll get a dozen different answers — World Showcase, the festivals, the food.
Hello from EPCOT!
But over the past few years, EPCOT now has one of the strongest ride lineups in all of Disney World. Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind alone can pull standby waits over an hour, Test Track keeps guests lining up to design and race their own concept car, and rides like Soarin’, Frozen Ever After, and Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure round out a day that can easily be swallowed whole by lines rather than actual ride time. So what if there were a way to experience nearly all of it, back to back, with almost no wait at all?
Our handy (and portable!) ebook guides make sure you get the best deals and can plan a vacation of a lifetime.
