Florida dad who paid $1,400 for Disney World day trip recommends these more budget-friendly theme parks instead
Give the House of Mouse a miss.
That's the advice from a Florida father of three who went viral after spending $1,400 on one day at Walt Disney World.
Craig Stowell sparked a huge discussion about price hikes at Disney parks for the short video he shared on his TikTok account. He told The Post that there are much better choices for budget-conscious families — especially if you're going on short notice.
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The mad Disney dad was said he felt like he was being punished when he and some family friends decided to go to Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida for a last-minute trip.
5 Florida dad Craig Stowell spoke to The Post.
NY Post
'Disney really wants you to be a Disney vacationer. So they want you not to leave the park,' he said.
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'You are there on the property the whole time and that is your vacation. Those one-day trips that I used to do as a kid, that's not really what they want anymore.'
Forking out half a monthly mortgage payment for just one day in the park — without evening staying in a hotel overnight — led to some tough conversations for Craig with his children.
'We spent just under $1,400 in one day, which to me is nuts,' he said. 'My oldest son's 15, and he's starting to save for a car. That's how I put it in perspective and put a value on that dollar amount is, 'hey bud, this if your first car. We spent as much as you would have saved for your first car on this one day at Disney.''
With many Americans having to tighten their belts, taking the family to Disney is in danger of becoming out-of-reach for middle-class families, Stowell warned.
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Single-day passes at Disney World start at $119, the most expensive of the major parks.
As a result, he recommends that families choose other parks around central Florida for their next trip, if they're not looking to spend a mint.
Cheaper options include SeaWorld Orlando's Four Parks: Unlimited Visits passes. For $62, families can go to SeaWorld Orlando, Aquatica Orlando, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay and Adventure Island, with free parking included, he pointed out.
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Even Universal Orlando Resorts is cheaper than Disney, at $109 for a one-day pass.
5 A trip to a Disney park can cost an arm and a leg.
Walt Disney Resorts via Getty Images
5 Craig documented how much he spent in a single day at Walt Disney World.
flyingwheels/TikTok
'Just to put it in perspective, the Disney annual pass is $1,500 per person. I think I paid $300 a pass for Universal Studios. So it is a no-brainer for me to choose Universal over Disney 100% of the time,' Craig said.
He added: 'For a day trip, we'll shoot right up to Universal and not think twice about it. And I paid for it once. I didn't have to finance it throughout the year. I didn't have to suffer the $7,500 for a family of five to get Disney passes. It was like under-$1,200. The cost of a Universal season pass was less for a family of five than one season pass would have been for one person.'
5 Tickets alone for Craig's family cost almost a grand.
flyingwheels/TikTok
Craig promised budget-conscious travelers that they won't be disappointed if they go somewhere other than Disney.
'There are other parks that are far more family-friendly and affordable,' he said.
No surge
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Craig also criticized Disney's introduction of so-called surge or dynamic pricing at its parks this year, where prices are higher depending on how much interest there is at the park that day.
Under the pricing scheme, one-day tickets can hit $169.
And, Disney is set to raise prices even more for 2026 by increasing the number of days dynamic pricing is in effect, according to Disney watchers.
5 Disney recently introduced surge pricing at busy times.
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'Disney absolutely capitalized on me as a parent, my wallet, and everyone else's wallet with that surge pricing,' he said. 'Not only did I not pay the $119 advertised price, it was $184 per ticket because it was a prime weekend.
'And then that's the same with the lines. We're paying a premium to go on that premium day, and the only way to get on enough lines is to once again, pay for your express pass, your fast passes.'
Walt Disney World did not respond immediately to requests for comment.
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