How Disneyland’s Payment Plan for Vacation Packages Works

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If you're thinking of putting together a Disneyland vacation for your family, the first thing you've likely noticed is how expensive an endeavor it is. With theme park tickets and hotel rates the highest they've ever been, visiting the happiest place on earth requires thoughtful planning and budgeting for most.

To help with this, you can take advantage of a little known option when booking your Disneyland Resort vacation package - you can make monthly payments towards your package. That's right, paying the full balance up front is not required in most cases.

There are a few things you'll need to know, and this blog post aims to inform you of those, along with offering a few bits of tips and advice along the way. Note that the monthly payment option is for practically everyone and not just California residents. Let's get into it!

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Disneyland Resort Vacation Package Payment Plan

First, in order to take advantage of the monthly payment plan, you'll need to book a vacation package consisting of a hotel (either one of the Disneyland Resort hotels or a "Good Neighbor" hotel) and Disneyland tickets. It can't be just be one or the other.

It isn't an official payment plan where Disney charges you a specific amount on a specified day of each month. Nor is there an automatic payment plan. Rather, it works similarly to a layaway plan, where you pay a portion of the total up front and make payments towards the balance while Disney "holds" your package.

Once you've paid the remaining balance in full, Disney will send you an email communication stating such. You may receive a welcome package in the mail but for most folks, you'll access your theme park tickets and hotel reservation information in the Disneyland app.

At the time of booking, you'll select the "Deposit" option within the "Payment Info" tab. No matter how large the amount of your vacation package is, the deposit amount is $200. It's been this amount for years, but it could always change in the future. It's the same for a Disney World vacation package as well.

You can pay the deposit with any debit or credit card, as well as Disney gift cards or reward redemptions (if you're a Disney Visa cardholder). Ensure that you're signed into your Disney account, as this is where all of your plan details will be stored.

After paying your deposit, the only requirement given from there is ensuring you make your final payment at least 30-days prior to your arrival date. You can make weekly or monthly payments, or even pay the final balance in 2-3 large payments. It's entirely up to you.

As long as the full amount is paid off prior to your arrival, how often and how much you pay at a time is entirely up to you. If you're getting close to the deadline and need more time, call the resort reservations line and explain your situation to the cast member. They're usually able to accommodate you.

While going this route doesn't make a hotel rates or ticket prices any cheaper, it does help to make your magical vacation a bit more attainable. Just remember to have a budget in mind prior to booking and be sure that you can commit to a self-imposed installment plan. 

​Making it even easier is the lack of interest charges on your vacation package. The amount you booked is the amount you'll pay - nothing more. You'll also have the option to purchase travel insurance. If you elect to do so, that amount will be added to your deposit.

Vacation Package Perks and Magical Extras

Aside from a standard pin and lanyard, there really aren't any special "on vacation" perks you get for booking a Disneyland Resort vacation package, in general. However, that changes if you book a Disneyland Resort Hotel, such as Pixar Place Hotel, as part of your package.

​Staying within the Disney bubble and having the ability to charge in-park purchases to your room are a couple of the perks, but the biggest involves being able to access Disneyland and Disney California Adventure before anybody else.

That's right. Guests of the three Disney-owned hotels get early access to specific attractions in each park 30-minutes prior to anybody else. So while regular guests are lining up for rope drop, you could easily knock out one, two, or even three attractions.

Get Away Today Ticket Layaway Plan

As stated above, you cannot make payments to Disney for Disneyland tickets. If you purchase directly through them, you'll either need to pay them in full at time of purchase or include them in your Disneyland Resort vacation package.

​However, if all you need is tickets but you want to make payments on them, there is a work around - purchase through the reputable Get Away Today travel agency. Purchasing tickets through them is the same as purchasing through Disney, as they're partnered with Disney.

​The one difference is they offer buyers the ability to put their tickets on a layaway plan. You'll pay a $200 deposit (which includes a $99 non-refundable fee) and like with Disney's vacation packages, you're free to pay what you want, whenever you want.

You have until 9-days prior to your arrival date to pay the remaining balance. When they're paid in full, you'll receive a code to load your tickets into the Disneyland app, much like if you purchased directly through Disney. To take advantage of this, visit Get Away Today here and select "layaway" at checkout.

If you’re looking for recommendations for hotels close to Disneyland, see my reviews of Hotel Indigo and Four Points by Sheraton!

Buy me a coffee?

If you found this blog helpful, consider leaving a tip through the Buy Me A Coffee button below! Whether it’s $1 or $5, every bit helps offset small travel costs like coffee, water, lunch, parking, or park entry fees. Your support means the world—thank you!