I've gone to Disney parks every year for decades. As prices rise, here's what I still splurge on—and skip.

This as-told-to essay is based on conversations with Sarah Rachul, 31, a senior director at a tech PR agency. She lives in Ohio and travels to Disney theme parks multiple times a year. It has been edited for length and clarity.

I remember meeting Goofy at Disney World for the first time as a toddler in my stroller. I looked up, and there he was, leaning over me. I've pretty much been a die-hard Disney fan ever since.

I try to get at least three visits to Disney parks in a year. Sometimes it's a quick 1-day trip with my parents, other times it's a week-long stay with my parents and my husband, or a solo trip to visit my best friend. I've been on Disney cruises, run Disney races, and have a wide collection of Disney memorabilia and merch, from mouse ears and pins to artwork and snow globes.

However, over the years, as Disney keeps raising prices, I've had to adjust where and how I spend my money.

For example, if there was a party happening while we were visiting a park, we'd always get tickets. We used to go to Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party and Very Merry Christmas Party all the time. Now, we have to really talk as a family about whether we want to spend $600 for a group of three to go, and the answer is often no.

I have the added benefit of being a Disney Vacation Club member since 2002, which comes with many discounts, including on dining, merchandise, and special events. Still, as Disney's rising prices continue, I've had to cut back.

Higher prices haven't stopped how often I visit Disney, but they have made me reconsider quite a bit of what I do while I'm there. Here's what I still find worth spending my money on.

I always buy an annual pass

Rachul has cut back on special events, like holiday parties, due to rising costs. Courtesy of Sarah Rachul

Park tickets are among the biggest expenses at Disney. If you have an annual pass, you are saving a lot of money. My annual pass last year cost $1,000 — and that was at the Florida resident rate, which we get through our DVC membership.

The annual pass covers the cost of admission, parking, and park hopping, which allows you to travel between different parks. It also comes with some discounts on dining and merch.

Of course, getting an annual pass is a commitment. You're really locking yourself into going to Disney at least once a year, usually twice, in order to make your money back on the ticket.

My husband, however, doesn't go to Disney as often as I do, and so he doesn't have an annual pass. That makes the price disparity between him and me absolutely insane. A 3-day hopper ticket, for example, recently cost him $640.

Rachul visits Disney parks multiple times a year to get her money's worth for the annual pass. Courtesy of Sarah Rachul

That made us sit down and price some things out. I realized that if I didn't have my annual pass and DVC membership, there's no way I'd be going to Disney every year. I'd maybe go once every other year.

I don't spend on premium shortcuts or add-ons

There's a lot at Disney that I skip entirely.

I don't buy Lightning Lane premium passes that can cost hundreds of dollars per person per day. I don't do VIP tours. I also no longer automatically add separately ticketed events, like holiday parties, to every trip.

I've also cut way back on tours and special activities. There are behind-the-scenes experiences I've wanted to do for years, like the safari tour, but when I look at prices like $240 per person, I usually decide against it.

Some of these extras are marketed as essential to having a good trip. I've learned they're not. If I'm already in a Disney park, I'm already immersed. I don't need to optimize every minute.

I'll always spend on food, but I'm selective

Rachul's favorite park at Disney World is EPCOT. Courtesy of Sarah Rachul

When I was a kid, my parents never bought food in the parks. We ate most meals in our room. Now that I'm an adult, food is part of the fun for me, but I'm careful about how much I spend.

For a weeklong trip, I budget about $500 in fun money for three people to spend in the parks. That covers Epcot festival booths, one nicer sit-down meal, and quick-service food. My dad, for example, always gets a Mickey ice cream bar when we visit.

For everything else, I pack snacks. The villas we stay in through the DVC membership have a full kitchen, so we grocery shop and cook most of our main meals.

I also budget for drinks. I'll usually have no more than two per day in the parks. I love places like the Star Wars bar and Trader Sam's Grog Grotto, but cocktails can easily cost $15 to $20. Over a weeklong trip, I'll spend about $200 to $250 on alcohol.

What I don't do anymore is buy food just because it's themed or going viral. If it's good, I'll get it. If it's not, I walk past.

I'll spend on things that feel personal, not mass-produced

I used to feel pressure to buy everything. When I was more active on social media and wanted to be a Disney influencer, I thought I needed the newest ears, the limited-edition merch, the items no one else had.

That impulse is gone. I rarely buy merch in the parks these days. I often encourage people who want to wear Disney shirts or ears to look beyond Disney-owned shops.

There are so many talented Disney-focused creators selling on Etsy, Instagram, and TikTok who create really unique and stylish merchandise. The items are often significantly cheaper, or if they're around the same price as park merch, the quality is usually much better.

I still pay for RunDisney — even though it's gotten harder to justify

Rachul has run the Dopey Challenge twice. Courtesy of Sarah Rachul

The most expensive Disney experience I still prioritize is runDisney races, even though they're also one of my biggest frustrations.

I've completed the Dopey Challenge twice, which includes a 5K, 10K, half-marathon, and full-marathon over four days, totaling 48.6 miles. When I ran it most recently, registration alone cost about $800, not including travel or lodging.

I love running through Magic Kingdom before sunrise. I've run many road races, and nothing compares to the level of entertainment Disney puts into these events.

The medals are a different story. My 2018 marathon medal from the 25th anniversary race is heavy, enamel-filled, and intricate, with moving parts. The medals from my 2023 Dopey Challenge were lighter and chipped easily.

You get six medals for finishing the Dopey Challenge. You used to be able to wear them all around the park afterward. Now that's not realistic because they scratch so easily. I had to wrap each one individually to make sure they didn't damage.

I treat Disney like others would treat a lake house

Some people go to the same lake every summer. Disney is that place for me.

I don't rush from ride to ride anymore. I walk around Epcot with a drink. I people-watch. I talk with my parents, my husband, my friends. That's what I'm paying for.

As Disney gets more expensive, I've learned to separate what feels meaningful from what feels transactional. I still spend money there — just not on everything.