This is a tougher question than meets the eye! There is a "sweet spot" when it comes to a budget trip vs one pulling out all the stops. The way we have always looked at is Disney will always have ways you can spend more money, the trick is staying within your budget, because spending more will not necessarily mean greater enjoyment. Especially when you get your bill at the end of your trip. Will you enjoy the $100per person fireworks dessert party more than the $7per person Dole Whip even if you have to stake out your spot 45 minutes before?
One way this gets tricky is multi-day tickets. Disney tickets typically get less expensive per day the longer you stay. A weeklong trip can become cheaper per day than a 2 day trip. 1 long trip may come out cheaper than 2-3 short trips. If you factor in transportation (flight/ drive time) that will also play a part. We have definitely hunted around for hotel deals in the past. I would always start looking with a set budget in mind: I don't want to spend more than ______ dollars for hotel this trip. If it came down to an extra 2 days in the parks to stay in a cheaper place, it was worth it to me if we were taking a go, go ,go trip. Now that we are older and have 3 kids, I value more relaxation time and space for us and the kiddos I look for a hotel with more amenities.