How much extra $$ should I consider?

[parkbr]

Hi,

Family of 3 (us and 2.5 y/o DD) are going Disney in December for 14 days.
Staying at the resort, using their transportation, and on a disney dining plan (DDP - 1 QS, 1 TS, 1 snack / person).
We're planning to pack breakfast and bring some snacks from home.

So here are extras that I can think of.

* Airport parking: $90 or Hotel the night before: $110 (includes breakfast)
* Tip: $200
* CRT: $76 (other half is using TS credit)
* Milk/extra snacks: $50
* Souvenirs (if any - we hate shopping and most of the Disney stuff, we'll get from home): $100
* Laundry: $5

Am I missing something?
Thanks!

EDIT: I came back and ended up spending less than planned! I posted the final breakdown on page 3.

 

[kymom99]

You might need more than $5 for laundry

 

[4HOLIDAYS]

I think your snack budget of $50 for 14 days is waaay to low. Just the off chance you get 1 water/soda/milk in the park would be $3? Let alone a dolewhip, Mickey bar, popcorn...again even 1 per day would be quite a bit more.

 

[katmatry]

What dining plan are you on? Table service tips for 14 credits may run you more than $200.

 

[pigletto]

I am not up to date on what the DDP includes anymore, but we never really went over the one snack a day it included when we used it. I might double that snack budget as a "Just in case" but we wouldn't use it.

Your laundry budget is low. I was at Universal last week, and I don't know current disney prices, but 3 loads of laundry cost me $18 to wash and dry. That didn't include soap or dryer sheets which I brought from home.

Tips might be low too if doing 14 table service meals. We also included housekeeping tips and tips for anyone who moved our bags at the airport (shuttle driver both ways). You will have a better idea than me of what you need/want to tip though.

Basically, I padded every budget category by about 10% more than my calculated costs. We came home with about 10% of the cash we took as well, so I didn't need it, but it was nice to know there was a cushion. It's now sitting in an envelope to go back into the vacation account .

 

[mi*vida*loca]

When we've done a week with the DDP and two kids we spent about $650 OOP (our bill from charging to the room at the end of the week) with tips, souvenirs, extra TS and incidentals. I would budget $1500 and hope we spend 1K for two weeks.

 

[parkbr]

You might need more than $5 for laundry

Thank you. I will budget $10.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

Thank you. I will budget $10.

I would budget $20. You are going for two weeks. Maybe even $30.

I personally like to over budget and have extra cash left.

 

[TwoMisfits]

Hi,

Family of 3 (us and 2.5 y/o DD) are going Disney in December for 14 days.
Staying at the resort, using their transportation, and on a disney dining plan (DDP - 1 QS, 1 TS, 1 snack / person).
We're planning to pack breakfast and bring some snacks from home.

So here are extras that I can think of.
* Airport parking: $90 or Hotel the night before: $110 (includes breakfast)
* Tip: $200
* CRT: $76 (other half is using TS credit)
* Milk/extra snacks: $50
* Souvenirs (if any - we hate shopping and most of the Disney stuff, we'll get from home): $100
* Laundry: $5

Am I missing something?
Thanks!

Better way to think of tips - average lunch/dinner regular TS is $50/adult (bev/entree/dessert or buffet) - so $100/dinner cost would be $18 tip each meal. $18 * 14 = $252 for tips. I'd round to $300, so you can order a glass of wine with your nicest meal or add an app or 2 once or twice...

 

[Disney_traveler]

Just a suggestion.....when we have table service booked I take little envelopes and put however much the tip should be in it, then write on the front what restaurant it is for, date, time and confirmation #. Usually a $20 bill more than covers 15% for 2 adults. For something more expensive like Cinderella's Royal Table we will do $30. Looking st our upcoming trip we have 6 days and 6 table service (one is just ice cream at Beaches and Cream) and I'm looking at $120 total for tips.

Edited to change: CRT is tip included. Whoops.

 

[parkbr]

I think your snack budget of $50 for 14 days is waaay to low. Just the off chance you get 1 water/soda/milk in the park would be $3? Let alone a dolewhip, Mickey bar, popcorn...again even 1 per day would be quite a bit more.

We have 2 snack credits per day (2 adults) and we will be packing snacks from home. My DD doesn't snack much - she eats more like fruit and I don't snack much either nor drink soda.
Water - we will bring them from the resort and it comes with the QS and TS, so I thought it was not really needed.

Should I re-think about it?

What dining plan are you on? Table service tips for 14 credits may run you more than $200.

We are on Disney Dining plan. There are only 2 ppl as my DD is free. I ran the calculation based on the price I find here (AYCTE price forum) and did 18%.

I am not up to date on what the DDP includes anymore, but we never really went over the one snack a day it included when we used it. I might double that snack budget as a "Just in case" but we wouldn't use it.

Your laundry budget is low. I was at Universal last week, and I don't know current disney prices, but 3 loads of laundry cost me $18 to wash and dry. That didn't include soap or dryer sheets which I brought from home.

Tips might be low too if doing 14 table service meals. We also included housekeeping tips and tips for anyone who moved our bags at the airport (shuttle driver both ways). You will have a better idea than me of what you need/want to tip though.

Basically, I padded every budget category by about 10% more than my calculated costs. We came home with about 10% of the cash we took as well, so I didn't need it, but it was nice to know there was a cushion. It's now sitting in an envelope to go back into the vacation account .

I will budget bit more for snack credits for sure. But given that we have 2 snack credits and I am not a big fan of snacks, I don't know if we'll need more.

We are just 3 ppl, so was thinking of doing just 1 load and planning to hang the clothes to dry. I read that some dryer smells.

As for TS tips, it is based on 2 people. Average 85/ meal. 18% of that is 15.5 dollars/meal = $15.5*14 = 214.2 - CRT = 200.
Oh, I forgot about housekeeping (or mousekeeping!) tips. Thank you.

Yeah, that's our souvenir money. I don't think we will even use that.

When we've done a week with the DDP and two kids we spent about $650 OOP (our bill from charging to the room at the end of the week) with tips, souvenirs, extra TS and incidentals. I would budget $1500 and hope we spend 1K for two weeks.

Is that because you had 4 ppl and paid their tips?
Our tip is based on 2 ppl and just 1 extra TS.
Can you please share what you'd include in incidentals? That will greatly help!

 

[parkbr]

Better way to think of tips - average lunch/dinner regular TS is $50/adult (bev/entree/dessert or buffet) - so $100/dinner cost would be $18 tip each meal. $18 * 14 = $252 for tips. I'd round to $300, so you can order a glass of wine with your nicest meal or add an app or 2 once or twice...

I budgeted $85/dinner. So I guess it's more than that. If that's the case, then $250 makes sense.
We don't drink unfortunately. But I will keep in mind adding an app here and there.

 

[parkbr]

Just a suggestion.....when we have table service booked I take little envelopes and put however much the tip should be in it, then write on the front what restaurant it is for, date, time and confirmation #. Usually a $20 bill more than covers 15% for 2 adults. For something more expensive like Cinderella's Royal Table we will do $30. Looking st our upcoming trip we have 6 days and 6 table service (one is just ice cream at Beaches and Cream) and I'm looking at $120 total for tips.

Edited to change: CRT is tip included. Whoops.

Thanks!
I read about home-made Disney envelops. For us, we were planning to use Credit card for the tips.

 

[parkbr]

I would budget $20. You are going for two weeks. Maybe even $30.

I personally like to over budget and have extra cash left.

Will do! thank you.

 

[Disney_traveler]

Thanks!
I read about home-made Disney envelops. For us, we were planning to use Credit card for the tips.

We did that the first time. Charged to room on magicband. This envelope system was easier for us to keep up with. We already knew it was taken out and didn't have to remember to check for amounts to go from pending to used. Plus when it comes to charging to the magicband, we learned no matter what your personal daily limit is, Disney has their own. The next to last last day we were buying souvenirs for family and were "declined". When we got back to resort that night to ask they realized they weren't keeping up and resetting it. We learned then to not think "oh all I need is my phone, ID and magic band for the day" hahahaha.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

We were a family of four, 2 adults and 2 kids, so we paid the tip on all meals.

Some incidentals were BBB for DD, pictures after BBB, ponchos, moleskin, extra TS meal, alcohol, tips for bell services, etc. It really adds up fast in WDW.

 

[scrapquitler]

You might need more than $5 for laundry

I agree with this. I think that I paid $2/wash and $2/dry last time.

And I think that $50 for milk/snacks might be low, even with your snack credits. For 14 days that works out to only about $3/day. I'd budget at least double that, maybe triple, just in case.

 

[hsmamato2]

I think you sound ok over all I know it's individual preferences, but when we did the DDP we maxed our credits out, and never spent an extra penny on anything, there was just SO much food involved! So anything beyond that I feel is too much lol. We tended to eat a quick bowl of cereal in our room tho,so that makes a difference. If you didn't do that one of your snack credits could be used for a breakfast type item in the a.m.- and save the other for an evening snack. and if it were me,I'd pay the few bucks extra to park sleep and fly with the free breakfast....

 

[parkbr]

We did that the first time. Charged to room on magicband. This envelope system was easier for us to keep up with. We already knew it was taken out and didn't have to remember to check for amounts to go from pending to used. Plus when it comes to charging to the magicband, we learned no matter what your personal daily limit is, Disney has their own. The next to last last day we were buying souvenirs for family and were "declined". When we got back to resort that night to ask they realized they weren't keeping up and resetting it. We learned then to not think "oh all I need is my phone, ID and magic band for the day" hahahaha.

Good to know. Thank you.

We were a family of four, 2 adults and 2 kids, so we paid the tip on all meals.

Some incidentals were BBB for DD, pictures after BBB, ponchos, moleskin, extra TS meal, alcohol, tips for bell services, etc. It really adds up fast in WDW.

Yeah, it seems like! I hope I can stay on budget. We're already over our initial budget!!

I agree with this. I think that I paid $2/wash and $2/dry last time.

And I think that $50 for milk/snacks might be low, even with your snack credits. For 14 days that works out to only about $3/day. I'd budget at least double that, maybe triple, just in case.

We will be bringing snacks & my DD eats a lot of fruits, but not like cookies, ice creams, etc. But I will double it just in case.

I think you sound ok over all I know it's individual preferences, but when we did the DDP we maxed our credits out, and never spent an extra penny on anything, there was just SO much food involved! So anything beyond that I feel is too much lol. We tended to eat a quick bowl of cereal in our room tho,so that makes a difference. If you didn't do that one of your snack credits could be used for a breakfast type item in the a.m.- and save the other for an evening snack. and if it were me,I'd pay the few bucks extra to park sleep and fly with the free breakfast....

We probably will have a bowl of cereals and granola bars daily and some fruits for morning snack and use the snack credits for the afternoon.

Yes! we're doing the park and fly. =D
It also works better as our plane now lands at 12:30 PM vs 6:00PM!

 

[dhardawa]

I've used DDP many times and never spent a dime extra and had tons of snacks left at the end (we bought stuff and took it home). There's so much food on the plan that we never wanted to snack.

Sounds like you've thought through tips well.

I'd plan more for laundry. Probably $30.

I'd budget maybe $100 for the unexpected. For example, I got a raging head cold once at Disney and needed medication they don't sell in the park. I had to special order it from a delivery pharmacy. I hadn't planned for that.