Everyone is making me paranoid about the amount of spending $ I'm bringing...

[Cad0587]

I will have $500-$550 by the time we go on our trip. Our vacation is completely paid for. We have the quick service dining plan but because of character meals (that are already paid for!) it leaves us with only have to pay for 4 meals out of pocket and I figure we'll buy 4 breakfasts since that's the cheapest meal to buy. There will be 4 of us, but my youngest probably can always eat off everyone else's plates. We have no problem just drinking water in the parks with refillable water bottles we're bringing. I'm not going crazy with souvenirs because we already have (already bought) a lot of Disney gifts the girls will be getting down there, it's basically our Christmas. I only plan on buying a few more things like a magnet, picture frame that says the year on it, maybe a cheap snow globe. That's most likely it. SO in my opinion I think the amount I'm bringing will be fine. But everyone I bring it up with makes it sound like I need WAAAAAAY more. I just don't see it! I also know I won't be able to save up any more than that, $550 TOPS $500 minimum.

 

[Ennazus8810]

Only you know your spending habits. We spend less than that when we go, with no problems. If you are comfortable with that amount of money, then you will be fine.

 

[Maggie'sMom]

I think you should be fine with that amount. You didn't say how many character meals you are doing, but remember you will still have to pay for the tip. That could be your most significant OOP expense. I think CRT includes tip in the price of the meal, but that's the only one that includes tip.

To save money on breakfasts, you could pack breakfast foods to eat in the room before heading out to the parks. I packed cereal and plastic bowls, then picked up milk at the resort to store in the refrigerator. I also packed granola bars for quick breakfasts on the go. Not only did it save us money, but more importantly, it saved us time since we didn't have to stop into a CS restaurant to get breakfast.

Remember to pack enough of things that would be expensive to buy at the resort, like sunscreen.

 

[chuckabone]

We took our first ever trip 2 weeks ago. I gave each of my kiddo's 50.00 gift cards, and guess what each one of them came back with about 25-30 still left. My kids are 10-10-11. We really did not spend alot of money at all. Bought a photo or 2 and that was it. Went to a off site souviner place spent a little bit. Personally I don't need all that stuff in my home. As long as you have a back up plan for emergency $$ like a CC, I would not worry about what others say.

 

[nmlovesdisney]

I am bringing about $500 also. Everything is paid for I purchased the dining plan also so we will probably eat cereal at the hotel or something. I am not going to purchase any toys or anything that is not going to be used at the house. I still have toys that have not been opened from last Christmas! You will be fine.

 

[whys_of_ma]

We aren't big spenders either. To us, the trip, the photos and the memories are what we want to bring back from a trip. We buy very very few souvenirs and so far, ours kids are perfectly fine with this. Last year, we bought them nice personalized signature books from etsy. We also brought lots of quarters and shiny pennies for pressed pennies (look online for pressed penny books that are much less expensive than buying them in the parks. After these things we gave them gift cards with a smallish amount per child (maybe $50). They asked for very few things knowing they were spending their "own" money. LOL

Anyway, if your room, food and tickets are paid for, you should be pretty much golden. Don't forget tips for the restaurants and hotel maids.

You will be great, don't worry

 

[debdebdebby13]

Sounds good to me We are leaving in 12 days and we'll have about $550 for the 3 of us for 7 full days. All meals are paid for through the regular dining plan, except tips and we are going to Universal for 2 days, those tickets are paid for as well. We aren't big souvenir people, so I think it's going to be plenty

 

[Southern Bell]

We are going to WD on the quick dining plan. We are taking $500. I don't know what you are having to spend your $500 for. We are just taking some cash because we have ran into problems before where the credit card service was down at a restaurant or what ever and you had to pay cash.
I figure our expenses are:
Our TRAVEL EXPENSE gas (about 300)& eats(100) down and back will be on the credit card. We won't eat 100 down and back. We just mainly eat something quick at a Wendys or McD's and sometimes have sandwiches in a cooler to start with.
SHOPPING $200 at the most- me($25-50), for my daughter and her 2 children $75- 150 Just depends on what I find.
We have a $50 disney gift card I figure we will use on breakfast or extra snacks. We have a Applebees and a Red Lobster gift card I figure we will use outside Disney. So I don't really figure on eating much more than the meals on quick service and our meals on our gift cards. But if we did I would figure eating in Disney for 2 people $60-$100 for that. Just depending where & what you order I guess. Coral Reef is one of my favorites and I think a steak is about 32 and the chicken is about 22. Thats not counting your drink, desert or tip.
I don't know if that helps but thats what I am thinking our expenses will be other than what we have already paid for.
So all of that comes to about $700 on the high side of us spending.

 

[LauraEadon]

If you have dinning plan (make sure you add tips! They aren't included) then you wont need anything else!

I think it's VERY wise to bring money for emergencies but you wont NEED that much (certainly not more)!

Going with kids, they'll naturally want some souvenirs, but that's to be expected.

I usually go down with about 300 dollars and come home with some left over (assuming I have the dinning plan on that trip).

 

[Jitzy]

Since you said your four character meals are already paid for, I think 500 is plenty. You'll probably have some left over.

 

[Schmeck]

How do you pay for character meals in advance?

 

[MSSANDRA]

I certainly think you can make it work if most things are paid for. Here are a few thoughts:

Travel expenses- gas, food, snacks along the way,tolls ?

Pre- trip expenses- Any new clothes items, sunscreen, keep the kids happy items, camera supplies?

Tips- You know what the meals cost so easy to figure.

Food- This can be 0.00 if it needs to be. CS meals are easy to share and stretch your credits to cover some breakfast and the bring some easy breakfast foods along. Everyone gets 1 snack a day and kids get adult size too. Share some and use some snack credits for breakfast. Mugs can help with meals at the resort. Use your mug at the food court and save your drink from the meal for later.

Souvenirs- Can be 0 or 5000, but you are totally in control. Discuss this with the kids ahead of time.

I also bring a credit card (we rarely use and never carry a balance at home) just in case of emergency and if you truly needed or wanted more money you could use that.

Think about how you want your money. Do you want all cash, or do you want to in your checking account and bring a debit card or would you want to put it on your charge account at the resort?

Good luck and have fun!

 

[kandb]

Are you sure it wouldn't of been cheaper to get the regular dining plan, since you are paying out of pocket for some Character meals? The character meals are so expensive, just wondering if it wouldn't of been cheaper to upgrade your meal plan?

 

[mommyof2princesses]

Not counting gas and travel expenses, we spend way less than that on our trips. We have the tips for our sit down meals, the annual magnet and maybe one other small item. That is all we need money for. We enjoy Disney itself and have been many times so we don't feel the need to buy souveniers that will collect dust (more work for me to dust).

 

[Cad0587]

Are you sure it wouldn't of been cheaper to get the regular dining plan, since you are paying out of pocket for some Character meals? The character meals are so expensive, just wondering if it wouldn't of been cheaper to upgrade your meal plan?

No it wouldn't. I checked it every which way and this was the best way.

Also our character meals are paid for already meaning one we had to pay for when we booked it which I believe was Cinderella's Royal Table they make you pay right away so I did and the others I already have the money specifically put aside for that and this money is not included in the $500 I'm talking about bringing with me so in my mind they're paid for! haha

Like I mentioned the girls already have their special Disney gifts purchased! They'll be waking up to a "surprise" every morning. So they won't be buying any toy like souvenirs and they're aware of this. The only stuff I want to buy is stuff like I said... maybe a magnet for the fridge that says 2012 and a picture frame that says 2012. That's about it, I like that type of stuff but nothing crazy or THAT expensive.

We have the quick service dining so aren't the only places I need to leave a tip is at the character meals? At quick service dining we won't have any wait staff waiting on us right? Even if we did I think we still would have plenty. And I know we gotta leave a tip for mousekeeping but added up that isn't really a huge expense either. You all made me feel much better! I think we'll be fine!

 

[Maggie'sMom]

We have the quick service dining so aren't the only places I need to leave a tip is at the character meals? At quick service dining we won't have any wait staff waiting on us right? Even if we did I think we still would have plenty. And I know we gotta leave a tip for mousekeeping but added up that isn't really a huge expense either. You all made me feel much better! I think we'll be fine!

That's correct. You generally only need to leave a tip at the TS restaurants. One exception I make is the Wolfgang Puck Express in DTD. This is a CS credit, but you place your order and sit down, then a server brings you your food when it's ready and offers to refill drinks. These servers have always been super nice and so I leave a couple bucks on the table for them when we leave.

 

[megan10310]

We tip at Wolfgang puck too. Just a few dollars.

On the quick service plan, just a suggestion. In our family, we often get 2 qs meals to share amongst the 5 of us. With as often as we eat, and the meal sizes at Disney, we have no trouble sharing. So you may not have to go oop on the breakfasts you think you will need to buy.

Read the reviews of some of the counter service restaurants, there are a bunch that give a great value and huge servings if you think you might be game to share a few times.

 

[Fjobe]

I think you will be perfectly fine with that amount!

 

[Schmeck]

No it wouldn't. I checked it every which way and this was the best way.

Also our character meals are paid for already meaning one we had to pay for when we booked it which I believe was Cinderella's Royal Table they make you pay right away so I did and the others I already have the money specifically put aside for that and this money is not included in the $500 I'm talking about bringing with me so in my mind they're paid for! haha

Like I mentioned the girls already have their special Disney gifts purchased! They'll be waking up to a "surprise" every morning. So they won't be buying any toy like souvenirs and they're aware of this. The only stuff I want to buy is stuff like I said... maybe a magnet for the fridge that says 2012 and a picture frame that says 2012. That's about it, I like that type of stuff but nothing crazy or THAT expensive.

We have the quick service dining so aren't the only places I need to leave a tip is at the character meals? At quick service dining we won't have any wait staff waiting on us right? Even if we did I think we still would have plenty. And I know we gotta leave a tip for mousekeeping but added up that isn't really a huge expense either. You all made me feel much better! I think we'll be fine!

So, you have money put aside for the character meals, and you bought some stuff at home to give the kids instead of buying them things at WDW (which just seems strange, unless they are too young to know they didn't have to go all the way to WDW to get the stuff?) so you need your mousekeeping money ($5 a day?) and your minimal souvenir money. QS dining gets you 2 CS meals and a snack, which should be plenty of food with the character meals. Why not pack some breakfast foods to go, as you seem to be the thrifty type of person? Then $500 will be fine, excluding any type of emergency. You do have a CC to cover that, I hope?

 

[Queen2PrincessG]

We bring about triple that, typically 1500 for spending. I don't understand buying Disney presents not at Disney. It's not the same to me but if that's what you must do to save money I suppose it will work. How much do you have set aside for emergencies?