It's all about the money...

[Tomh]

I ordered some of those online but one of the 2 sam's closest to me (45 mins either direction) has the $500 cards in store as well. In store also has packs of 3 $50 cards for around $143. I stocked up over a couple of months period to pay the balance on our room only reservation. Saved a couple hundred dollars this way.

Good to know. I thought I had read on their website that the $500 card was an online only item. For sure they didn't have it in my local Sam's Club. I will check around next year and see if any of the clubs near me have them. That would save me $1.00 / card on shipping lol. Then again, it would probably cost me more than that in gas to drive to the store and pick them up hahahaha.

 

[AngiTN]

this it how it reads now. I guess it's different than when I signed up a few years ago.

I believe this is the wording that's gotten them in trouble. They say this but there is no tip included in the fare

ETA - Actually, just noticed this says UberTaxi. If I'm not mistaken, that's a totally different service from Uber (select, xl, etc).

ETAA - Yes, it is a separate level of service from the Uber found at Disney
https://techboomers.com/t/uberx-uberselect-ubertaxi-uberblack

You must live in one of the few cities it's offered in. I don't, so I didn't even get an option to add a tip for it

 

[Meriam]

I don't think this has been mentioned...Disney automatically charges 18% gratuity to parties of 6 or more at TS restaurants. They even count an infant not ordering a plate.
We went on the dining promotion in May, and, while the food is covered, you pay 18% of what your bill would have been. Some of our tip charges were huge, so be sure to factor that into your budget...or since your kids are a bit older, you could (for some meals) split into 2 reservations and request to be seated next to each other at check-in.

 

[buckeyeguy1]

How about laundry? I found I prefer to do a couple of loads near the end of our trip. It saves us the hassle when we get home. We just plan on going to the pool at the resort for a while and I'll start a couple of loads on our way there.

Plan on having your debit card for the laundry too.

Also, you may consider a storage locker rental for a day or two. We usually rent one on a day we are going for the long haul and throw our backpack in it in the evening.

 

[JenLT]

...Tipping is not required, never is, even in a restaurant. But as we all are well aware, it's become the norm and few would eat without a tip.

Tips for parties of 6 or more are added in the restaurant check. OP, if this is a first trip the amount for tips can come as a shock. I see you have 4 kids going, so if you are doing the character buffets plan $35-40 per meal for tips.

Also, we never liked using snack credits on drinks because it didn't seem like a good value. You may want to budget for extra drinks in the park. Lots of people get the free ice water at QS which we do also, but sometimes it is quicker to get a bottle of water or soda from one of the stands.

Have a great trip!

 

[subtchr]

...or since your kids are a bit older, you could (for some meals) split into 2 reservations and request to be seated next to each other at check-in.

How would this save money?? Are you saying you would tip less than 18%?

 

[JenLT]

How would this save money?? Are you saying you would tip less than 18%?

Some people probably feel like servers at a buffet should be tipped less since you are essentially paying someone $40 an hour to bring you a drink and clear your dishes. Having paid my way through college waitressing, I am one who usually tips much higher than average, but I can understand some people's hesitation at Disney. The restaurant prices are inflated because it is Disney World and character buffets are higher priced due to the characters.

Personally, I wouldn't divide my party to avoid the tip. I might divide my party for other reasons if I am traveling with multiple families such as not being able to get a good reservation for a large party, or not everyone wanting to go to the same restaurant. I like family time on a family vacation though.

 

[All about me]

How would this save money?? Are you saying you would tip less than 18%?

Personally, because I tip according to service, I want the option to decide how much I tip. And, for basic service, I do tip less than 18%, I tip 15%. And if I am collecting my own food/drinks/luggage/whatever, they will not be tipped for the work I, not they, am doing. At our local buffet, we base the tip on our bar bill, not the buffet price, and if the person has been on top of clearing our used plates, we will tip 20%. If not, we don't and they get the basic 15%.

A tip is a gratuity, not a subsidy.

 

[pammydw]

This is really difficult. We don't know where you are eating to estimate tips or the oop meals. We also don't know what the budget for souvenirs is. I would take a look at the menus with pricing to calculate tips and oop costs for additional meals. I would also set a budget for each person for souvenirs and bring about 20% more than that amount. It is always better to have more than not enough. Also maybe check into buying gift cards at the local grocery store or Target. We always bring money in the form of Disney GCs. Our local grocery store has a rewards program where we get money off gas. It saves us a bit. If you have a Target Redcard you get 5% off Disney giftcards.

I had to see where you were from when I read your response! Just felt like you were close to me! Giant Eagle must be your grocery store! Go Steelers!!

 

[Crystal824]

I had to see where you were from when I read your response! Just felt like you were close to me! Giant Eagle must be your grocery store! Go Steelers!!

Yes, Giant Eagle is our local grocery store!!! We always stock up on Disney GCs when they have they 20 cents off promotion. Nice to meet someone on here relatively close!!!!

 

[Lisa F]

You can indeed put a debit card down as the card for MB charges. Of course, that means someone has to have the money in the account but if someone is getting cash out then obviously the money would be there.


Yes, food at Disney, and any theme park in the world, is expensive. We spend more at QS at Disney than we do a nice sit down restaurant at home. It's all part of vacation though. Cooking meals or preparing them in any way is not vacation to me. I do that at home every day. Vacation means getting away from doing things done at home.

not just that but cooking and cleanup takes precious time out of "vacationing" to me. A day at a disney park costs the same whether you are there an hour or 12. I can think of a million things I'd rather be doing at Disney than being in the kitchen. I'd be resentful of every minute I'm there rather than being out at the parks or even at the resort pool. Maybe if I went more than every 2 years I'd feel differently about it (like AP types who go many weeks out of the year). Plus we also consider disney dining to be part of the experience

I would also suggest that the OP sign up for online banking if they haven't already and rather than leaving thousands in your checking account with debit card, transfer money as you need it from a secured account every couple of days. Also this allows you access to ALL of your assets if you need it in case of an emergency rather than preplanning for it.

 

[Missyrose]

this it how it reads now. I guess it's different than when I signed up a few years ago.

The tip portion you're talking about is ONLY for UberTaxi, which is different from UberX, UberXL, UberBlack and UberFamily you use at Disney.

OP, I agree with everyone that I would never travel with that much cash. If you have the money to take with you, why not open a credit card to use strictly for the trip and pay it off immediately upon your return home? You are MUCH more protected that way. Even with a debit card, you will have a hold on the account for resort incidentals, and you run the risk of someone stealing the number and you're left without money to pay while the bank straightens it out.

If something happens with a CC, you are not responsibly for fraudulent charges.

Even having thousands of dollars in gift cards would make me nervous, because if any disappear from your room or your wallet, they're just gone.

 

[mom2rtk]

not just that but cooking and cleanup takes precious time out of "vacationing" to me. A day at a disney park costs the same whether you are there an hour or 12. I can think of a million things I'd rather be doing at Disney than being in the kitchen. I'd be resentful of every minute I'm there rather than being out at the parks or even at the resort pool. Maybe if I went more than every 2 years I'd feel differently about it (like AP types who go many weeks out of the year). Plus we also consider disney dining to be part of the experience

I would also suggest that the OP sign up for online banking if they haven't already and rather than leaving thousands in your checking account with debit card, transfer money as you need it from a secured account every couple of days. Also this allows you access to ALL of your assets if you need it in case of an emergency rather than preplanning for it.

I agree 1000%.

 

[6loversofdisney]

I would also suggest that the OP sign up for online banking if they haven't already and rather than leaving thousands in your checking account with debit card, transfer money as you need it from a secured account every couple of days. Also this allows you access to ALL of your assets if you need it in case of an emergency rather than preplanning for it.

That is an absolutely brilliant idea - transfer monies as I need them.

 

[6loversofdisney]

I never tip less than 20% so the 18% that they force on us for our party size actually saves me money. I don't feel the need to offer up the extra 2% as the tips for us are often $50.00

 

[AngiTN]

I never tip less than 20% so the 18% that they force on us for our party size actually saves me money. I don't feel the need to offer up the extra 2% as the tips for us are often $50.00

This is how I am with TiW card. They automatically add on 18%. When we tip "manually" it's always 20%, and then some, since we figure 20% of the total and round up to a whole number. With TiW we tip what they add on and only in some exceptional cases add more.

 

[Lisa F]

Personally, I wouldn't divide my party to avoid the tip. I might divide my party for other reasons if I am traveling with multiple families such as not being able to get a good reservation for a large party, or not everyone wanting to go to the same restaurant. I like family time on a family vacation though.

you can't even avoid the whole tip. I mean you can but that would be rude. Dividing your party to save 3% on your bill is ridiculous IMO (assuming you'd still want to tip the standard 15%). If your bill is $300 for your meal ($50/person x 6 people) it's a whole $9. If that $9 is that much of a deal breaker you should not be spending $50 a person on a buffet in the first place. If you feel the service warrants a reduction in tip from the autotip the manager will accommodate you. However it really seems ridiculous to split your party and eat at separate tables just to save $9.

 

[JenLT]

you can't even avoid the whole tip. I mean you can but that would be rude. Dividing your party to save 3% on your bill is ridiculous IMO (assuming you'd still want to tip the standard 15%). If your bill is $300 for your meal ($50/person x 6 people) it's a whole $9. If that $9 is that much of a deal breaker you should not be spending $50 a person on a buffet in the first place. If you feel the service warrants a reduction in tip from the autotip the manager will accommodate you. However it really seems ridiculous to split your party and eat at separate tables just to save $9.

Actually I thought 18% was the standard. I know years ago when I was a waitress it was 15%.

Yes, I think a lot of people pay less than that at Disney buffets. I know once a person mentioned in a thread that the servers don't make that much because so many people think tips are included in the meal. I think that it is wrong not to tip when servers make only a few dollars an hour.

I certainly wouldn't have my kids sit separately because of a tip. Lol. But some people might want that control. I think it is ridiculous to include the tip for larger parties if you don't for everyone. There's no reason to treat groups differently.

 

[Lisa F]

Actually I thought 18% was the standard. I know years ago when I was a waitress it was 15%.

Yes, I think a lot of people pay less than that at Disney buffets. I know once a person mentioned in a thread that the servers don't make that much because so many people think tips are included in the meal. I think that it is wrong not to tip when servers make only a few dollars an hour.

I certainly wouldn't have my kids sit separately because of a tip. Lol. But some people might want that control. I think it is ridiculous to include the tip for larger parties if you don't for everyone. There's no reason to treat groups differently.

18% is the standard, but it was listed as a way to "save money." I'm not sure how much you can "save money" without stiffing your server... so if they would prefer 15% (the standard) over the 18% auto grat you are splitting up your party of 6 to save less than $10. kind of a weird way to save a stupidly little amount of money... and if it's not a ridiculously small amount of money to you than you should not be eating a $50pp meal in the first place!

 

[MrsHull]

To get back to OP, we have used a combination of cash and debit card on our last two trips, though we do also have credit cards. Here's what how I budget:
Room and ticket package
Food and tips (use the restaurant board and allears to anticipate orders and amounts. I add 10% to what I think our food bill may be for each meal and then an additional 20% tip to that. I have never been caught short.) Plus an additional $50 per day for our two traveling days.
Alcohol-- you can look up menus and prices.
Souvenirs- just decide in advance what you can afford to spend and divide it out by day
Misc- $30 per day for incidentals. We usually take this home.
Transportation- gas if driving, using a mileage calculator.
Tips- $5 per day for mousekeeping. $20 for luggage on first day and last day
Extra activities like BBB

Hope this helps!