Spending Money Budget - Is it possible?

[Blessedwithboys]

Hi all! My parents, husband two boys 2( at trip time) and 4.5 (at trip time) and my myself are booked for a September trip. Money has gotten tighter since planning the trip but we are all still SO excited to go that I feel like I can just budget our spending and still be able to afford it.
Trip is almost paid for btw!!

We are on the FREE dining plan and will be dining as a group with my parent for all but two meals my parents have said they will take care of tipping when we eat together so I have budgeted 60.00 for the two nights we will be eating as a group of 4!

I budgeted 40.00 for mouse keeping and other resort tipping. Since we will be in an AOA suite my parents will chip in some too!

My kids each have a 50.00 gift card to spend on souvenirs.

I figure we may spend 50.00 total on food outside of the dining plan and at the airport ( I am bringing breakfast and snacks).

Planning on another 100.00 for family suveniors and incidentals.

Do you think I can get by on 500.00 worth of spending money on Disney vacation???

 

[mariahasmousefever]

Hi all! My parents, husband two boys 2( at trip time) and 4.5 (at trip time) and my myself are booked for a September trip. Money has gotten tighter since planning the trip but we are all still SO excited to go that I feel like I can just budget our spending and still be able to afford it.
Trip is almost paid for btw!!

We are on the FREE dining plan and will be dining as a group with my parent for all but two meals my parents have said they will take care of tipping when we eat together so I have budgeted 60.00 for the two nights we will be eating as a group of 4!

I budgeted 40.00 for mouse keeping and other resort tipping. Since we will be in an AOA suite my parents will chip in some too!

My kids each have a 50.00 gift card to spend on souvenirs.

I figure we may spend 50.00 total on food outside of the dining plan and at the airport ( I am bringing breakfast and snacks).

Planning on another 100.00 for family suveniors and incidentals.

Do you think I can get by on 500.00 worth of spending money on Disney vacation???

I don't know how long you are going for but your budget sounds very reasonable. I think your kids are young enough that they won't ask for everything in the store and that should help!

 

[Disneychix]

I think that is very doable for my family-but we tend not to really buy souveniers. One thing for each of us is about it. Do you or your DH drink alcohol? That would be the only place I could see spending more money than you would think.

Have water delivered to your room and pack snacks or send them ahead of time.

If you are having a strict budget the first thing to go on my list would be tips for mousekeeping. Sorry, just MHO. I would still tip luggage handlers but leaving more than say- $1 or $2 dollars per bed would be it for me in the room.

You don't say how long you are staying-how many nights/days?

 

[HM]

Totally doable.

 

[2 lil'princesses]

Absolutely! My DDs were the same age on their first trip and we only took them to the Pop store on their last day and let them pick out a couple of things each. Other than that we mostly steered clear of them. With their stroller, it was harder to go through them at the parks anyway.

Your budget for everything else sounds very reasonable, too. Have a wonderful time! AoA looked great when we wandered over there from Pop in June.

 

[DisneyEater]

Just tell the kids their budget ahead of time so they can really consider what they want. This works for my kids and we only spend $25 each for them (plus we buy them hats every year).

 

[Blessedwithboys]

Thanks All!! So glad to hear you all think it is doable. We will be there for seven days! My husband and I do not drink really at all, and wont be on vacation!!

I am heading over to the Who to Tip thread to see if I need to add more in that area... I do not want to gip anyone working hard at their job.

I agree that since my kids are little, esp the 2 year old we can kind of steer them toward budget friendly souvenirs. Any idea how much build your own light saber is? That would be my sons number one item and I woudld like them to get ears Though my mom tends to indulge the kids I like to make sure I have my kids covered because I in no way expect her to purchase them items!!

 

[davmill]

Seems like a reasonable amount to me....heck you might even have some left over.

 

[fakereadhed]

Mousekeeping is not a tipped position per WDW.

 

[limace]

I always tip housekeeping so I wouldn't leave that out. I figure that anyone who gets paid low wages to clean up after my family deserves a tip

 

[delmar411]

t-shirts are around $25...sweatshirts are around $50

the lightsaber is $20-25

ears have a range but basic ones are around $12-15? if you want their name on it that's like $5

What kind of dining are you on? You've upgraded your dining plan? Because the free plan is the QS one, no table services.

 

[vleeth]

My best money saver is to buy stuff at home and take it with you. We bring a small, wrapped, inexpensive gift for each park day. Usually dollar tree or dollar general toys. They get a new toy and are super excited about it, have something to play with in lines and if they lose it, it cost $1 or $2 verses $20 in the park.

 

[vleeth]

Oh, I forgot...glow bracelets. I buy them when I can find 10 in a tube for $1 at either dollar tree or target. She plays with those at night instead of paying $15 for a spinning toy. I also attach glow bracelets to her shoes (around the laces) so that if I lose track of her at night I can just look down at peoples feet to find her.

 

[Blessedwithboys]

t-shirts are around $25...sweatshirts are around $50

the lightsaber is $20-25

ears have a range but basic ones are around $12-15? if you want their name on it that's like $5

What kind of dining are you on? You've upgraded your dininylan? Because the free plan is the QS one, no table services.

Yes we upgraded our dining to the Magic plus we were wanted to stay in AOA so bad it was worth it to me!!

Thanks for the pricing info. Look like if we stick with that budget he will have more than enough for ears and a lightsaber and maybe another little du dad! Which makes me very happy. I am sure if he really has his heart set on something else his mimi get it for him also!

 

[PrincessSuzanne]

I think you will be fine. You can look at the restaurant menus on www.allears.net and get an idea of you tip amounts. I always do that. I make an envelope for each restaurant with the reservation number written on it and the amount that I estimated I would need for the tip at that restaurant in it, and add to or subtract whatever is necessary, that way you don't accidently spend your tip money somewhere else.

We don't bother to tip housekeeping, it is NOT a tipped position. Most days, we leave the do not disturb sign out anyway so they don't go in the room, because we like to take a mid-day break.

 

[AnOtHeRdIsNeYfReAk]

Honestly, I've gone two weeks with a 9 year old and 16 year old with $500 spending money. It is very do-able. Since you are bringing breakfast and snacks (as we did) and you are on the dining plan, you'll probably have snack credits leftover. We had about 10 snacks left and the girls each used 5 for "edible souvenirs" to bring back. The mickey rice krispy treats work great for this.

There is a $10 and under disney store in Downtown Disney where we found some grab bags for a few dollars each. These were a great buy.

 

[Blessedwithboys]

Oh, I forgot...glow bracelets. I buy them when I can find 10 in a tube for $1 at either dollar tree or target. She plays with those at night instead of paying $15 for a spinning toy. I also attach glow bracelets to her shoes (around the laces) so that if I lose track of her at night I can just look down at peoples feet to find her.

Fun ideas! I think I saw a glow sword at Dollar Tree how cute would that be during the parade. I do not think we will be buying clothing there. Possibly a star wars shirt if he chooses that over a light saber. I bought them a few 8.00 Target shirts with mickey, cars etc.

 

[Sagginit]

yes it seem very doable. also keep in mind snack credits can be used for water, and at QS locations you can swap another drink (water) for dessert (unless they changed that rule). we had DDP and we found we never had to buy water or snacks with the two credits a day.

just make sure you pack everything you need as giftshop prices on simple things like sunblock or shampoo can be killer.

 

[wide awake]

I agree w/ the PP about not tipping housekeeping. I don't do that at any other hotel so don't understand the WDW thing. We've always had clean rooms and lots of times towel animals...not that I care about that, but many on the boards seem to think that is a big deal.

 

[Aliceacc]

We always tip housekeeping, anywhere, so of course we continue the practice at Disney.

But what I'm in the midst of doing is this: I made up tip envelopes, one for each day we'll be there. My daughter decorated them with Disney stickers, and each one says "Thank You Mousekeeping."

Each time I have a $5 in my wallet, I fill one of the envelopes. I think I have 2 left to fill.

$5 at a time, it doesn't make a differnece to me, while a week-end tip of $35 is something I would feel.