Spending Money?????

[blbruell]

We are planning our trip and trying to figure out how much spending money to bring. Family of 4 including 2 boys 6 & 10. We have the DDP which includes 1 QS+ 1 TS+ 1 snack for 7 days/7nights. The trip itself is paid for. Just trying to figure out $$ for souveniors, tips, alcohol, etc....We want to have fun and be comfortable without going crazy overboard! This is our 1st REAL family vacation

 

[JessiLynn015]

We are planning our trip and trying to figure out how much spending money to bring. Family of 4 including 2 boys 6 & 10. We have the DDP which includes 1 QS+ 1 TS+ 1 snack for 7 days/7nights. The trip itself is paid for. Just trying to figure out $$ for souveniors, tips, alcohol, etc....We want to have fun and be comfortable without going crazy overboard! This is our 1st REAL family vacation

It all depends on the family My husband & I enjoy an alcoholic beverage every now & then & I'm always adding to my picture frame collection. We shop at Sams so I start buying gift cards from there just about every shopping trip. $25 or $50 here or there definitely adds up before our vacation & there are no spending worries when we get to the World I also know grocery stores sell gift cards and can be used towards fuel points. (In NY we have Price Chopper & in GA Kroger). I also think the gift cards may be a good idea for your kids. They can have their own card with xx amount of $$ on it and can choose how they spend it.

As far as tips go, for the two of us, depending on the price of the meal & the service (which is usually always amazing) range from $13-$20 per meal.

Hope this helps!!!

 

[blbruell]

Thanks I have read A LOT about purchasing gift cards for the kidsand I think that's a GREAT idea! We don't drink much but I know my hubbie wants to try the "beers around the world" at Epcot.

 

[DsnyMama]

We budget for *everything* including tips, mousekeeping, ect.. So all the money we actually need to take that isn't already allocated for something is souvenir money! The kids typically get new "ears" and whatever else strikes their fancy. I get 1-2 small items. We aren't souvenir crazy at all. I budget $150/pp for a 10 day trip. Each of us gets a giftcard with $150 on it and once it's gone, it's gone!

 

[usd2bmd]

The first time we went to WDW we took a lot of money for spending. I was an adult and had never been there and I love Disney, so I knew it was going to be an expensive trip. We set money aside for souvenirs and tips and things so that we could all get the souvenirs we really wanted.

That first trip I think we spent close to $1000 on souvenirs. I knew I was going to want to get photo albums and picture frames, scrapbooks and scrapbooking accessories, t-shirts, sweatshirts. coffee mugs, hats, kitchen items.
Plus then we had to buy gifts for family and friends back home.

These things add up quickly.
But you have to do what your budget allows.
Have a magical trip!!

 

[Wendybird55]

As far as tips...if you've already made you TS ADRs you can go to allearsnet and look at the menus for those restaurants and get a rough idea of what the cost would be and figure 20% tip. We will be 4 people (3 adults, 1child) and I figure depending upon restaurant it will be around $30 per sitdown for tip. As far as maid service you can figure about $5.00 per day or whatever you think best.

You can get gift cards for souveniers that will give everyone limits which is helpful, but I find the real problem to figure out are all those "little extras". You're on vacation, you're in Disney, you're in a good mood so...things like light up toys from the carts when waiting for night time fireworks or parades seem like a good idea to buy. Penny press machines look like fun and you start pressing pennies, character autographs...let's get an autograph book! Sitting on a hot sidewalk waiting for the afternoon parade and those mickey bars look REALLY good, but you've already used a snack credit that day...it's so hard to tell what you will spend your money on that you didn't plan for. You get one of those famous Florida thunderstorms and decide to buy ponchos...I keep smelling popcorn and have to have some!

So it all depends on how much restraint you have...Disney is a wonderful merchandiser with ALOT of attractive merchandise to sell. DS loves having his caracture drawn when we're there - last year he wanted 2! And our first year there I had to get one of those silhouette cuttings of my son on his first Disney trip.

So if you have a budget you neet to stick to, then do it...and you will be fine. Or be resigned to the fact you may get pulled into the Disney vortex of gifts and overspend a bit, but hey, you're on vacation and that's what it's all about.

 

[blbruell]

Thank you all for the wonderful tips! It's true that all of the "little" things add up!

 

[PrincessMom4]

My kids have a certain percentage of their allowance they can spend. We do not tell them how or where to spend it as they already have figured that out before we've gone...lol We get the annual pass discount.

 

[Ashlander]

I put together a bag of things to give the kids right before we leave. It could include pins, shirts, coloring, etc. All kinds of Disney things that I have found fairly cheaply. My kids are so excited to have this and they spend the entire trip going through it. They also get a $25 giftcard to spend on whatever they want. This trip we are going before Christmas so we will probably give them $50 so they can each buy a Christmas present for each other.

We will bring snacks for the hotel - probably cereal and milk too as well as bottled water.

With tips and all of the little things we probably spend between $300 and $500 while we are down there.

 

[MSSANDRA]

Your tip money is pretty much set but many other things are soooo flexible according to your budget. I agree to come to some understanding with the boys as to what they can buy. DS19, it was never an issue....he never asked for much. Our 5 year old.....we would spend 500.00 a day if we did not strictly limit his choices.

Don't forget to budget for pre-trip purchases. Someone needs new shoes, new underwear, some disney shirts you find on sale, sunscreen, a extra memory card for the camera, new keep the kids happy toys,etc etc. Adds up FAST.

Travel money...gas, a hotel stay, food,,,,,kids are board and driving me crazy and need a new DS game.

 

[jlhill4444]

Our family of four (2 adults 2 kids) usually budgets $500-700 for a week trip in extra spending money. This pays for tips, and a few little gifts. The kids also get $50 each to buy whatever they want. Usually a stuffie, toy or some trading pins. We don't spend a lot in the parks in addition to the dining plan for snacks. We usually bring breakfast items and some snacks so that cuts down on a lot of extra spending. We certainly could spend more, but we don't feel it is necessary, we also don't count our pennies while we are there. If we see something we really want, we get it, within reason!

 

[marmalade]

We are a family of 4, our kids are 5 and 7. I like to have $100/day, and that was for everything (tips, souvenirs, adult beverages etc...) We always come home with extra money, but I like to have too much rather than not enough. This trip we are doing the QSDP so no tips required, but I will probably still budget $100/day.

 

[noahdove]

Before I leave home, I have all my tip envelopes filled and marked. I also have an envelope with exta $1's in it in case I find I need extra. This year I won't spend as much as I have in the past as my whole family did a family dream vacation a year ago April and everyone got what they wanted then To save on "souvies" go to Goofy's candy in DTD and you can get many items less than $5.00...I know I haven't given you specifics, but just a thought maybe

 

[cormac05]

Thanks for all the tips, we are trying to stay in a budget too!

 

[blbruell]

It's so great to hear everyone's ideas! I did go online and "budget" for TS tips. I basically calculated as if we all got the most expensive thing on the menu, and you're right, looking at close to $30 for each TS meal. That was VERY helpful!!! THANK YOU!!!!

 

[blbruell]

Before I leave home, I have all my tip envelopes filled and marked. I also have an envelope with exta $1's in it in case I find I need extra. This year I won't spend as much as I have in the past as my whole family did a family dream vacation a year ago April and everyone got what they wanted then To save on "souvies" go to Goofy's candy in DTD and you can get many items less than $5.00...I know I haven't given you specifics, but just a thought maybe

Thanks! I think I'm going to do the envelope thing

 

[PosadaGirl519]

As far as tips...if you've already made you TS ADRs you can go to allearsnet and look at the menus for those restaurants and get a rough idea of what the cost would be and figure 20% tip. We will be 4 people (3 adults, 1child) and I figure depending upon restaurant it will be around $30 per sitdown for tip. As far as maid service you can figure about $5.00 per day or whatever you think best.

You can get gift cards for souveniers that will give everyone limits which is helpful, but I find the real problem to figure out are all those "little extras". You're on vacation, you're in Disney, you're in a good mood so...things like light up toys from the carts when waiting for night time fireworks or parades seem like a good idea to buy. Penny press machines look like fun and you start pressing pennies, character autographs...let's get an autograph book! Sitting on a hot sidewalk waiting for the afternoon parade and those mickey bars look REALLY good, but you've already used a snack credit that day...it's so hard to tell what you will spend your money on that you didn't plan for. You get one of those famous Florida thunderstorms and decide to buy ponchos...I keep smelling popcorn and have to have some!

So it all depends on how much restraint you have...Disney is a wonderful merchandiser with ALOT of attractive merchandise to sell. DS loves having his caracture drawn when we're there - last year he wanted 2! And our first year there I had to get one of those silhouette cuttings of my son on his first Disney trip.

So if you have a budget you neet to stick to, then do it...and you will be fine. Or be resigned to the fact you may get pulled into the Disney vortex of gifts and overspend a bit, but hey, you're on vacation and that's what it's all about.

LOL absolutely! We handle the 'extra' money by meting out $50 cash a day for souvenirs. At the end of each day whatever is left can be added to the next day. This way there is wiggle room but also boundaries... M'mmm Mickey Ice Cream and Turkey Legs