10 Day Budget

[juliette]

Okay for everyone that has been there recently and spend about 10 days. How much did you guys spend for about 10 days while you are there? (Food and souviners) We are planning on having breakfeast in the room. We are DH, DD(11), DS(5), and myself. Thank you for you feedback. Hotel car rental park passes all paid for already

 

[mickeysaver]

I will be there with my honey in December and the vacation will be 11 days with a full 7 days at WDW. The other days will be spent visiting family and friends in FL. We have a budget of $4200 for the trip. I hope this helps. We stay in the value resorts and usually grab a granola bar and a Coke on the way to the bus in the morning. We do enjoy lots of good food in the parks and buying several collector's pieces. We have no kids, so we can afford to play a little. Mickey

 

[disneymom3]

Are you on or offsite? That is going to make a difference. You did say you have a car rental, so if you are willing to go offsite for dinners, that will help. Also, what month are you going in? Shorter hours mean more time to get offsite to eat. Even with these things though, your answers are going to vary hugely. For instance--our trip in Dec we spent an average of $35 a day on a 12 day trip. Not all days were spent in the parks of course--some days we went in and didn't spend any money--gasp!! Others we spent more. Had a full kitchen so that helped enormously. Probably spent a total of $100 maybe $150 on souvs. We have also made several trips though and that will make a difference. If I spent as much as the previous poster is comfortable with, I would have a coronary! That is me and my comfort level.

(We are a family of 5--mom, dad, 6 yo, 3yo, 1yo)

 

[momof2intx]

We just got back from WDW and did 4 days at the parks, 2 days of other stuff and 2 days of driving. With travel expenses, food and everything (EXCLUDING park hoppers, I bought them weeks before we left) We spent about $1100. It helps because I'm a Wyndham emplyee and got a great deal....so I know that next year when we want to stay at the CR we will be paying alot more. But I will be booking it soon so that I can have it all paid by the time we go again.

My advice, check out the Hot Dogs at the parks. They are huge and yummy and only $3.75 each. Our 2 little ones shared them and they were a big hit!

 

[suevee]

I am afraid I have not been very thrifty on my previous trips. Each trip was going to be the "BIG ONE." I allowed $50 per person per day for food and souvenirs, even the children. We usually had one big meal a day. We are not big souvenir collectors and I usually bring a anywhere from one to three hundred dollars home. This year we bought annual passes and plan to go more often. So I hope to be more careful with my money.

 

[juliette]

Okay its me again. Well sorry for the left out info. We are staying on site at the ASMo and will be there from June 30- July 10. Hours are late so eating of site might not happen. As I mentioned before its just for food and souviners. Thanks for the responses already keep them coming

 

[prncess674]

I personally would separate out Souvenir money from food money. I always hear people on this board talk about how much they buy at the parks. I could never spend as much on Mickey stuff as they do. Maybe I am not a big souvenir person but I personally don't want that much stuff with Mickey Mouse on it. Some of these people must have wall to wall and floor to ceiling Mickey.

My personal souvenir budget is (no matter the length of the trip):

- One T-Shirt - $25
- One hat or ears - $20
- Souvenirs for friends and family - (key chains for the adults, small plushes for the kids) - $50

Maybe I am not sentimental but I think $100 per person per trip is more than adequate.

 

[WIcruizer]

We're leaving in 4 days (driving to save $) and we'll be at WDW for 7 nights. 4 days in the parks. I think it depends how often you go. If it's your first trip, or it's been many years then I can see spending more on souvenirs. For our family of four, we spend maybe $100 at the most for our entire family on souvenirs. Not per person...TOTAL. But that's because we go to WDW every year, as well as shopping at the Disney Store throughout the year. So we let each child pick out one or two things they really like. Don't really have a budget, as long as what they want is reasonable.

The hotel and food is the key. If you really want to save, here's where to do it. You can spend between $30-$300 on a room, so your budget will depend on your selection here. This yr, we're staying at the Summerfield Suites right outside the Disney Village entrance. $69/night plus tax. Far nicer rooms than most of the hotels on site, IMHO of course, for less $. Since we're driving, add gas, parking fees $200.

Hotel $560
Hotel $100 (2 nights traveling to and from Orlando)
Travel $200
Souvineers$100
Park Pass $750
$1,710 so far

Now food....our hotel offers bfast so that's a big saver. Bringing water, soda, snacks into the park. Light lunch... then a good dinner OUTSIDE the parks. I'm figuring $50 a day, for $350 total. So we're at $2060 total. Add $40 for a cushion and my grand total is $2100 for the week for everything. And it may sound like we're scrimping on everything but I don't see it that way. Very nice hotel, see all the parks at least once, plenty of dining at nice restaurants. We're just skipping the $1200 for air travel, another $300 or so staying off-site instead of a WDW Moderate hotel, and another $200-$500 by not spending very much inside the parks.

 

[iwannabeminnie]

The best way I know to save money on food in the parks is to share. My husband and I always split an appetizer and an entree. Sometimes we are so full we are miserable. The four of you can easily split 2 meals between you and be satisfied. If your children are picky eaters you may have to get kid's food for them and you and your husband share an adult meal.

 

[TreeOfLife]

Maybe I am not sentimental but I think $100 per person per trip is more than adequate.

Amen to that. It is not a matter of being sentimental but rational.

The character outlets often carry the same merchandise for deeply discounted prices. Rent a vehicle, take the bus or trolley to get to them and you save a lot more money.

Plan early. Nothing on earth saves you money if you decide to go even two-three months ahead of your arrival date, in my opinion. Planning early helps you pay off as much as possible and search for good codes and promotions.

We are staying ten days during our next trip. Already, my plane tickets are taken care of, they are award tickets. We bought our passes last year so this year they are not in our budget. That has given us extra money to go to events like the MVMCP and an AK tour. The children knew in January that we planned to visit in December so early on they started saving their own money for souvenirs. Birthdays, graduations and special occasions give them chances to save their money.

Certificates and vouchers may also help you prepay meals or get them free or at a discount. We're staying at both Disney and Universal, onsite. There are ways to save on meals at both parks if you know where to look and plan ahead of time where you'll eat. Look up the menus to get an idea of how much you'd spend.
I think not doing so is the main reason why some people go crazy buying vouchers and certificates they're stuck with when they come back.

So I say again, the key is to plan ahead early enough to be able to pay off as much as possible before you go. That way come what may, you could still make your trip or have the satisfaction of returning from it without fearing the bills in the mail afterwards.
It makes it a much more enjoyable vacation to us.

 

[MOMTOMOOTOO]

Originally posted by WIcruizer
For our family of four, we spend maybe $100 at the most for our entire family on souvenirs. Not per person...TOTAL. But that's because we go to WDW every year, as well as shopping at the Disney Store throughout the year. So we let each child pick out one or two things they really like. Don't really have a budget, as long as what they want is reasonable.

I am so with you on that!! It's become our 1st night ritual that the girls get to pick new pjs. And I let them each get maybe one small souvenier. DH and I get nothing. I'm not a big fan of all that little chatchke (sp) type stuff.

I would prefer to spend the money on food!

 

[carone0318]

Last year we were there for 9 days, family of 4, dd was (5), ds was (1). We do go every yr, so it does cut down, but we ended up spending about $1100, that included food (meals and snacky stuff) and souvenirs. I thought that that was pretty good. Although I don't buy tons of souvenirs for the moment, I do buy plenty of gift items that I put away for dd's b-day or for Christmas. I am always planning ahead. Dd and now ds do get disney dollars for holiday presents from Santa, Easter Bunny and relatives. I also have a challenge out there for dd. For every spelling test that she got all the words right, I'd give her a disney dollar, well she has only missed it twice and I owe her about $18 that we have to go get from the Disney store this weekend before our trip. She will have about $80 of her own money which will cut down on me buying her souvenirs and ds has about $30. This money goes to the silly stuff, like the light up spinning things.

With all of that been said, we are doing the 3 night cruise and then heading to Disney for 5 nights. I doubt that I will be in the same budget this yr. We have never been on a cruise and do anticipate buying a lot of cruise souvenirs...

 

[ls1222]

We stayed 10 days last year (family of 5 -2A, 3C) and spent about 650.00 for food and souviners. We too ate breakfast in our room. We usually ate a quick lunch and sometimes dinner late at night at the food court (POR). We had one character lunch and ate at the Rainforest and Planet Hollywood once. In addition to the above amount we spent some on Mickey bars and bottled pop/water when we ran out.

 

[WIcruizer]

Originally posted by TreeOfLife


Plan early. Nothing on earth saves you money if you decide to go even two-three months ahead of your arrival date, in my opinion. Planning early helps you pay off as much as possible and search for good codes and promotions.

Not to sound argumentative, but I don't agree with that. These days the LATER you book the better off you are in most cases. We waited until about a week before leave this year, and got an incredible deal on a hotel. Even if you're staying on-site you're more likely to get a bargain late because they need to fill those rooms. We always just stay aware of any promotions. For example, we almost jumped at a deal for the moderates a month ago...just over $100/night as I recall. But we found a two bedromm suite for $87 right outside Disney Village. The park passes are always about the same, so no reason to buy them early.

But I agree with you about PLANNING early, putting money aside and having the kids do the same.

 

[JetMom]

We are a family of 5 -- Myself, DH, and DS's (10, 8, & 5). We usually budget $150/day for food. Some days we spend less, some days more, but it averages out. Use the menus at www.wdwig.com to help you plan.

We usually save up change , etc. and divide it among the boys for souveniers. They usually have about $10/day to spend however they like.

My souvenier budget for a 10 day trip (I buy all the t-shirts for the 5 of us - a new christmas ornaments- and some pins for my jacket) is usually another $300 -$400.

I tend to be very thrifty throughout the year and only splurge at Christmas and on our yearly vacation.

I hope that helps.

 

[Suedrews]

A couple of years ago, we were at wdw for the first time (dh, ds(12), dd(4) & me) for 5 days.....we put $125 a day in 5 envelopes....some days we spent less than that, some days more....it worked out great....I also put my towncar money & mousekeeping money in separate envelopes before we left for the trip.....I kept the envelopes in the safe & pulled them out daily....when we go this year, we will budget less because we got all that souvenir stuff out of our system.....the autograph books, pens, mouse ears, etc. are all coming with us for a second time...we only eat 1 big meal & 1 small meal per day....breakfast is on the run (poptarts, granola bars)....

 

[frannn]

I usually plan everything months in advance (change discounts if necessary due to additional codes and discounts), and compile my offsite dining coupons and onsite menu copies. I try to spend as little on transportation and lodging as possible, but we always fly and stay onsite at an AS resort. Then, I go to the disney outlets about 2X. This is where I differ- I totally SPLURGE at the outlets. I don't care where I sleep or eat (to a point, of course!), but I LOVE disney, and I know we go about once or twice a year (spaced so it's just under a year), so I LOVE to get tons of souveniers. My DDs usuall don't go with us, so I get them lots of souveniers. These things help ease the wait for the next vacation. My weakness is clothes, snowglobes, and videos. I have just started with the pins, but will probably not buy a ton. We don't have a disney outlet nearby, and the DS does not carry much of the stuff I used to buy. Ok, I have sufficiently justified my obsessive WDW spending! That being said, we will be there for 10 days also (DH, me, DD1), and 3500 will probably cover everything (except plane fare), including a few character meals.

 

[juliette]

thank guys for all the responses. Keep them coming I like to hear everybodys ideas. Also how much do you think I should budget my DD 11 for souviners. Its a surprise trip so I can't tell her to save her own money.