Anyone go with NO BUDGET!!

[TheRustyScupper]

1) I refuse to go to WDW without a budget.
2) However, when I leave it doesn't look like there was one.

 

[naf917]

We are with you. We work hard during the rest of the year so we like to enjoy ourselves when we are on vacation. We don't go overboard on buying things just because they are expensive, but if we want something we get it. We do not have debt (except our mortgage) and all our bills are paid on time, so we like to enjoy ourselves when we are on vacation.

 

[LadyGracey]

Well, I wouldn't say I go with NO budget...
If I need to go "cheaper," I just stay at a value and don't go pin-shopping. But I never seem to scrimp on food...or drinks...so yeah, I pretty much blow my wad every time.

At home I really don't spend much money or go out a lot and am reasonably thrifty (and I don't make a lot, I teach during the day and am a "starving actor" nights/weekends/summers...yeah I am pretty much poor!) so most of my "fun money" goes to WDW.

 

[Suellen]

We usually do deluxe dining. But we do not deny ourselves or our children anything while in the World. The kids don't ask for much ~ but they pretty much get whatever they want while they are there (unless I don't want to lug it home )

We work hard for our vacation and want to enjoy it!

 

[smylie1]

We buy and do whatever we want while we're there. Of course you have to use common sense.

 

[Colleen27]

I'm somewhere in the middle, I guess. I do my budgeting at home, by applying codes and deciding which dining plan to book, if any. Once we're there, I don't worry about money. It wouldn't be vacation to me if I had to think about every dime! We're not shoppers, so the spending never gets really crazy, but we don't hesitate to spend on tours or activities or things like that.

 

[jlewisinsyr]

We get the dining plan, but we don't really look at as a way of saving money, we use it more for convenience of planning ahead.

Once we are in Disney, we don't really pay attention to the prices at meals, we usually order one or two drinks during meals a day (mixed, wine, etc) and we just go to have fun.

I don't discount those needing to budget as I have in the past needed to be more conscious and there is never a guarantee I won't be placed in that situation again.

 

[wood145]

We don't really have a budget but I do figure out (or try to decide) how much we'll spend, mostly on meals. DH and I did the Standard Dining Plan on our "adults only" trip in Oct. We loved the fact it was all paid for. When we go back in June we won't do the dining plan because our 3 children are all considered adults but 2 of them will be ordering off the kids menu. I am putting money aside in a special fund so I'll be able to pay it off when the CC bill comes in July!

 

[Mickeyherewecome123]

We did that our last trip. We had the dining plan and we didn't look at prices of anything. DH ordered a beer at every dinner. The kids got pretty much what ever they wanted within reason (I was surprised they didn;t want more...lol) We ended up spending about 1300.00 (not including the dining plan food)
Now this trip we are going on in April, we are doing it budget style. Staying at a value resort, no dining plan, the kids will have a set amount of money to spend on souvineers. the reason behind our budget trip this year is, my sister is getting married in St Augustine Florida and DH and I just decided we couldnt be two hours away from WDW and not go. So we are taking advantage of the 4/3free deal. We were not planning on going back to WDW until probably 2010 or 2011.

 

[Rudy6]

We budget.

We budget $100 per day, and when that is gone, we buy no more. Many days we do not even spend that amount. This covers snacks, counter service, and junk (oops, I mean souvenirs).

Now, if we have an ADR, I also bring the estimated amount for that meal. We do not plan ADRs for every day. We rarely buy drinks at WDW, though the thought of having a drink at each EPCOT country is something we are considering as a lot of fun.

If we have anything else planned, like a tour or child's activity, I also bring that amount, too. That may be one per trip.

Have fun,

 

[vs1023]

I'm just saying the number one reason you should get the DDP is value. If you will most likely spend more than the cost of the plan then the plan is a good value. If it's not a good value, I just don't see it as being more convenient than paying OOP.

I probably chose the wrong word because we've never tried the DDP til this upcoming trip. Last time we went to Disney was 2000, no DDP then. This time around it seemed to fit our eating habits.

 

[dispatch21]

My trip WDW is the one thing I look forward to each year. For 8 days I will have $1200 which should be more than enough money. I am willing to buy anything myself or my wife wants. I work my butt off all year to save for my trip so I can enjoy the time there without any worries of money. I do enough of that the rest of the year. There are too may people who do not enjoy themselves when they have the opportinity. You never know when your time will come.

So True. I'm going to try to have a budget but when I go with my GF its worth it when she gets ecstatic over goofy at the character breakfast.

 

[storybookmum]

No real budget here...we have the dining plan - I think it will suit us to a tee, the approach we take to meals, except I'd rather have a choice of appetizer or dessert. So if I feel like an appetizer, I'm going to get one.

We're letting the kids split most of the complimentary gift card - telling them they have $50 each spending money for the week for souvenirs. If there's something cool they want, I'll bail them out and help them get it.

We're more likely to budget suitcase space for the flight home! I don't go around buying crystal slippers or fancy Mickey watches. But it's more of a "how interested are we going to be in this once it's home and the vacation is over" than a money thing. I don't have a set amount we're allowed to spend.

Last time we went, we seemed to have a towel theme - I think we bought about eight of the things! Too bulky for the flight this time, I think. We'll figure it out. I'm not interested in blowing money just for the fun of it, but I don't feel like scrimping and stressing when we hardly ever get to have vacations anyway. I'll deal with the bills when I get home.

 

[RMulieri]

We don't budget other than the dining plan...we save all year .We don't go out to eat,go to the movies, buy coffee out etc.SO when we get to Disney we do what we want.

 

[Alltiggeredout]

We don't budget as such.We never have the dining plan as it works out too expensive for us and not worth the money,so we have what we want when we want.My philosophy is that i've saved for so long to go,i'm not going to skrimp on things whilst i'm there.

 

[NMAmy]

Nope, we don't budget either. I save enough before a trip that we don't have to worry about that--we order whatever we want, whenever we want.

We don't use the dining plan because it works out that we'd lose money on it. My dd and I both eat several small meals a day. There are a lot of restaurants where dd in particular just gets an appetizer. We also prefer to have our bigger meals at lunch time and entrees cost less then meaning we would not use up the $40 per person we'd spend for the plan.

You know, if the plan just gave us a $40 gift card to use as we'd like, then perhaps the plan would work for us.

 

[sjanus]

Even when we were a family of 4 on one income, we splurged at Disney! We saved our money all year once we planned it, stayed at a great hotel within Disney, and we purchased the best Dining Plan.

If you miss the dining experience at Disney....you miss a lot. When we had the small children, we always made lunch and dinner reservations to give them a break, get out of the sun, and it was a very nice family time.

Now we stay outside of Disney, but we still go to the best of restaurants (make reservations at our favorite places) and enjoy the magic just the same.

Disney is one place that takes your mind off of everyday things, even when you are usually on a tight budget.

I think you do Disney the right way!

Sandy

 

[JasonDVC]

...AND the multiple grey goose slushies!...

I have not tried the Grey Goose slushies (definitely next trip) but last trip I had several Gran Marnier slushies. Incredible!

Like others have said, you are NOT crazy! We eat what we want and have no real budget. That said we are mindful of costs of items and do not spend mindlessly.

No DDP for us. DW does not eat enough to warrant the cost plus we visit family and eat outside of WDW so it would not work for us.

 

[Vickis3js]

Definatly no budget here on any vacation we have ever taken. I want to relax and not worry about finances when I am on vacation. I spend every other day running our business and worrying about finances why would I want to do that on my vacation. We bring our card and our cash and when we get home I look at the bill shrug say it was worth every penny and send them their money.

We do the DDP mainly so its paid for before we leave and well DH thought it was the coolest thing in the world. I have no clue why but he does LOL. We bought DVC and he still wants that darn meal plan. Even if we didn't get it we would still eat how, when and where we wanted. No making sandwhiches for me I am on vacation!!!

 

[DisneySweetheart]

Maybe someday on a trip without the kids and when my husband gets out of residency and fellowship. (I really want to eat at the higher-end restaurants)

*sigh* someday.