Budgeting help!!

[OhanaSam]

We've been saving every spare penny we have lately but we're struggling with figuring out what we should budget for, as I've never been and DBF has only ever been with his parents. We want to make sure we budget for everything so we don't have any major unexpected expenses.

So far all we can think of is:
- The balance that we owe Disney for hotel/flight/ddp/park tickets which is due at the end of February

- Universal and possibly SeaWorld tickets

- ESTAs (they don't cost much I know but we don't want to forget anything)

- Money set aside to pay for an extra bag on the way back if needs be (also not much money but best to include it.)

- Photopass +

- Spending money- we're aiming to bring £1250 which will be about $2000. Half cash and half prepaid currency card, as we don't have a CC, we'll bring the card and a bit of cash with us each day and leave the rest in the room safe. $2000 may seem like a lot considering we have DDP but anything we have left over we're going to keep as dollars and use it as spending money when we hopefully go to Boston in 2014. That way we can't spend it

We'll only have one ADR for the Ohana breakfast but we'll pay for that, as well as tickets for La Nouba, with spending money. Obviously travel to other locations and extra food and drinks etc. will be included in spending money too.

We're going to use money we get from our parents for Christmas to pay for travel from Leeds to Gatwick.

We've also got the $200 Giftcard which if it comes early enough we will use to cover the cost off the Photopass +.

So is there anything else we should budget for?? We want to make sure we don't miss out anything at all.

Sorry for the long winded post

 

[catherine]

Sounds like you've got the basics covered! What about travel insurance?

 

[OhanaSam]

We've paid for that already. It was one of the first things we did as I can't book holidays until march and have to book them for the entire year all at one go and eventhough my manager said it will be fine and I'll get the time off he's useless so wanted insurance just in case

 

[Kath2003]

Don't know if it helps but my spreadsheet always has budget for these:

Flights
Hotel
Food
Tickets
Transport whilst in Orlando
Transport whilst in the UK
Food whilst in the UK (airport & service station snacks)
Insurance
Pets
Bits and bobs (book at the airport, ESTA, a small amount of spending money etc.)

 

[OhanaSam]

Thank you

 

[MichelinMan]

Are you looking to use a hire car?

If not, how are you going to get to Universal and SeaWorld - free hotel shuttles?

 

[Disney-PartyOf5]

Hi,

How about tips? You mention in your post that you need to pay for your hotel so you may also wish to factor in tips for housekeeping or if you are staying on-site mousekeeping.......

Enjoy the planning....

Where are you staying?

 

[Kath2003]

Hi,

How about tips? You mention in your post that you need to pay for your hotel so you may also wish to factor in tips for housekeeping or if you are staying on-site mousekeeping.......

Enjoy the planning....

Where are you staying?

Yep we tip housekeeping a minimum of $1 per person per day so that can add up.

 

[OhanaSam]

We're staying at Port Orleans French Quarter. And as far as getting to Universal and Seaworld, neither of us can drive so we'll probably use the lynx buses as I've heard they're pretty cheap.

 

[Kath2003]

We're staying at Port Orleans French Quarter. And as far as getting to Universal and Seaworld, neither of us can drive so we'll probably use the lynx buses as I've heard they're pretty cheap.

The bus to Sea World is easy - 1 bus, half an hour.

Universal is more of a pain. You need to get the bus to Sea World, then another bus, then it's a 10 minute walk. It will take a minimum of an hour. Consider getting a cab from Sea World (they are plentiful) or budgeting for a cab home.

 

[saddler andy]

Yep we tip housekeeping a minimum of $1 per person per day so that can add up.

The joys of satying in a villa

This may sound silly but basic medical items that can add up if you are abroad.

Our family always take S & D tablets so that we don't have to buy them over there, not that you are guaranteed to have a bad stomach though!

Take a spare empty suitcase, that way you wont have to buy one when over there. (easiest way is to pack a smaller suitcase and put it into a bigger one)

 

[OhanaSam]

The joys of satying in a villa

This may sound silly but basic medical items that can add up if you are abroad.

Our family always take S & D tablets so that we don't have to buy them over there, not that you are guaranteed to have a bad stomach though!

Take a spare empty suitcase, that way you wont have to buy one when over there. (easiest way is to pack a smaller suitcase and put it into a bigger one)

Thats exactly what we were going to do we have a really light holdall bag that we can squish into one of the suitcases.

We always have loads of medicines around the house anyway because I get travel sickness etc so we'll probably already have all of that lol. Although I am thinking of trying those travel sickness wristband thingys to see if they work because tablets don't agree with me

 

[Kath2003]

I take a basic travel first aid/emergency meds kit wherever I go, abroad or UK. It contains plasters, antiseptic wipes, Imodium (thanks goodness I have never needed it, even in Asia!), stomach settlers, throat sweets and paracetamol/ibuprofen. I take one "strip" out of the box for each medication and cut out the instructions from the package - it takes up a lot less space that way, but you still have the dosages (all the strips have the medication name and dosage on them anyway). If you really needed a whole box, you could go buy it but usually one or two doses is more than sufficient. We very rarely need to buy anything out there that way. I just chuck it in my bag and off I go.

The joys of satying in a villa

Yeah been there, done that, not worth it if, like us, there's not many of you and you like to enjoy a drink over a meal out together (i.e. don't want to drive back). Plus I like having someone else make my bed, clean my bathroom and wash my towels for a few days a year!