Does This Budget Look Realistic?

[Reminisce71]

I need help! lol

This will be our first trip as a family and I was to make sure that we have fun without overspending.

Can you all check out my budget and see if I allowed enough? We will take more money but I am hoping to stay around this figure.

Kenneling our dog for 11 days $154.00
In Home Care for our cats $20.00
6 tanks of gas $180.00
4 nights with 2 rooms at ASMu $500.00
2 days worth of tickets for MK $500.00
Souvenirs $200.00
Food for 6 people over 10 days $1000.00
4 nights in Motel off site $500.00

Total $3054.00

 

[SilverL]

$1000 dollars for meals? 10 days with 6 people? 3 meals per person a day? Plus you can't forget snacks... nooo I think you better re-do your calculations there...

 

[Reminisce71]

This is how I figured the meals.

Our kids are young too, 10, 9, 5 and 2.

Eat breakfast in room (take our own stuff). The kids aren't big breakfast eaters.

Take most of our own snacks. Getting special ones at MK though, like the Mickey bars.

That leaves 2 meals a day, 2 year old can eat off our plates. That leaves 5 people. I can't eat very much due to a surgery that I had (Gastric Bypass).

$1000 divided by 10 days is $100 a day.
Divided by 2 meals a day is $50.00 a meal.

I know Disney is expensive on meals but when we go off site it should be cheaper. Thinking it would balance out. lol

Well, like I said, I will be taking more money. I do a lot of couponing and could feed us for months on $1000.00. LOL Kinda hard for me to see spending that on 10 days.

 

[epcotfan]

Perhaps you might want to have a look at this Disney Menu site. It should help with your calculations.

http://wdwig.com/menu/menus.htm

You will probably need to add more to the dining funds if you plan on doing restaurant or characters meals. (You didn't say if you were or not)
Also drinks and bottled water is expensive.

I wish my in home cat care had been that inexpensive. I usually end up paying around $300.00 for my cat visits.

 

[Reminisce71]

Thanks Tracy! I will check that site out.

I guess we will just bring more money and see. lol At least I have a ballpark.

I have a friend that lives really close and they volunteered to check on the cats. We have two dogs and my aunt is taking the puppy and can't wait. lol So we just have to pay for the Dalmatian. We usually take her with us but think we will have more fun not having to worry about her in the DW kennel.

 

[NADINENURSE]

We went 9/02 and were cheap. Only 1 meal a day, usually lunch, at a disney site, no dig meals, usually fast w/o table service Family of 4, usually 3 meals and a salad, never bought drinks, only water in our back packs. Breaakfeast at the hotel room, ALL Star, refillable mugs, and lots of ceral and P&J.We went to Disney for Disney, not for food, so $50 per meal was definatley do able

 

[Rohu13]

I think everything is do able on your budget, but do more research for bargains and coupons. Here is a break down of our exact costs from a year ago to WDW. We didn't feel liked we skimped at all..........................we are a family of four(dw,dh,ds-8, dd-5) Airfare(from Michigan)$780.00
Hotel(offsite HIFS) $491.61 (BOGO 6nts total)
Park tickets $772.72 (4day parkhoppers plus MVMCP)
Car Rental $146.54
Kennel(dog) $100.00
airport parking $ 48.00
park parking $ 18.00(2 days got in free)
Hskp tips $ 18.00
food $648.03
Souvies $321.44(my husband was bad)
misc(lockers etc..) $ 19.08
Total $3334.71

Our children paid for their own souvies and misc(video games etc). Hifs had a full breakfast buffet everymorning. we brought our own snacks into the park along with water bottles. My dh still had to buy a soft drink here and there. We did places like Chef Mickeys, 50's primetime, ESPN (coupon), Cosmic Rays, Key W. Kools, Fishbones, Olive Garden. We could of saved a lot more on the food. Goodluck with all your planning.

 

[Reminisce71]

Thanks Rohu!

We are planning to stay two night off site after we leave DW. We are planning to go to the Kennedy Space Center and the BEach.

I have been hearing that HIFS is a good place, does anyone have a number for there?

Thanks!

 

[epcotfan]

That menu site is fabulous for guestimating costs. Although I always end up being hungry after I browse the menus

Yeah I have to have someone come in and pet sit while I'm away since my friends I don't have anyone close enough to feed them. The only good thing is my sitter is familiar with my little guys and she is insured I don't know what I'd do without her!

BTW have a great trip!

 

[Reminisce71]

This is really a great site! Thanks again.

I have a question about the character meals, if we did plan one, since we are only going to MK, we can only do the meals that are there or at the resorts, correct? Not any that are inside any of the other Parks? Like the Donaldasouras.

 

[disneefamily]

Disnee Dad Says.....................................Tell me you are not going to WDW, and only spend two days in one park. I must be not be reading this right. I would double your ticket costs. At a very minimum you will need four day hopper passes, and even then you need to decide what to skip.
The food budget is tight, but can be done. Portions are large at WDW,sometimes I'll order a kids meal and won't even finish it because they give 23,978 french fries! Useing our formula for your crew I would go with $125.00 a day That would include 5 nice meals, usually lunch at places like Sci Fi or Brown Derby at MGM. Spain, Norway or Japan at EPCOT, Liberty Tree at MK, or character meals. We are always under on our food budget.