Help! Can you post your WDW budgets?

[spare+a_pair]

Can you please pots your WDW budgets? I'm trying to get a better picture of how much money we actually need for other expense while at WDW.

We have already paid for the hotel, DDP, and tickets. I know we will need souviner money, but what else?

We will be staying for 5 nights/6 days. There are 5 of us - me, DH, DS 10, DS 5, and DS 5

Thanks for the tips!

 

[AmyMama2AvaNtheo]

I budgetted things like tips for mousekeeping, tips for ME (even though it is included, if they do a good job I like to tip), meal tipping, laundry, souvenirs, etc

 

[mom2aredhead]

Realistically, we budget about $100 per day for our family of 3. This will include gratuity for TS meals, an "adult" beverage or 2, laundry, mousekeeper tips, gas for rental car, souvenirs, etc. Some days we're less, some days more. But by the end of the week, that's about what we spend OOP.

 

[carj]

We spent a total of $3700 for 7 nights at Sports. No dining plan.
$1465 airfare and hotel
$167 rental SUV
$800 tickets
$450 character meals and special events, Pirate cruise
$80 gas
$2962 total

We spent the remaining $700 or so on souveniers and our other meals. We had 4 character meals and the rest were counter service.

We are taking a trip to Disneyland this summer and I am budgeting the big items again and then planning on $100 a day for our family. I like to have a little wiggle room. We probably won't spend that much because I include travel days and those days aren't as expensive. Also, if we have a character meal, then I have that in my "big" budget.

I guess I put things in the budget that are known or have fixed costs assigned. The $100 a day is for everything else.

You could definitely do it for less than that. It was our first trip and we didn't say no to much! Our kids got to buy something every day, usually around $20 each.

For people that go more often, that would be silly to buy the kids something every day. For us, it was a fun way to splurge and enjoy the moment.

I did bring our own light-up toys and we shared counter service meals frequently. My kids like to eat about every 3 hours but they don't eat much at a time. We would go to a character meal and spend $100 but they were still going to eat a couple of hours later.

I was a little panicked before we went about running out of money and having to use our credit card but it worked out just fine! We never felt deprived or like we missed out on anything.

 

[Tinker'n'Fun]

Family of 4, Me, DH, DD15, and DS12 at the time we travelled last year. 7 nights, 8 days. I brought $500.00 cash and put charging rights on the card...

I charged approximately $200.00 and brought home $300.00 cash. We only spent around $500.00.

 

[spare+a_pair]

Thanks for the tips so far.

It is our first trip and first family vacation, so I know that we won't be saying no much either. I jus don't want to worry about money too much if my DS's want a souviner each day.

So far I have about $1100 for the time that we will be there, but also trying to save a bit more. We are driving down, and will stay at a hotel each way there & back.

Since my WDW package (room, tickets, and DDP) are paid, this is what I was thinking so far

Additional Hotels - $200
Gas - $300
Souviners - $500
Cart Rental - $225
Tips - $100
Additional food/drinks - $100

Does this look right - am I forgetting anything else?

 

[StephMK]

Not sure if you're onsite or not, but offsite - don't forget parking at the parks - $12/day. Tolls if you go through them.

 

[ryanshana]

cart rental is that like a stroller?

Is there anyway you could bring one or get on a stroller swap? That would save you 225 bucks

I always WAY over budget and usually spend somewhere between 500-700 w/o tickets, room, and basic dining.

 

[spare+a_pair]

We're staying on site - the cart rental is for the Golf Kart to get around Ft Wilderness - we're staying at one of the cabins

 

[wlwilliams9]

We are 2 adults, 1 free child (2 yo)

9 nights @ Poly b4g3 with 9 day base tix & DxDP=$3998.88
R/T Airfare for 3=$270.00
Baggage Fees=$90.00
DxDP Gratuity=$300
Souvenirs=$150 (we go every year, so we don't need a lot of souvies!)
Tips (DME, Grocery Delivery, etc)=$40
TOTAL=$4848.88

This trip is a splurge! We usually rent DVC points and only stay 7 nights + all of the stuff above for less than $3000! We figured since this was the last trip our DD is free, we'd go all out!

 

[a1tinkfans]

11 days/10 nites at MOD/1900. with FREE dine and 1 day tix (we have our 10 day water tix from last year we non expired and upgraded before we left. so we'll be upgrading the 1 day before we leave again( on disney visa for MORE $$ for next trip).
Airfare for 3 will likely be 700 (UGH!) .Thats always the HIT for us.

Already got a a 100 Landrys gift card for Rainforest in DTD (I'd rather spend it now than have to pay then) My ds likes the place, me, EH!

I also am having someone buy our REFILL mugs as they are at disney now (13.84 each for 3) again, paying now rather than later. We throw em in our carry on.
Disney Visa $$ is about 200 right now and I get 20 in gift cards for my DS once or so a month so he can spend and not ask us for cash (though he is not the spender, that would be ME ) He should prob have about 200 or so....
Tip envelopes for Mousekeeping usually $5 a day pre-made and ready to go.
I'll bring about 500.cash extra cause I really like to use my charge for everything and get more $$ from Disney for the next trip!
another envelope with 100 for parking at airport (UGH!)
The dog will be another 300.00 for boarding!
Already bought some pins on ebay for kids to trade (my nieces), cheaper than buying the expensive ones at the park....they're actually getting some for easter as well.....I like to get them for them, they have SO MUCH fun!!!
Water will be shipped to resort, prob about 30 this year.

For me it is all about having things paid for in advance and buying it in advance rather than budgeting while we are there....it just works for us. Have a wonderful trip....

 

[Darcy03231]

I took my niece last fall and we had the DDP. I spent $700 in 6 days. That included $100 on tickets for MNSSHP, $180 at BBB, $120 picking pearls in Japan (Epcot) and $20 in pictures. The rest was tips, food, souvenirs, etc.