How does this look

[Cloudwatcher]

So we are taking a trip in Sept. It will be me, DH, DD6 and DD2. We will be at POR Sept 21st thru Sept 27th on the dining plan. DH is saying we need about $1000 in cash for the trip, but I can't figure out why he wants to take that much. Here are the list of meals we have planned. We are coming from north Louisiana and will be staying in a hotel of the 20th before finishing the trip, but on the way home we will drive it straight (12 hrs.)

Sept 22 - Coral Reef for lunch
Sept 23 - Crystal Palace for lunch (we have MNSSHP that night and I have already bought tickets too)
Sept 24 - Chef Mickey's for supper
Sept 25 - Akershus Royal Banquet Hall for breakfast and then Teppon Edo for supper
Sept 26 - Liberty Tree Tavern for supper.

We have never been on the dining plan before. I know I will have to money for tips, neither DH nor I drink so that isn't an issue. I have booked the buffet meals so that we don't have to buy an extra meal for DD2. I'm I missing anything in this plan? I keep thinking I have forgotten something or that I am overlooking something.

 

[zarvgirl]

We were at WDW in March, family of five, POR, dining plan, 8 nights, travelled from Canada....I had approx. $1000 for the extra's and we spent most of it.

Some costs we had:
-tips at TS restaurants (avg. $20)
-mousekeeping, luggage services tips ($5 each day)
-garden grocer- $35- milk, some fresh fruit, beer for DH
-drinks-(approx. $100-week)
-crocs-DH shoes didn't work out so well!!
-souvenirs-(approx. $100)
-baggage fees
-several taxi's- so worth it, to beat the crowds after dining
-added Water Park tickets

The biggest thing was to keep track of it since we had cash. We would make charges to the room throughout the day and every couple of days I would pay it off!

Have a super trip!

 

[mom2princesss]

I bring about $1000 cash for a week long trip. We need tip money, balloon money (about $11 a piece and I will buy the balloons), snack money(sometimes it is easier then using the credits or the credits run out), money for gas and food while driving, other souvies we pick up during the trip.

 

[Darcy03231]

I just got back from a 9 day/8 night trip. It was me and my mom. I brought $500 in cash, had $115 in disney gift cards, $25 promo gift card and $80 rebate card. I ended up coming home with about $300 in cash. Mom paid for all of her own souvenirs, but I covered all the tips and mousekeeping. You'd be surprised at how quickly money dribbles away at WDW. I don't think a budget of $1000 for a week with four of you is too much. You can always bring home what you don't spend.

 

[monorailsilver]

The last time I went we were not on the dining plan & I had around $1200 on me. We are a family of 5 (my youngest was 2 then).

I used the money for food, drinks, snacks (OK that is all food) & what ever stuff we bought (about $200 worth). I still came home with money & I want to say it was around $200.

I did bring breakfast for us so we didn't have to buy that other then milk/soy milk which I kept in the fridge in the room.

Oh & we went for 8 nights.

And we ate in 3 sit down restaurants.

 

[mickeyluvsjess]

Money goes VERY quickly in Disney. You'd be suprised at how much you spend in tips at the TS meals. Plus chef mickey's sells a photo at the start of the meal and a whole lot of little stff adds up quick. Besides, if you ever had an emergancy (my parents ended up with someone getting sick unexpectedly in WDW a few times as we were growing up) it's better to be prepared. Nobody says you have to spend it. I just noticed we both arrive at POR on the same day and have similar Dining plans.
Have Fun.

 

[Cloudwatcher]

I looked online and for my car at this point it is around $115 one way. So if I round that up (GREATLY) I can look to spend $300 in gas for the week. We will be bringing water, dr peppers, and milk with us. DD6 will have her own spending money with her, and I doubt we will buy her much when we get there. This trip is for her birthday, we plan on having her present already purchased and I know that the grandparents and aunts/uncles will be giving her money to spent (both my girls are slightly spoiled ) DD2 doesn't normally ask for anything and is just happy going with the flow. I just don't want to overlook an expense.

 

[Donaldswife]

More than likely you will come home with some cash, but I think your DH's $1000 is a good amount to take. I always want to make sure I have extra, just in case something happens. You may get a flat tire and need a repair, something may go out on your car, a child may get sick and you will have to go to immediate care and possibly pay for a prescription/over the counter medication, you may be stuck for night somewhere with a sick child (or you or your DH may get sick as well!) and need an unexpected extra night hotel room......or lots of other things that can go wrong when traveling with kids. Best to have that extra cushion so you don't have to worry about those unexpected expenses that hit all of us from time to time.

 

[SandrA9810]

Tips can easily be $20-$30 at a table service, even at buffets. Go check out allears.net for general price information at the places you want to eat. That'll give you a rough idea on how much you'll need for a tip.

Then there's the Halloween Party. There's several "party exclusive" merchandise you can get, like shirts, pins, balloons, and so forth. I hope you have a late lunch for this, as there's limited dining once 7pm roles around. Get there early, get your wristbands early, and be out of the main street area at 7pm. It's a huge mess and mob at that time. And decide how you're going to do your costumes (going back to the room or changing the kids in the park). I personally tell others to skip the day and go to the party early. It's late at night, and you're going to have tired, cranky kids on your hands if you try to fill it with a whole park day.

And then there's the "I wants". Just be careful about how you plan on getting your purchases back home with you. Not sure what kind of car you're going in, but you don't want to be all cluttered up with luggage and souvenirs.

 

[Cloudwatcher]

Then there's the Halloween Party. There's several "party exclusive" merchandise you can get, like shirts, pins, balloons, and so forth. I hope you have a late lunch for this, as there's limited dining once 7pm roles around. Get there early, get your wristbands early, and be out of the main street area at 7pm. It's a huge mess and mob at that time. And decide how you're going to do your costumes (going back to the room or changing the kids in the park). I personally tell others to skip the day and go to the party early. It's late at night, and you're going to have tired, cranky kids on your hands if you try to fill it with a whole park day.

And then there's the "I wants". Just be careful about how you plan on getting your purchases back home with you. Not sure what kind of car you're going in, but you don't want to be all cluttered up with luggage and souvenirs.

We have an 11:50 lunch at Crystal's the day of MNSSHP, I plan to head back to the room afterwards to take a nap and change. However we will no be wearing costumes, to hot to being doing that. The girls will have matching black tanks on with glow in the dark paint making a mickey head. Things I have read say you need to be at the 7 dwarfs place first if you want to get those autographs. I am sure we will buy ballons that night for both girls. Normally the "I wants" come from DD6 and DH giving in to her.
This is the first time I have been during MNSSHP and the first time on the dining plan, so I am second guessing myself on everything.

 

[SandrA9810]

We have an 11:50 lunch at Crystal's the day of MNSSHP, I plan to head back to the room afterwards to take a nap and change. However we will no be wearing costumes, to hot to being doing that. The girls will have matching black tanks on with glow in the dark paint making a mickey head. Things I have read say you need to be at the 7 dwarfs place first if you want to get those autographs. I am sure we will buy ballons that night for both girls. Normally the "I wants" come from DD6 and DH giving in to her.
This is the first time I have been during MNSSHP and the first time on the dining plan, so I am second guessing myself on everything.

NO COSTUMES!!!! That's the best part. You're gonna look so out of place. EVERY ONE dresses up, and it's the one time adults can dress up in the parks as well. Only once did I attend without a costume on, and that was the second time going that year. And you're in the south, you should be able to find lightweight costumes for FL. Although there was one year when it was a bit nippy out.

Here's a picture from the last time I went.

I don't know how they're going to do the character meetings since Toontown is closed down. So make sure you follow any topics about the Meet and Greets for characters those nights. As for Snow White and the dwarfs, they'll come out every hour on the hour for a 1/2. If you're not in the first 1/2 hr set, line up about 15 minutes prior to them coming out again. Once the attendants parade them out, they shut the line off. There is no autographs, just a picture.

You might to pick and choose your lines carefully for characters. Like before, the Princess room (with their prince) is a continuous set, so there's no closing off the line or the characters leaving for an extended period of time. Same goes for Mickey and Minnie. So they'll more likely have a longer wait time than a character that comes and goes.

We would always be towards the back of the park by 7, do character meetings. Then before the fireworks, go to Castle Hub left to watch the fireworks, the Villains stage show, and then the second parade. After that, we'd head towards Adventureland and Frontierland for the last of the characters and candy. I had it down to a T, but didn't always get it done. My main reason for seeing the characters during the parties, is they all have special costumes too, or like the Princesses have their Prince with them.

Don't forget the dance parties, the one in Cosmic Rays is nice because you can cool off for a few minutes. But don't try to get the characters attention or make them pose for pictures, just video tape or take pictures of your kids enjoying a special time with them. Often times, they'll walk away or turn around, if you start trying to do a posed shot.

 

[Cloudwatcher]

Thanks for the tips. Do you know how the photopass works for the party? I read something about it being a different photopass for the night and that they added the special effects.
As for the costumes, I don't know. Both my girls are over the top girls (think bow that is bigger then their heads), it is hard to find costumes like this that are lightweight. I have looked on etsy for some stuff and have found something for dd2 but nothing for dd6. If I do find something for her then I might allow the girls to dress-up.

 

[SandrA9810]

Photopass allows for a 40% discount on prints purchased during the party with a party card (these will look different than the normal blue cards).

There are special overlays that can be added to the pictures taken during the party. There's a tag on the Photographer's PDA that states "Halloween Party" that pulls up the special overlays (Just like you'll find MK overlays for your MK pics and such). These over-lays are also available online when you enter your party pass number. This discount is also available online for photos tagged with the party pass number.

So make sure you get a party pass when you enter the park. The photographers are given these passes around 4pm, and will hand them out to any of the guests with a wristband.

 

[cam&phoebsmom]

Thanks for the tips. Do you know how the photopass works for the party? I read something about it being a different photopass for the night and that they added the special effects.
As for the costumes, I don't know. Both my girls are over the top girls (think bow that is bigger then their heads), it is hard to find costumes like this that are lightweight. I have looked on etsy for some stuff and have found something for dd2 but nothing for dd6. If I do find something for her then I might allow the girls to dress-up.

My friends did the MNSSHP last year and neither of her kids dressed in character, and neither did they. My friend's 2yo had a Halloween shirt and a tutu with orange and purple in it, her son and DH had matching Mickey Halloween shirts and pirate bandanas, and she had a Mickey Haloween shirt on. Looking at her pics it seemed like many folks dressed in a festive manner, but not necessarily in a full costume.

I think if you opt for comfort you will end up having kids that can stand the heat better

 

[Cloudwatcher]

I just noticed we both arrive at POR on the same day and have similar Dining plans.
Have Fun.

Maybe we will see you at the pool or something