How many disney dollars? (or money)

[disneyluver91]

How many disney dollars (or money) do you need a day for buying souveniers (not food or drink, souveniers). I'm curious how much to bring. THanks in advance!

~*~ disneyluver91 ~*~

 

[pintrader]

What are you considering? What is your party like. $3 lightup rings for the parades? $15 fan squirtbottles or $85 snowglobes????

That all depends on what type souvenirs grab your fancy howmany kids and how old.

Do you had kids that will want Davy Crockett coonskin caps or rifle or are you adults that want Micky Watches that are elegant jewelry?

Are you wanting 6 pieces of fudge in a souvenir tin???

Can you provide a direction???

 

[disneyluver91]

Sorry I wasn't specific...
hoping to get the basics....plush dolls, maybe a pair of sunglasses, mickey ears...but only like 1 (or maybe 2 cheap) souveniers a day....

 

[CuteKatCar]

Well, we are a family of 4 with 2 girls ages 7 and 10. They have saved their own money so they have $15.00 per day for a total of $120.00 each. Counting their money, we have allocated $200.00 per day for a total of $1,600.00 for our 8 days.

If you are going to get 1 or 2 a day - I would consider spending $10 - $20 unless you are buying key chains and the like for under $5.00 each. Pins start at about $5.00 each too. If you are going to buy clothing - then you are going over $10 - $20.

Good luck,

Anna

 

[auntsue]

I don't know the ages of your kids, but it saves you a ton of money, if they understand that the money they bring - say $120 or whatever amount of Disney$ they have - is their total allotment for the trip. When the money goes, that's it! They actually give a lot more thought to what they want to get. Also, instead of 10 little souvenirs, they may opt for one or two big ones. So much of the stuff is very expensive, even the little light-up toys etc. are in the $15-$20 price range. The hardest part is letting them buy whatever THEY choose.
When my nephew was 12, he wanted to spend $95 on a watch. He was horrible on watches at the time, always breaking them. We pointed out that we didn't think it was a wise choice, but it was "his" money so we let him spend it as he desired. Well, he bought the watch, but before we left, he gave it serious consideration and returned it.
What I really like about this scenario is that they know up front how much they can spend and they really are much more discerning than if I'm buying them something at every souvenir stand. And when you ask them, "Do you really want to spend YOUR money on this?", they actually give the purchase some thought.

 

[GeorgeG]

We really stopped buying a lot souveniers many visits ago. There are only so many keychains and things our friends and family can handle.

What we do is buy nice gifts for the few close friends and family who watch the house, take in the mail, and feed the cats, etc. (usually $20 - $30 each, and then a little something for others that are close ($5 - $10 each). We usually take note of things we see during the visit and decide the last day or two, often at Downtown Disney.

For ourselves, we'll get a hat, some shirts, and similar things we can use both on vacation and at home. Our most treasured souveniers are our memories and we readily share them with anyone who is willing to listen

 

[Penny2]

Don't have children, but go with people who do and what works for them is to take their children to one of the outlets and let them get some items at a discount. Then, they too, give their children a budget for the rest of the trip. The Disney Outlets save you ALOT of money. Last year I bought a $275 Waterford Ice Bucket (I REALLY wanted this from the catalog) for 1/2 price. Children can buy a ton of stuff at these places with little $$$$ They have all kinds of odds and ends and alot of it is under $5 (even t-shirts). I've seen some of the same items for full price in the parks. My best bargain, though, was a block (not a bar), a full block (about 12-15 inches long) of mickey head glycerin soap for $5. That had to be 3-5 years ago and I still have some!!

 

[kdibattista]

We don't have any kids either (well... DH and I are like two big kids so maybe that counts). Anyway, we also find it easier to have a lump sum and not break it down by day. We each agree on an amount (normally $200 - $300 each) and that's just our souvenier money. We each get the cash when we get there. He really doesn't like to spend money on himself so whenever he would see a cool shirt he would say "well... I really don't need it". AHHHH... it was so irritating. I have found this to be much easier. We can spend it anyway we want.

 

[dmonroe]

We don't do a per day amount either. Ds (4) takes his own money and spends it. It's amazing how much he has to take--my parents and grandparents give him like 5-10 dollars a week when we have a WDW trip planned, which really adds up over the course of a year! (of course, some of it gets spent along the way!) Anyway, we usually let him pick a couple of things a day, since he didn't understand how much things cost and how soon he would run out of money last year--he was 3. This year I am thinking of getting him disney dollars (just one's since he can count those!) I think he may have a better understanding of how much things cost.

Anyway, about how much to bring. I think it really depends on the ages of your kids. My ds is pretty much only interested in mostly cheap stuff right now. Last year he bought a sword from the Lego store ($7.50), a dagger from Tinkerbell's ($2.50), a Buzz light up spinner ($15.00), 2 small plastic dinosaurs ($2.00 each) and a talking Woody ($20) was his biggest purchase. He also bought a couple of $5 balloons. That's less than $60--although I'm probably forgetting some things! I don't make him buy his own t-shirts because I want him to have those. He could care less about them!

As far as what dh and I allow for ourselves, it varies. My must haves for each trip are a coffee mug, a magnetic picture frame, and some Christmas Ornaments. Sometimes we get T-shirts, sometimes we don't. I don't think we usually go over $200 for the both of us.

Oooh! Now I'm getting excited thinking about what I'm going to get on our next trip!

 

[denecarter]

Then there are people like me.

My house is basically decorated with WDW "souvenirs"... plates, silverware, glasses, coasters, clothes hooks, door pulls, picture frames (generic and ride specific with ride photos), candles, posters/postcards (that I frame), roadsigns from Test Track are around the top of my shower (and Mickey shower curtain), and the non-slip tub decal things that I put on the shower walls giving me red and black Mickey heads like polka-dots.

I also like to buy nice WDW/Mickey clothing (polo shirts, denim shirts).

It has taken me a few years, but every trip I pick up something new. I don't buy any of that kind of "decorative" stuff at home. It costs a little more to buy the things there, but I end up with something I use or see almost daily.