How Much $$$ Do I REALLY need to bring?

[DopeyDame]

Thanks Chimilady
I budget that amount for souvenirs because I figured the average t-shirt is $30 and if we wanted sweatshirts they might be as much as $50 - so that was enough for one tshirt/sweatshirt for each of us....
Restaurant tips - I took all our restaurants and chose the highest priced meals at each of them and added a 20% tip -
for OOP I took the four top choices of restaurants, figured the highest priced meal at each added in a 20% tip and then took an average of those four prices and mulitplied it by 3 because we may have three out of pocket meals...
for unexpected things - I was considering something going wrong with the rental car, someone getting sick, a problem with our flights, etc. - I figured $500 would be enough to cover any unexpected emergency that might arise

I thought I had done very good research and my final act of research was putting it out here for the experts because I am a newbie but I like to be prepared for any situation...

It sounds like you did a ton of research and really have a plan that makes sense for your family. Looks great to me!

ETA: No need for cash. Except for mousekeeping, I literally can not think of one time when you would need cash. I had $20 in my wallet when I left home, and the same $20 in my wallet when we got back.

 

[Barnabas T Bullion]

I think the $500 unexpected expenses is way too much, especially if you're really doing a good job figuring out where you'll need cash and it seems like you've done a good job with that.

edit - Glad you're not actually bringing "cash"...

 

[cjbcam]

Just wondering if you are doing BBB or pirates league? If you are you need to budget in that as well as if you plan on buying pictures at your table service places. (Chef Mickeys, Planet Hollywood?) There seemed like a lot of unexpected expenses on our first trip last March. Granted we got suckered into buying pictures lol. Also can't remember if you budgeted for snacks? Or Drinks bottles of water are expensive.

 

[caselaw3]

It sounds like you did a ton of research and really have a plan that makes sense for your family. Looks great to me!

ETA: No need for cash. Except for mousekeeping, I literally can not think of one time when you would need cash. I had $20 in my wallet when I left home, and the same $20 in my wallet when we got back.

Thanks!
It's not really cash - just how much money to put in my bank account - cuz that is the card that will be linked to the room -

I have money saved and I want to just put enough on the card so that we can cover everything but not have all my money in there so that we don't go crazy!

 

[caselaw3]

I think the $500 unexpected expenses is way too much, especially if you're really doing a good job figuring out where you'll need cash and it seems like you've done a good job with that.

edit - Glad you're not actually bringing "cash"...

Thanks! I had the $500 extra just in case something happens - like an unexpected emergency (husband is accident prone) or if we end up having to rent a scooter (not sure hubby will be able to walk the parks) or if the car breaks down - that kinda thing - will be happy if I never have to touch it!

 

[caselaw3]

Just wondering if you are doing BBB or pirates league? If you are you need to budget in that as well as if you plan on buying pictures at your table service places. (Chef Mickeys, Planet Hollywood?) There seemed like a lot of unexpected expenses on our first trip last March. Granted we got suckered into buying pictures lol. Also can't remember if you budgeted for snacks? Or Drinks bottles of water are expensive.

We are doing BBB, Pirates League and Pirate and Pals Cruise BUT we already have gift cards to pay for them

We bought the photopass + - I think that covers all the pictures? If not - I can call on the $500 unexpected?

We will be stopping at Walmart before we check in to buy snacks and bottled water, etc. so that we don't have to buy them in the parks....

I thought a lot of unexpecteds might come up - that's why I was worried I hadn't budgeted enough - I don't know how expensive things in the parks are but I figure they are about doublt to triple what they would be in the "real" world, lol

 

[rachael95]

I would bring a credit card or your normal debit card (if the one your'e using is not your normal one.) Just for emergencies. My reason, my family about 80% of the time ends up having some kind of emergency on long trips. It actually became a joke when I was a kid because my parents' car either always broke down in Winchester, Virginia or one time, the car was fine and a storm that took out all the power for MILES, and closed the interstate hit us, and we had to get a hotel room in - Winchester, VA.

Good idea though to not bring the cash. Though just remember, when you aren't paying in cash, you are more tempted to spend more since it doesn't "hurt." But when you're on vacation, I think you shouldn't feel guilty if you decide to go a bit overboard. Especially when it's your first time. I usually take my budget and then add 10% for just in case stuff. If you don't spend it, great. You also might find something you want that is more expensive or out of the "normal" souvenirs and decide you must have it. Every time we visit Animal Kingdom, I HAVE to get one of the wooden giraffes. They're cute, I can put them on my shelf, they remind me of Disney, but they are "adult" looking and people won't make fun of me in my decor.

One other thing, you may want to let your bank know you are going to Disney ahead of time. Not sure how your bank works, but mine will often decline a charge on my debit card if it's something that is out of the usual for my card. Luckily for me, they did that when someone skimmed my card (duplicated the number on a blank card) at the Burger King drive through and then sold it to someone in Georgia. They've also declined the card when I bought something large at Penney's and then quickly bought something large at Target within about 2 hours.

 

[mm1971]

Hi all - Just trying to figure out how much money we actually need to bring with us so can the experts give me an idea if I have got this right?

Mousekeeping - $5/night - 9 nights - $45
Meal Tips - approx $25/meal - 5 meals - $125
OOP Meals - approximate $100/meal - 3 meals - $300 (overestingmating here)
souvenirs - $100/pp - 4 pp - $400
unexpected - $500

total = $1370 but if I round up that is $1500

is that enough, not enough, too much?

I don't want to bring all my money, lol - but I don't want to fall short either

I think $1,500 should be plenty given you stick to meals and souvenirs that fit into the budget you set. Meals depending on where and what you eat can be expensive so just make sure you check the prices before you make the reservations.

We used to spend a lot on souvenirs when the kids were young and it was our first couple of times. Now we don't spend much at all.

And don't forget some of the things that are fun and don't cost anything, Chip and Dale Camp fire at Fort Wilderness is one example. The resorts usually have movies on the lawn some nights.

Have a great trip.

 

[caselaw3]

I think $1,500 should be plenty given you stick to meals and souvenirs that fit into the budget you set. Meals depending on where and what you eat can be expensive so just make sure you check the prices before you make the reservations.

We used to spend a lot on souvenirs when the kids were young and it was our first couple of times. Now we don't spend much at all.

And don't forget some of the things that are fun and don't cost anything, Chip and Dale Camp fire at Fort Wilderness is one example. The resorts usually have movies on the lawn some nights.

Have a great trip.

Thanks! We have all our reservations so I used those and calculated the most expensive meal on each menu as part of my planning

I think that we are going to go to the Disney Outlet let them pick out a couple of things there for souvenires and then they can get one in the parks

 

[caselaw3]

I would bring a credit card or your normal debit card (if the one your'e using is not your normal one.) Just for emergencies. My reason, my family about 80% of the time ends up having some kind of emergency on long trips. It actually became a joke when I was a kid because my parents' car either always broke down in Winchester, Virginia or one time, the car was fine and a storm that took out all the power for MILES, and closed the interstate hit us, and we had to get a hotel room in - Winchester, VA.

Good idea though to not bring the cash. Though just remember, when you aren't paying in cash, you are more tempted to spend more since it doesn't "hurt." But when you're on vacation, I think you shouldn't feel guilty if you decide to go a bit overboard. Especially when it's your first time. I usually take my budget and then add 10% for just in case stuff. If you don't spend it, great. You also might find something you want that is more expensive or out of the "normal" souvenirs and decide you must have it. Every time we visit Animal Kingdom, I HAVE to get one of the wooden giraffes. They're cute, I can put them on my shelf, they remind me of Disney, but they are "adult" looking and people won't make fun of me in my decor.

One other thing, you may want to let your bank know you are going to Disney ahead of time. Not sure how your bank works, but mine will often decline a charge on my debit card if it's something that is out of the usual for my card. Luckily for me, they did that when someone skimmed my card (duplicated the number on a blank card) at the Burger King drive through and then sold it to someone in Georgia. They've also declined the card when I bought something large at Penney's and then quickly bought something large at Target within about 2 hours.

LOL - I don't think I would ever drive through Winchester again if I were you!!
I will have a regular credit card with me JIK there is a super duper emergency - but my goal is to pay for the entire trip without using a credit card - so I am just hoping that my budgeting will work, lol

Great idea to contact the bank! I hadn't thought of that but I will let them know that we are going to be spending a ton of money in FL, lol!