How much money do you bring??

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

We usually bring 200.00 per day if we can save it up. We have 4 of us.
That covers meals, snacks, drinks, souveniers and we usually have some left over. We usually only do 1 or 2 TS meals.
Plus we eat breakfast in our room most of the time.

Now that my DS is snacking like crazy, I'm thinking I'm going to have to raise that amount. I think he's got a hollow leg now.

 

[wdwdasiy]

We go each year and DH always plan for it to be the one time of the year when we don't say "no" to our children. If they want icecream at 9am then we get icecream at 9am. But we do say no lots of times. To save money we bring lots of food items from home for snacks, breakfast and lunch. I bake things that I know the children will see and ask for while we are there. (brownies, cookies, rice crispy treats...) Easy to say no to the $3 rice crispy treat at resort CS when we have lots in the room. And after so many trips my kids understand this. With my DD12 she helps me plan and we talk about how much money we will spend and she is beginning to "get it". And because we don't spend on lots of little things for them all the time they don't go overboard on what they want when at WDW. Thank goodness!!
My husband also saves all his travel reimbersment checks during the year. We don't add this to our regular checking so we don't spend it. He keeps it a secret and then we see how much he has saved for the trip. This money pays for meals, or anything extra fun (spa). Some years it is lots and others it is not so much. Our tax returns are also Disney money.
We spend our year planning and bugeting for the next trip so it has become easier. Our first trip was a big expence and we were just there for 4 days.

I've gone on and on and not said much sorry

 

[Liljam]

Last year, my DH & I spent between 1500-2000 for 6 days. We ate out a good bit, bought lots of Mickey Stuff including 2 new watches, and bought a lot of beer and mixed drinks. We spent probably 700 on food and beer. This year, since we have a new addition and I need to budget better, I'm planning on spending the lesser amount (under 2k.) I would plan about $100 per day per person though. You may not use that much, but it's better to be safe! Also check out the budget board for some great tips!

 

[heartbeeps]

... I cook a full breakfast each morning (just as I would at home), pack pocket snaks (fruit chews and cheese crackers, maybe lunchables home made trail mix, grapes, orange slices etc. enough to carry in a small ice chest). We ask for free ice water and refill at the water fountains throughout the day. We do budget for counter service (burgers or pizza and drinks), but I have found that snacking throughout the day (while keeping the blood sugar fairly stable) everyone isn't horribly hungry at meal time. I also schedule at least 2 special table service or character meals--our splurge. For those nights I know we'll be at the parks I take our slow cooker and our meal is hot and ready when we get back to the room.

The kids get $25 in Disney Dollars to spend as they wish over the course of the vacation (we have been both 4 and 5 days). ... I budget for $150 in groceries (same as at home for a week), and $75/day for the parks. I have found that is quite sufficient for the requisite turkey legs, dole whips, popcorn, etc ... However, this year I am budgeting $100 for our day at Epcot ...

sounds reasonable!

I'd say to consider your on-site costs for:
Ground Transportation Airport to hotel RT
Ground Transportation hotel to Park RT (i.e., Rental Car, free bus, taxi)
Hotel
Food - Dining Out (I estimate B $10 +L $15 + D$30 pp)
Food - Groceries (water, snacks, drinks)
Special Attractions/Events/Excursions (i.e., photos, renting a segway, entrance to Pleasure Island)
Park Tix
Tips (bellhops, taxis, concierge)
Souvenirs
Gas & Parking if renting a car

All this is in addition to your transportation to Disney (i.e., air + airport parking or gas for driving), pet care expenses, trip insurance, photography needs