How Much Spending Money Do We Need ???

[novdisneydreams]

We are headed to ASMO 4/4-4/12 - and are beyond excited!

I am wondering how much spending $ we will need - we have the dining plan and I am bringing a suitcase full of breakfast foods/snacks so food isn't a big issue. I have two little boys, 6 and 3 , and I have told them that they could have ears, autograph books and two stuffed animals each (smallish ones ). I made t-shirts w/iron-ons and I bought light sticks at the dollar store, I am trying to think of fun stuff to bring (way cheaper!)

So I am thinking :

$60 per child for the above "promised" stuff = $120
$12 per day for extra snacks ($3 per person ) = $96 ( I know we have a snack on our plan but my boys eat A LOT and I do want to be able to get them some special treats - probably mostly ice cream bars)
$30 for Ghiradelli sundaes ( a family member in our Magical Gatherings party wants to go there one day for his birthday )

So that brings me to about $250 ... I was thinking maybe have an additional $40-50 a day for incidentals - which would bring me to $570 - $650. Is that enough???? I am hoping not to need to use it all, but have it available just in case . Is there anything I'm not thinking of ??? I am even planning to bring filter bottles so that we don't have to purchase bottled water.

I am a SAHM and we are always on a strict budget so my boys are not used to "asking" for everything - but I would like to be able to let them pick up a few little souveneirs while we are there - I am thinking postcards, pens, tiny toys, that sort of thing. Would it be possible for them to find anything like that for $5 each? I won't do that every day but it will be such a fun treat for them to pick something out in the shops. I thought I'd get the Disney Dollars for some spending money for them.

This is our first vacation EVER - and there won't be another for quite awhile, so I want it to be extra-fun for my boys, but I do have to budget everything and make sure that I am not going too crazy.

What do the budget-minded families usually spend during a week at WDW? Thanks in advance for your input.

 

[AlaskaMOM]

You said you're on the dining plan for all 4 of you right?
Do you know that you'll get dessert with your meals?
I'm sure you have more than enough budgeted, because I personally don't think that any of you will need to purchase many (if at all) snacks that are not covered by the plan or your stash from the suitcase. (I thought the ice cream bars were on the plan?? any one correct me if I'm wrong)
But if you can set aside that much, by all means do it and just bring back what isn't used! (and start your next Disney trip fund)

Yes you can find a few smaller (inexpensive) items, like postcards, in the shops.
Have a great trip!

 

[Smydovro]

I just had to reply to your post. We are a family of 5 (DS 9, 6, and 11mos). We just returned from a wonderful vacation 9/28 - 10/5.

I honestly do not think you are going to have a problem. We were on the dining plan and we had plenty of food. We ordered food for our room from we go shop for breakfasts and snacks (cereal bars, donuts, water, juice boxes etc). We had too much food. We really didn't need snacks from home but breakfast in the room was perfect for us and quick and cheap. We had food leftover from meals that we brought back to the room for snacks (brownies and such). We bought refillable mugs total of 50 bucks for the 4 of us and had soda or coffee whenever we wanted at the resort.
So, long story short we spent only 275.00 out of pocket for the whole week!!!! And we rented a boat one day for 60 bucks! and our kids got alot of cute souvies.
Here are some of the things that they got.
Pressed pennies
cute toys from mexico (all $3 each) at epcot
light up necklaces ($3 each)
1 pin each ($6.95)
There are alot of nice cheap souvies there.
There is a bargain store in DTD too.
Honestly we weren't even trying to stay on a budget and we only spent that much. You will be fine. Have fun!!

 

[amwhitaker]

I have read almost all the dining reviews over on the Disney Restaurants board, and everyone seems to say that there is an overabundance of food and that alot of people aren't even using their snack credits. So I would rethink money for the extra snacks. I am planning on extra money at EPCOT so my husband can try some beers there, but other than that I'm not planning on a whole lot of money for extra food/snacks. My big expenditures for myself will be on souvenirs. I plan on spending ALOT on those.

 

[Jen D]

Sounds like you have more than enough budgeted... you probably won't use so much of the snack budget if you are on the meal plan, and I think your souvenir budget is more than generous... if you're being careful with your spending, you can easily stay at $300. and that is with plenty of little indulgences. I don't really think you'll need that money for incidentals, as it sounds like they are already accounted for in your goodies and snack budget.

Hopefully you'll be coming home with extra!

I don't know if you or your husband drink... with a nice sitdown every day, if you do drink you might end up having a wine or beer... so that is a possible extra expense.

 

[jen0610]

Our kids got the biggest kick out of the press penny machines. It cost 51 cents for each one, and there are books you can purchase to put them in. I put away all of my pennies and quarters before our trip and they were able to fill up 1 book and 3/4 of a 2nd book. They will get out the books and tell you were they got a lot of the pennies at, with out looking at the list. We stayed away from the press quarters.

 

[novdisneydreams]

Thanks for the great suggestions - I looked into the pressed penny machines ( didn't realize they had them there ) and my kids will LOVE those - it sounds like we may use less money than we thought, which is great news! I CAN'T WAIT - SO EXCITED !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Priorityonecb]

I think you have a great handle on what it will cost. I second the penny press idea! A good tip for those is to put quarters and nice new pennies into a film cannister. Two quarters for each penny pressed. My daughters have the little book to put them in (bought from here at a local touristy place...Garden of the Gods). They absolutely loved spying a penny press and making the pennies. They still go through their books all the time and do the "remember this one!" thing. Have a wonderful, magical time!!

 

[Alice28]

I also do not think you will have a problem. We just got back 3 weeks ago with my boys, ages 7 and 4. They have been saving for quite awhile and they each had roughly $85 (my older one had closer to $100). I also bought them a few things- probably spent at least $25-30 more on each boy, and I spent about $25 on my daughter who is only 6 months. I believe I brought with me $350 and came home with $20. (that did not include the money the boys saved).

Trust me when I say, the dining plan provides MORE than enough food. We managed to use everything, but brought home 10 snacks- 6 Mickey krispy treats, 2 bags of chips & two waters for the plane. I paid out of pocket for only: 2 soft pretzels at Epcot- $7; a Dole Whip- $3; two alcoholic beverages (about $16). Oh, and I treated my parents to breakfast once out of pocket, but that was only $18 or so at the food court.

I bought myself about $140 worth of souvenirs. And bought my DH who is overseas about $40 worth of goodies too.

I have a tip for you if your boys like Buzz Lightyear- I found the greatest little souvenir for them at the Buzz kiosk outside of the attraction in Tomorrowland- it is a book sized tin that is filled with magnets and background sheets from the movies/ride. You lay the background paper on the inside of the tin, and your kiddoes can make their own little scenes. It's so fun and it was only $10! There is also a Magic Kingdom one I bought in the Toontown Fair shop. My younger son also liked a sticker book I bought him, and they both went GAGA in the Star Wars shop in MGM- the greatest selection of Star Wars toys I have EVER seen. And several were quite reasonable- in the $7 range or so.

My younger son also loved the pressed pennies. Have fun! I think you will do awesome with your budget!