How much spending money?

[sweetiepie71]

Okay, I know that it's practically impossible to give me an answer but I'd like people to try!!

We are off to DLRP in January, me my DH and our 3 children (7,5,2) Staying in the Sequoia Lodge. 5 days, one of which we will spend visiting gay Paree by train. Travelling on Eurostar there and back.

We visited last Winter, but my folks came with us so we sort of split food costs, actually they probably paid over half the food costs (Grandparents treats and all that!) so I don't really know how much to budget for this trip. We are having either character or good morning fantasyland breakfasts every morning apart from our Paris trip day as we found the quality so much better last time (and in January Cafe Mickey was EMPTY! Only 5 families in there for the breakfast which was fab!)

We would like to take plenty of money so we don't have to skimp on stuff if you know what I mean? Neither me of DH really drink much, DH has the occasional beer, me an occasional glass of wine but can live without, but we don't want to have to eat in McD's every day through lack of spends!! We'd like to be able to eat in relative style LOL! Perhaps a meal at Planet Hollywood one night, you know the sort of thing.

So, what do you think? Would £100 a day be enough, or do I need to look at saving more like £150 or £200?

 

[Groovee]

We had 600€ left from our summer holiday so we took that for the 4 days. We still struggled to spend it all. When we bought the kids stuff we tended just to shove it on our hotel bill. We're actually surprised at how little we spent really. KIds both got a toy Pluto, both got the pin lapards, both got a dress up and dd got all the accessories so ds got a lightening mcqueen. At the most we spent around 900€ including meals. We ate counter service at lunch and table service at night.

 

[BONITATIME]

I try to work out how much each meal will cost here food site

I then add what I think I will spend extra each day And a bit extra for luck.
It is ver difficult to make a reccomendation as each of us has a different budget but the more you have planned, the better informed you are and the easier and less stressful it will be.
Some where there should be a thread with toy prices. Try searching for it.

 

[sweetiepie71]

Thanks Groovee. So you spent £150 a day approx - and you were surprised at how "little" you spent?!! (E900 is £600 divided by 4 days) Eek!

I guess I need to send DH in to do some overtime then as we are going for one extra day and also have one extra child. I reckon I'm going to need to take a grand with us. Hmmm.

 

[TotallyAngelic]

Hi
Your kids look as though they will still be eating the children's meals, so that will save you on your food bills. My 2 are 12 and 15 and do not eat children's meals any more, and our average table service meal costs 90-100 euros (sometimes with wine, but DH always has a couple of beers in that total). I put all of our table service meals on my nationwide credit card as you get bank rate exchange with NO charges, rather than the tourist rate you get from changing euros.
On top of that we take the euro equivalent of £100 per day, which covers lunches, drinks and any small purchases (pins etc). We usually come back with about 100 euros.
So unless you are going to be going crazy with souvenir shopping / character costumes etc, and if your kids are likely to eat kids meals, then I would think £150 per day should cover it, plus maybe a credit card for emergency purchases or if you spend more than you think. (or an extra 100 euros which you put away somewhere).

 

[disneyangel]

Our party was 2 adults and one child and we spent about £500 this trip over 5 days (so average was £100 a day)and ate mainly table service. Hope this helps.

 

[sweetiepie71]

Thanks everyone. I guess that I need about £150 a day then plus a bit in reserve for emergencies and the frantic disney clothes buying that goes on once I get "into" it all again hehehe.

 

[Sarah Sarill]

We spent £1100 during our 7 day trip last Christmas.

We did not do the Paris Trip and no Character Meals, however we did make sure we ate at one special restaurant every evening and did the Tinkerbell show on Christmas Day.

That was for 2ad and 12 ch if that helps.

 

[martinacris]

Hi...just thinking all the money that is "spent eating" gets me scared...but trying to go with an idea I believe is a must. WE will be there for 6 days...and even if I cancelled the meal vouchers( for practicall purposes) , I was calculating for 2 adults and 2 children €68 per meal ( if I had the vouchers)..so 6 days with 1 main meal ( at a restaurant)at the park would be approx € 408 in total...I would then have to think about the other meals...being at a counter place !
In order to have some extra extra money...I am putting all the 1 or 2 Euros coins I get in a "sealed" jar..and I will then count them before going...for those in the UK, it could be done with the 1 pound coins..I'm sure a nice amount will come out at the end.

 

[sweetiepie71]

Hi...just thinking all the money that is "spent eating" gets me scared...but trying to go with an idea I believe is a must. WE will be there for 6 days...and even if I cancelled the meal vouchers( for practicall purposes) , I was calculating for 2 adults and 2 children €68 per meal ( if I had the vouchers)..so 6 days with 1 main meal ( at a restaurant)at the park would be approx € 408 in total...I would then have to think about the other meals...being at a counter place !
In order to have some extra extra money...I am putting all the 1 or 2 Euros coins I get in a "sealed" jar..and I will then count them before going...for those in the UK, it could be done with the 1 pound coins..I'm sure a nice amount will come out at the end.

Great idea Martina. I think for me the problem is that our weekly food shopping bill (all groceries and household items) comes to about £70. The thought of spending nearly £500 in 5 days on food is horrifying!! Our normal summer holidays are spent camping in France, food is baguettes, cheese, stuff I cook for ourselves, croque monsieurs etc and not expensive at all. I just have to get my head around the fact that we will be eating in expensive restaurants twice a day the whole time we are there. We didn't go to any table service restaurants last time we went and this time I am determined to go the whole way and have a great time, if that means we have to save like mad before we go then so be it.
I've been looking at the restaurant guide and really fancy the Rainforest Cafe and Annettes Diner and the Buzz Lightyear Pizza Planet (my boys will love that one)

 

[martinacris]

I feel the exact same way..but if we are already spending on the hotel...the plane..the souvenirs, besides trying to save before going, "studying" the menus and getting used to the prices and even thinking of options, would get us used to those numbers. I am trying to save to buy a DVD camcorder ( anybody know of a good one? I have to start "looking arouund DVD Camcorder discussion boards...) to take, since I want the girsl to view the vacation on the dvd afterwards, plus start using the dvd camcorse to "record" those precious moments and even everyday activities...! So I will sure have to do some magic with out money during these two months before we go.

 

[sweetiepie71]

So I will sure have to do some magic with out money during these two months before we go.

I know!!! I have my son's birthday two days before Christmas, then Christmas itself, and trying to save to go away in january too. We shall be living on beans on toast for the next two months!! Ah, it's all be worth it you know!!

 

[hyperheavenly]

I've been thinking about how much spending money to take also. I'm thinking £100 a day should do us, The other half and I dont really eat much at lunch so a light snack for us and a sandwich for the daughter should do then a meal in the evening, I'm hoping this is going to be enough money

 

[sweetiepie71]

I've been thinking about how much spending money to take also. I'm thinking £100 a day should do us, The other half and I dont really eat much at lunch so a light snack for us and a sandwich for the daughter should do then a meal in the evening, I'm hoping this is going to be enough money

The only problem is that there didn't seem to be much in the way of "light snacks and sandwiches" in the parks. You could get a croque monsieur or pizza, stuff like that, but even a sandwich was a big baguette and a good £5 or so, plus a couple of quid for a drink. Say £7 a head for lunch and that's £20 odd then £15-30 a head for dinner easily, then you will probably want a drink or something mid morning (whoosh, there goes another tenner), and another and a cake or something at teatime if you are eating late (20 quid). It all adds up so quickly!! After looking at the menus in the restaurant guide I reckon with £100 a day you'll not be leaving much for additional spends, bits from shops, photos, drinks of an evening etc.
I'm definately of the mind that taking more than you need is better than scrimping every penny whilst there if at all possible. DLRP is never going to be a budget holiday, but we choose to go in low season so we can spend the extra while we are there on treats

 

[Groovee]

The cheapest lunch we got was from the market place for 20€ for the 4 of us. Best lunch was bella notre which was 33€ for the four of us including sides and drinks. We found we didn't eat in between meals after having a good breakfast and a good lunch.