Idea of how much $ to bring?

[mommy9801]

Hi! My mil gave my 2 dd's & I a trip to disney for Christmas. She got the dining plan and said that all we had to bring was our own spending $(souivenirs, ect) My girls are 8 & 5. How much should i expect to spend on souviners?

 

[Samar]

It depends on if you want to buy them 1 or 2 things or the entire park Seriously, even as an adult I still want to buy everything in sight

Hmmm I'd say about $50 per kid given the prices of a lot of things. DS got a light toy last year for about $20 and DD got a hat that lights up (in my siggy) for a little more than that. So $50 would be good for 1 or 2 "big" things.

How long are you staying for? If you have a chance to spend time at the parks looking at things before making the decision (or your kids making their decision) on what to buy, that might save you a few bucks for stuff that they "really" want

 

[Atchley]

How long are you staying? Remember only two meals a day are paid for on the DDP. Might need a little extra for the other and additional snacks beyond the one a day. I believe that you need to take a little more than $50 a child. The last time we went I couldn't tell you how much we spent at the parks. If you want to buy them a t-shirt that is at least $20 a piece. My kids had to have a light up spinning toy. (my kids couldn't be the only ones in the park without one right?) They were $12 a piece. And PLEASE don't forget the mouse ears that we all know and love. (Tip:if you take the ears to the hat shop on Main Street USA--Right hand side as you enter the park--you can have their names stitched on there for free!!) The kids got something from every park which some people might think is a little extravagant, but we only take a BIG vacation every 2 or 3 years. I would make sure that you alot at least $100 a day. Even if you don't use it, it will spend later somewhere.

Oh and don't forget your Dear MIL for the wonderful Christmas Present. She probably deserves a pair of ears and a shirt!

Have a great time!

WDW July15-22 Disney here we come!!

 

[lorrainesy]

LOL!!!!! my nephew is here with me and I just asked him how much spending money a child should be given and his answer was a very firm "$300 a day"!!!

For myself as a general rule I bring $100 per day for spending money. My case is different as I do not have children yet (I'm only 25). When I travel with my nephew I try to set a limit of $25 a day. His parents and other family members always send him with plenty of fun money.....dear nephw has been introduced to the wonderful world of pin trading so if left up to him he would have all his money spent at the first pin booth. When given a limit, he is very good about speding his money wisely. What he does not spend that day gets added to his money for the next day, so if he only spends $5 one day the next day he gets $45. Any money left at the end of the vacation is his fun money to blow on whaever he wants.

This year we are doing something different with him. We have already started an account for his "Disney money". For times when I would normaly go present crazy (he is the only kid in the family so he gets really spoiled) I now buy smaller gifts and add $100 dollars to his Disney money. My mother is doing his also, so he will have plenty for this trip. We are still sticking to the $25 a day rule but the extra is his present money. He has plans to buy specail things like hockey sticks that he saw is DTD with that money.

 

[lovetoseemickey]

Plan ahead to save money. We take our own flashlights and glow necklaces with us. I agree to set an amount per day and stick with it. We also like to hit Walmart for presents for all of our friends and family.

 

[PrincessNED]

"my nephew is here with me and I just asked him how much spending money a child should be given and his answer was a very firm "$300 a day"!!!"






Can you please on your next trip remind your nephew of this and tell us all his reaction when you jokingly peel off 3 C notes at the pin booth.

 

[FloridaTeacher]

We give our boys $50. If they have saved money or get money from grandparents, aunts & uncles, etc. then they can add that, save it or whatever - but we give $50 and once it's gone, it's gone.

I always recommend to them not to buy anything for the first few days. Wait until the end of our trip to get the souvenir(s) they like the best. Of course, they end up spending some before that, esp. if they want something to use in the park, like the little light spinners or whatever; but they usually keep some in reserve to buy that fave thing.

Another thing we do is make sure we take souvenirs from previous trips with us (we camp in our motor home at Ft. Wilderness, so packing it all isn't a problem ), that way if they want to use one of the light spinners or whatever at the park - they already have it.

49 days, 6 hours, and 23 minutes til we're back at Fort Wilderness and Star Wars Weekend.

 

[stahshee]

we give our dd 's 4 each 25. they have so much stuff from the past years they really do not NEED more. then I give them a chance to bank there allowance if they choose. some of my kids will have more and some less they have the chance to earn more. they all start from me with 25. its all up to them

 

[catherines_mama]

I totally think it depends on the kind of shopper you are at home & on vacation. Also depends on how frugal a person you are.

Me, DD doesn't get something everytim we go shopping, so she doesn't expect anything. For our trip in June she is getting $50 in Disney Dollars to spend ALL week. This is $10/day. We do 2 trips to DTD on our trip and our last day is a return visit (of the tirp) to MK. SO! I've told her that she should LOOK 1st and buy later. Get an idea of whats out there and spend wisely. She's 5! Who am I kidding! But I'm trying.

There are a few things she KNOWS she wants (minney ears) so we'll go from there. I've already gottne her a Pal mickey, and Snow White dress so she knows that all I'm getting her. Me, I personally take about $50 also. I'd like a new cap and I love the WDW wind breakers. I budget $600 for a week, food AND gifts. Hope that helps!

You are lucky, your mom sounds great! Mine thinks my WDW obsession is silly

 

[Priorityonecb]

We have a deal that we window shop the entire trip, then the last afternoon of our trip we go on a shopping spree! This cuts down on impulse buys, and the girls can decide what they really want from all the offerings they saw each day of our trip. We will buy Mickey ears and a t-shirt for each child, they will have $50 beyond that to buy whatever they want on that last afternoon.

We are on the dining plan as well, but are planning $20 per day for extras not allowed on the plan or if we need more water. We are light eaters and think the DDP is going to be more than enough food for our family!

 

[Evil Queen]

My DS10 gets $25. a day. He also loves the pins. I TRY (key word here-try) to make him go through the parks without buying and on the way out he can buy what he wants. Left over money goes to the next day's pot. He sometimes will spend the "left over" at the resort gift shops.

I don't buy much for myself, so my budget is much less for myself. I usually can make $25. go 2-3 days, so I only set aside $25. for every 2 days in my personal budget. Once in awhile, I'd rather enjoy a drink or two by pool side after a long day at the parks than have a keep sake. The memories of relaxing while my DS10 enjoys the pool are some of my favorite things.

 

[carone0318]

A lot will depend on if this is your first trip or have you been several times before. If this is your first trip, you and your kids will be tempted by so many things. If you are a veteran, your temptation may be a little weaker .

As others have mentioned, we mainly window shop and then one evening we will go to DTD and go to the World of Disney store and do our shopping for the trip because as a DVC member we get 10% off there. The kids sort of understand this - dd (9) and ds (5).

This upcoming trip I plan to bring $150 for each kids, actually they have earned their own money to use for shopping. We are going for 9 days.

Last year both kids bought with their own money zip up sweatshirts that look like they have a soccer theme (remind me of the premiership soccer with #7 on the back, I think Disney is trying to appeal to the European crowd with this line) anyway each was about $50 each, but here we are almost a year later and my kids still wear them. To me this is a good buy.

I am hoping that my kids are beyond the junk anymore, but I know for a fact they will never be beyond the stuffed animals....

 

[mom2my3kids]

I will give my kids each 50.00 in disney cash for their trip. They will have all summer to save if they want to bring more. We will be there 6 days and 6 nights, we are our on the dining plan so I dont see them needing more then that.

 

[allboyz]

I think I'm going to give my 3 boys $50 each to buy toys or souveniers that they want. We will cover everything else except for that.

 

[Shagley]

If it was me, I would probably try to bring $500.00. This is how I would break it down...

$100 - get Disney Dollars in different denominations for the kids to have as their money ($50 each). This is money that they can spend on whatever they want, but when it is gone, it is gone.

$100 - for you to use for bigger souveniers for the kids - plan on getting them each a t-shirt, mouse ears with their names embroidered on them).

$100 - to use for souveniers for yourself

$100 - to use for souveniers for others at home that you will want to bring back something special for (MIL, etc)

$100 - to pay for any additional snacks or other incidentals