Kids spending money.

[JustCallMeMommy]

I think $100 each is a good amount. They can buy several small things or a couple of larger things.

DD starts saving her allowance in the months before our trips. She LOVES being able to do her own shopping without me vetoing her choices. She spent almost nothing at Disney this last trip - she saved it for Universal.

I made a kind of funny mistake with spending money on our first family trip. I told DD (7/8 at the time) that I would double whatever she saved, and I didn't set any limits. She saved over $200, so she had a wad of cash to spend in Disney! That is where she learned how much fun it is to save her allowance to spend on vacation.

 

[mamaVonna]

For our upcoming (and 1st *yay*) WDW trip, the kids are getting varying amounts. DS(15) gets $100, DD (12) gets $50 (she's disabled, non-verbal and non-ambulatory), she will mostly want pins and a plush, DD(4) gets $85 (she's been watching haul videos on YouTube and knows what she wants , DD(3) gets $25 (she's also disabled) to pick out a toy or plush. DH and I plan to get plenty of other souvenirs but will allow the kids to get whatever they desire with their $.
I've purchased a $25 gift card every week with a special character that suits each kiddo.
I plan to include the gift cards with their Tinkerbell gifts.

 

[TWK]

I would never give different amounts to different ages, that just doesn't seem very fair to me... sure things aren't always fair, but it isn't like because the older kids are older their items are more expensive. Anyway, last time we went we did $40 for all the kids. I think this all depends on what money you have to spend.

 

[DisneyMommy4Two]

We're planning on a $100 Disney gift card for our 10 year old (and once it's gone, it's gone).

 

[AngieInOH]

If you purchase a gift card that has money left on it at the end of your trip is there a way to "cash" them out? I'd love to give my girls gift cards, seems like it would be more special but would hate to leave money on it..... then again chances of my girls not spending every cent that they have is slim to none!!

 

[Dizlvr]

Considering all the Tinkerbell gifts I don't think $50 is cheap. I don't think $50 is cheap anyway that is what I gave each of my kids last visit.
It is different when its a first trip though. We never set a budget on ours, we just got the kids what they wanted (within reason) on our first trip. Plus I did gifts for the trip too. At the time we didn't plan on going back every couple years though either It gets easier to spend less on souvenirs the more often you go.

 

[anjalee6]

We give the kids a $50 disney gift card. Easier for them to mama be then money and then my dad usually gives them $50 each. Since they have been multiple times, I feel this is more than sufficient.

 

[fairy oma]

Each of my 3 DGDs, ages 7,5 & 3 are getting a personalized $100 Disney gift card from their fairy godmother upon arrival at the Poly. I always try to treat them equally no matter the age. Tinkerbell will also visit each day with special pixie gifts (let's face it people....it is a bribe to be good in the parks!), and I have had a blast gathering the Tink gifts.

I will ship everything except for the first night's gifts to the Poly via Fedex about 7 days before we leave.