Leaving on Oct. 3 for 10 day trip - How much spending money should we bring?

[Mr. X]

It's myself, my wife and our 2 daughters. We are staying at the WL, and have the Magic your way plus dining plan w/ park hoppers.

I was thinking $1000.00 would be enough for us to have, but now I'm thinking it won't be.

I already have about $250 that I'm allocating to meals I do not plan on using the DP for so I can use my points for everything we want to do.

Any tips or suggestions? Thanks!

 

[Belle5]

Make sure to plan on about 20% tip per table service meals. Some folks forget that tips aren't included in the DDP. Souvenirs--only you know if your family likes expensive items (jackets/jewelry) or is content with pressed pennies for 50 cents a piece. I know $1000 would be plenty for our family but we don't spend a lot on souvenirs. Do you want to play mini-golf or rent boats?

 

[Mr. X]

Thanks for the info.

We probably may want to rent a boat 1 day, and go to DTD for some shopping, I heard they have $3 pony rides a fort wilderness so we may do that.

 

[3boymthr]

I think it's totally subjective thing as to how much to bring, and truly depends upon how much you plan on spending for souvenirs and activities but I brought $1,000 and that included all our souvenirs, tips, etc. and it was more than sufficient - I still had some left over when we got home. We spent quite a bit on tips (@$150) and about $200 on uncovered meals and drinks (mostly drinks) plus $100 on tylenol for DH (if only I'd thought to bring a bottle from home ) but the bulk of that money went for souvenirs.

Even if you don't plan on doing the pressed pennies, I do recommend bringing a roll or two of quarters because there are a couple of activities in the Magic Kingdome that use them (the gun arcade and boats near the Jungle Cruise).

 

[Mr. X]

Definitely agree it's subjective, but just trying to get a feel for other folks experiences. Thanks for the roll of quarters tip, that's a good one!

Medications, pills, ect will def be brought from home.

Plus I also have a line item for a length of stay stroller rental that will cost me $117 for the 10 days.

$150 on tips that's a lot, does that include your room service as well as dining?

 

[KELLY]

We are going for the same time 10 days. I figure about 1000.00 I'm hoping to come home with some. My girls each have 125.00 of there own money and I have another 165.00 in dinsey GC from christams ect.

Our biggest expenses will be
150.00 for my step sons FL resident ticket we already paid for his room
170.00 for Garden grill and Crystal palace T-rex we have a gift card
100.00 for airline fees bags
100.00 misc tips and beverages

I'm bringing a 1000.00 but hope to come home with a bit. That is beyond the gift cards we have. We are on the QSDP so no need for tips except for the 3 TS meals we are eating.

Total OT but does someone have a idea how much the smaller stuff animal are at the World?

 

[HaleyB]

We budget $20 a meal when on DDP. That covers the tip and if I get charged for the coffee I almost always add on. Some meals are more some less, but $20 seems to be a good average.

If you drink adult beverages they add up fast.

About the quarters. Get a tube of m&m minis from any candy aisle. Save the tube. It is the perfect size for quarters, and a great way to carry them in the parks. Pressed pennies are fun, and were often a life saver for us when the kids felt they needed something, anything, just felt the had to spend money to make the experience complete.

I think we spend under $100 on stuff on our last trip, but my kids go often and they don't change out the merchandise too often. If this is a first trip, or a once in a long time trip I'd budget $150 per child if they are in the 5-12 age range. For adults it really depends, I tend to be happy with one tee shirt (under $50). Young teens have fewer options, my daughter didn't get anything on this last trip (although that is in part because she already has so much, it was also because there was very little aimed at her age).

We always try to direct our kids towards one bigger item instead of a million little things. Girl's are always easier, for a girl under 10 there are really nice dolls sort of like the American Girl dolls. Dresses, purses, charm bracelets, and a million types of jewelry in every price range. Also the build your own remote control car thing seems really fun, and my daughter would have loved it a few years ago. That can easily go into the $75-$100 range but is something that would get played with outside of WDW too.

That said two 'little things' every kid needs are Ears and something that lights up for the parades/night time.

Oh and did you budget other tips yet? Valet, Bell services, Mousekeeping, and Cab fare are all items I budget for.

 

[Pumpkinmuffin]

$150 on tips that's a lot, does that include your room service as well as dining?

That's not a lot when you are figuring 10 days. If your meal is $60 and you tip 20% that meal alone will be $12 in a tip. Don't forget you need to tip the bellman who brings your suitcases to your room and if you arrive early and store your luggage you are also supposed to tip the person taking your bags from your car to storage. Tips really add up and I'm a better tipper if I have the money already allocated for that reason

 

[jmpellet]

We figured about $20 tip/meal for our meals for our 10 night trip and I think I spent just over $210. That included HDDR where the tip was included so 9 meals total. No alcoholic beverages or glow cubes... I had the majority of that on Disney rewards $$ plus the $25 timeshare GC. Each kid (3 of them) got to spend about $15 on a souvie (jewlery item for girls, rubber dino for boy) and that's pretty much it.

 

[gillenkl]

We just spent 5 days at WL with free dining. We were able to share some counter service meals to stretch out our meal plan and only ended up having to buy one CS lunch when we ran out of credits - so around $30 OOP for meals. The 2 kids each had $75 spending money. Dh and I spent around $200 in small extras and souvenirs. I forgot about tipping - so mousekeeping $5 per day and then our TS meals around $20 per meal.

For us that's a total of around $500 for 5 days.

 

[MarriedToAPrince]

We are planning on taking $1500 for 12 days 11 night. That will include tips, BBB, any OOP food (T-Rex), boat rental, mini golf and souvies.

 

[tooh8ful]

We are leaving next Wednesday for 10 days. Me, the friend I'm brining to help with my girls, and my dds 7 and 3. I am taking about $1800. I "hope" to bring some home, but if I don't, it was budgeted for vacation so it's no big deal.
That includes checked baggage fees, tips (about $200 for DP meals), BBB, OOP meal at T-Rex, hotel the night before flight and meals, adult beverages, and souveniers.
I know it is a lot of "blow" money but I save all year to be able to do whatever we want and enjoy ourselves. If I come home with $200 I will be ecstatic. If not, I will have had a GREAT time!