Mom with two littles - $800 budget for 2.5 days

[harrisdoesdisney]

Hey guys!

Flights and hotels are booked (staying at clementine). Trying to set a realistic budget for 2.5 days at the park for myself and my two littles (4.5 and 2)

I have some extra funds coming in and would love to use that as our budget and not dip into any other funds. The money is about $800. No park hopper so looking at 1 day at DLR, 1 day at CA adventure and the morning at DLR on departure day (flight leaves at 5:30pm).

I want to do one character breakfast either goofys or storytellers and thinking goofys for late breakfast on departure day.

The hotel has free parking and free breakfast so I think for morning meals we should be set. We have done BBB for our daughter before and since little man is too young for it I wouldn’t be doing it this trip.

Assuming Goofys is $150 ish all in, is the remaining $650 “enough” for snacks and meals and maybe a souvenir for each (like say $40 or less per kid for that). I feel like it should be but Disney can get expensive quick!

 

[katyringo]

Tickets already purchased?

I think this is doable.

If you take out breakfast and account for one character meal and then plan for $15 per person for all the other meals (which is generous if you a little one) then your other meals costs would be around $200. This assumes you stick to quick service meals.

So 200+ 150(character meal)= $350 for food.

I then personally add 50 per day for snacks. So let's just say $500 for food.

If you aren't planning any special expirences like BBB or lightsaber I totally think $800 is enough assuming you have already bought tickets.

 

[harrisdoesdisney]

Yes I should have stated that we have tickets already. My daughter doesn’t eat much meat and would gladly snack on berries all day. Since we have a car, I’m thinking of picking up some cheese sticks and berries for them to fill in some gaps as well

 

[Howry]

$800 budget is plenty.

 

[disneychrista]

You will be good with the $800 for food and extras. A rough budget I use is $100/day per adult and $75/day for kids for all meals/snacks/drinks. Add to this for character meals and premium table service meals or if you plan to purchase adult beverages.

I will say I have never even come close to this number but I am not a snacker when I am at Disneyland. And rarely purchase drinks, sticking to water at meals and during the day.

 

[irlandaise]

Yes I should have stated that we have tickets already. My daughter doesn’t eat much meat and would gladly snack on berries all day. Since we have a car, I’m thinking of picking up some cheese sticks and berries for them to fill in some gaps as well

Certainly bringing your own fruit snacks will be less expensive, but FYI, there are a lot of fruit carts at Disneyland:

https://disneyland.disney.go.com/dining/fruit/

 

[SOCALMouseMommy]

Keep in mind that your 2-year-old will be free at Goofy’s (they can eat off your plate), so it probably won’t be $150 for Goofy’s. Maybe more like $100 (I don’t know the current exact price for Goofy’s).

You also probably won’t be buying full meals for the kids (I know I didn’t when my kids were that age). I’d maybe buy one adult meal and one kids meal and split everything three ways and it was always enough for us. Some kids meals are bigger than others, with more sides, so browse menus before you go. Same with snacks, two popcorns or pretzels or Dole Whips or whatever for the three of us. I always packed lots of fruit, snacks and drinks when my kids were that age, stored in the stroller with ice packs.

My kids eat a lot more now at 6 and 10, so they get their own meals and snacks and I spent a lot more per day.

I don’t think you’ll come close to spending $800 unless you splurge on merch or do something else special. Have a great trip!

 

[harrisdoesdisney]

Keep in mind that your 2-year-old will be free at Goofy’s (they can eat off your plate), so it probably won’t be $150 for Goofy’s. Maybe more like $100 (I don’t know the current exact price for Goofy’s).

You also probably won’t be buying full meals for the kids (I know I didn’t when my kids were that age). I’d maybe buy one adult meal and one kids meal and split everything three ways and it was always enough for us. Some kids meals are bigger than others, with more sides, so browse menus before you go. Same with snacks, two popcorns or pretzels or Dole Whips or whatever for the three of us. I always packed lots of fruit, snacks and drinks when my kids were that age, stored in the stroller with ice packs.

My kids eat a lot more now at 6 and 10, so they get their own meals and snacks and I spent a lot more per day.

I don’t think you’ll come close to spending $800 unless you splurge on merch or do something else special. Have a great trip!

Thank you!

I don’t think I will either but I know it just gets more and more expensive as time goes by and wanted to make sure I wasn’t being overly tight on the budget

 

[harrisdoesdisney]

You will be good with the $800 for food and extras. A rough budget I use is $100/day per adult and $75/day for kids for all meals/snacks/drinks. Add to this for character meals and premium table service meals or if you plan to purchase adult beverages.

I will say I have never even come close to this number but I am not a snacker when I am at Disneyland. And rarely purchase drinks, sticking to water at meals and during the day.

Since I’m going alone no adult beverages for me and we generally stick to water so really it’s good and trinkets

 

[UnpokemonMom]

I would also suggest buying DL merch before going to the parks - Target is a good place. I bought the kids' tshirts and some toys ahead of time, so when they saw something in the parks that was really expensive, I just gave them the already purchased items. Same with glow sticks and that other stuff that lights up at night. Way cheaper to get ahead of time instead of the vendors in the park.

 

[maleficent55]

You’re flying out at 5:30 pm on your Disneyland day?
So depending on which airport you’re flying out of, you will likely have to leave Disneyland at 3 PM at the latest?

That’s a really short day for Disneyland, especially with Littles when there’s a lot to do.
Because you’re cutting your Disneyland day so short, can you switch days and do Disneyland on the first day and DCA on the day that you’re flying out?

But more importantly, are you able to fly out the next day so you get two days in the park without having to cut one and half for the airport?

 

[disneychrista]

You’re flying out at 5:30 pm on your Disneyland day?
So depending on which airport you’re flying out of, you will likely have to leave Disneyland at 3 PM at the latest?

That’s a really short day for Disneyland, especially with Littles when there’s a lot to do.
Because you’re cutting your Disneyland day so short, can you switch days and do Disneyland on the first day and DCA on the day that you’re flying out?

But more importantly, are you able to fly out the next day so you get two days in the park without having to cut one and half for the airport?

The way I am reading it is they have a full day at DL the first day, then DCA and then a half fay at DL.

 

[harrisdoesdisney]

You’re flying out at 5:30 pm on your Disneyland day?
So depending on which airport you’re flying out of, you will likely have to leave Disneyland at 3 PM at the latest?

That’s a really short day for Disneyland, especially with Littles when there’s a lot to do.
Because you’re cutting your Disneyland day so short, can you switch days and do Disneyland on the first day and DCA on the day that you’re flying out?

But more importantly, are you able to fly out the next day so you get two days in the park without having to cut one and half for the airport?

Sorry let me clarify:

We have one full day (the 19th) at DLR and one at Disney CA (the 20th) and then a half day again on the 21st at DLR

 

[maleficent55]

Sorry let me clarify:

We have one full day (the 19th) at DLR and one at Disney CA (the 20th) and then a half day again on the 21st at DLR

oh good! My reading comprehension is lacking today...

 

[harrisdoesdisney]

No worries it happens!