No Extra Money, just tips?

[RFrank9504]

Has anyone anyone ever gone with no spending money, just relied totally on dining plan, no need for souvenirs and only brought cash for tips?

(just wondering because thats what friends of our are doing and NO we are not traveling together) Its just 2 adults and they dont drink and she isnt a shopper.

I couldn't do it!

 

[chartle]

For me its very easy not to spend money in the parks, just don't buy anything.

We trained our sons' not to expect us to buy them all the little do dads they see. They only get stuff they can actually use like t shirts or pens.

When I buy stuff for my niece I got her hair stuff because she always has her hair in her eyes, and has tons of clips and such.

Now last trip my wife discovered pin trading. I don't want to know how much see spent on them.

 

[Patience]

My husband and I could do it. We are not big souvenir shoppers and, although we will order an occasional glass of wine with dinner, we are not big drinkers and wouldn't have to order any alcohol. Having the kids with us, no. My teenager is looking forward to picking out a hoodie and we will let our 4 year old pick something too, plus I know she wants a mickey head balloon.

 

[Sinderelly]

We only take cash for tips ie baggage handlers, shuttle drivers, tolls ets. We use our CC for anything else. I wasn't that keen on shopping either until I got bit by those darn Dooneys

 

[MellyMouse]

I absolutely could do that if I'd decided that's what I was going to do. I usually only buy one souvenir anyway. I enjoy a few drinks over the course of the trip, but I wouldn't feel deprived without them if I'd decided not to.

That said, that is not what I've decided to do on this trip!

 

[mjp12831]

Actually this is exactly what we do - our kids don't ever ask to buy stuff, they're too busy doing stuff. This year we broke tradition and actually told them to find shirts they liked from their favorite ride.

 

[LuvLuvLuv]

for us... we do spend, but mentally i would need a little extra as a backup. somehow things happen to us, lol. my sandal broke during our first trip and my other shoes were hurting me--had to buy flops. my fiance didn't pay attention to what he packed in the 95 degree May trip and opened up his new shirt package and noticed the polo he packed for signature dining was long sleeved, lol--had to go buy him a mickey polo. my trip after my miscarriage after i gained quite a bit of weight from being pretty far along--i discovered what chafing was and needed powder--it was outrageous priced at the gift shop. i got sick (dehydration) at yachtsman steakhouse and we needed a cab to get to kidani quick. we had our first terrible meal at california grill and got a pizza afterwards.

if we didn't have other money--we would have been in trouble in all those times!!

((disclosure: these things did not all happen in the same trip, lol))

 

[Mrs K]

We could do it if we tried. We stay CL and have a meal plan. This year we had enough Visa redemption points for the two TS meals that were not covered. We only paid extra for tips and valet parking. We usually don't buy much in the parks anyway.

 

[lisalis]

We could do it, and I love shopping! We usually let the kids pick out one thing with a $20 limit when we go. If they want something more $, they kick it in. When we went to Arizona to see the Grand Canyon and other stuff last month, we only bought a rubber lizard for each of our younger boys(the oldest didn't want anything). We don't tell them they can't get anything, but for us vacations are more about the experiences we have together. Now, we do like to buy stuff when we go on trips expressly for shopping

 

[maxiesmom]

Has anyone anyone ever gone with no spending money, just relied totally on dining plan, no need for souvenirs and only brought cash for tips?

(just wondering because thats what friends of our are doing and NO we are not traveling together) Its just 2 adults and they dont drink and she isnt a shopper.

I couldn't do it!

Do they have the deluxe dining plan? Otherwise, I'm not seeing how their plan will work, unless they don't usually eat 3 meals a day, and hardly snack during the day. You only get 1 counter service, 1 table service, and 1 snack with the regular dining plan. I'm not a huge eater, but I need to eat more than twice a day.

 

[auntfrannie]

I couldn't/wouldn't because some kiosks don't take the dining plan and if I'm really thirsty I'm not going to be in a mood to hunting down a dining plan kiosk!

As far as souvenirs, I find it easier with each trip to not buy anything! Disney is doing a horrible job with their selections.

 

[disneygal58]

Could we do it - absolutely. Will we - no. Love a glass of wine with dinner and plan to sample some of the F&W offerings. Also hoping to find a pirate mug for DH.

 

[chartle]

Do they have the deluxe dining plan? Otherwise, I'm not seeing how their plan will work, unless they don't usually eat 3 meals a day, and hardly snack during the day. You only get 1 counter service, 1 table service, and 1 snack with the regular dining plan. I'm not a huge eater, but I need to eat more than twice a day.

I think they mean spending money in the park.

Either they eat breakfast at the resort do what a lot of people do and eat cold pop tarts and cereal in the room.

 

[BrerVixen]

It's do-able, but would be difficult!

 

[bdoyledimou]

I have spent 16 days in a park and never spent money OOP.

just what was with the package.

Of course, my wife spent $1500 on souvineers ... but if she wasn't there, it wouldn't have affected me at all.

 

[LBlovesM&WDW]

Well I know I couldn't and quite honestly, I wouldn't want to. It's a vacation that we worked for and will enjoy to the fullest. I think they may want to remember that sometimes unexpected things come up and money is usually a necessity.

 

[SamJane]

We could totally do this. In fact we're planning to almost do it when we go in a few weeks. We're on the QSDP so we'll have plenty of food during the day, and we tend to eat less when it is hot anyway. We're doing cold cereal in the room for breakfast in the morning, and we'll be drinking water when we don't have leftover drinks from our meals. QSDP means no tips needed either. We have a specific budget for souvenirs and will not go over that. Really the only reason we'll buy ANY souvenirs is because it is our first trip there! We're not normally the souvenir type anyway.

Also to help head off some of the souvenir craziness for the kids, I have already bought a few things online that I am taking with us. Every night after the girls are asleep, Tinkerbell will be leaving them a Disney gift. MUCH cheaper than buying in the park!

We will of course have our credit cards for emergencies, but I don't consider that part of the vacation budget. If my kid gets hurt and we need to buy stuff for that, it would be no different than if we did it at home.

 

[catne]

we have done it...and no extra food with the dining plan either...we just use make coffee in the room with the provided machine, and use the snack credits for breakfast (or we split one of the big counter service lunches like Cosmic Ray's Ribs/Chicken platter...and then use the other counter service credit to split a breakfast platter...so many of the counter service meals are too large to finish, but nice size for splitting between two people.)

We rarely buy souvenirs...more often, if we're buying something there, it's a gift for someone else.

 

[wacowgirl]

for us... we do spend, but mentally i would need a little extra as a backup. somehow things happen to us, lol. my sandal broke during our first trip and my other shoes were hurting me--had to buy flops. my fiance didn't pay attention to what he packed in the 95 degree May trip and opened up his new shirt package and noticed the polo he packed for signature dining was long sleeved, lol--had to go buy him a mickey polo. my trip after my miscarriage after i gained quite a bit of weight from being pretty far along--i discovered what chafing was and needed powder--it was outrageous priced at the gift shop. i got sick (dehydration) at yachtsman steakhouse and we needed a cab to get to kidani quick. we had our first terrible meal at california grill and got a pizza afterwards.

if we didn't have other money--we would have been in trouble in all those times!!

((disclosure: these things did not all happen in the same trip, lol))

I was thinking, DAIN GIRL!!! lol.. SO happy to hear it wasn't in the same trip!

I would rather bring extra $$ with me because you just NEVER know what will happen. Expect the worst, hope for the best.

 

[chocovrdmicears]

Nope.
I will admit it .. I am weak for giving the Mouse my money... absolutely no way could I step on Disney property and not spend a dime. I LOVE to shop and I LOVE my Disney stuff.