Realistic budget for family of 4

[blessedby3]

We are a family of 6, bringing 2 extra people (oldest kids friends). We are staying 9 nights at POP Century (2 rooms) with free dining and 9 day base tickets.
For 2 rooms, tickets and dining for 7 adults and 1 child (by Disney standards as 3 of the "adults" are 12, 15, and 16...we are paying $4788. The 2 kids we are bringing are paying for their ticket/(free dining) at $275 each, so for our immediate family its a cost of $4238. Not too shabby!
We have 2 TS meals planned and are using our reward dollars for those so no extra cost. We will use a snack credit (of the 2 alloted ones on the QSDP for breakfast) and we get the refillable mugs too! The only other thing I have to factor in is gas money and a hotel on the way down (2 rooms at $49.99 each at LaQuinta and it includes a free breakfast). We are driving straight through on the way home. I will also pack a dinner for us on our drive down, so only 2 fast food meals on the way home.
The kids save their money for souvineers and DH and I dont usually spend over $30 for souvineers. We go often enough that I dont feel the need to buy lots of stuff.

 

[HM]

When we first visited in 1999 with two small children, we were able to do our trip (we drive there) for around $2000, staying 8 night Value resorts, 6 day tickets, and meals. Ten years later, with two teens, it cost us about $4000, staying 6 night Deluxe, 5 day hoppers, and meals. And we're using every discount we can find. Quite the jump, eh?

 

[Jedana]

We're going for 4 nights, next Tues-Fri, staying at POFQ. We have 2 adults, a 17 year old and a 7 year old.

We do get the Florida discount, and our tickets and hotel totaled less than $1000.

I have $500 budgeted for food. We have bobbles to drink at the parks, so only getting sodas at meals. 1-2 snacks a day, breakfast at the hotel (I'm bringing the Keurig for coffee, plus I have granola bars, fruit, small cereal boxes, etc if the kids want those).
$100 for gas (I have a $50 card from Hess that I got for $40 at a sale at Publix last week). Gas is around 3.50 here in Jax, so I planned on 3.90 there.
$160 for the kennel for the dog.
$20 in quarters for DS for pressed pennies (I have the pennies already).

DD does pin trading, so I hit the outlet store, bought a bunch of pins and she has those to trade. She'll probably get 1-2 pins there, so another $20. DH and I don't need souvenirs.


So 4 days, $1800. I like living in Florida!

 

[juliebean]

We are a family of 6, bringing 2 extra people (oldest kids friends). We are staying 9 nights at POP Century (2 rooms) with free dining and 9 day base tickets.
For 2 rooms, tickets and dining for 7 adults and 1 child (by Disney standards as 3 of the "adults" are 12, 15, and 16...we are paying $4788. The 2 kids we are bringing are paying for their ticket/(free dining) at $275 each, so for our immediate family its a cost of $4238. Not too shabby!
We have 2 TS meals planned and are using our reward dollars for those so no extra cost. We will use a snack credit (of the 2 alloted ones on the QSDP for breakfast) and we get the refillable mugs too! The only other thing I have to factor in is gas money and a hotel on the way down (2 rooms at $49.99 each at LaQuinta and it includes a free breakfast). We are driving straight through on the way home. I will also pack a dinner for us on our drive down, so only 2 fast food meals on the way home.
The kids save their money for souvineers and DH and I dont usually spend over $30 for souvineers. We go often enough that I dont feel the need to buy lots of stuff.

Hi! Just saw you have kids who are spread out even more than ours! And wanted to say - we brought DS's best friend on vacation last year and it was great. Really, two or three teenagers are easier than one - have a great time!

 

[verlee]

Here is our frugal 10 trip for our family of 4.

We spent this three weeks ago....
$618 for 9 nts off site
$970 for 7 day tix wdw
$200 groceries publix/walmart
$161 eating out/snacks in parks (all QS)
$157 souvies
$126 car rental for 4 days w/gas
$30 parking at parks 3 days
$142 one night Pop Century w/tx

Total= $2402 w/out travel costs

That total does not include flights as we had standby tix (+$80). We ate most dinners and breakfasts in the condo. We packed a lunch almost every day. The kids only had $30 for spending and we bought them each a pin. We thought that was pretty good for 10 days. So with our kennnel costs we spent a rounded total of $2800.

 

[cassandrap83]

Our Family of 4
Me & DH
3yr old 4yr old
We, too stayed off site.

We ate breakfast in our room, went to the parks, came back for a mid-day nap & break....ate dinner most nights at a regular sit down restaurant (like Chilis or TGI Fridays or whatever) spending $30-$40 total & then headed back to the park for the nights.

In the parks, we spent about $30 on each counter service meal. Also, we reserved one sit-down character meal & that cost us almost $200!

We aren't souvenir people, especially if going on a budget.

Our budget was:
$30/lunch per day
$40/dinner per day
$100 groceries (breakfast food, snacks, drinks)
$50 gift card for snacks in the park
$100 souvenirs (most of which was spent on pins for the kids)
$200 for our sit down meal in the park

Good Luck!

 

[blessedby3]

Hi! Just saw you have kids who are spread out even more than ours! And wanted to say - we brought DS's best friend on vacation last year and it was great. Really, two or three teenagers are easier than one - have a great time!

Yep, we have a spread on our kids...and all from one marriage/same parents! We love the spread My oldest is in her 3rd year of college and the youngest is looking at preschool for next year! We have taken our oldest dd's friend to WDW twice already and this will be the first time ds is taking someone. Our dd12 will be having a friend meet up with her at the parks a couple of days (her best friend moved to FL last year), so everyone will have a friend I agree....whats one (or 2 or 3) more at this point....lol

 

[lisaross]

Been 2x first time was for 8 nights

stayed at a moderate
flew done
free dining

Total Vacation was about 4000.00 -


2nd time 11 nights..

stayed at moderate for 7 nights
stayed at universal for 4 nights
flew done
free dining in disney
total including universal was about $5700.00

 

[Minnesota!]

Family of 4 - kids are 6 and 3.

This last trip in January totalled $2500 for 10 days/9 nights.

Hotel (Pop) and free dining + 8 day park hoppers = $2000.

Airfare was free because of an Airtran mistake.

Tips/souvenirs/arcade/extras = another $500.

Best vacation yet, and the cheapest!!

Even with airfare, it would have been only about $3300. Not bad!

 

[JennSaint]

Hi! Just saw you have kids who are spread out even more than ours! And wanted to say - we brought DS's best friend on vacation last year and it was great. Really, two or three teenagers are easier than one - have a great time!

I think this is what we are going to have to let my boys do too. They don't want to go on vaca with us anymore. So maybe if we let them bring a friend they will have more fun.

 

[rbork]

10 days at FW in a cabin for 3adults, 1DS14 and one DS11.
3800$ lodging plus free dining and 9 day tix
250$ gratuity for 10 nights dining
1200$ airfare for 5
50$ mousekeeping
150$ garden grocer
100$ souvies

Grand Total $5550

less Disney Visa Rewards $300
less Kid's saved change jar for souvies $100
Oooo almost forgot Santa gave another $50 GC

5100$ , not bad for 10 days for a family of 4 plus grandma.