Spending money for family of 5

[kazdav]

Okay, I know same old same old but I shall ask anyway.

Talking to a colleague at work today about spending money, I was thinking of taking about £2000 (We are there three weeks but hubby only twelve days). She said last time she went with just her hubby they spent £2k and she said I will notice a massive difference in prices since we were there in 2006.

There is me and hubby and three kids, 16,14 and 11.

We have bought all our tickets bar the Animal Kingdom which we intend to pay on the gate as that's the only Disney park we are going to. So the money is for groceries, eating out and a bit of clothes shopping , petrol etc.

We don't tend to eat at particularly high end restaurants, Cheesecake Factory is probably top of the scale. How does this budget sound. Do you think we should be taking more. I am trying to avoid cc use this time purely because the Nationwide card is not what it was although I will have it for emergencies.

Your thoughts appreciated.

 

[disneyholic family]

you're buying a one day ticket to AK?
that's really expensive right there...

for the 5 of you, just that ticket is going to cost you about £300.

as for food, i don't think £2,000 is enough even just for food for 3 weeks.

and if you're adding in tickets, petrol, shopping, i really don't see how £2,000 is enough.

but i haven't crunched the numbers, i was just doing an offhand calculation.

And your friend is right, the prices have gone up shockingly since 2006.
I had non-stop sticker shock during my trip last year and that was after only 3 years of being away.

even the snacks, which i always thought were reasonable had gone through the roof..

 

[orangetiggs]

We have gone with less than 1000 for 2 weeks with just 2adults but we have purchased all tickets here and had no problems, thats with shopping petrol and eating, we didnt eat in expensive places either a d we ate alot in the parks.

It can be done on your budget just dont over do things

 

[wayneg]

You sound to be similar to us, CF top end of your dining scale, we are 3 adults, when staying offsite we spend appox $100/day - £60. Thats just for food, snax and gas, no shopping.
If you double that for your family and add £300 for AK, I would expect you will need £2,500-£3k but eat at cheaper places, drink free water instead of park sodas, use the restaurant vouchers etc plus taking into account your DH not there the whole trip you might just get it down nearer the £2k.

I don't feel prices have changed a massive amount but we have never been one for buying in the parks, except for lunch, still costs us about $30-32 which it always has, I think thats very reasonable for a theme park. We do get snax now but only on DDP, never pay for them.
Offsite we have changed our eating habits and now eat at more expensive places than we used to but I just checked Ponderosa website, prices are very similar to when we 1st went 18 years ago.

 

[loobzuk]

where are you staying? We are renting a villa again and often save money by buying pizza in a supermarket and then eating in, that's obviously harder if you don't have access to cooking or storage facilities. Same with things like water and juice - we can purchase the huge packs available cheaply at Walmart and chill/freeze them at the villa and we can also take snacks and things with us so we usually end up eating only twice (breakfast and dinner) with snacks for the children during the day if required. Saves money and a few calories too! I'm sure if you keep a close eye on your spending you'll be able to cover your food costs, but not sure it will leave much for shopping.

 

[dixonsontour]

Agree you cut your cloth to speak so to speak.

We've done mega budget and more spendy hols.

In your situation i'd pass on AK one day - the one day disney tickets are so expensive.

For food - the more you eat in the cheaper it will be.

So breakfast in villa, take packed lunch or at the very least snacks and water into the parks and have nights where you have a takeaway or cook at the villa.

Do the kids have their own spending money?

I like to split my money daily and roll over any unused for the next day.

If you last went when the dollar rate was better (2 for £1 period) then things will seem dearer.

Also all of you will be adults for dining purposes at disney - offsite your youngest may be ok still to order a kids meal, depends on restaurant.

So 5 adults eating out with drinks and tip everynight will soon add up.

 

[dixonsontour]

Parking at the parks is dear - $14 disney and I think $15 universal a day.

Could be over £100 spent just on parking.

 

[kazdav]

We have a villa, I have told the kids that until Daddy arrives we will probably just have breakfast out on the first day, then go shopping and then we will mainly chill by the pool for the first week.

On a park day we tend to eat breakfast which pretty much lasts us the day but may pick up an icecream or doughnut. We take frozen bottled water but do if say at a waterpark we would buy the refillable soda's.

One day is at Discovery cove so no spending that day on food and drink.

Groceries will probably be easy cooking ie pizza, etc. Then I will have to buy the obligatory Oreo Cookie Icecream Cake and thats just for me.

Re Animal Kingdom I am aware of the costs of the ticket but we have no other parks that we are desparate to go to so have accepted that cost, unless the guru's can come up with another option that is around the same price but gives us access to the other parks if we want them.

I intend to transfer money when I am in the US from my bank account into my Citibank but was, like everyone else, wondering whether to hang on to see if the rate increases. Just sent £500 on Sunday and got 1.639 today.

Daughter had dollars for her birthday for clothes shopping, so he has about $300. Youngest will have about $150 and eldest is still deciding but will probably take about $350.

 

[beth01dog]

Hi
We went summer 2008 and took £2100 for a family of 5 for 21 days and managed to bring about £400 back with us!
We cooked in our apartment about 5/6 times, ate at Ponderosa type places a few times but also did character meals at Chef Mickey, Crystal Palace, Tusker House and ate at Rainforest Cafe.
We ate breakfast at home and took lunch/snacks with us for the day, drank water but still spent a fair bit in the shops and bought ice creams and treats too so I think you should manage if you budget here and there!

 

[suzybear6]

One day is at Discovery cove so no spending that day on food and drink.

You only get breakfast and lunch at Discovery Cove so you will still need to budget for food and drink in the evening on that day.

hth
Luv Suzy

 

[paulh]

we have always budgeted £100 per day for food and drink and have always come back with change fam of 4

Paul

 

[Tony Toon]

We come home on THursday after 21 days. There were 5 of us for the first 2 weeks (Me; DH; DD; DS and DS'GF). DD went home last week so thee have only been 4 of us for the last week. We had 1 breakfast at Cracker Barrell, 1 at Crystal Palace and plan to have a breakfast at Sizzlers on THursday before we fly home. Cheesecake Factory is one of our favourites and we have also done a couple of Logans (cheap meal deals), Sweet Toms (with vouchers of course), Carrabas, Cracker Barrel, Olive Garden etc. Spoiled ourselves with a meal at Chef de France and Yachtsman (but used my Tables in Wonderland card). Bought one AP to save on parking and Tables in Wonderland card. Tickets, Hoop de Doo (again Tables in Wonderland discount) car hire pre puchased, so no outlay there. Other breakfasts, snacks, water, drinks etc bought in supermarket and eaten in villa. Lunches been on and off site (but only paid for those of DH and I) but enjoyed a few coffees and DH does enjoy his cake. Very little shopping this trip (I bought some Clinique and a pair of crocs, DH bought a pair of shoes and a pair of Birkenstocks, DS,DD paid for their own this trip for the first time Post Office Credit card standing at £2600 (up to 25th July). Had $180 cash with us. This is our 15th trip and although I haven't noticed much difference from last year (except for petrol) there is a big difference since 2006.

Mrs TT

 

[crabbie1]

No way would I manage on £2000 with 3 let alone 5 of you for 3 weeks. Even with $100 a day thats a tight budget.I suppose like others have said if you eat in and dont really go anywhere to tempt the buying then it could be done. I do agree AK for a day is expensive especially as its the park that closes the earliest.
I would rather over budget than under budget then you can bring it home. I count every penny but on holiday we like to be able to have what we want and like to be waited on for a change. I really would love to do a budget trip as I am sure it can be done with vouchers etc.
Good luck and one things for sure you will have a fab trip.

 

[kazdav]

I will just take more, any that we don't use I will withdraw o day dh goes back as he uses dollars in Iraq. I guess I was just a bit shocked at the amount people spend in these days of recession. I will revisit my figures and see what we spent in 2006. This will probably be the last holiday with eldest ds hence discovery cove. As the rate is pretty good I will transfer about £4k and dh can have whatever is left.

 

[disneyholic family]

I will just take more, any that we don't use I will withdraw o day dh goes back as he uses dollars in Iraq. I guess I was just a bit shocked at the amount people spend in these days of recession. I will revisit my figures and see what we spent in 2006. This will probably be the last holiday with eldest ds hence discovery cove. As the rate is pretty good I will transfer about £4k and dh can have whatever is left.

we always end up with a lot left over.

i just get nervous about running low while we're there. (even though i have tons of plastic to fall back on - i like to have cash for 'just in case as well as tips etc.)

 

[CAROLINE4]

i think it can be done! we take £2000 for our family (newly 6) for two weeks. i think you can do disney on the same three levels there are on a plane. we are an economy family get a villa and eat breakfast everyday in the villa as we want to get to the parks early also most evening meals are eaten in the villa before heading out to fireworks etc. you can spend a fortune if u have it but equally have a great time without spending lots i would set ur budget and have a backup plan for emergencies! x

 

[kazdav]

There has been a development, the initial flight dh was to get has been cut and he has had to re-book all his linking flights. Have not managed to speak to him but it appears he will now leave Q8 on 12th so he will probably be with us on the 13th instead of 18th - bonus, of course this means we will now be catering for 5 for most of the holiday.

Oh well as they say it's only money and you can't take it with you. May have a quick look at tickets now and see if it's worthwhile getting some extra as the Universal are only valid for two weeks as are the Aquatica ones. Can't speak to him to make any decisions as he is currently on his way to Baghdad.

 

[buzz for boys]

We Areca family of 6 and coped with £2100 for 3 weeks ! I think we even cane back with sone dollars personally I think you can spend as much or as little as you have! We had 4 character breakfasts around 4 evening meals out off property and the rest of the time we are in the villa !
Hope that helps a little xxx

 

[partybunnie]

Hello
We took £2K last Sept. It was fine for us 3, 2 adults and 1 child. I had to spend a few hunderd dollars at a shopping mall on the last day to get rid of it (Oh, the hardship!)
We had all you can eat breakfast most days which was excellent value, we had a snack whereever we were, ( we didnt need much after the big breakfast) and either a meal out or some thing in the condo in the evening. Celebration Town Tavern is fab. Lovely onion rings (yum!)
We split up our £2k into daily equal portions and found it worked well as we mostly has money left over.
If we knew we were going to spend more, like shopping at the mall, we would take a bit more or use plastic for big purchase.
You might need a bit more for your 5 but I think USA prices are great.
Look for the coupon books, great value, use them.
Enjoy!

 

[kazdav]

I think we will take about £2.5k and put a bit on plastic. Spread the cost out a bit.