Spending money

[mkstlowe]

My family and I are going to Disney World in October. We are booked at the Wilderness Lodge (really great deal) that is with the Park Hoppers and the Dining.We are coming in on a Saturday and leaving on a Sunday.
Of course we don't get to Disney often, our last visit was 2005 in October.
How are prices of things? My kids don't ask for much, but when they do I don't want to say no. We don't get big vacations so when we do go, I like everyone to be happy. My daughter will be 13, and my son will be 8.

What is the average do people bring for spending on a family of 4?

I know you can't say how much will be needed. I"m really looking to see an average.

Thanks!

 

[angierae]

If you're going to do table service you'll need tip money. Take a peek at the menus at allears.net to get approximate prices for food you think your family will eat.

If you are going to need to get a cab to get somewhere quickly (early morning ADR at another resort) you will have to factor that in - $15-20 with tip, maybe? I can't remember how much ours cost but there were six of us so we needed the van so that might be more expensive than a cab for 4.

As for spending money, my advice is to set a number for each kid you think is reasonable ($100, 200, whatever) and let them know that that's how much they have, and when they're gone, it's gone. Maybe even get it on a gift card so they have some agency in their own spending. Kids are more careful with money when they know there's an end rather than expecting the supposedly bottomless pit of mom and dad's wallets to keep dispensing.

Personally, I set myself a $150 limit for souvineers and it was easily enough. Depends on if you are 'shoppers' or not.

 

[growinupdisney]

My kids who are 16 and 13 usually take any where between $100-$150 this is money they have gotten for their B-day, Easter, Valentines and soo on. I usually have my family give them a disney gift card as well as I do for the smaller holidays especially since my kids don't eat candy. So I give them about $15-$20 whatever I would normally spend. These really add up.

Plus they can't spend as easy as cash. I do buy a t-shirt or maybe one small thing for them around $25.00 each but the rest is up to them.

My dd3 I do the same with the GC but we usually go around her B-day so she has that $ to help. Usually her B-day gift from us is something she will need while we are the this year it will be BBB. My other family members will give $15-$25 plus something small she will need there as well.

I do usually try especially with younger one to let her only get one thing a day!


for myself and DH we usually spend anywhere from $150-$300 just depends on what we see!

 

[eliza61]

My family and I are going to Disney World in October. We are booked at the Wilderness Lodge (really great deal) that is with the Park Hoppers and the Dining.We are coming in on a Saturday and leaving on a Sunday.
Of course we don't get to Disney often, our last visit was 2005 in October.
How are prices of things? My kids don't ask for much, but when they do I don't want to say no. We don't get big vacations so when we do go, I like everyone to be happy. My daughter will be 13, and my son will be 8.

What is the average do people bring for spending on a family of 4?

I know you can't say how much will be needed. I"m really looking to see an average.

Thanks!

LOL, the people at wdw are really geniuses at parting you from your dollars.

Remember, all those rides dump out into really neat gift shops so I remember my kids really getting the bad case of "I want". And DTD is one huge mall dedicated to shopping.

Generally what we do is this.

Mom & dad spring for a tee shirt/sweatshirt for the gang (4). Each kid can get up to $100 bucks to spend. We try to get them to wait until we go to each park before deciding on a purchase.

Since we go in the summer we also factor in ice cream treats each day. since you're on the dining plan you can use your snack credit for this.

 

[SnowWhite33]

Start saving change!

Since we have been going(10 years now) we have had a change jar on our dresser. Whatever goes in that jar is for our DS who is now 16. There have been years that he has had as much as $250 by the time the trip gets around.

DH empties his pocket at the end of everyday and I put my change out of my purse at the end of the week. Also anything found in pockets or washer/dryer on laundry day goes in. It is "found" money.

When DS was little we divided whatever he had by how many nights we were staying and that was what he was allowed per day. It's amazing at what they are willing to pass on when they know they are using their money

Now that he is older we go with the same principal but allow him to spend it as he wishes, but he knows that when it's gone, he's done.

 

[growinupdisney]

Start saving change!

Since we have been going(10 years now) we have had a change jar on our dresser. Whatever goes in that jar is for our DS who is now 16. There have been years that he has had as much as $250 by the time the trip gets around.

DH empties his pocket at the end of everyday and I put my change out of my purse at the end of the week. Also anything found in pockets or washer/dryer on laundry day goes in. It is "found" money.

When DS was little we divided whatever he had by how many nights we were staying and that was what he was allowed per day. It's amazing at what they are willing to pass on when they know they are using their money

Now that he is older we go with the same principal but allow him to spend it as he wishes, but he knows that when it's gone, he's done.

This what we do for the gas $ on the drive down and back. We easy have enough to cover the gas both ways!

 

[roadtripper]

We do the same as many people here re: giving the kids Disney cards, etc before the trip. They become very selective shoppers when they know there's a limit! I also stock up on fun things before we go--when they were little, it was Disney jammies, stickers, etc. I just ordered some glow items from premier glow (see the light up toys thread on here) that are much cheaper than the spinning toys at Disney.

 

[perfectparanoia]

I am going to agree with everyone else and instead of them asking you for things, give them their own money. It really cuts down on the bugging (even when my kids spent all their money with still 3 days to go, they didn't bug). We gave ours 100 each (which was enough for mickey ears, a t-shirt and assorted toys).

As for what to bring for yourselves and food expenses, you need to look at what you are doing each day. For example, if you are on the dining plan, you don't need to budget for snacks but you do need to budget for tips, etc. If you plan on visiting a water park and paying out of pocket, you need extra money for that day. You might need to pay for airport parking on your last day. (And you will buy souveniers so give yourself something there.)

I sit down and calculate it all and then make up daily envelopes of cash. If we don't spend as much one day, it rolls over into the next.

 

[Redheaded Sunshine]

Start saving change!

Since we have been going(10 years now) we have had a change jar on our dresser. Whatever goes in that jar is for our DS who is now 16. There have been years that he has had as much as $250 by the time the trip gets around.

DH empties his pocket at the end of everyday and I put my change out of my purse at the end of the week. Also anything found in pockets or washer/dryer on laundry day goes in. It is "found" money.

When DS was little we divided whatever he had by how many nights we were staying and that was what he was allowed per day. It's amazing at what they are willing to pass on when they know they are using their money

Now that he is older we go with the same principal but allow him to spend it as he wishes, but he knows that when it's gone, he's done.

This

Also, for my kids, we really start enforcing the chore chart and we pay them. We try to make them save at least half of what they earn...which is hard since we're surprising them. (we're also going in Oct...so this is PLENTY of time for them to earn spending money.) I would also give them a certain amount right before you go or spring for a shirt or jacket. At 8 and 13 they are definitely old enough to manage their own money at Disney and make their choices.

Also you might want to factor in either a grocery delivery or trip to a grocery store b/c it's a very smart idea to have snacks, drinks and light breakfast items in your room. You don't want to blow a snack credit every time you want a soda or bottle of water.

 

[Marionnette]

My family and I are going to Disney World in October. We are booked at the Wilderness Lodge (really great deal) that is with the Park Hoppers and the Dining.We are coming in on a Saturday and leaving on a Sunday.
Of course we don't get to Disney often, our last visit was 2005 in October.
How are prices of things? My kids don't ask for much, but when they do I don't want to say no. We don't get big vacations so when we do go, I like everyone to be happy. My daughter will be 13, and my son will be 8.

What is the average do people bring for spending on a family of 4?

I know you can't say how much will be needed. I"m really looking to see an average.

Thanks!

Check the menus on allearsnet.com for food and snack prices. If you are on the regular dining plan and not the quick service plan, you will need tip money. That should be in the 18%-20% pre-tax price of table service meals.

If you want to be order room service, you should plan to do it out of pocket instead of using the dining plan credits. Room service costs 2 table service dining plan credits per meal. It's really not worth using you plan credits on unless you're on the deluxe plan and have extra credits to use.

Souvenir prices can be all over the place and if you aren't going to be able to say 'no' then practice saying 'later'. As you know, just about every attraction exits into a shop designed to separate you from your money. Every night time parade and fireworks will have cartloads of overpriced light up devices that kids just gravitate to. Buy them the first night and bring them back to the parks every night instead of buying new ones. If the batteries wear out, take the light-up to a cart along with your receipt and they should take care of it for you for no charge.

When my kids were younger we gave them a certain amount that they could spend or save each day. If they saw something that was more than what they had at the time, they had to wait and save for it. It made them think twice about spending money on small things when they knew it would take them that much longer to get their big souvenir (or possibly not get it at all!).

Way back then, it was not unusual for us to budget $500 for souvenirs alone for a one week trip for a family of 4. Now-a-days, I don't think that we spend even $100 total. But you can only have so many snowglobes and Mickey t-shirts. And we have maxed out on them.

 

[mkstlowe]

Is there a place on here about the grocery delivery? How does this work? How much does it cost (outside the actual groceries).


Seems like I"m planning somewhat on the right track. We do the coin thing and the dollar in the cookie jar. All money found in laundry is Disney money!

since my trip is in Oct we have much time. Good thing is we are paying the trip off by July. I'm making weekly payments to Disney like it was a bill.

 

[cajunbaby1]

I've seen alot of people order from the Garden Grocer. I think its like a min of $40.00 and there is a delivery charge. Another place is WeGoShop ( i think). Both you can get almost anything from the store. I've never used them; but i think if you fly and have a family it maybe worth it. If you get a car service to pick you up from the airport some will allow you to stop a groc store withut an extra charge.