What are your line items when making a Disney vacation budget?

[worm761]

I have to rework my budget. I went from a quick 4 day "long weekend" vacation to an all out 8 day vacation. I erased my last budget and can't remember what all was on it.

room
food
tips
gas
food on the road
photopass

What am I missing? Tickets are already accounted for since we have seasonal passes.

 

[Marionnette]

I have to rework my budget. I went from a quick 4 day "long weekend" vacation to an all out 8 day vacation. I erased my last budget and can't remember what all was on it.

room
food
tips
gas
food on the road
photopass

What am I missing? Tickets are already accounted for since we have seasonal passes.

Here's what I budget for:
Lodging
Food (dining plan, food in the airport, snacks for the plane )
Airfare (including taxes, 9/11 fee, seat selection and checked bag charges)
Ground Transportation (airport shuttle, rental car, etc.)
Parking (airport, parks, etc)
Tickets
Tips
Souvenirs
Emergency Money (for forgotten sunscreen, ladies' supplies, etc.)

 

[preschoolmom]

I always add in the boarding fee for our dog.

 

[edk35]

I always add in the boarding fee for our dog.

That is a big expense for us. We board two.

 

[laura.anne]

I am making the budget for my first-ever Disney trip (set for 2013), and I have everything you have as well as money for tolls and souvenirs.

 

[Disney Addicted]

Airline tickets
Money for tolls if driving to the States
Hotel costs if we stay overnight in Buffalo before flying out (or once back)
Costs to park car while on vacation
Trip & Medical Insurance
Resort & park ticket cost
Meals & snacks
Tips for restaurants, mousekeeping, magical express driver
Taxi costs plus tip for driver
Photopass
Costs for anything extra we know we want to do (ie, La Nouba or reserved seating at waterparks)

 

[kerplop]

Money for laundry if you're doing it. Tips for housekeeping, etc. Taxi fares if you won't have you own car. If you're flying obviously airfares, but baggage fees and (for us anyway) the shuttle to/from the airport.

 

[kimberlyWDW]

I do a very thorough line item list. I even go so far as to carry a small notebook with me to deduct from each total as we vacation. I have never been over budget this way!

Here's my huge list!

House expenses
pet expenses
pre-trip clothing purchases
pre-trip supply purchases
transportation to/from airport
parking at airport
plane tickets
travel day food (to)
rental car
hotel/timeshare
fuel
parking
grocery stop
food per day (I research restaurant prices and set this before hand)
park tickets
in park spending per person
"special surprise" (I plan a surprise every trip)
husband bribe for going to Disney..again (last time Richard Petty Driving)
Travel home $$
Misc fund (200 for unexpected expenses works well for us - usually bring it home)


I like to do it this way because I can set a starting budget that is very complete. I then work very hard in each catigory to reduce the $$$ as much as possible.

For example, when the kids were young I would pack a small Tinkerbell gift for each child each day. They would come back to a fun surprise and I could tell them that they didn't need to buy things in the park because Tinky left them a gift. These were small things like stickers or articles that I had to get anyway like new T-shirts and bathingsuits. Now that they are older, I require them to set aside a portion of their birthday $ for the trip and they pay for their own stuff (they can buy whatever they want...even if I roll my eyes).