What is your Disney budget once you are at Disney?

[crisi]

So when people say they are bringing 2500 are they actually bringing 2500 cash? Or just put it on credit and pay when u get home? I can't imagine carrying 2500 on me!

I NEVER carry cash. Right now I have $50 in my wallet and that much is unusual for me. EVERYTHING goes on a credit card that is paid in full each month.

HOWEVER, when I was not nearly so well off, I did operate on a cash basis using envelopes. If I were doing Disney under those circumstances now, I would put my budget for each day in an envelope and leave the rest in the room safe. Or better than cash, I would buy Disney gift cards and put the $100 in gift cards for the day (or whatever), in my wallet and leave the rest in the room safe - moving the leftover $$$ from day to day (and planning to do the final day on whatever was left plus cash). Only having the cash you can spend (and maybe a credit card in case of a emergency - like needing to buy an unbudgeted sweatshirt when yours gets covered in chocolate shake) is a great way to make sure the budget gets stuck to.

 

[beansmom]

we are going for 5 days and I plan to keep our expenses at $1k including the rental car, all meals and any souvenirs.

 

[~Brandy~]

I always carefully craft a budget for food by meal, gas, snacks, extra experiences, etc... And then I get there and my budget goes out the window.

Of course you can have another light up toy! Order another novelty drink, we're on vacation!

I finally started adding in a line item for impulse purchases because clearly I have a problem where WDW is concerned!

 

[3girlsfun]

I do envelopes, or, I would definitely go over budget. If there is something that I am dying for, then I charge it to the room, then pay it off with my credit card, or debit card. We have never had over $150 for the room charges, and that included the Adventure Club for our oldest. I don't really save up for the while we are there budget, I normally just use the paycheck closest to the trip, and that is the budget for the trip.

It sounds like our budget is pretty close to everyone else's.

 

[Belle1962]

Not really a joke but I bring two credit cards and come with an "open wallet" attitude. No matter how many times I made a budget I couldn't stick to it so now have my open wallet attitude--I just call Disney the open wallet suck zone--because by the end of the trip they have sucked it all out of wallet.

 

[jm0925]

or a fresh t-shirt because you spilled your Starbucks down the front
[/LIST]

Good tip! I take it you are speaking from experience??

 

[DawnM]

We are here now.

We started by spending $300 in groceries at Super Target (for the townhouse.)

Eating out so far: $250. I assume we will spend another $200 or so.

Souvenirs so far: $50 We don't usually buy a lot of them.

So, $800 or so total????

 

[lauradis]

Our budget varies on the type of trip we are taking.

normally i try to keep whole trip under 6k, after room and tickets

hubby likes his walking around cash around 1500

i like to charge every thing to room easier to keep track of

since im not a big shopper just the normal junk around 200 a trip and then tips and extra food over the dinning plan if "free" and booze another 500

disclaimer only once have we had to transfer money out of saving to finish paying for trip cost, it was pretty and expensive and i really wanted it. I blaming DH for the extra push to buy it.

 

[Megkel]

Usually when we go we have the dinning plan and hotel prepaid. I'm not sure the dinning plan works out to be much cheaper for out family but my husband likes to eat at the restaurants and I like that it's already dealt with and paid for. We usually spend about $50 max a day other than that unless something comes up. We have been to Disney a lot so our dd gets to pick one thing on the trip. We usually use our snack credits for drinks. Every now and then we will split an extra meal at night if we are hungry. Other than that unless we forgot something at home it see something we have to have we don't spend any money.

 

[pigletto]

Not really a joke but I bring two credit cards and come with an "open wallet" attitude. No matter how many times I made a budget I couldn't stick to it so now have my open wallet attitude--I just call Disney the open wallet suck zone--because by the end of the trip they have sucked it all out of wallet.

We do pretty well sticking to whatever budget we make but your post reminded me of dh. Every single time we drive under the "Walt Disney World" sign on our way back home he looks at me with shock and says dramatically "Where have I been? What day is it? I think I was robbed by a mouse.. there's nothing in my wallet!!"

 

[lauradis]

We do pretty well sticking to whatever budget we make but your post reminded me of dh. Every single time we drive under the "Walt Disney World" sign on our way back home he looks at me with shock and says dramatically "Where have I been? What day is it? I think I was robbed by a mouse.. there's nothing in my wallet!!"

That just too funny you made me spit coffee

This is for hubby's good since of humor

 

[davedmaine]

I just did our budget for what we will spend once we are at Disney. We have a $1600 budget that includes tips, meals (that aren't on the dining plan), gas, hotels to and from Disney, groceries, souvenirs, and the money in case we decide to add a day to our tickets for our departure day. I'm just curious what others budget for, and how much you have in that budget.

You'd save a lot more if you dumped the dining plan

 

[smcabee]

We spend $1000/7days on food/drinks/snacks. Have DVC so I didnt figure that cost in and have DVC AP, so it works out to about an additional $41.00 for our roughly 20 days we spend at disney a year for the tickets so all told minus the DVC room on points its about $3700 for 20 days at disney or $185 or so a day.