How much do you spend?

[sbkline]

We're on the dining plan, so our meals, our tickets and our hotel room will all be paid in full by March 7 (45 days from our check in day). However, I'm trying to get a rough estimate of how much more we will spend so I can know how much money to plan on taking. It looks like it may be alot. Here are some of the expenditures I can think of:

Gas there and gas back. I just got a new van and it has a bigger tank, but most likely, less gas mileage than the old car. I put 18.3 gallons in the other day, costing about 38 bucks. So I will assume three fillups there and three back at 35 to 40 bucks depending on gas mileage. So, rough estimate $240.

Motel there and motel back. Probably close to another $100 bucks.

Food there and food back. I don't know if we'll splurge on sitdown or just do fast food. Probably some of each. So, I'll assume 50 bucks there and 50 bucks back on stopping for food. So another 100 bucks.

Tipping at the resorts. Does 20 bucks sound about right for 7 days of tipping mousekeeping and the people that take our bags? It's our first time on property, so I'm not sure.

Mini-golf at, probably 3 different mini-golf courses, both on property and off. Say, 40 dollars.

Carraige ride. 30 bucks

Souveniers. Now that's the really tricky part. My son's 1st birthday will be the day after we arrive back home. So the wife wants to buy alot of his b-day presents there, as well as whatever souvies that we might buy. I'm really not sure what to estimate on this one, especially since the wife wants to shop at the Florida Mall in Orlando while we're there.

So, I have $530 bucks, not counting souveniers. What do you usually spend on souveniers while you are down there?

Maybe I should just plan on bringing a thousand down and hope that we have a surplus left over to use for Six Flags this summer.

 

[smayco]

So, I have $530 bucks, not counting souveniers. What do you usually spend on souveniers while you are down there?

Neither of my DS had a birthday while we were down there in '04, so that does make a difference, but I only allowed them a budget of $10/day (each) for souvenirs. (At the time, they were 8 and 5 yo.) This worked out well, as they occasionally skipped a day and asked for something bigger the next day. I thought this was a very reasonable amount, and probably even a little high. Some days they were more focused on the souvenirs they would pick out than the experiences they were having!

~Sue

 

[Nansafan]

I always like to budget on the high side for unexpected expenses. (Brother got sick and we had to get to an emergency center (strep throat, not an ambulance type thing) so we had unexpected taxi expenditures.) You have a car so that wouldn't be an issue but you see what I'm getting at. Better to bring money home than not be prepared. A co-worker actually had to buy a car in Titusville, Florida several years back, when her transmission conked out. Like the Boy Scouts say, "Be Prepared!"

 

[haggerwood]

If you want to save money on souvenirs you can always go to the massive Walmart in Kissimmee which has tonnes of Disney stuff. Obviously it's more convenient to buy stuff in MK but when there is a DVD for $25 there or $15 just outside the park it's worth the little trip especially if you're buying a lot of stuff.
Last time we went to Disneyworld we budgetted about $300 more than we thought we would need which enabled us to relax and not spend the whole time worrying about our budget. As it was we came home having spent less than we imagined we would have which was good. It's much better to assume the worst and be pleasantly surprised than to budget down to the penny and then when your camera needs new batteries or you kid needs diapers you suddenly get thrown off track.

 

[hiddenmickey75]

This is a tough ?, we usually are there for about 18 days when we go. In that time with a 6 and 4 year old we spend about $2500 not including food and hotel. That includes a splurdge day at DD which usually cost $1000 by itself so if you cut that out, $1000 for a week might be ok. Plus I always have a backup just in case like a major credit card. Have a great time.

 

[Monty]

I usually go for a week and coming home through customs I declare around $800-1000 in purchases that I'm bringing back.

 

[shurst]

If you want to save money on souvenirs you can always go to the massive Walmart in Kissimmee which has tonnes of Disney stuff. Obviously it's more convenient to buy stuff in MK but when there is a DVD for $25 there or $15 just outside the park it's worth the little trip especially if you're buying a lot of stuff.
Last time we went to Disneyworld we budgetted about $300 more than we thought we would need which enabled us to relax and not spend the whole time worrying about our budget. As it was we came home having spent less than we imagined we would have which was good. It's much better to assume the worst and be pleasantly surprised than to budget down to the penny and then when your camera needs new batteries or you kid needs diapers you suddenly get thrown off track.

wheres the walmart located? ive seen the target, never ran across the walmart though. thank you!


as far as spending, imo its best to kinda shop around, there are so many discount shops that sell disney. we celebrated my daughters 8th birthday at disney which involved a character lunch at crystal palace, and a stay at the resort that she picked out. as far as souveniers i think its all personal, with me being hard to say no to a 8yr old beautiful girl, i got swindled out of alot of things, LOL. but all jokes aside, i think its all on what you budget and how well you are at sticking to it. there any particular souveniers you are thinking of? the very first disney trip i went on i believe i spent right around 1000 for 4 days for me my wife and daughter which was for food also. the second time around for 8 days i spent roughly 2500, which was splurging more. more sit down restaunts and what not.

 

[iheartdisney91]

well when we go to disney we usually spend a little over 2000 dollars but we fly and we have park tickets and we dont drive or rent a car and we have to have food so some of it is on souviners, where else do you plan to get awesome disney stuff? any way so i would take maybe 600 dollars for souviners.

 

[sbkline]

wheres the walmart located? ive seen the target, never ran across the walmart though. thank you!

The Walmart is right there on Vine Street by Medieval Times and Pirates Island mini-golf. And they were building a brand new Walmart in 2005 when we were there, along 535, I believe. I don't know if that one was to replace the one I just mentioned, or if Kissimmee is just having two Walmarts. But two of my traditions every time we go are playing mini-golf at Pirates Island and stopping in that big Walmart next door at least once.

 

[Nemo14]

I'd second the Wal-Mart idea - we always go there, and it's a definite saving (the one on 192 is still open). As far as what to bring, I'd say to bring about twice what you figured you'd need, but keep it in a seperate part of your wallet,or have your better half hold on to it. That way, it's there if you absolutely need it, but it's something you have to think about before spending...

 

[philsfan2185]

This is a tough ?, we usually are there for about 18 days when we go. In that time with a 6 and 4 year old we spend about $2500 not including food and hotel. That includes a splurdge day at DD which usually cost $1000 by itself so if you cut that out, $1000 for a week might be ok. Plus I always have a backup just in case like a major credit card. Have a great time.

Can I be apart of your family on your next trip? PLEEEEEASE? I'm a well behaved 22 year old guy. haha just kidding. Your kids are very lucky to have generous parents.

 

[sarahwiggles99]

sorry if someone already asked this, is there a website that lists the merchandise that they sell and the disney parks and their prices?



im trying to figure out how much to save.

thanks mucho:wave:

 

[sbkline]

sorry if someone already asked this, is there a website that lists the merchandise that they sell and the disney parks and their prices?



im trying to figure out how much to save.

thanks mucho:wave:

I don't know of any such website. But keep in mind, there are lots and lots of shops and each one sells lots and lots of items. Granted, many of the same items are located in the different shops, but there is still tons of different things that are sold throughout the shops at WDW. So I'm not sure if they would be able to have a website listing all the different things.

 

[MainSt1993]

On tipping at hotels:

Bell Person - $1/bag. Sometimes more if they provide significant additional service

Housekeeping- $3-5/day for a standard room, and as much as $20+/day for high end suites. Remember to leave a tip daily, because you don't necessarily have the same housekeeper each day as you would on a cruise.

 

[sbkline]

On tipping at hotels:

Bell Person - $1/bag. Sometimes more if they provide significant additional service

Housekeeping- $3-5/day for a standard room, and as much as $20+/day for high end suites. Remember to leave a tip daily, because you don't necessarily have the same housekeeper each day as you would on a cruise.

So if we check in Monday, we probably wouldn't have housekeeping, nor should we have housekeeping on the following Monday when we check out. So Tuesday through Sunday is six days. So, probably 18 dollars for housekeeping and then however many bags we have on check in and check out day. So probably a total tipping budget of about $25. Does that sound about right?

 

[shurst]

The Walmart is right there on Vine Street by Medieval Times and Pirates Island mini-golf. And they were building a brand new Walmart in 2005 when we were there, along 535, I believe. I don't know if that one was to replace the one I just mentioned, or if Kissimmee is just having two Walmarts. But two of my traditions every time we go are playing mini-golf at Pirates Island and stopping in that big Walmart next door at least once.

thanks alot, ill have to check that out in May, maybe i need to venture out just a little more! lol

 

[sbkline]

thanks alot, ill have to check that out in May, maybe i need to venture out just a little more! lol

No, it sounds like you need to drive a little farther up past Target. :wave: I assume you're talking about that Target on Vine St/192? If so, just keep going up a little farther.

 

[2excitedkids]

we are bringing $2000, we are driving and our hotel and tickets are already paid for so half of the budget is souveniors and the other half eats. my husband says this is way too much but he has never been and neither have my children, and i think he forgets about how he has to drag me out of our local disney store at the mall - lol!!!! half of the kid's christmas came from there, this trip is part of their christmas too. we have 3 major eats planned, cinderella's castle, donald's breakfastsaurous and whispering canyon (my hubby's birthday). we do have a kitchen at the condo we are staying at so breakfast will be prepared there that saves money. we have to budget in $80 to park for the week at wdw. taking our own stroller so that saves money, a hotel for the night down and possibly the night home. i have a credit card that i will putting the gas bill on. so, i don't think $2000 is too much, i would rather have too much than too little (been there done that before!). the kids do have their own spending money, so far $117 each from my parents, still have to hit up their other grandma, but these kids worked hard for this money. but there are things that i will buy for them such as cinderlla III (mommy wants this), and their first set of mickey ears. i don't want them to think that mommy and daddy isn't buying them anything. my 6 year old is already asking what we are going to buy daddy for his birthday down there. well, 13 days and couting and we will be in warm weather finally.

 

[duck_daddy]

We're on the dining plan, so our meals, our tickets and our hotel room will all be paid in full by March 7 (45 days from our check in day).

So you check in April 21? We do as well! Where are you staying? Maybe we'll bump into one another! As for the money thing: This will be the first time we have gone in quite a while so splurging is on the menu. We are also on the dining plan and will have our room paid in full before arrival. We are carrying 2,500! But I have three children and that does include our gas, tips, etc.! Anyway you go about it have fun! Hope to see you there! Ill be the guy dragging the circus with me!:wave:

 

[maelstrom]

I personally usually spend between $300 and $500 on souvenirs that I purchase myself, and my parents generally spend maybe around $700 on souvenirs for the three of us and anyone back home that we buy stuff for. I'm pretty sure that my parents bring $2000 cash with them to WDW for food, gas, souvenirs, etc.

Tipping housekeeping isn't mandatory and it isn't a tipped position like bell services. If you feel like tipping, go ahead, but don't feel like you have to.