We are a party of 6, two being kids. We are planning to spend 4 days in the parks (non park hopper so 1 day per park) We have paid for our reservations, tickets, 2nd tier dining plan, and memory maker. This is my first trip to Disney so I am looking for a rough estimate as to how much extra money we will need for the trip. I realize the more money we take the more we will be prone to spend, but I want the trip to be as comfortable and stress free as possible. Our original goal was $1000 for things like service tips and souvenirs, but we can save more if we need too. Just not sure what to shoot for.
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Rough estimate for money needed outside of basic expenses?
- Thread starter alucard84
- Start date
mousehockey37
Well-Known Member
This is a really hard question to answer honestly. I think you're on the low end of what you should have, but then again, none of us know what souvenirs or whatnot you're after or what kind of tipper you are. Are you going to go nuts on letting everyone buy stuff or you keeping things in check?
There are different strategies for spending money on trips, and honestly, if you're concerned about having too much money with you, I'd go and get a few gift cards loaded up to certain amounts. You can use the gift cards for just about anything in Disney, and then just keep the cash for tipping. Lots of parents have commented that putting (example only) $250 on a gift card and giving it to their kids, the kids can then get a drink, snack, toy, whatever and then when the money runs out, it's gone and done. It helps teach kids about budgeting and you know how much is spent too.
I'm sure others have their success stories with how putting money on gift cards can help to keep your souvie spending in check. As far as a $ amount though, you'll be the only one that can set that number.
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monykalyn
Well-Known Member
I keep spreadsheets of all trips with all expenses - When we fly, pay for tickets, onsite resort, food (includes an "extra' such as dessert party, and a TS about every other day) souvenirs etc it is about $175 per person, per day. When we drive, use our AP and timeshare-so basically just food expense it is about $55 pp/per day (no dining plan with any calculation-numbers have show to just not work when I do spreadsheets). Since you have tickets, resort etc including dining paid for you may be below even the $55 PP/per day all in with tips/souvenirs/extras.
My kids do have a spending limit of ~$50 per trip on souvenirs. If they go over then they use their own money.
My kids do have a spending limit of ~$50 per trip on souvenirs. If they go over then they use their own money.
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MissingDisney
Well-Known Member
Agree with above but would recommend you take a close look at what you’ll actually need for gratuity at the table service locations, as one a day including 4 adults, as well as the kids, adds up quickly. You could check the menu prices and see what the “average” bill may be for some locations you’ve chosen and use that as a guide.
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winstongator
Well-Known Member
Giving kids a budget and letting them decide is how we do it as well. Makes the decision theirs.
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DarthVader
Sith Lord
Trying to pin down incedential expenses is like trying to shoot Luke Skywalker during his death star trench run, near impossible.
I gave my kids a set amount to spend, but that didn't help my needing to spend 100 dollars on sweaters one cold day, or opting for henna tattoos (making the mistake of picking the expensive ones).
I gave my kids a set amount to spend, but that didn't help my needing to spend 100 dollars on sweaters one cold day, or opting for henna tattoos (making the mistake of picking the expensive ones).
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winstongator
Well-Known Member
Spring break last year. End of March. Should be warm...nope. Head to Moana Market at Poly and now my kids have WDW 2017 hoodies.
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NeedMoreMickey
Well-Known Member
Seems like every trip there is something like the Disneyland trip where my rain coat turned in a sponge instead of repelling water or when a parks only Pandora charm was being released that day. If you are planning on $1,000 I would add another $500 for extras. When I go without my husband he reminds me just because I take extra money doesn’t need I need to spend it.
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mousehockey37
Well-Known Member
Right, but when you're "on vacation" it's a lot easier to feel that money burning a hole in your pocket, lol.
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NeedMoreMickey
Well-Known Member
HaHa he never asks me how much I bring home and I never volunteer the amount
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21stamps
Well-Known Member
This is exactly what I did last time. Kiddo had a $100 gift card, and I committed to buying him 2 souvenirs as well.
Every time he said “I want this!” we stopped, looked how much it was, and he calculated his remaining budget and if it was “worth it”. Ended up with so much less junk souvenirs than the prior year!!
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DisneyGigi
Well-Known Member
With 6 people, if you are eating table service - tips are automatically added to your bill at 18 percent. You need to decide what you are eating and where and factor that cost in. We easily tip 40-50 dollars at table services, sometimes way more if our whole family of 6 is with us and depending on where it is we are dining. Basically, double what you think you may need, just in case. Also drinks, alcoholic and non alcoholic- add up. I drink a ton of water while there and kids get thirsty a lot! The dining plan only gets you 2 snack credits a day for food and drinks outside of meals. It adds up quick.
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dieboy
Active Member
My spreadsheets always include a daily 'misc' expense. which is essentially spending money for the day, out of the usual food, hotel, tickets for whatever. Usually keep it to about 100 bucks a day for two people. We rarely spend it all. A couple shirts one day, whatever the next, rarely adds up to 100. If we see something nice and we both like it, we just buy it regardless, usually because its well above the 100 dollar limit. Also, I factor snacks into the food budget, so the 100 is purely extra spending.
If the situation of bringing a kid to the parks should arise, i think I would limit their extra spending to about 50 dollars a day personally. But that is a hugely personal/situational decision for anyone.
If the situation of bringing a kid to the parks should arise, i think I would limit their extra spending to about 50 dollars a day personally. But that is a hugely personal/situational decision for anyone.
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dreamfinder
Well-Known Member
Look at menus online to see what food would cost. Once you estimate the spend you can figure out the appropriate amount to tip, or that you would need to pay out of pocket. Look at either the Shop Disney Parks App (if you have iPhone) or the Parks section of shopdisney.com (https://www.shopdisney.com/parks) to estimate how much merchandise would cost. Food and merchandise will be most of the unexpected purchases outside of tipping bell services or housekeeping.
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beachlover4444
Well-Known Member
Well, I am a grandparent now so we go with our daughter and her family. The grandkids are 2 and 4. She was smart, took in the glow sticks and glow wands so we didnt waste money buying those. We ran though the gifts shops that exited rides so the kids didnt have time to whine about wanting every little thing. Besides there is a store off property on Vineland that sells actual Disney Park items dirt cheap so we go there before arriving at WDW and let them pick out a couple things and their NEW GIFT thirst is quenched and we saved up to 70%. They have alot of clothing options so you can get your Disney gear there way discounted too. So it's really up to you. We tell the kids would you wanna go back in a few months and have more fun or spend more money on stuff? They always say lets go back. And Skyela got the most fun making pictures for each princess and giving it to them and having that interaction which was FREE. She got her picture and their signature and her books are full of special memories. She's working on her third already.
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yensid67
Well-Known Member
I am a party of ONE! After I pay for everything that is required...Car Rental, Hotel and Tickets...I am saving for spending cash for my next trip in May 2019...$1500(give or take a few $100). Like others have said, it depends on your spending habits! Set budgets each day for each person.
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DarthVader
Sith Lord
Coming back from our disney vacation, I think I spent about 500 dollars on incidentals. I think we did pretty well this year.
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CaptainAmerica
Premium Member
What do you mean by "second tier dining plan"? Gratuities add up if you're doing table service dining.
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DryerLintFan
Premium Member
For a four park day trip I would budget $100 per kid and $200 per adult plus maybe $200 of "in case" money for needing sunglasses or sweaters. My daughter shopped a lot on our trip, but didn't spend her money until the end of it when she'd seen everything and figured out what she wanted. That delayed gratification is something we deliberately try to teach her though, and every parenting style is different.
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