Spending Money

K

Kat Hazzard

New Member
Reposting -

Hi all :) Wondering how much spending money on average I should take? My sister in law went with her 3 kids and had £6000, (but that included money for food, souvenirs and shopping) for 10 days. (!!!) Hopefully be able to get away with a brave bit less than that!

We are going for a week to stay with family in Port St Lucie first (not sure if there is good shopping centres there or how often we will eat out etc) and then staying at POR for 16 nights. Figured I would set aside about $1000 for the first week for food etc. While at Disney we have the Disney dining package. I have worked out most of the TS meals, and have the QS for lunch, can use the snacks for breakfast so I doubt we will need to spend much if any extra money on food other than tips (setting aside $400-$500 for tips). Other than that any idea of how much we will need roughly? I plan on going shopping as well!

Thanks in advance :)
 
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CaptainJackNO

CaptainJackNO

Well-Known Member
I tend to go on the less expensive side, but being from New Orleans, food is rarely what I go to WDW for. When we go without the dining plan, I figure on 250 dollars per day, and that's for a family of 4 (2 adults, 2 kids). That is with hotel and tickets paid for prior to arrival. With dining plan, I figure on about 150 per day, and this is because when we go with the dining plan, I tend to spend a little freer than when we go without. Without dining plan, breakfast for the 4 of us usually runs us about 25 bucks (Not huge breakfast eaters), 40 for lunch (quick service), and 40 for dinner (quick service) or 125 (most usual table service with tip). Each day, that allows us about 70-80 dollars for snacks (again, no dining plan) and souvenirs for kids.

With dining plan, 150 a day is always more than enough.

Quick service meals average about 10 dollars per person (kids meal not included)

Table Service entrees in MOST table service will run you about 25-30 dollars per entree (Adult) and 10-15 per entree (per kid). Appetizers cost between 8-15 dollars, and desserts cost between 8-15 dollars.

Hope this helps, and I know my numbers may not be dead on accurate, but I am trying to provide an approximation for the OP to get a gauge on spending.
 
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yensid67

yensid67

Well-Known Member
Hey Kat can I offer some advice of practicality? #1 Do you HAVE to stay on property at POR? If not, there are many hotels that are 2-3 stars, 5 minutes from Disney Springs...so close you could walk to Disney if you wanted!!! Clarion Inn Lake Buena Vista is where I stay EVERY trip! It right outside the gate on Hotel Plaza Blvd, 2 pools, splash zone for the kids, bar/grille, deli, convenience store, game room, restaurant, pillow-top mattresses, micro, frig, coffee maker, safe and 24 hour security(nobody gets on property unless you have a reservation!) We are going to WDW in May 2018 and we got out double room AND FULL HOT BREAKFAST BUFFET for $528 for 8 days!
Since you are coming from Ireland, you could save some money in lodging because 75% of your time will be OUT OF THE ROOM!(unless you plan to stay around your hotel more than the parks!?) So for me I would rather save a few hundred dollars and use the savings to spoil the kids with whatever they would want! Which brings me to my next topic...souvenirs. You said you want to let your kids buy anything they want, but want to know how much to have for spending. As you said your food isn't a problem, so that's off the table! For spending her is what I think...Most parents want to spoil their kids when at Disney, this isn't a problem if you have the money to do it, but most guests want to curb souvenir spending as much as possible. Depending on your days in the parks, I would set a limit for you to spend on each child per day. This will help you budget, too! Another great tip...Walmart and Target have the exact same souvenirs...you cannot tell the difference where you bought them! for cheaper price! We usually plan a day and shop for souvenirs and have them sent back home for family and friends! Just some ideas that might save you money! If you would like the website(s) I use to make those cheap hotel reservations, private me and I will send them to you. but in the meantime, you can go to clarionlbv.com and look and see what they offer for yourself and see the rooms! You will not be disappointed if you stay here! I promise!
 
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K

Kat Hazzard

New Member
Original Poster
yensid67 said:
Hey Kat can I offer some advice of practicality? #1 Do you HAVE to stay on property at POR? If not, there are many hotels that are 2-3 stars, 5 minutes from Disney Springs...so close you could walk to Disney if you wanted!!! Clarion Inn Lake Buena Vista is where I stay EVERY trip! It right outside the gate on Hotel Plaza Blvd, 2 pools, splash zone for the kids, bar/grille, deli, convenience store, game room, restaurant, pillow-top mattresses, micro, frig, coffee maker, safe and 24 hour security(nobody gets on property unless you have a reservation!) We are going to WDW in May 2018 and we got out double room AND FULL HOT BREAKFAST BUFFET for $528 for 8 days!
Since you are coming from Ireland, you could save some money in lodging because 75% of your time will be OUT OF THE ROOM!(unless you plan to stay around your hotel more than the parks!?) So for me I would rather save a few hundred dollars and use the savings to spoil the kids with whatever they would want! Which brings me to my next topic...souvenirs. You said you want to let your kids buy anything they want, but want to know how much to have for spending. As you said your food isn't a problem, so that's off the table! For spending her is what I think...Most parents want to spoil their kids when at Disney, this isn't a problem if you have the money to do it, but most guests want to curb souvenir spending as much as possible. Depending on your days in the parks, I would set a limit for you to spend on each child per day. This will help you budget, too! Another great tip...Walmart and Target have the exact same souvenirs...you cannot tell the difference where you bought them! for cheaper price! We usually plan a day and shop for souvenirs and have them sent back home for family and friends! Just some ideas that might save you money! If you would like the website(s) I use to make those cheap hotel reservations, private me and I will send them to you. but in the meantime, you can go to clarionlbv.com and look and see what they offer for yourself and see the rooms! You will not be disappointed if you stay here! I promise!
Click to expand...

Thank you! I have already booked and paid the majority of the hotel and dining plan, think I only owe then about £500. Im pretty sure there is some sort of money lost if I change or cancel the reservation. Any time I had gone to Disney with my own family as a child, I always said on resort, have never made the commute to Disney from outside the resort, but it is definitely something I will look at when we are here with a view for future reservations! It is quite a substantial difference in price!

Think a general view of how much to bring is between £100 - £200 per day so will probably bring £2500-3000 on travel money card (its in $ so I don't get charged any fees etc) and a little, maybe $250 in cash. It will probably even out for an days we spend at the pool having a lazy day. Any extra can go on a credit card until I get home.

:)
 
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slipperalwaysfits

slipperalwaysfits

Well-Known Member
sxeensweet said:
15% as I mentioned or even still 20%. Never under 15% and for us to give 15% it has to be awful service which rarely happens. We often give 20-25% for most meals. :)
Click to expand...

Since you have the dining plan and you'll be staying on property, you're saving a ton of money by not needing food or transportation. We always do the dining plan. Even though it includes a snack, we do budget about $20 a day per person in case we want another snack, or coffee o_O:p

If you can't have the Disney Gift Card shipped internationally, just set aside money and put that money on two Disney gift cards for your kids when you get to the states, so they know exactly how much they can spend. I always save for Disney using gift cards and it really helps me stay in budget!

Enjoy your nice, long adventure!
 
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MagnificentMaleficent

MagnificentMaleficent

New Member
Kat Hazzard said:
Reposting -

Hi all :) Wondering how much spending money on average I should take? My sister in law went with her 3 kids and had £6000, (but that included money for food, souvenirs and shopping) for 10 days. (!!!) Hopefully be able to get away with a brave bit less than that!

We are going for a week to stay with family in Port St Lucie first (not sure if there is good shopping centres there or how often we will eat out etc) and then staying at POR for 16 nights. Figured I would set aside about $1000 for the first week for food etc. While at Disney we have the Disney dining package. I have worked out most of the TS meals, and have the QS for lunch, can use the snacks for breakfast so I doubt we will need to spend much if any extra money on food other than tips (setting aside $400-$500 for tips). Other than that any idea of how much we will need roughly? I plan on going shopping as well!

Thanks in advance :)
Click to expand...


Get the dining plan next time, saves a ton of money leaving more for you to spend on souvenirs and such.
 
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slipperalwaysfits

slipperalwaysfits

Well-Known Member
MagnificentMaleficent said:
Get the dining plan next time, saves a ton of money leaving more for you to spend on souvenirs and such.
Click to expand...

It's not even about saving money as there's this continuing discussion about if you come out ahead or not using DDP vs. Non-DDP. We like to pay it all in advance so we don't have to worry. Looking at receipts for buffets like Tusker House or Crystal Palace, we do feel like the DDP is good value. Plus, being able to pay all the DDP in advance really does leave us time to save for extra spending money while we're down there!o_O:geek::greedy:
 
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MagnificentMaleficent

MagnificentMaleficent

New Member
We have 4 children so when we vacation we always get the DDP. It's so convenient not having to budget based on menu pricing and my kids really love it because they don't have to worry about what they order as well. It only takes a couple of character dining experiences to see the value in the DDP.
 
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wendyphant

wendyphant

Active Member
Hi Kat
We are going for 14 nights to POR from UK in May. We did the same 2 years ago with our then 9 year old. It was an expensive trip because it was my ummm 21st ok 40th birthday so we did loads of extras but this time not so much. We are basing the spending on £100 a day plus and extra £200 for shopping day.
We didn't use the snack credits that much and used them to buy goofy sweets for the LO to bring back for friends. If you are not big breakfast eaters one trick we found out in the second week was Toast and jam sorry jelly was only $1.50 for the 2 slices. So sometimes we would have toast and coffee for breakfast and then head into the parks especially if we wanted to eat and go very quickly or we were fed up of eating full cooked breakfast (trust me I never thought I would say that but we did get fed up of big breakfasts)
I know this year we have 2 snack credits so loads of extras to use up but it is just a suggestion. Also we are on quick service plan and we were told we could swap a meal credit for 3 snacks so we used these too to "buy" the goofy company sweets or pez for LO's friends and this saved loads.
Shopping for the other gifts we did pop over to the character warehouse at the premium outlets which was last years gifts from disney but they don't know that at home.
The rest just enjoy and remember any purchases can be sent back to the hotel for you to save you carrying them around
 
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dreamfinder

dreamfinder

Well-Known Member
Tipping is usually 15-20%. You can get a rough idea of how much this will cost you by checking out the food prices on the menus here -> http://www.wdwmagic.com/dining.htm
And you can get an idea of souvenir prices by checking out the selection here -> https://www.shopdisney.com/parks

Overall budget will really depend heavily on you. I've had trips where I've spent maybe $50 outside of food, and I've had trips where I have spent a few hundred.

MagnificentMaleficent said:
Get the dining plan next time, saves a ton of money leaving more for you to spend on souvenirs and such.
Click to expand...

The OP said they did get the dining plan. While I disagree about the savings, they did pre-pay for their food.
 
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