Spendings per day...

[EricsBiscuit]

$15 per person per meal.

 

[Andrew Appleby]

We're over from the Uk in the summer, we have QS dining plan included so no food. We're there for 14 days and have prepaid all that we can (much prefer that than PAYG as it makes being there feel cheaper if you know what I mean).

We've had the kids save so will allow them to take their savings (approx $300 each) and my wife and I will have around the same for us plus a little extra for anything we see that we may like. I reckon $1500 for the 4 of us for souvenirs and little extras should do us.

 

[Dave B]

Here is what I would consider per person, per day:

Breakfast (we grab and go coffee and snack like nuts or something bready) $8
Lunch (typical counter/quick service meal) $15
Dinner (typical sit down meal, Entree, Dessert +20% tip) $57
Additional non-meal Water/Non-Alcoholic Beverages (consider this, Florida is hot, it adds quite a bit to your cost) $7

What we do that saves money:

We use gardengrocer.com (an online grocery store that delivers to WDW) to purchase 1 case of water, per week, per person and we get packets of nuts or apples or some kind of croissant to eat for breakfast/snacks. This brings the cost way down. They will let you carry one bottle of water into the park. Bring two, drink one while waiting and carry the second in.

Remember that the US is a tipping culture and that you will typically tip 20% for sit-down dining, taxicabs, and $2 per bag if you use the bell services at the hotel to bring your bags to and from your room and $2-5 per night for housekeeping. You don't tip for quick/counter service food, only sit down restaurants.

Alcohol will (significantly) add to your budget so plan accordingly. Plan on $10-12 per drink +tip.

You can bring as many water bottles in as you want

 

[Disney Hound]

We're over from the Uk in the summer, we have QS dining plan included so no food. We're there for 14 days and have prepaid all that we can (much prefer that than PAYG as it makes being there feel cheaper if you know what I mean).

We've had the kids save so will allow them to take their savings (approx $300 each) and my wife and I will have around the same for us plus a little extra for anything we see that we may like. I reckon $1500 for the 4 of us for souvenirs and little extras should do us.

Get a delivery order from Garden Grocer to the Resort - it is about $15 delivery but you can save quadruple that amount by ordering all your bottled water, coke, beer and snacks. They deliver it to the Resort and then you call bell services to get it to the room - a few dollars tip.

We do it every time coming over from the U.K. and it saves a fortune! It also means that you can save your snack credits for ‘Disney specials’, rather than wasting them on Water and soda!

 

[eliza61nyc]

For 2 adults we budget 300 bucks a day. We usually only do 1 character meal.
So I'm pretty frugal in my real so I don't have to be on vacation. The only thing we bring in is water.

 

[PrincessJasmyn]

Thanks everyone!!
So far (for our whole 18 day America trip - 3 full days in WDW theme parks) we have a budget of $400 USD per day.
I'm hoping by the time we leave in May it will be closer to $450 p/day - SAVE SAVE SAVE

From what I have read, and what we want to do, that should be about right for us at WDW!
We have all our meals booked (about 5 TS meals - I couldn't help myself haha!) and have also prepaid for as much of the whole holiday that we could. So fingers crossed it will be enough!!

Lets be real, if its not, it goes on the credit card

 

[Andrew Appleby]

Get a delivery order from Garden Grocer to the Resort - it is about $15 delivery but you can save quadruple that amount by ordering all your bottled water, coke, beer and snacks. They deliver it to the Resort and then you call bell services to get it to the room - a few dollars tip.

We do it every time coming over from the U.K. and it saves a fortune! It also means that you can save your snack credits for ‘Disney specials’, rather than wasting them on Water and soda!

That's great! Thanks so much for the advice.

 

[DfromATX]

is, Florida is hot, it adds quite a bit to your cost) $7

What we do that saves money:

We use gardengrocer.com (an online grocery store that delivers to WDW) to purchase 1 case of water, per week, per person and we get packets of nuts or apples or some kind of croissant to eat for breakfast/snacks. This brings the cost way down. They will let you carry one bottle of water into the park. Bring two, drink one while waiting and carry the second in.

We also have groceries delivered - things like drinks, snacks, and easy breakfast items like bananas. I've also used Garden Grocers before, but for our trip in June I plan to use Safeway because the prices seem to be a little cheaper, plus they offer specials for the first delivery like $25 off an order of $100 or more. It saves a lot of money - just on the drinks alone!

 

[MrConbon]

I go to Disney like once a week so I never really feel the need to splurge as I’ll be back soon enough. I might spend about $20 on food and the occasional merch item.

 

[KBLovedDisney]

I go to Disney like once a week so I never really feel the need to splurge as I’ll be back soon enough. I might spend about $20 on food and the occasional merch item.

You....go to Disney...once a week....

 

[MrConbon]

You....go to Disney...once a week....

When it’s a 30 minute drive a might as well go walk around and enjoy the scenery.

 

[FutureCEO]

How much money do you recommend per day at WDW?
Its 2 adults, 4 nights, 3 full days at the parks, at least 1 or 2 dining reservations have been made per day (1 dinner is Cinderellas Royal Table so that's already paid for).
Last time we were at WDW, we only bought quick service food, no real sit down meals, and didn't spend much on merch (we were on a really tight budget!)

I would LOVE to know how much you allow per day (or even per person), just to give me a rough idea of how little/much we could use

*yes I know everyone is going to be different - just curious how other do it

We are coming from Australia and trying to plan how much money we will need for 3 full weeks in the US, and I'm 99% sure WDW is going to be our most expensive part of the holiday.

don't forget the biggest thing of all........the exchange rate.

btw. Let me into Australia.

 

[PrincessJasmyn]

don't forget the biggest thing of all........the exchange rate.

btw. Let me into Australia.

Yeah, the exchange rate is whats really killing us!

Everyone is like "America is so cheap compared to Australia..."
Um, not when its only 75c to the dollar!!! haha!

Come to Australia anytime. We are over in Perth!! We will happily look after you

 

[hanwill]

Have a wonderful trip from all of us in America!

 

[matt9112]

On average about $500 a day.

All of it.

DH and I tend to budget $100-$150 per table service meal depending on the restaurant. We then budget a further $150 per day for souvenirs, drinks, snacks etc. We always seem to come out ahead!

We just got back from WDW and spent a little under $2000 for a 6 night stay. We averaged close to $325 a day. I felt that we did everything we wanted and bought everything we wanted to buy. Our day at Disney Springs costed us about $600 and one day at Epcot (shopping around the world) cost us about $400. We ended up doing 4 TS meals, ranging from $65-$125. The rest of the meals came from QS at the resort (Pop) and the Flower and Garden Festival along with many Mickey pretzels and bottled waters. We let the kids basically buy whatever they wanted. Long story short, I am confident we could have gotten away with spending closer to $1100-$1400 if we didn't do all the shopping. Not going to lie though, it felt really good to let the boys, my wife and myself buy as we pleased.

yeah I want to know what I'm doing wrong in life. yeah a step by step guide would be greeeeeeat.

 

[Chef Mickey]

yeah I want to know what I'm doing wrong in life. yeah a step by step guide would be greeeeeeat.

I work hard and play hard, simple as that. I studied my off and do work that isn’t my “passion,” but pays the bills. I believe in deferred gratification.

 

[MichiganDisneyDad4]

I work hard and play hard, simple as that. I studied my *** off and do work that isn’t my “passion,” but pays the bills. I believe in deferred gratification.

I have to agree with you Chef. I work very hard as well to make our Disney vacation possible.

 

[jloucks]

Our family of four averages about $500ish a day. We don't scrimp at all on food and spend quite a bit on souvenirs. At Epcot, we spend a lot on alcohol. We use SUV's to shuttle between parks (not Disney Parks, but WDW and Universal).

 

[Chef Mickey]

I have to agree with you Chef. I work very hard as well to make our Disney vacation possible.

Absolutely. And this doesn't infer everyone else doesn't work hard too, but underscores that sometimes we have to do things we don't want to do to make these things possible.

 

[PrincessJasmyn]

Our family of four averages about $500ish a day. We don't scrimp at all on food and spend quite a bit on souvenirs. At Epcot, we spend a lot on alcohol. We use SUV's to shuttle between parks (not Disney Parks, but WDW and Universal).

We're going to have about $400 day between 2 adults (that really like to drink) so should be perfect!!