How much spending money to bring?

[CuteKatCar]

I'm sure this question is asked many times over, but I'm starting to plan my trip and wondering how much everyone allots per day. On our last 2 trips, I allocated $175.00 (we are a family of 4 with 2 girls ages 7 and 10). I thought for next year I would up it to $200.00 per day. That would include everything - food, drink souveniers.

I appreciate any thoughts....

Anna

 

[pooh2001]

We are also a family of 4.
DS who is 10 and DD who is 7.
This is what we did.
Breakfast in room except 2 mornings (Crystal & Cindy's).
Brought our own water bottles to the Parks.
But ended up spending $10 on ice cream every day.
$150 per day for meals and snacks.
Soveniers - each child had $100 to spend on what ever during the 12 days. On the last day we went to the World of Disney shop in DTD. Each child had $75 to spend and the items were shipped home (except the taffy - no food in shipped packages)

We never did spend the $150 per day for food.
But it was a good way for us to budget without
alot of thought.

Enjoy the magic

 

[POOH&PIGLET]

Last time we went, we were a family of three. I budgeted $150 a day for food & souveniers. That worked for us! We now have a 10-month-old. I still hope to get by on the $150 a day.

 

[DisneyWorld fanatic]

Good question! When we go on vacation, we usually plan for $200.00 per day. We are a family of 4, kids are 11 & 12. We always have a good breakfast at our resort every morning which is usally about $40 - $50 at the Wilderness Lodge, grab a light snack mid-day and have an early dinner, before 5:00. We try to sample the great variety of eating venues at WDW and done worry too much about cost. WDW is expensive and I hate to spend my whole vacation worrying about money. Besides, you cant take it with you!!!!!!

Have a great time!!!

 

[Minnie's Pal]

WOW, we must "rough it." We never take that much. We (family of four -- kids are 2 & 4) are staying five nights, and we are going to make it work on $100 a day. (With the exception of the two character meals we are doing). We don't plan on eating anywhere but at the hotel (where we pack our George Foreman grill and cooler). And we pack PLENTY of snack food (gummies, can drinks, bottle water, jiuce boxes, chips, crackers, cereal, etc) to take to the parks. We may splurge and buy some candyat the park or eat at the food court once or twice, but last time we went, we stayed within our budget. We will probably take enough for $150 a day but we hide the extra somewhere where we can't get to it easily (aka don't carry it with us to the parks) and it was definitely a treat last time to come home with the extra money vrs come home broke. BYW, the kids do have the own spending money but that comes from grandparents and family members and is normally around $50 - $100 for the trip.

 

[jldriscoll]

I think you're pretty on target. We are also planning on $200 a day for food and stuff. (Family of 4 too).

From the sound of the other posters, we're all on target

 

[CuteKatCar]

Thanks for the input. Well, I think I am on target with $200.00 per day.

I do find that as my kids get older, we spend more money. When they were 2 and 5, we didn't get many souveniers at all. And you could "hide" from the 2 yr old something that the 5 yr. old got. Now, at 7 and 10, you can't hide anything and they want more!!! That's why it is good that they have their own money - because they do think twice about spending it as opposed to freely spending all of mom and dads!!

Anna

 

[momx2]

We're a family of 4, myself, DH, DD (4) and DD (17 mons). I guess the baby really doesn't count toward the money count that is. We actually get by on about $75 per day. We eat breakfast in the room, except for one character meal breakfast. We bring snacks and take them in the park. We also have sandwich meat in the room. We then usually eat a big dinner or lunch (since nap time is important to us, we usually do the dinner even though its more expensive). We do mostly character, all you can eat buffets or plated meals. The baby does eat free there. We bring $100 for incidentals on the trip and my 4 DD brings her savings. We give her $4 a week as an allowance, which she actually does nothing to earn (gotta work on that). By our trip she has lots of money to blow and grandparents always give them money too. DH and I don't buy souveniors so we always get by on this.