Spending Money?? About This Page:

[DouglasE]

I wanted to speak up for all us thrifty folk. I mainly consider my photographs from the trip to be my souvenirs. On my most recent 7 day trip to Orlando, I picked up 5 of those pictures made on rides or by the park photographers. Besides these is the cost of printing the roughly 700 pictures that were taken. The other souvenirs was one baseball cap with a little silouette of Mickey Mouse on it and the "Wishes" CD. That's it folks. All the souvenirs that I purchased.



Shame on me! I just remembered I picked up 2 pins also. The pins probably came to a grand total of no more than $14. The CD was $13. The hat was no more than $20. But those park photos. Ooooo! The memory of the cost has been repressed (i.e. too expensive)

[JoanW]

We overspent on souveniers last year, so next time I am limiting the excess. My kids each had $50 Disneydollars, but that did not go far. They really don't need the stuffed animals. I also think this time we are going to the outlets to see what we can get there instead. We are also staying offsite, so breakfast will be in the house and it might possibly be brunch and dinner out at Disney unless we do a character breakfast. I agree with Douglas that the photos are our biggest souvenier.

[rescuesk]

I don't plan more than 2 big meals a day, sometimes one. That really helps the budget. The meals at WDW are huge portions or buffets, so we usually have enough. For example, one of our October days has a plan of Main Street Bakery for breakfast, counter service for lunch and CP for dinner.

If you get caught up in the pin trading/collecting craze, it can really throw your budget out of whack!! What we do is only buy the pins that have alot of meaning to us. Otherwise we would spend hundreds!

[LisaJ]

I'm thrifty as well. The only thing I will buy will be one nice shirt or two, that's it. My photos are my souveniers, too. I don't buy a lot of "stuff" because I don't want my house decorated like DisneyWorld!

[Nick and Ryans Mom]

Whenever I go to the mall I stop at the Disney store and pick up ten or twenty dollars in Disney Dollars. By the time we get to WDW we usually have a nice nest egg of spending money. I divide it up by how many days we are staying and take that with us to the park. We can use it for stroller rentals, mickey bars , dolewhips , drinks , food , or souvenirs . Having this extra "free" money helps keep our check-out experience from sending DH into cardiac arrest. Also by bringing along things that are expensive in the park (film, little fans for the DSs, water/Fruit2O, baggies of snacks, ponchos - all which fit in my Mickey backpack) we are able to free up money for funner things. We sit down with DSs before we leave and discuss how much they can spend and find that they are usually okay at the park when we say no, you can't have that for whatever the reason (it is junk, it is too expensive, you already have something like that, etc...). We try to stay out of gift shops and redirect their attention to the next ride. The Pirate ride gift shop is always a siphon for our money and of course Downtown Disney/Rainforest Cafe.

[imagineerwannabe]

[ QUOTE ]
I mainly consider my photographs from the trip to be my souvenirs. On my most recent 7 day trip to Orlando, I picked up 5 of those pictures made on rides or by the park photographers. Besides these is the cost of printing the roughly 700 pictures that were taken. The other souvenirs was one baseball cap with a little silouette of Mickey Mouse on it and the "Wishes" CD.

[/ QUOTE ]

Douglas, we are similar with our souvenirs. I consider the pictures from the trip VERY important, since we use them in screen savers, and on mine and my wife's desks at work.

We gave our kids $50 for souvenirs.

- We go to the Disney store and give them the money in Disney Dollars. If they have earned more through chores, we usually get them more Ddollars.

- We have a yardsale every spring, and the money from the items they sell goes towards at souvenirs. The more old stuff they get rid of the more Disney Dollars they receive.

- If they get good report cards, any money from that goes to souvenirs (if they choose).

- We got the DisneyVisa card, and use the rewards from that for souvenirs.

[LorinMO]

I plan for $150 per person per day. Realistically, it's 1/2 that or less that we end up spending. Don't tell my husband though. He thinks we spend this much. I have a very bad Art of Disney addiction that I have to pay for! haha

Lori

[Teresa]

For souveniers, I limit my youngest 2 to $10 a day. They have to learn to budget, and they do not just grab anything that they see.
It just depends on what you are willing to spend. With a 14 yr. old girl, you might want to consider some of the recreational things too. Teens love to take the "Mouse Boats" out. _ They are little speed boats that do not go that fast, they are just so little and low that it feels fast!
Also, If you plan to go to the Boardwalk, take some $$$ for stuff like Palm reading ($40) and carnival games.

[IdahoDisneyMom]

I keep hearing about all of the fun stuff people are buying at WDW! I'm going to try to make a list of what I really want, and a few maybes. We try to stash extra cash throughout the year to use as spending $, and since my b'day is before our trip I'm asking for $ to spend on the trip. Also, since we're going for Christmas, we're not buying each other gifts, and asking our parents for $ instead too. We're not going to buy presents for our daughter from us, as we'll be buying her souvenirs on the trip. She'll still have gifts to open thanks to grandparents, a generous uncle, and Santa!
Stephanie

[Laughaholic]

Also, I like to save my change in a coin jar and I cash it in a couple days before my trip. I had 51 dollars this time! And that's only since March/April

[TinkerBelz]

[ QUOTE ]
It just depends on what you are willing to spend. With a 14 yr. old girl, you might want to consider some of the recreational things too. Teens love to take the "Mouse Boats" out. _ Also, If you plan to go to the Boardwalk, take some $$$ for stuff like Palm reading ($40) and carnival games.

[/ QUOTE ]

You know I completely forgot about the Boardwalk as it wasn't there when I went last time. Also, it's so strange to think of my baby being a teen. LOL She's 12 yo right now but will turn 13 in a few months and in turn will turn 14 on our trip. My baby's growing up! Waaaaaa

Yvonne

[Nick and Ryans Mom]

Yvonne, I know just how you feel I was reading and the DSs (8&4) came into the room to ask a question, when I looked up I thought WHEN DID THESE BOYS GET SO BIG AND WHERE ARE MY BABIES

[nigelbigel]

Wow, you guys are big spenders! As far as souveniers go, we give each of our DDs (9 and 5) about $20, plus Grandpa usually slips them a little something before we leave. We pay for all activities (video games, boat rides, etc.) When I was in my pin trading phase I also bought them each a handful of pins.

They have never complained, and don't spend the whole trip wanting everything they see.

Except for a t-shirt or pajamas, I stopped buying souvenier merchandise for myself a long time ago. Once I get home, I always wonder what I was thinking!

[mama2disneyfan]

My dad & his wife go every year, they save all year and plan for $200 per day. I imagine that some days they spend more & others less. We have only been once & we did not have a lot of spending $$ We planned our trip only 3 weeks before we left. I think that next year, we will give dd 100$ as it will be over her bday. We will have a few hundred for the the trip.

[Cheeser]

The passporter has a great budgeting page...but here is what I spend.

I figure $150.00 a day for 2 adults/2 children on food and snacks. Considering no matter where we stay at we always have breakfast with store bought cereal and milk in our room. So we only have 2 meals out! DD has $200 of her own money for souvenirs and nephew has $200 of his own for souvenirs! DH and I split $300.00 on souvenirs! I spend the majority of it...usually he picks out his Dad something and a hat for himself.
We do this for every trip! Last time we budgeted $200 a day and we came home with $50.00 a day extra. So this time we are budgeting down to $150.00 but considering our debit card/visa as backup!

We usually plan $200 for those days that have an expensive PS. Like Fantasmic! But we don't have any reserved this trip, we plan on doing more counter service meals! and probably even snacking in our camper/room! Hope this helps! I think $1500 with a silver plan is more than enough. You should be able to enjoy shopping with the extra!