Welcome to Disney Parks Moms Panel. Budgets are tricky to give advice on, because they are entirely dependent on your needs and interests. For example, when I go on vacation I save on the Resort Hotel so that I will have more money for food, souvenirs and extras. Most of my trips, I stay at a Value Resort and pay less so that I can allocate the money I save there for things I want to spend more money on, like Character Dining Experiences. Skip the Disney Dining Plan, too much food, a lot goes to the trash and you can easily share meals at quick service restaurants and this will help to save on food. Here are some money saving tips that might help:
Bring your own water bottles or refillable water containers. I always bring my bottle with me in the parks and fill them up at Quick-Service locations or water fountains so that I don't have to pay for water.
You can also bring snacks and food into the parks that do not require heating. This could help you save money if you are not wanting to spend much on on-site food. You can also leave the park for meals and return later to the same park. If you plan to eat on-site, I suggest looking at all of the menus in advance to get an idea of how much you are going to pay. This will help you figure out how much to budget for food. Check the
park rules page. Bring only things that are allowed.
Autograph books and Coin Press books are relatively cheap souvenirs. The best thing about these souvenirs is that you can bring them back to the park over and over and keep collecting signatures and coins without going crazy on spending. It's pretty easy to start saving shiny pennies in advance of your trip, just keep all your loose change in a jar.
Camila R.