Mom With Kids After RunDisney; Mickey Fantasia Hat; Donald Duck Hat; Goofy Hat
  • On Nov 18, 2008
    Casandra Asked Note: This answer was provided prior to the change to planDisney and may still contain references to Disney Parks Moms Panel.

    Experiences, policies, pricing and other offerings are subject to change and may have changed since the date of this answer.

    My husband and I are bringing our (almost 3 by then) twins to MK for one day and AK for one day. I'm totally lost and don't even know where to start when it comes to getting an idea of how much we need to put aside for food in the parks and misc. items?

    I budget carefully with a spreadsheet, noting deposits, balances due and estimated expenses. The expenses are broken down into transportation, hotel, tickets, meals, etc.

    It's difficult to help a family budget. Some families are happy with cereal or granola bars in their hotel room for breakfast while others enjoy a table-service morning meal. One family might insist on touring Epcot's World Showcase by sampling the pastries in France and the margaritas in Mexico. Another family tours the same countries by bringing their own bottled water and sharing a sweet pretzel in Norway. Some families order a funnel cake for each member of their family while others share a cake. I've toured on strict and indulgent budgets. Both ways can be lots of fun!

    Will you be eating table service meals? Quick service? Snacks?

    A good way to begin budgeting your costs is to visit allearsnet.com and look at the Dining Section. You will find menus for meals and snacks. Yes, I do estimate what we will eat on each trip. I've been known to print out the menus, pass them around to my family and say "what do you think you will order?" These estimates really help us budget our vacations to WDW. When we get home, I look at our receipts and see where I should budget more or less for our next trip. For instance, when staying at the Port Orleans French Quarter, I might underestimate how many orders of beignets we'll enjoy!

    For miscellaneous items, determine a set amount that  you want each person to spend on souvenirs and remember there will be balloons, light up toys sold at parades, autograph books, princess attire, Mickey ears and more to entice you. Will you bring magazines or buy them at the gift shop? When budgeting for these items, know that the prices are higher in WDW than you would find at your local stores.

    To save on souvenirs, visit one of the outlet stores such as Character Warehouse or the local Wal-Mart.


thumbnail image for Kimberly

Meet the Panelist: Kimberly, Tennessee

I am a stay-at-home mom with a 12 year old son. I thrive on planning vacations, especially to WDW. Inspiring families to vacation at Disney with a memorable itinerary and budget-saving tips is extremely rewarding for me. Learn More About Kimberly

Didn't find what you were looking for? Click the Ask a Question button to open the Ask a Question dialogue box. If you are not logged in a dialogue box will appear to signin in order to ask a question.

To submit your question, please log in now if you have not already done so.

Ask a QuestionOpens the Ask a Question dialog box.
x

Update Browser

For a better experience browsing this website, please download an updated version of Internet Explorer.


Or you can continue browsing without updating.