I need help with our budget

[Jager_mom]

I am planning on taking 2,000-2,500 with us

Here is what I have so far....
Family of 4- Me, DH, DD5 and DD18 months at the time of vacation.

600.00 for dinning in the parks and eating at restaurant's, we will be eating breakfast at the hotel most of the time except for Lilo and stitch and IHOP once..those are already included in the 600.

150.00 Gas we will be driving from Az (round trip with extra to spare for local driving.

480.00 for 2 adult 4 day hoppers and one child.

500.00 for 125.00 per person for souviners ( this is the one Iam not sure of, does that get you much at DL?)

100.00 Groceries for the hotel, mother in law will pay for the rest.

I know for a fact that mil will be paying for a lot of our stuff...She always insists, but just in case she were not to this is what I am planning on.

What does everyone think? Will it be enough?

TIA

 

[abby]

Looks ok, although I don't know what you are planning on buying but 125 on souviners seems like a lot to me per person. We like to travel but not buy too much, I ususally buy a few fridge magnets (the kid loves to pick them out and them remember our trip by looking at them) and maybe a shirt or jammies but not a lot more. But seems like you have thought of it all.

 

[Albertan mom]

We spent about $900 on souveneirs!
I didn't think it was that much until I got our Visa bill the other day!
Here is a few examples of prices:
Christmas ornament $10
Disneyland Mug $10-$14
3 Mickey Earrings $10
A Mickey Ring $17 (I love it and wear it everyday!!)
Build a Bear, with 3 outfits $55
Adult Fleece Sweater $56
Adult t-shirt $24
Kid t-shirt $18
Adult hat $18-$22
Kid hat $19
Sunglasses $14-$20
bags of chocolate coins to take to class $2.50
Mickey Pretzels $3.50
Magnet $4.00
Nice Frame $22.00
2 kids Rainforest cafe shirts $8
2 Rainforest cafe plates $5
Set of 6 Disneyland pens $10
Disneyland wall poster map $5
Hardcover book, Disneyland Now, Then and Forever $25. (love this)
Those glow necklaces for during parade $5 each
Disneyland plastic travel mug including hot cocoa $6

That is all I can remember for now!
Gives you an idea of prices.

 

[ron808]

Sounds good but you can always trim it down a bit. I see that the budget for souveneirs are a bit much unless you're buying for the whole office. Groceries can be reduced to water & bare necessities. You'll always be full when you're at the park eating. The rooms would mostly serve as your resting area.

Have fun.

 

[Jager_mom]

Well we will be staying at the timeshare for a week 22-30th ane we are only going to the park for 4 of those days, we plan on having a bbq and other sit down meals with my mother in law...we haven't seen her for 2 years and this will be the first time she meets our new daughter.

For the souviners, I was thinking about personalized 50th Mickey ears for both kids and shirts and Build a Bears for both as well.

 

[PattiPB]

Food looks high to me, since you will have a full kitchen in the timeshare. You can easily pack a lunch once or twice to cut down on costs in the park, and eating just outside DL will be less expensive once or twice.

Souveniers seem high to me, also, but maybe it's just me. FWIW---there is a Disney outlet a few miles from DL on Harbor Blvd. You could do some great---and cheap---souvie shopping there one day.

 

[MATTERHORN]

When are you going??? If you are going before the end of April, buy your tickets on getaway today!!! I just priced for you...

Buy 1 adult 4 day hopper, get kids for free!
Then buy the other adult ticket at the kids price!!

Total for all three tickets: $318.00 instead of the $480 you budgeted.

That will save you a good chunk right there. If you aren't going in that time frame, I'm sorry. Hope this helped you!

Andrea

 

[MATTERHORN]

Sorry, just saw your dates at the bottom!


Andrea

 

[laura&fam]

My family ended up sharing some meals at the park. Unless it is a nice sit down restraunt we liked that better. This may cut down on your meal cost if you choose that option.

The meals are expensive, but they give you way more food than you can eat. If I got my own meal I ended up eating more than I wanted because I "didn't want to waste it" and still had a bunch that I threw away.

 

[jencav5]

I agree that the food costs seem high. We also share a lot of meals. If DH is with us, him and I always share a meal, and if it's just me and the kids, I'll just get a kids meal. I always figure about $30 per person/per day-which for 4 days would only be $480 for you. Plus, you said you had a DD that's only 18 months, so I'm sure she won't eat that much. Now, the character meal will cost you more, though. Also, the restaurants on Harbor outside of the DLR have inflated prices. The Denny's & IHOP there charge more than any that I've been to before.

Souveniers can get you, but we just love that stuff! I wouldn't lower your price for that-you wouldn't want to see something you like and not be able to get it if it's within reason!

I think you have a good plan, though, and I would stick with it (even the food $). It would be better to have a little extra if you don't spend as much on food or souveniers, than to be short.

 

[Jager_mom]

Gosh we were going to go the last week of April but we just decided to change it to October, that's a really good deal on the tickets.

I rounded up when it came to the food because I don't know when we will make it back to Disneyland, so I want try and experience as much as I can by splurging on Dole Whips and snacks, I grew up with very little and I want my kids to be able to ask for a mickey ice cream and not have to think in my head is their enough money for this...KWIM....It's one week where I want to be able to indulge w/ my family

Thanks for all the advice....I love this

 

[Jager_mom]

Hey, I think I read somewhere that kids eat free at I hop on certain days or times??? Does anybody know anything about this?

 

[jencav5]

Gosh we were going to go the last week of April but we just decided to change it to October, that's a really good deal on the tickets.

I rounded up when it came to the food because I don't know when we will make it back to Disneyland, so I want try and experience as much as I can by splurging on Dole Whips and snacks, I grew up with very little and I want my kids to be able to ask for a mickey ice cream and not have to think in my head is their enough money for this...KWIM....It's one week where I want to be able to indulge w/ my family

Thanks for all the advice....I love this

They may run a ticket deal as you get closer to October. I would wait to get your tickets until you get closer.

 

[Albertan mom]

Hey, I think I read somewhere that kids eat free at I hop on certain days or times??? Does anybody know anything about this?

I don't know for sure.
But I do know that the IHOP on Harbour is just as expensive as eating in the park.
We paid $35 for breakfast one day. That is with 2 kids meals, 1 adult meal and one order of toast and juice.
There is a place called Capt'n Kids right across the street too. It has buffet. If you order a adult buffet, the kids buffet is $1. My kids loved it there. We found it not so good!!

 

[MATTERHORN]

I don't know about IHOP, but I suspect the restaurants on Harbor have seperate policices from everywhere else. Denny's has kids eat free on Tuesday nights, but not the one across the street from Disneyland. We usually eat all meals in the parks, but made a special trip out on Tuesday night to get the deal only to find out it didn't apply there!


But Whitewater Snacks in the Grand Californinan is great and cheap for breakfast, we eat there almost every day of our trip! And the lunch/dinner meals are really big enough to split!

Also wanted to say that I think you are thinking right about food and souvenirs. I am a SAHM so I am all about saving and budgeting, but I have to say we have been to Disneyland many many times. I am not saying that anyone has to spend a ton of money there to have fun, but the one time we went where we TRULY weren't worried about how much we spent was our best trip ever. For a few years it didn't occur to me why that triop stood out and seemed so much better than the others. Well I finally figured out that it must have been the fact that it was the only trip I can remember where I wasn't worried or feeling guilty about what we spent. It was great.

I really wasn't impressed with Captain Kidd's at all. I wouldn't waste your time going out of the park to eat there.

Have a great trip!

Andrea

 

[dopeyfanatic]

I like your budget. While it seems high, and it's much more than I've spent on my family of 5, it's nice to have a cushion. When we went last Feb, and this next month, we didn't have to worry about every little thing we were spending our money. While we kept ourselves from going crazy, it was nice to have to count our money EVERY time we bought something. I think you'll have money to spare unless you plan on buying sweatshirts or snowglobes or something expensive. As for food, I've found it's not really much cheaper to eat outside the park and take that time away from rides and other things IN the park. Those kids free tickets are only if you book a package through Disney Travel. So don't feel that you're missing out on them. There is currently the deal where everyone plays at the kids price though, but that's available even if you don't book through WDTC. Enjoy your planning!!!

 

[MATTERHORN]

Just wanted to clarify what dopeyfanatic said so that no one misses out on the deal for Kids Play Free! Anyone can get those tickets by going through getawaytoday for the tickets, you do not have to book a package. Thanks

Andrea

 

[dopeyfanatic]

WDTC told me those tickets were only available by booking a package through them. AAA told me the same thing. If you try to book with AAA they only offer the kids price deal. I'd be triple checking to make sure the tickets from that place are ok...if they are that's cool!

 

[Princess Tink]

I was able to get the kids free promo w/o booking a pkg. Actually, I'm staying off-site at ES Buena Park, booked directly through the Embassy website. I then called Disney directly, as I couldn't figure out how to book on their website w/o booking the pkg. The nice young lady took care of everything for me....we even added a lanyard and pin for each of us for only a couple dollars.

 

[dopeyfanatic]

I guess the girl I talked to didn't know what she was talking about. I have had those before. Can't figure out why AAA didn't offer it though...