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If you prefer to drive yourselves from hotel to parks, rather than take the bus, plan for $14 (Last time I paid) for parking each day.

 

3rd meal of day - I believe dining plan only covers 2 meals a day from what I've heard.

 

gratuity is not included at sit down restaurants.

 

Hot weather may lead to more ice cool drink/snacks than your dining plan allows.

 

Strollers if you need it.

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gratuity is not included at sit down restaurants.

 

And please do tip well, if your server earns it! Many folks seem to forget that servers depend on tips, even when the guests' meals are included in the price of admission. A family on the dining plan who does not tip costs the server money by taking up a table that might otherwise host a family that does remember a gratuity.

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If you prefer to drive yourselves from hotel to parks, rather than take the bus, plan for $14 (Last time I paid) for parking each day.

 

3rd meal of day - I believe dining plan only covers 2 meals a day from what I've heard.

 

gratuity is not included at sit down restaurants.

 

Hot weather may lead to more ice cool drink/snacks than your dining plan allows.

 

Strollers if you need it.

 

If you stay at a Disney hotel, parking is free at the parks. You just use your room key, or a parking pass in your window.

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If you prefer to drive yourselves from hotel to parks, rather than take the bus, plan for $14 (Last time I paid) for parking each day.

 

3rd meal of day - I believe dining plan only covers 2 meals a day from what I've heard.

 

gratuity is not included at sit down restaurants.

 

Hot weather may lead to more ice cool drink/snacks than your dining plan allows.

 

Strollers if you need it.

 

If you stay on property, the parking will be free - even if you drive to the parks from your resort.

 

The third meal of the day, we eat in our room. We run to the grocery store our first day there and buy yogurt and granola or other cereal, bread and peanut butter and jelly. It's a simple, but filling meal (breakfast). And, cheaper than eating that third meal out.

 

Gratuities, definitely. They really add up!! We budget around $50 - $60/sit down meal. That is for the really nice, expensive restaurants.

 

Alcohol, if you drink.

 

Don't underestimate how much you'll spend on souveniers. I'm not someone who usually buys "stuff." But, at Disney I get sucked in sometimes. I want to bring the magical feeling home!

 

We have never needed extra food or drink on the dining plan. I do usually carry in a water bottle for each person and we re-fill as the day goes on. I know water is free at the restaurants, but I rarely want to go in and stand in the lines for water. At the end of our trips, we usually end up with a lot of extra snacks to take home with us!

 

Are you going to book extras? We usually end up booking an appointment to the Boutique for my daughter and that is extra.

 

Have fun!!!

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We have very little OOP while at Disney.

 

We budget for tips(we are a large family of 7, so tips are calculated and added to the bill)They are usually $20-$25 per meal.

 

We take granola bars, etc for breakfast in the room.

 

Souveniers

 

In the parks, most all attractions are included w admission. Some special tours are additional and a couple experiences are at additional cost at the water parks, I believe.

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Even with free dining, you will still have to tip your server. We tip 20%, and on our last trip, our gratuities came to about $600, I think. Maybe it was a little more. We eat at a sit-down restaurant every day.

 

Other than that, your only costs will be discretionary spending...we budget quite a bit for that, because I like buying stuff. :D

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Did the price you received include all taxes? I believe taxes are over 12% for resorts.

 

Dawn

 

I'm looking to book on-site hotel, with free dining and tickets so that it is all one price. My husband is concerned about hidden costs that will break the budget...so can you please share with me what other costs I should be considering and budgeting for?

 

Thanks!

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Once you have your package price, that really is most of it, except, as mentioned, tips (and alcohol, if you drink it). It's certainly possible to spend more, but you don't need to. We bring stuff with us for breakfasts or use snack credits for bakery stuff. Oh, important tip....any place that serves fountain drinks will give you free cups of ice water--don't use snack credits for bottled water!

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You won't have to factor in much for tips.

 

We are here now. I have spent OOP for dgs to eat (too young to get a dining plan, but eats too much to eat off our plates at each meal), for tips at a couple of places that wait on you a bit after sitting (mainly Wolfgang Puck Express - and I HIGHLY recommend eating there - it's definitely been our best food), and souvenirs. I also spent $10 today washing a couple batches of clothes.

 

I find the QS meal plan to be plenty of food each day, but you could bring cereal bars or Luna bars, cereal and milk, or other items for breakfasts in the room. The alternative would be eat a large breakfast as one of your meals, have lunch in park, sandwiches in room at night. I wouldn't do that if paying for the meal plan for sure, as breakfasts are cheaper, but if you get free dining, it makes it a reasonable option, at least on some mornings.

 

I'm planning to post a Disney info post when I get home about our trip and what we enjoyed/didn't enjoy, so be watching for it!

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