How would you eat at Disney for about $25 a day.

[shrinkydinky]

This is a really fun thread. My sisters and i love to find a bargain, so knowing where to go for an inexpensive meal, or large meal that can be split, is great. We try to plan a couple of table service meals during a vacation, but actually prefer to graze. Even at the Food and Wine Festival we would share each small plate, so we could sample more. One sister's husband is such a health nut that he packs most of his food in with him. My husband likes his own plate of food. But my sisters and i could easily eat for under $25 a day - breakfast in the room, share a lunch or get the kid's meal, share a dinner. We bring in bottles of water and some snacks. The only thing that blows our money savings is wine.

 

[LillsnJills]

It made me curious, so I flipped through menus at each park to see what I might get, and ended up between $23.50 - $30.75, drinking only water and with no snacks. So, could I do it? Sure, probably - I could make some different choices on the menus that pushed me over the $25 threshold. Would I want to actually do it? Probably not. I'm not entirely sure I'd be sated all day by the things I selected. If I bumped the budget up to $35 I think I'd be happier.

Not sure when we'll be going again. We went last September and had a miserable time. Not eager to repeat it just yet. But when that wears off, I'm going to set and try to stick to a good food buget. Our previous two times we had the DxDP and, this last time especially, ended up hating how over planned our day way because of the necessity of ADRs. Next time, it'll be a very few essential ones and the rest QS

 

[kwdw]

I could totally do $25 per person per day - but only if that did NOT include coffee in my hotel room in the morning.

1) You'd be drinking ONLY water.
2) You either need to bring breakfast items with you - or think of breakfast as just a banana or granola bar or yogurt. ($5 limit)
3) You can get two CS meals at some point during the day for around $10 a piece.

It's not a ton of food if you are on the go all day - but you wouldn't starve and unless you have great metabolisms, I don't think you'd be hungry.

 

[hsmamato2]

Also to note... when we go, we AVERAGE about 100 per day for 3 'adults'...without even trying. That's just how it all falls down for us...but that's our average- over the course of 7 days, it might be a bit less one day, and a bit more another day. So it's already no more than 33 pp per day,25 is completely doable with a little more effort.... If it had to be that *exact* number each day it would be wearing,I think, but to cost average over a week,no problem. Our usual pattern is we bring our own breakfast type foods and buy a quart of milk for the room, eat CS mostly,and sprinkle in a few TS meals at our fave places throughout the week,eating snacks as find them. Of course choosing the best price balanced with our fave restaurants = a better overall cost-
$25 a day for me? just one example.... breakfast and tea in my room, Lunch at cs in Columbia Harbor House,(chicken tender meal,with broccoli slaw, ice water,9.00) and dinner at the Plaza (chicken sandwich meal,ice water,13.50) Or since those chicken tenders are Huge,and I would share some with my DH, then he could in turn order something smaller, and we could split our savings later with a frozen treat of some sort for about 5.00... Drinking only water has it's benefits.....

 

[hsmamato2]

Our previous two times we had the DxDP and, this last time especially, ended up hating how over planned our day way because of the necessity of ADRs. Next time, it'll be a very few essential ones and the rest QS

I hear you..... we also prefer eating smaller bites as we tour around,as want to stop...it ends up being cheaper overall,and all that planning and sitting is just...too much

 

[hsmamato2]

2 people (me and DH) 2 days overall.... day 1, breakfast in room from food brought along,(count as 0) lunch at Morocco Shawarma plate,split between 2,($14- they are huge to me) add a bag of fresh made caramel corn from Germany for about 6.00 (it is HUGE,and shareable for 4 people) Dinner at Sunshine Seasons,Pork chop for dh($13) and beet/goat cheese salad for me($9)DH late night snack frozen banana($5) = 47.00 total
next day- b.fast in room- lunch at Ak ribs and chicken combo at Flame Tree, split ($16) dinner at Dolphin Picabu with AAA discount (approx. $30) --over 2 days, still leaves about 6.00 left for another snack to share if wanted...I don't stick to 25 a day, but it's 100% doable,and IMHO I know there is debate over this, but so many portions are so large.... I love kids meal options, but only if the food is decent, not a go-gurt or uncrustables(ew) Add to this, it's easy enough to bring in a granola bar for a quick snack too if you're on a tight budget, without having to pack in a whole lunch....drink water.

 

[hsmamato2]

But you can get 2 QS meals for under $20... if you look hard enough there are options.

absolutely...and I do it without burger and fries as a standard.... there are a lot of great options at Disney for food that are really good I can buy a GIANT ice cream sandwich that is a 5-6" diameter (think a cereal bowl) for less than 5.00....or a small Nestle branded ice pop at a cart. hmmmm....which gives better bang for the buck?
Or buy a hotdog and fries for 10.00....or an entire meal with a healthy side at Columbia Harbor house for the same approximate price...hmmmm.... or a waffle sandwich for about 7.00 bucks which is also quite yummy and filling.....
Or a MASSIVE cupcake that we easily cut into 4ths,and share for 5.00....or, a measly bag of plain popcorn at a cart,or a large soda. hmmmm.... options!

 

[SouthJersey]

...Our previous two times we had the DxDP and, this last time especially, ended up hating how over planned our day way because of the necessity of ADRs. Next time, it'll be a very few essential ones and the rest QS

I felt that way when we were on the plan when the group involved kids and such, but the past five trips we've done the DxDP and with an early morning breakfast, a noon lunch and a evening ADR (8:00ish) we were able to accomplish everything in the parks and more. Aiming for 12:00 lunches and 5:30 dinners would be a nightmare

 

[peainapod]

Disney isn't Disney without character meals for us..which average about $50 per adult just for one meal with tip...
Wish I could do $25 but it isn't fun to budget food when on vacation!

 

[sharonabe]

Disney isn't Disney without character meals for us..which average about $50 per adult just for one meal with tip...
Wish I could do $25 but it isn't fun to budget food when on vacation!

Character dinners are around that amount, but you can do character breakfasts for much less. Still can't do the $25/day, but there are ways to do characters and not spend a bundle.

 

[BelleBriarRose]

As others have mentioned, drinking only water and skipping/splitting dessert saves a lot of money. I have a really small stomach (seriously, one good sandwich will keep me satisfied all day) so it wouldn't be a problem for me, but others with larger appetites might have a problem.

 

[minniemouseforever]

I think some are reading more into OP's post than intended. They didn't say they wanted to save money or stay on a strict budget or this was a way to cut costs. . I think it was just meant as a "could you" do it and if so, how? In the middle of the hot summer, small snacky type meals or kid's meals would be plenty for me and my pp showed it was very doable in my WDW world. I saw it as a game, a challenge, and was pleasantly surprised at how much I could get for my $25.

Thank You! This is exactly what I meant.

 

[minniemouseforever]

It's doable! Anyone remember Rachel Ray's $40 a day show?

It would be a challenge (and not a very fun one for me personally) but you could do a variety of eating in your room, bringing food in your backpack, ordering snacks and various CS options, appetizers for meals, ordering kid meals, drinking only ice water etc.

Anything's possible

This is exactly the kind of thing I was referring to. I guess my totals were off though.

 

[TwoMisfits]

Okay, gonna write my Magic Kingdom meal...
Breakfast - Dole Whip Float $5+tax (might as well start the day off with the best treat)
Lunch - Ham, Proscuitto, and Swiss Waffle Sandwich - $7.50+tax
Dinner - Roasted Pork Shank - $9.50+tax
Snack - $3 left - probably Apples with Caramel or Hummus with Chips with dinner (at Gaston's) if I wanna be healthier...but a cupcake or ice cream or Lefou Brew could be in the running...

 

[Taraven87]

It seems like there are two very divided camps here! I think the difference comes down to knowing how you eat; some people NEED soda with every meal, want to drink alcohol in the parks, want a full breakfast, need a snack or two each day, etc... Others are light eaters who are happy with water with their meals and can get by without snacks and a very modest breakfast. Sounds like the key is knowing yourself and budgeting accordingly.

I've been scoping out QS meal options since my fiancé is a vegetarian (and a bit of a picky) eater, and I'm surprised by some of the deals I've found. There are a few really hearty snacks for ~ 5 (cup of chili, chili cheese fries, baked potato etc...) that could substitute for a small meal, lots of $10 or $12 quick service meals that sound really filling... Those plus a modest snack or a cup of coffee could easily add up to ~$25-$30/day and keep somebody with my pretty moderate appetite happy. I'd have to do some planning to stick to that and know which locations to head to, but that wouldn't be too big of a deal. Even when not on a budget, I often plan on bringing protein bars or granola bars from home for a time-saving in-room breakfast.

Sure, for some people budgeting while on vacation is counter-intuitive, for others they see it as a fun challenge to make an otherwise unaffordable vacation a reality!

 

[marchingstar]

It seems like there are two very divided camps here! I think the difference comes down to knowing how you eat; some people NEED soda with every meal, want to drink alcohol in the parks, want a full breakfast, need a snack or two each day, etc... Others are light eaters who are happy with water with their meals and can get by without snacks and a very modest breakfast. Sounds like the key is knowing yourself and budgeting accordingly.

you're definitely right, Taraven87. I really like learning people's favourite QS meals, and I'm sure I'll enjoy some of these cost-effective meals on our next trip (i tried the hummus sandwich at CHH last trip, it's at the top of my list for our upcoming trip too!). for me, the idea of starting a park day with just a granola bar (or worse--something like a dole whip float!) is not an option at all, if I want to avoid a mid-morning meltdown. but that also doesn't mean I need a sit-down breakfast every day. the 7/8$ of a QS breakfast meal adds a lot to my overall enjoyment. we do them sometimes, but they're a splurge, not a necessity.

 

[eliza61]

It seems like there are two very divided camps here! I think the difference comes down to knowing how you eat; some people NEED soda with every meal, want to drink alcohol in the parks, want a full breakfast, need a snack or two each day, etc... Others are light eaters who are happy with water with their meals and can get by without snacks and a very modest breakfast. Sounds like the key is knowing yourself and budgeting accordingly.

I've been scoping out QS meal options since my fiancé is a vegetarian (and a bit of a picky) eater, and I'm surprised by some of the deals I've found. There are a few really hearty snacks for ~ 5 (cup of chili, chili cheese fries, baked potato etc...) that could substitute for a small meal, lots of $10 or $12 quick service meals that sound really filling... Those plus a modest snack or a cup of coffee could easily add up to ~$25-$30/day and keep somebody with my pretty moderate appetite happy. I'd have to do some planning to stick to that and know which locations to head to, but that wouldn't be too big of a deal. Even when not on a budget, I often plan on bringing protein bars or granola bars from home for a time-saving in-room breakfast.

Sure, for some people budgeting while on vacation is counter-intuitive, for others they see it as a fun challenge to make an otherwise unaffordable vacation a reality!

I think that is definitely true. I get a bit concerned though because sometimes our suggestions sound really easy and simple and they turn out not to be.
For example, the splitting meals tip, people kept posting about these "gigantic, humongous portions" that disney had and how easy it was to split them thus saving hundreds of dollars, i remember one trip running around trying splitting meals, being hungry 30 mins later and actually spending MORE money snacking.

So if your family is use to eating waffles, cereal and Oj for breakfast then all of sudden your trying to go with granola bars to keep your budget under 25 bucks because that's what you read here all the time, you could end up with a blown budget and some unhappy family members

Also it can depend on if your a newbie or not. our first trip was like a massive sensory overload, we couldn't walk down main street without wanting to try 20 different things.

Lol, i remember at the end of the third day, my dh who was keeping track of our budget turn to me and said "humm, hon we're spending 40 bucks a day on ICE CREAM

 

[minniemouseforever]

Okay. OP here. Just wanted to have some fun and see what kind of creative and filling ideas people come up with. Some of you really hit on it. A few a little to seriously.

 

[jsmla]

Neat thread! I feel like I eat fairly frugally so decided to just come up with totals based on what I would eat on an average Disney day if staying on site. Have to confess that it was more than I thought!

(Just for context: WDW is definitely not an eating vacation for me in the same way that fresh seafood at the beach, BBQ in Memphis or Tex-Mex in San Antonio are. For the most part I find the Disney table service eats okay but kinda bland and far too pricey for me when making several trips a year. I go for the parks and food is several steps down the list of priorities. These days a large percentage of my WDW time is spent solo (Kids are grown and DH isn't a fan.) so I have no one to please but myself. DH would need sodas (I stick with iced water) and more TS. Also, I have to watch what I eat to a certain extent or I'll start feeling ick. I only included alcohol costs when it was a part of a meal.)

Breakfast
(I bring breakfast and snacks from home, don't know if this is cheating for the purposes of this thread or not but it's what I do. I also wasn't sure about taxes so chose to ignore them-too lazy for that much math!)

One large tub organic yogurt-$4.00
Organic berries-$4.00
Bananas-$2.00
$10.00/7=$1.43/day

Snacks
Peanut butter sandwiches
Fresh ground peanut butter-$4.50
Bread-$4.00
$8.50/7=$1.21/day

Almonds
$6.00/7=$0.86/day

Either satsumas or apples depending on the season. Satsumas are free organic apples would run around $5 or $0.71/day

So, $4.21/day for breakfast and snacks.


Magic Kingdom Day
Lunch at Sleepy Hollow
Sweet and Spicy Chicken Waffle Sandwich-$7.49
Apple or satsuma

Dinner at Columbia Harbor House
Broccoli Peppercorn Salad-$8.99
Veggie chili-$4.99

Total-$25.68


Epcot Day
Lunch at Sunshine Seasons
Kid's Caesar Salad w/Oak-fired Chicken (sub out yogurt for grapes)-$5.99
Five Bean Vegetable Soup-$4.49

Dinner at Les Halles Boulangerie
Pissaladiere-$4.50
Apple or satsuma

Snack at Kringla Bakeri og Kafe
School Bread-$2.99

Total-$22.18


Hollywood Studios (AKA Blow the Budget) Day
Late Lunch at Brown Derby Lounge
The Famous Hollywood Brown Derby Cobb Salad-$9.00
The Hollywood Brown Derby Dessert Trio-$9.00
Fin du Monde beer-$7.75
Tip-$5.00

Mid-morning Snack at Writer's Stop
Carrot Cake Cookie-$3.99
Cappuccino-$3.39

Dinner usually comes from my in-room stash. Not a fan of QS here.

Total-$42.34


Animal Kingdom/Downtown Disney Day
Lunch at Yak and Yeti QS
Chicken Fried Rice-$3.99
Apple or Satsuma

Dinner at Wolfgang Puck Express
BBQ Chicken Pizza-$14.50
Tip-$2.00

Snack at Ghirardelli Soda Fountain
Rocky Road Cone-$4.25

Total-$28.95

This gives me a daily average of $29.79 (I'm guessing before tax) so I fail the challenge. Still I don't feel like it's too bad considering it includes no burgers, nuggets or Disney pizza and only one kids' meal.

ETA: If I drop lunch at the Brown Derby Lounge and have the kids' Grilled Vegetable Sandwich meal at Hollywood Studios I come in at $21.70/day average. I'd probably need to bulk it up a bit with fruit and maybe a peanut butter sandwich for later.

 

[simonsayz]

$25-$30 per person a day? Let's be realistic here. It's doable. Just skip breakfast, and eat a late lunch meal that can be consider a dinner.
During the day, just drink lots of coffee from the Mug you get at the resort and just keep filling it up with the free coffee and soda to get you through the day.

Go to a place that sell soups and just ask for crackers. Don't buy the soup, just get crackers..
Or go to a resort cafeteria and get all the pickles, ketchup, lettuce, and tomatoes you want.

If you have to budget to $25-$30 a person a day, you might as well not go until you saved up enough.

OR

Go to Disney less days so you have more money for food.

I personally go to Disney for the Food then the Atmosphere/Entertainment.