8 days, 3 adults, Budget $400 - doable?

[chell]

Another way to save some money at CS is to order one large drink and share it.

I agree with RobinB that you can do it!

 

[Disney-Kim]

I am not sure if it was mentioned but you should check out allears.net and look in the restaurant section...there are menus for every restaurant...and I would get an idea of what your family will order.

I really think $400 is really really low...even for counter service.

6 FULL days in the parks and even if you only eat 1 table service....here is the approx amt

coke $2.50
adult drink $6.00
appetizer/salad $6.00
entree average $25
dessert $6.00

that is at least $40 per person for a table service restaurant....and that is ordering chicken or pasta...not beef. JMHO...

do your homework and pick what restaurants you really want to eat at and budget for those.

We spent 6 FULL days at the parks and there are just 2 of us and we spent $750 for our trip on food. We ate a combo of TS/CS and ate whatever we wanted and had adult drinks with every dinner. We did pretty well...but that was for 2 of us...I am not sure if we could have gotten anywhere near the $400 unless we at TS only....and they are not that cheap either.

just have a backup plan or increase yoru budget. and read the menus...it really really helps.

one of my best money saving tips is to buy bottled water and pop for the room and take them with you to the park. We would take 3 bottled waters every day in our back pack. this really helps. We ate donuts and chips in the room and didnt' eat out for breakfast but maybe twice the whole trip and that was at the food court...which is still $20.

 

[OurDogCisco]

Okay... now that I know you have RFC gift certificate that makes a little more sense. So, does your $400 include your grocery bill? When I figure food budget for my trip it includes everything. So, your actual budget is $550 not $400 if you include RFC gc. I agree with Robin it can be done but it would be ordering minimal stuff. No sodas, desserts, appetizers, etc... My kids are always starving on vacation and they eat a lot more than they do at home with all our walking. In fact, on our next trip, I'm bringing the pedometer to find out how much we walk. Anyways... it can be done if you are prepared for no FUN food or drinks. And, since your kids really like sandwiches you can do that for several meals. When I order groceries I try to make sure it can be used over several different meals. For example, I got cream cheese (whipped) to be used on bagels for breakfast, on plain bagels with salami for sandwiches & to be used in eggs for egg scamble that can be eaten plain or on a bagel. This way I'm not buying a container of cream cheese to use once or twice. You'll have to report back on how your trip went...

 

[chell]

OurDogCisco she said stocking their room was not included in the $400.

 

[djm99]

$400 just doesn't seem realistic to me. That's all I'm taking with me, but we added dining to our package. In 2007 I budgeted in $80 a day for my family and we only did Counter service meals, ate breakfast in our rooms, and ordered groceries from Garden Grocer. I would say $400 would be okay (but pushing it) for a weekend maybe.