Average Daily cost

[mtod1164]

With a family of three, eating two meals at DL, not spending the bank on merchandise, what type of $$ should we budget for? I cannot find the old thread that I remember reading $100 per person? Could this be true?

Leaving in 15 days!

 

[Adi12982]

For DH and I, I budgeted $50 a day on food per person (we may not spend all of it, but rather have more than less) and then we are saving separately $200 for souveniers TOTAL - again, we do not have to spend it all, but we will have it (and any left over food $).

 

[Mom2micayla]

Do you mean $100 per person per day? If so, that's rather high unless you plan on doing TS meals.

At CS, it's approximately $12-$15 pp, including drink. Kids approx. $8. Churros, popcorn, soda, etc are all approx. $3 each. So if you're eating 2 CS meals (2x15=30) plus get a few snacks/drinks (let's say 5x3=15), then you'd be spending approx. $45 on food per day on the adults. You can easily spend less than that if money is tight or if you don't snack as much, bring your own drinks/snacks into the park, split meals, etc.

How much you spend on souvenirs could really depend on what you have in mind. I mean you can go from $.50 to as much as you want to spend. We tend to not buy much there b/c frankly (IMO) you can get the same stuff elsewhere for almost 1/2 or even less than 1/2 the price. (ie- got my girls play Mickey cellphones for $6. at the Emporium. Saw the exact same ones as Walmart when we got back for $2.75) If it didn't specifically say "Disneyland" on it, we usually won't buy it. We personally limited our daughters (ages 3.5 & 5) last time we went to just $20 each for the entire trip (we bought their snacks and drinks). We knew that they'd ask for everything and it'd just end up at the bottom of the toy box a week later. We used it as a learning experience and didn't budge from their total. It was rather interesting to see how they'd change their mind on what to get when they realized that they wouldn't have anymore money left to get something else. Anyway, obviously you can spend as little or as much on souvenirs as you'd want. I'd personally save all the shopping for your last day. That way you know how much extra $$ you have and don't risk running low (and having to worry about carrying/storing everything) on funds part way through your vacation.

Bottom line? You could easily do WAY less than $100pdpp, especially for your 3yo. Or you could easily do more. Depends on your eating habits and spending.

 

[DangerMouse]

I think I read on another site that churros are now $3.75!

 

[dizzyami]

I would agree that $100/person seems really high.

We do usually bring most of our own beverages, and breakfast for in the morning. For lunch the four of us (2 adults DD(5) DS(<3 last trip)) would usually share a couple meals (we are not big eaters - and the portions are usually huge) from a counter service place or WWS. This bill would usually run $30 or so, and feed us all. For dinner we would do the same, and even a character meal for the five of us (add one more adult) would be just over $100.

I also am pretty strict on souvenirs - last trip (I am a meanie) I told DD and DS that they could look while we were there, and then on the last day they could have whatever their favorite item was. This was a fun game for them to window shop, and change their mind throughout the trip of what was going home with them. On our last day we picked up a $15 Ariel play set for DD and a $10 Buzz laser gun thing for DS!!! The only other purchase we made was a magnet for me, Stitch hat for DS and a Mickey bracelet for DD - so we did not exceed $100 on souvenirs for the whole trip. (We do try to go twice per year though - so the souvenirs are not THAT important to us)

 

[mystic_path]

I would say around $150- $200 for 3 people. Yeah that sounds about right. It also depends if your travelling with a child or not. Then it can be much cheaper especially if you split something such as the Monte Cristo (SO GOOD BUT VERY RICH. CAN EASILY BE SPLIT), or you get a childs meal. You just have to remember the small things along the way like drinks too unless you bring your own. If you are there for several days, what I do is I wait until the last day to do most of my souvinier shopping (Obviously buy a mickey hat or something first day). That way you can scout the park to see what merchandise everyone has, and if you like something you can see if there is something similar but better elsewhere before you purchase. It really saves on money and over spending.

 

[Zoemakes5]

I agree, $100 pp per day is a bit high for DL if you're doing CS meals. Even if you did Goofy for dinner at 37 + 15 for CS for lunch, that only equals $50.
We always spend more than we intend, but it's not typically on the meals, it's on all the "stuff" along the way. Pickles, and dole whips and drinks and candy and pins and hats, and whatever. That stuff quickly adds up.
I'd say if you planned for $100 a day, you'd have more than enough left over and you'd not be in a position where you had to make any choices about what you'd want to eat or buy. At $75 a day, you'd be pretty close to anything you'd want, but may have to make some choices about the cost of souvies. At $50, you'd still have more than enough to have two CS meals or a CS meal and a less expensive sit down and possibly some left over for souvies.

 

[MATTERHORN]

For me and my two kids, we spend $100 per day between food and souvenirs! That's $100 per day, not $100 per person/per day!! That would be hard to do for us, I can't imagine.

But we can usually split meals (they are huge at some places) or we eat breakfast in the room (bring cereal/breakfast bars) and only really eat two meals instead of 3! Plus we bring Capri-suns and waters under the stroller so we only buy drinks that come with meals!!


Andrea

 

[hlbtimes2]

For our family of 4 (2 adults 2 kids under 10) we average about $100 a day. We have breakfast at the hotel and 2 meals in the park. Each meal averages about $40, then we have snack/ drinks. We dont eat at a lot of table service places, mostly just counter service. If we do have a more expensive meal such as table service or character meal, we off set it with a small light meal like soup in a bread bowl or a corn dog.

If you really want to get an idea take a look at menus. WWW.dlresortinfo.com You'll know how your family typically eats and what sounds good to you.

 

[Albort]

I think I read on another site that churros are now $3.75!

lol, it used to be $2.75, now its $3.00. They raise their prices every year. Despite people still buying them, a cart can go though around 2,500+ Churros a day on any given day.

 

[mystic_path]

Its cause they are so good, people will be willing to pay for a treat. If they ever reach over $3.50 I will stop purchasing them though.

 

[lilpixie]

If your kid/s are not big eaters -- they can split meals between them or with you. As someone mentioned before -- some meals can even be split between adults (the monte cristo at Cafe Orleans and at Blue Bayou). I'm not sure if there is a split plate charge or not. I have 3 girls -- my 7 year old and 4 year old don't eat a whold lot -- so they probably could have split some meals. But we went ahead and ordered each of them their own. I am not a huge eater myself, but my hubby is LOL -- so he is not usually to keen on splitting food with me! Bring your own water/capri suns for drinks and snacks -- and that will cut down on a lot of money.
As for souvenirs -- I was amazed that my girls didn't go too crazy. They each got a cute necklace -- one got a tiara (like $5) the other got one of those Disney cuties wallets (probably around $5) and each got a small stuffed animal. We let them pick out 1 thing per day (we were there for 3 days). Amazingly, we only spend around $20 per child (we didn't buy souvenirs for our youngest who was an infant). I got a cute mug from Emporium and some of the treats from the candy shop on Main St. -- DH doesn't get into souvenirs. In a nutshell -- they have some really fun stuff that doesn't cost a fortune. Just make a budget and stick to it -- and everyone knows in advance what they have to spend.
The souvenirs that my girls loved the most were the autograph books with the pictures from the characters (oh yeah, I forgot about those!). So fun!
Have fun!

 

[mtod1164]

Thank you everyone.... now off to the bank for the US $$$
I have decided $75.00 per day!

Left over money will be used next time we go to the States.