Food prices anxiety!

[SouthJersey]

You have gotten a lot of great advice from PPs, so I won't add much except to ask are you going sooner than you should? A vacation should not cause severe anxiety, so if it does perhaps you will feel better if you wait another 6 months or year and save so you can eat the way you want. Perhaps your decision is based on wanting to go while the 2 youngest are under 3, and that's an important consideration certainly, but if you will be stressed the whole time about watching every little expenditure, then it may not be worth it in the end. Alternatively, if you rent a home offsite you can cook/eat as you would at home (even packing lunches) which would incur no significant cost increase in your budget. Then use the extra savings of the reduced cost of "off property" to put towards a couple special meals that will mean a lot to the family. Don't get me wrong, I love staying on property, and know what a thrill it is. But we have rented in the past in order to take our dogs and it really didn't "ruin the magic" for us at all. We still had a great time, and loved the extra space / private pool. Whatever you decide, make peace with it before you go so you don't stress while you're there. That really will ruin your magic!

I absolutely agree with this.
Pushing back the trip to have more experiences is definitely worth it. I'd rather wait X more months to go, then go and come home saying, "Man, wish we would've tried that and that and that."

 

[jo-jo]

Another mom tip: Bring some instant oatmeal and macaroni and cheese cups with you. It's a cheap alternative to dinner out; better yet, it's an easy way to feed cranky kids (and parents) after a long day at the parks or the pool. We always end up with one evening that the idea of another hamburger is not going to cut it, and we are just too tired to search out anything else.

If OP has space in her car, I'd add a couple of cans of spaghettios or something like that too. Stuff that we may not eat at home, but works in a pinch at disney. For us, we plan to throw a couple of can of beef stew in the suitcase next trip. Like you said, there are times , you just want food. You don't want to jump thru hoops to get it.

 

[eliza61]

Are you staying on site? it may be cheaper to plan yoru vacation as a package adn purchase the dinign plan - we paid oop for all of our meals last yera and we were NOt expecting the price to be as high as it was. This year - they are paid for in advance and I dont' have to worry about it

If she is worried about cost the DDP is not the way to go. DDP has stopped being the most cost efficient way to eat a long time ago.
We simply put our budget on gift cards. that way we eat how and what we want and it also gives us that don't worry about it sense without wasting money.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

Our first two onsite trips I did the DDP and tons of character meals and an ADR everyday. My kids were sick of it. Having to be a certain place at a certain time and having to leave the rides just to eat.....they weren't happy by day 3 or 4. Slthough they like to eat, the food isn't an experience for them.

So this trip I scaled back. For 11 days/10 nights I have 6 ADR's (CRT is just DD and myself and Cali Grill is no kids). My kids are big snackers. They will snack their way around, have a big lunch and then just snack the rest of the day away. We do breakfast in the room because I'm the only real breakfast eater and it saves time. So I'll bring hard boiled eggs or something easy like that for me to eat in the mornings. They'll have cereal or bagels.

I'm still having food price anxiety since this is the first time I actually have to set aside for a food budget since we won't have the DDP. The money is there and saved but it still freaks me out.

I'm planning for 3 adults (DS15) and one child $2000 for food. The link someone posted has me at $1800. I will bring an extra $1000 for spending money and extra just in case cash.

 

[amg35]

I absolutely agree with this.
Pushing back the trip to have more experiences is definitely worth it. I'd rather wait X more months to go, then go and come home saying, "Man, wish we would've tried that and that and that."

I don't think she's saying they don't have the money? I read it as she's just stressed at the amount! Some people (including myself) can have all the money saved, but still, just looking at that total price can make you feel guilty, it just seems so extravagant.

OP I totally understand. We saved, paid cash for our trip including dining plan. It did not take money from our daily lives. If I really sit and think about how much we spent, I still kind of feel itchy.
But we had a blast and are saving to do it again, so just relax and enjoy it! You have the money put aside, don't worry!

And then for your next trip, go on a non-Disney cruise. Seems like we are going for free, it's so much cheaper than WDW!

 

[mi*vida*loca]

I don't think she's saying they don't have the money? I read it as she's just stressed at the amount! Some people (including myself) can have all the money saved, but still, just looking at that total price can make you feel guilty, it just seems so extravagant.

OP I totally understand. We saved, paid cash for our trip including dining plan. It did not take money from our daily lives. If I really sit and think about how much we spent, I still kind of feel itchy.
But we had a blast and are saving to do it again, so just relax and enjoy it! You have the money put aside, don't worry!

And then for your next trip, go on a non-Disney cruise. Seems like we are going for free, it's so much cheaper than WDW!

I agree. The money is saved and it's there but when I think about spending $2000 on food for 10 days. It just makes me twitch a bit. lol

My aunt and uncle used to go every year and would just do quick foods. They aren't big eaters and food isn't a huge importance to them. She told me "oh we just grab a hot dog when we want to or have a mickey bar for dinner." They would probably spend less than $700 on food for the week which included their DS. I used to think they were nuts because I went all out with character meals and the DDP. Now I don't see what they did as being so bad. lol

They want to go next year and take their DD. THey haven't been since she was born and they are contemplating the DDP.

 

[Jadyreen1282]

I view it this way... . there is no price tag when it comes to me not having to cook dinner every night or even other meals.. it is so much mentally easier to be able to show up, get fed then go LOL

Great point. That's why I'm on vacation. Let them cook.

 

[SouthJersey]

I don't think she's saying they don't have the money? I read it as she's just stressed at the amount! Some people (including myself) can have all the money saved, but still, just looking at that total price can make you feel guilty, it just seems so extravagant.

OP I totally understand. We saved, paid cash for our trip including dining plan. It did not take money from our daily lives. If I really sit and think about how much we spent, I still kind of feel itchy.
But we had a blast and are saving to do it again, so just relax and enjoy it! You have the money put aside, don't worry!

And then for your next trip, go on a non-Disney cruise. Seems like we are going for free, it's so much cheaper than WDW!

I was responding tothe person I quoted's post, not specific to the OP.

 

[amg35]

I was responding tothe person I quoted's post, not specific to the OP.

Yikes, no need for the MAD smiley! (seemed like you were responding to the OP's plight)

 

[awalker1015]

Everything was more expensive than I budgeted for our family of 4. There were just a lot of things I didn't factor in when budgeting.

We did not do DDP. Ended up cancelling many of our TS, not bc of $$ but the first few we had were mediocre and I could not stomach paying $120+ each for them. But I also I think our touring style fits better with more spontaneity. We enjoy cocktails with our meals and found the best value to be visiting a deluxe and enjoying cocktails and apps in the lounge. Most food was the same they serve at the onsite signature restaurant and it was reasonable and tasty.

 

[jrandall]

I view it this way... . there is no price tag when it comes to me not having to cook dinner every night or even other meals.. it is so much mentally easier to be able to show up, get fed then go LOL

Excellent point! And something I'm totally looking forward to!!

 

[jrandall]

Ok so I've been planning out a bit & looking at menus and changing my philosophy a little. I was so stressed thinking all this money I planned for would still not be enough because I had wanted more TS. I got onto tour planner to get an idea how much We can do at the parks (knowing with the littles many things could change but still trying to get an idea). I just don't think we will be eating very much! Also, probably sharing. At least at the parks. Im sure we will get things while there but I know we won't be doing much TS because as I look at the plans I would have difficulty meeting reservations. Now, we will have dinners still to worry about but breakfast (except for the princess ADR I made) will be on the go or in the room because honestly I don't think we would have the time to do anything else plus get ready in time (I'm always running late as it is!). So my fears of still not being able to stay in budget are a bit less. The stress of spending 2 months or more of grocery budget in a week is still there but jeez the money is saved for vacation, I can't keep worrying!!! I'll redo the kitchen next year haha! So as it is I am planning 4 TS, probably ordering a pizza one night, bringing things for breakfast, bringing snacks & water. Then not stressing over the rest!! Also will probably up my budget $500 for a cushion but do not plan to spend it. Just want to be sure I can enjoy myself and not worry the week I'm there. The thing that also is easing my mind is that the kids probably will not be impressed with sitting for meals or will appreciate them like I would if it was just my husband & I. So instead of concentrating on making every moment (including meals) magical, I'll just go with how we feel at the moment. Thank you to everyone who helped me! I'm so excited for our week away!!!

 

[disneysteve]

I have not read all 5 pages of this thread but let me just throw in our experience. We spend an average of under $25/person/day at Disney for food. So for a 2-week trip for 3 adults, that comes to about $1,000. Can you spend a whole lot more than that? Absolutely. But it is not at all necessary to do so unless you really want to. We eat breakfast in our room. We drink water (tap, not bottled) most of the time. We do get an occasional soda but not at every meal. We SHARE. That's a biggie. We pack some snacks that we either bring from home (included in my spending number) or purchased at Publix when we get to Florida. We do almost or entirely counter service onsite. If we do a table service meal, it is most likely off property.

Dining at Disney does not need to be nearly as expensive as many people make it out to be. Most of that expense is easily avoidable. We've come in under that $25/person/day figure on every trip we've ever taken.

 

[MichelleB]

I have to agree with Disneysteve. We are a family of 5 (all are classified as adults by Disney standards) and have never spent more than $1000 on food for the week (I like his 2 week price better!) and normally come in around $800. We don't scrimp by any means but there's no need to spend $2000 unless you just want to. For my family that would be a little over 2 months of food at home. Just not necessary. We eat in the room, get counter service ice water, and share if we want but don't' if it doesn't appeal. We always add in a TS or 2 and sometimes eat a meal or 2 in the room for dinner (DVC). It doesn't detract from our fun in any way. We're there because we enjoy it but it doesn't have to break the bank. I also realize everyone is different and for some that extra TS or special meal is important to the vacation enjoyment. I'm just too thrifty to spend that kind of money on food. My DD17 and I are going for 10 days this summer and our budget for food is $5-600 and that's causing me to rethink what we have planned for dining. This is a special trip for us so I had more TS planned that is really necessary. When I asked her tonight if she cared if we changed anything, she said she didn't really care where we ate as long as we got to go to BOG for lunch. She said she was just looking forward to spending time together and what we ate really didn't matter. That being said, we won't scrimp or deny ourselves the Mickey bar or dole whip float but we don't have to spend $50 for a TS meal for the 2 of us to enjoy our trip. Just "food" for thought. The younger the kids are the less important the restaurant choices are to them.

 

[nat8199]

I am sort of jealous of the kids that don't eat... my kids eat a ton. They can easily have a banana or 1/2 english muffin on the bus to an ADR, eat at the buffet, have a snack, eat a TS lunch, have another snack or two, then eat a TS dinner. They are all small for their ages, too! Last trip my twins were under 3 so not included on the meal plan... we spent so much just feeding them!

My DH and I also like to eat well when we are on vacation. I have been saving since Nov13 for this trip, and a lot of it is going to food!

 

[SouthJersey]

Yikes, no need for the MAD smiley! (seemed like you were responding to the OP's plight)

 

[pjhootch]

Ok so I've been planning out a bit & looking at menus and changing my philosophy a little. I was so stressed thinking all this money I planned for would still not be enough because I had wanted more TS. I got onto tour planner to get an idea how much We can do at the parks (knowing with the littles many things could change but still trying to get an idea). I just don't think we will be eating very much! Also, probably sharing. At least at the parks. Im sure we will get things while there but I know we won't be doing much TS because as I look at the plans I would have difficulty meeting reservations. Now, we will have dinners still to worry about but breakfast (except for the princess ADR I made) will be on the go or in the room because honestly I don't think we would have the time to do anything else plus get ready in time (I'm always running late as it is!). So my fears of still not being able to stay in budget are a bit less. The stress of spending 2 months or more of grocery budget in a week is still there but jeez the money is saved for vacation, I can't keep worrying!!! I'll redo the kitchen next year haha! So as it is I am planning 4 TS, probably ordering a pizza one night, bringing things for breakfast, bringing snacks & water. Then not stressing over the rest!! Also will probably up my budget $500 for a cushion but do not plan to spend it. Just want to be sure I can enjoy myself and not worry the week I'm there. The thing that also is easing my mind is that the kids probably will not be impressed with sitting for meals or will appreciate them like I would if it was just my husband & I. So instead of concentrating on making every moment (including meals) magical, I'll just go with how we feel at the moment. Thank you to everyone who helped me! I'm so excited for our week away!!!

I think it is perfectly normal to stress about the food budget, even if you can technically afford to spend 2K on a food budget, it can be hard to accept! lol. We are 5 adults now, and we still spend not nearly so much on food as some folks do. We have done the dining plan during free dining and used it to max advantage. Overall, it is rarely a money saver to purchase outright.

Keep in mind the TS restaurants frequently take quite a while to turn over an entire meal. Some young kids don't really enjoy having to sit as long as it takes, especially if they are tired and cranky. Younger kids can share a meal here and there and some of the "snacks" are more like a light meal. One of the easiest ways to watch the budget is to be very aware of what you're spending on drinks in the parks (and at meals). It can really add up and smack you if you don't pay attention. When it is hot and sunny it is amazing how much a family can spend on 5 drinks a couple of times a day. I used to make the kids carry the water bottles on a strap. We would refill at water fountains and ask for cups of ice at QS places. It could easily make the difference of between $20 and $30 a day just for drinks. Once they got older and I wasn't worried about them dehydrating without realizing it, I stopped dragging those bottles along with us and we just drink from fountains or get ice water with a meal.

When you are calculating your TS meals, do not forget to calculate the tip into the budget. That can add another $100 (or more) to a trip easily depending on how many TS meals you eat. A small bag with granola bars in it also avoided spending a ton of money on snacks for kids that suddenly could not wait one more minute for a meal...

I found that if I planned to avoid those constant little costs I had more money to spend on a nice sit down dinner and my stress level stayed very low. It doesn't matter if I can afford the extra costs or not. The thought of wasting $20 on soda pop in a day just makes me insane. rofl

 

[maxiesmom]

I have not read all 5 pages of this thread but let me just throw in our experience. We spend an average of under $25/person/day at Disney for food. So for a 2-week trip for 3 adults, that comes to about $1,000. Can you spend a whole lot more than that? Absolutely. But it is not at all necessary to do so unless you really want to. We eat breakfast in our room. We drink water (tap, not bottled) most of the time. We do get an occasional soda but not at every meal. We SHARE. That's a biggie. We pack some snacks that we either bring from home (included in my spending number) or purchased at Publix when we get to Florida. We do almost or entirely counter service onsite. If we do a table service meal, it is most likely off property.

Dining at Disney does not need to be nearly as expensive as many people make it out to be. Most of that expense is easily avoidable. We've come in under that $25/person/day figure on every trip we've ever taken.

I think this is why the OP needs to figure out what will work for them. Your above plan, while great for you, sounds like torture to me. I'm planning on over $600 just for a week of food for me, myself, and I. I do have a lot of sit down meals planned, granted. But I also don't want to have to drink mostly water. Especially the Florida water. If I want a pop or an adult beverage, I want the money to have it.

 

[kandb]

It's the buffets that are ridiculous. We are going in Aug/Sept and I really wanted to go to Garden Grill. We are a family of 5 (dh, me, dd12, ds12, ds6), for
us to eat at the Garden Grill will be $250, with tip. It's really crazy, as you are not getting gourmet food and my kids don't eat that much. I have an adr
but don't know if I will spring for that much for dinner.

 

[mombrontrent]

It's the buffets that are ridiculous. We are going in Aug/Sept and I really wanted to go to Garden Grill. We are a family of 5 (dh, me, dd12, ds12, ds6), for
us to eat at the Garden Grill will be $250, with tip. It's really crazy, as you are not getting gourmet food and my kids don't eat that much. I have an adr
but don't know if I will spring for that much for dinner.

I feel the same way. For aproximetley the same price we are doing the HDDR cat.3 in May. We have 3 kids (2 are disney adult kids) and the younger 2 barley eat as well. I figure at least at HDDR it includes the show, tax and tip. We don't drink but if you do it includes alcohol.