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

[TwoMisfits]

Hollywood Studios isn't totally terrible for CS...I'd do

Breakfast - Yogurt and Coffee ($2 + $2.39) $4.39+tax (Writer's Stop) (I'd actually rather bring my own coffee and yogurt, but to do the challenge, I wanna see what I can do all in park - if I brought my own coffee, I'd start my day with the Carrot Cake cookie for the same price (and skip the later cupcake...
Lunch - Ham Sandwich with Fresh Fruit (Starring Rolls) $10.50+tax
Dinner - Cheese Pizza with Caesar Salad (Pizza Planet) $9.19 + tax - if I was jonesing for the Cappucino Cupcake (and didn't get the morning Carrot Cake), I'd do the kids' pizza with the cupcake for pretty much the same price total

Total $24 or so + tax

 

[jsmla]

$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.

This is the sort of argumentum ad absurdum that I often find so prevalent and, IMHO, rather ridiculous on this forum. It provides no useful information and serves no useful purpose. The fact that I choose not to overpay for what I consider to be rather ho-hum food doesn't mean I can't afford to go to WDW. It only means that I choose not to overpay for rather ho-hum food. When it comes to dining at WDW I often feel like I'm paying for a BMW but being given the keys to a Honda or, occasionally, a Kia.

I, personally, don't understand why anyone would choose a pre-packaged chemical-laden Uncrustables over organic, freshly ground peanut butter with homemade strawberry jam simply because they can't bear the thought of slapping together a sandwich while on vacation but that's their choice and I respect it.


I love Orlando and WDW but don't and probably will never see it as a great foodie destination. I go to experience the theme park attractions, period. If I want to eat really well I can just go to New Orleans.

 

[FigmentFinder]

I, personally, don't understand why anyone would choose a pre-packaged chemical-laden Uncrustables over organic, freshly ground peanut butter with homemade strawberry jam simply because they can't bear the thought of slapping together a sandwich while on vacation but that's their choice and I respect it.

One thing the "bring food and drinks " camp doesn't remember is many people fly. It's not much of a cost savings to pay for a luggage full of soda, bottled water and peanut butter. If you can stick it in the luggage (or you get a bag per person free) that's great, but to pay $25 to save twenty isn't really much of a deal.

If driving, definitely bring all the drinks and snack stuff you can stow!

 

[TwoMisfits]

A different take on Epcot...
Breakfast - Oatmeal with Raisins and Brown Sugar (or Croissant Berry Pudding for an extra 40 cents if being a little more sinful) with Coffee ($2.79+2.39) $5.20+tax (Sunshine Seasons)
Lunch - Roasted Beets and Goat Cheese Salad $9 +tax (Sunshine Seasons)
Dinner - Fish and Chips $9.50 +tax (Yorkshire Fish Shop)

Total $23.70+tax or about $25...

 

[PirateD]

I will play! My choice of beverage is water but I did add one or two other beverages in the mix.

MK
Breakfast: Main Street Bakery-Bacon and Gouda Artisan Breakfast Sandwich $4.99 and Grande Shaken Iced Tea $2.49
Lunch: Liberty Square Market-Baked Potato $3.39 and Whole Fruit $1.69
Snack: Aloha Isle-Dole Whip Cup $3.99
Dinner: Columbia Harbor House-Broccoli Peppercorn Salad $8.99
Total: $25.54

EP
Breakfast: Sunshine Seasons-Croissant Berry Pudding $3.19
Lunch: Boulangerie Patisserie-Tartine Aux Fromages $6.75
Snack: Kringla Bakeri Og Kafe-School Bread $2.99
Dinner: Joy of Tea-Lucky Combo (Pork Bun, Chicken Pocket and Egg Roll with your choice of soda and ice cream) $9.99
Total $22.92

AK
Breakfast: Resort Food Court-Bagel with Cream Cheese $2.79
Lunch: Flame Tree Barbecue-1/2 Chicken with Baked Beans and Coleslaw $10.99
Snack: Frozen Banana $4.00
Dinner: Yak and Yeti Local Foods Cafe-Pork Egg Roll $3.29 and Chicken Fried Rice $3.99
Total: $25.06

DHS
Breakfast: Resort Food Court-Kids' Meal Mickey-shaped Waffles with Bacon and Fruit $4.99
Lunch: Starring Rolls-Turkey Sandwich with Fresh Fruit $10.49
Snack: Cupcake $4.19
Dinner: Toy Story Pizza Planet Kids' Meal Cheese Pizza $5.99
Total: $25.66

All of my choices are meals I have eaten or want to try. We usually bring breakfast foods but I wanted to challenge myself by adding those in. I think like PP have stated, it really depends on your own eating habits. This seems like plenty of food for me. We usually eat smaller meals especially in the heat, so eating some kids' meals or splitting entrees works for us. I find that I often miss snacks I want to try because there's too little time!

 

[ilovefh]

I don't know that this would work for everyone, but I think we came pretty close to $25/day per person on our last trip, maybe even less.

To start 8 of us stayed at the Treehouse Villas which means we had a full kitchen at our disposal. We spent $180 grocery shopping which works out to $22.50 per person, making it 2.50 per day per person. We have 3 people in our family so I'll keep our food under $75. We always do breakfast in the room and we bring snacks like crackers to the park.

Take our day at DAK.
Breakfast in the room 7.50

Lunch at Restaurantosaurus
Chicken nuggets and fries 8.99
Corn dog nuggets with grapes and yogurt 7.50

Snacks
Frozen Chai 5.39
Frozen Cappuccino 5.39
Popcorn 5.50

Dinner at Earl of Sandwich (with 10% DVC discount)
Holiday sandwich 5.84
Mac and Cheese 3.59
Soup 3.14
Chips 1.16

Dessert at Ghiradelli (with 10% AP discount)
Single Cones x3 11.48

If we're still hungry at night we have snacks in the room which is covered under the 2.50 per person per day groceries.

Total: 65.48, 69.73 with tax.

A few disclaimers..
1. We always drink water. We typically choose places to eat that have the soda machines in the dining room so we can refill our water as many times as we want.
2. DH had gastric bypass and this would not have worked before his surgery.
3. DS does not eat a lot and the horror....doesn't really even like ice cream so no Mickey Bar requests from him. His snack of choice is always popcorn.
4. I don't eat a lot and prefer small meals more frequently throughout the day.
5. Oddly enough this works even better when I am pregnant as I eat even less then.
6. It's not about saving money for us, but we order the least amount of food we feel will satisfy us because we can always go back and order more.

 

[eliza61]

One thing the "bring food and drinks " camp doesn't remember is many people fly. It's not much of a cost savings to pay for a luggage full of soda, bottled water and peanut butter. If you can stick it in the luggage (or you get a bag per person free) that's great, but to pay $25 to save twenty isn't really much of a deal.

If driving, definitely bring all the drinks and snack stuff you can stow!

LOL, twenty five IF you are lucky.
My last flight on usair luggage charges where now 30 bucks up to I think a certain weight, any thing over that second threshold and the fee is now 50 bucks.

 

[eliza61]

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

Little ot but depending when you go LJ, you don't have to have ADR's and can still get great TS.
I think this thing on the Dis about how you will starve if you don't have ADR's is a myth, depending on when you go.

I've been going annually to the world for about 18 years now and NEVER, EVER ONCE have I not been able to get a TS meal at the last minute. Now there is one caveat, places like BOG and CRT are always packed so yes if you must eat there then you have to plan.
I go the last week of August through the first week in September usually. we are going again this August and I have 3 adr for a 10 day trip, I guarantee you we will most definitely eat TS.
What we do is when we wake up in the morning we call Disney dining, ask what is available and then pick a place. Also if you go to the resort restaurants, many you can walk up. We had great meals in The turf club, Olivias and the wave last August. all walk ups around 7 pm

 

[jsmla]

I do usually drive (nervous flyer) but when we fly we go with Southwest where two checked bags are free. One of mine will have breakfast stuff and snacks in it. I have to skip the yogurt but the bread, nuts, cereal, almond milk and peanut butter all go into the checked bag. Fruit gets carried on.

I have also used Garden Grocer. It's a little pricey but I can get the organics I prefer and their produce has always been great.

I guess I was trying to make the point that it's not just the cost for some. No almond milk or plain f/f yogurt at the food courts, I don't like their breads and find most of the fresh fruit available at Disney kinda sub par.

 

[simonsayz]

This is the sort of argumentum ad absurdum that I often find so prevalent and, IMHO, rather ridiculous on this forum. It provides no useful information and serves no useful purpose. The fact that I choose not to overpay for what I consider to be rather ho-hum food doesn't mean I can't afford to go to WDW. It only means that I choose not to overpay for rather ho-hum food. When it comes to dining at WDW I often feel like I'm paying for a BMW but being given the keys to a Honda or, occasionally, a Kia.

I, personally, don't understand why anyone would choose a pre-packaged chemical-laden Uncrustables over organic, freshly ground peanut butter with homemade strawberry jam simply because they can't bear the thought of slapping together a sandwich while on vacation but that's their choice and I respect it.


I love Orlando and WDW but don't and probably will never see it as a great foodie destination. I go to experience the theme park attractions, period. If I want to eat really well I can just go to New Orleans.

You can take it as rude opinion. But I am just being realistic. $25-$30 won't get you filled up, at least not in the WDW.
However, I am being serious about the coffee idea and late lunch/dinner. I do this when I am not at WDW. I do this every now and then at Home. Do I do it on purpose? No. It just happens when you have full on work and no time for food.

As for the tomato, pickles, lettuce, and crackers. I've seen people in WDW do it. I did it myself when my dinner wasn't enough or had an early dinner. Ex. Coral Reef isn't exactly the most filling place for my stomach.

Another scenario I can think of is when I am trying to save a QS credit for the last day I am there.

I would go to Animal Kingdom and use my Snack credit on Fried Rice (I think it's roughly $4 or $5? I don't remember) So yes, there is a way around it, but for the whole trip to budget yourself like that..It's just not realistic. You won't have the energy with a budget like that. You want to enjoy yourself and not feeling hungry when you are riding on ToT.

Everyone on this thread that is listing the $25 budget and most are going over it. It's not exactly filling. And realistically I can't imagine all the adults eating Kid's menu.

Also, my earlier post wasn't towards anyone. I saw the OP's post and just replied. I wasn't trying to be rude. I was simply stating my honest opinion. I mean Starbucks cost $5+ for their coffee, hence why I suggested using the Mug at the resort and fill it up.

 

[PirateD]

I believe people when they say they couldn't, but I'm not sure why the people who say they can are doubted. I know I could because I have done it before. Not because I couldn't afford it but because I'm not a big eater along with many in my family. Why should we eat more than we need? I have eaten kids' meals by choice several times and just read a blog recently that suggested it as a tip to save money. They actually showed pics of the adult portion and the kid portion and there really wasn't that much difference in my eyes. All of the options I listed are foods I have eaten for meals except for a few that have been recommended by Lou on WDW Radio. If he says that they could be a meal, I believe him because he loves his food, lol!

 

[jsmla]

I probably should have added that I'm a shortish 50something female. There is no way my 6'2" son could get by on my menu. His $25 would be gone by mid-morning. I think the last time he went to WDW for Star Wars weekend they ate regular meals in the park and he still needed sandwiches and snacks from the backpack to make it through the day.

We light eating, water drinking tightwads need love too

 

[simonsayz]

I definitely think that having those crystal powder or mio to add to your water. And it'll help out instead of buying drinks at the World. I think Tangerine Cafe at Epcot have the best deal for a meal or the combo at Cosmic Ray's at MK for dinner.

 

[momimouse27]

I guess I'm in the "won't slap together the sandwich" camp. I'm a mom. My oldest is an adult now with another right behind her, but I have a special needs son I homeschool every day, and it can be stressful. When I go on vacation, I do not want to do laundry, fix lunches, clean up after everyone, or lug a cooler or food into the park for everyone. I enjoy packing light, to make up for the years I didn't get to when I brought babies in. This is my vacation, I want to relax and enjoy it.

As far as the budget goes, I'm sitting now trying to figure out how much I can reasonably budget for six people for five days in the parks. We used to be able to get by on $25 a day when my kids were small and we could order kid meals, but now it seems almost impossible. With snacks and adult meals I'm leaning towards $40 a day. I definitely think it could be done. We eat our breakfast in the room. Easy stuff like fruit, dry cereal, protein bars, donuts, etc. the kids will have mugs for coffee in the morning.

We typically plan a couple of sit down meals at our favorites, this time we have five because its my daughters graduation trip and it's special. As much as I love going, it really has become expensive for our family.

 

[mindylee847]

I couldn't do such a low budget. I go on vacation to enjoy things I normally wouldn't so a sit down breakfast and dinner are musts for my husband and I.

 

[minniemouseforever]

We bought two margarita's each lol.
OP - are you saying $25 per person each day?

Yes it is per person.

 

[SouthJersey]

Yes it is per person.

Then yeah, alcohol is out of the picture and all drinks except water for me. I'd go large snacks to split (turkey leg, plaza ice cream sandwich, Nutella waffle) and CS meals.

It's doable, not for me though!

 

[PirateD]

I agree. $40 is much more doable and would be a better budget for most. It was a fun challenge to try for the $25 but it would be limiting. While there are many days that we are probably well within that budget because we like to bring our own snacks and breakfast foods in addition to what we eat in the parks, we also have days where we splurge and eat at TS and Character meals too. Often when we do that though we end up just eating one meal and one snack that we purchase. It just becomes too much food at times. We bring food mainly because we get tired of eating out so much. But that's just our preference.

 

[jsmla]

And you should. It's YOUR vacation and everyone should enjoy their vacation. My problem with this whole thing is that it often seems like any mention of a different way to go is met with ridicule and, occasionally, hostility on these boards. I mean, have you ever seen anyone respond to a dining review by taking pot shots at the poster about the equivalent of house note that they just spent on one meal? Yet, let someone mention carrying a sandwich into the park and it's like they've smuggled in a camp stove and are planning on whomping up a Thanksgiving dinner right there on Tom Sawyer's Island.

I average between 30-40 days/year in the Disney parks and simply do not want to eat with Mickey at every meal. I'm certainly not willing to blow funds on it that, in my case, would be better spent on things more important to me, things like margaritas. If it makes anyone feel better I spend a crazy amount of money on booze at WDW.

 

[Anesthesia Fine]

Right? I doubt I'll ever try it, because I enjoy a lot of various Disney food and booze offerings. But that doesn't mean it wasn't a fun mental challenge to see how I could make it work, if for whatever reason I needed to!