No DDP and on a budget....

[Carriesouthard]

Going to the world for last minute trip this November 10-16th.... Trying to do dining on a budget. Breakfast in the room, pack many snacks or sandwich stuff for lunch...will def need a quick service meal each day and an ice cream for the kiddos...it's myself and 3 dds ages 11,9,8....

We've always had the dp so not sure what my dining budget should look like....

Trying to do this the least expensive way possible...

Thx

 

[snayak]

I'd factor 3 adult and 1 kids meal + 4 drinks + 4 ice creams per day for 7 days.

Avg cost QS adult = $10, kids = $6, drink = $3.25, ice cream = $5/ea

so (3x$10 + 6 + 4x3.25+4x5)x7 = $455 rough cost, not really including tax but you should be OK.

This of course does not include breakfast or lunch/snacks/food purchased outside WDW. I'd call that another $200 and round up to $650 total.

If you want to get super specific, you could figure out where you want to each on which day and look at the menu boards for a tighter estimate.

 

[sharonabe]

I would definitely find some time to look over the menus here at wdwinfo.com or at allearsnet.com to see where you want to eat at each park.

There are many places where you could get 2 adult meals and share them. OR all three DDs may want their own kid's meal. You could even do a TS at Via Napoli and share a mezzo or large pizza and a dessert for about the same as you would spend at a QS.

Some shareable QS include:
Cosmic Rays
Columbia Harbour House
Flame Tree
Yak n Yeti
Starring Rolls
Fairfax Fare
Sunshine Seasons
Tangeriene Cafe

 

[Carriesouthard]

Thanks everyone...keep these tips coming! This trip is such a last minute surprise and it's thrown me all off...we usually go in august and I plan for like 10 months lol...we always have the DP as well....

 

[akclayton]

I second Sharonabe. Keep in mind, not doing the DDP, adults can also order kids meals. Sometimes, those kids meals are enough for me to eat. We took our niece (7)and nephew (9) and he ate more than me. We were on the DDP that time and I ordered my food for his QS and his for mine. Also, there are places where you can get a half a chicken or half a chicken and ribs plate with 2 sides at a place in each park. Cosmic Rays, Sunshine Season, FairFax Fare, Flame Tree BBQ. Each place comes with different sides so it doesn't get old. DH and I always share this plate. It's always good and we're both full at the end. Columbia Harbour House has very big portions with their meals. Ice Water cups are Free at all places that offer it. BFast in the room is a good way to save. When we do eat bfast, we get the big bfast platter at the resort food court and share as well. Taking your own snacks cut down on snacks. To save $ if we want a different snack, we get a Popcorn bucket and share. When we went last, it was me, DH, niece(8) and nephew(10), we managed to eat for under $100 a day.

 

[snorkelyn]

I second Sharonabe. Keep in mind, not doing the DDP, adults can also order kids meals. Sometimes, those kids meals are enough for me to eat. We took our niece (7)and nephew (9) and he ate more than me. We were on the DDP that time and I ordered my food for his QS and his for mine. Also, there are places where you can get a half a chicken or half a chicken and ribs plate with 2 sides at a place in each park. Cosmic Rays, Sunshine Season, FairFax Fare, Flame Tree BBQ. Each place comes with different sides so it doesn't get old. DH and I always share this plate. It's always good and we're both full at the end. Columbia Harbour House has very big portions with their meals. Ice Water cups are Free at all places that offer it. BFast in the room is a good way to save. When we do eat bfast, we get the big bfast platter at the resort food court and share as well. Taking your own snacks cut down on snacks. To save $ if we want a different snack, we get a Popcorn bucket and share. When we went last, it was me, DH, niece(8) and nephew(10), we managed to eat for under $100 a day.

Above is a great suggestion. Just note: this is a dinner menu item only. It is huge and will easily feed 2.
At lunchtime, they serve a 1/2 rotisserie chicken with 2 sides, which is also huge and will feed 2.

Not sure how big of eaters your kids are, but my younger 2 LOVE the "Power pack" lunch from the kids menu. They've eaten it at Backlot express, although I think it is offered at several quick service places. It makes for a cheap, light, snacky lunch at $5.50 each. Alot of times, an adult chicken strip meal is cheaper than 2 chicken nugget kids meals. We found this to be true at the POR food court. We also found the whole pizza at POR to be a reasonably priced Disney meal. Not sure if they offer that at other food courts.

We also bring a toaster and make bagels for breakfast. I was once flamed for doing this (fire hazzard), but at many of the resorts, you can actually request to have a toaster brought to your room. I also pack apple sauce pouches and cream cheese in a lunchbox with an ice pack. Those things are fine to fly in a checked bag.

 

[starsweeper]

You've got some great suggestions already. We never buy the dining plan. I've run the numbers and it's cheaper for us not to buy it. Some of the portions are large and you can easily split meals between you and a kid or an adult meal between two kids. We have 4 kids (7,7,3 & 2) and usually split 2 adult meals between them then DH and I will get 1-2 meals depending on what we want to eat and portion sizes. We end up buying 3-4 adults meals for 6 people whereas DP would have us paying for 6 meals (2 adults, 4 kids).

We also bring in snacks and a bottled water for mid-morning since we hit the parks early, then pay for a drink and a treat like ice cream mid-afternoon.

 

[MickeyManiacMom]

The brownie sundaes at storybook treats in Magic Kingdom are huge. My husband and I always order two for the two of us and share with our 2 kids ages 10 and 13. We have yet to finish any of them - even sharing.

The ice cream and homemade cookie sandwiches at Sleepy Hollow refreshments are also very large and easily cut in half and shared for an ice cream treat. (So long as you can get them to agree on what kind of cookie and what flavor of ice cream!)

 

[akclayton]

I wanted to add another snack option that we do.. It's our favorite so I can't believe that I left it off. We LOVE the ice cream cookie sandwiches. You can find them at a lot more places now. You get 2 cookies and they put 2 heaping scoops of ice cream in between them. You can get 2 different cookies if wanted and 2 different ice cream choices if you want. There's enough cookie and ice cream for 2 maybe even 3 to share. It's $4 and some change. The mickey ear ice cream from the carts are $4 and you get less for your money. We've found them in every park. Usually at a bakery or indoors ice cream treat shop. Ones we hit up: POFQ Food Court at lunch time break of late night when we get back from parks, MK- Sleepy Hollow Refreshments, Main Street Bakery, AK- Discovery Island Ice Cream and there's a place in DinoLand that has them, HS- Ice Cream Stand on Sunset Blvd..

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[akclayton]

The brownie sundaes at storybook treats in Magic Kingdom are huge. My husband and I always order two for the two of us and share with our 2 kids ages 10 and 13. We have yet to finish any of them - even sharing.

The ice cream and homemade cookie sandwiches at Sleepy Hollow refreshments are also very large and easily cut in half and shared for an ice cream treat. (So long as you can get them to agree on what kind of cookie and what flavor of ice cream!)

OH MY!!!! I saw those Brownie Sundaes last time we were there. I told my husband that the next time that we went, I WAS going to get one. I got about 25 more days to go! I can't wait.

 

[nkereina]

Wolfgang Puck Express at DTD is a QS location - priced on the higher end of QS, but their portions are very large and easy to share. They also have a server bring out your food and clear your table, so it's got a touch of the TS feel as well.

Beaches & Cream has the infamous Kitchen Sink sundae you could all split as well.

 

[NavyDad]

Going to the world for last minute trip this November 10-16th.... Trying to do dining on a budget. Breakfast in the room, pack many snacks or sandwich stuff for lunch...will def need a quick service meal each day and an ice cream for the kiddos...it's myself and 3 dds ages 11,9,8....

We've always had the dp so not sure what my dining budget should look like....

Trying to do this the least expensive way possible...

Thx

We easily share 3 or 4 QS meals between 5 people which can really save you a bunch of money. Our kids are about the same ages.

Columbia Harbor House is our favorite place to split meals. The portions are huge as well as the drinks.

 

[MataHari22]

Going to the world for last minute trip this November 10-16th.... Trying to do dining on a budget. Breakfast in the room, pack many snacks or sandwich stuff for lunch...will def need a quick service meal each day and an ice cream for the kiddos...it's myself and 3 dds ages 11,9,8....

We've always had the dp so not sure what my dining budget should look like....

Trying to do this the least expensive way possible...

Thx

One of the tips I read about sharing meals on here was the person ordered double cheese burgers and got an extra bun. Made two burgers out of that, and just split the fries. I don't eat burgers, but I thought that was pretty genius. Feeding two kids that way.

 

[sethschroeder]

One of the tips I read about sharing meals on here was the person ordered double cheese burgers and got an extra bun. Made two burgers out of that, and just split the fries. I don't eat burgers, but I thought that was pretty genius. Feeding two kids that way.

Hahaha

We normally cut it in half but that is a crazy idea.

OP once you pay OOP you never go back! I see why it makes sense when it free dining sometimes but otherwise Disney gives you so much food it makes sense to split meals.

Try also doing 1 APP and 1 meal for 2 as well. The apps are cheaper but usually just as good and you can cut costs that way.

 

[sharonabe]

One of the tips I read about sharing meals on here was the person ordered double cheese burgers and got an extra bun. Made two burgers out of that, and just split the fries. I don't eat burgers, but I thought that was pretty genius. Feeding two kids that way.

I don't think they do this anymore. Seems like they got wise to people doing it (especially where they have a toppings bar), and it is no longer an option.

 

[Carriesouthard]

Love ALL of these tips...I am excited to go without the DP actually.... I'm sure we will save money in the long run..thank you!!!!!

 

[Stinky_Pete]

Some of my tips - may have already been posted:

At home I pretty much only drink water and unsweetened, brewed iced tea. I don't like the WDW QS iced tea. So that leaves water. I only order the free iced water.

If you want bottled water, there are some stores in the parks that sell full liter bottles for only slightly more than the smaller bottles available at the QS places. Get one of those and split it.

For some reason, when I'm at WDW, I eat things I would never have in real life. Like chili cheese fries. That makes a filling lunch for me, and cheaper than a combo meal. I've even gotten plain fries where there's a topping bar and topped my fries with sautéed onions, mushrooms and cheese sauce. There are other options. One of my new favorites are the wafflle sandwiches in the MK.

Sometimes I just want a sandwich - no fries or other side. Last time I did that, it took $2 off the advertised price of the combo.

Just because someplace only advertises bacon cheeseburgers doesn't mean you can't order a (cheaper) plain hamburger. CosmicRays and Pecos Bills have those toppings bars that include cheese sauce and so much more, I'd rather just get the plain hamburger and dress it myself. I don't miss the bacon or the extra calories that would have come with it.

I don't really make these choices to save money. It's just what I want, and happens to be cheaper than just ordering what Disney wants you to order.

This is why I don't want the DDP, even if it's "free" - it just doesn't fit how I like to eat at Disney.

Hope this helps!

 

[North of Mouse]

OH MY!!!! I saw those Brownie Sundaes last time we were there. I told my husband that the next time that we went, I WAS going to get one. I got about 25 more days to go! I can't wait.

OH, yes, the brownie sundaes are sooo yummy. But unlike a pp, I eat one all by myself and have 'No' problem or guilt doing it!!! I am not a very large person, but we don't eat large meals (or desserts with meals) so we can enjoy a very nice snack once a day - love that chocolate!

The DDP would never work with the way we eat. We also prefer drinking water - with 'real' lemon preferred, but not necessary.

 

[bfamily5]

On our last trip we had the lobster bisque and the french onion soup at Chefs de France and these combined with the bread service would have sufficed as a meal! Same as the potato leek at BOG...mmmmmmm yummy and very rich and filling!