100 bucks for food can it be done??

[Wilsonfamily4]

I wasn't able to bring a jelly through in my carry on, though that was a few years ago.

 

[EKW]

Easily! Take breakfast foods and eat in your room...or, if you're not a big eater, the big value at the food courts is toast. We took those individual Jif peanutbutters and I bought slices of bread and toasted them at the food court! Most days, we just ate in the room. Take asceptically packaged individual soy milks if you like milk.

If you're talking 6 meals in parks, that leaves you almost $16 per meal. You can do that easily! I wouldn't mess with table service if you're trying to eat cheaply...stick to counter service places. Look thru the menus here or at All Ears and you should be able to find vegetarian foods to keep you going.

I'd also take snacks for the room at night in case grazing in the parks left me a little hungry.

I should add: we fly Southwest. My boys and I only need 2 suitcases for a week long Disney trip. We could take 6 at no cost, plus carry ons! So, I deal with the food issue by taking a children's pilot case for food! I check that one bag thru with only food in it.

 

[hpfan100]

if you go to epcot, you can visit the coke station and get free samples from around the world. They don't have a diet coke version but maybe someone can say if one of them tastes similar. I don't know.

OOOHHHH that sounds fun. I did the sampler at the coke store and Las Vegas and that was fun. No diet coke but still fun.

 

[billwendy]

Cool - go for it and have fun with it!! DH and I did a VERY budget trip almost 2 years ago and we enjoyed the challenge!!

We made oatmeal and toasted toast or english muffins in the food court. There wasnt peanut butter there the last time we were there though. THey did have butter and jelly though!

We purchased a container of the iced tea mix and poured it into a zip lock bag and took it into the parks to mix with their water with no problems at all!! We also brought in a can of nuts and some granola bars!!

With your budget I think you'd be able to get 2 kids meals/day with no problem - what does everyone else think? Its still pretty hot then, so you might not be as hungry as usual- more thirsty!

I think walking to sweet tomatoes is doable but would take a bit...just like the other poster said you'd take the bus to downtown disney and walk down the road and then across into the shopping center there - I think its all the way in the back close to the major highway there.

Have FUN!!!

 

[hpfan100]

thanks again everyone for the ideas and suggestions. This helped me greatly I think I'm going to just take my refillable water bottle and flavor packets then I don't need to check bags.

for cokes I'll just play it by ear. I like the idea of buying from a vending machine at the airport. If not a god deal then I plan to go to Hess to get a few.

I am going to start a planning/pre-trip report so everyone can see how much I am saving. Hopefully it will be tons!!!!

 

[tinker&belle]

I don't know anything about the room only discount, but I don't think it would be too much more to add the QSDP, not sure if that would work for you, but then it would be all paid for and you wouldn't have to worry about what every little thing cost.

 

[IleneF]

We did this last year when our funds were very low. Short list:
1. brought oatmeal packets/breakfasts bars for breakfast
2. purchased bagels onsite brought tuna pouches/mayo/pickle cups and
packed to take into the parks for lunches.
3. ate at CS restaurants known for big portions and split, we also love Earl of Sandwich.
4. Switch up lunch and dinner for a change of pace
5. Brought along snacks with staying power (ie: protein/fat) like GORP.

We did fine, in fact so fine that it taught us an important lesson....we could go to Disney and NOT spend a fortune on meals

Good luck and have fun!

 

[justplaingoofy]

not sure if your food court has a water button (next to the soda machine) but when we were at CBR in April they did. I had a couple of empty dasani water bottles that I saved instead of throwing out and filled them at the beverage station and threw them in our fridge. Also alot of times instead of packing water to take to the parks I bring a couple of those crystal light individual packs and get a free cup of ice water at a counter service restaurant. (that way i don't have to carry a bottle around with me)..

 

[MEM]

Did anyone recommend just buying a refillable mug at Pop? Then you don't have to waste precious time and energy tracking down cheap beverages and you have a souvenir when you are done. Are you a lacto-ovo vegetarian, a vegan or somewhere in between? Depending on your answer, that could limit food options a bit. There are counter service places that have veggie burgers - check the menus on allearsnet.com. I know you can do it but personally, I would use the month of August to trim your food budget at home so that you have more money to take with you.

 

[hpfan100]

Did anyone recommend just buying a refillable mug at Pop? Then you don't have to waste precious time and energy tracking down cheap beverages and you have a souvenir when you are done. Are you a lacto-ovo vegetarian, a vegan or somewhere in between? Depending on your answer, that could limit food options a bit. There are counter service places that have veggie burgers - check the menus on allearsnet.com. I know you can do it but personally, I would use the month of August to trim your food budget at home so that you have more money to take with you.

Good thoughts about trimming food budget at home. I'm pretty thrifty at home too. I love the bulk bins and coupons.

I would say lact-ovo veg but I can't stand eggs and cow milk on their own. So milk and eggs only get eaten if already on something like cakes and such. I lOVE cheese!

I checked out the menus at all ears and they were pretty helpful.

 

[EKW]

thanks again everyone for the ideas and suggestions. This helped me greatly I think I'm going to just take my refillable water bottle and flavor packets then I don't need to check bags.

for cokes I'll just play it by ear. I like the idea of buying from a vending machine at the airport. If not a god deal then I plan to go to Hess to get a few.

I am going to start a planning/pre-trip report so everyone can see how much I am saving. Hopefully it will be tons!!!!

Personally, I think it's silly to not check a bag thru! I always use curb check. No standing in line. If you use ME, the bag would be there within an hour or so of your arriving. If you don't take food and eat three days of junk food only you will make it through...but, in your place, my body would be rebeling by the end of the trip!

Why not make things easy on yourself...check a couple of small bags thru, take a carry-on with necessities, and not be weighed down toting everything with you?

I guess my POV is different than yours. I have two children to manage alone as it is, so to me ME is a true blessing! If you're staying on property the cost of it is already factored in to the cost of your trip...why not use it?

 

[hpfan100]

Personally, I think it's silly to not check a bag thru! I always use curb check. No standing in line. If you use ME, the bag would be there within an hour or so of your arriving. If you don't take food and eat three days of junk food only you will make it through...but, in your place, my body would be rebeling by the end of the trip!

I'm not checking my bag because I won't need to bring bottled water. I'm still bringing snacks and food. They can go in my carry on bags.

 

[IleneF]

When I needed help for budgeting meals I started a thread called $100 challenge. Here is the link to it...very helpful: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2132416

 

[justplaingoofy]

My father in law used to work for the TSA and I asked him about the peanut butter. He said it was considered a paste and it was likely someone didn't see it go through.

 

[MEM]

Good thoughts about trimming food budget at home. I'm pretty thrifty at home too. I love the bulk bins and coupons.

I would say lact-ovo veg but I can't stand eggs and cow milk on their own. So milk and eggs only get eaten if already on something like cakes and such. I lOVE cheese!

I checked out the menus at all ears and they were pretty helpful.

I was looking at the menus last night in preparation for my upcoming trip and I think you can eat VERY well at Epcot. If you eat breakfast in your room, you can eat lunch at the bakery in Norway - goat cheese-potato-vegetable torte and a bottle of OJ for about $8 then eat dinner at Sunshine Seasons, also at Epcot - grilled vegetable flat-bread sandwich and ice water for about $9 or the tofu noodle bowl.

 

[hpfan100]

I was looking at the menus last night in preparation for my upcoming trip and I think you can eat VERY well at Epcot. If you eat breakfast in your room, you can eat lunch at the bakery in Norway - goat cheese-potato-vegetable torte and a bottle of OJ for about $8 then eat dinner at Sunshine Seasons, also at Epcot - grilled vegetable flat-bread sandwich and ice water for about $9 or the tofu noodle bowl.

thanks for the suggestions! I noticed Epcot was gonna be a good day for eating. I'm going there on my first park night and it has EMH. I plan to get diner and snacks there. I've got a list running in my head but need to get it planned out better.

 

[hpfan100]

When I needed help for budgeting meals I started a thread called $100 challenge. Here is the link to it...very helpful: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2132416

WOW thanks for the link. I think this thread will help me out.