$40 a Day for Dining at Disney

[wishicouldgomoreofte]

Welcome back stayhomemom77.
Looking forward to more of your postings.
I guess I don't understand the formula reference.
I need to go back and reread the whole thread again, after I eat something.

 

[zhazhazsu]

Oooh this looks fun! Can I give it a shot

Animal Kingdom

Breakfast - Pizzafari Danish and Coffee 4.77 ( including tax )

Lunch - Tusker House Lunch Buffet includes standard non alcoholic drink ( the price includes tax so I just added in the 18 percent tip) 24.77 including Nemo Tickets if you book at the right time.

Snack - Sugar Cookie 2.11 including tax

Dinner - Flame Tree BBQ Chicken Salad drink water 8.30 including tax

total 39.95

What do you think?

 

[zhazhazsu]

DHS

Breakfast Starring Rolls Bagel and Cream Cheese and Iced Coffee 4.67

Lunch Sci Fi Dine Inn Double Dip for Two plus Flavored Soda 17.84

Dinner Mama Melrose Four Cheese Flat Bread and Ice Water 15.08

Snack Starring Rolls Mini Pastry 1.91

Total 39.50

 

[PJAY]

Rainforest Cafe for Breakfast. Tonga Toast and a Coffee $15.04.

I am very impressed with your plan and ability to stick to it.
I have never had Tonga Toast is it really $15 with a coffee??????

 

[Wendy5055]

These are great options! What about those of us with kids around the ages of 9...give or take? I just don't feel my 9 year old would fare well eating choc croissants or danish for the duration of our trip.

However, please keep in mind I just read the last few posts.

 

[Kat&Dom]

I love this thread - so many creative ways to enjoy Disney and eat amazing food while staying on budget. OP, thanks for starting such an interesting and creative thread!

 

[sharonabe]

These are great options! What about those of us with kids around the ages of 9...give or take? I just don't feel my 9 year old would fare well eating choc croissants or danish for the duration of our trip.

However, please keep in mind I just read the last few posts.

Sunshine Seasons at Epcot, Pizzafari at AK, and Main St Bakery at MK all have some kind of egg sandwich (or pizza) for $5.99. Most of the value and moderate food courts also have this option. A few of these places also offer biscuits/gravy, oatmeal, and Mickey waffles or french toast for $6 or less. While these are a little more than your pastry/coffee type breakfast, it's only a few dollars more and can be saved later in your day or just count it as the price for a little healthier/filling breakfast.

 

[KTJAY]

Great Thread!!! We've gone to Disney on a dining budget before.... we all love breakfast so we usually hit a late breakfast buffet (ex. Crystal Palace $24.49) around 9 or 10 and then aren't hungry til 2 or 3 and go to Peco's Bill ($10-12) and then an ice cream sandwich or some kind snack later($3-4). In Epcot I could eat ham and cheese croissants and a cream puff for every meal

 

[gismo1554]

Here are my self imposed rules:

No DDP or Tables in Wonderland.
No Kids Meals for Adults.
At least one sit down meal per day.
Leave a tip of 18% (I do not want to argue this, just used this number as it is the one Disney suggests most prominently)
Drink something besides water for at least two meals per day.
Vacation food that either myself or immediate family would actually eat.
Try to include some Disney specific foods either exclusive to Disney or very rare elsewhere.

Prices listed include tax for counter service, and tax plus tip for Table Service.
Bolded meal is the Table Service

Not 100% sure what tax is on food in Florida but went for 10%??? Anyway this is what I came up with assuming that we had to have a sit down meal each day - edited to include 6.5% tax

Animal Kingdom: $38.05

Breakfast -> Tamu Tamu - French Toast Sticks & Coffee $6.80
Lunch -> Picnic in the Park between 2 $9.89
Dinner -> Rainforest Cafe - Appetizer Sampler with Ribs between 2 and a coke (guessed price of coke) £19.45
Snack -> Dino Bites - Churros $2.44

Disney Hollywood Studios: $38.19

Breakfast -> Starring Rolls - Cream Cheese Bagel & Coffee $4.67
Lunch -> Rosie's All American Cafe - Vegetarian Burger & Coke $12.66
Dinner -> Brown Derby - Cobb Salad & Water $18.85
Snack -> Backlot Cantina - Apple Slices $2.01

Epcot: $38.11

Breakfast -> Sunshine Seasons - Oatmeal & Coffee $5.31
Lunch -> Yorkshire Fish & Chip Shop - Chips & Coke $5.20
Dinner -> Via Napoli - Large Pepperoni Pizza between 2 & Coke $22.62
Snack 1 -> Kringla Bakery - School Bread $2.12
Snack 2 -> Yorkshire Fish & Chip Shop - Chips $2.87

Magic Kingdom: $38.54

Breakfast -> Sleepy Hollow - Mickey-shaped Waffles & Coffee $7.12
Lunch -> Pecos Bill's - Chilli-Cheese Fries & Coke $7.01
Dinner -> Plaza Restaurant - Vegetarian Sandwich & Coke $17.19
Snack 1 -> Aloha Island - Pineapple Float $4.46
Snack 2 -> Pinocchio's Village Haus - Tomato & Basil Soup $2.76

If however I was not forcing myself to have 1 sit down meal a day this would be it:

Animal Kingdom: $39.25

Breakfast -> Tamu Tamu - French Toast Sticks & Coffee $6.58
Lunch -> Picnic in the Park between 2 $9.58
Dinner -> Pizzafari - Pepperoni Pizza & Salad & Coke $11.59
Snack 1 -> Dino Bites - Churros $2.44
Snack 2 -> Flame Tree BBQ - Onion Rings & Fries split between 2 & Coke each $6.94
Snack 3 -> Anywhere - Coke $2.12

Hollywood Studios: $38.70

Breakfast -> Fairfax Fare - Egg & Cheese Muffin & Coffee $8.61
Lunch -> Rosie's All American Cafe - Vegetarian Burger & Coke $12.66
Dinner -> ABC Commissionary - Chicken Curry & Coke $11.38
Snack 1 -> Anehiem Produce - Apple Slices & Caramel $3.72
Snack 2 -> Hollywood Hills Theatre - Coke/Coffee depending on weather for Fantasmic $2.33

EPCOT: $38.11 - and no I haven't changed a thing lol

Breakfast -> Sunshine Seasons - Oatmeal & Coffee $5.31
Lunch -> Yorkshire Fish & Chip Shop - Chips & Coke $5.20
Dinner -> Via Napoli - Large Pepperoni Pizza between 2 & Coke $22.62
Snack 1 -> Kringla Bakery - School Bread $2.12
Snack 2 -> Yorkshire Fish & Chip Shop - Chips $2.87

Magic Kingdom: $38.67

Breakfast -> Auntie Gravities - Muffin & Coffee $4.99
Lunch -> Pecos Bill's - Chilli-Cheese Fries & Coke $7.01
Dinner -> Columbia Harbour House - Lighthouse Sandwich, Apple Crisp & Coke $15.20
Snack 1 -> Aloha Island - Pineapple Float $4.46
Snack 2 -> Pinocchio's Village Haus - Tomato & Basil Soup & Breadsticks with Pizza Sauce $7.01

I am however determined to work out whether it can be done for under $30 lol

 

[sharonabe]

Gizmo:OP used 6.5% for tax, so you have a few more cents to use up! Did you include tip?

 

[gismo1554]

Gizmo:OP used 6.5% for tax, so you have a few more cents to use up! Did you include tip?

LOL yes I did for TS meals. Oh well what's a few cents between friends

Managed to edit post so now it is 6.5% tax and scored another drink in Animal Kingdom if not doing TS! YEAH!

 

[stayhomemom77]

Alright....


*IF* it happens (the jury's still out at the moment), our next trip will be from August 28th to September 3rd and I was thinking...what in the WORLD would I want to eat if it was sweltering hot out and I was worried about melting into a puddle on the sidewalk? Now, chances are that we would leave the parks after lunch for a nice swim during the super hot part of the afternoon and then return later for dinner and the (hopefully) cooler p.m. hours but then the Animal Kingdom day might not work what with it closing at 5 p.m. most days but I'm ignoring that for the moment.

So, without further ado...I give you:


What to eat in the August Heat!!


Animal Kingdom Total $38.51
Muffin and Ice Water from Kusafiri Bake Shop
Chicken Lo Mein with ice water from Yak and Yeti
Fruit Smoothie from Anandapur Tea Company
BBQ Chicken Salad and ice waterfrom Flame Tree BBQ


Hollywood Studios Total $39.92
Bagel with cream cheese and small juice from Starring Rolls
Burger and Fries with milkshake from Sci Fi
Caprese Salad with apple slices and ice water from Pizza Planet
Mickey Bar from Ice Cream Treat Cart


Epcot Total $39.77
Strawberry Shortcake and small chocolate milk from Sunshine Seasons
Fish and Chips and Ice water from Rose and Crown
Ham and Apple sandwich and med soda from Kringla
Frozen slushie from Africa Outpost


Magic Kingdom Total $38.42
Frozen Strawberry and Cream Smoothie from Main Street Bakery
Plaza Club and a milkshake from The Plaza
BLT salad and med soda from CHH
Dole Whip from Aloha Isle

 

[wishicouldgomoreofte]

Keep it coming folks. It looks good.
(Why am I always hungry when I seek out this thread?)

 

[ms.turee]

I love this thread, too! The food is the only part of my budget that is purely projected! Nice to know my gamble on foregoing the dining plan can actually work.

 

[donnsuz]

bump! Love this thread!

 

[stayhomemom77]

Alright! Since the news of the 2012 price increases for the dining plan having recently been posted, I determined I would find out if I could create a dining plan specifically tailored for my family.

We always eat breakfast in our room (cereal and bagels, juice) that we bring from home. We also always bring drinks with us into the park with or without the dining plan. So we need lunch, dinner and snacks while we are out and about which is why the DDP usually worked well for us. However, it's going to be too expensive for us next year so if we can't go when there is free dining, we would do something like what I will post below.

I wondered if it were possible to use the $40 a day plan and apply it to my family: 2A and 2C (ages 6 and 8). We did kid plans earlier on $20 a day so, that would give me a family budget of $120 a day.

I found that I could get 1 TS meal and 1 CS meal with a few snacks (not always 4) for less than $100!!!!! Of course, this is different from the dining plan in that we don't always get drinks (I get ice water because that's what I prefer to drink) and NEVER dessert but the $100 total does include tax and tip and more importantly...it's nearly EXACTLY how we would eat!! So that other $20 could be used as a cushion for when DH wants to get the most expensive entree on the menu or when we want an extra drink/snack or two.

So here it is...

MAGIC KINGDOM
Total $99.46

Pinnochio's Lunch
Dad Chicken Parm with soda
Mom Meatball Sub with ice water
DD Kid's Meal
DS Kid's Meal

Afternoon Snack
4 Mickey Ice Cream Bars

The Plaza Dinner
Dad Cheese steak sandwich and soda
Mom Plaza Club with ice water
DD Kid's Meal
DS Kid's Meal


HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS
Daily Total $99.97

Sci Fi Lunch
Dad Burger and shake
Mom Burger and ice water
DD Kid's Meal
DS Kid's Meal

Afternoon Snack
carrot cake cookie and brownie

Backlot Express
Dad Chicken Curry with soda
Mom Chicken Bleu with ice water
DD Kid's Meal
DS Kid's Meal


NON PARK DAY
Daily Total $99.60

Raglan Road Lunch
Dad Bangers and Booz with soda
Mom Chicken BELT with ice water
DD Kid's Meal
DS Kid's Meal

Afternoon Snack
brownie,magic cookie bar, cookie

POR dinner
Dad Make your own pasta with soda
Mom Make your own pasta with ice water
DD Kid's Meal
DS Kid's Meal

ANIMAL KINGDOM
Daily Total $99.73

Yak and Yeti
Dad Beef and Broccoli and soda
Mom Chicken Lo Mein and ice water
DD Kid's Meal
DS Kid's Meal

Afternoon Snack
share 3 ice cream cookie sandwiches

Food Court Dinner
Dad Lg cheese pizza, 2 choc milks
Mom share with Dad
DD share with Dad
DS share with Dad


EPCOT
Daily Total $99.83

Rose and Crown Lunch
Dad Sunday Roast ice water
Mom Fish and Chips with ice water
DD Kid's Meal
DS Kid's Meal

Afternoon Snack
share 2 frozen slushies

Kringla Dinner
Dad Norweigan Club with soda
Mom Ham and Apple with ice water
DD Kid's Meal
DS Kid's Meal

So there you have it!! Disney dining for a family of four for less than $100 a day!!

 

[Kat&Dom]

Alright! Since the news of the 2012 price increases for the dining plan having recently been posted, I determined I would find out if I could create a dining plan specifically tailored for my family.


So there you have it!! Disney dining for a family of four for less than $100 a day!!

Wow - that is impressive. I truly believe that Disney is affordable for everyone - to be able to feed 4 people on vacation for less than $100 is amazing.

I also liked your food choices - we are total water drinkers too. My 5 year old son is the only kid at a birthday party that doesn't want pop or juice, he just wants water! That is the one thing that I did right as a parent, I always made water a big treat drink for him when he was a toddler, now it is all he likes.

 

[danceintherain]

This is such a great idea for a thread! It's really helping me see some of the food options available at different places without having to actually look up each individual menu.

I think for our next trip we'll have to try all new places (though I think it will be difficult to pull DH away from his Fish & Chips at Epcot)

 

[3Minnies1Mickey]

I found that I could get 1 TS meal and 1 CS meal with a few snacks (not always 4) for less than $100!!!!! Of course, this is different from the dining plan in that we don't always get drinks (I get ice water because that's what I prefer to drink) and NEVER dessert but the $100 total does include tax and tip and more importantly...it's nearly EXACTLY how we would eat!! So that other $20 could be used as a cushion for when DH wants to get the most expensive entree on the menu or when we want an extra drink/snack or two.

This is amazing!!! We are deciding against the dining plan this September since we have a villa, are planning a couple of days at Universal, etc. This is giving me some great ideas. My biggest hold up was I didn't want to miss out on several TS meals. Though I know some days we will go over since we are doing a couple of character meals and buffets, but it helps be cut back on the other days and still come in under budget.

 

[stayhomemom77]

I'm back with a $120 a day family plan with 2 TS meals per day and a couple of snacks to share for the in between times. You may notice that no drinks are listed...DH agreed that he would gladly drink ice water at all meals if it meant no CS but of course, anyone could eliminate some snacks or choose cheaper entrees if you need something besides water when you eat.

This plan assumes that you eat breakfast at your hotel and bring your waters (sodas, juices etc) into the park with you comprised of items brought from home.

I'm almost sorry that free dining is currently being offered because it means I can't try this meal plan. Some of you might find it helpful though!!!

Animal Kingdom $119.64

Rainforest Café
Dad BBQ wrap
Mom Pita Quesadillas
DD Python Pasta
DS Chicken Tidbits

Planet Hollywood
Dad Pasta Carbonara
Mom Tuscan Chicken
DD PB&J
DS PB&J

Snacks
Mickey Ice Cream Bar
Mickey Ice Cream Bar
Mickey Ice Cream Bar
Mickey Ice Cream Bar


Hollywood Studios $119.81

Sci Fi
Dad Burger
Mom Smoked Turkey Sandwich
DD Kid's Burger
DS Kid's Hot Dog Meal

Mama Melrose
Dad Chicken Flatbread
Mom Four cheese Flatbread
DD Kid's Chicken Parmesean
DS Kid's Pizza

Snacks
2 Carrot Cake Cookies to share
Popcorn Bucket to share



Non Park Day $119.36

Raglan Road
Dad Irish Meatball Sandwich
Mom Chicken BELT
DD Burger
DS Chicken Tenders

Trex
Dad Steak and Cheese Sandwich
Mom Paleozoic Chicken Sandwich
DD Dizzy Chicken
DS Shrimpkens

Snacks
Magic Cookie Bar
Magic Cookie Bar
Warm Apple Pie
Brownie

Magic Kingdom $119.39

Liberty Tree Tavern
Dad Freedom Pasta
Mom Pilgrim's Feast
DD Sliced Turkey
DS Pizza

The Plaza
Dad Rueben
Mom Plaza Club
DD Grilled Cheese
DS PB&J

Snacks
Apple Turnover
Apple Turnover
Cinnamon Roll for kids to share



Epcot $119.65

Rose and Crown
Dad Bangers and Mash
Mom Fish and Chips
DD Grilled Chicken
DS Fish and Chips

ESPN Club
Dad Cuban burger and iced tea
Mom ESPN Dinger Sandwich
DD Kid's Cheeseburger
DS Kid's Hot Dog

Snacks
School Bread
Lefse
Cloudberry Horn
Cherry Danish