$50 per family per DAY food budget can be done...

[Cindy B]

Yes, it can be done.

I just got back from a 14 day trip to Orlando, and we did it.

We are a family of four, 2 adults, 2 children.

I thought my DH was nuts to try it, and well, I was up to the challenge, and we had over $150 left OVER in the dining budget.


Lets see, coupons helped a ton.

I had several buy one meal, get a kids meal free coupons from Mcdonalds. We used a $5 off $20 coupon for Pizzeria Uno (used it from my local Sunday paper), a 99 cent kids meal coupon from Friendly's, a free kids meal coupons from Houlihans... and 10% off for some other restaurants.

Our hotel included breakfast, so it was $20 for lunch and $30 for dinner. We did NOT include snacks in this total, but we usually put fruit snacks or cheese crackers in the backpack for the day.

Our kids, 4 and 7 did never complain about food.

WE also bought wraps from Goodings, split them, and had half for dinner and half for lunch the next day.

We also bought chicken nuggets, and used the microwave in the room, and got Lunchables on sale for 99 cents (the ones that included the drink!)

So, it can be done, never fear!

 

[dizneenut]

Wow, very impressive! That is great!

 

[momofdbsdc]

That is AWESOME!!!

Kim

 

[idontknow]

I'm impressed!

I've been going thru our Entertainment book trying to figure out what our food cost will be. (or should I say, could be ) The first hotel offers a sit down breakfast,too. I am hoping that is all that we will need, breakfast and an ealy dinner. I came up with a little over $300 for 8 days, but I know that is low. It's going to be a contest in the back of my mind to see if we can do it. LOL I did budget for $600 just in case, though.

I'm glad to read that you didn't have any complaints from the kids. Between making the DH's and kids happy, it's sometimes hard to stick to a budget. You did a great job!

 

[zkacmom]

We went to DW three years ago and had 900.00 for food and snacks for 10 days. We did it and had 50.00 left over. We ate breakfast at the hotel room and then bought food at the park for lunch and something for dinner. We usually ate a late lunch so we could wait til we got back to eat something or just get a few snacks.

We are going again in October this year and we will only be 5 since my oldest moved out. We should spend less since my daughter doesn't eat much, then we have a 6 yo and 5 yo. So I am hoping to only spend 50.00 a day.

Ginny

 

[AKASnowWhite]

$50 a day for a family of 4 is a real accomplishment, IMO. That really gives me something to aspire to on our next trip!

 

[doggy]

Let us all keep in mind something. As children get older they eat more and do not qualify for free or reduced meals. We are a family of 5 and only one of the 5 is below 10. We got back 3 weeks ago and spent 6 days and did it on a $50.00 a day budget....however you really need to be creative and forget the in between snacks at the parks....

 

[Cindy B]

All the free coupons, Houlihans went up to age 10. McDonalds never cared, and no age requirement was posted on the coupon or thier order board.

Friendly's went up to age 12, I think.

My DD does not eat much, but my son does make up for her!

We did snacks at parks as well, sometimes. ONe day, we had a late breakfast (around 10) and for lunch we had a snack at the bakery.

My kids don't have the I wants... well, they never asked for food during the trip, they were too busy doing re rides!

 

[Kimkimba]

I wish my family of 4 (dd 13 and ds 4) could have this discipline....and we're not even steak or seafood lovers. I'm budgeting $150 a day for our trip, but I'm even worried about this.

 

[twoksmom]

Wow! That is really impressive.You should be proud of yourself.
April

 

[disneefamily]

Disnee Dad Say.............................Kimkimba, How do you spend $150 per day everyday? We are only three and budget $75 per day. The last trip included, Akershus, Boma,Kona Cafe, Tusker House, Rain Forest Cafe, Hollywood and Vine and the food and wine festival. The trip before included Cape May, 1900 Park Faire, Garden Grill, Cindy's Castle, Brown Derby, Cantina de San Angel, and the food and wine festival. We usually eat breakfast in the room, so thats only a few dollars a day. Sometimes eat an early lunch, which would usually be a kids meal, or counter service. Try for late lunch 3:45pm, and snacks for dinner. If dinner was the key meal, we would just graze all day, especially at the food and wine festival, but it adds up quick!
PS. We have never gone over our budget for food, in fact are usually ahead and splurge a bit the last couple days.

 

[travelitis]

I know it's perverse, but I like the challenge of a food budget. I had an elaborate food plan started including precooking and freezing food, then my dh decided it was important for us to splurge. With 5 character meals and PS for Sci-Fi and 50's PT, we'll really welcome the non Disney food. It almost seemed easier without all the Disney dining interspersed.

If Kimkimba's family went to Garden Grill their tab would be $73+$11 tip = $84. If they ate breakfast in their room and had counter service for their other meal, they could easily stay under $150/day. Kimkimba, have you looked at the menus at www.wdwig.com?

 

[singitalto]

Great to hear this can be done!!!! I have $70 per day budgeted for the 4 of us (dd is 10 ds is 8).

We have the same type of plan:
Breakfast either free at hotel or eat in room. Bringing snacks bought at Costco for parks, milk and cereal, and a forman grill for grilled cheese for either breakfast or a late night snack.
Counter service for lunch( and need I say maybe bring a pb&j sandwich to hold us over on the day we eatour one Charactor Breakfast-- Hush don't tell!! lol)
And they eat at the likes of Friendly's, Olive Garden, Sweet Tomatoes, Kobe's, Jungle Jims etc on the way back to the hotel after parks close. Plus I have 6 vouchers I plan to use at Beaches and Cream.
We are going to be in Disney for 8 days and Universal for 3. We have about $900 budgeted for food.

I'll let everyone know how my "plan" works out when I get back!!!

 

[Cindy B]

Sing italto...

Loved Sweet Tomatoes, we stayed right near one.. it was fabulous.

Dont forget to look at your Sunday paper, the coupon section.

 

[AKASnowWhite]

Originally posted by Kimkimba
I'm budgeting $150 a day for our trip, but I'm even worried about this.

We are a family of 5, with 3 kids still under the age of 12.....We always eat breakfast in our hotel room AND I pack snacks/water/juice boxes to take into the park with us. We RARELY buy a *snack* (We've never even had a Dole Whip or a Beaver Tail....) or dessert after a meal, and we STILL spend well over $100/day on average.

We are very careful to eat a healthy well-balanced diet which, besides being expensive, is very difficult at a place like WDW. My DS and I have dietary restrictions so pizza or burgers and fries are simply not a good option for us. Also, if you have a glass of wine with your dinner, as we like to while we are on vacation, that adds up rather quickly - especially when you get GOOD wine at one of the better restaurants.

So this $50 a day is VERY intriguing to me....I'm going to try to hammer out a stricter budget for our November trip to DL and see how it works out for us....

 

[SandraC]

We kept meal costs down (other had character meals) by eating many breakfasts in room from groceries we bought at Goodings, snacks for lunch, again from groceries, and dinner at counter service. Kids meals at counter service were about $5.00 each and adult meals seem to be about $8.00 each. S

 

[joe]

Basically, if you don't mind eating junk food at almost every meal you can eat very cheap. Places like Mc Donald's, Pizza Hut, Checker's, are all cheap. I can't do this as I do not believe in putting all that junk into my system. Of course, the average person doesn't care. Then again, the average person is obese and spends more money going on diets than I do yearly on food.

Garbage in, garbage out!

 

[AKASnowWhite]

That was to the point, Joe. Really no mistaking how you feel about this....but to agree with you (at least I think this is where you were headed.....) it's much more difficult to maintain a *low budget* when you want (or need) to be more selective with the food choices you make. This is one of the reasons I'm in favor of people being allowed to carry their own food into the parks if they so choose.

 

[SandraC]

AKASnowWhite, well said

 

[singitalto]

Joe,
That was pretty nasty.
I am an average person that sometimes eats "junk food".
I'm a size 7/8, is that obese?