Anyone want to do a food budget for me?

[Fluffy626]

Hi there experienced Disney Diners! For the first time we have decided to go without a Disney Dining Plan. This being because we are not planning on a sit down meal each night of our stay.

Here is the info:
2 adults, 3 kids (9, 5, 4months)
We will be in the parks from 1/2 until 1/12.
The few reservations we have are at: Flying Fish (D), Le Cellier(D), O'hana Lilo and Stich Breakfast, Akershus (L), and Cape May (D).
For the rest of our meals we plan to eat snacks and some quick service. None of us are big breakfast people and we bring a few cases of water with us since we drink that more than anything.

How much do you think I should set aside for dining?

Thanks in advance for the help!

 

[Lovin' Disney]

Ok, I'll bite.

Well, lets look at the sit down places you have in mind already. You will be there for 10 nights and you have 5 in mind.

Flying Fish dinner--Most entrees are around $36. Some slightly less, steak is a bit more at $42. Kids meals run around $9-10 on the average. Once again, some slightly less, some more. Right now you're at about $92 for the 4 of you eating. Add on drinks, tax, and tip and you're looking at about $125 or so for this one meal.

Le Cellier dinner--$9 kids meals, about $40 on average for adults. $100 + drinks (Alcohol? That ups the cost tremendously), tax & tip. Probably closer to $150 by the time its all said and done.

Ohana breakfast--Approx $25/adult, $13 child. $76 upfront including drinks/tax, so with tip it should be about $90.

Akershus lunch--Approx $45/adult, $27 child. $144 upfront including tax/drinks, so with tip it should be around $170.

Cape May dinner--Approx $40/adult, $20 child. $120 upfront including tax/drinks, so with tip it should be around $142.

On days without a TS, I would plan on spending about $50/meal (4 people, including entrees + drink as drinks are not included) x at least 2, depending on if you eat breakfast before you come to the parks or not. Maybe a snack budget of $20/day.

On days with a TS, I would plan on spending about $50 for one other meal + maybe $20 in snacks.

I guess for 10 nights, that comes to about $677 for your 5 sit down meals, plus about $750 for all of your other meals provided you eat breakfast in your room before you come, plus about $200 for snacks, for a grand total of $1627.

The cost for regular dining plan would be about $1350 + tips for the 4 of you. It would include a sit down, a quick service, and a snack. Are you should you don't want to reconsider? You would already have 6 table service meals accounted for (Le Cellier is 2). It's almost like getting 4 more nicer meals for free.

 

[Fluffy626]

Awesome figuring =)
I've been doing the same thing, because I am still stuck on the passing of the DDP or not. Every other time we have went we have been on the DDP and this time we were thinking of staying off.

As far as ADR go the ones we have are the only ones we are committing to. The 4 extra meals would just go to waste. Our trip last March was the breaking point when we had an ADR every day and it got to be too much. Also we are such light eaters, we wasted more food than we ate. We left last trip with I think about 10 TS and like 22 snacks (this was for a 14night vacation for 4).

The only problem with QS is that the kids usually spilt an adult meal and are more than happy (and leave food). The same for me and DH. For instance, last trip we went to Flame Tree BBQ for lunch. 2 plates of chicken and ribs and the 4 of us ate, had food left, and were full for the rest of the day. Maybe we are weird

Plus we drink water. Almost exclusively. Its why we bring it, I refuse to pay for it LOL.

How will all of that factor?

Ok, I'll bite.

Well, lets look at the sit down places you have in mind already. You will be there for 10 nights and you have 5 in mind.

Flying Fish dinner--Most entrees are around $36. Some slightly less, steak is a bit more at $42. Kids meals run around $9-10 on the average. Once again, some slightly less, some more. Right now you're at about $92 for the 4 of you eating. Add on drinks, tax, and tip and you're looking at about $125 or so for this one meal.

Le Cellier dinner--$9 kids meals, about $40 on average for adults. $100 + drinks (Alcohol? That ups the cost tremendously), tax & tip. Probably closer to $150 by the time its all said and done.

Ohana breakfast--Approx $25/adult, $13 child. $76 upfront including drinks/tax, so with tip it should be about $90.

Akershus lunch--Approx $45/adult, $27 child. $144 upfront including tax/drinks, so with tip it should be around $170.

Cape May dinner--Approx $40/adult, $20 child. $120 upfront including tax/drinks, so with tip it should be around $142.

On days without a TS, I would plan on spending about $50/meal (4 people, including entrees + drink as drinks are not included) x at least 2, depending on if you eat breakfast before you come to the parks or not. Maybe a snack budget of $20/day.

On days with a TS, I would plan on spending about $50 for one other meal + maybe $20 in snacks.

I guess for 10 nights, that comes to about $677 for your 5 sit down meals, plus about $750 for all of your other meals provided you eat breakfast in your room before you come, plus about $200 for snacks, for a grand total of $1627.

The cost for regular dining plan would be about $1350 + tips for the 4 of you. It would include a sit down, a quick service, and a snack. Are you should you don't want to reconsider? You would already have 6 table service meals accounted for (Le Cellier is 2). It's almost like getting 4 more nicer meals for free.