Budget?

[bode]

My dd and I are going to WDW on the 27th through oct 2. i am budgeting $100 a day for food , snacks , drinks and tips. this doesn't include expensive presents but maybe a trinket or two if need be. it will be just she and i. from those of you who have been before does this sound within reason?

 

[Robo]

$100/ day for TWO? Sure... with some planning.

My DW and I dine at several Epcot restaurants, at Cinderella's Royal Table (Castle in MK), Sci Fi Dine-in or 50's Primetime (D/MGM), at 'Ohana (Poly Resort), Whispering Canyon (WL), and even several Character Breakfasts.

The TRICK is to not do these more expensive meals MULTIPLE times a day.
Each day we choose ONE (two at the most) of special "higher-ticket" meals for PS.
We eat at Epcot for LUNCH:
Canada's "Le Cellier" is fantastic!
The Land's "Garden Grille" is delicious (and Mickey and the gang cavort!)
Even lunching at the Living Seas can be a much better value than evening meals.

One exception is, we save Mexico's "San Angel Inn" for our last EVENING meal of the trip... its special for us.

We can hit the $100 per day for "meals for two" by then snacking (Mickey Bars and Dole Whips come to mind) and munching popcorn for any other time we feel a bit "empty".

The BIG DEAL time we "break the budget" is the HOOP DE DOO on the day we arrive... but its worth it!!

 

[SondraD11]

You don't say where you are staying, but this is definitely do-able if you watch the big ticket meals. On days that you eat counter service meals, it will save a little more money for those trinkets. One year, I had a very small budget trip to Disney. I shared a condo off-site with friends and only had enough extra money to buy a Disney t-shirt (my tradition). The way I handled it was I ate a big breakfast at the condo before heading to the parks. I put a lot of snack items in my fanny pack such as granola bars, snack crackers, etc. I also carried in a bottle of water that I kept refilled through-out the day at the water fountains around the parks. At the end of the day, I had a good hot meal back at the condo. It was just as fun to go budget as it has been on my other trips. After all, I was at the happiest place on earth. You will have a great time!

Sondra

 

[kandmwedding]

The last trips my husband and I have been on, we've averaged $100 (for both of us) for all the things you listed. We never do more than one sit down meal each day - and when we do it's always lunch. When we do sitdown we don't usually order appetizers or desserts because we look forward to sampling everything and will pick something up from somewhere else later in the day. We munch on a lot of little things throughout the day and therefore don't need big meals. And, we always get a refillable mug to share. We hit the food court on our way to the buses and on our way back, and use it throughout the day with water if we're extra thristy. I think your budget can definitely work!!

 

[hmgolden]

You don't say how old your DD is, but it may help you to keep in mind to share meals, even at the counter service places. DH and I do this a lot. I can hardly ever finish my meal so we share one, and he orders an extra side to fill him up. It also helps keep costs down so we can splurge on one more expensive sit-down meal a day. (it also ensures that I'm hungry enough to eat the full sit-down meal )

 

[jann1033]

don't know if you looked into the meal vouchers ( might not have time now since only 1 wk out) but depending on your daughter's age, you might be able to share lunches at sitdown places. my husband and i usually split lunch at someplace like lecellier with vouchers ( appe, entree and dessert) but i think most places you could come close to $30 (ie at chefs 2 of the french sampler lunches would be around 30+)and get plenty of food for both of you, leaving around $60+ for a counter service dinner( could sometimes share here, usually at resort food courts which seem to give a little maore food) and food court type breakfast plus a few souvies. the portions at disney are usually normal "rest. large"

( hm golden..great minds agreebut you are a faster typist! )